Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-12-06
A Great Editorial in an Army Paper
"Yonks" Protests Friction Between Soldiers and
War Workers; Cites Inspiring Focts From the
Home Front

A member of the B. of L. F. & E., who is in the Rail Transports
ton branch of the army, calls our attention to an editorial which
appeared in a recent issue of "Yank," the army weekly. After com
menting on incidents in Kansas City, where service men broke up
picket lines before a North American Aviation plant and a LIQUOR store
the editorial points out that the aviation strike had been repudiated
by tn union and that the leaders, at the very moment these service
men staged their assault, were urging the strikers to return to work.
Then the editorial continues:
Now, it is wishful thinking to imagine that soldiers overseas, or
even in the States, ae growing any closer to civilians. They aren't
That goes particularly for many men abroad who feel that no one really
has it tough unless he is overseas-and they're right.
But this attitude leaves them wide open to stories about how
much money the workers back home III making, how many women
they've got, how soft a life they have. It's the easiest thing in the
world to put over these ideas, especially since a man overseas usually
doesn't have access to all the facts.
THAT most of these stories arc exaggerated and oroetinee untrue
is buried beneath the service mans anger. Tell a soldier that the
national average of strikes is at the lowest level in the history of
the Y. $500 of per cent of man-hours worked-and he probably
Won . e very interested. What the hell are man-hours, anyway?
But you can't disguise the fact that the A. F. of L. and CLIO
have outlawed strikes for the duration, that the few you read about
are hoc IKE o ignore figures: In the first 100 days of
the Normandy invasion we put ashore II million ship tons of Allied
vehicles and supplies, more than twice the total received by General
Persnlng through friendly ports in the entire 10 months of u par
tnpation in the first World War. Who do you think made that stuff
pixies?
mo one is condoning strikes in wartime. There shouldn't even
City is loaded with trouble.
1T may be spontaneous. Or it may be instigated by INSCRIPTIONS
people who would like to see a wild scramble between eterane mn
civilians for jobs after the war.
1T would seem, though, that this is not exactly the way to get
about those two words, but what they mean is simply that we ar all
parts of the same country.
I'VE are winning the war by working together. and we will have
W Wok t0gether after tn war ii we want jobs and prosperity.
1t is going to be tough enough recovering to full civilian pro-
ductlon without starting a fight among the men who will do the pro-
ducing.
And if you begin by setting veteran against civilian. o will
end by setting Protestant against Catholic, Catholic against Jew, white
against Negro-and you will wind up having the verv thing we are
lighting the war to destroy"
1t would be impossible to improve on that editorial. It is good to
know that material of that kind is being placed in the hands of our
fighting men. They are as intelligent is they ar brave. If thew
"a only get the truth, all will be well. Labor.