Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / July 13, 1939, edition 1 / Page 1
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Tk(t ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County. For » Weekly tig Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWEBta Official Organ Central Labor Uiioo; itiniig for the A. F. of L. Che Charlotte labor Journal Patronise oar Adver tisers. They Make YOU* paper possible by their co-operation. Truthful, Honest, Impartial Endorsed by the N. C. State Federa tion of Labor AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Endeavoring to Serve the Mosses VOL. VIII—No. 9 «OUR ADVMTIMMEHT IN TMK JOURNAL !• A Investment CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1939 tMMMAh AavnmiM oi ▼MB' 92.00 P«r You WPA WAGE ROLE REPEAL IS ASKED FOR BY A.F1 Elmer F. Andrews Turns Down Plea Southern Mill Men for Rejection Of Minimum Hourly Wage Of 32% cents WASHINGTON, July' 12.—South ern demands for rejection on technical grounds, of a proposed 32% cent minimum hourly wage for the textile industry were over-ruled yesterday by Elmer F. Andrews, administrator of the wage-hour act. As three weeks of public hearings on the recommendation by a textile industry committee ended, southerners, in a list of 24 objections to the recom mendation, disclosed that they would challenge the validity of the law it self as well as the proposed minimum wage. Tyre Taylor, counsel for the Ameri can Cotton Manufacturers’ associa tion representing southern cotton mills, contended that the South failed to obtain sufficient representation on the committee of 21 members. Andrews threw out his objection, which labor representatives declared was entered with other challenges to “cause unreasonable delay and post ponement of the order.” The administrator declined to pass on the merits of Taylor’s contentions that the law itself was unconstitution al, because in it Congress had dele gated legislative powers to the ad ministrator. That matter, he said, was for the courts to determine. Other objections to the wage order, Taylor said, included “failure of the committee to give adequate consid eration” to the economic and factors such as living costs, freight rates, taxation, and the effect of the wage on the South’s wage structure. Taylor contended that the order wduld substantially curtail employ ment and added that unorganized labor in the South was not represent ed on the committee. John Abt, counsel for the C. I. O.’s Textile Workers’ union, and Boris, Shiskin, counsel or the A. F. of L.’s United Textile Workers, joined in demanding immediate adoption of the order. They contended that even a 40-cent minimum, which their representatives on the committee originally sup ported, would not substantially cur tail employment in the industry. Abt declared that the 32% cent minimum would improve low-level wages and aid management by “elimi nating a degree of vicious competition in the industry carried on at the ex pense of the workers.” Andrews gave attorneys three weeks to file briefs, indicating that he would not reach a decision on the order for at least a month or six weejts. Leader In A. F. L. Building Trades Dies in New York New YORK, July 11.— Joseph A. Mclnerney, 48, president of the build ing and construction trades depart ment of the American Federation of Labor, died in a hospital yesterday after a five-month illness. He was a resident of Washington. Mclnerney. a^qjat've of {Jew York, had served for the last two years as president of the building and con struction trades department Previ ously he had been business represen tative for 15 years of the Marble Polishers’ union. The survivors are his widow, three daughters, a son, three brothers, and two sisters. ffl Ruling In Labor Dispute Favors A. F. of L. Units PHILADELPHIA, July 11. — “Peaceful” mass picketing and strikes for a closed shop, even if these activi ties violate State law, cannot be re strained by Federal courts in the opinion of the Third District Court of Appeals. Judge Francis Biddle, newly ap pointed, delivered the opinion yester day in upholding a lower court de cision. With the approval of Judges Albert B. Maris and William Clark, he held that the Norris- La Guardia Act restricted Federal Courts’ injunc tion powers in labor disputes to acts of violence or fraud. Judge William H. Kirkpatrick in Federal District Court here had re fused to grant an injunction to Wil son & Co., meat packers, against three American Federation of Labor units. Demanding a closed shop and dis missal of five non-union employees, the unions called a strike at a Wilson plant here last December. Mass pic keting followed. The company, in its injunction suit and appeal, contended Pennsylvania law forbids mass picketing. P.O. Clerks Auxiliary To Install Officers On Tuesday, July 18 P. O. Clerks Auxiliary will meet on Tuesday, July 18, to install the fol lowing officers. Mrs. Janies Brad burn, president; Mrs. W. H. Moon, first vice-president; Mrs. B. H. Thom as, second vice-president, and Mrs. R. H. Joyner third vice-president; Mrs. S. F. Blackwelder, secretary, and Mrs. E. R. Dixon, treasurer. One the features of the meeting will be the report of the state meeting held re cently in Raleigh. , This auxiliary mets every third Tuesday and the ladies are reported as being very active, and the meetings well attended. I. T. U. Auxiliary Is Entertained By Mrs. C. B. Capps The I". T. U. Woman’s Auxiliary celebrated its tenth anniversary Tues day, and iu honor of the event Mrs. C. B. Capps entertained the members with a delightful luncheon at her home on Hawthprne Lane. The home was beautifull|r decorated with flowers for the (icasion. She was assisted by Mrs.' V\«M. Bostic. Those present included Mesdames J. E. Kumpe, Rob ert White, John White, W. C. Davis, W. R. Cashwell, W. P. Sanderson, H. M. Sykes, L. A. Hearn, L. E. Barker, A. B. Furr, W. B. Phillips, L. C. Derrick, C. B. Capps, W. M. Bostick and W. M. Witter. I. F. D. Auxiliary Entertained By Mrs. Ray Long Last Week Mrs. Ray Long entertained mem bers of the Independent Food Deal ers Association’s auxiliary at a lovely party at her home 1220 Elizabeth ave nue, their last meeting. The home was decorated through out with cut flowers. After a series of games, Mrs. Long with several as sistants, served an iced course. Several business matters were taken up for discussion during the short business session. It was decided to change the name of the auxiliary to conform with that of the new gro cers association, the Service System Stores. The change will be made the next business meeting. “FAY AS YOU FLAY CHICAGO, III.—A ten-year “pay as-you-go” recreation plan recently voted for Portland, Oregon, will make that city one of the few in the coun try with a comprehensive play pro gram based on needs and financed with current revenues, the Interna tional City Managers’ Association re ported recently. Whexeas many cities have bonded themselves heavily to secure park and play facilities, Port land expects to acquire land and com plete improvements gradually thioughout the next ten years. The city will levy an annual fixed tax from 1939-1949 to finance the develop ment. It is estimated that the levy will produce a revenue of slightly more than $100,000 a year. There’s a lot of crime in the world, but the worst is that of paying star vation wages, which results in pov erty, disease and slow death. PATRONIZE JOURNAL ADVERTISERS SEND IN NEWS Every onion in the city should hove a press correspondent. You wont news of your unions to appeor in your paper. TTien pet busy and see that some one is especially appointed to send it in. And see that it reaches the office on time, for every paper has a closing time. All news must be in the office not later than 5 o'clock Tuesday evening, if it is to appear in our next issue. Facing the Facts With PHILIP PEARL It never pays to argue with a zealot because the fanatical mind isn’t open to reason. This holds especially true of the extremists in the C. I. 0. But we number among our friends some well-meaning liberals who sin cerely believe that the C. I. O. is a good thing for labor. Their knowl edge of the labor movement is not fundamental but based on hearsay and impressions. They just have a feel ing, cultivated by assiduous C. I. U. propaganda, that John L. Lewis re bellionists are motivated by progres sive idealism and this feeling has been heightened by the dramatic and spectacular fumadiddles of the'C. I. O. Well, we want to address ourselves today to these friends of ours just because they are liberal-minded, be cause they are well-meaning and be cause they are amendable to reason. We think we can show them the light. Just about a year ago the nations attention was centered on the 1938 political campaigns. The C. I. O., always boastful of its alleged politi cal power, was raising quite an up roar. Through its alter ego, Labors Non-Partican League, it made a great to-do about blacklisting candidates and defeating the “enemies of labor” and so on. But strangely enough, John L. Lewis personally was as silent as a tomb. He gave his personal endorse ment to only one candidate, the sec retary-treasurer of the United: Mine Workers, who ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor in Pennsyl vania. There’s the Rub Now if the C. I. O. has any politi following in any State it should have it in Pennsylvania because the min ers’ vote is so consederable there. One would have thought that Lewis would invade the State and make stump speeches in every town and hamlet in favor of his protege. But he didn’t. He stayed away from Pennsylvania altogether. And hi# candidate lost anyhow. Of course, the practical politicians were hoping that Lewis would, come into Pennsylvania. They knew—and their knowledge has been confirmed by the Gallup polls—how unpopular Lewis is with the great mass of voters in this country. The fact that he decided not to take any personal part in the Pennsylvania-campaign proved that Lewis know it too. • There’s the rub. Here we have a man astute enough to l-ealize the pub lic dislikes him so intensely that it will vote against a candidate he open ly favors and for a candidate he open ly opposes. And yet this man pre sumes to'become the leader of organ ized labor in the nation. Is that idealism? How can a man who realizes that he has forfeited public confidence believe he can help working men and women of this coun try by continuing as their leader? How can a man so thoroughly and widely hated by the American people believe there is any hope of success for a rebel movement in organized labor which bears the stigma of his leadership? All of which brings up two more questions. Does Lewis care one whit about helping the working men and women whom he presumes to repre sent? Has he any interest in the labor movement other than his personal power and glory? Seek and Ye Shall Find We strongly urge our liberal friends to seek the answers to these ques tions. And we wish to remind them that it has been axiomatic in the la bor movement ever since its earliest days that its only hope fo success rested upon the good will of the public. We want our liberal friends to see the C. I. O. in its true light. We want them to be with us. We want them to understand the American Fed eration of Labor,, its structure, its principles, its history and its future. The American Federation of Labor is not fixed. It is more responsive to the changing will of the majority of its membership than any other democratic organization in the world. It is not exclusive. There is room for every worker in the United States in its ranks. It is not stand-pat. There is room for every shade of thought in its councils. It is certain ly not conservative. For if you ex amine the record you will find that i the American Federation of Labor has been in the thick of the fight for every liberal and progressive piece of legislation adopted in the last half centry. Finally, HlKpite C. I. 0. propa ganda to the contrary, the American Federation is not slow. You must re member that it is based on volun tarism. It cannot compel compliance of its own members. It must con vince them of the right and depend ,upon the voluntary support of its members to achieve its goals. This is the organization the C. I. O, has sought to wreck in the name of idealism. To those of our friends who fell for this C. I. O. bunk we recommend a perusal of Gompers’ last message. We will quote but one paragraph in conclusion: “No lasting gain has ever come from compulsion. If we seek to force, we but tear apart that which, united, is invincible. There is no way where by our labor movement may be as sured sustained progress in deter mining its policies and plans other than sincere democratic deliberation until a unanimous decision is reached. This may seem a combrous, slow method to the impatient, but the im patient are more concerned for im mediate triumph than for the educa tion of constructive development.” That is our answer to the rebels. (Released by the American Federation of Labor Weekly News Service.) SOUTHERN LABOR NOTES KNOXVILLE C. L. U. NOW HAS WOMAN’S AUXILIARY KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 10.— Permanent organization of the Wom an’s Auxiliary of the Central Labor Union, with installation of the char ter issued by the American Federa tion of Labor, occurred last Friday night at the home of Miss Lucille Thornburgh, Auxiliary president. MOBILE ELECTRICAL WORKERS SIGN CONTRACTS MOBILE, Ala., July 10.—Felix Vines, business manager of Local No. 505 Electrical Workers, advised to day that agreements had been signed for a two-year period with six elec trical contractors. These are Gulf Electric, C. H. Jones, Union Electric, Joseph H. Wilson, G. R. Wood & Com pany, and Alabama Neon. These agreements do not expire until June 30, 1947, and after the first six months call for a substantial increase in their scale for journeymen of $1.12*4 per hour. The $1.12% rate is an increase over their present rate of $1.00. THEATRE SIGNS CONTRACT MOBILE, Ala., July 10.—It was announced this past week that the Prichard Theatre, which had been placed on the unfair list by the Mov ing Picture Operators, but signed an agreement after several days of pic keting and that from now on they would be 100 per cent fair to the mov ing picture operators. CHARTER INSTALLED FOR COOKS AND WAITERS LOCAL BATON ROUGE, La., July 10.— Charter for a newly organized Local Union of Cooks and Waiters was in stalled here last week, with a large membership. The organizing com mittee of the Central Labor Union is pushing organization work, meet ing with great success. ENTIRE DEPARTMENT JOINS THE LA., FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL UNION MONROE, La., July 10.—Chartei was installed here last week for a Fire Fighters Local Union, with everj member of the Fire Department en rolling as charter members. Be cause of the fine personnel of this group, it is believed that this new local union will soon become one oi the most influential local unions ir the state. UNION LABOR WORKING ON SANTEE-COOPER PROJECTS CHARLESTON, S. C., July 10. At a meeting of the South Carolina Authority Trades and Labor Counci held here last Monday much satis faction was expressed because of th« large number of Union men now em ployed by the Central Engineering company on the big $40,000,000 San tee-Cooper project. Rhett Harley New S. C. Com. of Laboi COLUMBIA, S. C., July 10.—A1 long last John W. Nates is out of th< office of Commissioner of Labor ir South Carolina. Governor Maybanl last week appointed Mr. Rhett Harlej of Charleston, to that office. Nates term expired a year ago, but the ther governor, Olin D. Johnson, failed t< name a successor, so Nates has helc on by virtue of political machina tions. The State Federation of Labor hai long sought the scalp of Mr. Nates C.I.O.-supported state official. La' bor in South Carolina watched Nates retirement from office with genuini satisfaction. IF TOUR SUBSCRIPTION IS IN ARREARS SEND IN A CHECK PRESIDENT WILLIAM GREEN SAYS STRIKES WILL CONTINUE IF RTT T IS NOT PASSED TO RESTORE FOR MER REQUIREMENT THAT WPA WORKERS RECEIVE PREVAILING LOCAL WAGE RATE FOR TYPE OF WORK THEY DO. WASHINGTON, July 11.—Con gress got its first bill Monday to re peal the WPA’s new wage regulations and at the same time received an in direct warning from William Green, A. F. of L. president, that failure to enact it would mean “strikes and strikes.” Representative Sabath, Democrat of Illinois, chairman of the rules com mittee, introduced the repealer in the House. It would restore the former requirement that WPA workers re ceive the prevailing local wage for the type of work they do. A similar measure was introduced later by Rep resentative Keller, Democrat of Illi nois. Before the day’s session eded, re-, peal bills also had been offered by Representatives Bradley, Democrat of Pennsylvania, and O’Connor, Demo crat of Montana. The new wage regulations, pre scribed by Congress and effective July 1, require a worker to work at least 130 hours a month to earn a “security wage,” to be determined by the local cost of living and amount ing, at the maximum, to $96 a month. The new regulations, which re quired some workers to work twice as long to earn the same amount of money, resulted in the wide-spread walkouts on WPA projects last week. Thousands still remained away from their jobs today, but reports from some areas said there was a back-to-work movement. Green’s threat of “strikes and strikes” if Congress did not restore the old rule was made in addressing the convention of the International Longshoremen’s association in New York. Although he previously had assert ed that the A. F. of L. would use all its economic strength to force Con gress to revise the new regulations, his New York address was the first »—. .. time he had said flatly that this meant use of the strike weapon. All leaders of the A. F. of L. anions was called to a conference here Wed nesday on action to compel Congress to reconsider the new relief act. The A. F. of L. i sparticularly con cerned by the wage regulations be cause many of its building trades members are employed on WPA pro jects. Under the old rule, they re ceived the same hourly wage as simi lar craftsmen engaged on private building projects. A. F. of L. leaders contend that acceptance of the new wage rates would mean a concerted elfort by contractors to beat down wages in private building. The back-to-work trend among the striking WPA workers apparently was influenced by the WPA’s rule that those remaining away five days would lose their jobs, ffl Cleveland, a majority of the 12, 000 who joined in the walkout there was reported to have returned to Lieut. Col. Brehon B. Somer •j ^ew York WPA administrator, said work was proceeding on all proj ects there, although A. F. of L. lead ers had asserted 90 per cent would have to close down. WPA officials in New England said many stnkers were back on the job. In Illinois, 8,700, or about five per cent of the total number of WPA em ployes in that state, were reported absent from work. A policeman was killed in an out u ?1 VI°lence on WPA picket lines while Congress was receiving the mi. for revision of the wage regulations. r Tl!f of/icer ,waa Patrolman Frank Oearty, 40, who was beaten on the head and shoulders, companions said, as he and another officer escorted non-striking WPA workers from a sewing project. Others in the police detail were pelted with stones, broken glass, and other missiles. Roosevelt Backs WPA Work Rules Congress Firm Washington, July 12.—The Admin istration’s strength appeared today to be aligned solidly against any modi fication of the new law requiring WPA employees to work 130 hours a month. President Roosevelt told reporters that he thought the Administration would stick to the existing statute. He said he knew nothing of attempts to alter the law except what he had read. Officials of AFL building trades unions seeking to restore the pre vailing wage hourly rates on WPA projects, said they had received no encouragement from Democratic Lead er Rayburn. Bills have been offered to carry out this revision, but Rayburn said the unions would have difficulty in obtain ing action on them before adjourn ment. WPA workers on strike in an at tempt to persuade Congress to change the law face a deadline set by Col. F. C. Harrington, WPA commissioner, who stay away from their jobs five consecutive working days. As the deadline was reached for , ^ny °f the strikers, there were no developments. ' Indications were that the Justice Department would invoke penal pro visions of the new relief act against .. -. .. Election Officers Of Central Labor Union Next Wed. On next Wednesday night the reg ular annual election of officers will take place, there being no meeting this week. The Women’s Labor League fills in during the summer every other Wednesday night, but had no meeting scheduled for this week. There will be a large attendance at the meeting of Central body next week, as there always is when there is an election on hand. So be present. Buying nations are clamping down on Germany and Japan. One item alone proves an interesting factor— that of toys. Toys valued at $249, 018 were shipped out of the United States the first three months of this year, Germany and Japan were for merly the chief source of supply. But buying nations are now reluctant to purchase from theib because of conditions. PATRONIZE THOSE WHO ADVERTISE IN THE JOURNAL WPA strikers attempting by force or threats to keep other relief workers from tehir jobs. Friday - Saturday Charlotte I MARKED FOR A LIFE NO WOMAN WANTS TO LEAD! ^
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 13, 1939, edition 1
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