([he Charlotte labor Journal Kndorood by the N. C. State Federation of Labor AMD DIXIE FARM NEWS Offioiai Organ of Control Labor Union; Standing for tka A. F. L. 13 YEARS v CONSTRUCTIVE SERVICE TO NORTH CAROLINA READERS VOL. VIII—No. 45 YOU* A*V«tTI»ma«T IN TNI MIMU CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1944 $2.00 Por Tw WIN THE Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves The ONLY REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY in Mecklenburg County rmnrm and coamn «For a Weekly Its .....—- ---- • . MICKLKNBUKG COUIfTT W TO ENTIRETl A. F. OF L.* FOR 1944 t the L ARGEST BUYING ^ -lotto ARMY CALLED UPON BY LABOR TO CORRECT LYING PROPAGANDA WHICH IS BEING FED OUR TROOPS WASHINGTON, D. C.—Organized labor called upon the War Department to take “positive steps” to inform the men in the armed forces of the truth regarding labor’s war record. A dele gation from the AFL and CIO held a conference with Under secretary of War Robert P. Patterson in an effort to prevail upon the armed forces to take the initiative in this matter. APL Secretary - Treasurer George Meany presented the gist of the case when he asked Hr. Patterson these questions: r 1. Are the members of the armed forces now misinformed as to labor’s participation in the war effort? 2. If they are so misinformed, doesn't the War Department have a direct responsibility to tell the ser vicemen the truth? Secretary Patterson insisted that the service publications do not dis tort labor news. He submitted evi dence that these publications print stories about labor’s production achievements along with news of strikes. He indicated he felt that stories about servicemen’s resentment against labor have been exaggerated and do not represent the views of the average man in uniform. While Secretary Patterson did not agree that it is up to the War Depart ment to correct any misapprehens siotis regarding labor the troops may be suffering from, he indicated will ingness to consider any specific sug gestions organised labor cares to sub mit. Among the suggestions pending are ways and means of bringing labor publications such^uas the American Federationist to the attention of the troops to counteract hostile labor stories printed in non-official publi cations which are available in mili tary camps. The hitch, at present, is that the armed forces distribute to camp libraries only such publications as are requested by the servicemen. Support for labor’s point of view on this issue came unexpectedly from the Washington Post which declared edi torially that “there seems merit’’ in labor’s plea that the War Department give the troops a “more positive pic ture of labor’s accomplishments.” "Undoubtedly, press reports have tended to dramatize, and perhaps overplay, the occasional stoppages that have occurred in war produc tion,” the editorial said. “It is pre cisely because these are extraordinary that they are newsworthy. It is a good deal more difficult to make good copy out of the day-to-day story’ of devoted effort in the mines and mills. Yet the record attests that, in the main, this devotion has been very high. There is simply no other basis on which the miracle of American pro duction can be explained. “Certainly the morale of men in the field will be heightened rather than hurt by a knowledge that they are being faithfully backed up at home.” A. F. OF L. GIVES PLEDGE TO BUILD BRIDGE OF LANDING CRAFT WASHINGTON, D. C.—Leading spokesmen of labor and management gave a resounding pledge to build a “bridge of landing craft” for the Nary to spearhead the United Nations’ drive to victory. Commemorating the second anniversary of the Amphibious Forces, a group of 18 labor and management representatives of the landing craft in* duntry visited various east coast training bases and were “shipmates’* of the Navy aboard an LCI-L (Landing Craft Infantry, Large) on maneuvers in the Chesapeake Bay. They returned to their plants and union organisations impressed wit the vast job that lies ahead in providing the thousands of various typos of landing craft, their component and battle replacement parts, for the big landing craft, __ Lt. Comdr. SL°M*Cox, executive officer at the Camp Bradford, Va, phibious Training Base, told the group, grimly: “You build the ships and we will train the crews. We need these ships and we need them badly.’* He received a prompt, enthusiastic response. Frank Fenton, Director of Organisation, American Federation of Labor, “We will build a bridge of landing craft which our brave soldiers and sailers will crons to victory. It is the policy of the AFL to push landing craft production to the limit, with no strikes. Our pledge to the Navy is given.” Other AFL representatives who participated in the inspection trip in cluded Lewis G. Hines, legislative representative of the AFL, and Eric Pet erson, general vice president. International Association of Mechinists. EXPOSE BY EX-PARTY OFFICIAL LINKS C.LO. LEADERS WITH COMMUNIST ORGANIZATIONS NEW YOR KCITY.—A former Negro Communist leader, who studied party doctrine at the Lenin School in Moscow and later held high office in the Community pul, revealed that M. J. Quill, head of the Transport Workers* Union (CIO) was an active Com munist and that he and other leaders of the CIO attended secret policy-making meetings of the Communist inner councils. Hie now disillusioned Communist who made the charges was Timothy Holmes, former member of the Communist state committee and the Com munist Polburo, and formerly a teacher of party doctrine at the Workers School here. His accusations were attested to in an affidavit made public by “The New York World-Telegram.” He said that Mr. Quill and other CIO loaders reported regularly on con fidential union matters to the Communist leadership and too kprders from that leadership in the execution of union afairs, eves to such questions as the calling of strikes. The internal probienm of the unions, the recruiting with in the unions of Communist members, and the dealing with anti-Communist elements in the unions, all were discussed With the Communist leadership, according to Mr. Holmes. He said that Abram Flaxer, president of the State, County and Munici pal Workers of America, CIO, was another who attended the secret Com munist party metings. Although Joseph Curran, president of the National Maritime Union, did not attend party meetings, acording to Mr. Holmes, he was regarded as a “dyed-in-the-wool Communist who could always be trusted to go along with party policy.” Two of Mr. Curran's aides, did, however, report to the Polburo, he asserted. He described meetings of the party which he attended in the presence of Ferdinand Smith, N. M. U. secretary, and Frederick N. Myers, vice-president of the N. M. U. FIRST LABOR DAILf PAPER TO BE LAUNCHED THIS MONTH IN SAN DIEGO, CAL. THE DAILY JOURNAL STARTS WITH 40,000 DAILY CIR CULATION GUARANTEED—OTHERS WILL FOLLOW THROUGHOUT COUNTRY. SAN DIEGO, CAL.—Hungry for honest news, all sections of organized labor here—AFL and CIO—are supporting a new paper, The Daily Journal, scheduled to start publication this month as the only progressive, Win-the-War, pro-Roosevelt Administration [ Daily in this humming war area. The AFL Federated Trades and Tabor Council has appointed Arthur Manning full-time chief of Organized Labor’s end of the Journal's subscription drive. He reported recently to the Coun cil that he'd been promised 100% support from every local union official contacted. The Journal is Organized Labor’s baby, but it will have been god fathered by liberal civic and religious groups and by pro Administration forces which are growing stronger as San Diego becomes more and more a center of war production. Editor and publisher of the new paper is Clinton D. McKin non who, although still in his early 3e present and address the meeting include Hon. Cameron Morrison and Dr. Ralph McDonald, both being honorary members of the State Federation of Labor; George L. Googe, southern representative of the A. F. of L.; C. A. Fink, president of the N. C. State Federation of Labor; James F. Barrett, southern publicity director, A. F. of L., and others prominent in the A. F. of L. labor movement. Representatives will be present from Asheville, Winston-Salem, Grensboro, High Point, Salisbury, Gas tonia and other points. The main purpose of the meeting is to give impetus to an organization drive which the A, F. of L. will put on in this territory. All routine business will be dispensed with at this meeting, and it is open to all A. F. of L. mem bers. A barbecue supper, and “fish a plenty,” will be served at 6:30 p.m., prior to the meeting at 7:30. President Scoggins, and Brothers Lon Conder and Jack Moore, along with others of the Central Body have put in much time on this affair and the meeting prom ises to be one that will mark the beginning of a new era for the A. F. of L. in this territory. It will be non political in nature. 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. cated columns by Drew Pearson, Samuel Grafton, iimmie Fidter, Dorothy Thompson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Dorothy Dix._ Wash ington coverage will be furnished by the Chicago Sun news bureau. 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 Nation Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All!** THE MARCH OF LABOR * • FIRST LA*/FOR COMC»Li4TiON of labor DISPUTES -WAS 1W£ /^AMLAHV LAW Of 167ft. ./A iue A.F.