The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-07-30
Facing The Foc+s
With PHILIP PEARL


their heavy propaganda artillery on
American workers and we fear that
the hard-headed sons of toll who make
up the rank and file Of labor are get
ting tritie fed up with these constant
bombardments.
We've got Il lot of respect for the
mentality Of the average American
worker. He knows his ABC's and then
some. In fact he knows a great deal
more than many of the well-meaning
amateurs who are trying to "sell' him
the idea of working harder for victory.
We may be wrong. This question of
morale" is a tricky business. 1t has a
lot of angles which defy even the basic
rules of cOmmon-sense. But we have
a deep inner conviction that the Amer
lean worker does not have to be sold
on this war the way highpressure
advertising campaigners go about sell
ing cigarettes or soap to the public.
In fact, it is our belief that instead
of being ::sold" on this war, American
warkers from the beginning have been
doing quite Il bit of selling" them
selves to their fellow Americans. The
records show, for instance, that the
American Federation of Labor was the
first national organization to place q
boycott on Hitler'S products and the
first to denounce Japanese aggression
While our industry was busy selling
war materials to Japan, the AFL was
putting pressure on our Government to
forbid such exports.
Everything Against Nothing
1t isn't bit strange that American
ments of our population because the
facts of totalitarianiSm We're particu-
larly painful to workers.
itler'S first move when he came
to power was to destroy the free and
democratic trade unions of Germany
He seized the trade union leaders ant
sent them to concentration camps on
had them executed. Deprived of the
protection of their trade unions, Ger
man workers were forced into slavery
'
was regulated by Hirler's agents, they
couldn't even choose their own jobs
They were assigned to their duties, like
soldiers. And If they didn't obey, they
and their families were forced to pa!
heavily in suffering.
Now these things were perfectly
clear To American workers long before
we got into this war-nOt only clear
but thoroughly obnoxious Even though
at that time we were In the midst OF
II fearful depression here, even though
we were told that there was not un
employment in Germany. American
workers thanked their lucky stars thai
they We're Americans and not Ger
mans.
The moment America was forced into
war; II lot of stuffed shirt officials be
gan marching up and down the high
ways and bywayS of our industrial
centcrs preaching to labor about labor
stake i'm the war. Those were well
meaning hut wasted words. Labor
knows that this war Is being fough
for keeps and that the stakes arr
everything against nothing. Labor
knows that America cannot afford Il
lose.
a Pat on the Back
But still we find the hgh-pressur,
boys lecturing labor trying to whip oI
he workers with words and slogans
fn
speed.
We're not trying to bawl them on
for doing this. They mean we'll an,
they are trying tn do n constructive
job. But we wish their efforts woul,
hc more intelligently directed.
For instance, the facts show tina
| American workers are in there pitchin;
and doing swell job. Production
| schedules are being smashed every da.
In almost every vital war industry
New records of output are being estah
lished each month. The spirit that pre-
walls Is something wonderful to behold
! Strikes today are Il rarity and ever
| when they do occur they don't las
measure of collaboration between labo
and management is being obtained thai
ever before In industrial history.
Now these are outstanding achieve
mcntS. They didn't come about fror
! highpreSSllre SaleSmanShip. They dc
velopel from the united and uncou
uuerablc determination of America
workers To produce as never before {
speed the day of victory.
OF course, we can't be satisfied wit
the record so far. Labor Is going (
keep on breaking records. But W
doubt that this drive that stems fro,
the hearts and souls of workers Is e
ing to be helped by scolding and lectul
Ing them.
What we suggest Is that our higl
pressure propagandists coniine then
selves to statements something lik
this:
J Boys, you're doing swell job. Kee
up the good work !"