([he Charlotte labor Journal
Endorsed by tke N. C. State
Federation of Labor
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
Official Organ of Central Labor Union; Standing
for the A. F. L.
12 YEARS OP
CONSTRUCTIVE
SERVICE TO
NORTH
CAROLINA
READERS.
VOL. XII. NO. 24
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT IN THE JOURNAL |R A GOOD
INVESTMENT
CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1942
JOURNAL ADVERTISERS DESERVE CONSIDERATION OP
THE READERS
$2.00 Per Year
- “United We Stand tor Victory” -
The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County lwCHiTgLgw!nm?For a Weekly Its Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte
UNION-HATING NEWSPAPER
COLUMNIST PEGLER USES
NEEDED WAR MATERIAL TO
BUILD 15-ROOM MANSION
RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Nov. 9—(FP)—Westbrook Pegler, the
union-hating newspaper columnist, is using material vitally needed i
in the war effort—and scab labor—to build himself a 15-room
mansion which labor is already calling “Scab Manor.”
How Pegler, who received a lot of publicity by donating his
auto bumpers to the salvage drive, was able to get metal lathing,
copper sheathing, conduits and pipe is a mystery that local WPB
oficials refused to clear up.
EL J. Husk, head of the priorities division of the WPB in Fairfield coun
ty, said he was not free to discuss the details. Raymond L. French, WPB
chief in Bridgeport, said: “As far as I know, Mr. Pegler complied with
regulations—if he told us the truth.”
Pegler’s building .of a mansion for himself, his wife and a dog at a time
when war workers in this area are forced to live in trailers and shacks did
not make him any more pleasing to union workers.
An exponent of unrestricted reporting, the columnist flatly refused to
talk with a reporter who tried to question him.
Pegler’s non-union contractor, Robert J. Martin, was equally uninter
ested in seeing that the public got the story. “No Trespassing” signs deco
rate trees surrounding the mansion and a photographer for the Bridgeport
Sunday Herald was chased by the contractor’s men but not before he got
some interesting pictures.
An examination of the premises revealed new copper flashing around
each chimney, yards of copper pipe, a bright new boiler, houndreds of feet
of lead pipe, 4 bathtubs, 3 showers, laundry tubs, 5 sinks and bvsins, 7 water
closets, 100.000 square feet of lumber, 220-foot artesian well, and a new
furnace with automatic stoker.
All this in face of a WPB ruling issued last April that “all construction
which is not essential, directly or indirectly, to the war effort ... be de
ferred for the duration of the emergency.”
WHAT ARE THE WOLRD’S
GREATEST BOOKS?
By HARRY GOLDEN
The current week—November 8th to November 15th is
known as NATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK—a subject of
the most vital interest to all of us.
For instance very few people know that Samuel Gompers
the great leader of the American Federation of Labor was in
strumental in establishing some 500 free schools—this was
done in the following manner:
In many localities the A. F. of L. organized workers found that
there were no free schools in the vicinity, or if there were any schools
the particular place was entirely out of reach of the children in the
particular vicinity. Then through the efforts of the local Central
Bodies in the vicinity, the particular state was petitioned to open a
free school. In many instances it was practicable “to do this at once,
in many more, annual meetings, amendments to be voted upon a few
years later and other details held up this most necessary function of
our daily lives, and that is WHERE THE A. F. OF L. stepped in and
OPENED THE SCHOOL WITH FUNDS COMING OUT OF THE
WORKERS DUES._ This was done in 436 instances—union dues which
went to establish free schools—(Mr. Pegler, please copy) in every
instance the A. F. of L. was not reimbursed by the state for laying out
money for what is beyond a doubt a state function.
Which brings us to the matter of education: You know many
thousands of our boys will be taken right from High School into the
Army—many more thousands will be taken out of their first year in
College—and their, education along academic lines must never suffer.
This war and the fighting of it is necessary—and the drafting of these
boys is necessary.. In order to win we must use the weapons employed
by our enemies—match them weapon for weapon—man for man—and
they are taking 15-year-old boys for their tanks and aeroplanes. We
must do the same at least with 18-year-olds. But we think that with
a little intelligence, a boy can keep in touch with his educational pur
suits.. We do not say that the few books we mention here are the
world s greatest books, neither do we say that in our opinion, that
they are equal to a college education is correct. Many teachers and
many scholars will have a different opinion and a different list. It is
all right. We know that some others may be put in place of some
we have mentioned; but we do believe that a good Christmas present
for a young boy who will soon be in the Army would be the few
books (cost very, very cheap) that will keep him in touch with the
world, its wonders, its history and its philosophy.. We do not mean to
stick our chins out by trying to say that our five books represent the
learning of the world—but this list will do until another one comes
along—so if you cannot continue in high school or college, be sure to
read and understand the following five volumes—read them twice or
three times if necessary. You’ll get more out of them the third time
than the first and you 11 have something that you can never buy or
never have taken away from you.
1. THE BIBLE—OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
“LIVES,” BY PLUTARCH.
nTCSIffS DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE WORLD,”
BY CREASY.
“LES MISERABLES,” BY VICTOR HUGO.
“HAMLET,” DRAMA BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
.. y°u wil> learn—and keep in touch with the spirituality and
the soul of man—the history of man—the war for empire or freedom
of man—the sturggle of man to earn a living—and the philosoohv of
“ J*ke wi$ you to the *rmy—spend . few nfinX.day
with them—and you’ll acquire a wealth that no money can buy and
you will acquire a viewpoint that will help you greatly when you
return.
2.
3.
4.
5.
LABOR NEWS NOTES OF INTEREST;
WRITER ATTENDS FILM EXCHANGE
CLERKS MEETING-CONGRATULATES
THE JOURNAL ON SERVICE AWARD
BY. J. A. MOORE
Congratulations to the Charlotte Labor Journal; all of Labor
joins in the joy of knowing that our Journal has given outstand
ing service to our Government in this struggle to insure our way
of life. Surely the Labor Journal will carry on and, without hope
of reward, yet we appreciate the award from the Treasury De
partment.
Have been sleuthing around a few
days to learn Labor’s reaction to the
change in meeting nights of Central
Labor Union. Wonder why we wait
ed this long? All organizations that I
have heard from so far are well
pleased. This will give us, me espe
cially, an opportunity to renew our
acquaintance with our midweek
Church services, as many of our dele
gates are staunch church members
and were deprived of one, either the
Church or their Union each week.
The change makes it possible for us
to attend both.
It was my good fortune to have an
opportunity to attend a meeting of
the Film Exchange Clerks a few
nights ago, I have never attended a
better labor meeting. Everything
was handled strictly in a business
manner. In their deliberations the
future of labor was of prime import
ance and the attitude of the members
in attendance was real value to every
one for their investment. As a Presi
dent, theirs is second to none, and
their business agent is always on the
alert—a man with a vision.
Dropped by the Labor Temple a
few days ago; found in the first of
fice, Mrs. Ethel Collins, who is doing
a great big job for the Carpenters.
She was as busy as a bee in a tar
bucket, yet she finds time to be cour
teous to all with whom she comes in
contact. In the next office was Miss
Margaret Rice, carrying on for the
Electricians. Very efficient are these
two young ladies, and attractive, too.
All local Unions report all mem
bers working, no men idle, making
Union-made money, buying Union
made goods and War Savings Bonds
and Stamps. I believe they are pa
tronizing Journal advertisers, if not
they should, because the advertising
makes our paper possible.
I am attempting to write a short
news article each week, in these ar
ticles I will try to treat with the sub
jects that our Unions are interested
in but not with the minutes of any of
the meeting that I attend, and what
I write will be as a Layman in the
movement, certainly not as an officer,
some time in the near future I will
attempt to describe the physical make
up of some of the Local Unions’, until
then, READ THE LABOR JOUR
NAL.
PERTINENT
I COMMENT
i EDITORIAL
[ LETS SMILE AT OUR WAR TAXES
Grunting and groaning about our war taxes does not come
with good grace from anyone, even if Congress has just handed
us another tax. The man earning over $5,000 a year gets a
better break than the man the lower bracket, but it has been
ever thus. There are many classes of workers though who are
far much better off than in past years. There are millions of
war workers earning around $40 a week, or more, who not so
long ago were doing well to average $10 a week, working only
six to eight months during the year at that, and we are all in bet
ter shape to pay our part. Of course many will have to borrow
to meet the tax bill, but that should have been taken care of as
time passed. The farmers are better off than they have ever
been, that this writer can remember. The crafts are all work
ing full time at top-notch wages, and it is the opinion of The
Journal that they are doing less squealing than those in the higher
brackets. And there are going to be heavier taxes, regardless
of the length of this war. The longer it lasts, the more taxes we
will have to pay. But what of that? The war will be won—it is
being won now—regardless of Hitler propaganda to the contrary.
But it is our duty as citizens to call for strict economy by our va
rious governmental agencies, both nationally, state and locally, in
all administrative agencies. It is the salaried worker, with a fixed
income, commonly called the Middle Class who are really taking a
beating from the tax set up, having to meet the ever-increasing
cost of living, despite all the price-control agencies and propa
ganda. But we are all accepting this tax proposition philosophic
ally and we will do well to remember that it takes money to win a
war.
JOHN CITIZEN SPEAKS ★ Cartoon by
invest 10%
WAR BONDS
SACRIFICE f
LISTEN BROTHER, THAT A>%
GUARDS YOURUF0. YOUR FAMliy,
YOUR HOME, AND THE OTHER
00%*.. AND YOU GET IT ALL
BACK, LATER,.. .WITH INTEREST/
X... IT'S A RKtVHMBEf
r-'-Ttr _—
Cmrt*vifD*ro*Fr*Frm
\
Save 10%... to Save 100%
All over the nation, patriotic
Americans are spending less and saving more
—patting at least 10% of their incomes into
War Bonds and Stamps. So our boys can have
the planes and tanks and guns they need to
fight and attack and WIN for us!
So the Nazis and Japs will wish they hadn’t
tried to enslave America, too—and won*l
ever try it again!
And it’s going to take 10% in War Bondi
to do it! *
So, if you’ve been postponing hackling down,
remember, it’s "Everybody 10%” or "Nobodjy
(except our Axis masters) haring a cent.**
NOTE—Now You Cm Boy War Bonds Through Your Rural Postman}
^VWar Savings Bonds
— SHOOT STRAIGHT WITH OUR SOYS . ■ in
This space is a contribution to Americas’* All-Out War program by
The Charlotte Labor Journal
' Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
Army Is Quick To
Classify Craftsmen
' Skilled craftsmen, who enter the
U. S. Army, are quickly placed in
duties for which their civilian job*
have fitted them, but it is up to the
Army pCrsonne. experts to find the
proper niche for millions of other
Americans whose skills, talents and
inguenity must be blended into the
varied pattern of Army life, accord
ing to Maj. Gen. James A. Ulio, Ad
jutant General.
Interviewers, by patiently question
ing newly inducted soldiers, are
charged with the duty of finding
“The Right Man for the Right Job,"
the slogan that hangs on the wall of
each reception and replacement train
ing center.
New soldiers frequently have hob
bies that enable the interviewers to
classify them for assignments in
which their avocations are much more
valuable to the army than their main
occupations in civilian life would have
been.
FCmaCTORY
BUY
UNITED
STATES
JVAR |
IONDS
AND
I STAMPS
INVEST IN VICTORY!
Our boya can taka the War to
the enemy, if we back them up with
ahipa and tanka and gunsl But
that takea money!
Help your Government to put the
tool* of war into the hands of our
soldiera by purchasing War Sav
! inga Bonds and Stamps. And re
member . . . just one Bond can't
lick the Axis any more than just
one gun! It takes millions of Amer
icans buying War Savings Bonds
and Stamps every pay day!
Bonds cost $18.75 and up . . .
and they pay you back one-third
more in onlx 10 years I Stamps cost
10*, 26*, and up , . . soon total
the price of a Bond if bought regu
larly.
Help our boys on the fighting
fronts wherever they may be I Buy
War Savings Bonds as an invest
ment for yourself and your covotrg;
THE JOURNAL has by far
the largest city circulation of
any weekly published in Char
lotte. Your ad in The Journal
will bring results from the
workers.