of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 687

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR CONVENTION

May 18, 1942
Hagerstown

ON the occasion of this 37th Annual Convention of the Maryland—District
of Columbia Federation of Labor, its members throughout this area and,
indeed, all the members of organized labor throughout America, have every
reason to be pleased with the achievements of labor during these past critical
months and with the position which labor now holds as a result of its splendid
performance.

Thinking in terms of labor's contribution to the war effort, I was struck
very forcibly by a new phrase which someone has coined to apply to the men on
the vital production lines of our Country in this war. "Production Soldier" is
the term referred to. Certainly I can think of nothing that sums up more
neatly the place the man in industry holds in today's war effort. Truly he is a
soldier, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the men in the field and on the
oceans and in the air, the world-wide battle for the preservation of Democracy.
Without the all-out effort of the Production Soldier, Democracy's cause would
be doomed, indeed.

All of you are familar, undoubtedly, with the report made by Federation
President William Green last week on the part labor has played in the National
war effort to date. It was a gratifying record, indeed; one that we here in
Maryland have been able to observe at first hand, and with the utmost
satisfaction. Labor not only in the Maryland Area, but throughout the length
and breadth of the land is to be congratulated deeply upon its all-out production
policy in the furtherance of the war effort and the speed with which it is ac-
complishing its goal of complete utilization of production facilities to achieve
the astounding production totals which are needed to conquer the Axis powers.

Leadership, of course, has played a most important part in the accomplish-
ments today, and labor has been fortunate in its leadership. But, above and be-
yond any question of leadership is the patriotic spirit displayed by the rank and
file of the working people of America. Maryland is particularly fortunate in hav-
ing patriotic, competent, experienced and well-trained labor leaders. Their
guidance and the following of such leadership have resulted in steady pro-
duction in Maryland.

In view of the fact that our State has enourmous amounts of war contracts
and is playing such an important role in providing necessary war equipment,
the entire State, all its people, as well as those who are enrolled under the
banners of labor, may well be proud of the record achieved.

Mention must be made at this point of the excellent spirit shown by labor
in pressing home the idea of a Labor Victory Board. It was a source of gra-