rke*0\LY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County
For a Weekly, Its Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte
Truthful, Honest, Impartial
% ChaFlotteilabof Journal
AND DIME FARM NEWS Endeavorin,
Official Mill Central
Labor Union; endorsed by
State Federation of Labor
Endeavoring to Serve the Masses
VOL IV*—No. 38
▼••• AsvssrisnwT w Tms
Is ft,
CHARLOTTE, N. C, 1HURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1935
$2.00 Per Year
CENTRAL LABOR UNION GOES
THROUGH ALL “THE PACES” ON
A STORMY NIGHT — INTEREST
MANIFESTED BY PARTICIPANTS
A stormy night did not precent the
Tuesday meeting of Central Labor
Union from being fairly well at
tended. The “Old Guard” were all
present, with few exceptions, and
four new delegates were obligated and
seated. President Albea’s * absence,
•the first.part of the meeting, found
Brother Dumas in the chair, and do
ing a good job olf it. . While the storm
raged outside peace and calm marked
the session, ujitil our old friend
“Morals” (and a club) bobbed up
again. President Albea had arrived,
and ' there were motions, substitutes,
and counter motions all in a huddle,
and it took a good presiding officer to
get them broke loose and straighten
ed out. But finally a “clincher’’ mo
tion got through, and your writer
hopes, that as we have had plenty
of “fish,” enough of “civil service,”
that Central body has heard the last
of the subject which has been termed
“Morals,” because it is not desirable
to call it by its proper name.
The locals reported working con
ditions good, fair, middling, with all
the special and standing committees
making good reports. Delegate Lacy
Hanson again pinch-hit for Brother
Boate as recording secretary. The
meeting^ due to adjourn at 10 P. M.
went another holur, until 11* but the
delegates stuck to a chilly hall, and
the lady delegates showed their keen
interest by staying to the last,
j* Three National organizers were
present, namely, Liske, of the Textile
Workers; Adams, of the Hosiery
Workers, and Kendall, of the Ma
chinists, the latter being a delegate/to
Central body/ Brother Adams made
an interesting talk on his organising
activities in/ North Carolina, and dis
closed a few interesting incidents of
the tactics being used by some' manu
facturers to prevent organization of
the workers.
Brother Kendall asked for assist
If Home philanthropic or uplift organization,
improving something' or other, some Civic Fed
Carnegie or Sage Foundation had added thirty yi
80,000 people, established a home for the sick and
shortened hours of labor, paid millions for old-:
usiada a great System of education, how the
ment would ring through the columns of the pr<
the union printers have done. o
—A. W, SIMONS, in a leading magazine.
me association for
Rockefeller,
rs to the lives of
raised wages,
and main
achieve
All these things
- -_
SEND THIS PROT
To Members of Congress and of the United Spates Senate:
AH organized labor is interested in the welfare of the 10
cent cigarette. I
Today all cigarettes pay a tax of 6 cen s per package,
regardless of retail price. <
This means the death of the 10-cent e garette, 90 per
cent of which are union made nnder conditions established by
collective bargaining. . F !
The United States Treasury and the U-l S. Department
of Agriculture approve a change in this tax llevy.
It is proposed that 10-cent cigarettes be taxed $2.70 per
thousand, while 15-cent and other higher priced cigarettes be
taxed $3 per thousand.
* The Tobacco Workers’ International Union supports this
proposed change.
Organized labor is hack of the Tobacco Workers’ Interna
tional Union to save the life of a sound product, which is
union made and which today is unfairly taxed.
We petition you to support and work, for this change in
tax on cigarettes at the earliest possible hour.
Signed.
City and date.
been
. been
perhaps longer, but at least sine*
pleased to refer to as thedepres
uppermost in the human heart,
J in general convrsation, except
stolen in unexpeted. All this being
did seem strangely out of place re
of a song, especially when the said
if a naturally cheerful heart, which
he result of a conversation held by
‘allI country hotel, and it must be
’ this party did not take deep root
mg lady, kin to the proprietor, who
' and general caretaker. Being of
During the past lour or five ,
this period of later date which we ha
sion, sadness and gloom seem to ha
and little cheer or hope has been e»,
such few kindly remarks as may hav
only too true and well known by all,
cently to hear one man complain becau:
song was the result of the overflowing
of late months have been rather scarce.
The above remark was inspired as
the writer recently in the lobby of a
admitted in all truth the idea expressed
in at least one heart.
In the aforesaid hotel is a certain y.
is also employed as an assistant manage miu general care taxer. Being ol
a naturally cheerful disposition, light of heart, deeply interested in religion,
and happy all day long just from sheer ioy of being alive and well provided
with all the most necessary things of life, it is her habit to be most of the
time singing at her work, and her songs generally consist of religious songs
or hymns, never in a loud voice, and quite a bit of music in the voice. She
may be sitting quietly in a chair for some time, when suddenly she remem
bered some bit of work to be done in another place, and immediately up she
jumps to perform the task, automatically singing as she goes.
If there is anything nioer than to hear one sing while at work, this writer
does not . know what it is. Yet, whi*sitting in this hotel lobby talking to
another guest, the lady passed by singing, and the guest asked me if I knew
the guest personally. The answer was affirmative, for we have been ac
quaintances for a few years. He then asked me if she were in her right mind.
Naturally, I was surprised at the query, and asked the cause. Thein it was
that he launched his views concerning singing in a hotel, especially by one
officially connected with the establishment. His complaint was that it was
very annoying, awakening him from his slumbers. Now this man is engaged
in soliciting trade from door to door, and no doubt meets many faces which
radiate expresisons other than joy when he rings the bell and receives a
reply, and one would expect him to be glad of hearing a song of cheer, rather
than registering an adverse feeling in the matter.
We pick up the daily paper, and about the most prominent thing in it is
the account of a murder, suicide, wreck, kftinaping, robbery, hold-up, death
of a friend or relative, fire with fata! results, and any number of other things
which tend to make life sad, and in view of all this it certainly is hard to
understand why a complaint should be made because of a happy, singing heart
in a hotel lobby. ■ •'
The party who complained was not the most disagreeable person one
could meet, nor yet an overly happy one—just seemed to belong to the aver
age run of men, when in ordinary conversation, using good speech, showing
a very good business education, for he claims to have been m business for
years, but he certainly does not seem to have his ears tuned for the softer
and more cheerful things which one can hear if one wishes to, for while
gloom has spread abroad in the land, yet it has never become so dense that
that a song could not break out from some happy soul, glad that the Lord has
permitted life to exist, and that sate has not decreed it to perpetual gloom.
As for the writer, let it be said that there is no musical ability in his
makeup, and if any music enters his daily life it must be produced by some
power beyond his own, and he has never yet seen the time, when he would
complain because a young woman- with a naturally cheerful heart would let
it bubble out for others to enjoy.
Young lady, it is the hope that you may for many years be able to sing,
in your own way, and by doing so spread the joy of life abroad, that others
may receive the benefit also, for even should it unconsciously annoy som
Krson for a moment, you will never know it, and the world generally wil
better because you sang. * 1 —■*
--—a~. ■i
.
]UTI(
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF
SECTION 7-A VIOLATORS
WASHINGT0N.4-It ijs understood
from information secured from reli
able sources, here that the Depart
ment of Justice will ask Federal
Grand Juries in different parts of
the country to return criminal indict
ments against employers found to
have violated Section 7-A of the Na
tional Industrial Aecovery Act.
The act provides that violation of
this Section is a misdemeanor, pun
ishable by a maximum fine of $500
for each offense, with each day’s vio
lation considered a separate offense.
So far, punishment for violations
of Section 7-A has been chiefly to
remove the offender’s NRA Blue
Eagle, only two criminal prosecutions
having been instituted thus far- In
the last case, that of a York, Pa.,
battery manufacturer, tried in Harris^
burg. Pa., the accused was found
guilty on ten separte counts and fined
$150 on each count, or a total of
$1,500.
fit appears to be the consensus of
opinion among officials of organized
labor that decisive action on the part
of the Government to enforce the
punitive provisions of the Act would
have a satutary effect upon those
reluctant to comply with the law and
| result in greater harmony and prog
ress for all concorned.
S. C. Governor
Asks Probe of
Relief Work
COLUMBIA, S. C., Jan 21.—Gov
ernor Johnston disclosed today that
he had urged Harry L. Hopkins, na
tional FERA administrator, to visit
South Carolina and' see for himself
conditions causing discontent over
the state relief program.
The governor wrote Hopkins an
official letter soon after taking of
fice. He described in it what he term
ed the need fotf “correction” of pres
ent tendencies of the relief adminis
tration.
; Johnston commented that he was
“convinced that a large portion of
the money has been wasted while the
needy have gone without.”
Every dollar spent for Union Label
goods and services means better
wages, shorter hours and decent work
ing conditions for every worker.
! —
i
Che Union Label Mark of the
srican Labor movement.
EFFORT FOR RILEY INQUEST
IS TO BE PUSHED BY ATTORNEY
ABERNETHY-MAKES STATEMENT
,mf ■ 1 1 ; 'H * ,
The efforts to force an inquest into the death of Ernest H.
Riley, Mount Holly textile worker who was fatally injured at Bel
mont during the recent textile strike, when he was bayonetted in
the thigh, allegedly by a National Guardsman on duty in front of
a closed cotton mill, are by no means ended, though the Gaston
county grand jury regards its announced investigations closed,
William H. Abernathy, Charlotte lawyer, said Satunlay night to a
Charlotte Observer reporter.
Mr. Abernathy was retained several weeks ago by the family of the
slain cotton mill operative to represent the family in an attempt to have a
public inquest into the man’s death, but thus far he has been unable to have
such an inquest ordered although Governor Ehringhaus has instructed the
National Guard to co-operate in bringing to light the true facts in the case.
“The alleged investigation of the Riley case by a Gaston grand jury re
sulted in no action, as was to have been expected from the actions of the
present and former coroners in refusing to order an inquest into Mr. Riley’s
death,” said Mr. Abernathy. “It appeared that the officials concerned with
this matter had combined for the purpose of keeping the true facts of the
case from coming to the knowledge of the public and finally succeeded in hav
ing it buried in the grand jury room.
“The grand jury spent several hours investigating a matter in which
several hundred people were concerned. The evidence definitely indicates Mr.
Riley was slain by a member of the Morganton guard company, yet it appears
that the grand jury saw fit to subpoena only two or> three members of that
company to appear before it The solicitor and the officials of the grand
jury were informed that there were several witnesses who said they could
identify the slayer by sight. The grand jury, however, took no action to give
these witnesses opportunity to identify the slayer. s\
HI refuse to consider the case as a closed one and will continue my efforts
to learn the identity of the slayer. I have requested Solicitor Carpenter to
give the witnesses mentioned above an opportunity to view the Morganton
company and point out, if they can, the man who did the stabbing. If for
any reason Solicitor Carpenter can’t arrange this, as he has agreed to do, I
shall appeal to the governor to have this done. In the meantime, I state
again that the act of the soldier who killed Mr. Riley was not an act of self
defence, but a wilful and wanton murder, which, under the law of this state,
isjninishablel by death.—Observer. j . . *
WOMEN’S UNION LABEL LEAGUE
HAS BIRTHDAY PARTY MONDAY
NIGHT; CAKE CUT, COFFEE SERVED
On Monday night a gathering of
Loyal (Label Boosters assembled in
Central Labor Union Hall to cele
brate the first anniversary of the first
Women’s Union Label League to be
formed in North Carolina. On the
stage, a table draped in lace, behind
drawn curtains reposed the beautiful
ly decorated birthday cake, bearing
this inscription, gracefully traced in
red lettering: “Our First Anniversary
—W. U. L. L." On each side was
a candle in a silver holder, andjn the
center of the cake was one lone, tiny
candle.
But, to the meeting and then back
to the cake. The meting was called
together by Mrs. W. E. McKamey,
the worthy and honored president, and
prayer was offered by Brother Harry
Boate, whom might be styled as the
Labor Parson, or the Labor Oracle,
of Typographical Union, Central La
bor Union, the Label League, etc.
Two new members were obligated.
All the officers were at their posts
and the ceremony was impressive.
Secretaries Mesdames Moore and
Amyx made their reports and the
president made a short talk on the
history and struggles of the Union
Label League. The editor of The
Labor Journal was called upon to
give a brief outline of the organiza
tion work of the first league and the
second Charlotte league, which is to
be concluded next Sunday at the Tex
tile hall of the Highland Park Tex
tile Local.
Cains were shown in Union Label
activities, and the fact is becoming
more apparent that the Union Label
is to be more of a factor with the
buyers in the rnaks of organized labor
in 1935 than in 1934, as already stocks
of goods bearing the Union Label are
being laid in by some of our mer
chants—and the demand for these
goods is what is going to tell the
tale.
Now, back to the cake. The
curtains were drawn and directly be
hind the lace covered table stood the
Sresident of the league, Mrs. W. E.
IcKamey, while on each side of her
were lined Mrs. A. J. Dumas, vice
Executive Council, American Federation of Labor, 1935
1st Viet President
Frans Duffy
2nd Vice President
T. A. Rickeit
3rd Viet President
Matthew Woil
Stcrrtaty
Frank Morr
[ISON
Prtsident
William
jwkJt
Treasurer
Martin F. Ryan
[
4th Vice President
John Coefiklb
Stk Viet Prttiitnt
A. O. W BARTON
M Vice President
Joseph N. Wan
ftk Vice Prendmt
G. M. Bucniazet
Itk Vice President
Geo. M. H AMI SON
9lh Vice President
Daniil :' J. Town
lHk Viet Prttidnt
Wm. L. Hutch mow
B«**y
lUk Viet PruidtM
John L. Lewis ,
lUk Viet Prtmdttd
Datu Dvunsky
(
Utk Viet Praiint
Habit C. Bates
tSA Vie* President
Edwabd J. Gaikos
president; Mrs. J. A. Moore, finan
cial secretary; Mrs. R. K. Amyx, re
cording secreteary; Mrs. Bertha Gur
ley, second vice-president; Mrs.
George J. Kendall, sergeant-at-arms;
Miss Leona Morton, doorkeeper; while
flanking right and left were two
special guests of the league from
Cetnral Labor Union, Frank Barr and
W. M. Witter, the latter having the
pleasure of blowing out the lone can
dle on the cake. “Madame” Presi
dent then proceeded to the task of
cutting the cake, which was served
with- coffee to the assembled guests,
all prsent seeming to enjoy it to
great degree.
Announcement was made of prelim
inary efforts for the organization of
a Label League at Shelby this Sat
urday night, and request was made
for a delegation from this local to
assist in the formation, and a num
ber volunteered to be present, and
help in the movement.
Purchasing Power
Must Be Raised,
Gov. Earle Says
HARRISBURG, Pa.—A hot attack
on special privilege and a pledge to
support a program designed to in
crease the purchasing power of the
masses featured the inaugural ad
dress of George H. Earle, sworn in
as the first Democratic Governor in
Pennsylvania in 40 years. Thomas
Kennedy, secretary-treasurer of the
United Mine Workers of America,
took office as lieutenant-governor
with Earle.
i Gov. Earle assailed special privi
lege as responsible in part for the
plight of the State during the depres
sion years and promised to lead a
fight for “new ground.”
“For the next four years and I hope
I speak loudly enough to be heard in
Wall Street, U’x 'Hands off Harris
burg!’” Eane warned.
THE PRESIDENTS BALL
Don’t forget the Presi
dent’s Ball on January 30.
This is an affair that appeals
to everyone, as it will benefit
suffering humanity national
ly as well as locally. Clarence
Kuester, who is heading the
affair, is doing a good job of
it.
f
Western Textile
Council To Meet
at Stanley Creek;
Other News
Western Textile Council will meet
in business session at Stanley Creek
at 2:30 P. M., Saturday, March 26.
An open meeting will be held at 7:80
P. M.
“Textile Red” Liske, organizer of
the United Textile Workers will ad
dress a mass meeting of workers at
Lexington at 2 P. M. Saturday, I
March 26. Organizer Liske is a busy
man these days, and is covering much
territory in the interest of organ
ized labor. ^ - |i
Attention ii again called by our
Shelby friends to the organization
meeting of the ladies of Shelby Sat
urday at 7 P. M„ to organize a
Women’s Union Label League.
f