The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-05-06
Labor Puved Road
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there TO be broadcast by the men OF
the budding Mexican labor movement
More than any other factor, labor
forced Il turning in Mexico from Sus-
piciOn toward friendship.
1t must be understood and remem-
bered that the Mexican revolution was
fought with the help of organized
labor in Mexico. Not the organization
of today, but the fruit of its time and
place. There was then the Casa del
Obrero Mundial blouse of the Work
ers of the World) Its philosophy grew
out of the syndicalist philosophy of
Spanish labor But it entered into Il
signed compact with the leaders of the
military revolution. This compact
recognized mutually of aims be-
tween labor and the revolution and
that mutually of aim continues to this
without Il knowledge that leads To
much understanding of today's Mexico.
The GROIN Begins Life
And as that other war approached,
this pioneer movement turned into the
Mexican Federation of Labor, the
GROIN, today a sound and influential
organization, but in the latter thirties
surpassed in numbers by its left wing
rival.
Just as that other war ended the
GROIN and the AFL took the lead in
forming the Pan American Federation
of Labor. Whatever may have been its
shortcomings, the Pan American Fed
GRAFTON carried on the work of build
ing good neighbOrlineSs and resulted
in more visiting back and forth, more
exchange of views, more creation of
understanding than any other effort,
political, economic or anything else.
President to0sevelt's great job
didn't start from scratch. 1t started
over a roadway built by organized
labor, In the face of great odds, in
Guiding the hostility and lack of un-
derStanding of some of It's own mem
bership. 1t continued even through that
period in Mexico when the conflict
with the church was at its height
slackened, but never stopped.
History must never be written in
and vital phase of the development of
friendship between Mexico and the
United States.
History must never neglect or for
get the pioneer work done by Samuel
Gompers, American labor'S greatest
leader.
Two Who Helped
Nor must history be SO written as
to forget the tremendous contribution
made by those two Mexican PreSi-
dents, Pluturco Elias Gales and Al
varo Obregon. 1t was and perhaps
still Is Il boast of Mr.. Gales that he
carried Il card in the International
Association of MachinistS.
In the face of the tragic fact that
under Wilson our Navy fired on Vera
Cruz, these facts remain. The pioneer
ing for the good neighbor policy was
done by organized labor and with the
help and encouragement of Woodrow
Wilson. A great many American labor
men helped but without GOmpcrS' far
seeing leadership they could not have
had their chance. And SO, aS Franklin
DeanO Roosevelt went to call upon
Aviln tamachO In that great Mexican
indust rial center, lurking i'm the
shadows of the mountains not far
away were the shades of those who
fought for understanding when the OBJ
stacles were great. They fought when
American Industrial and financial
interests were intent upon plunder and
exploitation. They did Il great job and
the fruit of today's effort is richer
because of the cultivation which they
toiled To bring about
Pledge By Camacho
One word more: Whatever were the
pledges exchanged i'm Monterrey, Avila
tamacho could have given no stronger
word than he gave to me in IN inter
view In the National Palace in Mexico
City n year and half ago, when ne
enabled me TO return with the positive
assurance that Mexico would march
side by side with the United States in
Il brotherhood that would become n
brotherhood in arms If needs be. In
the company of Luis Morones and Bob
Haberman that pledge was given
and how magniticently II has been
kept.