The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-05-01
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS :

The International Federation of
Trade Unions, though badly handi-
capped by the suppression or control
of it's European affiliates by the Nazi
conquerors, is making courageous
effort to maintain its organization and
continue it's activities. Surprising to
relate, the l. F. 7. U. is even growing,
! the South African labor movement
just having affiliated.
There are two national labor or
ganizations in South Africa, the South
African Trades and Labor Council
and the Cape Federation of Labor
| Unions, one confined to European
workers and the others admitting both
Europeans and Africans. The organ
izations cooperate through national
joint committee. Secretary De Vries
has notified the l. T. T. U. headquar-
ters in London of the decision to af-
filiate, saying:
"This decision will serve to show
that we fully realize the necessity of
assisting our comrades in these de-
mocracies who are fighting and work
ing so valiantly to retain their
identity and freedom. The South
African trade unionist realizes what
Nazism means, and the fate that
awaits him should Germany get the
upper hand"
Commenting on the significance of
the South African affiliation, the l. F.
T. U. bulletin says:
"This means an increase in affili-
ated membership of $4,000. The 1.
F. T. U. thus gains another national
center. This affliation is all the more
important just now, because it is not
simply an expression of workers soli-
darity, of the sense of all belonging
to one family, and contribution Of the
workers to the fight against Fascism.
'It is also symbolic of victory over
the idea of racialism. About this, our
President, Walter Citrine, recently
stated in an article that the fact
that, at time when Nazism is fos.
tering racial hatred, and is seeking
to popularize it by clever propaganda
throughout the world, two trade
union national bodies in South Africa
Zone organizing Europeans only, and
the other European and African work
ers) have succeeded in reaching unity,
is proof that it is our trade unions
which can overcome difficulties of
race"
British labor is out to show that it
has no sympathy for the Peoples Con-
vention, which held much advertised
meeting in London, at which speakers
denounced the British government.
The National Council of Labor, rep
resenting the Trades Union Congress,
the Labor party and the Parliamentary
Labor party, has issued a statement
to dispel all misunderstanding about
the Peoples Convention and make it
clear that support for this organiza-
ton is inconsistent with loyalty to the
labor movement.
The manifesto charges the Peoples
Convention carries on disruptive and
defeatest propaganda and says that
it is, in effect, inspired by Communists
1t describes organization set up by
the Communists to push their prop
aganda among the unwary and says
of these "Innocents' Clubs: cover
and over again, in this and other coun,
tries, good-intentioned Socialists, trade
unionists and labor supporters have
been inveigled on one passing pretext
or other to forsake or slacken in THEN
normal work in their respective unions
or parties and lend their names to anC
exercise their influence in these vary.
ing phases of Communist activity"