Endorte.d by the N. C. State
Federation of Labor
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Official Organ of Central Labor Union; Standing
JOT tnO A, r. Ls.
12 YEARS OF
CONSTRUCTIVB
SERVICE TO
NORTH
CAROLINA
READERS
VOL. XIII—No. 16
VO"« AOVIOTlMMINT in Tmi journal •• A
CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1943
JOURNAL ADVIRTIRIRI OlRtRVI COMIOIRATION 09
▼MO HIADIRI
$2.00 Per Year
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1943 — LABOR DAY — 1943
ON TO VICTORY
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The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County printed and compiled in charlotte ,.su For a Weekly Its Readers Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte
- MECKLENBURG COUNTT IN IT8 ENTIKk.1, ----
Labor Is “Producing For AttacR” On All Fronts
LABOR DAY, 1943
By WILLIAM GREEN,
President. American Federation of Labor
America is on the road to victory!
This supreme fact enables us to celebrate Labor Day this year
in triumphal spirit.
Our armed forces have dealt out crushing defeats to the
enemy on all fighting fronts.
Our workers have met the test on the home front with equal
success.
More than ever before, we realize on this Labor Day that every war
plan is the starting point of direct attack against the enemy. The planes,
ships, tanks, guns and ammunition made by American Federation of Labor
workers go to battle just as surely as the soldiers, sailors and marines
who use them. , '
We know that the military successes already achieved by the United
Nations in this war could never have come to pass without the superior
equipment produced by the members of organized labor in America. We
know that the thousands of production records smashed by patriotic American
workers have helped materially to smash the Axis powers.
I am proud of the way the workers of our country have lived up to their
responsibilities under the stress and strain of wartime conditions. The labor
force of no other country can boast a finer record.
But we cannot yet rest upon our oars. The tasks ahead of us appear
even greater than those we have surmounted. We must keep steadfastly on
the job until the war is finally won and our enemies have surrendered
unconditionally.
Now that the workers of America have tasted victory, I am confident
that they will never relax their efforts until the ultimate triumph of freedom
and democracy is attoined.
As we look to the future, our thoughts are increasingly concerned with
the vital necessity of.- winning the peace—as well as the war. Reactionary
forces already are at work in an attempt to betray and nullify the sufferings
and sacrifices of our people. W'e must be prepared not only to defend our
selves against those who would shame our dead, but to take the offensive
against them.
This ran best be done by agreeing upon and insisting upon a post-war
program that carries out the overwhelming will of the American people. In
the opinion of the American Federation of Labor, this program must include
the following points:
1— Establishment of lasting world peace.
2— Eradication of Fascism.
3— Extension of freedom and democracy in every part of the globe.
4— Expansion of our own social security system.
5— Application of a peace-time production program which will assure
jobs for all.
6— Affirmation of the right of workers in all countries tu join free
and independent unions of their own choice.
Such a program embodies the chief desires and aspirations of a war
weary world and can be carried out on a practical basis. It offers hope for
the future. It is worth working and fighting and sacrificing for.
On this significant Labor Day. as we look forward to the final victory of
human decency over tht!\o«w^ of oppresa/.n and hate, iet us remember the
blood and sweat and tears of the victims of this war and let us resolve
never to permit such a cataclysm to engulf the world we know again.
WILLIAM GREEN
President Am. Fed. of Labor
C. A. FINK
Pres. N. C. Federation of Labor
FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
ISSUES LABOR DAY MESSAGE
The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ In America, the
country’s leading council of our Protestant denominations, brings
its 1943 Labor Day message to our people. The principles set
forth are basically the Christian spirit of the Brotherhood of
Man.
Part of the message follows:
“The fact that labor has made (treat (tains in the past decade should
be welcomed by all Christian people. The curtailment, under the necessity
of the national war effort, of important social standards and freedoms should
be tolerated only as a temporary expedient. Over-long hours, night work,
employment of mothers with young children, child laor, poor housing, in
adequate health and accident safeguards, lack of rest periods and vacations,
the freezing of employment—these conditions should be corrected as soon
as the war emergency is over.
“It is greatly to be hoped that the practice of conciliation and voluntary
arbitration will become the general method of settling industrial disputes.
“Moreover, it is well for Christians to remember that large as labor’s
gains have been, only about 27% of the workers who may be considered
available for organization are members of labor unions. Furthermore, the
Wage and Hour Administrator in 1942 reported that 7,500.000 American
workers still received less than 40 per cent an hour and ‘are still right on the
edge of the minimum standards of health and decency or below it.’ We may
indeed be encouraged with the advance that has been made and yet alert
to what still needs to be done.
“A labor movement, strong in numbers, and in active cooperation with
management, agriculture and government, is a social necessity in order to
sustain democracy on the home front, make it effective in the world con
flict, and aid its extension in the post-war world. Such a labor movement
can be a strong ally of the Christian Church in promoting justice and well
being on behalf of Christian democracy in the service of post-war reconstruc
1 tion. May the church, and labor and all other economic groups dedicate I
themselves with new vision, unselfishness and determination to the task of
achieving in human society God’s purpose for righteousness, justice and
peace based upon the worth and solidarity of all men.”
" - - - - ---|-|-|~<-|-|-|~I~I ~i~i~i~i~i~i~i~i-|-|-|-|-»-|)-u u u UIJII.I in—i~r
Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
“Fight - Work - Save”
I
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
• , ?
The Champion of the Common People
1. SOCIAL SECURITY.
2. MINIMUM WAGE AND HOUR LAW.
3. FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
4. SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION
5. TENNESSEE VALLEY ADMINISTRATION
6. PROGRESS TOWARD CHILD LABOR LAWS
7. EQUALITY OF WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
8. MOST CONSISTENT AND MOST POWERFUL
FORCE IN THE WORLD AGAINST AXIS WORLD
DOMINATION.
J. A. SCOGGINS, PRES. CENTRAL
LABOR UNION, TELLS MEMBERS TO
“INCREASE BOND PURCHASES”
Dear Brother Witter:
Once again we have reached a milestone in the Labor
movement—Labor Day is the privilege of free-men. The
Charlotte Central Labor Union, of which I am privileged to
be President has made a consistent record of achievement
in the defense of our country. I am proud of our record.
Every union man deserves to be proud of it, and every citizen
of our fine city deserves to be proud of it. The Charlotte
Labor Journal, our paper, deserves to be proud of its record
in its capable handling of the conservative fight of the A. F.
of L. through many years. We have maintained a consistent
course of decency and conservatism, and barring a few very
minor instances, our *intent and our purpose have been di
rected solely in the interest of WINNING THE WAR. The
Charlotte Centra] Labor Union, in the main, will remain at
their work on Labor Day, 1943—-and that in itself is a symbol
—a symbol of free-labor to do its part willingly and without
coercion and without threats to Carry On.
I would like to mention one other important thing in this
Labor Day message to our membership: Our record of War
Bonds purchases is good. At least 85% of our working peo
ple are buying Bonds every week, but, let me remind all of
our members that a greater effort can be made in this di
rection. LABOR LOSES ITS FREEDOM IF THE HORROR
OF INFLATION CROSSES THE THRESHOLD OF OUR
NATION. BUYING WAR BONDS NOT ONLY GIVES
OUR SONS ON THE BATTLEFIELD THEIR PROP ON
WHICH TO LEAN BUT IT ALSO HELPS TO ELIMINATE
THE VERY DARK AND HORRIBLE SCEPTRE OF INFLA
TION. WE MUST STAND LIKE OUR SOLDIERS STAND
ON THIS ISSUE. WE MUST NEVER SEE THE DAY
WHEN OUR WIVES MUST BRING A WHEELBARROW
OF DOLLARS JO BUY A LOAF OF BREAD. LET THIS
BE OUR WATCHBOARD ON THIS LABOR DAY—IN
CREASE YOUR WAR BOND PURCHASES. NEVER FAL
TER FOR ONE MOMENT. LET US STICK TO OUR
COURSE, NORTH CAROLINIANS, AND WE WILL STAND
UP AFTER VICTORY WITH THE BADGE OF HONOR OF
A JOB WELL DONE.
J. A. SCOGGINS, President
Charlotte Central Labor Union.
C. A. FINK, PRESIDENT OF THE
NORTH CAR. STATE FEDERATION
EXTENDS LABOR DAY GREETINGS
Spencer, N. C.
Mr. W. M. Witter, Editor
Charlotte Labor Journal
Charlotte, N. C.
Charlotte has made splendid progress in the gradual
building of the Labor Movement in the Queen City. As presi
dent of the State Federation of Labor, I am very proud in
deed of the officers and members of our unions in your good
city. Brother Ccnder thrilled the convention when he re
ported that the Charlotte Labor Temple is now paid for
and owned free of all incumbrance by the Charlotte Central
Labor Union. It is most significant.
Another report to the convention that was most encour
aging was that telling of the activities of the officers and
members of the local unions who are serving on government
boards and helping our government to carry on its war ac
tivity. The fact that Brother J. A. Scoggins, president of
the Charlotte Central Labor Union and a member of our
state executive board, is chairman of the rationing board in
Mecklenburg County, is indicative of the high standing en
joyed by the leaders of the Labor Movement in Charlotte.
much of this progress, Brother Witter, is due to the
faithful and loyal service that you have rendered to the Labor
Movement through your good paper, The Charlotte Labor
Journal. You have never once fallen, nor even hesitated in
leading the Battle of Labor in Charlotte for improved condi
tions of the working people, yet you have at all times advo
cated a safe and sane course which has placed our Movement
in your city upon a solid foundation.
While we have had many difficulties in the past and
have been forced to surmount many obstacles that have been
thrown in our way, yet all of these are insignificant in com
parison to the tasks that lie ahead of us. Our chief duty, of
course, is to our country. It matter not what the cost may
be to us individually or collectively as members of our Unions,
we must at all times paramount the importance of winning
this war and preserving our freedom.
We can do this, however, in effective and enthusiastic
manner, yet at the same time protect our unions and defend
our members and the workers generally against those
enemies of ours who are determined to destroy our Move
ment while this war is being waged.
In this difficult task, I am depending more than ever
upon the counsel and advice and support of you and those
loyal souls like you to whom all credit is due for the advance
ment that has been made by the working people of this state
over the past year. 1 beg of you and through your paper
and plead with all trades unionists to support your State
Federation of Labor as never before and help us who are your
officers to not only preserve that which we now have, but
add to its strength and influence. Without you and those
like you, we can do nothing and I am confident that you
and all other trades unionists will aid us in building a State
Federation of Labor that can render still greater service to
our state and nation.
Let us make this our theme on the coming Labor Day.
We cannot have parades and celebrations as we have had in
the past because our members and our sons, and the sons
of the mothers of America are out yonder offering their
lives that we may live and we cannot waste time in celebra
tions except those that are called for the sole purpose of
planning an increase in the production of materials of war,
or the purpose of raising funds through the sale of War
Bonds for our government. So, let’s determine on Labor Day
to continue to labor every day at whatever tasks we may be
assigned for a more effective prosecution of the war in order
to hasten the day of victory when the war shall cease and
freedom shall be made secure to mankind everywhere and
our boys who are still living may return to their homes and
to their loved ones.
May I further impose upon your good nature by asking
space in your most valuable paper to express appreciation
to the members of our A. F. of L. Unions in your section for
their loyal support during, the past. All of us missed you at
the convention and regretted very much your inability to
attend. We were delighted, however, in the fact that your
good wife could be there, and represent you in our annual
meeting.
C. A. FINK, President,
N. €. State Federation of Labor.
THE FOUR FREEDOMS
1. Freedom of speech and expression everywhere in the
world.
2. Freedom of every person to worship God in his own
way—everywhere in the world.
3. Freedom from want—economic understanding which
will secure for every nation a healthy peacetime economy
for its people everywhere in the world.
4. Freedom from fear—World-wide decisions to take
such steps as may be necessary to prevent any nation from
committing an act of aggression against another—anywhere
in the world.
OUR BOYS GIVE THEIR LIVES—
WILL YOU LEND MORE OF YOUR MONEY
Our Boys Can’t Win Doing a 10% Job—
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