The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-07-15

From the beginning there has been
something very much wrong with the
whole business surrounding the mes
sage of government to labor in this
war.
There has been very little to inspire,
very little to warm up the souls of
working men and women.
Corporation advertising, hOug n
keyed for very different and often
not too laudable purpose, has done
Job that comes close to being better
than the job government has done.
Labor itself has done so little that
it rates almost at zero.
1t is strange that this should be so
in the greatest of all wars.
If ever there was a war that should
call for the ultimate in loyalty, devo-
1ion and sacrifice, this is it.
But instead of a ringing and con-
tinuous challenge to the best that is in
human beings, we have had mostly
chickering's, clashes of authority and
wholly drab and colorless propaganda.
The Office of War Information
dishes out small bookful of copy
each week 1t is about as inspired as
an undernOurished pancake.
Sometimes the stuff is in it, buried
it can shine But OWL itself doesn't
bring it out and shine it up.
Perhaps OWL doesn't want to be ac-
cused of propaganda, but it is much
better to be accused of it and do a
bang-up job than be accused of it and
try to hide it. Because if OWL isn't
in business for propaganda, then what
under the sun is it there fOr?.
Propaganda isn't a hideous thing. 1t
is good thing, to be used properly,
wisely, intelligently, to help win this
war.
Elmer Davis has been kicked around
generously and maybe he is bashful
about letting loose the big guns of
propaganda.
LAWS 10 al SoV'i lllttI, dll Holi-
est man and too principled to meet on
their own terms some of the dogs that
bite at his heels.
But somehow, by somebody, this job
of putting the case straight to labor
ought to be done.
Furthermore, labor's contribution to
the war ought to be given better
display. 1t ought to be pounded home
with bushels of facts. 1t ought to be
blaZoned forth, like some triumphant
cry of men marching down the road
to victory.
Again, the corporations do better
job, for a purpose not nearly as good.
Why is all this? Why is it that in
an age which has witnessed the per-
fection of propaganda, this one vital
avenue is SO neglected, so overgrown
with the weeds that feed on mental
laZiness or incapacity?
Perhaps the division in the house of
labor has something to do with the
weakness and the vacillating character
of this essential propaganda.
But that is weak and puny eX-
cuse The cry of humanity for guar
anteed freedom-yes for all four of
the freedoms, is just as vigorous as it
could be if all labor We're in one
house. That division makes no diff
ference. 1t is a trifling thing in Il
world caught in global struggle for
Tha frapInp nf mon
We need all through the home
structure the same dash and abandon
that makes an air fighter drive his
plane straight at an enemy ship; that
makes soldiers drive on regardless of
odds.
That doesn't imply wage injustices
or exploitation.
But if we had what we ought to
have it would be just about impossi-
BILE to start Detroit riot or put
through Congress the worst piece of
anti-labor legislation in the whole past
decade. If we had what we ought to
have.-CMW.