Of Charlotte labor Journal
VOL. XII—NO. 44
Endoraed by the N. C. State
Federation of Labor
YOUR ADVBRTISBNSNT IN TNS JOURNAL IS A
INVKSTNSNT
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1943
Official Organ of Central Labor Union; Standing
for the A. F. L.
JOURNAL ADVIRTIRKM OCSCRVK CONSIDERATION OR
TMK READERS
12 YEARS OP
CONSTRUCTIVE
SERVICE TO
NORTH
CAROLINA
READERS
$2.00 Per Year
Labor Is On tbe Job For.Victory
Tkm ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY In Mecklenburg County I&CTmli£5»tS?For * Weekly Ita Readerg Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER In Chariotto
LABOR AND INDUSTRY WILL GREET
WAR LABOR BOARD ORDER NO. 30
AS MOST PROGRESSIVE STEP YET
TAKEN BY THIS GOV’T AGENCY
ATLANTA, GA., March 22.—Due to an upsurge of resent
ment against the long delays in obtaining wage incerases which
had been agreed upon by employers and unions, the National War
Labor Board issued General Order No. 30, which will be greeted
by labor and industry as the most progressive step taken by this
government agency since its formation.
General Order No. 30 provides that
all agreements for wage increases up
to 40 cents an hour do not have to be
reported to the War Labor Board.
That is, employers and unions or
groups of employees can adjust wage
rates and raise same up to 40 cents
an hour without going to the War
Labor Board or even reporting same
to the Board.
The Southeastern Regional War
Labor Board last Thursday ordered
its Director of Wage Stabilization to
automatically approve all wage in
creases up to and not exceeding 50
cents an hour without referring same
to the Board. These provisions and
orders apply only to cases of wage
increases arrived at through collec
tive bargaining or voluntary in
creases that do not affect price ceil
ings on commodities of general con
sumption.
Unions will be required to sign
Form No. 10 on increases agreed to
through collective bargaining on all
rates between 40 cents and 50 cents
an hour. The Atlanta office of the
Board has no alternative, however,
but to approve increases submitted
on Form No. 10, and the same can
not be denied, where the rate does
not exceed 50 cents per hour.
These Orders will automatically re
lease the Board from the tedious task
of hearing these cases individually.
They are beneficial in a large meas
ure to those workers now receiving
less than 40 cents an hour and to the
other bracket receiving less than 50
cents an hour. It also will enable the
employer of labor in these low wage
brackeets to increase wages in order
that his employees may cope with
the increased cost of living and at
the same time enable the employer to
maintain his force by granting just
and needed increases without having
to go through the process of present
ing the matter to the War Labor
Board, thus escaping the long delays
heretofore experienced.
Officials and members of the
American Federation of Labor are
highly elated over the issuance o:
these new rules, as this is a direct
answer to an appeal made by the
Southern War Labor Conference held
in Atlanta on January 16 and 17.
During that Conference, which was
called and sponsored by the State
Federations of Labor in the twelve
Southeastern states, the following re
quest was unanimously adopted and
transmitted to the American Federa
tion of Labor and to the National
War Labor Board and other govern
ment agencies and officials:
SUB STANDARD WAGES
“As an immediate aid in the solu
tion of the various problems con
fronting workers of the South of
both races who are in the sub-stand
ard wage group, this conference begs
and implores the American Federa
tion of Labor and its affiliated Na
tional and International Unions to
exert their full efforts and influence
with the wage stabilization commis
sion to establish a minimum wage
rate essential to fair living condi
tions, and declare all wages under
that rate to be a sub-standard wage.
“This being done, the wage stabili
zation commission would then be
asked to permit an increase in wages
when agreed upon between employ
ers and la-bor in these sub-standard
groups to be put into effect without
having to obey the order based upon
the Little Steel decision, which has
been accepted as the yard stick for
wage increases. Such a provision
would relieve the War Labor Board
of a large part of its work and in
part solve the problems of the low
wage group caused by -terrific in
creased cost in living, and at the
same time would be beneficial to em
ployers who are losing much of their
best labor to the war industries
where higher wage rates prevail.”
This is another accomplish
ment of the results of our great
Southern War Labor Confer
ence beneficial to Southern La
bor and industry as well as the
war effort.
WaSSSSMMMIMMM
A Congressman Calls Small
Newspapers Best Advertising Media
WASHINGTON.—Small dailies and weeklies are more
productive advertising mediums than larger newspapers.
Representative Jerry Voorhis of California told the house
here recently in the course of an appeal to government agen
cies to allot some of their advertising funds, for bond sales
or or other PurP°ses’ to the smaller publications.
Those papers are more thoroughly read by the average
person who takes them than are the large newspapers in the
cities; advertising space with them would produce more per
dollar expended than almost any other kind,” the Californian
contended.
Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
SHAKE HANDS WITH A FIGHTING
FAMILY ■ V
TiiomasB.Williams, 68, machinist, war worker, union man, is the ton
representative of a family that's on full-time duty for victory. Williams^
I t. ten. William S. Knudsen, has fivesonsa
erandson, and a daughter with the armed force*. George, 24, is with
.he Marine* m Iceland; John, 32. is a first-class machinist with the U S
** * “fl H"hor5 Raymond, 38, i* at an O.Ticer*’ Training (imp
l in I luladelphia; Ihomas, 40, is with the Army's Chemical Research nj!
i p*rUu*BU Grandson Robert, 18, is going into the Army Air Force, and
Daughter Maria is with the U. S. Signal Corps.
EDITORIAL
A THIRD PARTY IN THE SOUTH?
The Governor of Alabama and the American Christian
Party now growing in strength in Texas with a benevolent
nod from Jim Farley of New York, are beginning to talk of
a possible “Third Party” in the South, to help defeat “THAT
MAN” Franklin D. Roosevelt, or any other New Deal candidate
in 1944.
THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH DURING ROOSE
VELT’S THREE ADMINISTRATIONS CAN BE SUMMED
UP IN ONE SENTENCE—“FROM SIXTY CENTS A DAY
TO SIXTY CENTS AN HOUR”—Therefore, this so called
“Third Party” would naturally attract to itself all those who
did not like this change in the economic life of our South.
To the “Third Party” banner would go all the copperheads,
crackpots, reactionaries, labor-haters, bundists, Roosevelt
haters, and all others of similar ilk, who could not get them
selves elected into the political psyychopathic ward where they
belong.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR 1944
The election last fall which swept so many Republicans into
Congress may have been a blessing in disguise.
The attitude of Congress during the past few months has
been based on a blind opposition to President Roosevelt, regard
less of what the issue may be at the moment.
This has given the country a fair idea of what conditions
would be and what philosophy of Government would be the order
of the day if Roosevelt and the New Deal were defeated in 1944.
This opposition has concentrated on two big issues. They
have voted down Roosevelt’s $25,000. ceiling of wages—thereby
benefiting exactly 2,450 people while FIVE MILLION families
are getting along on the $50 a month of Army pay.
Another proposition that Congress has shown its hand in,
has been the RUML PLAN or income taxes, which would benefit
another 3,000 people, with absolutely NO BENEFIT AT ALL TO
FIFTY MILLION NEW TAXPAYERS.
This is a true sample of Government under the Old Deal—
and during the next campaign when a wise guy will mention New
Deal and try to laugh, it would be best to mention the OLD DEAL
_of oil leases, apple selling, wild markets in WaU Street and
bonus marchers, and bank closings and smokeless smoke-stacks
and seven million unemployed.
Republican congressmen talk big about letting industry and
business take care of the returning soldiers—that Government
planning is not necessary. They forget or do not want to remem
ber that from 1929 to 1932—3 black years of depression and star
vation—President Hoover called industrialists and business men
to the white house time after time and pleaded with them to
absorb the growing millions of unemployed—pleaded with them
to do something—but the army of unemployed grew until F. D.
Roosevelt came along and saved the unemployed from further
degradation and saved the industrialists and business from com
plete coUapse. The New Deal saved America.
A. F. OF L UNIONS TO DONATE
“TIME OFF THE JOB” TO REBUILD
STRUCTURE FOR THE RED CROSS
' With six million trade unionists putting the AFL label on
their contributions to the American Red Cross during March and
April, thousands of other workers are making a free gift of their
time and skill to assist the current drive.
A glowing report from Miami, Florida, has just described how members
of the Building Trades, working after hours and on Saturdays and Sundays,
transformed a dilapidated, tumble-down building into a sprightly, up-to-min
ute headquarters for the Miami Red Cross.
Mrs. Beatrice N. Vines, Director of the Miami Red Cross, told how the
Red Cross had acquired a building “that was in terrible shape.” She
appealed to the Miami Building Trades and they ersponded in charac
teristic fashion.
Painters, plumbers, carpenters instantly took over. They worked at
night and over the week-end pitching in with enthusiasm. Almost mir
aculously they made the conversion. “The Building Trades,” declared Mrs.
Vines, “completely renovated the building without one cent of cost to the
Red Cross,” saving the organization hundred of dollars. In recognition of
this gift of labor, according to Sam R. Covington, Regional Director of
the Labor League for Human Rights for the South Atlantic area a suitable
plaque will be placed in the reception room of the headquarters in recogni
tion of the contribution of the AFL Building Trades.
-Sec. of Labor
Wants Check Of
Fire Hazards
Repetition of lire as disastrous as
the Boston night club blaze in which
450 persons lost their lives, could
easily occur in other types of occu
pancy in many cities and towns in
the opinion of Secretary of Labor
Frances Perkins who has made a Na
tion-wide appeal to State labor de
partment officials to check fire haz
ards in factories, mercantile establish
ments, theatres, and all places of pub
lic assembly.
“Reports indicate that many State
and municipal building codes are out
of date, incomplete and unrealistic un
der crowded modern conditions,” she
said. “Even in some jurisdictions
where building safety regulations are
adequate there is confusion or doubt
as to which one of two or more
agencies actually has the responsibil
ity for enforcement, tending to nullify
protection which might be afforded by
applying regulations in respect to
building exits, occupancy limits, struc
tural conditions, and other important
features of fire hazard control.
-V
The pre-war machine tool industry,
which did an average annual business
of about $100 millions, has grown to
a war industry with a monthly output
valued at $130 millions.
-V
The greatest mystery is death.
Pass A Law;
Club Labor?
Already certain sections of Con
gress are whooping up the John
son bill (H.R. 1876), which would
require the employer to turn over
the names of all absentees to the
local drift board.
As written, the bill applies only
to Navy Yard workers. This is an
old anti-labor trick. It puts U»e
bill into the House Naval Affairs
Committee, headed by Rep. Vinson
(Ga. polltaxer) where it can be
very easily amended to include all
workers.
NIn addition to being a complete
evasion of the absenteeism problem,
the bill is intended as a punitive
measure, which would operate re
gardless of the worker’s reason for
absence, and even more important
regardless of his skill.
Incidentally, the bill is actually
a reflection on the U. S. Army,
which it seeks to use as a threat
and a punishment. No man should
go into our Army as punishment.
FLY A BOMB TO BERLIN- PUT
10 PERCENT OF PAY IN WAR
BONDS.
V. F. W. POST IS
TO BE HEADED
BY C. L ALBEA
City Councilman and Mayor Pro
Tempore Claude L. Albea Monday
night was elected commander of
Stonewall Jackson Post No. 1160,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, in suc
cession to R. Fred Dunn.
Other officers of the post for the
CLAUDE L. ALBEA
new year were elected as follows:
M. E. Moyer, senior vice command
er; Joe C. Boyarsky, junior vice com
mander; R. Fred Dunn, quartermas
ter; Robert B. Hood (re-elected),
chaplain; Dr. F. M. Boldridge, sur
geon; L. L. Ledbetter, judge advocate;
P. R. Conrad, trustee.
Installation of officers, the post de
cided, will be effected at a banquet
Monday night, April 12, under leader
ship of North Carolina Department
Commander R. C. Cook of Winston
Salem. C. V. Funderburk, was ap
pointed chairman of the committee
on arrangements for the installation
meeting. Observer, Tuesday.
[For eleven years, Mr. Albea has
been asoseiate editor of the Labor
Journal.—Ed.]
-V
THE JOURNAL has by far
the largest city circulation of
any weekly niblished in Char
lotte. Your ad in The Journal
will bring results from the
workers.
A Plea From Uncle Sam!
■ZB
f?ves
cf!S rortn&w*.
'/^WAITMG/
Vm W>ik
lhJ
BUY Bonds NOW
1