Che Charlotte labor Journal
(AND DIXIE FARM NEWS)
A Newspaper Dedicated To The Interests of Charlotte Central Labor Union and Affiliated Crafts—Endorsed By North
Carolina Federation of Labor and Approved By The American Federation of Labor.
VOL. XV; NO. 40
Published Weekly
CHARLOTTE. N. C„ TIfl’US DAY, FEFRUARY 14,
1916
Price 5c Per Copy
Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year
Votes To Support Senate
Measure For New Homes
For Veterans And Others
Charlotte Central Labor
Union at its regular weekly
meeting Thursday night
voted to endorse and support
Senate Bill No. 1592 which is
a measure designed to accel-.
erate the building of low cost
housing throughout the na
tion for veterans, war work
ers and others in need of liv
ing quarters. The proposed
legislation is designed, in part,
to erect homes up to the $6,
000 class and arrange for pri
orities on materials to take
care of returning veterans
and war workers first.
This measure has received the
endorsement of the American Fed-1
eration of Labor and is foremost
on the legislative MUST hat of the
AFL.
In lino with a program that has
been initiated by the American
'Federation of Labor the Charlotte
Central Labor Union wilt pat forth
effoits to mobilise both labor and
-ritisen co-operation to moot the
housing emergency,
AFL has called upon Central La
bor Unions in 800 cities through
out the country to take the lead in
organising community campaigns
for prompt construction of new
homes to meet the acute shortages
confronting returning veterans and
war workers.
“Mobilisation for more and bet
ter housing is the most vital step
in America’s mobilization for
peace and recovery,” Mr. Green
said.
His action followed a White
House conference with Federal
Housing Expediter Wilson Wyatt,
at which Mr. Green was accom
panied by the AFL Housing com
mittee.
“The American Federation of
Labor stands ready to co-operate
fully with Mr. Wyatt in the emer
gency program to meet the hous
ing crisis which affects almost
every American community to
day," Mr. Green said after the
meeting. “We will support every
sound measure to make the gov*
eminent program effective."
Amy Wit
Major: Look here, Private
Quack, I had you taken off latrine
duty to give you a job in my of
fice, because you had keen toiling
jg r? * g*
on this first letter, that I dictated,
you have misspelled practically
every word!”
Private Quack: “Gosh, sir —
there must be something wrong
with the typewriter!” '
Lewis Sees Historic Turning Point
As Green Hails His Return To AFL
Miami—John L. Lewis, president
of the United Mine Workers Union
of America, was formally wel
comed back into the American
Federation of Labor at a meeting
of the Executive Council and re
sponded with a spirited statement
hailing the union’s return to the
fold as a “turning point in the. his
tory of labor.”
AFL President William Green
invited Mr. Lewis to participate
with him in a joint press confer
ence after the council meeting. As
flashlights popped and newsreels
ground out the scene for movie au
diences, Mr. Green announced he
had extended a “warm, hearty and
cordial welcome” to Mr. Lewis on
his arrival here to take his seat
on the council as the AFL’s thir
teenth Vice President.
Mr. Lewis was then asked to
state his opinion of the significance
of the reaffiliation. He said:
“The United Mine Workers have
come back to the American Fed
eration of Labor because they feel
it is a constructive action. This
reaffiliation is in the interests of
the labor movement and of the
country as a whole. It wll give
added protection to our system of
free enterprise and to the free in
stitutions of our country. The
American Federation of Labor and
the United Mine Workers art on
record throughout the years as pro
tectors of the freedom of the peo
ple both against external and in
ternal foes.
“Obviously the pooling of the
collective strength of the United
Mine Workers and the American
Federation of Labor makes the
federation the most representative
and dominant labor organization
in America. I think the American
people will recognize that fact in
creasingly.
“Unity of labor’s policies in
America is desirable. Attainment
of that unity is labor s task and
obligation.
“Without question this new de
development constitutes an object
lesson that will be approved by
American workers as a whole and
sustained by every thoughtful citi
zen.
“Labor’s strength has been in
creased by many millions in the
last decade. Certainly labor owes
an obligation to America to place
its internal house in order. It
must speak with a more influen
tial voice in the realms of indus
try and in the high councils of the
nation.
“This reaffiliation marks a his
toric turning point in the annals
of labor. The ancient questions
which in the past divided the house
of labor have been abated. The
important questions of the future
are largely economic and industrial
in character.
“The roll of workers employed
in our country has krown to more
than 61,000,000. This great num
ber of workers, together with their
dependents, constitute the bulk of
our population. In every major
sense, the workers and their fam
i ilies are the American public and
the consuming public. They are en
titled to have their opinions and
policies given increasing recogni
tion by the country as a whole.
~ “The weal or woe of Amerca as
! a republic depends in a large da
I grtt on the future policies and
i decisions of those who work for
J a living. Their articulate voice is
the union organization that repre
i sente them. Let it be known that
labor in America is destined to play
an increasingly greater part in our
national economy.”
To all questions as to whether
he intended to lead other unions
back to the American Federation
of Labor, Mr. Lewis replied he did
not care to “spell out” his plans
at this time. He also turned a
deaf ear to questions on politics.
As the press conference pro
ceeded, the formality of address
between Mr. Green and Mr. Lewis
i -
(Continued aa Page S)
labor
SfiTc
The Labor
r Leone ft
Meridan. 4
Cooge reviewed the ectiviiiee
(be spotlight during I hr Mimiiisippi Stair Federation of Labor
), Southern Dirrrtor of thr A. F. of L., tel
Award* of Merit to Sacrotarr-Trooanrrr A. C. Davi* (left) and
wed paid tribute to it* national officer*.
[•pictured presenting
W. L. Hine* (right).
aiJJ-2 North Tryon street. Sat
OPEN HOUSE AT LABOR
TEMPLE FEBRUARY 23
Charlotte Central Labor Union
has been perfecting plana for
holding an open honae since re
■oval of the Labor Temple
hsndgaarters from the building
on North McDowall street to
Tfcfpni _
' w
mJ to\8 pu'nu. haa been desig
nated ha the date for the event
and all members of organised
labor and their friends are in
▼it«d to, visit Labor Temple
beodhuarters on this date.
Refreshments will be served
those who attend and a nice pro
gram has been arranged by the
committee in charge.
Members of the open house
committee are Claude Nolan. S.
L. Hicks and D. L. Funderburke.
HOUSE VOTES TO RETURN
STATE JOB PLACEMENT
Washington, D. C.—Bluntly re
jecting President Truman’s and la
bor’s recommendations, the House
of Representatives voted to re
turn control of the U. S. Employ
ment Service to the states by June
30.
A similar bill has been referred
to the Senate Labor Committee
which is showing no haste in act
ing upon it.
If the measure also passes in
the Senate, the probability is that
President Truman will veto it, as
he ;d>d when a similar bill came
i before him a few weeks ago.
Rep. Richard J. Welch, of Cali
fornia, led the fight against the
1 bill in the House. He declared
t millions of returning veterans and
| war workers need guidance to new
I jobs and that this important task
1 can be better accomplished, at
least during reconversion, by a na
ionally-directed system than by 48
separate state agencies.
Smokey Says:
' ——
Do your part to protect the
woods. Put out small fires. If the
blase is too much for you, notify
at once the nearest forest ranger
or Are warden.
I
r
Frwik P. Fenton, Director of Organization, American Federation of
Labor, waa today presented with a special citation for dintinn.i-<hed
wl’lLIIi'r*™4 1* Staten Treasure In tho War and Vie
jg?, Bo?J/l,P|P|»- krft to right: Jamea L. Honghteling, Director,
Katlonai Organizations Diriaion; Frank P. Fenton, Dimeter Organ
Federation of Labor, Gilbert EL Hyatt. Sr.. Chief.
Uboe Section. War Finance Diriaion: Fraeat J. Fontana, Regional
ttebTb. Labor Section. War Finance Diriaion.
AFL Supports Chilean Federation
In Critical Struggle With Gov’t
Miami. — The AFL Executive
Council pledged support to the
Chilean Federation of Labor in its
critical fight to maintain the in
tegrity of the trade union move
ment in that country agains gov
ernment interference.
The council protested against
the attempts of the Chilean gov
ernment to order the dissolution
of the Nitrate Workers Union
which operates in an industry fi
nanced and directed by American
business interests. Its statement
follow::
“The Chilean government has
ordered the dissolution of the Ni
trate Workers’ Unions. In re
sponse to this action, the Chilean
Federation of Labor, headed by
Bernado I banes, has announced its
determination to call a general
strike for 24 hours against this
drastic governmental interference
with the basic right of workers
everywhere to have their own or
ganization with leadership of their
own choosing.
“We hereby ■declare our solidar
ity with the workers of Chile in
the struggle to maintain their fun
damental rights of organisation in
the face of such irresponsible gov
ernmental action and inr on indus-.
try which is financed and in its
upper devels managed by United
States business interests snd then
representatives.
“This attempt at destruction of
trade union organizations seems to
us a clear violation of the letter
and spirit of the Declaration of
Social Principles which was in
corporated as a basic charter in
the Act of Chapultapec at Mexico
City, 1945, where representatives
of United States labor joined
with those of business and govern- j
ment in promulgating the active
principles which are intended to
motivate the peoples and govern
ments of the Western Hemi
sphere.”
IN MEMORIAM — FDR
Manila, P. I.—The thousands of
veterans and GIs passing through
here will not forget the late Presi
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt. One
of the most recent Rod Cross club
installations, in the luxurious Jai
Alai Fronton, has been named in
honor of the leader who died just
before peace came.
Council Endorses Concerted Drive
To Meet Nation’s Housing Crisis
T
Miami.—The American Federa- j
t'oij of I,abor pled Red its full aid
to the government and to the con- |
struction industry for a concerted I
drive to meet the nation’s critical I
housinR shortaRe.
After a careful analysis of the :
varies ted problems involved, the
Executive Council recommended ^
concrete steps for improvement of
the immediate housinR emerRency
and for solvinR America’s long
term need for new homes.
The text of the council’s state
ment follows:
“The American Federation of
Labor, its Central Labor Unions,
Building and Construction Trades
Councils, and other affiliates In
local communities are orRanixed
and prepared to give the fullest
measure of co-operation to the in
dustry and the government, feder
al and local, in a concerted drive
to meet the critical housing ahorv»
*ge.
“The building and construction
trade unions of the AFL are form
alating a series of positive pro
grams to assure to the nation an
ample supply of holding tr%4e
"ftMefcaritat 1IWTO1 s m~TffT
classifications of skill in every com
munity to build the volume of
housing construction urgently re
quired under the existing condi
tions. Fullest cooperation is be
ing given by our unions in develop
ing and putting into effect appren
tice training programs to provide
employment opportunities under
fair labor standards to returning
veterans and to workers displaced
from war jobs. Our unions KimT
assumed their full share of r*^
sponsibility in expediting these
piograms which have already been {
set up in cooperation with con- ,
tractors under the standards ap
proved by the Apprentice Training ,
Service of the Department of La- ,
bor. There are today nearly 12,000 (
contractors who have joined with ,
unions in establishing area-wide ,
programs in 800 communities. The ,
Executive Council commends ^the i
Building and Construction Tffcda* 1
Department for its leadership in ,
this vital work.
“Acute shortage of certain ,
scarce building materials is the t
biggest barrier in the way of rap- ,
id expansion of home construction. ,
We urge the adoption of the fol- |
lowing emergency programs to ac- |
celerate increased home construe- ,
tion and expedite reconversion: i
“1—Congressional appropriation
to establish a revolving fund fur :
loans and special financial aids to
building materials manufacturers ,
which would enable them to ex
Generous Terms Offered
For Return Of Brewers
Miami.—Generous term* for re
affiliation ware offered to the
United Brewery and Soft Drink
Workers Union by the AFL Exec
utive Council.
A delegation from the onion,
headed by Secretary-Treasurer
William J.‘ Kfomelbein, appeared
ht fore the council and asked for an
“honorable settlement" of the
dispute which brought about the
suspension of the union in 1939.
Mr. Kromelbein informed the
council that the union's executive j
board had voted unanimously to
male? a bid for reaffiliation pro
vided suitable terms could be ar
ranged. He asked the council to
make a definite proposition which
the delegation could submit to a
conference of the Brewery Work
f
era Union to be held in Cincinnati
late next month.
AFL President William .Gre#n
anounced later that the Executive
Council had decided to tell the;
Brewery Workers that the only
condition required before its char- •
ter can foe restored is acceptance
of decisions by AFL conventions
regarding jurisdictional rights of
the Teamsters Union over drivers
of beer and soft drink trucks.' Any ^
further lines of jurisdictional de- }
marcation can be worked out after |
the union’s return, Mr. Green said.
Asked whether this decision
meant that the union might soon
come back to the AFL fold with
its 50,000 members, Mr. Green're
plied that he was hopeful of that
result. ’ , j j
!
1
I
j
pand production to capacity vol
ume. Requirement of minimum
wage standards as a condition of
such financial aid.
“2—Immediate action to raise
fche low wages which prevail in the
manufacture of certain building
materials to a fair standard. Pro
vision should be made for price
adjustments in cases where wages
have been actually corrected, but
only where there is a proved need
to modify price ceilings for this
purpose.
“3 A temporary emergency
program of allocation of scare
building materials which would:
“a. Assure a supply of mate
rials for the essential minimum
of industrial and other nonresi
dential construction, and
“b. Direct the flow of the bulk
of building materials into the
construction of moderate-priced
and low-rent homes under firm
quality standards. This tem
porary allocation program
should be decentralized in order
to fit the needs of different
areas and should be subject to
quarterly revisions. Allocation
Jl should be terminated as soon as
f the swpply materials la ade
quate.
4‘W*g:e 'Incomes are being: gen
erally reduced. Wage earners and
veterans must be protected against
further increases in the cost of
living due to inflated cost of shel
ter. Continuation of effective rent
control until the supply of rental
dwellings is jidequato is a vital
necessity to all workers and to the
whole nation.
"The postwar housing emerg
ency was aggravated but not cre
ated by the war. It is the out
growth of a quarter-century of
'failure to provide an adequate sup
ply of moderate-priced homes
within reach of families of small
means. America’s housing emer
gency will not be met by emer
gency means alone. We make an
emphatic call upon Congress to en
act without delay the Wagner-El
Jaa^r^a^t^Goitewsl Houeing Bill,
S. 1592, which embodies a long
range program for housing fami
lies of all incomes with the maxi
mum reliance on private enterprise
and local initiative. This biparti
san legislation contains the major
objectives of the national housing
policy formulated by the AFL ana
has the unqualified support of tho
great mass of wage earners. It is
the only program which will pro
vide the complete answer to Amer
ica’s housing need.
“The Executive Council wel
comes the appointment of Wilson
Wyatt as the National Housing
Expediter and his nomination as
the Administrator of the Na
tional, Housing Agency. The
AFL will give Mr. Wyatt fullest
co-operation in every sound meas
ure he undertakes to accomplish
his difficult task. The nation-wide
drive just launched by President
William Green and Chairman Har
ry C; Bates of the AFL Housing
Committee in 800 communities
for labor’s active aid in carrying
out local programs is evidence of
labor’s preparedness to make a
real contribution to the public in
terest.
WHERE YOUR MONEY WENT
Washington, D, C. — More than
$133,324,000 worth of foreign war
relief was made available by and
through the American Red Cross
from September 1, 1939 up to
June 30, 1945. It is estimated
that more than fifty million peo
ple, among them nineteen million
children, in 41 countries, bene
fited directly from this program.