& Che Charlotte labor Journal
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VOL. XIII—NO. 51
0/ Labor
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AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
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for ebo A. F. L.
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READ.
CHARLOTTE, N. C* THURSDAY, MAY II, 1944
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WIN THE WAR
Free Labor Will Out-Produce Nazi Slaves
TOGAN FOR 1944
Vita
QH1.Y REALLY INDEPENDENT WEEKLY In Mecklenburg Connty KSSISi^S*0^!!!!? For * Weekfr Ita Readora Represent the“LARGEST l *>WER in Charlotte
NORTH CAROLINA DRAGS BEHIND
IN CANCER CLINICS, THE ONLY
ONE BEING AT GREENSBORO
MOUNT AI]$Y, May 3.—Among the 11 cancer hospitals and
350 cancer clinics in the United States which have been approved
by the AmerieanJCbllege of Surgeons, Virginia has 43, Georgia
10, and North Carolina only one. The lone approved cancer clinic
in this state is the tumor clinic is Greensboro, which is operated
under the supervision of the Guilford County Medical Society, of
which Dr. H. H. Ogburn, of Greensboro, is nresident.
Two new clinics "have been opened
this spring in Winston-Salem and
Morganton, and it is expected that
both will be able to qualify for the
approval of the American College of
Somoni.
North Carolina had 2,317 deaths
from cancer in 1943, the greatest num
ber on record, and the medical pro
fession estimates that around 1,500
of these could have been prevented
by early diagnosis and early treat
ment by competent physicians. Dr.
James Murphy, native of Morganton
and head of cancer research for the
Rockefeller Institute in New York,
estimates that this state has not less
than between 6,000 and 8,000 living
cancer patients.
The North Carolina Division of the
Women’s Field Army of the American
Society for the Control of Cancer,
of which Mrs. George E. Marshall, of
Mout Airy, is commander, cites these
facts in support of its claim that this
state should have not less than 16 ap
proved cancer clinics. It points out
that the key to cancer control is early
diagnosis and early treatment.
“PASS THE BISCUITS” DANIEL
ACCUSED OF PAYROLL PADDING
FOR HIS “HILLBILLY” BAND
AUSTIN, Texas.—Senator “Pappy” O’Daniel, who never loses
an opportunity to libel organized labor, has considerable explain
ing to do as a result of disclosures before the Legislative Audit
Committee In its investigation of the State Labor Department.
oiaie Auouor u. n. uavcness re
ported that in 1942 two men in 0’
Daniel’s "Hillbilly” Band were car
ried on the department’s payroll as
boiler inspectors, but never did a lick
of work for the state.
The exposure has aroused a great
deal of reeling, not because of the
amount of money involved, but be
cause of the cheapness of the "graft.”
Neglecting his duties at Washing
ton, “Pappy" is now in Texas, going
around the state denotmcing the
Roosevelt administration/and advo
cating his proposal that no Federal of
ficial should hold office for more
than six years.
DEATH SENTENCE FOR TEXAS
This would retire practically the
entire Lone Star delegation in the
House and send Senator Tom Con
nally “to the showers” at the end
of the present term. That wouldn’t
oe mucn oi a loss, because Tom
has endeavored to “out-demagog
ue” “Pappy” on labor issues.
O’Daniel is moving around the
state, apparently testing public
sentiment, but hasn't made any at
i tacks on individual members of the
Texas delegation.
Meanwhile, his opponents are busy
looking into “Pappy’s” record and
the revelations before the legislative
committee are the opening gun in this
counter-attack. \ /
The next step will be to inquire
into “Pappy’s” financial transac
tions. WHERE DOES HE GET THE
MONEY TO FINANCE HIS CRU
SADES?
If the legislature does not go into
this question, there is a strong like
lihood that a congressional committee
may do so .
THE MARCH OF LABOR
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*A MEMBER OF A
minority group has one
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setting Placed ;n skilled or
SEMI-SKILLED OCCUPATIONS ASA
MEMBER OF A MAJORITY&9O0?.¥
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16 STATES fO«B»0 C*U.OK&i
UMPCfZ 16 TO WORK AFTER 6 *><•
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AS EARLY Aft 1665 Resolutions
WE6E MTKdDuCCO iM BOTH HOUSES
of compress c* -weoOBsTicWaft
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A union He At) DESERVES A UNION HAT !
LOOK FOR THIS UNION LAREl UNDER THE
SWEAT6AND OF YOUR NEXT HAT - IT TgltS
TOU THA *'• MArTiS UNION-MAPS •
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NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL
if the only weekly 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.
ORGANIZED LABOR MAKES RECORD
IN OUR FOUR WAR LOAN DRIVES;
SECRETARY CONGRATULATES GREEN
WASHINGTON, May 9.—In the regular purchase of War
Bonds through the Payroll Savings Plan, and in the purchase of
War Bonds during War Loan drives, organized labor has been
tremendously helpful. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgen
than, Jr., has advised William Green, president of the American
Federation of Labor.
“IN THE LAST DRIVE WE SET PLANT QUOTAS FOR
MANY THOUSANDS OF INDUSTRIAL PLANTS, AND IT IS
A MATTER OF RECORD THAT THE BEST RECORDS WERE
SET BY THOSE PLANTS WHERE ORGANIZED LABOR AND
THE MANAGEMENT COOPERATED MOST CLOSELY,” MR.
MORGENTHAU STATED. “THE GREAT MAJORITY OF
PLANTS HAVING CONTRACTS WITH LABOR UNIONS, MET
OR EXCEEDED THEIR QUOTAS. THIS IS A RECORD OF
WHICH EVERY UNION MEMBER MAY WELL BE PROUD.”
In his message to M*. Green, Secretary Morgenthau further
declared:
“I feel sore that you will be interested in the chart showing the aggre
gate sale of Series E War Bonds in each of the four “War Loan Drives con
ducted by the Treasury Department since November 1942. This chart shows
both the dollar volume of E Bond sales and the number of individual E Bonds
issued by the Treasury during the drives. There is also a table breaking
down these total sales into the various denominations.
“I am sending you this information because it shows clearly the stead
ily increasing support of the individual American citisen to the Treasury's
program of financing as much as possible of the cost of the war out of cur
rent earnings of the American people. When we adopted a goal of three
billion dollars of E Bonds for the Fourth War Loan Drive, many experts
told us that ft was impossible. We are therefore very proud of the fact that
our sale of E Bonds during the drive actually brought $3,187,900,099 into
the Treasury. In view of the fact that the total agregate payroll of the
nation amounts to approximately nine billion dollars a month, this sales
record is truly remarkable.”
Secretary Morgenthau told Mr. Green that organised labor will be looked
to for continuing assistance in putting over the Fifth War Loan which be
gins June 12 and runs to July 8.
“I want to thank you and the members of the American Federation of
Labor for your cooperation and urge you to continue at and intensify it dur
ing the crucial months which are ahead of us,” Secretary Morgenthau con
cluded.
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A VETERAN PRINTER RECALLS
TIME WHEN A. F. OF L. HELPED
L T. U. ESTABLISH 8-HOUR DAY
WASHINGTON, D. C.—The members of the International
Typographical Union, away back in 1906, voted that on
May 1 of that year they would work no longer than 8 hour a day.
It was revolutionary at that time, it resulted in a nation-wide
strike which cost the ITU more than $4,000,000 but it did estab
lish the 8-hour workday not only for printers but for all working .
people.
Workers in these days little rea
lize what the action of the printers
meant, to them and to others. To
the members of the ITU it meant a
10 per cent assessment on their
wages for many months, in order to
pay strike benefits to members not
working. To others it meant that
the fight of the printers brought the
3-hour day to alt workers instead of
the then customary 10 and 9 hour
days—60 and 52 hours a week.
CRISIS CONFRONTED UNION
The Typographical Union was
faced immediately with the problem
of paying stirke benefits to its mem
Series E War Bond Sales In the Four War Loans
_ Totol Amount
of Solo* in Dollars*
Totol Number*
of Bonds Sold
TAKE TIME BY THE FORELOCK
START TO REGISTERING NOW
YOU CAN GRIPE ALL YOU WANT TO ABOUT
CONGRESSIONAL REACTIONARIES WHO FIGHT THE
ADMINISTRATION’S WIN-THE-WAR PROGRAM, BUT
YOU CANT DO A THING ABOUT THE SITUATION UN
LESS YOU POSSESS THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE MOST
IMPORTANT ELECTION THIS NATION HAS FACED IN
A DECADE LOOMS ON THE 1944 HORIZON. ARE YOU
ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN IT?
START TO REGISTERING THE WORKERS NOW.
SENATE GROUP URGES $50 PAY
STANDARD FOR TWENTY MILLIONS
OF “WHITE COLLAR” WORKERS
•DEMANDS SCRAPPING OF “LITTLE STEEL” FORMULA
FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN HIT
BY INFLATION.
WASHINGTON, D. C.—A special Senate Investigating Com
mittee urgently recommended that the “Little Steel” formula be
scrapped with regard to twenty willion white collar and low-in
come workers who have been overtaken by inflation and are suffer
mg serious privation:
Declaring that the “plight of these
twenty million Americans is the weak
est link” in the nation’s economic
chain, the Committee added:
“Without prompt measures to pro
vide them a way out of their predica
ment the war effort will be awakened
and the future of our nation placed in
jeopardy.”
Fully sustaining the contentions of
the representatives of AFL white col
lar and government workers unions
who testified at its public hearings
several month ago, the Wartime
Health and Education Subcommittee
of the Senate Labor Committee sub
mitted as its chief recommendation:
“That the National War Labor
Board cease applying the Little Steel
wage formula to substandard wages
and that a sound, simple and expediti
ous procedure for raising such wages
and salaries be developed.”
The procedure recommended by the
Senate Committee follows:
1— That employers be premitted to
raise wages to $200 monthly for fam
ily heads and $150 for unmarried per
sons without application of any kind
to the War Labor Board.
2— That State, county and munici
pal governments increase salaries of
low-paid workers, especially salaries
of teachers.
3— If local governments fail to t
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make salary adjustments to meet high
er living costs, the Federal Govern
ment should provide relief through
higher income tax exemptions for
such workers.
4—That Social Security and public
assistance benefits be increased and
extended in scope, "in accordance with
the recommendations made by the
Social Security Board."
6^—That the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics be piven funds to prepare a
"cost-of-living index which will ac
curately reflect changing living stand
ards.”
One of the most significant findings
of the Senate Committee was that at
present price levels an income of even
$50 a week provides a “very narrow
margin of living.”
Nevertheless, the committee's in
vestigation disclosed that many mil
lion American families received an
income far below this subsistence
standard. Its report said that 4,500,
000 white collar workers last year
averaged $28.69 a week; 3,600,000 re
tail trade workers averaged $23.88 a
week; 1,000,000 financial employes,
$38.84; 2,000,000 non-school local
government employes, $$28.85. School
teachesr averaged $$32 a week, but
the report said at least 5 per cent of
the nation’s teachers are paid less
han $600 a year.
bers on strike, with a war chest
practically non-existent. The assess
ment voted by its members could
not be spent until it was collected.
John B. Dickman, a member of
Columbia Typographical Union, 3
times president—in 1889, 1914, and
1937—who all his life has been
closely connected with union affairs,
recalls how the dilemma was over
come.
“Like all strikes,” said Mr. Dick
man, “it was the general opinion
that the fight would be of short
duration, but it soon became evident
that employers preferred the longer
workday to the extent of being will
ing to spend thousands of dollars to
keep it.
“Before strike assessments could
be collected and sent to ITU head
quarters in Indianapolis the bottom
of our resources iyas reached and it
became absolutely necessary to con
tinue payment of strike benefits if
we were to win the strike.
AFL ACTION SAVED DAY
“Our ITU officers came here for
consultation with officials of the
American Federation of Labor, and
the AFL handed them $50,000 out
of hand to continue the fight, with
a promise of more if needed. Before
this money was exhausted, however,
dues from local unions reached
headquarters and the strike was
won and the 8-hour day established.
“In those days,” continues Mr.
Dickman, “$50,000 was a lot of
money, and had it not been for the
immediate ‘with no strings attach
ed’ action of the AFL the 8-hour day
strike of the printers would have been
lost and the long workweek continued
not only in the printing industry but
all industry.”
The editor of The Journal, along
with other members of the I. T. U.,
still in Charlotte, hold cards today
that ranged in the period spoken of
above, by which, dues were paid as
high as $30 per month, and, with rais
ing a family, schooling, etc., the going
was hard but the boyB plugged on,
and helped pass on to their fellow
workers by their sacrifice and suffer
ing, a better life. It was worth the
nearly five million dollars that a little
more than 60,000 printers spent, to
secure it.—Ed.]
WILL ASSIST
SERVICEMEN’S
WIVES IN N. C.
# —V—
Almost 9500 servicemen’s wives liv
ing in North Carolina have had, or
shortly will have, free maternity and
childbirth care for themselves and
their new born babies under the pro
gram being carried on jointly by the
State Board of Health and the Chil
dren’s Bureau of the U. S. Depart
ment of Labor, an announcement by
the Bureau’s regional offices in At
lanta said today.
Maternity care for 115f7 service
men’s wives was authorized during
March—a new high monthly record
—bringing the total authorizations to
9493 since the joint program was
inaugurated in North Carolina April
8, 1943.
Officially known as the Emergency
Maternity and Infant Care Program,
but commonly known as EMIC, it
offers, with the minimum of red tape
involved for the applicant, free medi
cal, hospital and nursing care for
servicemen’s wives during pregnancy,
childbirth and six weeks after and
also care for the infant during die
first year. Legal residence is not, a
factor in the plan and no questions
are asked concerning financial status,
for ho charity is involved.
e—
AMERICAN HEROES
' BY LEFF
A B-25 was taking off Minirttlirir in North Africa. It crashed
and bunt into flames. Private Eugene A. Ganter rushed forward
with three other soldien to aid the crew. The beat was overwhelming
but Ganter and his companions, drenched from the hoses of rescue
apparatus, rescued three crew members from the biasing ship. Then
Ganter returned to remove loaded 50 caliber machine guns. He won
•he Soldier's Medal. Such are the men vour War Bonds fichl besiile
U. S. T rtasury Dtpntmtml