Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / July 22, 1943, edition 1 / Page 1
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f* Ihe Charlotte late Journal Endorsed ley tk. N. C. Sfat- . AND DIXIE FARM NEWS 0//<C<a/ °'°an °f Federation of Labor __ for the a. r. L,. 12 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTIVB SERVICE TO NORTH - CAROLINA READERS VOL. XIII—No. 10 YOM« AOVMTIttHINT IN TNI JOURNAL It A OOOt INVUTHINT CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1943 JOURNAL AOVIRTIRIRI DlltRVI CONtlOlRATION OP TNI RKAOIRt $2.00 Per Year Labor Is On the Job For Victory The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY In Mecklenburg County ggE&ro£}ag£5# » Weekly Its Readera Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte 23RD ANNUAL CONVENTION OF N. C. POSTOFFICE CLERKS HELD HERE SUNDAY-MONDAY Clyde R. Hoey, our former governor, in addressing the 23rd annual convention of the N. C. Post Office Clerks, an A. F. of L. affiliate, on Sunday at the Hotel Charlotte spoke of post war problems, as being not only of an industrial nature, but of its moral and spiritual side. He stressed that fact that to avoid a debacle such as enveloped the United States after World war I, the former Governor said, steps must be taken to prevent dumping on the market the vast production that will be unused when World war II is ended, also stating that there must be provided employment for the 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 servicemen who will return to civilian life—and there must not be any mistake here, he said. Some firms are even now making their postwar plans, he declared. He urged others in the state to do the same. The governor went on to say: “We don’t want a spiritual depression after the war.” “We want spiritual exultation. It will be a time for rejoicing, rejoicing from our hearts. Let that rejoicing be deep and abiding and understand ing.” The governor was introduced by Clarence O. Kuester. The invocation was by M. G. Perry, and group singing was led by Scott Gibson. The executive boards of the Clerks and Auxiliary met at 3 p. m. Sunday. At the Monday meeting J. W. Norris, of Boone, was elected president, and Mrs. H. A. Sloan, of Raleigh, was elected as head of the Woman’s Auxiliary. William L. Horner, legislative representative. National Fed eration of Post Office Clerks, main speaker at the closing session Monday night, said THAT BECAUSE OF THE ACTS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL THE LABOR MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES HAS RECEIVED A SEVERE SETBACK. WHEN HE MENTIONED THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD ANGERED CON GRESS, BRINGING ABOUT HASTY WARTIME LEGISLA TION, HIS AUDIENCE SURMISED HE WAS DISCUSSING JOHN L. LEWIS. ... . L L Also during the day the federation voted to alfiliate with the North Carolina chapter, American Federation of Labor, effective immediately. About 200, including both postal clerks and members of the woman’s auxiliary were in attendance. George E. Wilson, Jr., Charl#te postmaster, was toastmaster at the concluding session. In addition to recognition of the newly elected president, he then asked the six vice presidents and other officers to stand. They v «re: . ...nr. George F. Carpenter, Charlotte, first vice president; B. B. Honeycutt, Raleigh, second vice president; R. A. Oehman, Greens boro,* third vice president; R. D. Dockett, Asheville, fourth vice president; Thomas B. Moore, Fayetteville, fifth vice president; S. R. Russell, Durham, sixth vice president; F. F. Overman, Bur lington, secretary and treasurer; Jere C. Gay. Raleigh, state legis lative representative; Henrv N. Parker, Raleigh, editor of “The Tar Heel Fed;” O. L. Whitsell, Greensboro, national legislative representative. . . - W. F. Owens, Greenville, S. C., is the retiring president. Newly elected officers of the auxiliary were recognized: Mrs. H. A. Sloan, Raleigh, president; Mrs. R. J. Baker, Durham, secre tary and treasurer; Mrs. J. F. Ennis, Rocky Mount, first vice president; Mrs. F. F. Overman, Burlington, second vice president; Mrs. Pete Turnmire, Shelby, third vice president. Mrs. E. H. Phelps, Winston-Salem, is the retiring president. The 1944 convention city will be selected by a special com mittee, and announced to members by mail. It was announced that 150 North Carolina postal clerks are in the armed services. A special service in their behalf was held during the afternoon. . William H. Gunther, Baltimore, sixth national vice president, installed the new officers. John F. Bowen, New Orleans, seventh national vice president, was an afternoon speaker. Mavor H. H. Baxter extended greetings at the evenings banquet. MR. HORNER, IN HIS ADDRESS, SAID “THESE ARE TUMULTOUS TIMES, AND IT BEHOOVES THE POSTAL CLERKS TO CARRY ON REGARDLESS OF SHORTAGES.” HE DECRIED THE GAINING POWER OF BUREAUCRACY, AND SOLD HIS HEARERS THAT THE AMERICAN FEDERATION F LABOR HAD KEPT NEARLY 100 PER CENT ITS NO STRIKE PLEDGE. ■V. WESTERN NUKTH CAROLINA A PARADISE Mr. Golden, rejoining the staff of The Labor Journal after a sojourn in Hendersonville, reports that the west ern part of our state is a true paradise! It is Southern California and the French Riviera combined, and it offers marvelous climate, easy living and fine companion ship. However, Mr. Golden states, you can’t have every thing and Hendersonville does have its drawback—it is in the fact that the place seems to swarm with Republicans, a condition, which, a few more years of clear thinking may eventually correct. ir^irtni-u—rrrmrr CHEAP LABOR, CHEAP WORKERS, CHEAP BUSINESS Cheap labor not only makes cheap workers, but makes cheap business for any city or community. Cheap labor makes for cheap jobs. Cheap jobs mean little money for the storekeeper, butcher and the baker. Ask the merchant if he prefers WPA to well paid laborers. MINE WORKERS REAFFILIATION WITH A. F. OF L. SEEMS NEARER AFTER CONFERENCE MONDAY WASHINGTON, July 21.—Reaffiliation of the United Mine Workers of America with the American Federation of Labor ap peared a step nearer yesterday following a three-hour conference between John L. Lewis and executives of the A.F.L. Lewis and his United Mine Work ers left the AFL more than five years ago, when the Mine union leader started the CIO. HIS RECENTLY FILED APPLICATION FOR RE AFFTLIATION IS TO BE ACTED ON BY THE AFL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WHEN IT MEETS NEXT MONTH IN CHICAGO. Daniel J. Tobin, AFL vice presi dent who heads a three-man com mittee studying the Lewis applica tion, told reporters the outlook for ueaffiliation “looks somewhat better” after today’s meeting. Asked what he thought about the outlook, Lewis handed reporters a brief statement asserting that “in the interest of unifying the policies of organized labor” the UMW “has proposed reaffiliation” and “in do ing so it accepts the American Fed eration of Labor as it now exists, and expects the American Federa tion of Labor to accept the United Mine Workers of America as it now exists.” Neither Lewis nor Tobin would say whether jurisdictional ob stacles had been settled, or even discussed, or whether another meeting would be necessary be fore the Chicago session. The UMW, Lewis said in his statement, “under present condi tions has no interest in questions of hypothetical jurisdiction,” and “after the fact of reaffiliation, any and all questions of juris diction having a factual or real istic premise can be considered procedurally” by the AFL. Principal jurisdictional prob lems are understood to revolve around the AFL Progressive Miners’ union, now a UMW rival, and the disposition of non-min ing unions in District 50 of Lewis’ organization. Ae reporter’s question about wheth er Lewis* fn'rfctence that the AFL Ac cept the UMW “as it now exists” meant that the AFL would have to recognize the right of the UMW to break labor’s no-strike pledge brought from Tobin a terse reply that the con ferees “didn’t go into the question of strikes.” Anyhow, the AFL spokesman add ed, the UMW, not beinjfif member of the AFL at the time of the coal strike, was not bound by the AFL no-strike pledge. Lewis did not say whether he would report results pf today’s pro ceedings to the 200-man UMW policy committee when it meets here to morrow. The committee presumably 's to center its discussions on the coal situation. Besides Tobin, the AFL committee handling the application includes Matthew Woll and George Harrison, vice president. Lewis’ conferees were Thomas Kennedy, secretary treasurer of the UMW: John O’Leary, vice president: William Mitchell, Percy Tetlow, and Mart Brennan, dis trict presidents. -V Our Charlotte Traffic Is Only Vz Of Year Ago —V— WASHINGTON. July 13.—Because of gasoline rationing, automobile traffic in Charlotte has been reduc ed to half what it was a year ago, it was stated today by the Federal Works agency. The sale of gasoline is now only 61 per cent of what it was a year ago. The public roads administration has been keeping a careful check on the effect of rationing on automotive traffic and finds that it is dwindling rapidly, with the expectation that if present restrictions continue, it will drop to 45 per cent after authorized vacation trips have been taken. --V WAR BONDS BUY BOMBER —V— The New York Trades and Labor Council has purchased $600,000 worth of War Bonds, funds from which will finance construction of a bombing plane to be christened the “Spirit of AFL.” Another bomber, the “Iron Eagle,” purchased through funds made available by the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen last year, has been giving a good account of itself with Major General James A. Doo little’s command in North Africa, the War Department notified A. F. Whit ney, president of the brotherhood. THE PLEDGE OF EVERY LOYAL A. F. OF L. UNIONIST “I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands—One Na tion, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All!” War Casualty Total Announced —V Announced casualties of the United States Armed Forces from the out break of the war to date (whose next kin have been notified) total 91, 044, the Office of War Information reports. This total, based on War and Navy Department reports, in cludes: Dead, 16,696; wounded, 21, 828; missing 31,579; prisoners of war. The War Department report (as of July 3) shows Army casualties total ing 64,621. Of this number 8,533 were killed, 17,094 wounded. 6,268 have re turned to active duty or have been released from hospitals. The casual ties include 12,506 Philippine Scouts; of these 481 were killed, 743 wound ed and the remainder are assumed to be prisoners of war. The » Navy Department report (as of July 3) shows casualties totaling 27,023, made up of 8,163 dead; 4, 734 wounded; 10,533 missing, 3,593 prisoners of war. -V A dental cream manufacturer, changing their tubes from metal to paper containers, has released 7 mil lion 500 thousand pounds of metal a year. -V Traffic Signals Are Uife Savers FOOD COSTS MUST GO LOWER OR LABOR WILL HAVE TO ASK WAGE BOOSTS, SAYS WM. GREEN DETROIT, July 20.—Asserting that “America has failed to hold the line against inflation,” William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, served notice yesterday that “un less prices of food are brought down to a reasonable level,” or ganized labor “will have no other recourse but to demand wage increases.” , r Green’s ultimatum, in an address prepared for delivery before the con vention of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, followed by less than a month by CIO President Philip Murray to a Congressional Committee that labor will demand scrapping of the ‘Little Steer Formula ■mloKt: nr ires art* rolled back. Under the “Little Steel” Formula, the Government has permitted wage . increases of 15 per cent over January 1 1, 1941, levels to offset rising living costs. After reviewing progress on the war fronts and labor’s contribution to the war production effort, Green said “there has been an almost complete lack of appreciation in our country of the corresponding need of keeping America’s soldiers of production in top-not?h condition.” “Our domestic war economy,” he said, “has not been geared to the need of protecting the workers against the hazards of inflation and its con comitant evils. This situation is be coming more and more serious each day. Profiteers and speculators are sapping the strength of the nation’s army of workers. Drastic action must be taken at once to avert a break down of our wartime economy.” Green called the food situation “the domestic emergency of the moment” and demanded “intelligent and orderly action ... to assure workers and their families of a decent place to live in and enough nourishing food to eat within the reach of their in come.” Both the Office of mce Adminis tration and the War Food Administra tion, he declared, “have fallen down on the job” and workers who “accept ed food rationing cheerfully are un able now to buy the amounts allot ted to them under the rationing sys tem” because “the cost of basic foods has mounted sky-high despite the price control program.” AFL food surveys in principal cities, he said, show that food prices have increased from 50 to 200 per cent since the war started. Congress, he commented, debated the subject at great length “before our lawmakers decided they were over worked and needed a two-month holi day.” “In the Halls of Congress,” Green contended, “the voices of special in terests were dominant. Big farming combinations, cattlemen, distributors and packers demanded action by Con gress which would permit the sky to be the limit for prices. Three times the Senate voted to forbid price roll backs before it finally recanted by a single vote. In all of this debate, the interests of the consumers were ignor ed except by organized labor.” absentee among them since Miss Gi!l joined their pool!" WAIT A MwUTEN ftiOTutff WHY / Work topay? \ You re mailin'/ ,6000 MONEY/} not POWN TO (The Co^nEP AhO oeta <3LASS OF The Absentee Gremlins. ■ , Timc Cu©<* - :tqk sr a OWI Photo!, distributed by WPB Labor Press Service. 'And then in my spare time ..." mk ■ / ^u»t a light top, Spider. We don t want him absent from work tomorrow." p v.r ^ "Do you think it would help your attendance record if you lived just a little closer to the factory?" ARTISTS AT WAR, TOO. “—Here art five of more than 400 cnti-absenteeism cartoons drawn by the Nation's magazine cartoonists, on their own time, to aid in eliminating the causes of lost time in war production. Si* war agencies, represented in the Production Information Committee, sponsored the artists* contest, and the prize-winning cartoons probably will be sent on a war* plant tour following the current exhibition in New York City. The cartoons combine Americon humor with keen analysis of some of the social and human reasons for lost time—such as the home responsibilities of millions of women war workers and the difficulties of getting to work under wartime conditions—and depict the universal desire of the people of this country to beat the Axis.
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 22, 1943, edition 1
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