The union times., 1941-06-21
Urges Full
 Preservation
 Of Liberties
International Representative Says Labor Should Have
 Part in Planning

bulwarks of our national defense.
 Labor says this is our democrac, and this is our struggle to defend it. Robert J. Watt, international repre- sentative, American Federation C Labor, said before the National Cor ference of Social Work. Speaking O Labor's Place in a Period of Ma .ional Emergency" Watt made thos assertions and outlined the rights o abor as follows:
 CIVIL LIBERTIES
 l. It is Labor's right to de- fend civil liberties, to demand that democratic institutions, in- cluding the political, social and economic machinery function freely to give to all people fuller measure of justice. This is also the time to expand the rights and responsibilities of lac bOr organizations and to give them an ever-increasing respOn- sibility to keep pace with dem- Onstrated capacity.
 2. 1t is labor's right to be given functional, responsible part in the operation of the de- fense program, with labor rep resentatiOn in all agencies where policies of vital concern to wage earners are formed. It is labOr's right to ask that employers obey the law of the land, just as care- fully as they themselves are ex- pected to do.
 4. It is labor's right to ask that its charter of economic lib- erty be respected ''because our defense of democracy is a de- fense of democracy-nOt of spe- cial privilege It is labor's duty to continue its effort to give to more than 12O millions Ameri- cans a fair share in the operation and fruits of the magnificent economic democracy they can build together.
 5. It is the right and duty of labor to demand that the Ad- ministration keep step with the laws. It is labor's task to keep its gains which constitute the workers bill of rights and to ex- tend them as rapidly as possible, but no more rapidly than the national economy permits.
 6. It is labOr's right to insist on making democracy one of the dearest and most productive pos sessions of every American work ing man and woman. SWe must make it a priceless possession for all our people,"
 Scores Careerists
 Labor, MT. Watts explained, is con cerned by the number of careerist who jump from one government jo to another for personal advancement pr to cover up their own defects with put an iota of honest concern for tn purpose of the program of the wei fare of those to be served.
 Labor's demand to share in tn counils of democracy on an even foot ing with capital, he said, is based o belief that the problem of fair labc representation is one of human re lationships rather than theoretic; economics.
 Tt is of first importance in any e fort for national defense. It involv' the intangible which we call 'moral' that inner convition which lea' workers to give their utmost for cause.
 The speaker stressed the need f wholehearted cooperation on the pa of both workers and employers America is to meet the challenge the battle of production" which faces today. It can be achieved be he said, by giving labor that fun tional, responsible part in the ope ation of the defense program i which 1t asks.
 No Straight-Jacket
 Referring to labor's right strike" MT. Watt said that the rig to strike is the right to work on SUI able terms. A ban on strikes, he adde would be stupid.
 Where an employer has refus to meet his workers on decent tern any attempt to straight-jacket lab would be to break down morale al accumulate grievances which would destructive to production" MT. Wa conluded.