The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-01-28
President Green
Pruises Workers
For Production

Green OF the American Federation OF |
Labor, addressing the delegates to the |
Southern War Labor Conference here, |
paid high tribute TO the millions of |
workers who are turning out record |
breaking totals of war production.
Every one Of our soldiers Of pro-
duction who is on the job and produc |
ing the goods can feel that he is help
ing his country win ii glorious victory
he said
at seems to me that the American
people owe debt of gratitude TO
these loyal workers almost equal to
that we all acknowledge to the men
in uniform who are riSliing their lives
against the enemy on the battlefields.
Let no one ina gine that those serving
on the production front at home have
it safe and easy. Figures compiled
by the National Safety Council show
that more Americans were killed by
Industrial accidents last year in mills
and factories than on the battlefrOntS
facing the enemy. Let Us not forget
that labor has its war heroes, too"
Turning to the question of strikes
hampering the war effort. Mr.. Green
cited government reports to show that
work stoppages have been reduced to
an infnitesimal quantity.
when the japanese made their
daStardly attack upon Pearl HarbOr.
labor pledged to the President that
there would be no interruption of war
production for any cause" he said.
Has that pledge been fulfilled? Let
F, us look at the record. The National
War Labor Board reports that man
! day losses from strikes in war pro-
duction during last November fell to
the lowest point in history. The losses
amounted to only three One-hundredthS
of one per cent of man days worked
in the month. In other words, the
; board said officially that labor'S score
in living up to its no-Strike pledge
was 90 and 97-100ths per cent perfect.
But these overall figures for the
entire nation still do not give us a
clear and true picture. Perhaps / can
give you Il better idea of it by citing
The record made in the great indus
trial State of New York during No
vember In that entire month there
were only four new strikes involving
only % workers in the Empire State,
where some seven million workers are
continuously employed. That is some
thing else we can all be proud of.
Now, the War Production Board
| II,
order to make possible further sub
/ stantial advances along the roads that
lead to Berlin and Rome and Toxic,
the Government has doubled war pro-
duction quotas for this year. Aiagniti-
cent as was our production record in
; 1912, we've got to do twice as well in
1913.
II have no hesitation in pledging
, that the workers of America will hold
up their end and fulfill their part i'll
this gigantic undertaking. Their faith
in this nation and in its democracy is
indeed eternal and their spirit grows
stronger day by day. They have tasted
= victory and they will not be satisfied
until it is complete. They will not rest
!, from their Iabors until the dictators OF
Europe and Asia are crushed for all
time Willingly and eagerly they will
:, pitch in and do every job set for them.
So long as their strength is not i'm
paired by the destruction of labor
p, standards, So long as their democratic
= rights are not encrOached upon by
:, compulsory legislation, 50 long aS their
= faith in America is kept intact by
;, giving them a square deal, they Will
, produce the goods.
: In conclusion, Mr.. Green referred
q to our postwar objectiveS. First and
foremost is the attainment of Il peace
! that will be fair and just to all and
f that will be lasting" he said. If we
: can attain such peace-and we must
! not let any difficulties deter or dis
n courage uS-we will be well on the
= road toward the realization of Il goal
: the human race has been striving for
4 since the beginning of time-freedonl
II from fear. | assure you that labor
4 will make its voice heard at the con-
!, ference tables after this war in Il
, clarion call for enduring peace.
n The second essential postwar OBJ
. jective is freedom from want, without
which human beings can have no real
security in the short span of life al
lotted to Us. Toward this end, the
President proposed Il sweeping social
security program which will protect
every American from the cradle to the
7 grave against the torturing fear OF
# poverty and destituon. Let me state
q here and now that the American
It Federation of Labor will support this
II social security program TO the limit OF
: its powers and will never let up the
= fight until it becomes the law OF the
land