Endorsed by the N. C. State
Federation of Labor
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
Official Or can of Central Labor Union; standing fa
a the A. F. of L.
VOL. XL«—NO. 45
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1942
S2.00 Per Year
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«wm no cohmub n» cuttOTTiiio For n Weekly Ita Renders Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER In Charlotte
ROBERT R. REYNOLDS IN OPPOSITION
TO EVERYTHING THAT ORGANIZED
LABOR MOVEMENT HAS BUILT UP
[Charlotte Central Labor Union at its regular meeting last
Wednesday night (April 1), had read the following letter from
Robert Rice Reynolds, North Carolina’s junior senator, and “Rob
ert Rice” came in for no uncertain condemnation. Other Central
Bodies and locals throughout the State have also long since placed
the “no good” mark besides his labor stand in Congress, and a
receipt for same will be handed him at his next election—if he
runs.—Ed.)
March 25, 1942.
Mr. W. S. Green, Secretary
Central Labor Union
Charlotte, N. C.
My dear Mr. Green: .
Your wire of March 18th received, and I have read with interest what
you have to say with respect to the labor situation that exists in our country
today as it affects our war production program. ,
I have given this matter my most thorough and careful study and
attention, and my views are best expressed on this most vital and important
subject in the copy of the attached press release.
With all good wishes, and thanking you for writing me, believe me to be
s Sincerely yours,
ROBERT R. REYNOLDS.
(Press Release by Senator Robert
R. Reynolds.)
For release Monday papers,
March 23, 1942.
“Outlaw strikes, suspend for forty
hour week, ban overtime payments
suspend the closed shop on war con
tracts, permit any American to work
unmolested who desires to aid in the
war program regardless of whether
or not he is affiliated with any labor
organization, and place a six per cent
maximum ceiling over all war profits,
all for the durhtion of the war,” said
United States Senator Robert R.
Reynolds, Chairman of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee.
“We Americans should be thinking
more in terms of ‘giving* and not so
much in terms of ‘getting’ insofar
as our war production program is
concerned. At this critical time when
America is fighting for its very ex
istance and when our nation is im
perilled from within as well as from
without, I dislike very much to take
issue with our President and Com
I mander-in-Chief, and with Mrs.
Frances Perkins, head of the Labor
Department of our government, who
have stated that Congress should not
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SERVICES
HELP LABOR PAPERS--NOT THE KEPT PRESS
I. M. ORNBURN, Secretary-Treasurer
Union Label Trades Department
Recently a bitter campaign of malicious propaganda to poison the public’s mind against organized labor, has
been carried on by the subsidized press which is composed of reactionary daily newspapers controlled through own
ership and advertising by exploiting profiteers and labor union-haters. Together with the bourbon politicians,
idle rich and anti-labor columnists, they are the real parasites of our. country. It is none of our business whether
these useless individuals work or not, but what raises our ire is their audacity in slandering the producers who do
the actual work—the men who are making our munitions, tanks, planes and other vital equipment for American
victory.
By peddling falsehood’s about labor the subsidized press is creating factionalism, disunity and class hatred. If
Hitler were not so. busy running away from a victorious Russian army he should take time to pin medals on the
editors and columnists who are misleading the public— The reactionary editors of the newspapers, known as the
fourth estate, are becoming fifth columnists because they are doing just what Hitler predicted he could accom
plish through his agents. That is to divide and conquer.
The proof that they are making misstatements is found in the fact that this week the President of the United
States, in a press conference, stated that five editors of newspapers had written him to the effect that we should
repeal the laws that prevent men from working over 40 hours a week. There are no laws that prevent any man
from working longer hoars if he so desires.
Recently in a radio broadcast the chairman of the National War Labor Board declared there is not a single
strike in war production plants that has been authorised by responsible leaders of either the A. F. of L. or the
C- I. O.. He said there may be a few outlaw strikes, which labor leaders have tried to prevent, bnt on the whole
99.98 per cent of all workers are actively on .the job and exceeding the schedules set for this year. For every
9998 men at work there are only two idle.
When members of organized labor read misstatements about unions in the daily newspapers they should
immediately protest to the editor or at least stop subscribing to a newspaper that lie about them. Let’s support
u . , l ?n<* n"t t^e kept press. Let’s subscribe to the newspapers that are printing the facts about
whM labor is doing. Let’s send our subscription money to the papers that print the true story about members of
A. F. of L. unions who tm>k up the guns of the fallen heroes at Pearl Harbor and continued the battle against the
atrocious Japs. When daily newspaper editors and columnists find that members of unions are not reading the
slander from their poisonous pens they will soon learn to respect the truth. Members of unions can stop this
smearing campaign of the kept press by supporting only labor newspapers.
take any action now in reference to
the labor situation.
“Phillip Murray, president of the
CIO, declared several days ago be
fore a Congressional Committee that
those who are advocating remedial
labor legislation such as I have sug
gested are ‘enemies of our govern
ment.’ He referred to those who are
advocating the passage of labor legis
lation as ‘labor baiters.’ I disagree
with Mr. Murray because I do not
believe that those thousands of sign
ers of telegrams and letters which I
have recevied from persons in North
Carolina and elsewhere are enemies of
America simply because they favor
the passage of certain proposed labor
legislation.”
Senator Reynolds continued: “I am
thoroughly convinced that our people
are rapidly recognizing the fact that
millions of Americans have not yet
awakened to the realization that our
country is engaged in a life and death
struggle, the result of which will af
fect the very future of our country.
The paramount need, in America to
day is an unimpeded war production
program. Maximum production is
needed now, and this goal can only
be attained by the complete abandon
ment of all selfish desires on the part
of all financial or labor groups. We
cannot reach our production peak if
certain individuals and groups — fi
nancial and labor—insist on the
status quo of operation prior to De
cember 8, 1941.
xne unie mis nrrivcu wiicii it is
necessary for every American, man
and woman alike, young and old, to
make every and all sacrifices at this
grave time to insure for us an early
and complete victory over our
enemies.
"I have always been the friend of
the laboring man. I believe in the
right of labor to organize for its own
protection and benefit. The laboring
men of this country have certain
rights, and I realize that those rights
have not always been respected by
capital. On the other hand, I am
aware that labor must sacrifice along
with all other American groups in a
common effort to win this war. The
winning of this war is our chief ob
ject ve and we can win only by out
standing the axis powers in the mat
ter,-of production of armaments and
the sinews of war.
“Insofar as I am concerned I am
now ready and willing to vote for leg
islation to outlaw strikes in defense
industries, suspend the forty hour
week, ban overtime payments and
prohibit double time payments, out
law the closed shop on war -contracts,
permit any American to work un
molested who desires to aid in the war
program without becoming affiliated
with any labor organization, and
place a six per cent maximum ceil
ing over all war profits for the dura
tion—during the emergency.
“I favor any American citizen be
ing permitted to work as many hours
as he desires without molestation re
gardless of whether he is a member
of any labor organization or not. I
am opposed to any further overtime
or double time pay for the period of
the duration. I favor ending all
strikes in defense industries for the
duration.
“The millions of working Ameri
cans constituting the rank and file of
labor organizations are as patriotic
as any other group of American citi
zens. They themselves should not be
subjected to the vicious criticism
which has been heaped on their shoul
ders. The fault lies largely in the
hands of many of their officials and
representatives. I refer to labor agi
tators and those primarily interested
in their own selfish attainments. In
recognition of that fact, and in the
interest of the American laboring
man affiliated with our labor organi
zations. On April 7, 1941, I intro
duced in the Senate of the United
States S. J. Res. 64 entitled:
“Joint Resolution to provide for the
national defense by prohibiting labor
organizations from employing certain
persons as officers or agents.
wnereas it is common Knowledge
that “fifth-column” activities in vari
ous European countries contributed
largely to their defeat; and
“Whereas such activities consisted
in part of sabotage in key industries
and propaganda disseminated among
the *workers of such industries; and
“Whereas such activities are now
being carried on in this country and
will gather more momentum in the
future, thus undermining our nation
al defense; and
“Whereas because of their key posi
tions in our industrial mobilization
plans, officers and agents of labor or
ganizations should all be American
citizens whose allegiance to their
country is unquestioned and who can
be depended upon to co-operate with
the Government in stamping out such
treacherous' activities: Therefore be
it . . .
“Resolved that any alien, any mem
ber of the Communits party, any
member of the Nazi Bund, any mem
ber of any Fascist organization, or
any American who is deprived of his
American citizenship by reason of his
conviction of a felony, shall be pro
hibited from holding any office in or
representing any labor union or or
ganization ..."
“Unfortunately, this legislation
which I proposed for the benefit of
the American laboring men who are
(Continued on Page Three)
ORGANIZED LABOR TO TAKE SPOT
LIGHT AT SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
MEET IN NASHVILLE, APRIL 19-20-21
Special to The Labor Journal
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Organized labor in the South will take
the spotlight when the Southern Conference for Human Welfare
convenes in Nashville April 19-21.
Heading the labor delegations will be George Googe, South
ern director of the American Federation of Labor, James B. Carey,
national secretary of the Congress for Industrial Organization,
and Hollis V. Reid, chairman of the Legislative Committee of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers.
w i tii iuw expecieu iruiu
16 Southern states, labor will have an
opportunity to present its answer to
tory critics Who have been engaged in
a campaign of slander against them
in the nation’s press. Witlj organized
labor and liberal manufacturers to
be presented on a panel on “Indus
MRS. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
trial Production,” the Southern Con
ference will demonstrate that co
operaate, not recrimination, is the
way to victory.
Heading a long list of speakers
will be Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt,
long a friend of organized labor,
who will talk on “Youth and Train
ing: Civilian and Military.” ffl
“The battle for industrial produc
tion can be won in the South,” says
Dr. Frank P. Graham, a member of
the President’s War Labor Board, in
the call to the people of the South.
“Our nation’s industry,” he continues,
“largely located in vulnerable sea
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I'UttNi/ areas, niius its pruuucuve ca
pacity strained to the breaking point.
The plant-sites, the manpower, the
raw materials are heer. Industrialize
the South. Employ its idle manpower
—women as well as men, Negro as
well as white—at decent living wages
in a program of full production. This
will defend America.
“A people, weakened by poor health,
malnutrition, and bad housing result
ing from low income, cannot do their
part in the military and industrial
defense of the nation,” Dr. Graham
said. “Our battle is to wipe out these
conditions in the South through ex
panding industry and -agriculture,
the self-organization of labor, the
widening of social security payments
and coverage, the expansion of health
and educational facilities, the im
provement of housing and recreation
—our battle for these things is a vital
and integral part of the war pro
gram.”
“Encouragement of political par
ticipation and equality of economic
opportunity bolster the national
morale and increase the national se
curity,” Dr. Graham went on. “The
emergency challenges the South to
the accomplishment of these tasks,”
he concluded. “The effort is essen
tial to the maximum defense of Amer
ica and to the final and complete
victory in the war.”
BUTTON UP YOUR LIPS
If >«u heard a bit of gossip *
Whether false or whether true,
Be it of a. friend or stranger,
Let me tell you what to do,
Button up your lips securely;
Lest the tale you should repeat
' Bring sorrow unto some one
Whose life now is none too sweet.
If you see careless action
That would bring its author woe
If it were constructed unkindly,
Let me tell you what to do,
Button up your lips securely;
Tis far better to keep silent
Than to cause a tear or sigh.
If you knew of one who yielded
To temptation long ago,
But whose life has since been
blameless,
Let me tell you what to do,
Button up your lips securely,
IIis the secret, God alone
Has the right to sit in judgment.
Treat it as to you unknown.
—Adapted. Marian Times
Standard.
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