The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-11-13
Faith. Courage And
Determination Is
Need. Says S+ossen
Washington And Gompers
Had Them In Abundance.
States Governor

By President James NJ. Duffy, Second
Vice President Frank Hull, Eighth
Vice President Joshua Chadwick
and Ray Dickey, N B. of 0. P. Dele
gates to the A. F. of L. Convention.
The Honorable Harold E. Stassen,
Governor of Minnesota, addressed the
delegates of the American Federation
Of Labor the second day of the con-
vention recently held in Seattle,
Washington.
His entire speech follows:
President Green, members of the
Executive Council, fraternal delegates
of Canada and Great Britain, dele
gates and guests of the 61st annual
convention to the American Fedora
ton of Labor:
count it an honor to respond to
your invitation to speak to this con-
vention which represents five million
able loyal workmen, who are taking,
and who will take, crucial part in
building up the defense which will
stop Hitler, and win through for the
precious liberty Of free men and free
women.
Although this is my first appear
ance before the convention of the
American Federation of Labor, l feel
at home. My personal family circle
is one of sons of toll and has had
within its brothers holding A. F. of L.
cards as sheet metal worker and milk
wagon driver. My official family cir
Gle has within it in important admin
istrative positions many members of
the A. F. of L. l believe fundamental
ly in the union organization of work.
men as has been carried on by the
American Federation of Labor.
We all keenly realize that we meet
at difficult and critical hour in ma
tional and international affairs. Every
newspaper headfinseSt n every radio
newscast sharply outlines the disaster
of dictator-made warfare and the
tragic effects upon billions of our fel-
low men. Yes, and the women and
little children are there, too. 1t is
we'll said that these are dark days in
the world. 1t is correct that these are
difficult and uncertain days for our
country.
But let us not forget that there
have been dark days before in the
world. Let us not forget that there
have been dark days before for our
own beloved land. Let us have a
fundamental faith and courage and
determination in the future of free
men under the Stars and Stripes.
That faith and courage and de-
termination is the very base on which
to stand as we face our problems.
Washington and his little band of
cold and tattered men had it at VAL
ley Forge and they won our indepen-
dence. Our forefathers, sons, and
daughters of every nation of the
world had it as they opened up the
territories and added them as new
states to the Union. Samuel Gompers
and his brothers had it when they
founded the American Federation of
Labor.
Building on this foundation, the
critical days ahead present a tre-
mendous need for labor statesman
ship.
l am confident that under your vet
eran but forward-looking and wise
president, William Green, you will
furnish labor craftsmanship.
You have already demonstrated
this in many particulars. Outstanding
has been your clearcut stand for the
building Of our defenses and your sup
port, regardless of partisanship, of
the established foreign policy Of the
national government and the Presi-
dent of the United States. Large has
been your contribution in the service
of American labor Helpful has been
your official position of avoiding
strikes in defense activities. Import
ant have been the steps you have
taken to weed out men who are not
one hundred per cent loyal to Old
Glory
l commend and congratulate you
for your record.
But l also frankly present the stern
challenge Of the future to American
labor. AS l see it, this divides into
five major responsibilities.
First, to speed up still more the
production of the means of defense
for our country and for those who are
courageously opposing the totalitarian
onslaught.
This means there must be less stop
pages of defense production. Your
official position has been splendid as
taken early by President Green when
he said on September 16, 1910, "How-
ever, in a great emergency, such as
we now face, it becomes our solemn
duty to avoid strikes and to prevent
interruption of work in defense in
dustries. We must substitute the con-
ference room for the strike field"
Turn to Page Tsvo)