ftir Charlotte labor Journal
Sudor ted by the N. C. State
Federation of Labor
YOU* ADVUTIHMINT IN TMB JOURNAL IS
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AMD DIXIE FARM NEWS
Official Oigan of Central Labor Union, Standing
for the A. F I
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CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1943
JOURNAL AOVBRTI08M D88BNV8 CONSIB
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VOL. XIII—No. 18
— Labor Is “Producing For AttacK”
▼ dv4T.T.T INDEPENDENT WEEKLY In Meckknbm County pwnwd and comrued » cnASLorrb n. For n Weekly Its Renders Represent the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlotte
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ARMY PROGRAM STRENGTHENS
BONDS BETWEEN SOLDIERS AND
THE WORKERS AT HOME
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Intensifying its program of bringing
soldiers and workers closer together, the Army has played host to
union leaders at many widely separated military installations.
There were no “rubber-neck” tours. Labor leaders donned fatigue
uniforms and shared the hardships of training with troops so that
they could carry back to the war workers a realistic story of the
soldier’s daily routine.
The program, sponsored by Under
Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson
and Lieutenant General Brehon Som
ervell, Commanding General, Army
Service Forces, has two objectives.
They are:
1. To give war workers’ representa
tives first-hand knowledge, gained
through actual experience, of the rig
orous and efficient training which
American soldiers receive before they
are sent into battle, and to see and use
the equipment which will be used in
combat.
2. To give American soldiers a
chance to learn what’s happening on
the production front and to meet the
people who produce the weapons and
Other equipment with which they are
training and which thousands of
troops are using in combat against
the Axis on many fronts.
General Somervell, in one of his let
ters of invitation to a labor group, ex
pressed in a few words the Army’s
point of view on the subject of camp
visits when he wrote:
“From that visit I am confident will
come a strengthening of the bonds be
tween the military and production
fronts and a renewed determination to
meet and even surpass every produc
tion goal during this crucial period.”
, During each of the eight camp visits
that haev been conducted to date a
spiirt of comradeship and friendship
between workers and soldiers has been
created. In many instances, warm
personal friendships have sprung up.
The first consideration of the workers’
representatives on their return from
camp usually has been: “What can we
do to help those boys in camp?”
Almost invariably, the first reaction
of the workers in the various unions
to this question has been an expres
sion of determination to see to it that
those soldiers will never have to go
into battle without an overwhelming
superiority over weapons, ammuni
tion and equipment.
Troops with whom the labor union
ists lived and trained reacted favor
ably. They found that these “two
day recruits’ ’talked their language,
had similar domestic and economic
problems and possessed the sam6 basic
love of freedom and democracy as
themselves. Most of them, moreover,
had sons or younger brothers in the
armed forces.
Soldiers and workers talked about
labor matters during lulls in the train
ing route. The soldiers heard about
the good work accomplished by Labor
Management Committees, and they
asked questions about the unions. But
it was all discussed informally over a
friendly bottle of 3.2 beer or an even
softer drink of soda pop.
PLANTSCHOOSE
THREE INDIANA
AFL AFFILIATES
—V—
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Victories
for the AFL in three Indiana plants
were reported to AFL President Wil
liam Green by Organizer Hugh Gorm
ley. Indianapolis.
In addition to winning a majority
of the votes among the employes of
the Cram Manufacturing Company,
makers of globes and flat maps, the
election at the Continental Optical
Company resulted in 203 votes for the
AFL to 91 against it and the poll at
the Victory Ordnance Plant, Peru,
Ind., recorded 201 votes for the AFL
to 38 opposed.
A Junior Home Front Soldier
This youngster makes sure that the housewives in his
neighborhood get their waste fata in the local salvage collec
tion. Collecting waste fats is an important job these days
because they contain 10 percent glycerine which is necessary
to the manufacture of nitroglycerine, dynamite, and cordite.
Two pounds of waste fats produce enough glycerine to fire
five 37-mm. antitank shells. ars-owi'
AGGRESSION OR PROGRESSION?
By RUTH TAYLOR ■
There are some soap box philosophers who say that the only way to
get to the top is to be “aggressive.” They are all for “standing up for your
rights ,” “not letting any one put anything over on you.” “Making your
voice heard.” They pooh pooh “turning the other cheek” and denounce as
servile and pacifistic any one who disagrees with them.
The trouble is too many people use words without knowing what they
mean. Aggression is “an unprovoked attack.” Is that the kind of action
that would appeal to you? Of course not! And aggressive action is not the
kind that it needs to get where you want to go. Aggression does not get
ahead. It scatters shot all over the surrounding horison wthout any par
ticular aim. ... . ...
The word we want is not aggression—4t is progression, which means
“advancement.” We want to progress—to go ahead steadily, securely toward
a final goal of intelligent freedom, of equal righto and equal responsibilities,
ready to fulfill the responsibilities that we may enjoy the righto. We
want permanency of place, not temporary privileges.
We want to be friendly with those around us. We do not want advant
ages enforced at the cost of enmity. We know how the aggressive person
annoy us. Instinctively we can sense a combative attitude and it puts us
in a fighting mood. Well—it does the same thing to the other fellow, too.
It is this attitude into which the professional agitator would lead' those
whom he wishes to arouse. It is his stock in trade because it creates hatred
on both sides and thus is a weapon against unity.
Aggression is push through force. Progression is advancement through
merit. One is a skyrocket, the other a tower. Our present war illustrates
this perfectly. The Axis powers have Used the tactics of aggression
conquering wholesale, but leaving behind them hatred and resentments
which will prove their ultimate downfall The Allies are those nations
which have pogressed—too slowly in many cases—but with a definite goal
of ultimate freedom for all, through which they will achieve the final victory,
a victory based not on force alone but on understanding that the problems
of one are the problems of all. ....... _ . . * ,
Aggression or progression—which shall it be? Don t be aggressive.
Be progressive!
I
wmmmmwmmm
PROPOSED SOCIAL SECURITY
CHANGES; EXPLAINING BOARD
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISION
[In compliance with duties imposed by the Social Security Act,
Government officials have made various studies pertaining to pro
visions of the Act. These studies have developed the belief that cer
tain changes should be made in the Social Security Act m order to
meet the needs of American people. Because the editor of the
Charlotte Labor Journal feels that residents of this section wish to
know what changes are contemplated and because he thinks that nis
readers are entitled to such information, this paper in co-operation
with the Charlotte office of the Social Security Board is presenting a
series of articles explaining the f roposed revisions. Given below is
the first installment of this series^—Editor.]
SOCIAL SECURITY lfciWAR'fcM> 1N tf&ACE
The Social Security Act, now eight years old, includes two
insurance programs—old-age and survivors insurance and un
employment compensation or job insurance. The Social Security
Board which administers these provisions also administers the
public assistance program.
I Old-age and survivors insurance
provides retirement benefits for in
sured workers when they grow too old
to work and monthly payments to
the survivors of insured workers who
die. Under old-age and survivors in
surance provisions, more than 691,
000 persons are receiving monthly
benefit payments amounting in all
to more than 12% million dollars per
month.
Unemployment compensation which
provides weekly payment to certain
jobless workers is designed to tide
them over until they can find other
work. So far, the 61 States and Ter
ritories of this country have paid out
over two billion dollars in unemploy
ment compensation. During one year
when there were very few jobs to be
had, nearly 6% million men and wom
en received such benefits.
Under the public assistance pro
gram, around three million needy per
sons in the United States—the aged,
the blind, and dependent children—
recevie regular cash payments total
ing about $66,000,000 per month.
Social insurance and public assist
ance have accomplished much in re
cent years, but the Social Security
Board’s biggest job lies ahead. After
the war is over, millions of fighting
men will return to civilian life; war
1 production work will stop, leaving men
• without jobs; women now in war jobs
and young people lately come to work
ing age will be unemployed. Old peo
ple, children, and others who never
UCiUIC icquucu puunt osoiovom-v,
find themselves in want, unless some
thing is done beforehand to prevent
such misfortunes.
The Social Security Act, as it
stands today, will not adequately meet
the post-war situation. As a matter
of fact, those who sponsored this
law knew, in the beginning, that
changes would have to be made as
developments and experience nointed
the way. The Social Security Board
has recommended to Congress that
certain revisions be made in the law.
These recommendations include:
Social security for all workers and
their families.
Adoption of measures to protect
insurance rights of workers covered
by the system who enter military
service.
Insurance for workers and their
families against wage loss caused by
disability, either permanent or temp
orary.
A unified system of unemployment
compensation that will insure ade
quate benefits to workers in all States
and reduce the number of tax returns
and wage reports now required of
employers.
Extension of the present public as
sistance provisions to cover needy
people who are ineligible for pay
ments under existing laws.
Increased Federal grants to the
poorer States.
NEXT: “Wanted: Social Security
For All Workers.”
So long as we have held fast to voluntary principles
and have been actuated and inspired by the spirit of serv
ice, we have sustained our forward progress and we have
made our Labor Movement something to be respected and
accorded a place in the councils of our Republic. ... No
lasting gain has ever come from compulsion. If we seek to
force, we but tear apart that which otherwise, is invin
cible.—Samuel Gompers.
Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
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!”
Kaiser’s AFL
Workers Win
26 Awards
—V—
WASHINGTON—Twenty-six work
ers whose ideas have contributed to
the amazing production records estab
lished by the Henry J. Kaiser ship
yards made a clean sweep of national
production honors just announced by
War Production Drive Headquarters.
The Drive’s Board for Individual
Awards bestowed 12 certificates and
14 honorable mentions for production
ideas submitted through the Labor
Management Committees of the Port
land and Vancouver yards. These
committees include representatives of
the Metal Trades Council (AFL) and
the Kaiser management.
—-y
MAKE PAYDAY VICTORY DAY
PRES. GREEN’S LABOR DAY
ADDRESS SPURS WORKERS
TO MEET CRITICAL TEST
TAMPA, Fla.—Victory in the war and in the peace to follow
lies within the grasp of American workers, AFL President William
Green told 25,000 cheering shipyard workers in his major Labor
Day address here.
Speaking to the lunch-hour throng in the yards of the Tampa
Shipbuilding Company and to a nation-wide radio audience, Mr.
Green emphasized that this Labor Day was unique in history be
cause America’s soldiers of production celebrated it across the
length and breadth of the land by working harder than ever to
speed the war effort.
The call of the moment is still to
labor, Mr. Green emphasized. He
pointed out that the starting point of
the new offensives against the enemy
is in the factories, shipyards and
munitions plants of this country.
There is still urgent need for more
planes and ships and guns to eouip
the fighting forces of the United Na
tions with the power to strike the
death blow at the enemy, Mr. Green
declared.
“Every new production mark that
we break, every new height that we
scale, is going to shorten this war
and save the lives of thousands of
our own American boys—our sons,
our brothers, our loved ones,” he said.
“Labor and industry now face the su
preme challenge, the supreme respon
sibility of advancing or retarding the
final drive against our foes.
“What shall our answer be?
“If I understand the hearts and
minds of America’s workers, that an
swer will be work—hard, unremitting,
inspired work to back up to the limit
the fighting men who are offering
their lives to defend us and to pre
serve everything we hold dear.”
As the moment for final decisions
draws near, Mr. Green declared, “la
bor stands united in support of Presi
dent Roosevelt in his declaration that
only unconditional surrender will bo
[accepted” from our enemies.
Discussing the domestic problems of
organized labor, Mr. Green stressed
these points:
1— That the no-strike pledge must
be kept religiously by labor for the
duration.
larly food prices, must be stabilized
along with wages at Sept. 15, 1942,
levels, as required by the Economic
Stabilization Act.
4—That Government subsidies
should be utilized to increase food pro
2— That decisions of the National
War Labor Board on wage adjust
ments should not be subject to veto by
the National Mobilization Director or
the Economic Stabilization Director.
3—That the cost of living, particu
duction and to keep consumer prices
in line.
5—That the vicious Connally-Smith
Act, which has served to promote
strikes instead of preventing them,
must be repealed by Congress at the
earliest opportunity.
“We will not forget those members
of Congress who voted to enact this
law over the President’s veto,” Mr.
Green warned.
Taking up post-war problems, the
AFL chief urged immediate steps to
set the stage for a tremendous peace
time production drive when the war
ends. This act, coupled with ex
pansion of the social security laws,
will help to banish fear of want in
America, he said.
“Any nation which cannot produce
for the needs of peace on an even
greater scale than for war is morally,
spiritually and economically bank
rupt,” Mr. Green charged.
In the international sphere, ‘Mr.
Green reiterated that labor will seek
full representation at the peace con
ferences to insist on a just peace
which will be lasting. He concluded:
“These are vast undertakings. But
we can succeed if America joins with
other nations of good-will in the exe
cution of a clear-cut policy and pro
gram which will outlaw and abolish
war for all time. Thi^is the supreme
goal, the cause which transcends all
others in our minds. We must never
allow prejudice, hate or narrow isola
tionism to destroy our golden oppor
tunity of attaining it.
“Workers of America, on this fate
ful Labor Day, I appeal to you to
untie into an unconquerable army for
; the winning of the war and the win
1 ning of the peace.”
JOURNAL READERS PATRONIZE JOURNAL ADVERTISERS
THE MARCH OF LABOR
X
HE PERCENTAGE OF
WOMEN CLERICAL
WORKERS WHO ARE
MARRIED DOUBLED
BETWEEN 1920 AND
1930 ' FROM 9.1
TO lft.3 %.
THE NATIONAL MARITIME."
UNION A 1940 SI6NED
A CONTRACT WITH THE
STANDARD TRUIT CO. WHICH
WAS PRINTED IN i LANGUAGES
- ARA6IC, ENGLISH,SPANISH.
--//
Xv ON JUUT4-W, 1914 !
Ll&ERTY DOES NOT CONSIST
IN MERE DECLARATIONS OF
THE RIGHTS OF MAN. IT
CONSISTS IN THE TRANSLATION
OF THOSE DECLARATIONS,
INTO DEFINITE ACTIONS f
1
.. THE UNION LABEL STEAKS W
\ XUNION MAH'S lAN&MCE.ITIIU£
HIM THAT A TRODUCT HAS MADS BT
ANOTHER UNION MAN IKE HIMSE1E
MTEKESTED M rROMOTM61KOWft
or OR6ANHED LABOR.. STEAK. LIT
AND DEMAND TMS LABEL MHINTQN
BUT NATS/
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL
it Hm only paper published in the Piedmont
section of North Carolina representing the
A. F. of L. It is endorsed by the North Caro
lina Federation of Labor, Charlotte Central
Labor Union and various locals. THE
JOURNAL HAS A RECORD OF 13 YEARS
CONTINUOUS PUBLICATION AND SERV
, ICE IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT.