The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-10-14
AFL Chief Makes Spirited
Reply As Atherton Assuils
Strikes In Wurtime
CITES IMPERFECT WORLD
Council Has Not Approved
Or Authorized A Single
Strike Since Peurl Hurbor
BY N. b. O. p. DELEGATES

| us WIZ SlIulh III wal tlIlt
The charge was by Warren Fl. Ather-
ton, commander of the American Le-
giOn in an address before the fedora
| ton convention.
Crimson with Indignation, the 10
year-old Mr.. Green made an impas-
stoned reply to Mr. AthertOn, who
had told the delegates that he had
been Il member of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen many years and
who had declared that, in spite every
thing that Mr.. Green and the dele
gates could do, something was hay
wire and strikes still continued.
Although the convention gave the
Legion commander a polite welcome, Il
accorded to Mr.. Green an ovation as
he recounted laborS sacrifices during
the war. At the end of his reply the
delegates appla lauded tumultuonSly
stamped their feet and cheered again
and again. Mr.. AthertOn, who was still
on the platform, rushed over to Mr.
Green and shook his hand.
Stirs Intensive Discussion
the close of the Thursday morning ses-
sion, WAS almost the sole topic of CON
verSatiOn during the noon hour. 1t
brought out the latent feeling Of dis
satisfaction among labor leaders with
some of the utterances of Legion com
manders respecting labor.
Although his platform address was
somewhat less aggressive than the ad-
vance copy furnished to the news
papers, Commander Atherton told the
copventiOn that those who call strikes
''Or who participate in them under
present conditions are rendering labor
a very great disService."
Attacking strikers on the Pacific
Electric Company, members of his own
union, he said that he knew nothing
of the merits of the trainmen'S de-
mands, but felt that since their case
had been judged in forum set up to
decide such disputes they should abide
by the outcome
ut may be they made a wrong de-
cision," he said, "but when the umpire
calls Il man out he is OUT
| Mr. AthertOn declared that there had
been great loss in production from
/ 500 strikes affecting 100000 men
since Jan. l and mentioned the loss of
coal and steel production in particular.
He said that these Interruptions gave
labor "a black eye"
III it is treason for the man at the
front to refuse to use his gum" he went
on, then, too. it should be treason for
any person fortunate enough to be here
on the home front to do the things
that keep him from getting that gun. ~
Addressing himself directly to Mr..
Atherton in his reply. the AFL presi-
dent remarked that those who seek
perfection in an imperfect world are
doomed to disappointment"
He then recOunted the circumstances
under which the AFL voluntarily
pledged its nO-strike policy to President
Roosevelt.
Mr.. Commander, that has been the
record" he asserted. "The President OF
the United States has spoken to us in Il
convincing and eloquent way and said
Men, you have kept that pledge 99.J
per cent"
After the applause had died down.
Mr.. Green continued:
And that pledge was kept by I'M
perfect men. l maintain that it is an
amazing record, made good in an i'm
perfect world"
Labor, Mr. Green proceeded, did not
denounce all of industry because "some
steel corporation supplied our Govern
ment with defective armor plate, nor
because some wire corporation sup
lplied the Government with inferior
wire . nor do we denOunce industry
as whole because some greedy EN-
plOyerS have sought to make profits
that are unrea asOnable out of this war
emergency"
Nenturing the opinion that even the
American Legion had sinners. he as
serted that the AFL had not approved
or authorized Il single strike since
Pearl HarbOr. And he pointed out that
civilian industry since Pearl Harbor
had taken toll of 10000 persons
killed and seven million injured.
The convention adopted Il resolution
urging that the restriction on Jewish
immigration and settlement contained
in the British White Paper Of 1899 be
withdrawn and that the Balfour Dec
laratiOn be so implemented that the
hopes and aspirations of the Jewish
people to build their own common
wealth in Palestine may be realized
The resolution asked that the doors
to Palestine be opened to the countless
thousands who have no other home
and called for protection in the peace
treaties for the rights of the Jews to
repatriation, rehabilitation and equal
ity with fellow citizens in all lands
where they have lived.
Israel H. Goldberg of the United
Hatters, Cap and Millinery Workers
International Union, described the
rayageS of NaZi eXecutiOnerS against
the Jewish population of Poland and
other lands.