The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-10-23
Focing The Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

IAiuefiCdH FeQeratlOn OF LABOR con-
vention which opens Oct in Seattle
is to keep performance parallel with
promise.
No one questions the patriotism of
the American Federation of Labor. It's
declarations of policy with regard to
the national defense program, its
sincere devotion to the cause of de-
Imocracy and it's energetic efforts to
help make America the arsenal of de-
lmocracy have been ali encouraging in
SEPARATION to all Americans. There are
mo appeasers Or fifth-columnists in
1.-THE American Federation of Labor, no
ladmlrers of Hitler or any other to-
ltalitarian Dictator Everyone knows
that and is deeply assured by that
knowledge.
But from time to time, in defiance
Iof the American Federation's no.
Istrike policy in defense industries, we
find an A. F. of l.. union resorting to
Istrikes before exhausting every other
possible means of settling differences
land these occurrences, even though
THY are few and far between, under
mime the confidence of the American
Ipople in our movement The leaders
of the Federation can point proudly
to the fact that more than 80 per cent
of the members of the A. F. of L..
have refrained from defense strikes
for any cause. Yet this fine record is
lbesmirched by the undisciplined frac-
ltlon of one per cent who put immedi-
late selfish interests above the national
welfare and indulge in indefensible
|strikes.
lndefensible Strikes
One such strike occurred recently
lin Kansas City, where a local electri-
|cal workers union, under stupid
leadership, shut down the city's power
|plants and blacked out the city with
out warning. Fortunately the ma
|tional leadership, of the union quickly
stepped in and called a quick halt to
|such mad proceedings But that small
local union, by it's Incorporate and in
Idefensible action, blotted out the fine
service rendered day in and day out
by millions of other workers the
country over in the minds of many
citizens. That strike helped to give
labor a bad name despite it's generally
good record.
The American Federation of Labor
condemns such strikes with all the
power at it's command. Regardless of
the circumstances, regardless of the
'provocation, there is no possible eX-
Icuse for such arbitrary abuse of the
power Of labor. The right to strike is
labor's most precious possession. The
enemies of labor would rejoice at the
opportunity of destroying that right
And such indefensible strikes give aid
land comfort to the enemies of labor
in their efforts-te render it power
less.
Now the American Federation of
Labor has no authority over the in
ternal affairs of national or interna-
|tional unions. The public doesn't quite
understand this. The autonomous set
|up of the American Federation of
Labor as a voluntary association of
free and independent trade unions is
Ia guarantee of democracy. The fate
|of many European nations has con-
|frmed for us the truth that eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty. That
lis equally true in labor organizations.
We think the convention of the
American Federation of Labor can
lrender great service to the nation by
spurring on the leaders of it's affiliat-
led unions, national and local, to live
up to their promises, keep on their
toes, and see TO it that irresponsible
land undisciplined action are pre-
vented.
Keeping Our House Clean
A similar problem is presented in
the question of protecting union mem
bers and the public from dishonest of
ficials. Here again we find that the
occasional instance of performance
failing to live up to promise results
i'm giving a black eye to the entire
movement.
The American Federation of Labor
lis an idealistic institution, in concep
|tlon, in purpose and in structure. 1t
lis a union Of men and women, banded
together to promote not only their
|own interests but the welfare of the
nation. In its 81 years of existence
the American Federation of Labor has
accomplished so much good for the
workers of our country and for all Of
It's citizens that it would take volumes
to tell the whole story adequately.
When we think back to the squalid,
|SlaVe-like conditions under which
workers were forced to labor for a
mere pittance before the advent of or
ganized labor and compare those con-
dtlons with present conditions, we
have a right to be proud to be asso-
|ciated with a movement so noble in
purpose and so efficient in its good
works. And we know that there is
ever so much more to be done, for
millions of unorganized workers as
well as trade union members, before
we have the right to sit back on our
laurelS.
NHt tbn occasional op,nruopco of 9,