The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-10-09
LABOR NEWS
FROM BRITAIN
. CLINCHING ANGLO
RUSSIAN SOLIDARITY
BRITISH INDUSTRY
TRANSFORMED

London.-Prompt steps were taken
by the r. U. C. headquarters to give
effect to the momentous decision Of
the Trades Union Congress at Edin-
burgh to establish the basis of cor
ganized collaboration" with the Trade
Unions of Soviet Russia.
The decision to invite the All-Union
Central Council of Trade Unions of
the U. S. S. r. to join in the estab-
lishment of an Anglo-Russian Trade
Union Council was an absolutely
unanimous vote of the 700 delegates
at the Edinburgh assembly.
Details had to be worked out subse-
quently, but there was no delay in
setting up the machinery to secure
effective and early collaboration.
No official announcement was i'm
mediately possible about the compo-
sition of the proposed Trade Union
Council, but within an hour Of the
conclusion of Congress the General
Council had appointed its representa-
tives and were awaiting information
from Soviet Russia which would set
the machinery in motion.
Writing in advance Of events
think it safe to predict that the first
meeting will be held on Russian soil,
and it is hardly possible to exagger-
ate the significance Of such meet
ing.
Organized Collaboration
Delegates at the Edinburgh Con-
gress were deeply moved by Walter
Citrine's presentation of the case for
close organic contact with the Russian
Trade Unions. The Soviet Govern
ment and people, he said, had given
the most convincing proof of their de-
termination to resist Nazism.
Not only were the Soviet armed
forces and guerilla fighters defending
Russian soil with the utmost tenacity,
but the Soviet leaders had thrown
into the scales the colossal gains of
the succession Of five year plans. They
were willing to sacrifice some of the
greatest industrial achievements in
human history to win the war. Sucn
sacrifices, he added, entailed a tre-
mendous strain upon Russia's re-
sources and economic organization.
1t was an obligation upon British
trade unionists to give their fellow
workers in the Soviet Union maximum
support and to prove by deeds as we'll
as words that they appreciated what
the gallant men and women serving
in the Soviet armed forces were do
ing to serve the common cause.
The main purpose of the Joint
Council is to organize mutual assist
ance and provide for the exchange of
advice and information on all aspects
of the war problem. ~ ~
1t will entail direct personal con-
tact between the two Trade Union
movements through accredited repre-
sentatives.
They are to meet regularly, and
arrangements are being made that
when the representatives of the All
Union Central Council of Soviet
Trade Unions meet in London the!
will confer with the whole of the
| Il. Y. 4. General council.
Conversely, when meetings are helc
in Moscow, the British members OF
the Council will meet the whole OF
the executive body of the Russian
Trade Unions.
This was the procedure adopted a
the meetings of the AngloFr
Trade Union Council. The regula!
visits of leading French trade union
lists to Britain during the Councils
existence gave them many opportuni
ties of seeing the British war effor
at first hand, and one may expect that
similar arrangements will be made OF
both sides when the Anglo-Russial
Trade Union Council gets under way
Churchill Roosevelt Declaration
Much is said by the leaders of or
ganized labor at Trade Union con
ferences and other gatherings whIcf
cannot be adequately reported in the
general press.
Some publicity was given to mas
terly survey of Britain's war effor
made by Ernest Bevin, speaking a!
| MlIllSGtI VI LdDOIy aC Vic uSlSSdN'
conference of his own union recently
But good deal of that very notable
utterance, which the newspapers cou!t
not print in full owing to lack o
space, deserves to be placed Oh
record.
Ernest Bevin dealt particular.
with that part of the Churchill-Ro
welt declaration concerning the con
troll of raw materials.
He interpreted it as applying als'
to certain primary foods such a
wheat. 1t is accepted, he said, tha
these essential materials must n;
longer be subjected to scramble AM
speculation. There must be organiZa
ton and control. Here is Bevin'
idea:
"If l could have my way l woul'
introduce to the raw materials of tn
world the postage stamp principle
Such things as wheat, rice, rubber, oil
coal, ore, chrome, bauxite and othe
similar things l would pool interna
tionally and make an equal charge 70
their use to anybody who neede'
| i L.