The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-09-04
Roosevelt Refuses Suggestion He Seek
Negotiated Peace In Labor Dov Talk
Americans Helping
Workers In Brituin
Wholeheurted Support OF
The Allies Promised
BY AFL Policy
BY MATTHEW WOLL

The policy of the American labor
movement toward the present world
conflict, as it is expressed by the
American Federation of Labor, is one
of complete and wholehearted support
of Britain and her allies in their
valiant fight for freedom and de-
mocracy.
There has been no responsible
leader of the Federation Of Labor
who has been called upon to express
himself on this subject who has not
asserted. in words that are clear and
definite, the conviction of labor that
the triumph Of freedom and democ-
racy over the forces Of despotism and
tyranny is indispensable if we are to
preserve the democratic way of life.
No one who knows the trade union
movement would have any reason to
doubt that this would be the fact, for
the very future we'll being of the
trade union movement depends upon
the existence Of the kind Of free So
ciety which recognizes the right Of
the individual as we'll as the right Of
voluntary organizations to function
and articulate the will and the aims
of the population.
Last November at the convention Of
the American Federation of Labor,
Sir Walter Citrine, general secretary
of the British Trades Union Congress
and president of the International
Federation of Trades Unions, de-
| livered one of the most moving ad-
| dresses that the A. F. of L. had been
privileged to hear in many a year
Simply and straightforwardly he told
the story of the way in which British
workers stood up to the most pro
longed and destructive bombings any
people had ever been subjected to-
Despite the loss Of life and property
suffered, they have resolved to fight
on, come what may.
Sir Walter Citrine's presentation
was most stirring story, one tina,
we shall long remember In unfor-
gettable phrases he related the fate
which has befallen the free trade
union movement in one country after
the other since barbarism began its
march against the republic of Austria
early in 1888. 1t was a solemn warn
ing which every trade unionist must
take to heart if labor is to play its
full role in preserving our demo.
cratic way.
In all that Brother Citrine had tt
say there was little suggestion Of the
physical inconvenience that the Brit
ish workers were experiencing-the
constant danger to life and limb, the
lack of adequate food or shelter, anc
the indescribable sufferings entailee
by reason of the ruthless barbarisn
of the Nazi air raids
1t is indeed difficult for anyone Il
convey completely what an air-raic
blitz is like, or the fortitude of thess
people as they face the destruction o,
life and property before their Yer!
eyes.
Picture this scene if you will: 1t il
ten o'clock on a winters evening in /
city in the Midlands of England. A
four-thirty it began to get dusk, shop
closed, people left hurriedly for th'
buses and other transportation which
would take them to their homes. Fo
they knew that the blackout woul,
commence as soon as the last rays o
the setting sun had illumined tn
western sky People got to thei
homes as quickly as possible.
They are there for a short tim
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