Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Jan. 28, 1937, edition 1 / Page 1
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Tit ONLV REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY ia Mecktenbarg Co—tj For « Weekly. Its Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER In Charlotte Star Charlotte labor Journal | 1 ruthh.1, honest, Impertia* AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Ernieaioring to Serve the Masses Patronise oar Adrer tisers. They make YOUR paper possible by their co operation. i Official Organ Central Labor Union; standing for thTA. F. of L. Vol. VI.—No. 37 VOW* htVlRTIMMINT IN TMI JOWOMAL INVIITHIRT CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1937 AOVIOtlttM OltIRVI OONtlBOUTION or ▼MC tlAOOi $2.00 Per Ye*r SENATE CIVIL LIBERTIES COMMITTEE ASKS FOR DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTS WITH LABOR SPY SERVICE, SAID TO HAVE COMBATTED UNION ACTIVITIES WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.—The Senate civil liberties com mittee has issued subpoenas for documents bearing on an assertion that the army and navy co-operated with a labor spy service in combatting union activities. ion .The committee had just heard a representative of the Nat lal Metal Trades association, which supplies metal manufactur ing plants with labor spies and strike-breakers, testify that the association co-operated with the army and navy intelligence serv ices and the Justice department to maintain production in plants fminer imvprnment contracts. Senator La Follette, Progressive, of Wisconsin, inquired whether the asso ciation’s activities, designed to keep plants operating, did not include “la bor espionage.” “Yes, that is undercover men, re plied L. A. Stringham, official of the association. The La Follette committee direct ed the association to produce all its correspondence dealing with the sub J At the Navy department, officials declined comment. War department spokesmen said no such activity had been undertaken. In addition to this matter, the com mittee received testimony of associa tion Officials or documentary evidence to show that: , 1. The association fired all but six of the 38 labor spies after receiving a subpoena from the committee. 2. That of the 38, twelve were members of unions, and used. their memberships to obtain information on union activity and block organization work. 3. Ttiat the association exchanges information among its members on the activities of individual workers. The officials denied, however, that a black list was maintained. 4. That the association opposed the enactment of the Wagner labor re lations act and the Walsh-Healy gov ernment contracts act and that dur ing the election campaign last fall it sent bulletins and posters to its mem bers attacking the social seeunty act. The principal witne s was String , ham, stout and florid eastern repre sentative of the association. Chairman La Follette contended at several points that Stringham was “not being frank" in his response to inquiries. La Follette produced a letter by Stringham to the association’s head quarters in Chicago, reporting an ef fort to obtain a new member for the association. One of its paragraphs said: , “During our conference, I mention ed a number of member plants that were doing a hundred per cent U. S. government work and that certain de partments of the government sought our co-operation in order to keep them in production through certain serv ices of the association, that were not available to outsiders and could not be duplicated by the government, to take care of existing emergencies. And that these were always of the ut most importance to the government and the manufacturer, considering the time element." „ By “the time element,” Stringham said he referred to plants filling gov ernment contracts containing a pen alty for failure to deliver the finished product by a specified date. Then, in response to persistent questioning bv La Follette, he said the association had had the co operation of the three branches of the government. He had no papers or other documents with him deal ing with this phase, he added. The subpoena demanding them was served later. Extension Granted Mills On Working Girls Between 16-18 WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.—A rec ommendation of the public contracts board for the granting of a further 90-day extension to the cotton textile industry of an order permitting the industry to retain girls between the ages of 16 to 18 already employed has been approved by the Secret."ry of Libor, Frances Perkins, it was u nouAed today. , TK order permits cotton textile maninacturers to bid for government contracts under the Walsh-Healy act, providing that no girl under 16 shall be employed under any condition and no girl under 18 who was not in the employ of the manufacturer on Octo ber 15, 1936. The order also forbids the employment of girls under 18 on the night shift and in any occupations hazardous to health. The board’s recommendation was made after a hearing at which rep resentatives of the Cotton Textile in stitute, labor unions, and the chil dren’s bureau appeared. The United Textile Workers stated in a letter from its vice-president, Francis Gor man, that it had no objection to a temporary extension.—Special Corre spondence Charlotte Observer. Workers Fear Undercover Spies WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.—A busi ness agent for organized labor told Senate investigators Tuesday that union employes of the Chrysler Motor Company were “terror stricken and under a psychology of fear” because of &e activities of spies hired by the (Cater L. Robertson, general bus ineX representative for the Detroit chtfler of the society of designing enfXeers. testified that those mem ebrjlf the union who had the "stam-i ina to stand by their principles” were now mailing in their dues because they were afraid to disclose their identity by attending meetings. Robertson appeared before the La Follette civil liberties committee in vestigating alleged interfernce with labors’ right to organic. Textile Goods Prices Rising Along With Other Commodities WASHINGTON, Jan 23.—Whole sale commodity prices of textile prod ucts manufactured in the Carolinas and in other mill centers increased for the twelfth consecutive week. This was anonunced today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics which showed the total textile commodity index number at 76.9 per cent of the 1936 average as compared with 71 per cent on January 18, 1936, and 51.9 per cent on January 21, 1933. The largest commodity price advanced was registered in silk and rayon groups, which increased 2.1 per cent over the index of previous week. Among other commodiay groups which advanced along with textiles, the bureau said, were farm products, food, metals, building materials, chem icals and drugs, house furnishing goods and miscellaneous commodities. Hides and leather products and fuel and lighting materials were the only groups to decline. Million Homeless Latest Estimate of Flood Disaster Homeless—Estimated at 'al most 1,000,000 by the Red Class. Dead—Known dead nu in 261—inclndnig 133 known Louisville. However, it was re liably estimated more than IJM) had died from exposure and *s ease in Louisville hospitals. This would boost the general flood total to more than 428. Known dead by States includ ed: Kentucky. 170, Arkansas 23, Missouri 14, Ohio 14, West Vir ginia 11, ladieaa 9, Tennessee 9, Illinois 6. Pennsylvania 3, South Carolina 1, Mississippi 1. Damage—Conservatively esti mated at more than $400,000, 000.—Associated Press Dispatch, Thursday A.M. Copper came from the word of “Cy-prus” which island was famous for its copper mines. (Brought out of the record* and readopted December 9, 1936) NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS AND BUSINESS MEN A resolution adopted last year as to The Labor Journal and solicitation of funds in the name of Central Labor Un ion was brought out of the minutes and republished as in formation. The resolution reads as follows: “Resolved, That we publish in The Charlotte Labor Journal, that we do not condone any solicita tion of advertising except for The Charlotte Labor Journal, purporting to represent labor, unless over the signature of the secretary of the Charlotte Cen tral Labor Union. CHATTING BY HARRY BOATE The summer of 1936 will go down in history as being one of the very hottest the present generation has ever experienced, and perhaps its record will be well earned. But it must be remembered that some places are hotter than others, and this story has to deal with one of the hot places—Death Valley, California, and a famous character, “Death Valley Scotty.” About once every year this man emerges on the front page, then goes back into seclusion, to live his lonely life in his large desert castle. Recently he once more appeared in civilisation for a brief spell, and received his usual advertising in the papers and magasines. His fame comes from gold. “I’ve got $700,000 in gold in the rock,” he said, repeating the old story of a mysterious gold mine to the Los Angeles correspondent of the Associ ated Press. But he wanted to talk about the string of 16 mules he had bought during his latest visit. "I bet there ain’t another mule in the world like my old pal Barnum,” he said. “He’s a big bay, 16.2 hands high. He’ll make a good saddle mule for me.” From Los Angeles, where the heat was above 100, he would be glad to get back to Death Valley, where 186 degrees in th shade is common, so he could take off his coat and shirt. The place he was heading for was his two million dollar castle built in Grapevine Canyon in the scorching, life less wastes of Death Valley. The castle, or “shack,” as he calls it, required five years ot build. Like Scotty’s gold mine, it caught—and held—-the pub lic imagination. Comprising a group of nine towered Moorish-Spanish structures, con nected by underground passages, the castle is said to be the most elaborate private building in the west except for William Randolph’s home at San Simeon, California. All the material for it had to be hauled 100 miles. It has three-foot concrete walls insulated aganist the desert heat a $50,000 pipe organ, a water fall in the enermous living room, a $186,000 room for Scotty, a swimming pool and huge ornamented gates. Scotty lives there with a cook and a caretaker—an elderly Armenian and a Canadian ex-machine gunner. From time to time he has employed a number of Indians. For three years he closed the castle to visitors, since tourists are getting “both ersome.” Last fall he re-opened it, for he admits he gets lonesome in the desert and likes to spin tales about himself. Long before he built the castle Scotty had become famous. Born in Covington, Kentucky, 60 years ago, he went to Northern Nevada in early childhood, and at 12 years he toured the world as a dare-devil rider with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Back in the United States, he headed for Death Valley. In 1905 he startled the country with the first of his money spending escapades. Driving a pack mule into Barstow, on the edge of the desert, he demanded a special train to Los Angeles and shoved a pile of bills through the ticket window. In Los Angeles he tipped the bell-boys with halves of $50 bills then bought back the halves for $20 each. He hired a special train for a rush trip to Chicago and rode in the engine cab as it hit 106 miles an hour. In New York he rode through the streets in a buckboard, scattering gold coins from a keg between his knees. While Scotty boasted of a mys terious gold mine that made all this possible, desert rats said he had never in his life swung a pick. In 1930 he sprung another sensation by announcing that he was “broke,” that his mine was a myth, and that *11 his bank rolls had come from his old friend, A. M. Johnson, Chicago Mfcuifence man, who had backed him in building the castle and all his other v«p«res. How had it happened? Bad stock deals. What had he left? N**'fk«*ra share in his castle. What were his plans? Well, he didn’t know abou\movies, maybe. All the time he was waving his traditional roll of $20,twO. But the papers saw a good story and published it. A few days later Scotty declared his latest story was a hoax and the mystery was right back where it had been. Warren A. Scott, his older brother, laughed at Scotty's latest news out break. While Scotty tosaes money around, Warren is living in Reno in a six-by-nine shack with ad$ingy window and a coal-oil stove. _ He earns $44 a month on the relief rails screening sand on a WPA project. He said: “Scotty never in God’s world had a mine. He and Johnson decided to build a castle and spend money because of the income tax. He is a pretty clever man and you gotta hand it to him for keeping his information under his hat.” Whether or not this man ever did own a gold mine, it must be admitted that every time he appears in civilised towns he furnishes very interesting reading matter. . Among the items of later information ^concerning this very interesting character are, first,, that he has a wife, and that he has not lived with her for some time, and, second, that misfortune seems to have overtaken him, and he is now what is commonly called “dead broke." It is claimed that he is now among the poorest of the poor. If that be so, we probably art through with fantastic tales concerning “Scotty.” The automobile strike continued with General Motors still oothe short end. Those auto workers are determined to go places and under the banner of C. I. 0. will doubtlessly emerge victoriously, despipte all the strike-break ing tactics Messrs. Sloan and Knudson can direct. General Motors will not permit this to go on for much longer; too much money is being lost. Mr. Sloan’s colleagues in the motor industry will not sustain all the losses General Motor’s is sasatining because of this major b,UnSolomen, in his bequcsted wisdom, was able to decide correctly when the two women claimed the motherhood of the child. . Roosevelt is wise, but it will be hard to please the A. F. of L. and the C. I. O. whatever the action he takes in the current auto strike. On the premise that a spectator can often discern the wisestamoves store adeptly than the player, it is predicted that Roosevelt’s wisest course will be to “crack down” on General Motors now whether the craft A. F. of L. likes it The weavers in the tapestry and rug plant Charlottestopped off Mot day January 18th, to talk with A1 J. Bartson, Middleton Park, N. J-, owner of the plant by the same name, when he came into the shop. They had a heart-to-heart talk about increased wages. Bartson prom ised them n increased wage—a wage that would top the pay of any other jobs on like work in this section. The boys then again pulled on the leavers °f t,Yes?rir?rTiie key to higher wages is ORGANIZATION. As far an can be learned no textile local unions have draped their char *■" k"iir;ro°7w#ri£tf i«hS“rial-.Ue^£ *e sUero Textile Bu.le t,n’ P"TO*mMyTpropl^do^ot^ realise what hardships the WPA workers have been'suffering during the rough weather for the P«t few week^ Re sides the many lay-offs, those on jobs do not get pay unless they work. The inclement weather has interfered with their week, »»d °" f "®r** ed a few days during the past month. The pay checks therefore, mm any instances, amount to less than the monthly rental of the V> p A workers homes. Where are the other expenses necessary to maintaining the family t# * Movement waa recently started by Orgaais^ l-aboc in^Gharlotte to set food and other supplementary necessities for tlmse wort*™- ™s «*y lave partly alleviated the conditions among this group, but what about the 'th*Few WPA workers will admit that the depression ended last year. again, tWs brings up the point of organisation. If any people need the h^efitsof organization the WPA workers get the nomination! The writer wwW Uke some information. It is said there is no Local , . ‘ „f 'p*inters & Decorators in Charlotte. Some Charlotte painters say U b th«. ..M lb.. U«™ b » «.<•„ * «£2K££ W this <*,«.. CtarUU, Ub* lournal. __ Don’t forget to get your tickets for the President's Ball at the Hotel Charlotte Saturday night, and thus help the friend •f Labor in a worthy cause. Christopher Columbus, who claim ed to be from Genoa, Ituy, could not speak Italian. Oxygen—the most abundant de ment on earth—waa named as the re sult of a mistake. ROOSEVELT REPRIMANDS SLOAN FOR ACTION OF G. M. C. IN STRIKE; JOHN L. LEWIS ACCEPTS INVITATION WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.—President Roosevelt joined Secre tary Perkins yesterday in reprimanding the General Motors cor poration for refusing to accept Miss Perkins’ invitation to a strike lieace conference. nr. noose veil Mia ai nis press conference he had told "everybody ne “was not only (Ksapopinted in the refuMl of Mr. Sloan to come down here, but I regarded it aa a very unfortunate decision on his part.” Previously, Miss Perkins told reporters that General Motors “has failed in its public duty,” had made a “great mistake,” and had disregarded the “moral chalelnge” resulting from the strike. Miss Perkins had asked Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., General Motors president, and John L. Lewis, strike generalissimo, to meet here tomorrow and try to work out an approach to peace negotiations. Sloan refused to come, Mying he could not see his way clear to nego tiate while the striking United Automobile Workers still were in possession of General Motors plants. Lewis accepted at noon today, “without condition or prejudice,” although he was known to feel the negotiations themselves rather than a discussion of the method of approaching them should be started in the Labor Secretary’s office. GENERAL MOTORS HEAD DECLINES TO ATTEND MEET FOR ARBITRATION CALLED BY SEC. OF LABOR PERKINS NEW YORK, Jan. 2.—Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., president of the General Motors corporation, tonight declined an invitation from Secretary of Labor Perkins to a conference in Washington Wed nesday to negotiate a settlement of the General Motors strike. Sloan made public a letter.to the secretary declining the in vitation. . “We cannot see our way clear,” he said, “to accept the in vitation to negotiate further with the union while its representa tives continue to hold our plants unlawfully.” In his letter Sloan said that John L. Lewis, chairman of the Cojnmittee for Industrial Organization, which is pressing for industrial unionization, “has taken the position that the plants would not be evacuated until we agree to recognize the United Automobile Workers of America as the exclusive bargaining agency for all General Motors workers. ... “In the face of this positive assertion and in view of the principles for which we stand, we are convinced the conferences you have suggested would lead to no beneficial result any more than did the proceeding of last week. Sloan referred to the unsuccessful separate meetings held in >\ ashing ton by Miss Perkins with General Motors officials and with Lewis. Homer Martin, president of the United Automobile Workers of America, accepting for the second time the invitation of a government official to a conference “without condition or prejudice, ’ announced his departure for Washington tonight, accompanied by Wyndham Mortimer and Ed Hall, union vice-presidents, and George Addes, secretary and treasurer. Before leaving, Martin said the union has been “ready at all times to negotiate z strike settlement, and added: General Motors can supply work 12 mouths a year and paj every worker a Mlary of $2,000 a year and still make tremendous profit. Martin, commenting on the scheduled return to work for General Mo tors workers in non-striking plants, said: > . “As lone as they are not producing automobiles, but only parts and mo tor, we are gladto see the men earning their wages. We are also glad to see General Motors stock up on parts, because it means they can get into production on finished cars rapidly when the strike is ended. The union president Mid mass picket lines guarded strike-closed plants of the corporation today to prevent any attempt to operate them. General Motors has Mid no such attempt would be made. Discussing effects of the strikes, Martin said: “If the present anti union attitude of some businessmen continues, the union probably will operate its own stores.” He did not explain the statement. - ~ ^ LEWIS WILL ATTEND MEET CALLED BY LABOR SECRETARY WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. —John L Lewis expects to attend Secretary Perkins’ automobile peace conference Wednesday, but informed persons laid tonight that he is extremely dis pleased with the terms of the invita ion. Miss Perkins called Lewis, repre tentatives of the striking United Au omobile officials to consider renewal if negotiations “which had been sched iled to take place in Michigan” last lionday. Though Lewis would make no state nent today, he was said to feel that be secretary wants the union and the »rpo ration to renew the “Lansing igreement.” This stipulated that lit-down strikers evacuate all plants »nd that both sides negotiate toward a working agreement. Lewis no longer is satisfied with this program. He has said it would give the corporation an opportunity to “double cross” the union. Last week he said the corporation attempted to “double cross” the union under the Lansing accord by aramging to con fer with the Flint (Mich.) alliance, a grouD opposed to the strike. Don’t forget to get your tickets for the President’s Ball at the Hotel Charlotte Saturday night, and thus help the friend of Labor in a worthy cause. The Union Labei assure ji, chaser that he :a Dotting his money into th: best investment on earth Trade Unionism Subscribe for The Joui..al Laying Non-Partisan League Plans SIDNEY HILLMAN AND MAJ. GEORGE L. BERRY Here are two of the leading figures in La bor’s.Xon-Partisan Lea gue, obviously in happy mood because of the outlook and the achieve ments. Sidney Hillman, treasurer, is going over plans and policies with Maj. George L. Berry, president of the League. Appearances in dicate that somebody has just told the old one about “as Maine goes . . . " Continued and expanded operations are being planned by the League.
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 28, 1937, edition 1
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