The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-09-04
. COMMENT ON WORLD
. EVENTS


basis of fact. Many soldiers doubt
the reality of grave emergency, or
even any emergency at all, investi-
gators say. 1t seems safe to say that
there is a distinct lack of enthusiasm
among draftees and National Guards
men.
The soldiers low state of mind evil
IDENTIFY stems from the state of mind
of the general public, which refuses
to get excited and is seemingly not
greatly concerned over the "emer-
gency," "crisis," or whatever you
want to call it.
Perhaps the public is beginning to
wonder what all the talk of "crisis," !"
mortal national danger" ETC., means.
Alarmist words and phrases are used
over and over again, until they have
almost ceased to carry any emphasis
Concrete explanation and illustration
of the alarmist expressions are large
ly lacking. All of which makes for
scepticism. The remedy would seem
to be for the government to take the
public more fully into it's confidence,
to tell the facts, frankly, except where
actual military necessity forbids.
Lack of morale in American army
camps must interest (and please)
Berlin. So must defense or priority
unemployment here. Certainly such
unemployment can not help national
morale, and in addition it means a
big loss to the defense program.
Defense unemployment and the
remedy are discussed by the Amer
lean Federation of Labor in it's
monthly survey, which points out how
switching of materials from monde
fense industries and production cuts
in consumer goods industries are
forcing men into idleness.
The only hope Tor affected plants
and their workers is to change to de-
fense work as quickly as possible, the
federation says, adding that this
change is no easy matter, in most
cases.
The situation, the federation de-
clares, can only be met by co-opera-
ton of labor, employers and govern
ment on a national basis and also on
a community basis, so that resources
can be pooled and plans developed
and technical men familiar with an
industry can make their services
reach as far as possible.
X X X
What has already been done in two
cases to prevent defense unemploy-
ment is summarized by the fedora
tons survey as follows:
"ln aluminium, priorities closed
seven plants making aluminium con-
sumer goods near Manitowac, Wis,
and threw 5000 out of work. Due to
efforts Of the A. f. of L., engineers
from the industry and from defense
agencies made a quick study of the
situation and defense contracts were
secured in some plants.
"In silk textiles and hosiery, when
priorities in silk threatened 175,O00
jobs, an industry committee repre-
senting management and labor worked
with defense officials to plan combi-
nations of cotton, rayon and nylon
and get manufacturers to release
these necessary substitutes. In these
two cases plants will probably be kept
in operation through this joint ac-
ton"
Pointing out the need for co-opera-
tive action and the responsibility rest
ing on unions, the federation says:
Great resources of manpower and
equipment may be wasted in futile
idleness and lost to the defense pro-
gram unless unions, employers and
government work together for the
shift to defense work. Plants may
be forced out Of business; workers
may lose their jobs and their homes.
Permanent dislocationS of industry
may occur; whole communities de
pending on a single industry may be
practically wiped out"