Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Jan. 27, 1944, edition 1 / Page 1
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Che Charlolle labor Journal lortad by tbo N. C. StaU Pailananna of Labor AND DIXIE FARM NEWS O/IMal •/ Cml bkr Uni*.; Stamtone for tha A. F. L. 13 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTIVE SERVICE TO NORTH CAROLINA READERS "*—• CHARLOTTE, N. C-, THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1944 iAA Aovcrtii OMMVI CONtlOCRATtON Of\ $2.00 Per Yew WAR IN WIN •A. F. OF L SLOGAN FOK For a WeaUj It. Rnaden Dlfnnt the LARGEST BUYING POWER in Charlntto afl survey shows great INCREASE IN CHILD LABOR “IS ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY” ten fold increase in employment of children INDICATES SHAMELESS EXPLOITATION UNDER GUISE OF MANPOWER SHORTAGE. WASHINGTON, D. C—Deploring the big increase in child labor allegedly made necessary by war demands, the American Federation of Labor charges most of the increase “^ entirely un necessary and can be eliminated.” Reporting on child labor in Labor’s Monthly Survey, the Federation finds that child labor hastacreased tenfold since 1940 and declares the increase “startl ing” and “astounding.” „ A chart in the survey snows an increase in employment o£ boys and girls 14-16 years old, of 130,000 in 1940 to 748,000 in 1942. But the sit uation has grown worse since 1942, the federation emphasizes, saying: “Rough preliminary figures for 1943 to date show an even more startling picture : There were 10 times as many children 14-15 at- work in Industry in the first half of 1943 as in the first half of 1940, and almost 4 times as many 16-17 year olds. The Federation continues. “Last summer, when farmers were filing for help to harvest crops and war plants were combing the country for workers, 5,000,000 boys and girls from 14 to 17 took jobs. When schoo opened this fall, many of these child workers stayed on the job, and others took part time work after school hours. were at work in October, 1943, about 1,000,000 on farms and the rest in various kinds of work, such as: Work in factories, stores, bowling alleys, res taurants, as delivery boys, soda jirkers, in doctors’ offices and clerical work. “In April, 1940, the Census showed only 872.000 childrasj 14 to 17 at work, and of these, only 416,000 were in industry; the rest were on farms. “We know that though much of this astounding increase in child la bor is due to the patriotic wish of boys and girls to serve their conn try, much also is due to exploitation. Most is entirely unnecessary and can be eliminated. „ “Whether they work full time or only after school hours, these boys and girls cannot put into their school work the time and energy needed. PAY SCALE FOR MUSTERED OUT MEN NOW SET —v— AUTO INDUSTRY SLOWED DOWN BY “SETBACKS” —V— WASHINGTON. Jan. 26.—Senate and House conferees drew up a com promise bill providing $100 to $30C mustering-out pay for servicemen and women yesterday with the top pay ment going to those who serve over seas or in Alaska. The measure, designed to win speedy passage in both houses, generally re tains the House-approved range oi payments and the Senate’s restrictions on service. Senator Johnson, Democrat of Colo rado, estimated the cost of the com promise proposal at $3,000,000,000, ot 1600,000,000 less than the House meas ure, and $2,600,000,000 less than the Senate version. DETROIT, Jan. 25.—As the result of the constantly changing strategy of the Allied high command and shift ing tides of battle, the automotive in dustry already has had nearly two billion dollars worth of contracts and subcontracts cancelled, it was esti mated today by the Automotive Coun cil for War Production. , In addition, scores of other con tracts have been cutback in recent months, as the armed forces have called for more of some weapons, less of others. Such setbacks on the home front, making deep inroads on worker morale, have called for real leadership in order to get newly-allocated orders into production as soon as possible. WRITE YOUR SONS AND BROTHERS WRITE TO MEMBERS OF YOUR UNION IN THE ARMED FORCES. GIVE THEM THE TRUTH ABOUT ORGANIZED LABOR’S ALL-OUT SUPPORT OF THE WAR EFFORT TO COUNTERACT THE FIENDISH LIES THAT ARE BEING SPREAD AMONG THE TROOPS. I Many Red Cross Workers Overseas..! Red CroM men and women ire with troops on fifty-three conti nental and insular halllefronts. and have gone into the theatres in many instances right along with the invasion forces, or else have followed soon afte". Above is Miss Barbara Sweet land. American Red Cross worker, taittint with a small native boy. ••somewhere in India.” American Red Cross for the Office si War Information. James P. Lawyer Appointed Regional Rep. Of Labor Section, War Finance Division Of Sixteen Southern States Upon the recommendation of President Green, Mr. James P. Lawyer has recently been appointed Regional Representative of th Labor Section, War Finance Division of the U. S. Treasury Department for the sixteen Southern States, with headquarters at 416 Hurt Building, Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Lawyer helped organize one of the first locals of the American Federation of Government Employees of which he is an active member. For more than a quarter of a century he has been active in the Councils of the American Federation of Labor and wonmmammammammwmaMu its activities, during which time he has continuously served the Federal Government in various capacities. Mr. Lawyer is very enthusiastic about the response he has been re ceiving in regard to the Fourth War Loan Drive, and hopes to call on as many local unions as possible. AFTER VICTORY By GEORGE ME ANY, * _ [. Sec.-Treasurer An. Fed. of Labor We cannot proceed on the theory that victory must of necessity be followed by an extended period of time during which many millions of our people will be unemployed. American labor does not subscribe to such a theory. The millions of returning soldiers and sailors will not accept such a condition as a reward for victory. Conversion of business from war to peace must mean jobs—jobs for all who are able and willing to work—jobs at fair and decent wages. American business has a great opportunity and a great responsibility in the problem of conversion to peace. If busi ness fails to carry out this responsibility and give gainful employment to the American people, we will face a grave situation. . To prevent such a condition, Americans who have the best interests of their country at heart must plan and work together. A national public agency on which agriculture, management and labor are represented should be established to deal with the entire conversion problem. Government red tape should be cut to a minimum in order that businessmen might know as soon' as possible where they stand on the many phases of this problem. Among other things, full consideration should be given by this agency to the possibilfly of expanded unemployment insurance in the transition period. Consideration should also be given to the idea of a nationwide 30-hour week. Despite Attacks On Mrs. Roosevelt Journal Writer Thinks She Is A Good, Wonderful Woman Editor Charlotte Labor Journal: Some of our writers, and especially those opposed to our President, and his administration always like to take a slap at, and to side-swipe, our First Lady—Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, es pecially her traveling over the world as she has been doing. I think she is a wonderful woman, and has been a blessing to all who have come her way. and whom she meets. Heard a boy on “We, the People," radio program tell that when she was aver there in the war zone, she sat by the side of one of Our Boys who had been badly wounded, and held his hand, just as his mother would have done and consoled him. He had want ed tc am a war reporter, and after be ing wounded he thought life had fin ished for him. She told him not to give up for her husband had made the grade, under many handicaps, phy sical and otherwise. She did a won derful job there, for she put new hope in the heart of that wounded lad. She | told him that when he was able to come to the White House, and she I would help him. God bless her, and j it is my' hope and prayers that Oui I President will live to serve another four years as our leader. I have not forgotten 1027. Some would try to make us believe that the help the starred, unemployed workers got was a plan previously mapped out by Mr. Hoover, but the workers will never swallo wthat stuff. The workers, in every line of en deavor should stand, and will stand, loyally by our President, who done more for the “common" has peo pie than any man ever to occupy the White House, and now is no time to swap horses, for some unknown “Nag,” when we are in the middle of the stream. It might cause us to lose more of our boys; and the Lord knows we are losing enough of them now. I believe the victory will come sooner with him at the head of our government and as Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces. Of course we will have hard times after this war is over. That always follows every war, but I believe he will help our boys to get jobs, so that they can live without the hardships that followed World War No. 1, and keep them off charity and the Apple Peddling Line where Hoover had them. Plans hre being made now by our President and his administration to take care of them. If another “politician" gets in, God knows what will happen to Our Boys Over There and the working man at home, for plans are already being craftily laid to put the strangle hold on labor be fore they even get back home. Just stoo to think of what our President had to do to get labor a seat at the table—the banks had to be closed and straightened out, then came the NRA, the Old Age Pension, the WPA, the CCC Corps, etc., etc., all to help the “Common” people survive, and you are still able to join any labor union or church you want to. So I say we have just cause to thank God for Franklin D. Roosevelt and his Rood wife. —BERTHA HELMS. PROFITEERS DO HAVE A DESIRE TO RENEGOTIATE —V— In 1943 our country had its most momentous year in industrial produc tion. Records were set in every field. Despite tear-inciting; tatUjgM the net incomes of the big; corporations for the first nine months rose by at least 12% over the corresponding; period of the previous year. Undersecretary of War Robert P. Patterson has com Elained that “excessively high prices” ave been written into many defense contracts and that those who “holler the loudest” are making as much as 50% net and “yet they lack because they have to renegotiate somewhat.” MAY OFFER BILL TO REQUIRE JOB BEFORE ARMY DISCHARGE* —V— PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Speaking at Elkins Park, Pa., Senator James J. Davis of Pennsylvania said he may introduce a bill making it mandatory for service men to remain in the armed forces until they obtain pri vate employment. PRODUCE FOR VICTORY “DAMN THESE LABOR UNIONS;” TOO MANX PRODUCTION RECORDS ARE NOW BEING BROKEN Day after day we are treated to a barrage of anti-union stories in the newspapers and on the radio. Each strike, no matter how inconsequential, is heralded on Page One of the metropolitan press. Despite the fact that in terms of production, work stop pages amount to about one-tenth of one per cent—that is, Labor in America is hitting the ball at a rate of 99.99 per cent of per fection-only the bad side of the record is portrayed. i/ertainiy mere should be no strikes, even though management in all too many instances is taking advantage of labor’s no-strike pledge. Labor is striving and will continue to strive for absolute perfection in production. All of which leads up to this {mint: Recently the National Association of Manufacturers compiled a list of production records made since Pearl Harbor. The record shows that the United States production of the weapons of war—tanks, 'guns, ships, ammunition and other materials—is currently running at a rate of six and one-half times the pre-Pearl Har bor figure. Mr. Crawford, president of NAM, says the “one vital element that has made this increase production pos sible" is American management. We could argue with Mr. Crawford on that point without detracting one iota from management’s contribution. The record is due to labor-manage ment cooperation and nothing else. On that basis, management is en titled to the plaudits of the nation. But, hell’s bells, isn’t it time that somebody agreed that to make such production records, labor must have been on the Job? There is credit for all in the fig ures. It shows what labor and man agement, working together, can do. And here are the figures as released by NAM: Aircraft—October, 1943, production totaled 8,362 military planes, or an annual rate of 100,000. Actual 1943 production will approximate 85,000 planes, which, added to 1942 produc tion of 49,000, brings U. S. plane pro duction since Pearl Harbor to 134,000. In 1939, airship production amounted to 2,600. Merchant ‘ Ships—Estimated 1943 production of 19,000,000 deadweight tons is five times greater than the 1939 gigure and compares with 1, 374, 496 deadweight tons delivered in 1917 and 1918, at the peak of World VThr 1. Naval Construction — The United States fleet, now the mightiest in the world, had 26,326 vessels at its dis posal in 1943, a 12-fold rise in two years. By July 1, next, the U. S. Navy will have 41,179 vessels, or 20 times the July 1, 1941, total of 2,136. Machine Tools—Production hit peak of $1,317,000,000 in 1942 and eased off to an estimated $1,130,000,000 for 1943. These totals compare with $150,000,000 annual average produc tion in 1935-1939. Steel—-Production in 1943 esti mated at 90,000,000 tons, contrasted with.63,000,000 tons in 1939. Aluminum—1943 producion will be 1,841,000,000 pounds, against 327,000, 000 pounds in 1939. Total 1943 sup ply—primary production, imports and scrap—will aggregate * 2,846,000,000 pounds, compared with the 1939 total of 444,000,000 pounds. Magnesium—Production this year will total 336,000,000, and estimates place the 1944 production at 500,000, 000 pounds, against 6,700,000 pounds in 1939. Copper—1943 output of 3,078,000 short tons will be almost double the 1939 supply. Synthetic—Synthetic production for 1943 will amount to 276,000 tons, in 1942. Petroleum Products—Figures on production of supertest aviation gaso line are still a military secret, but the one-time goal of 105,000 barrels a day has sing since been passed. This comparts with output of 40,000 bar rels daily when this country entered the war.—Steel Labor. AND IT NEVER WILL “Labor has never failed the Army or the Nation. May God bless you all for your splendid patriotism.” Gen. Douglas MacArthur April, 1942 LET US CONTINUE TO MERIT SUCH PRAISE DURING 1944 GOVERNOR REQUESTS MAYORS' COOPERATION IN FAT SALVAGE ' Pictured above is Governor J. M. Broughton as he signed letters to North Carolina Mayors requesting their cooperation in increasing used lats collection. With him are Mrs. Jane McKimmon, Assistant Director of Agriculture Extension, N. C. State College. James B. Vogler, State Director of General Salvage Division, War Production Board, and N. E. Edgerton. Chairman of State Salvage Committee. In appealing to the Mayors, Governor Broughton said that the con* > sumption of fats in producing munitions, military medicines and a wide variety of war materials, had so increased as to make intensified collec tion of used fats a requisite to continued high-rate production. Mrs. McKimmon, widely known over the State for her activities in home economics, said “North Carolina housewives should realize that even one tablespoonful of used fat saved every day amounts to a pound in a month, and a pound of tats not saved will deprive a soldier on a battlefield of 150 machine gun bullets From my long experience I know that tats—after they have done full duty in the kitchen—are available. Now that two meat points are being given to housewives for every pound saved, in addition to four cents, I hope that North Carolina housewives will re-inubia their efforts to save fata to produce strategic war materials," ' —J / A
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 27, 1944, edition 1
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