Imperial Valley press., 1941-05-29
THEY DON'T DESERVE
A DAY OF GRACE

unless naClO0al Qe1enSe strikes are
ended, President Roosevelt's proclama-
tion of an unlimited national emergency
will be worse than nothing.
With all the terms of that proclama--
tion we agree. With all the itemlZed
reasons that led up to it, we are III
hearty accord. Yet we foresee this dan
ger: that unless defense strikes are stop
ped it will work to the harm of the ma
ton, because it has brought the nation
nearer to that fateful day when we shall
be fighting with guns and shells and
planes and men, as we'll as with econo-
mic weapons.
President Roosevelt, as this is written
seems to be waiting for voluntary acton
by labor racketeers to end national de-
fense strikes. Probably he is merely al
lowing to them a day of grace before
action is taken to outlaw their criminal
work stoppages.
We hope that he plans such action.
If he does not, his great and good pro-
clamation will have been wasted. More
than that, it may prove to have been
tragic error. For everything hinges on
production.
Neither capital nor labor should be al
lowed to delay production of our nation
al arms by SO much as one hour. II
management attempts to bring about such
a delay, it must be treated as it deserves
and in the public mind it would deserve
the worst that could happen to it. If
labor brings about such a delay, it, too,
must receive equal treatment.
The stress is laid on labor rather than
management today entirely because the
governments own figures reveal that
industry as whole is earning less profit
this year than last, yet is turning out far
greater production. Management, on
the basis of facts available, is doing its
part, sacrificing profits, speeding mp
the delivery of arms for Uncle Sans SOL
diers.
Labor is willing to do its part. A great
maj jority of American laborers are will
ing to cooperate one hundred per cent
in assuring that our way of life will sur
vive.
That leaves the racketeers Manage
ment has some of them, but already they
are under such strict government control
that their chances to do damage are
slight. Labor has them We see proof of
it every day. And there is no control over
them 1t is they who are endangering
our national life today 1t is they who
must be controlled if President Roose-
velt's national policy-the policy of the
people Of America-is to result in some
thing else besides bitter failure.
DON'T WAIT TOO LONG
FOR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE
If this governmental inactivity against
defense strikers following the Presidents
proclamation is merely to give them a
chance to comply voluntarily with the
demands of the President, which also are
the demands of the people, the period of
waiting should not be too long. One day
should have been sufficient One week
should be enough, at the most liberal Of
estimates.
If defense strikes have not ended when
the week ends. and if any new strikes
come into defense industry, this govern
ment will be derelict in its duty-it will
be false to its own recorded worldly
failing to use force if necessary to stop
these strikes.
Our greatest danger is not in the Cape
Verde islands nor the Azores. 1t is in
our own factories. France fell because her
factories had failed even before the war
Britain has taken a terrible beating be-
cause her factories were not prepared
and had not been turning out the things
she needed. The dominance Hitler has
established today, he has established be-
cause of production-not because of man.