AMERICAN LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 259, 1 November 1932, Page 8

AMERICAN LABOUR.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. POLITICAL ATTITUDE OF A.F.I. OPPOSED TO . COMMUNISM. (By a Special Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, October 10. Mr. William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, gave an interview recently, setting forth the policies of the federation in the present political campaign. Mr. Green also dis ; cussed some ol' the issues and the political and economic conditions of the day.

"The A.F.L. is not on the political treadmill of either of the major political parties, and never has been," he said. "As an organisation our members are not Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, nor Farmer-Labourites. Our members well know they have absolute political freedom; they are aware of the fact that each member is at liberty*to vote for any party standing for American ideals. But the A.F.L. does not hesitate to say that, as an organisation, we are strongly opposed to Communism and the Communist Party. In saying this, however, we must not be construed as endorsing the insatiate greed, sins, and often the criminality of capitalism. Capitalism must and will be shorn of its invisible power in government, of ter purchased by liberal campaign contributions made directly or indirectly to the campaign set-ups of the political parties. Believes in Honest Accumulation. "In recent campaign? certain capitalists, apparently independent of the campaign committees, have expended hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchasing full-page advertisements, boosting the candidate or party deemed, of most value to them. It is understood that certain capitalists are planning an intensive campaign over the radio in the present campaign. You may or may not know who is paying for this. Wheu individual capitalists pay for such publicity, and do not make their contribu-

tions through the legalised campaign committees, such contributions do not have to be reported to the clerk of the House of Representatives under the Corrupt Practices Act. This seems to have been a sort of 'joker' through omission in the Corrupt Practices Act.

"The epithet of is nowa very popular and convenient one among those who boast loudly about their 'conservatism and patriotism. 5 As a matter of fact, capitalism and its servitors are doing more to create communism in this country than all the propaganda sent out of Moscow. The progressive members of Congress and the progressive Press, as is the A.F.L., are firm believers in the honest accumulation of wealth, when not associated with greed and the trampling down of the masses of the people."

Stand on the Volstead Act. "What is the stand of your organisation regarding the modification of thp Volstead Act," Mr. Green was asked.

"Aβ I have said," he continued, "the A.F.L. is non-partiean. We «are advocating the election in November of candidates for Congress; regardless of parties, who are known to be the friends of Labour and the people who favour the immediate modification* of the Volstead Act so as to permit the manufacture and sale of beer. While the platform and candidate of one of the major parties are more definitely wet, with lese vagueneee than the other, both may be said to be wet. With this situation there is little doubt but that when the session of Congress opens in December, it is reasonably certain that the Volstead Act will be modified to permit the sale of beer with at least 2.75 per cent alcohol and perhaps as high aa 4 per cent.

"The American Federation of Labour, at ite conventions in 1919, 1921, 1923 and 1927, pointed put the deplorable conditions that would come and have come from the enforcement of the Volstead Act. It was contended that the manufacture, eale and distribution of wholesome beer would bring about true temperance. If the Volstead Act were modified to permit the manufacture and sale of a light beer it would furnish employment to thousands of wage earners in a great number of industries. Changed Conditions. "It is true that during the first few years of national prohibition, when the country enjoyed an abnormal era of prosperity, workers in these industries were absorbed without any noticeable

effect on other trades and callings. Immediately after the world war our industries were flourishing, -supplying their wares to the war-ridden people ot Europe, while the industries •of their countries had not been able : to reestablish themselves. That condition lias changed, and we no longer have -»ri outlet for our production to the European countries. In fact we-are not nieetui? competition of European products, th" result of which has slowed down Amencan industries, causing a serious unemployment eituation in our country. "When the Act is modified," said Mr. Green in conclusion, it will provide the Government with several hundred millions of dollars in needed revenue annually, and guarantee the people », wholesome beer. Besides it will takeaway the monopoly of the hard liquor traffic from the criminal bootleggers and organised gangsters and reduce crime. (N.A.N.A.)