The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1945-03-08

and Sometimes Recklessly.
Perhaps even more promising to
future peace than was the Yalta con-
ference is the Pan American confer
ence in Mexico City.
Unless smothering hands are able
to suppress it, the solid yearning for
democracy coming out of the Mexico
City conference is going to beat the
!. Yalta expressions.
And it need create no United
States jealousy to find Foreign Min
lister Padilla of Mexico leading the
fight for democracy. Padilla gets to
be of bigger stature every year.
Labor has tremendous stake in
the Mexico City conference. That
goes for labor in every Western
Hemisphere country.
For after this war there will be a
tremendous awakening of Latin
American labor and it will need the
atmosphere of freedom in which to
exercise its lungs.
Those who make brief tourist trips,
see the bright spots and mayhap
feast with officialdom or business
men, get no glimpse of the enormous
poverty of the workers. Nor of the
yearning for true freedom.
Back in the days of World War |
Samuel Gompers sent his first rep
resentatives into Mexico to find
labor movement While he lived ne
never let up in his efforts to bring
Pan American workers together in
understanding and in mutual helpful
ness.
Today is a far cry from those early
days when Gompers' travelling man
found the Casa del Obrere Mundial
blouse of the Workers of the
World), headquarters at Orizaba and
stemming from the anarchist phil
osophy of Spain. What story is in
that early labor movement in Mex
leo! But this is not the time or place
for its telling.
We have today different condi-
tion, different necessity. And not
great deal is being done about it by
labor itself
In London there has been a great
meeting to form new world inter-
national of labor. The American Fed
Grafton of Labor levels many serious
charges at that London conference.
But Pan American labor con-
gress, properly called together, could
be as far ahead of London as Mexico
City is ahead of Yalta. 4
But quite probably we shall have
no such conference. Because, frankly,
United States unions are not yet
awake to the Importance of Latin
America and of hemisphere labor
solidarity.
That is a serious charge and it may
be resented somewhere. 1t is a true
charge. 1t has been made before and
quite likely it will be made again.
The best answer and the only one
worth making would be to do some
thing about it.
If democratic labor doesn't take the
lead, then it leaves the road by de-
fault to the Communists.
Too many have, in the years past,
looked upon Latin American nations
as backward, of little political or eco
nomic Importance, its people, speak
ing other languages, as of little mo-
ment.
What shocking awakening is due
one of these days!
1t must be remembered, among
al IL
phere, South, Central and North, con-
stitutes the one portion of the earth
by the ravages of war. It's
physical properties are not only un-
damaged, they are vastly bettered
and more fully developed.
If the efforts toward understanding
are left entirely to governments, we
shall have out half unity. The other
half must be made by labor.
But when labor acts, its offerings
must be backed by clear conviction
that is rooted deep in the SOUL
Empty talk and surface showings
will not do. Vanity and self-laudation
are easily seen through and our
neighbor nations have keen eye for
such trashy things
We have the need for great states
We have the opportunity
or the launching of great ideal OF
nifty.
1t is said that the road to hell is
paved with good intentions. 1t is
rue also of the road to Latin Ameri-
:an and hemisphere understanding
Steps that were urgent long ago
low are imperative.
The demands and the convictions Of
oadilla need matching by equally
'alid and forcefu demands and con-
'ictions from the throat of labor.
Whence will Il come 2-CMW