Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / May 20, 1937, edition 1 / Page 1
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ft* ONLtf REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg Co—ty for a Weekly. If Reader* Represent the LAKUSsf BUYING POWER in Ckarlotle Official Organ Centra! Labor Union; standing for the A. F. of L. Che Charlotte labor Journal Patronise our Adver tisers. They make YOUR paper possible by their eo aeration. Irv'kful, h<mcst, lmparttru AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Endeavoring to Serve the Masse* Vol. VII.—No. 2 rows AwnmauMf i« Tut jmmal M * • MV «•*«•'«▼ CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1937 ‘"’"’ "““r- - 82.00 Per Year PARTING OF THE WAYS REACHED BY STATE C. L 0. AND A. F. OF L AFFILIATES, LOCAL SUPPORTERS It is well known to those interested in the welfare of the or ganized labor movement in North Carolina what has happened within the past few months, and a recounting of the story would be space thrown away, and also the outside world has been given a view into the secret closets of two factions in labor and while this publicity has been welcome to the A. F. of LM which has al ways worked in the open, it may prove in the final analysis unwel- j come to those who would gain their ends by ulterior and under hand methods The calling of the meeting of the executive council of the State Federation Sunday at the Charlotte Hotel at 3 P.M. by George L. Googe was done by order of William Green, president of the A. F. did so with authority and for the purpose.of straightening out a of L. Mr. Googe, being the head of the A. F. of L in the South, condition in North Carolina that was disrupting the movement at a rapid rate. The executive council was also call ed far an hour eai lier by President Lawrence at the Selwyn hotel. All members being present, where Googe laid the cards on the table, reading clauses of the constitution and by-laws concerning the case. After expulsion of Lisk, who is on the executive coun cil board, and a member of an organ ization fighting the A. F. of L. was called for and refused, Googe and those members favoring the A. F. of L. went through the routine, upon ad journment repairing to the Charlotte Hotel where those remaining stead fast to the A. F. of L. assembled and went through the process of electing a new president, first vice-president, a secretary-treasurer, and another vice president, leaving the four vice-presi dential position open until the meet ing of the convention called by Googe to meet in Salisbury, N. C., July 19th. The meeting of the Lawrence group was to have been held in Asheville the second Monday in August but that city found itself unable to handle the meeting, so it was handed back to the executive council for the selection of a new place before the outlawing of the old group by the A. F. of L., through Googe.- Wilmington was the runner-up, and it is not known where the Lawrence faction will meet, or when—if at all, as after the meeting of the A. F. of L. executive council in Cincinnati, Ohio, next Wednesday, when it is expected that the N. C. State Federation Charter, along with that of Central Labor Unions will pass into the hands of legally constituted A. F. of L. set-ups, after organizations woi king with the C. I. 0. have been thrown out, and those working under A. F. of L. charters recognize the au thority of the present body with which their internationals are affiliated. The group which remained with Lawrence and Lisk, C. I. O. key men, were James H. Fullerton, president of Central Labor Union, and of the local Teamsters and Chauffeurs; E. L. San defur, Winston-Salem, (Typographi cal) secretary-treasurer, and S. C. Latta, Durham, Tobacco Workers. Those leaving the Lawrence-called meeting for the “RUMP” get-to gether were Representative Googe, H. L. Kiser, H. G. Fisher, W. W. Run yan, and C. A. Fink, who was made president of the Googe organisation set-up of the A. F. of L. for this state, with officers as follows: C. A. Fink, of Spencer, a member of theI elec tricians’ union and vice-president of the Federation, president; H. L. Kiser, hf Charlotte, first vice-president; W. M. Witter, Typographical Union of Charlotte, editor of The Charlotte Lab<" Journal, vice-president and di J*01 ^ of publicity and information; H. Fisher of Salisbury, secretary tresHrer. The president was author ized^ appoint four additional mem bers of the new executive board to fill vacancies that were declared to exist. The newly-elected president and secretary of the Googe A. F. of L. group was ordered to notify the “for mer” members of the board of the ac tion taken in order that they might appeal to President Green and the ex ecutive council in Cincinnati May 24, with the further advise that the board will be prepared to defend its action against them, and to notify them that if they do not appeal that will be con strued as acquiescence iri the action. All liK’al unions in good standing with the North Carolina Federation were requested to pay no more dues to E. L. Sandefur of Winston-Salem, who was designated as the “former” sec retary-treasurer, but to send all dues and communications to H. G. Fisher, 527 West Liberty street, Salisbury the newly chosen secretary-treasurer. The Observer carried the following in its Monday edition, in part: The executive committee at the be ginning cjf developments at noon yes terday was composed of R. R. Law rence of Winston-Salem; J. H. Fuller ton, of Charlotte, first vice president; E. L. Sandefur of Winston-Salem, sec retary-treasurer; C. A. Fink of Salis bury, vice-president; H. L. Kiser of Charlotte, vice-president; H. G. Fisher of Salisbury, vice-president; H. D. Lisk of Concord, vice-president; S. C. Latta, of Durham, vice-president; and W. W. Runyans of West Asheville, Vice-president. They represent typo graphical, electrical workers, plumb ers, and steamfitters, teamsters and chauffeurss, machinists, textile work ers, tobacco workers, painters and decorators’ unions The committee had been summoned by Googe to meet at Hotel Charlotte to hear charges of treason brought by four committee members against Law rence. About 2:30 o’clock yesterday morning Mr. Lawrence issued a call for another meeting at 1 o’clock yes terday afternoon at the Selwyn hotel. That left the Lawrence forces with Lawrence and Lisk (C.I.O.) Sande fur, Latta and Fullerton, only three A. F. of L. affiliates. Organizer Googe at the Charlotte Hotel Sunday afternoon gave out the following statement regarding Mr. Lawrence.: QUOTES OATH “Six times I swore Lawrence into office, and each time he repeated the following oath: ‘I, Roy Lawrence, do hereby sincerely pledge on my honor to perform the duties of my office, as prescribed'by the laws of the North Carolina State Federation of Labor and to bear- true allegiance to the American Federation ol Labor . . All this I solemnly promise with full knowledge that to violate this pledge is to stamp me as a man devoid of principle and destitute of honor' “The board then tried Fullerton, Sandefur, and Latta for refusing to attend the meeting and comspiring with Lawrence in his acts of treason to the A. F. of L., refusing to attend the trial called by a majority of eligible mmebers. These three were charged with violation of their office, insubordination, and conspiracy to commit and condone treason against the North Carolina and the American Federations. Sandefur further was charged with not submitting audits to the affiliated unions and carrying out other duties, and for not bringing his books to the meeting for audit. The thr m/reeoer’HtncoUeiETAOIN The three former committee members then were expelled. Lisk’s seat was voted vacant. Lawrence was dis missed and removed from office. That removed five men; Witter was elected to take one place; the president will appoint the other four men. DENIES CONFLICT “In conclusion, it must be under stodd that the North Carolina Federa tion’s constitution does not and could not conflict with the American Fed eration of Labor’s constitution. No organization can be affiliated with the A. F. of L. without conforming to the American Federation’s rules in every respect. The utter impossibility of Lawrence remaining in office is re vealed by the fact that our new tex tile unions would have to go for support and approval to the C. I. O. organizer, the head of our enemy.” Most local labor leaders here last night assumed that the national coun cil of the American Federation quickly will recognize the new officers elected at the Googe meeting yesterday, and will make further demands that Law rence and his associates surrender their offices in the North Carolina Federation, a subordinate organization of the A. F. of L. All nine members of the committee, accompanied by Mr. Googe, attended the Lawrence meeting at the earlier i hour. Lawrence recognized First | Vice-President Fullerton, who read the following prepared resolution: TO ADVERTISERS KEEP YOUR DOLLARS AT HOME Advertise in your LOCAL LABOR Paper. It serves the workers of Charlotte and surrounding territory, and NO OTHER LABOR PAPER DOES. BE WARE OF LABOR HIJACKERS. They are abroad in the land under various guises, and with high sounding endorsements, but they do not bring the bacon home from this section. When in doubt, call Charlotte Labor Journal, Phone 3-3094 M»1 IMBMT OOMMT •M ▼IMKLV TOPIC* I CHATTING ■v HARRY BOAT! On a pleasant morning last week Mrs. B and myself stepped into our automobile intent on a day’s journey of a lambling nature, just for the pleas ure which may be the outcome of such a ride. We headed south, and in the course of an hour or so we were chatting with some friends in the little citv ot Lancaster, S. C. Another half hour and we were again on our way still going south, and at little past the noon hour we were in the capital city of bouth Carolina—Columbia. Parking our car we set out to do a little foot lunch Snd m the rn<?anderinS foun<i a place which to enjoy a noonday Legalized liquor appears to be one of the leading lines of business in Columbia, consequently a place to find a dry lunch seemed among the im possibilities. But that which appeared to be impossible proved not to be To for finally a place to our liking appeared and we entered. Amid pleasant citv OUOnenn!areewh-r1,We 8erv^,and a*ain started on our inspection of the city. One place which commanded much attention was what Charlotte does not possess and is sorely in need of—that is an open air market where fiesh fruit and produce can be had in abundance. Such a place was this market and we explored it from one end to the other, thteh we traveled the length of three city blocks surrounded by such an array of eralTurchlses ve<?etables that we failed to leave before making sev whosT address^ wTha^VitJ^usTl^eHaddress Tas located^butThe^'part8 Si'S. riSLSSf jaotu4heeym°ment- "" Card’ ™ Leaving Columbia, we returned by way of Winnsboro and Chester „„,t arr^Hhln%Kt0 R<fk Hil1 and *ort Mill, thence back to Charlotte, where wj at rived in the early evening, having enjoyed a full day of pleasant rM)n. and chatting and viewing beautiful scenery all day long Afonl the ent^f journey we saw the plowmen busy turning the earth in preparation for the Sgm'SIsSSfgSga •so .TbS'uSir 52 to, ,i*it There gardens well supplied with flowers ’ a ,u„ t”ed Wl-t «,?ba,de trees, and the benches filled with girl students resting from TrU** ^lnthr°P ColleKe> with a restful sight. In fact, it wa8 such a! te Sspire a liTt o/LW’ made r ‘Sm EjSH&f&s Mfawr ts.’ai's&j-ptSSisSS* is rare on such streets as has Rock Hill ’ 1 the korse helping the autc m tb,„ to Uk,, side roads if the urge calls, looking at SrilteJhf'Snmtion* branching off int< main highway, or whkh ^aT te missid in MTChVlare n0t to ** seen on th. there. Getting away fromthe routine &"!• even if *** wen the mind and rest the bodv Smnp rtov ^ ^ does much to fresher all for a time, jStSVSfh ^farther^r* J° P* ^ routes, the more restful and pleasant is tht l!^ • gets rrom the through main street or thoroughfare detects L l * ?, J°?rney- Stayin* th. of n,tu«. Howl Uk, Whereas, the special meeting of the executive board of the North Car ®tate Federation of Labor, call ed by George L. Googe, Southern rep resentative of the American Federa tion of Labor, for Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. at Hotel Charlotte for the pur pose of considering charges against R. K. Lawrence .president of the N. C. State Federation of Labor, is not legitimate as provided in’ the constitution and by-laws of the North Carolina State Federation of Labor or of the American Federation of Labor, and Whereas, in view of the fact that such meeting that was called by Rep resentative Googe is not in conformity with the constitution and by-laws of the North Carolina State Federation of Labor, therefore be it resolved that we, the executive committee of the North Carolina State Federation of Labor, refrain from attending any ex ecutive meeting not duly authorized and provided for in accordance with the constitution and by-laws.” Googe then asked the secretary to read a telegram of instructions sent him by President Green. Googe after wards claimed that Secretary Sandefur denied having received the message, and he had anticipated that, and had ascertained from the Postal Telegraph Company that the message had been delivered. Googe read a copy of Green’s orders demand ing that United Textile Workers who are members of the U. T. W be ex cluded at once, as the U. T. W. has gone over to the C. I. O. and its mem bers are ineligible for A. F. of L. membership. Googe demanded there fore that Vice-President H. D. Lisk’s seat be declared vacant as he is a member of the disbanded U. T. W. READS CHARGES After the meeting, Googe asserted Lawrence refused to act on the de mand for Lisles’ ouster. Googe then read the charges* against Lawrence brought by four executive committee members, and protested against Law rence taking any action until the charges were acted upon. He claimed that Lisk’s office is vacant, that Law rence was disqualified from voting by being under charges, leaving only sev en board members, and that the four anti-C. I. O. members constituted a majority. As the hour of 2 o’clock had ar rived, Googe moved that the board go to Hotel Charlotte as originally called by him to hear the Lawrence charges. He said he announced that all mem bers would be expected ot attend and that Lawrence would be expected to be present to answer the charges, as the board would act officially regard less of whether there was a full at tendance. Googe, after his meeting at Hotel Charlotte, called in newspapermen, and recited in detail the Lewis Green labor warfare, giving President Green’s side of the Lawrence disturb ance in North Carolina. REVIEWS HISTORY “The North Carolina Federation is a chartered subordinate body of the American Federation of Labor, it is the North Carolina branch of the A. t. of L., began Mr. Googe. “Roy Law rence has been the president since 1SM0, a position that pays him no salary, but the American Federation employed him immediately when he was first elected on a temporary basis *? an organizer of the A. F. of L. He was always loyal and co-opera tive. At the Tampa convention in November, the American Federation voted 22,463 to 2,046 to ratify the suspension of 10 international unions that formed the C. I. O., declaring those unions guilty of insurrection, re bellion, and engaging in dual union ism, the cardinal sin in a union worker. “On March 8, the C. I. O., by a unanimous vote, instructed its execu tive officers to issue charters of af filiation to national and international unions, State-wide organizations, city central groups, and local directly af filiated organizations, which estab lished in procedure and structure a rival dual national organization to that of the A. F. of L., following the announcement of a campaign by the A- F. of L. to reorganized the textile workers unions whose national or ganization, the United Textile Work ers, through their executive board, had signed a contract with the C. I. O., abdicating all autonomous and jurisdictional rights granted them by tlhe A. F. of L. The A. F. of L. an nounced a program of reorganizing the existing textile unions and unor ganized textile workers into local Fed e**1 unions directly chartered by the A. F. of L., with the further announ ced purpose that as soon as sufficient chartered textile unions are estab lished, a convention will be called of representatives of unions and a new imtional union will be organized within the A. F. of L. to take the place of the suspended United Textile Workers of America. NO CONSULTATION “After this announcement of the A. F. of L., Mr. Lawrence, without consultation with A. F. of L. offi cials, accepted the position of director for the Carolinas of organisational activities of this rival dual organiza tion to the A. F. of L. The first notice the American Federation had of this action by Mr. Lawrence, who was serving as an employe of the A. F. of L. as well as president of the North Carolina branch, was when C. I. O. officials isued a statement to that effect, a statement that was confirm ed by Lawrence. President Green was advised of this by the Associated Press. “Mr. Lawrence immediately resign ed as an employe of the American Federation and was sent a letter by President Green, accepting his resig nation, and demanding that he resign at once as State president. This was sent April 28. Lawrence was asked to return his commissions by return mail, and to disassociate himself from all activities of the subordinate or ganization of the American Federa ition. The following members of the North Carolina Federation then pre ferred charges against Lawrence; NO HARMONY The CIO is most certainly on the run. at least i;i some parts of the country, when publications favorable to that organization try to convince the workers within the ranks of the Ametican Federation of Labor that there is harT"y ^fj***n the AFL and CIO programs of organization. The CIO and the AFL are as far apart in their objectives as the two poles, and let no loyal member of the legitimate labor movement forget this for one moment. * .. There is. no place in the American labor movement for dual organiza tion. There is no place for Communism. , The CIO is definitely out on a program of dual organization which can nly serve, if persisted in, to destroy the entire movement. It is presumably operating with a new to organize “industrial unions.” but a glance at its trhTr»i°r T y'*r ofr°'5er,t.ionS Prove conclusively that such is not Tf'i i Amerlc*n Federation of Labor has a place for both craft and desertionoTthlTranks h*8 h*d * P ace for ,hem Ion« Previous to John Lewis' Th»vC”“n|1“?hU haVe n*Ver held ofLficial P«*‘s in ‘*»e AFL and never will. They are listed as organizers and what-nots in the CIO. The official organs the cJomUn,Sm neV" e"d0rSed ‘he AFL- They have th* Program of r„„The AFL is fighting Communism. The CIO is accepting co-operation of Communists and has them on its payroll. No. there is no harmony between the AFL and the CIO. The CIO to bTdfcSlvTif tdhe8 Fed"ati"" of Lnbor. and theCIOmust F^deraOonist! ” ,e*itlmate Ubor movement *" America is to live.—Southern .. ■■■■■■ - - FIGURES ON THE CIO-AFL MATTER . GeUing down to who does what and who benefits most of it is interesting to draw a comparison between the strike benefits received bv unions sun* received "biMhose affilhiteH^ ,th* !*a,lyhooed CI° and »trike benefits can Federation’of S W,‘h the ‘eK,t,mate movement under the Ameri Ont AoUntrt of m|L^eMTdi“Unfr th5 910’ 3'7®° workers at Oshawa, un‘-> P'*n‘ of General Motors received from that organization wh»t ... °f “strike pay”f‘‘ t^x^iSSnSs ‘ Mim^Id«^f^0,,ti4? “f*8 ?" man’ or a total of *W00. who U?10^ °f American Federation of Labor wwk for si« wJkf Ith d,se8 d the AFL receive strike benefits of $7 per $1»8,5<!o in"?rtte £nefi!s Rem'ngton-Rand strike the AFL paid out ASHEVILLE ON SIDE A. F. L. Amricin?edeKuofno7,Ub2rrGe0rge ** G°°ge’ "°Uthern ropresenUUve of the i aargigaais ih. ♦ .9simm,ti^.l0r Indua‘r,a* Orgamzation to place that organization In c"w • Film Exchange Employes Get A New Charter Here A delegation of Motion Picture Op erators and Stage Employees return ed from Washington, D. C., Tuesday morning bringing with them a char ter for Film Exchange Employes Lo cal, No. 33, which will be installed soon with nearly 100 per cent of the workers in this line on the roll. This organization is an A. F. of L. affiliate and will greatly strengthen the labor movement in Charlotte. The delegation from Charlotte, which left Sunday morning to pro cure the charter consisted of the fol lowing: W. H. Fowler, C. P. McAllis ter, Kenneth Clontz, and L. A. Spake. The boys report labor doings in Wash ington as at fever heat. The Film Exchange Employes’ un ion will be made up of strippers, in s pec tors and poster clerks. The unior will be operating in a few weeks, The Journal is informed, and we wish this new local in the A. F. of L. fold a happy and successful union career. Every dollar spent for Union Labe) goods and services means better wages, shorter hours and decent work The dirigilbe “Hindenburg,” only 200 feet shorter than the ocean liner, “Queen Mary,” carries 51 passengers as contrasted with the “Queen Mary’s” 4,000. Committeemen Fink, Runyan, Kiser and Fisher. CHARGES VIOLATION “By authority of President Green I sent all board members telegrams to attend the meeting this afternoon to hear the charges, which were that Lawrence had violated his oath of office, sponsored dual unionism, and is guilty of treason. The telegram also called for an audit of the books of Secretary-Treasurer E. L. Sandefur of Winston-Salem. The message ended: ‘Your action will be construed as an expression of your fidelity to your oath of office or dessertion thereof.’ Lawrence was notified the board would act whether he was present or hot. After going to the Lawrence meet ing at the Selwyn we came to the Charlotte hotel, and had the regular official board meeting. Fink was elected temporary chairman and Run yans was temporary secretary. Upon motion of Committeeman Kiser, we found Lawrence guilty, as charged, of violating his oath, sponsoring dual unionism, and treason. A Calm Meeting Of Central Labor Union Upsets “Dope Pot” With a large attendance of dele gates and union members, all expect mg a "pyro technical display,” Cen tral Labor Union last night pursued the even tenor of its way, with an in jection of agitation here and there held up by a resolution barring dis cussion upon the floor of a subject that will be automatically ironed out when the A. F. of L. executive coun 4thmeetS m C,ncinnati> °hio> on June The locals made good reports, all working and new members being i!"' T«e organization of a Film Exchange Employes Local, No. f.3> was anonunced, which will hang ,kn *“r*r„(v.SiTi,r'“- Th“2 The committee on the Labor Dav ?'c™ .".as continued. There were no set addresses” and there seemed to delegates!*^ °f fnendshiP amonK the al.HpresVdent J?mes H Fullerton pre q dfnd’ t,he meetlng “djourning at about June 2nd. “gain Wed"csday, WORKERS ON 2 RAILROADS FAVOR A. F. OF L. UNION Voting about four to one, against a “company union,” in an election for collective bargaining representatives conducted under auspices of the Rail way Mediation Board, employes of the Forth Worth & Denver and of the Wichita Valley railroads, selected the bona-fide shop craft organizations affiliated with the Railway Empleyes' Department of the A. F. of L., as their duly authorized representatives. A certificate to this effect has been isued by the Mediation Board, which also proved the “death certficate” of the shop crafts “company unions” on these lines. TOBACCO WORKERS WIN LIGGETT & MYERS PACT Officials of the Tobacco Workers International Union announced that union agreements had been negotiated with Liggett A Myers for the com pany’s two plants at Durham, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, by which the union will be the sole bar gaining agency for employes eligible for onion membership. Although the contract does not pro vide either the closed shop or the union label, it is regarded as a considerable gain for the onion. The agreement also granted an in crease in wages. The average stature of the human race is 6 feet, 5 inches. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LABOR PAPER. It serve* the territory thoroughly of those who buy your wares sad sake a local labor paper possible for the workers. THEY READ IT, ENDORSE IT, AND PATRONIZE ITS ADVER TISERS. I
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 20, 1937, edition 1
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