The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-08-14
FUNDAMENTAL DEFENSE POLICIES

FUNDAMENTAL DEFENSE POLICIES
THOSE WHO live and work in Washington know
and understand the efforts which are being put
forth to develop and expand war Industries. AS
these efforts become increasingly successful, those
who live and work in industrial centers IND thaI
raw materials and workers are being diverted
from civilian industries. The Defense Admins
tration may issue an industry-wide priority order
affecting commodity, as in the cases OF alumni
mum and copper, which reserves the entire supply
for defense production or it may ration the sup
ply aotting quotas for defense and civilian uses
In either case the industry is hard hit and IN
comes of investors and workers may be reduced.
Workers may find themselves without JOBS.
PLANTS concerned may be the main or important
Industries around which community business has
lbeen developed.
We all realize that worldwide conflict is rag
ling and that no country can escape its lmpllca-
tions or consequences. We realize that business as
usual cannot continue but we maintain that plans
Ito develop the munitions and tools of defense shall
he guided by controlling determination to pro-
|tect and conserve the rights and welfare of the
people concerned We believe that the United
States has the technical ability and the states
|rnanship to do the job in this way. Labor main
aims that, whenever plans for defense production
necessitate changes in operating factories and IN
lustres upon which people depend for incomes
i plans be ready when the defense order becomes
effective either to provide these industries with
! Iefense orders or enable them to be converted to
i other production. OPM contemplates this pro-
:edure through it's Defense Contract Service at
sached to the Federal Reserve and its branch
banks but this service is not yet developed IN
|practcal proportions to do the job needed nor Is
Hit geared into priority orders.
More serious than these shortcomings is the
lack of central authority and procedures neces-
sary to put such an administration into effect. so
long as small business concerns tied up by priority
orders compelled to go through the process or
competitive bidding in order to secure defense
hall hp tO achieve DrOdIIc-
tion capacity and business depression and unem-
.plOyment will accumulate and undermine national
morale in many localities The War and Navy
Departments cannot maintain contracts as usual
any more than business can do business as usual.
These are problems which can be met by the
necessary administration Setup, including repre-
sentation for employees and employers concerned,
. with the mobilization of engineers and other
|techncians, and with the authority delegated to
lone head to put into effect plans developed. OBJ
|viously this problem extends into the jurisdiction
of the Office of Price Administration and Civilian
Supply which issues priorties for civilian produc-
ton well as control prices.
The special problems of defense economy
where action is controlled by other reasons than
|prce bring sharply to the realization that total
warfare or total defense requires national plan
lining for total resources to meet defense and
|cvan needs, so that coordinated planning is in
|dispensable. The Defense Administration be-
comes the government under which we live and
lied representation, they live under deSpotism.
\ Employers rights under defense contracts
l were carefully formulated and defined. Industrial
5 management maintained that this must be done
before contracts were let, and they were in po-
isition to insist upon this course. The Admins
traton secured legislation to comply with pro-
divisions formulated by employers. Workers car
take similar steps for their protection only when
making work contract with employers. We
have an equal right and duty to protect ourselves
: Among the rights which must be fully protected
in order that Wage-earners progress in social bet
terment shall not be impaired or destroyed are:
Development and conservation of work
i skils. These are the chief assets Of wage
e earners corresponding to capital investment
q on the part of employers.
Rights growing out of work experience
5 such as seniority rate of pay, Vacations pen
I Slons, etc.
: Rights to retraining for new jobs without
loss of pay or status when plants are convert
$ ed to new production due to defense needs.
II When workers, due to national defense
: needs must move from their homes in order
7 to find employment, the cost Of tranSpoIta-
= ton and help should be borne either by in
duStry or the government.
The work rights of persons working for wages
: are not clearly defined and accepted rs rights
e derived from property ownership. Decisions OF
= the fundamental defense problems will do mucl
G IN establishing balance between conservation O
Il human welfare and conservation of propert,
eIrights.