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VOL. VIII—No. 10
*OV* ADVIRTIIIHINT IN TNI JOURNAL •• A
INVMTHKST
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1938
JOURNAL ADVERTISERS DESERVE CONSIDERATION OR
THE READERS
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THE ‘BIG BOYS’ IN POLITICS WANT
UNITY IN LABOR’S DIVIDED HOUSE;
FRIENDS OF PRESIDENT ON JOB
NEW YORK, July 17.—Friends of
President Roosevelt are trying to end
the civil war in American labor be
for the November elections.
Unless they succeed, they fear trou
blesome effect on the President’s plans
for the campaign.
Up to yesterday, they were worried
chiefly by one thing—William Green’s
pronouncement that the American
i Federation of Labor would oppose,
as a matter of principle, any candi
date endorsed by John L. Lewis and
his Committee for Industrial Organi
zation.
This meant that no candidate could
be sure of the support of both the
warring groups no matter how friend
ly his record on labor legislation
might be.
It meant at least the threat of a
split in the vote in every state where
labor is powerful—including big, stra
fic states like New York and Penn
sylvania.
Today Lewis made it more than a
threat by announcing the list of “anti
labor” members of Congress he said
the C. I. O. would oppose. A list that
included names of men like Senator
Adams, Democrat, Colorado; Senator
Lonergan, Democrat, Connecticut;
Representative Sumners, Democrat,
Texas, and Representative Lamneck,
Democrat, Ohio.
The President’s friends say he can
not risk continuance of such a split
in an election in which he personally
has taken the stump so rigorously.
The hope of these is that some
time between his return from his cut
rent campaign tour and the balloting
in November, President Roosevelt will
be able to call Green and Lewis to the
White House and send them away
puffing on the peace pipe.
It would be impossible for the White
House call to come before the basis
of peace has been laid. No President
could very well afford to summon
an armistice conference and then have
it collapse on his hands, particularly
when both combatants are his sup
porters. So the preliminaries are be
ing done now by men who work out
side the limelight.
The “feelers” are very tentative
and nebulous, but they have been
thrown out here and there for weeks
—in informal talks, in telephone calls,
in seemingly casual on-the-sidelines
meetings at public functions.
The results should begin to show
next month, when the executive coun
cil of the A. F. of L. has its regular
meeting. Only the council can decide
whether the A. F. of L. will renew
peace talks which were broken off
last December.
Those who have been in contact
with Lewis and Green say that neith
er of the leaders will personally op
pose peace conversations; nor will
either promote a conference actively.
LABOR NOTES OF INTEREST
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 18.—
Gerald Foley, president of the Tennes
see State Federation of Labor, was
named last week a candidate for the
Tennessee Legislature on the David
son County ticket, sponsored by Nash
ville Mayor Thomas L. Cummings.
President Foley also is head of the
Nashville Building Trades Council
and has served in the interests of or
ganized labor for many years.
MARYVILLE,.Tenn., .July 18—In
accordance with plans adopted two
weeks ago by the executive council
of the Tennessee Federation of La
bor, organization work among the
aluminutn workers here and at Alcoa
is now in full swing. Organizers rep
resenting the aluminum council, the
State Federation of Labor and the
American Federation of Labor, are
here at work. It is believed that a
splendid report of these activities will
be ready for the regular meeting of
the aluminum workers Saturday night.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., July 18.—
Charter for newly organized local un
ion of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers has been or
dered for this city, and upon its re
ceipt permanent officers will be elect
ed and installed, and the new unit
added to the constantly growing A.
F. of L. labor movement in this city
and state. Lo Petree, of the organiz
ing staff of the American Federation
LAW
1 am law. I am Nature’s way. I
am God’s way.
By me comes order, unity. In my
hand I hold three gifts: health,
happiness, and success.
Those who do not follow me are
devoured by the dogs of disease,
misery, and failure.
The ignorant fear me, they run
from my face, they tremble at my
voice; but the wise love me and
seek me forever. I am their desired
lover.
Fools think to outwit me, and
that no son of man has ever done.
I am more clever than the clev
erest. I am stronger than the
cleverest. I am stronger than the
strongest. I am old as God. I never
sleep. I never err. I am virile as
youth. I am accurate as mathe
matics. I am beautiful as poetry.
I am sweet as music.
Without me there could be no
art, no harmony of sounds, no
charm of landscape, or picture, no
government, no life.
I am the secret of goodness. I
am the horror of sin.
I am the eternal path, and be
sides me there is none else. With
out me men wander in the labyrinth
of death.
Heaven is where I am.. Hell is
where I am not.
I am efficiency in man. I am
loveliness in woman.
I am everywhere ;\in every wrin
kle of the infinite Waves of wa
ter, in the oak, in the brain, in the
nourishment, in excreta, in disease,
in soundness, in the lover’s clasp,
in the corpse, in the stars, in the
storms.
I whirl, I dance, I flame, I freexe,
but always mathematically. For I
am more intricate than calculus,
more accurate than any instru
ment.
They that live by me find peace.
They that kiss me find love.
They that walk with me come at
last to God.—Frank Crane's Four
Minute Essays.
I
I
of Labor, assisted the workers in
forming the local.
RAGLAND, Ala., July 18.—Char
ter for the newly organized local un
ion of Retail Clerks was installed here
last week, officers were elected and
obligated, and the new unit added to
the local labor movement. S. E. Roper,
director of organisation activities for
the American Federation of Labor in
Alabama, assisted the workers in
forming the lotal union and officiated
at the installation of the charter and
obligation of the officers.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 18.—
Radio announcers of this city have
completed organization of a local un
ion and application has been made to
the American Federation of Radio
Announcers for a charter. S. E. Roper,
in charge of the organization activi
ties of the American Federation of
Labor in Alabama, assisted the an
nouncers in the organization of this
highly important local.
GULFPORT, Miss., July 18.—La
bor in Mississippi took its longest
stride here last week in the Twen
tieth Annual Convention of the State
Federation of Labor. By far the larg
est convention ever held in this state,
the delegates took action on matters
of great import to the labor movement.
Despite the fact that C. I. O. influ
ences were very apparent in the con
vention hall and about the lobby, the
A. F. of L. unionists battled through
in magnificent manner.
ATLANTA, Ga., July 18.—Agree
ment between the United Drug Com
pany’s Atlanta branch warehouse and
their employes, members of Local Un
ion No. 1063, Retail Clerks, was re
newed for another year, the new
agreement containing many features
of value to the employes. The present
agreement expires July 21, and the
renewal is for one year from that
date. Vice President Griffin, of the
Boston office, and President Manager
Paaschel represented the company in
the negotiations, while Wm. A. Cetti,
of the A. F. of L., and Albert W.
Gossett, of the American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Em
ployes, assisted the committee which
represented the union.
ATLANTA, Ga., July 18.—Rufus
Johnson, business manager for the F.
B. E. W. in the Atlanta district, an
nounces that agreements have been
renewed for another year between the
I. B. E. W. and Neon Sign Manufac
turers. In addition to the renewal
agreements, two firms heretofore not
in the union have now entered into
the agreement with electrical work
ers, making the Atlanta district one
hundred per cent union in this line.
The agreement covers the three de
partments in each plant—manufac
turing, construction and service.
ATLANTA, Ga., July 18—"Max
well House Coffee is the NON-UN
JON COFFEE of the United States
and Canada. Practically every other
brand of coffee that is carried in a
grocery store in made under union
conditions.” This is the information
coming from Robert A. Rosekarns,
president of the Coffee Workers Lo
cal Union No. 21129, New York City,
affiliated with the A. F. of L, the
New York State Federation of La
bor, and the Central Trades and La
bor Council of Greater New York.
More than 10,000 crows were killed
recently when the state fish and game
department bombed a roost in the
northwestern part of Okfuskee Coun
ty. OkU
Charlotte Allied Printing Trade
Council Distributing Literature As
To Benefits Of Using The Label
A leaflet entitled “One-Half Million
Dollars—Yours For the Asking,” is
being widely circulated by the Allied
Printing Trades Council of Charlotte.
It is neatly gotten up, and makes in
teresting reading. The message it car
ries follows:
“Through the years of past depres
sions, and now during the present so
called “Repression” the more than 200
members of the Charlotte Allied
Printing Trades Council have never
asked for nor expected relief from
any agency, governmental or other
wise. This is true also of the national
organisations, with which we are af
filiated.
“The Printing Industry, as a whole,
is the one and only Major Industry
in the Nation today that has never
called on the Federal Government for
aid or subsidy of one kind or another.
“Both in 1920 and in 1933 an over
whelming majority of our more than
200,000 members voted to reduce their
work-week in order to take care of
unemployed members.
“We built and still maintain the
first and the finest tubercular sani
tariums in the United States. We
maintain homes for the aged and sick.
We have an old age pension plan that
has been in effect for over 30 years.
We have reduced the work-week and
increased the wages of all our mem
bers. All this at a cost of approxi
mately $100,000,000 has in the end in
creased the average age at death of
our members from 29 to 61 years.
“True, we are a Union. A Union
with a very definite purpose. The
same purpose as when it was first
established nearly one hundred years
ago. To stabilize the Printing Indus
try, to the best possible advantage to
both employer and employe alike.
“The Union members of the Char
lotte Allied Printing Trades Council
will spend in the City of Charlotte
during the ensuing year approximate
ly ONE-HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
The Union Label of this Council on
your printing and advertising will
guarantee you a full share of this
purchasing power, and will grow as
your business and our membership
grows in the years to come.
“The Union Label on your printing
costs no more, and is a guarantee of
the highest quality obtainable any
where at any price.
“A word from you of your desire to
co-operate with us in using the Union
Label on your printing will immedi
ately place your name before, not
only this entire membership, but be
fore all other affiliated bodies in the
City of Charlotte, as a willingness on
your part to help those who try to
help themselves.”
Anyone desiring information along
this line can write P. O. Box 1564, or
Phone 2-2036.
THE A. F. OF L GAINING CONTRACTS
IN CHARLOTTE SAYS WRITER,
WITHOUT UNNECESSARY PUBLICITY
Editor Charlotte Labor Journal:
Slowly, but we hope surely, the
A. F. of L. in Charlotte is gaining
contracts with their employers. Last
year quite a few large concerns signed
up with some of our local unions that
had never before had contracts.
It is with a good deal of pride in
achievement that the various locals of
Charlotte affiliated with the A. F. of
L. can point to these contracts. There
has been no ill-advised publicity. This
means that business has been conduct^
ed as such business should, with a
maximum of keeping one’s business to
oneself. Many contracts have been re
newed in Charlotte between our local
unions and their employers, and the
same sense of pride in achievement
should prevail.
In some of our new locals, negotia
tions have been consummated with a
minimum degree of advertising, and
a consequent agreeable and friendly
relation built up between employer
and employe. Quite a few contracts
are in process. Let us hope these con
tracts are signed under the same aus
pices. Let us stay away from the pa
pers with such business news that
only affects our employer and ourself.
Such news is news principally for the
employes involved and their union
meetings. The less the general public
knows about such things the better
the relations between employer and
employe will be.
Men who are politicians thrive on
publicity. It is their vote-getter par
excellence. But a local union is not
going to run for anything, and their
contractual relations with employers
is by far the most important con
sideration any local has. Collective
bargaining can be carried on a great
deal better with less newspaper and
columnists comments, and more sat
isfactory contracts arrived at for both
employer and employe. A business
does not usually consider their trans
actions affairs of public importance.
The local unions should strive as far
as possible, to keep this perfectly le
gitimate desire of business, private.
If controversies arise, which of course,
is the natural result of any kind of
bargaining, keep these controversies
as strictly private as long as possible.
Don’t try to fight contracts by means
of newspapers. It hurts the industry
as well as the employer, and of course
anything that hurts the industry and
the employer, hurts the worker.
As a parting remark, it grieves the
Musicians, Stage Hands and Actors
that Ringling Brothers Circus did not
see fit to live up to their contract. It
is our report that Ringling’s actually
made a quarter of a million at the
contract labor prices. It looks like
Ringling saw some tough summer
sleding on the smaller cities they were
booked to make, and decided to quit
ahead. The musicians at Tampa had
been given the low-down on the fi
nancial set-up of the big circus, before
the break-up, while they were in con
vention assembled, and by no other
than the head of the AAA himself,
Ralph Whitehead, a man who is doing
more to bring live talent backyinto
the show business than any other man
directly involved in the United States.
The Actors’ union is wise in n6t bring
ing out in the public press the actual
conditions, because in the long run
they are taking the more profitable
stand, by not doing anything to hurt
the circus.
WM. S. GREENE.
I
UNEMPLOYMENT AND
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS
By DR. CHARLES STELZLE
Executive Director, Good Neighbor
League
The decline in industrial accidents
and deaths over a period of years, or
the increase of such deaths and acci
dents during a given period, should,
in general, always be considered in
the light of the number of workers
employed, and the number of hours
worked.
Obviously, when more men are em
ployed, there will be an increase in
the number of industrial accidents
and deaths. However, a chart pre
pared for a study made by Max D.
Kassoris of the United States Bureau
of Labor Statistics of the Department
of Labor, shows that while there was
a sharp decline in employment from
1929 to 1932, injury frequency was
proportionately lower in 1929 than
it was in 1932. But during the next
three years, when conditions became
better, the proportion of injury fre
quency was greater than the propor
tionate increase in the number of
workers employed.
This is accounted for by two prin
cipal factors; first, as business con
ditions become worse, employers are
apt to pay less attention to safety
and as conditions improve, inexperi
enced men or those who have lost their
skill are reemployed, witn\the result
that accidents are increas^j. Also,
during periods of depression, 'srorkers,
even when employed, are worried and
become careless about safety haoK*.
A study made in' one great Amerfc
can industry shows that employes
with lea than one year’s service, al
though consisting of only 16 per cent
of the total number of the employes,
had 33 per cent of all the disabling
injuries in the plant, whereas those
employed five years and over, and
consisting of over 48 per cent of the
total number of employes, had only 31
per cent of all disabling injuries—or
less than one-third of the total num
ber of the employes, had 33 per cent
of all the disabling injuries in the
plant, whereas those employed five
years and over, and consisting of over
48 per cent of the total number of
employes, had only 31 per cent of all
disabling injuries—or less than one
third of the total number of accidents
in the plant.
It was shown throughout, that as
the number of years that a man was
employed increased, the fewer were
the chances that he would be injured.
It is probably true that there were
reported during depression periods—
particularly of a minor character—
because the workers were afraid of
losing their jobs if they reported their
injuries.
It will be seen, therefore, that un
employment not only results in the
well-known sufferings due to poverty,
but there is an increase in industrial
injuries incurred when the unemployed
begin to get back on the job, because
of thir lost efficiency, and because of
their weakened mental alertness. This
deterioration can be avoided only
through steady employment.
Perhaps the worst effect of unem
ployment during the depression has
been the influence it has had upon the
morale of the workers. But they will
not be the only sufferers—in some
way we will all have to pay the prcie
for their affliction, for no affliction
can befall even the lowliest among
us, without all of us being compelled
to shart it with him.
Measurement of the speed of light
ning, at 10,000 miles a second, was
recently reported. The speed was timed
at the Empire State Building in New
(York City.
for 1W Journal
WILMINGTON ALL SET FOR A. F. OF L
STATE CONVENTION SAYS DISPATCH
FROM OUR STATE HEADQUARTERS
SALISBURY, July 18.—“Now that
all other Southern States have held
their wonderful conventions, the North
Carolina State Federation of Labor is
planning to climax the year’s activi
ties with the largest and most en
thusiastic convention ever held by a
State Federation of Labor in the
South,” said President C. A. Fink in
a meeting of the executive board held
here last week. President Fink and
all other Federation officials attend
ing the conclave expressed keen grati
fication that each State Federation
convention held in the South this year
has been the largest ever held in the
history of the South.
The North Carolina convention is
to convene in Wilmington on August
8 and remain in session throughout
the 10th. Headquarters will be main
tained at the Cape Fear Hotel, and
Secretary Fisher’s reports show that
the convention will be a record-break
er. E. L. Sandefur, former Becretary
treasurer of the North Carolina Fed
eration, but who went C. I. O. with
R. R. Lawrence, is now in the toils
of the law because of his refusal to
turn over the money and property
of the North Carolina State Federa
tion of Labor to the proper officials.
President Fink hopes that the case
will be settled before the convention
date so the present officers can go
into the convention with all matters
cleared up.
Adjourned Meeting Of Typo. Union
Takes Up The Semagraph And
Proposed Craft School At Raleigh
An adjourned meeting of Char-,
lotte Typographical Union No. 338
was held last Sunday afternoon, at
which time the Semagraph, a new
typesetting device was brought up
and a report made that a satisfac
tory agreement had been- reached
with the heads of the company,
which is located in Charlotte. Bu
ford S. Green, a member of 338, be
ing the inventor of the machine,,
which promises to revolutionize the
printing business as far as straight
typecasting is concerned.
Several matters of importance
were brought up and discussed, one
of them b :ing the movement on foot
to put a printing course in State
College to produce “competent”
printers to fill a “scarcity” which
does not prevail. It was decided to
inform Major A. L. Fletcher, North
Carolina commissioner of labor, that
there are available enough compe
tent printers to fill any need in
North Carolina. ,
The union members said they will!
take this stand in answer to printed
material being sent out advocating
that a printing school be established
it State college. This statement read
n part as follows:
“The printing industry of North
Carolina is not an overcrowded in
dustry, but actually an undermanned
one. It is forced to go outside the
State for its skilled operatives.
With the splendid material offered
in our high schools to fill these needs*
this material should have as its right
the opportunity to obtain a complete
course in printing in the State print
ing plant, and that plant should be
located in the North Carolina State
college.”
President Hanry A. Stalls, was
instructed to answer the statement
with facts showing that there are
unemployed skilled printers in the
State at present.
Mr. Stalls states there is no need
need for the printing industry of this
State to fear a shortage of compe
tent printers for years to come, pro
vided the Master Printers’ associa
tion co-operates with local typo
graphical unions in the cities of
North Carolina.
It was pointed out that the Typo
graphical union has a technical
course to train printers which is
surpassed by no other system, and
that it is at the disposal of the Mas
ter Printers’ association, provided the
association members deal with local
unions.
Dowell E. Patterson of Charleston,
S. C., president of the Virginia
Carolinas Typographical conference,
attended the meeting and made a
talk. He urged that the North Caro
lina General Assembly be asked to
pass a printing law similar to that
in effect in Michigan, which estab
lishes a prevailing wage rate that
must be paid, provides working hours
and conditions, and assumes that
printing plants using union labels
are in good standing.
The following legislative commit
tee from the Typographical union
was appointed to work for the print
ing law in North Carolina: L. A.
Bilisoley of Raleigh, chairman; Ray
Nixon of Charlotte, and G. L. Ray,
of High Point.
Women’s I. T. U.
Auxiliary Party
On Monday Night
The following is the invitation being
sent to members of the I. T. U. Aux
iliary. It is neatly gotten up, with the
usual silk string attached. That it
is going to be a success goes without
saying:
“W. I. A. T. U.
“For your finger a string, to help
you remember
The party that’s planned for our dele
grate member.
We want you to come and join the
merriment;
It will be fun taking your measure
ment.
There’s to be a fee of a penny an inch,
(Hold in your tummy and it’ll be a
cinch).
Mrs. Furr’s is the place—25th is the
date,
Next Monday night—be there at eight.
1006 South Boulevard.”
JANITORS WANT VACATION
OF ONE WEEK WITH PAY
The Janitors’ Social club of Char
lotte is sponsoring one-week vacations
with pay for each of its members be
ginning July 16, it was announced
yesterday by Gus L. Chappelle, presi
dent of the club. It was also an
nounced that the club will give a
moonlight picnic at the club’s cabin on
Wilkinson boulverd for its members
in the near future.
WASHINGTON WPA AFFIRMS
RIGHT TO JOIN UNIONS
WASHINGTON, D. C.—The Works
Progress Administration of the Dis
trict of Columbia is the latest gov
ernment agency to promulgate a per
sonnel policy affirming the right of
employes to join unions and select
representatives to handle disputes.
The Department of Agriculture, fol
lowing consultations with the Ameri
can Federation of Government Em
ployes, recently adopted a similar pol
icy. The Social Security Board nas
also taken action in this direction.
FRANKLIN SUGAR REFINERY
STRIKE WON BY AFL UNION
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—The Amer
ican Federation of Labor Sugar Re
finery Workers’ Union, Local No.
20225 unanimously accepted the agree
ment worked out by representatives
of the union and officials of the
Franklin Sugar Refinery Company,
ending a strike of nearly a month’s
duration. The contract was identical
with the one concluded a week before
with the Pennsylvania Sugar Com
pany and the W. J. McCahan Sugar
Refining and Molasses Company.
NOTICE
The next regular meeting* of
the Executive Council of the
American Federation of Labor
will be held in Atlantic City, N.
J., beginning August 22, 1938.
|chablotteJ[
GAIL PATRICK
AKIM TAMIROFF
ANNA MAY WONG