The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-09-25

| Another Labor Day has passed
and also another American Legion
convention has come and gone.
| And for the first time the Presi-
dent of the American Federation
of Labor was not invited to address
the Legion meeting. That isn't
good.
| But there are lot of things that
aren't good and so maybe too much
emphasis shouldn't be put on just
one thing.
The Legion was all tied up by
the old machine that has pretty
well run it since it was founded.
The "king makers" made most of
the program and they elected their
candidate for commander.
The Legion will make a concen-
trated fight on communism, in which
it will not be as effective as labor
will be. nor as effective as it
might be if it were to enter into
whole hearted cooperation with la
Dor.
The World War ii men in the
Legion haven't begun to exert their
full influence yet. The Older men,
many of them grown paunchy and
many of them having been success
full at money making, have had
more years Of training in the busi-
ness of running things. A lot of
them also have grown very con-
servative. A lot of them, for ex-
ample, are in the Taft-Hartley
corner, which could be a reason for
not inviting William Green to give
them a talk.
One thing is agreed upon by both
organizations and that is the Mar
shall Plan. Both are for it.
And that is about the biggest
thing in the world today.
The Marshall Plan is the United
States plan of battle in what is
being called the cold, or non-shoot-
ing, war between the United States
and Russia. 1t is nothing less than
just that.
The sooner Americans under
stand the Marshall Plan in this
light the better.
There is no use in calling things
by wrong names, just to sound
nice.
Could there be now word about
the Taft Hartley Act and one Of
its provisions?
Anyway, there will be a word.
Under the Act, Counsel Denham
has ruled that the tops of ALL or
ganizations have to sign the anti
connie affidavit. That goes for
AFofL tops and CIO tops.
At this writing there is no final
decision. Maybe they'll sign, maybe
not. Most observers think the AFof
L will sign.
But there is a principle at stake,
if labor cares to stand on that prin-
ciple.
That principle is simply that all
citizens are alike in the eyes of
the law. Furthermore, it is prin- |
ciple of American law and Of its
constitution that no person may be
adjLdged guilty of a crime duly
convicted thereof by due process Of
law.
In the aft-Hartley case every
labor official is presumed to be out
side the law and beyond whatever
protection it offers unless and un-
til ne swears that he is not COM |
Why doesn't the president
of N. A. M. have to sign likewise {?
Communism is a hateful and a
thing. 1t is the avowed
and active foe of freedom as we
know it and love it and Of our form
of government.
But there are other hateful and
things and about them
has to sign anything.
There can be a large question
about what the United States Su-
preme Court would do if a case
should get to it, involving this af-
fidavit business.
AL Capone was outside the law
for years and everybody knew it.
He didn't sign anything, but he got
all the protection he could buy,
bag, cajole or betrick out of the
law. He was an innocent man, in
the eyes of the law, until jury
said guilty.
Maybe it will be judged exped-
lent to sign. Maybe it's a part of
the whole business of conflict. The
disadvantage of nOn-signer is
pretty serious.
But if a principle is wanted, for
The sake of keeping clean the ideal
sm of American freedom, one is
ready to hand-so very, very ready.
Cynics will say that knights in
shining armor don't get very far
oday. Well maybe not. But pretty
zig nation grew strong on a diet
# ideals.
AFL's Holiday Plan |,
Nov Docoroo TT g low