Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-05

Iterest and the rights Of both
labor and management. The
splendid record of labor peace
and unparalleled prosperity dur
ing the last three years demon
strates our industrial maturity.
Some of the most difficult and
unprecedented negotiations in
the history of collective bargain
| ing took place during this period,
against the backdrop of nom
interference by Government. ex-
Icept only to protect the public
interest, in the rare cases Of gen.
Iuine national emergency. This
third principle. relying as it does
on collective bargaining, assumes
that labor organizations and
management both will observe
the highest standards of integ-
rity. responsibility and concern
for the national welfare.
Unionists as Citizens
You are more than union
members. bound together by a
common goal of better wages.
better working conditions. and
protection of your security
through collective bargaining.
You are American citizens.
The roads you travel. the
schools your children attend.
the taxes you pay, the standards
Of integrity in Government, the
conduct of the public business
is your business as Americans.
And while all of you. as to the
public business. have a common
goal-a stronger and better
America-your views as to the
best means of reaching that
goal vary widely-just as they
do in any other group of Amer
lean citizens.
So. in your new national or
ganization, as well as in your
many constituent organizations.
you have a great opportunity of
making your meetings the worlds
most effective exhibit of demo-
cratic processes. In those meet
ings the rights of minorities
holding differing social, economic
and political views must be
,scrupulously protected, and their
views accurately reflected. In this
way. as American citizens you
will help the Republic correct the
faulty, fortify the good. build
stoutly for the future. and re-
inforce the most cherished free
domS of each individual citizen.
Ladies and gentlemen. the his
tory of labor is studded with the
names of men and women who
have inspired our working peo-
Pile, our country, and mankind.
In their example. you can at
home help toward a better citi-
zenship and Nation. Abroad "
can help liberate hundreds OF
millions from misery and slavery.
Can Help Strengthen All
This country has long under
STOOD that by helping other peo-
Piles to a better understanding
and practice Of representative
government. we strengthen both
them and ourselves. The same
truth applies to the economic
field. We strengthen other free
people and ourselves when we
help them to understand the
workings of a free economy. to
improve their own standards of
living, and to join with us in
world trade that serves to
strengthen and unite us all.
In the world struggle, some of
the finest weapons for all Amer
leans are these simple tenets Of
free labor. They are again:
First. man is created in the di-
vine image and has spiritual as
pirations that transcend the ma
terial; second. the real interests
of employers and employees are
mutual: third, unions and en-
ployers can and should work out
their own deStinies. As we
preach and practice that mes
sage without cease, we will wage
triumphant crusade for human
prosperity. freedom and peace
among men.
To close, it is fitting that we
let our hearts be filled with the
earnest prayer that. with the
help of a kind Providence, the
world may be led out of bitter
ness and materialism and force
into a new era of harmony and
spiritual growth and self-realiza-
ition for all men.