The Potters Herald

TRIAL BY NERVES

THE grim struggle in Europe between the democratic and fascist countries is now being spoken of as a trial by nerves. The struggle in the labor movement in America may also be aptly spoken of as a trial by nerves. That side will win that has the greatest nerve reserve and it may be supposed that the greatest nerve reserve will be with the side that has the deepest conviction of being right. We have little doubt that in the case of the labor world it is the American Federation of Labor. Everyone knows that the A. F. of L. is not a perfect organization, but it has long struggled for better living for workers in America. It has kept its hands clear of conspiracy, secretiveness, underground conniving and hypocrisy. One reason why the A. F. of L. is belittled by soft intellectuals is that everybody knows all about the A. F. of L. It has concealed nothing. It is not a revolutionary movement in the sense of the story books but a profound drive of workers for industrial citizenship. Moreover, the A. F. of L. lies closer to democratic life than the C. I. O. It smacks nothing of totalitarianism. It belongs to America and so long as American institutions endure it will have a sound place within the nation. If American institutions disappear, the A. F. of L. will go down with it. Let not the enemy of the A. F. of L. believe that the men heading these organizations are soft. They will be found adamant in opposing any introduction of totalitarianism in this country and they are willing to rest their all on this principle and go down with it.