LABOUR DAY IN U.S.

Evening Star, Issue 24294, 8 September 1942, Page 3

LABOUR DAY IN U.S.

WORKERS REMAINING ON JOB PRODUCTION WILL GO ON NEW YORK, September 6. American labour is celebrating Labour Day by remaining on the job and keeping the machinery of war production humming. Spokesmen have emphasised labour’s determination to win the war to preserve its freedom. The president of the American Federation of Labour, Mr William Green, issued a Labour Day statement declaring that, in addition to President Roosevelt’s four freedoms, labour would insist on a fifth guarantee being included in the post-war peace terms—freedom of the workers in every land to join free democratic trade unions of their own choice. “This is labour’s peace plank,” Mr Green added, “ and no force on earth can prevent us from making it a reality.” * The president of the Congress of Industrial Organisations, Mr Philip Murray, in a statement, said: “Labour today is in a position of -world importance greater than ever before in history. We call this labour’s war because the great basic issue is the right of the common people everywhere to enjoy the liberty of democracy and the opportunity toi work out the destiny of free men and women.”

The Secretary for the Navy, Colonel Knox, and the Under-Secretary for War, Mr R. P. Patterson, issued a joint statement as follows:—“In no other country has labour enjoyed so full an opportunity to win the battle of producion voluntarily and without coercion.”

Messages from a dozen namesake cities in the United States to the enslaved cities in Europe will be broadcast on, short wave to-morrow bearing greetings from free American labour. These will include Athens (Pennsylvania) , Amsterdam (New York), Warsaw (North Carolina), and Oslo (Minnesota). Moscow (Vermont) will also send encouragement to the Russian capital, while Berlin (Pennsylvania) will assure factory workers in Berlin (Germany) “ that we are not warring with Germans. We are at war with your insane leaders, who force coal miners and machinists to work at the point of a Gestapo gun.”

NO-STRIKE PLEDGE (Rec. X. 5 a.m.) WASHINGTON, September 7. The president of the American Federation of Labour, in a Labour Day speech, indicated that American workers would willingly accept the sacrifices that might he entailed in the Government’s proposed wage stabilisation. Ha exhorted workers to keep religiously the pledge not to strike, for the duration of the war. MR LANGSTONE'S SON NOW REPORTED PRISONER (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 7. The Hon. W. Langstone_ (New Zealand High Commissioner in Canada) has been notified that his son, Private Jack Langstone, of tho New Zealand forces, who has been missing for 18 months, is now reported a prisoner of war in Europe. He disappeared during the Greek campaign. EXTRACTION OF VANADIUM BUFFALO, (New York), Sept. 6. The American Chemical Society reported that a now process has been developed for extracting vanadium, assuring the United States of adequate supplies of this essential mineral, which is used to toughen steel armour plate and war production tools. The new process is described as economic and rapid, and will enable the extraction of 500 tons of vanadium from Idaho rock. The United States previously obtained vanadium from Africa and Peru. ,

WOMEN IN WAR WORK MEN RELEASED FOR FRONT LINE SERVICE (Rec. 10 a.m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 8. By enlisting in _ the Australian Women’s Army Service, women have released more than a brigade of men for front-line service, and the army is now; aiming at the release of 20,000 fit men, which is equal to a division, for more active service by the end of the year. This was announced by the Minister for the Army, Mr E. M. Forde, in paying a tribute to the work being performed by the women’s auxiliaries attached to the various arms of the fighting services, AIR ALARM IN NEW YORK (Rec. 10.5 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 7. An air alarm was sounded in tho metropolitan area of New York at 2.30 a.m. to-day. The bladk-out was quickly effected. The all clear was sounded 11 minutes later. The army subsequently stated that the alarm was due to tha presence off the coast of an unidentified plane, which proved friendly. AXIS SUPPLY SHIPS SEVERAL SUNK IN MEDITERRANEAN LONDON, September 7. British submarines in the Eastern Mediterranean are keeping up their attacks on tire Axis supply lines. It was announced in Alexandria to-day that in the past few weeks five large, and two medium-sized, enemy ships have been sunk, and that two large, two mediumsized ships, and a smaller one have been damaged.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT TO MEET (British Official Wireless.) ♦~EUGBY, Sept. 6. Parliament is about to reassemble after the summer recess, but after four sittings will adjourn for a further fortnight. Both Houses will vote an address of condolence with the King on the death of the Duke of Kent, and express sympathy with the bereaved Duchess. It is thought that Mr Churchill may open a two days’ debate on the war, and a similar debate is expected in the House of-Lords.-"The Commons will also discuss pay and alallowances of- the armed services. A vote of credit for a further £100,000,000 will he presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the punishment of war criminals null he discussed in the House of Lords.