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Vol. VII—No. 23
vena Amaru
in e
■\
CHARLOTTE, N. C-, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1937
leewiAL Mvnria
mm Mseaia
$2.00 Per Year
Green Urges Rebel Unions Back
Into Fold Oi A. F.L.—Says “Door
To Peace tStill (Remains OPEN”
_ ■---..... i __
Effort of United
Garment W'K'rs
At Bristol, Tenn.
Is C.I.O. Failure
BRISTOL, Tenn.-Va., Oct. 12.—(L.S.N.) Complete collapse
of Sidney Hillman’s efforts to invade the United Garment Work
ers field here by attempting to organize the workers m the Big
Jack Overall plant into a TWOC union was admitted here Monday
when TWOC officials “called off” a two-week’s old strike. The
TWOC local was organized several months ago by TWOC Or
ganizer R. C. Thomas, of Gaston County, North Carolina, former
member of the Carpenters Union who went CIO and joined the
organizing staff of that group.
It is said that TWOC organisers made many glowing promises to the
workers in the overall plant, and when the strike had been «ned elo.ing the
mill down, picket lines were formed and several Typographical Stooges of
the TWOC took part in the picketing and strike activities. Hopes of the
TWOC were blasted, however, when about 80 per cent of the workers in the
plant organized daily parades through the streets of the city bf*r,n* to
ners denouncing the C. I. O., the TWOC. and declaring that the majority
of the workers were not members of that organization, wanted nothing to
do with ij. and declaring the.desire pt the workers to return to work.
When the mill opened Monday most of the workers returned to their jobs,
and the strike was declared by hundreds of people to have been a complete
loss because of the inability of the C. I. O. and the TWOC to deliver the goods,
or live up to its glowing promises to the workers.
--|~i-- ------- » ■ mssssssw
DISMISSAL OF THREE MEMBERS
OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATION
BOARD ASKED BY THE A. F. OF L,
DENVER, Oct, 14.—The American Federation of Labor de
cided yesterday to ask Congress to keep the National Labor Re
lations board out of the Federation’s fight with John L. Lewis’
rebel C. I. O.
After hearing repeated charges i
that the board and its agents had fa- j
vored the C. I. O., the Federation’s!
annual convention voted to ask Con
gress for two amendments to the Wag
ner labor disputes act.
The first would prevent the board
from stepping into any dispute be
tween unions. The second would com
pel the board to hold its elections by
craft in plants where more than one
craft was employed.
In a fast-moving session that saw
most of the convention’s major
business concluded, the delegates uso
voted to boycott Japanese manufac
tured goods and to keep a wary eye
on any Federal wage and hour legis
lation proposals.
John P. Frey, veteran president of
the Federation’s metal trades depart
ment, led off the attack on the labor
board Jb>' demanding immediate re
moval of three of the board’s regional
directors—Mrs. Elinore Herrick, of
New York, Mrs. Alice Rosseter, of
San Francisco, and A. Howard Myers,
of Boston.
Regarding wage and hour legisla
tion, the convention decided unani
mously that the A. F. of L. did not
like the Black-Connery bill of last
session and criticised the administra
tion for not asking the Federation to
assist in its drafting.
“With the purpose of establishing
a point below which wages could not
be paid, and hours of labor beyond
which wage earners could not be em
loyed, the A. F. of L. is in accord,”
the adopted report said.
“There exists, however, a differ
ence of opinion as to how this most
desirable and necessary condition can
^ secured **
The report said the A. F. of L. did
not want power given to anv board to
fix wages and hours and that wage
and hour scales fixed by collective
bargaining must be protected.
WHITE COLLAR WORKERS ENTER AFL
AS DRIVE GOES FORWARD LOOKING
TO END OF THEIR ORGANIZATION
DENVER, Oct. 11.—'The American Federation of Labor set
machinery yesterday to fight the C. 1. O. in the farm and “white
collar” fields.
William Green, A. F. of L. president, told a press conference
that E. D. Van Deleur, secretary of the California Federation of
Labor, had been commissioned to organize on the Pacific coast a
National CouneU of Agricultural and Cannery Workers.
Representatives of 65 local unions
of bookkeepers stenographers and ac
countants at a meeting with Green
former the American Federation of
Office Employes International coun
cil and elected Frank Weikel, en em
ploye of Green’s office, as president.
Green said the agricultural work
ers’ council would concentrate its or
ganization efforts on the west coast
for the present time. The A. F. of
L., he said, already had 60,000 mem
bers, most of them under contract, on
farms and in packing houses in that
area.
The potential membership in Cali,
fornia, Oregon, and Washington, he
said, was 300,000. Van Deleur, he
said, expected to have two-thirds of
these in A. F. of L. unions within a
year.
Both national Councils eventually
would be transformed into internat
ional unions, Green said. The CIO
already has chartered national unions
in both fields.
Meantime, the resolutions commit
tee of the federations’ annual conven
tion prepared to report tomorrow on
the executive council’s request for
authority to expel the 10 rebel C.I.O.
unions suspended September 5, 1936,
for “insurrection.”
Although committee members re
fused to give any inkling of what
their report would be, the general
sentiment of the delegates indicated
that the convention almost unani
mousiy would vote lor expulsion.
Asked about the Los Angeles Ex
aminer-American Newspaper guild
case now before the National Labor
Relations board, Green called the
Guild's charge that the paper coerced
Its employes into joining an A. F. of
L. local “a C.I.O. trick.”
Out of 100 Guild members in the
paper’s editorial room, Green said,
68 or 70 had signed a petition asking
for A. F. of L. representation and had
been granted a charter as local No.
1 of the American Newspaper Writ
ers and Reporters.
When the secretary of the Los
Angeles central labor body asked the
Examiner’s management for an
agreement. Green said, the manage
ment demanded proof that the A. F.
of L. represented a majority.
There the matter stood, Green said,
when the Guild, whose president, Hey
wood Bround, is a C.I.O. member, filed
first an election petition and then
charges of coercion.
Green said the federation had char
ter applications from newspaper
writers in Albany and Utica, N. Y.,
Seattle, St. Louis, and several south,
ern cities. The federation, he said,
planned an “intensive drive” to en
roll editorial employes who do not
want to be represented by the guild.
IP YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
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CENTRAL LABOR UNION MEETING
WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE OF GREAT
INTEREST IN LABOR MOVEMENT
Meeting of Charlotte Central Labor
Union Wednesday night looked like
old times, the attendance being far
above the average and a degree of
enthusiasm displayed that made the
old timers feel good and was an in
spiration to those just entering the
ranks. There were no lon£, drawn out
discussions, business being handled
in orderly manner, new delegates ob
ligated, reports of locals received,
which showed every member working,
the organisation committee reporting
more calls than could be handled.
Harry Boate was placed upon the
board of trustees, to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation of A. 3.
Dumas. The matter of a central meet
ing place for all the locals, which is
in the hands of this board was left
open for further reports. The Wom
ens’ Label League reported renewed
The Lines Are Drawn—Choose
AMERICANISM
“When we return to our
homes there will be no mis
take in the hearts and
minds of the workers that
A. F. of L. is on the battle
line”
WILLIAM GREEN,
Cincinnati, Ohio.,
May 25, 1937
i
HIS LAST MESSAGE
TO LABOR
“Say to them as I kept
the faith I expect they will
keep faith. They must
carry on. Say to them that
a union man carrying a
card cannot be a good citi
zen unless he upholds
American Institutions, and
he is a poor citizen if he
upholds American Institu
tions and forgets his obli
gations to his trade asso
ciations.”
—Samuel Gompers.
COMMUNISM
“J want no peace with
the A. F. of L. . . . lack of
unity in the labor move
ment does not seem to be
such a bad thing ...”
JOHN U LEWIS,
Atlantic City, N. J.,
May 13, 1937.
American Workers Most Join Hands To Kill
This Red Menace—
WILL WE KEEP THE FAITH
activity and asked for more co-oper
ation from the members and their fam
ilies. This body meets the first and
third Thursday nights of each month
at 7:30 P. M. at A. F. of L. headquar
ters, 302 South College street, second
floor.
The business meeting next week
will last only 30 minutes, from 7:30
to 8 o’clock, at which time an open
meeting will be held for all union men
and prospective members in the Amer
ican Federation of Labor. There are
15 flourishing locals now represented
in Central Body, with 14 expected to
enter within the next 60 days.
The retail clerks local affiliated at
last night’s meteing, with delegates
from two other locals to be obligated
at the next meeting.
President Kiser Dresided. The
.meeting adjourned about 10 o’clock.
Colorado Governor
Greets the A. F. L.
1937 Convention
i HONORABLE TELLER AMMONS
(Governor of Colorado)
delegates to this convention—Iwjjeem
it an honor to the state of Colorado
and consider it such to have you as
semble here in convention today. I
understand this is the fourth conven
tion that the American Federation of
Labor has honored Colorado with, the
first one being in 1894. We believe
in organized labor in Colorado.
It is unnecessary to point out to
you, who do the world’s .work, the
tremendous achievements of organ
ized labor in the past decades. It
has enabled the laboring people
through organized effort to place
themselves on a parity with the
forces of organized capital. Organized
labor has brought about living wages
and decent working conditions. Sane,
hut determined leadership has re
sulted in a never ending progress
toward social and economic conditions
betwee nthose who provide the plans
and the capital and those who carry
the plans into execution and bring
profit to the capital invested.
The Union Label assure. .3 ; or
i chaser that he is nutting his money
into the beat investment on earth—
'Trade Unionism.
Mr. Goshen, President
DENVER, Oct. 12w—The American Federation of Labor ap
pealed to the rank and file of the C. I. O. yesterday to overthrow
its “power-greedy” leadership and return to the A. F. L„ but em
powered the federation’s executive council at the same time to
expel the John L. Lewis unions as a last resort.
By an overwhelming VQte the A.F.L. convention approved a
resolutions committee report giving the executive council power
to expel the suspended C.I.O. unions. The same report held the
door to peace open with a provision that a battle to exterminate
the C.I.O. be delayed until all peace efforts failed.
The 25,616-to-l,227 vote in favor of the committee’s report
followed a plea for the rebel unions to “come back home” from
William Green, A. F. of L. president.
ine auor is open, virwn saia.
“The hand of the A. F. of L. is ex
tended, the voice of the A. F. of L.
‘Please come back home.- If anyone
of these (C.I.O.) organisations comes
to the door, it need not come with its
hat in its hand. We’ll be there to
welcome them and embrace them.”
Green said he knew it was the coun
cil’s intention still to pursue a “pa
tient policy” but that the charters of
the “obstinate” unions would be re
voked.
“When this is done the rank and
file of those who want to come back
will be given the opportunity to do
so.," he said.
Green asasiled those union leaders
who, during the all-day debate, op
posed adoption of the report.
‘•‘I say to those who want to go (to
the C.I.O.), get out and leave us
alone,” he roared after particularly
criticizing the teachers’ union.
Even some of the delegates who
voted against approval of suspension
of the C. I. O. unions at the Tampa,
Fla., convention last year voted for
the committee report today.
These were the bakery workers, the
brewery workers, and elevator con
structors.
Frank Martel, Detroit, received a
cheer when he joined Frank Morrison,
A. F. of L. secretary, in casting print
ers union votes for the report. The
printing pressmen and the hatters del
egates divided.
In the report adopted, the commit
tee warned political leaders that the
A. F. L.’s political strength hereafter
would be used to oppose any candi
date for public office, “who would in
any way favor, encourage or support
the C. I. O.”
It called upon both politicians and
employers “to decide whether to sub
mit themselves to the evils of a dic
tatorship which is no less repugnant
because it springs from greedy lead
ers of labor who have forsaken their
trust.”
Usually well-informed sources said
the door to peace was left open for
the present because A. F. of L. lead
ers expected the International La
dies’ Garment Workers, one of the
largest C. I. O. affiliates, soon to
desert John L. Lewis’ camp and to
return to the A. F. of L.
“We cannot believe that the mem
bership of the Ladies’ Garment Work
ers International union can long con
tinue to give their approval to the
actions naa policies oi me u. i. u.,
the lengthy committee report said.
“Every tradition in their past and
every fiber of their being must revolt
against dictatorship,' selfish grasping
for power and its ruthless exercise.
“We cannot do otherwise than be
lieve that their great membership
wishes above all to be again within
the fold of the American Federation
of labor, honored as a part of the
American Federation, their rights and
liberties respected, as they were
through all the years within the
the American Federation of Labor.
The committee appealed directly to
the rank and file members of the
United Mine Workers, the Amalga
mated Clothing Workers and the
United Textile Workers to revolt
against their own officers.
“We cannot fail to feel that the
great rank and file of the United
Mine Workers of America, who owe
everything they have had, up to two
years ago, to the American Federa
tion of Labor and who have been
tnrough all the years a special con
cern of the American Federation of
Labor when mine owners cowed them
with guns and racked their bodies
and souls in the pain of brutal oppres
sion, can give approval to the action
of officers.who levy upon them huge
assessments for the serving of per
sonal ends," the report said.
“We cannot believe that the mem
bership of the United Textile Work
ers of America can approve the ac
tion which in their case is peculiarly
startling and especially naked in its
tempestuous disregard for rights and
autonomous self-government.
The committee especially assailed
the C. I. O. for its political policies,
particularly Lewis’ demand last win
ter for presidential help in the auto
mobile strike.
Earlier the convention approved
the federation’s first invasion of C. I.
O.-claimed territory the delegates ap
proved a resolutions committee re
port approving charters for the Pro
gressive Miners of America and the
Blue Card Union of Ore Miners in the
tri-State region of Missouri, Okla
homa and Kansas.
The Progressive Miners are a rival
organisation to Lewis’ United Mine
Workers in Illinois. The Blue Card
union occupied territory claimed by
the International Union of Mine and
Smelter Workers .another C. I. O. af
filiate.
X
INVOCATION BY WILLIAM O’BRYAN
AT A.F.OFL CONVENTION, DENVER
Almighty God, our friend and lover, we humbly ask for Thy wisdom
and care in these very difficult times. The ways are dark, the days are
dangerous. We ask for Thy comfort and Thy help and Thy wisdom. We
humbly acknowledge that we are little deserving Thy favor. Thou didst
make us all equal, brothers and Thy children, and we have scorned and heaped
contumelies upon our brethren in every age. Thou didst give us a rich
heritage in this world, and we have allowed millions in every time of our
brothers to live and die in neglect and hunger.
... ■•“‘l.u* th* Prince of Peace, and we have reddened the earth
with blood. Thou didst rquire justice, and lo, most of our brothers in every
age died in injustice. We are poor and blind and miserable.
Enrich us with Thy wisdom, give us light. Comfort us in heart and
will with Thy strength. Guide this conference into ways of uprighteousness
in the larger measure for all people of justice, justice, justice! Guide ns in
our ways into the ways of peace together.
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass
against us, and lead us not into tempUtion but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Bricklayers—Attention
Open Meeting Friday, Oct. 15, 7:30 P. M.
THIS MEETING CONCERNS TOUR JOB. AND IS
BY BRICKLAYERS LOCAL NO. 9
Building Trades Council Hall,
113 1-2 S. College St.
ALBERT BECK, Organizer