Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / July 26, 1945, edition 1 / Page 1
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Ctie Charlotte labor Journal Endorotd by tko N. C. State AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Official Organ of Control Labor Union; Standing ■■■■■■■■ VOL. XV. No. 10 "" T“CHARLOTTE N. C, THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1945 > ~ 12.00-R* Yw i With BONDS Via OWLY REALLY INDPTENDKNT WEEKLY h Mtkhkbfi Oiwty «"■> «» p”™*” Por » WmUt IU Rmtan Itaprwt Um L ARGBST BUYING POWKE h Cl THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL ADVOCATES LOYALTY TO THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR; A' " * A PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROSPERITY. AND COOPERATION OF ALL WORKERS ALONG EVERY LINE.W"12 8 B j DR. GEORGE D. HEATON, PASTOR OF MYERS PARK BAPTIST CHURCH WOULD S]—PLE LAUNDRY STRIKE [The Charlotte News last Thursday carried an article, of which the following is a part, as to a solution of the Laundry strike in Char *Dr.1George D. Heaton, pastor of the Myers Park Baptist Church and widely-experienced labor relations consultant, today proposed a compromise settlement for the wage question in the present laundry strike and to restore “harmonious relationships in % _14J. » i ... -— — .... — * »■ ■ 1 - —— MV iuniniumi;* Dr. Heaton’s basic proposal which he admitted weald seed “refinement and improvement*, calls far a twenty percent in crease In wages, the increase to be borne by a relatively propor tionate increase In the price of laaadry service. It asked the City. Council, acting in the name of the dtiaens of Charlotte, to support a new petition fromthe laundry owners to tne Office of Price Administration asking for an increase in prices, the exact amount to be de termined by an impartial certified public accountant appointed by the Mayor. * “With my experience as arbitrator, conciliator and adviser in matters of human relationships in industry, it seems to me that we have reached an impasse in this laundry strike and that no opportunities for its solution are arising,” Dr. Heaton said. “Having made a private investiga tion which involved an examination of workers’ pay envelopes and private conversations with laundry workers and operators, and having conferred ‘ with Negro ministers who are ex tremely aesirious of finding a solu tion to the problem, I felt some solu tion should be suggested which with refinement and improvements might become an effective compromise to restore harmonious relationships in the community,” he added. The article then goes on with a list of conclusions that “the public ought to see, and sets forth measures for solution. And Friday’s paper carries an ar ticle by a spokesman giving OPA’s view of “Laundry Price Rule,” which follows: The Charlotte District OPA Office spokesmen said Friday there should be no conflict of interest in toe laun dry situation, for the OPA wanted “desperately” to keep the laundries in business and to keep them operat ing a't a “reasonable profit.” Their essentiality is unquestioned, it was said. The OPA spokesmen, who preferred to remain unidentified, made the statement in response to a request by The News for comment upon the proposal advanced by Dr. George D. Heaton, pastor of Myers Park Baptist Church, yesterday. This was, in sub stance, that the OPA allow the laun dries to increase their ceiling prices sufficiently to permit pay increases of approximately 20 per cent to their employees. The OPA spokesmen said they had reecived no requests from the laun dries and added that the only two re ceived from the Charlotte area in something like the last year and a half had been granted. It was explained that there was nothing to prevent the laundries from paying up to the maximum wage al lowed by the War Labor Board. If a laundry is paying this maximum and then requests an increase in its ceil ing prices it was pointed out, an in crease is allowed if it is shown to the OPA that it is needed in order to permit the laundry what the OPA re gards as a reasonable profit. Our instructions are mandatory on that point,” the OPA said. It also was pointed out that the laundries, under the OPA regulations, cannot be treated as a group because of variance in the operating and other overhead costs. Each must be dealt with individually, it was said. The OPA said no recommendation from any outside agency or individual was necessary to get aetion. First, the laundry must make request; then, if the OPA is convinced that a ceiling rise is warranted, it is granted, it was explained. And that, the OPA men indicated, is about all there is to Jt.___ L T. U. DENIES “BLANK CHECK” IS BEING HANDED PUBLISHERS; ORGANIZATION NOT REVOLUTIOARY CHICAGO.—The ArL International lypograpmcai union, a newspaper representative says, wants publishers to grant a “blank cheek in the recognition of the union laws,” but an ITU official as serts the charge Is a “misrepresentation,” and “an attempt is be ing made by smear procedure to show that these (union) laws are bad laws.” I — The statements were made last the War ir Com _ ch new ITU laws should be included in con tracts with daily newspapers. The case, involving a dispute on a pro posed contract between the ITU and the San Antonio, Tex., papers, the Express and the Light, was taken un der advisement. Harvey Kelly, general counsel on la bor for the Hearst newspapers, told the commission that “the union laws isssue is one raised by revolutionary legislation by the ITU in 1944. . . The legislation of 1944 seems to have de veloped a dictator complex under which the ITU wants publishers to grant a blank check in the recogni tion of union laws. It would be a complete reversal of long practice. We mignt as well quit collective bargain ing because it wouldn’t exist. . . . Woodruff Randolph, ITU president, asserted that the ITU “is not a revo lutionary body and never was.” “The only possible objections to the 1946 ITU laws,” he continued, ‘was that the publishers didn’t want to pay time and one-half 'for the sixth day, above <40 hours, and that we had gone too far in abolishing arbitration obli gations of local unions.” He asserted that more than 200 pub . lishers had agreed since last Jan. 1 to inclusion of the 1946 ITU laws in contracts. The laws at issue are those governing union shop working condi tions. They are involved in the cur rent work stoppages by ITU em ployees on paper in Jersey City and Bayonne, N. J., Birmingham, Ala., and Fort Wayne, uid. Publishers have maintained the 1946 union laws include controversial ques tions such as overtime vacations and other benefits usually subject to bar gaining. < “There is nothing about the 1945 laws that shouldn’t be accepted,” Ran dolph said. “Union laws are the basis for union operation; without them there is no union shop. We can not agree to the publishers’ position, we will never agree to it, There isn’t any force that can tell a union man he has to work except under the laws that are those of his own union. . . The commission’s decision, said Dr. Frederick Deibler, vice chairman who presided, would be appealable to the National War Labor Board. At the end of the hearing Kelly said that for the record he wanted to state that “the publishers will accept the final award” of the $JWLB. -V Twenty-three thousand religious people crowded the Chicago Stadium at a meeting lately, when divorces among public official families were condemned. Included in the condem nation were the former plowing under of cotton and wheat and the destruc tion of supposedly surplus pigs and the tightening of atheists and com munists in government circles. “FIGHT - WORK - SAVE” OUT OF EVERY PAY ENVELOPE BUY WAR BONDS THE A. F. OF L. STANDS WITH AND FOR THE FLAG TYPOGRAPHICAL AUXILIARY CELEBRATES 16TH BIRTHDAY The Women’s Auxiliary No. 107 to the Charlotte Typographical Union held a dinner at Kuesters Restaurant, in celebration of the organization’s 16th birthday. The party was well attended, and Mr. John P. White, City Councilm-** talked on the wonderful progress accomplishments these fine 'Women have attained in the past 16 years. Mr. E. A. Witter, recently back from the Pacific spoke on the life of a soldier in New Guinea. Those present were as follows: Mrs. Hugh M. Sykes, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Kumpie, Mrs. W. M. Witter, Mr. E. A. Witter and son, Jimmy, Mrs. Harry Boate, Mrs. David Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. John P. .White, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Bearn, Mr. and Mrs. Welsh Bostic, Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Cleaver, Mr. and Mrs. Byron Luna, Mrs. Ed Frank, Mrs. Annie Granger, Mrs. Andy Herron, Mrs. Cash well, Mrs.-’h>bert White. The table was dee a ted with a large birthday cake, with 16 candles, ana each person present was given a piece to take home. Everybody had a good time, and are looking forward to another get-together real soon. LIEUT. COVINGTON KILLED IN ACTION Second Lieut. Rufford P. Coving ton, Night Fighter Pilot of the Ma rine Air Corps was killed in aetion over Okinawa. His family was noti fied on June 27 of his death, and his courageous sacrifice to the Country he held so dearly. This article was sent to the Journal by Mrs. Bertha Helms who knew Pat for many years and loved him, as did all of his . friends. Pat was such a swell boy. So jolly and smiling. When we first knew him he was just a school boy delivering groceries for Mr. R. P. Covington, his father. We did not know at that time that he was the son of Mr. Cov ington, as he was always kidding and smiling with everyone he worked. Everyone who was lucky enough to know that boy, liked him. When the war came, though very young, Pat enlisted in the Air Corps, and after his training left for the Philippines. From time to time we heard from him through his father when we went to the store. Then, the other day we heard that Pat was miss ing in action, and we had hoped he was taken prisoner and would see him again someday when the war was over, but no such luck. His pal wrote Mr. Covington, giving the details of his death. We know that many of our friends like Pat wont be coming back, but his going makes more clearly his fine friendly face, and having the respect for his father and for Pat, we bow our heads, reach out our hands to Pat’s loved ones, and say we understand your sorrow. Our hearts and prayers go out to you at this time, and know that God, m Mercy and goodness will see you through this, and someday you will meet him again on Heaven’s Gold en Shore,' where we will meet to part no more. So we will not say goodbye, Pat, but just so long ’til we see you up there. j Bertha Helms. ---- • SEC. OF LABOR SCHWELLENBACfi ASKS FOR POWERSTHAT WILL GIVE HIM “REAL AUTHORITY” WASHINGTON.—Lewis B. Schwellenbach appears to be charting a course which, with Congressional sanction, would make him the most powerful Secretary of Labor since the Department was created in 1913. The new Cabinet officer told a news conference last week that 30 leaders of organized labor had advised him his Department should have control over all Federal labor agencies except the long-standing National Mediation Board which handles rail labor dis putes. And Schwellenbach strongly indi cated he agreed with them. He said, however, he had not made up his mind which agencies should be united with his Department but that he would begin conferences with agency heads tomorrow and later sound out Con gressional sentiment. Schwellenbach also made plain that if he did gain control of the quais judicial War Labor Board and Na tional Labor Relations Board, which deal with wartime labor disputes and unfair labor practices, he would not meddle with their Congressionally conferred powers. “I would only take over their housekeeping functions,” was the way he put it. “That is, to over see their procedure and try to speed it up. I am not going to take over and become an anneal agent of any board that decides controversial questions.” Schwellenbach said he also would look into the feasibility of taking over the Independent Fair Employment Practice Committee and the labor di visions of the War and Navy Depart ments. Questioning also developed his be lief that he ought to have something to say in 'presenting labor's case" on wage stabilisation. “I dont want to become errand boy for labor or the WLB before Economic Stabilisation Director Davis," he skid, “but if I do take over WLB I will want to do it with the idea in mind that I have the right to decide what is in labor's welfare." Schwellenbach said he had a feeling before he entered the Cabinet July 1 — that the end of the war in Europe would bring a gradual settlement of labor problems. Acknowledging that he was wrong, he said one example of where dissatisfaction appears likely is when men in a reconerted industry find that they are petting less than those still enoaoed in war work. KEPHART SETTLES OUT OF COURT WITH THREE GUNFIRE PLAINTIFFS FOR A TOTAL OF $435.90 EACH CASE Through Mecklenburg Superior Court records it was disclosed last Thursday that an out-of-court settlement of three suits re cently brought against R. B. Kephart, proprietor of the New Way Laundry, by plaintiffs who alleged that they had been injured by minfire. « i...- - The suits were filed by Johnnie Mae Erby, who asked $3,000; Hattie Wil liams, who asked $2,500; and Charlie Spearman, who asked $5,000. All the plaintiffs are Negroes. They had complained that they were wounded by buckshot fired by Mr. Kephart from an automatic shot gun from his laundry as they stood on E. 9th St. on June 6. In each case, the plaintiff was paid $400, with $25 each additional for doc tor bills, plus the court costs, making a total of $435.90 in each case. The litigation grew out of a strike of laundry workers at the New Way i Laundry, which began here late in May and still is in effect. The plaintiffs in the civil actions also brought criminal charges against Mr. Kephart, accusing him of assault. The cases now are pending in Superior Court. They were to have been called Mon day morning but were not; and Solici tor John G. Car penter said that trial of older cases had prevented it. He said they now were set for. Monday, July 30. _ RANKIN HAS NEW BILL TO SPLIT LABOR-VETS WASHINGTON (FP)—A danger ous and clever plan to pit the war vet eran against the American worker introduced by Rep. John E. Rankin ID., Miss.), is awaiting action by the louse Rules Committee before coming to a showdown. Rankin, who hates unions quite as much as he loves the polltax that has kept him in office, forced his House veterans committee to report the measure July 6. The bill would make it possible for war veterans to get jobs in any plant without joining a union or paying dues, despite a closed shop or a main tenance of membership contract— even if the latter has been ordered by the Natl. War Labor Board.___ Designed deliberately to create a split between the worker and the ex serviceman, the measure provides that “not withstanding any other pro vision of law or any contract or agree ment, no veteran .. . shall be required as a condition of employment, to be or become a member of, or to main tain membership in, any labor or ganization, or, as a member thereof, to make any payments thereto in the form of dues, assessments, charges, contributions or other payments.’” Any veterans, under the bill’s pro visions, could obtain an injunction from a federal court to enforce the union-busting provisions. The bill would nullify much of the Wagner labor relations act.. C|»MIS •••*♦•* Tf sTDRy or labor, M TWE BEOtNMIHO, THE OVERLORDS SET WORKER AOAIRST^ WORKER TO KEEP— THEM cuviuew I JOc WUKISCKI ANO ENSLAVED 1- » FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN KING NIMROD THOUGHT TO BUILD THE TOWER Of GABEL AG A FORTRESS FOB DEFENSE, M£ pRCW MIS WORKERS FROM ptFFEREMT TfUBES ANO Dip FERENT TONGUES, ANO CLE VERLY GOT THEM TO DISTRUST EACH OTHER HE WAS SUC CESSFUL .. TOO SUCCESSFUL f (for they QUARRELED bo fiercely the tower was never FINISHED ANO DEFENSE LESS BABYLON FELL.... TODAY LABOR HAS LEARNED THE LESSON. ONLY IN UNION IS THERE STRENGTH. NATIVE BORN AND FOREIGN, CHRISTIAN AND JEW, PROTESTANT ANO CATHO LIC, WHITE ANO NEGRO— WORKERS ALL... AMERICANS ALL... MARCH SIOE BY BIDE, VICTORIOUS? ECHOES -- — fMYPtAMS wo«<\ NIMROD NEED FEAR NO REVOLT \ FROM THESE J HEY! SET t4 WORK* TH8‘ ASSYRIANS ; A*E COIAIH&* MyOVSR6££R WAS ^ A FOOL! HAP MV VVCWKSWS STUCK TO- , esernep...* A ALAS' NOW I AM 1 WORSE OFF THAN BBf0fi£! _____• ■ .— .. ■— , n ■„ ■■■ \ATTA BOY, IZZ/f You'Re DOING | 6weu.tWm IN UNION > THERE IS STRENGTH TO , I iff / WHEW! THBHERE \ \ BOMBS THOUSANDS LIKE 1 \ANM> US IN TUe*R!^J JXcK Al<term**2
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 26, 1945, edition 1
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