Che Charlotte labor Journal
Bndorood by Hu N. C. State
Fodoration of Labor
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
Official Organ of Control Labor Union; Standing
for Hu A. F. L.
YOUR AOVKRTISKMKMT IN TNI JOURNAL Ml A
INVRSTMKNT
VOL. XIL NO. 18
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1,1942
JOURNAL AOVBRTIRRRR DlSKRVI CONSIOKRATION OF
▼NS RKADKRS
$2.00 Per Year
- “United We Stand for Victory” -
The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County co*^“ I^C^?l1£Z.t£For a Weekly Ita Readers Represent the L ARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte
The Home Front
Total war has a gigantic and un
appeasable appetite for goods, serv
ices, and manpower. Scarcely had
we entered the fight for freedom
when this vast hunger began to
change our lives. Within one month
after Pearl Harbor we had begun to
take control over our stocks of some
goods and raw materials, and to limit
civilian use of others. By degrees,
shortages developed in a hundred di
rections, many of which we had not
anticipated. Control took a variety
of forms, only one of which we called
rationing, though actually every type
of control that divides available sup
ply in order to make it go as far as
possible is a kind of rationing.
MANPOWER TO BE APPLIED
WHERE NEEDED MOST
We not only are desperately short
of “front line” war workers—those
with special skills—but by the end of
1943 we shall need about 18 million
workers of all kinds, partly to replace
the millions of men who will be called
into service, although chiefly for war
production expansion. This means
that more women will be employed—
by the millions. It means that at
least five million persons who are not
now working at anything will have
to go to work. It means that our
manpower, in time, must—in one way
or another—be “rationed,” that is,
applied where it is needed most. To
some extent that already is being
done.
SCRAP CAMPAIGN GETS NEW
IMPETUS
ing prices have been raised so as to
stimulate carload lot sales. Price in
creases also have been allowed for
New England cordwood and canned
fruit and oerries, while maximum
prices were fixed over raw furs and
skins, cement, and knitted underwear
last week.
CIVILIAN ECONOMY MUST
STRIP TO THE BONE
Increased labor costs and the uncon
trolled prices of farm products are
exerting steady pressure against price
ceilings. From January, 1941, through
May, 1942, unit labor costs ir Ameri
-r~- v''-rv*rr wer;t up l.l pft-,wnt a
month. Prices rceeived by the far
mers, on the other hand, went up 85
per cent between August. 1939, and
August, 1942, while prices paid by
farmers rose only 22 per cent in the
same period. In our attack on our
enemy—high living costs—we cannot,
as Navy Ordnance Chief Blandy said
of U. S. forces in the Pacific, hold the
balance of striking power “by mere
ly holding. We’ve got to keep push
ing . . .” Farm production in 1942
is expected to be 16 per cent higher
than in any previous peak year, but
it will have increasing handicaps from
labor shortage, inadequate supplies of
farm machinery and equipment, fer
tilizers, insecticides and other ma
terials ... By January 1, 1943, all
war production will be geared to the
most gigantic job of scheduling ever
attempted. But the President has
warned us that we must strip our
civilian economy to the bone, if we
are to do our full share toward win
ning the war for freedom.
LABOR UNION
WINS LIBEL SUIT
For the first time in the his
tory of the labor movement a
trade union sued and won dam
ages in a libel action when the
Westchester Newspapers, Inc.
owners of the Mount Vernon
Daily Argus handed its check
for $15,000.00 to Local No. 3 of
the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, (A/ F. of
L.) in an out-of-the-court settle
ment of a suit brought against
the publishers two years ago.
In the past it had been con
tended by some courts that a la
bor union being unincorporated
was not a body with a reputation
to be guarded by the courts, but
the N. Y. Court of Appeals
handed down the decision per
mittin ga trade union to sue for
libel.
The action was a result of a
series of articles appearing in
the newspaper mentioned in
which it was alleged that offi
cial of “Local No 3 of the Elec
trical Workers Union were
feathering their own nests” with
dues and membership fees from
workers coming into the state to
work on World’s Fair projects.
In jungle warfare the soldier fights
two enemies; man and nature. (U. S.
Field Manual 31-20 — Jungle War
fare).
Price Ceilings Found
In Colonial Records
BURLINGTON, N. J.—Price ceil
ings, considered by many as an inno
vation of this war, are far from new,
according to data found by Henry B.
Weaver, retired Burlington phar
macist.
While searching through old family
papers, he came across a card bear
ing notes taken at a provincial con
gress held in Philadelphia in 1775.
„ The notes, seemingly of introduced
legislation, warn those who sell their
goods “at an unusual and extrava
gent profit” that they “shall be con
sidered enemies of this country.”
SALE OF BIBLES
UP 20% UNDER
STRESS OF WAR
CLEVELAND — Officials of the
World Publishing Co., world’s largest
Bible factory, say that more and more
people are turning to the sacred books
for consolation during the present
war.
“Our production figures are 20 per
cent above last year’s and the same is
relatively true of publishers of other
inspirational works,” says Benjamin
D. Zevin, vice president.
“In times of stress people turn to
the Bible for reading,” he declared.
“This is the case today as it was in
the first World War.
Kaiser Starts Housing
For 50,000 Workers
RICHMOND, Calif, — Henry J.
Kaiser shipyard officials said last
night that they would bring 50,000
Eastern workmen to work in Kaiser
West Coast shipyards.
General Manager Clay Bedford re
vealed work already has started on
6,000 new War Department units to
house those expected here. The first
workers were expected here in 10
days. Another 5.000 family units are
being built in Richmond and Oakland
by the FHA.
Kaiser officials said they would
have accommodations for the men
when they got off the train.
USE THE PAYROLL PLAN—
10% EACH WEEK FOR WAR BONDS
ORGAN!
ED LABOR UNITES WITH
COMMUNITY WAR CHESTS
Philip Murray, Presdent of the Congress of Industrial Or
ganizations, and William Green, President of the American
Federation of Labor, announced today that the two great labor
organizations have joined forces with Community War Chests to
encourage substantial labor contributions to the nation’s war
chests.
Such cooperation between organized labor and American
philanthropy occurs on a national basis for the first time in the
history of either, the statement said. The program is sponsored
by each of the National and International unions affiliated with
the CIO and the AFL, but will be carried out locally in accord with
plans developed in each community betwee nthe War Chest and
the unions. Contributions will go directly to local war Chests
to be distributed between local community needs, war relief for
the British, Chinese, Greeks, Russians, Dutch, Poles and other
allied peoples, receration for prisoners of war, a social hygiene
program in defense communities and the United States Organiza
tions.
An agreement to this effect has been signed by Community
Chests and Councils, Inc., the National CIO War Relief Com
mittee, of which Irving Abramson, President of the New Jersey
State Industrial Council, is the chairman* and the United Nations
Relief Committee of the AFL, headed by Matthew Woll, Vice
President of the AFL.
The agreement recommends that labor be represented on local
Boards of Directors of War Whests and locdl Allocution Com
mittees. Labor representatives will take the leadership in cam
paign solicitation among employees who are members of the two
unions and will cooperate with management in making solicita
tion within plants and business establishments, the announcement
said. Credit for industrial contributions will be given by name
of the local union, an innovation in this year1 campaigns.
Mr. Murray and Mr. Green both have informe dthe affiliat
ed unions of tsis agreement.
International Labor
Press Meets Oct 5
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.—The annual
meeting of the International Labor
Press of America will be held at the
Royal Oak Hotel, Toronto, Can., on
Monday evening, Actober 5, the open
ing day of the annual convention of
the American Federation of Labor, R
E. Woodmansee, secretary-treasurer of
the organisation, announced.
Edwin Witter in
Chicago Area
Edwin Witter, former Business
Manager of the Charlotte Labor Jour
nal, has passed his examinations and
preliminary training and has been
transferred to the Chicago area,
where he will complete his training,
preparatory to joining a bomber crew
as radio operator.'
Wul
EMBER
1 Old Refrigerator Equals
1 Old Fat Iron Equals
_12 Rifles
30 Hand Grenades
PERTINENT
COMMENT
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
AND PRIZE FIGHTER JOE LOUIS
OR
DO THE DAILY PAPERS SEE THE
POINT?
Before your sensibilities are shocked by the coupling of the
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY and the prizerfighter Joe
Louis, please do us the favor and read further so that we may
be given the opportunity of justifying ourselves.
A few months ago the Vice-President of the United States,
Henry A. Wallace delivered an address in New York. It was
hardly reported in the daily press and as far as we know only
one newspaper in the country carried the full text of the speech.
There can be no argument whatsoever as to the importance of
that speech. Some people (we among them) thought it was
one of the most important speeches made by a government offi
cial in the history of our country. The daily -newspapers, obvi
ously took another View'Of the matter, and they may be right.
With Pegler quoting union organizers in a long column every
day, and what with the Brooklyn Dodgers, football, and “jingle
jangle” and other things, there probably was not enough room
in the papers to carry the text of Mr. Wallace’s speech—which
concerned itself with such trivial matters as economic security,
food and shelter and freedom.
On Saturday of last week in Albert Hall, London, the Arch
bishop of Canterbury also made a speech, and unfortunately for
him, his speech happened to come on the same day that the St.
Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers were fighting it out
for the baseball pennant and to add to the Archbishop’s woes,
the Joe Louis-Billy Conn prize-fight was also up for final disposi
tion along about that time—therefore, the speech of the Arch
bishop of Canterbury could not get its proper due in the daily
press, and purely as a coincidence his speech also was concerned
with such trivial matters as economic security, food and shelter
and freedom.
The daily papers may be right (and this is not meant to
be facetious), m appraising the importance of the hopes and
the recommendations laid down by Henry Wallace in the U. S.
and the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. We have heard
just about the same things from thousands of speech makers in
the past 20 years, but NEVER HAVE THE SPEECH MAKERS
BEEN THE number “two” men in the two greatest countries in
the world—and in the case of the Archbishop of Canterbury,
his influence over a longer period, is probably one of the most
powerful in the entire English speaking world.
Some people are of the opinion that the order of things
after the war is of secondary importance right now—that this
is the time only for effective war making and that the aim
can come later. We are not of that opinion. We believe that war
aims are as important a weapon as the deadliest dive bomber and
the largest tank. It is our belief that millions of soldiers, even
before they have entered the battle would like to be re-assured on
what they can reasonably look forward to—and victory would
come just that much quicker if the man in the field felt reason
ably certain that his post war condition would not again drive
him to the desperation of a “bonus march” or to a street corner,
selling apples. So you can see that in our country of a free press,
we have the right to express our opinion which is to the effect
that the four month old speech of Vice-President Wallace de
served more space in the daily press than the Brooklyn Dodgers
and the four day old speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury
deserved more space than Joe Louis and Billy Conn, the prize
fighters.
V-HOME WORKERS TO HOLD
FIRST MEET ON OCTOBER 6TH
With a city-wide V-Homes organization rapidly being whip
ped into form, Mrs. C. T. Wanzer, director of the unit, an
nounced last night that the first meeting of approximately 250
V-Homes workers will be held Tuesday morning, October 6, at
the Chamber of Commerce, and released the names of seven
members appointed to a key Study committee that will analyze
all nationally-launched civilian programs for application in the
local area.
Chairman of the study group is
Mrs. R. N. McKey, with members
Hoyt Galvin, Mrs. Norman Doane,
Ray Nixon, Mrs. A. Elihu Michelson,
Mrs. Ed Scheidt, and Mrs. J. B. God
ard.
This groups will plan the local blue
print for all drives having to do with
salvage, consumer education, conser
vation or other efforts that will be
routed through the Citizens Service
corps of the Civilian Defense organi
zation.
-j
According to Field Marshal Moltke,
strategy is “the application of com
mon sense to the conduct of war.”
War is an art for the general, a
science for the officer, and a trade for
the soldier. (St. Cyr).
AFL Votes $25,000
Aid For Russian Sailors
NEW YORK, N. Y.—The general
executive board of the International
Ladies Garment Workers Union voted
to give $25,000 for the purchase of
medical and first-aid kits for the sail
ors of the Russian merchant fleet en
gaged in the transportation of muni
tions and war supplies from European
and American ports to the embattled .
fronts of Soviet Russia.
— FOR VICTORY: BUY BONDS —
IT’S LABOR’S WAR — LET’S
FIGHT—WITH PAY DOLLARS IN
WAR BONDS.
WISDOM
Each week a quotation from the writings of some wise and
famous person whose thoughts have influenced those who
lived before us.
What strength of will and greatness of soul it takes to launch one
of those decisive battles on which the fate of a throne, a dynasty or a
nation depends! The necessary decision is too often lacking. (Napoleon.)