Cht Chatlottf labor Journal
(AND DIXIE FARM NEWS)
A Newspaper Dedicated To The Interests of Charlotte Cent} at Labor Union and Affiliated Crafts—Endorsed By North
Carolina Federation of Labor and Approved By The American Federation of Labor.
CHAKLOTTE N. C„ THURSDAY. MAY 16,1946
VOL. XVI, NO. 1
Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year
Meany Predicts Win
Over Reds In Dixie
AFL Official In Keynote Speech Denounces Communist
Political Plot to Raid Unionization Campaign.
Asheville, N. C.—In a stirring keynote address at the
opening of the Southern Labor Conference here, AFL Secre
tary-Treasurer George Meany started the wheels rolling for
an all-out organizing drive designed to bring a million new
members into the American Federation of Labor.
He pledged that in organizing the unorganized, the AFL
will concentrate its efforts on improving the conditions of
oppressed workers and promoting American principles.
The 3,000 delegates cheered lustily when Mr. Meany
charged that the rival CIO drive in the South is a Communist
inspired plot, motivated by political objectives.
With the opening ceremonies out of the way, the delegates
got down to considering the adoption of policies to implement
the organizing drive.
AFL President William Green, other high-ranking labor
leaders and outstanding public officials were scheduled to
address the conference at later sessions.
The intense interest manifested in the conference through
out the natio was evidenced by the presence of a large repre
sentation of newspapermen, radio commentators, photog
raphers and news reel men.
George Googe, AFL Southern
Director, presided at the confer
ence and introduced Mr. Meany
soon after the first session got
under way for the delivery of the
keynote* address.
The unorganized workers of the
South, Mr. Meany said, “need trade
unionism if they ever are to pull
themselves out of the mire.” He
expressed confidence that these
workers “finally realize today that
the only instrument by which they
can ever hope to raise themselves
to economic parity with other
workers who have made such great
advances in this country, is the,
trade union.”
“Let there be no pussyfooting on
the race issue,” Mr. Meany empna
sized. “The American Federation
of Labor is determined to bring
into the fold of real trade union
ism all American workers of the
South—white and black, Gentile
and Jew, Protestant and Catholic.
“The American Federation of
labor has consistently opposed
racial and religious prejudice tn
all its conventions. It stands on
the same solid convictions today—
in the South, in the North, and in
every other area of our country."
Southern workers, Mr. Meany
continued, have the choice between
joining the American Federation
of Labor, which has never swerved
from the principle laid down by
Samuel Gompers that “you cannot
be a good union man unless you
are first a good American,” and an
organization “that has openly fol
lowed the Communist line and Is
following that line today.”
Mr. Meany cautioned the work
ers of the South not to be misled
by CIO window dressing and cam- j
onflage.
“The real operators of the CIO- (
Communist drive to stop the AFL !
in the South are devoted followers
of the party line.”
Mr. Meany identified as Com
munists and Communist sympa
thizer# the following members of
the CIO National Executive Board: j
Harry Bridges, Joe Curran, Jul-1
ius Emspak, Lewis Merrill, Abram
Flaxer, Ben Gold, Mike Quill, Jos- j
eph Selly, Lee Pressman, and “last ,
but not least, that distinguished .
politician, Sidney Hillman.’’
“There are the people who run
the CIO,” Mr. Meany charged.
“When we look over this array of
Communist talent in key spots in
the CIO organization, we can de
termine for ourselves whether the
so-called Southern Director of the j
CIO is telling the real story wnen
he says the Communists are not
going to take charge of their drive
in the South.”
Mr. Meany scouted the danger
of real competition in organizing
from these Communist CIO foiees.
He emphasized that the really
powerful opposition the AFL faces
is from the “representatives of en
trenched capital who have exploit
ed the South and its workers for
many, many years.”
He also predicted opposition
from reactionary politicians “who
fear that organized workers will
become a threat to the political
life of those who make capital out
of their bias against labor.”
Despite this peculiar combina
tion of foes, the AFL is going to
make an all-out campaign in the
South and is certain to achieve its
goal with team-work and real ef
fort by the representatives or all
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GREEN RALLIES LABOR FOR
ERACTMEHT OF SENATE
APPROVED HOUSING BILL
Washington, D. C. — Hailing
Senate passage of the Wagner
Ellender - Taft General Housing
Bill, S. 1592, with the AFL-spon
sored prevailing-wage provisions,
AFL President William Green, in
a letter to all State Federations
of Labor and Central Labor
Unions, issued a call for a nation
wide drive for House approval of
this measure without weakening
amendments.
Citing powerful forces at work
against the bill, Mr. Green said
in his letter:
“We have won the first step in
the fight for a decent home for
every American family. The Sen
ate, on April 15» passed the Wag
ner-Ellender-Taft General' Hous
ing Bill, S. 1592. The Senate not
only passed this measure with all
its vital provisions intact, but also
adopted by an overwhelming vote
of 51 to 20 the AFL-sponsored and
supported amendment requiring
that not less than prevailing
wages be paid on all FHA-ihSured
housing construction.
“The Senate adopted this
amendment to protect the living
and working conditions of work
ers despite the powerful (organized
opposition.
“We now face the second and
much harder fight. This is the
fight for passage of this bill by
the House, in the same form it
was passed by the Senate. The
opponents of S. 1592 have been
planning their attack on the House
from the day that it was intro
duced.
“The lines of opposition are
clear. The major attacks will be
against the prevailing wage
amendment; against public hous
ing; against the improvements on
our FHA system bringing pri
vately-built homes within the fi
nancial reach of families with
small incomes and otherwise pro
tecting home-buyers.
“It is essential that the AFL
and all its affiliated organizations
throw their full weight into the
fight for immediate passage by
the House of S. 1592 in the same
form it was passed by the Senate.
We must first secure quick and
favorable approval by the House
Banking and Currency Commit
tee. The lengthy hearings held by
the Senate, and the bipartisan
sponsorship of the bill, make ad
ditional, drawn-out hearings un
necessary. Then we must fight for
prompt passage by the House of
this bill as approved by the Sen
ate, without amendments.
“I call upon every organization
affiliated with the AFL and every
trade unionist to act at once to
help secure quick action by the
House on S. 1592 in the Senate
approved form. A concerted cam
paign of letters to your Congress
men, of strong resolutions by all
our organizations, of encouraging
local government and citirens
groups to endorse the Senate ap
proved bill is your urgent respon
sibility,
“If the House fails to act on
this measure during this session,
or weakens it by amendments, tne
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'Nothing Can Stop Us In South,’ Says Green*
* I _____.
Delegates Cheer Aft Leader's Rousing Pledge to Organize
Million New Members and Raise Their Wages.
Asheville. N. C.—Three thousand cheering delegates to the
Southern Labor Conference jumped to their feet and gave
AFL President William Green a spontaneous pledge of vic
tory in the million-member organizing drive launched here.
This climactic demostration came at the close of Mr.
Green’s rousing address, in which he emphasized that neither
reactionary employers nor CIO Communists can stop the
AFL campaign to enroll unorganized southern workers, raise
their wages and living standards and fortify their political
power,
“Let me give the workers of the South this solemn assur
ance,” the AFL leader dec’ared. “When you organize into
AFL unions you will be promoting your own interests and
you will run your own affairs.
“Let me give southern industry this warning—grow and
co-operate with us or fight for your life against Communist
forces.
“Let me give the people of the South this pledge—the
unions of the AFL are not out to destroy you but to bring
better and more prosperous times to the South.
“Nothing can stop us. neither the opposition of reactionary
management nor the rivalry of the Communistic dual move
ment.” v
Mr. Green’s address was to have
been broadcast to the entire nation
but some miscreant cut the NBC
wires in the basement of the city
auditorium just as the program
was going on the air. However, a
master recording’ was made, and
radio stations throughout the
South will be asked to rebroadcast
the address in the interetss of TTee
speech. Polioe are investigating
the crime.
Unaware of the reprehensible
the city auditorium hung on Mr.
Green’s fighting words and burst
into frequent applause as he scored
hits against the rival CIO.
. “With its usual flair for sensa
tionalism,” he said of the CIO, "it
announced recently its intention of
making the South a political battle
ground this year. That approach
didn’t go over. It aroused more re
sentment than support. So row the
dual movement has changed its
tune. Now it proclaims a rival or
ganising campaign in the South.
"The workers of the South will
not be misled by this sudden and
transparent reversal of policy any
more than the American people
were fooled by the abrupt changes
in the Communist Party line dur
ing the war.
"The weather vane of the dual
movement swings to the right or
to the left, whichever way the
wind from Moscow blows. As far
as their efforts in the South are
concerned, I predict that though
they may invade you today they
will be gone with the wind tomor
row.”
The AFL', on the other hand, has
a firmly established organizing
campaign in the South, Mr. Green
pointed out, with 1,800,000 mem
bers who have already fought and
won the initial battle for recogni
tion.
“1 predict that before another
i year has passed four organizing
1 drive will have sjtwlumiUmr mil*
| lion new members to our ranks,”
he declared.
Our purpose is to .raise the
standards of living of the millions
of southern workers and create a
new era of lasting prosperity in
the land of Dixie.
“Make no mistake about it—this
is an undertaking of southern la
bor, by southern labor, and for
southern labor.”
The great weakness of the south
ern economy today is its low wage
standard,” Mr. Green said.
“Trying to maintain industry
and agriculture without high pur
chasing power," he continued, “is
like attempting to operate an au
tomobile without fuel. It just can’t
be done.
“Therefore, we are determined to
raise wages in the South. We don’t>
want high wages in the North and
lower differentials in the South.
The American standard of living
is the only standard of living which
I the AFL will accept in the South.”
BULLETIN
Washington, D. C.—The United Mine Workers Union of
fered a 12-day truce in the coal strike during which period
22 million tons of soft coal'can tie mined to meet the Nation’s
pressing needs.
If the coal operators agree to the truce, the terms of the
new contract to be negotiated meanwhile must be made retro
active, the union’s Policy Committee stipulated.
As this edition went to press,
President Truman had summoned
| UMW President John L. Lewis and
: Charles O’Neil, spokesman for the
| coal operators, to the White House
i to discuss the truce proposed by
j the union and to take up compro
i mise suggestions for the final set
tlement of the six-weeks-old dis
pute. Up to press time no agree
ment had been reached.
The UMW policy committee’s
action was a surprise move. A
union statement explained:
“This action is the contribution
of the United Mine Workers of
America to our Nation’s economy,
which is being imperiled by the
stupidity and selfish greed of the
coal operators and associated fi
nancial interests and by demagogs
who have tried to lash the public
mind into a state of hysteria rath
er than grant justice and fair
treatment to the men who mine
the Nation’s coal. The coal to be
■used during this two-week period
can be utilized for consumption by
essential facilities and the Nation’s
health and security thus safeguard
ed while efforts to negotiate a con
tract continue.
“Let every member be assured
that the members of the National
Policy Committee are determined
to accept no contract that will not
give to the mine workers the es
sential protection which is impera
tively required."
The union emphasized that it
was not retreating one whit from
its demands in proposing the truce
and that it will continue to insist
on the establishment of a health
and welfare fund for the miners
and better safety conditions in the
mines before the wage and hour
issues are taken up.
The halls of Congress became
the sounding board for tbe most
virulent attacks on Mr. Lewis and
on organized labor generally,
with labor-baiter* enjoying a field
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SOUTHERN DIRECTOR
GEORGE L. GOOGE
HEADQUARTERS FOR
CAROLINAS WILL BE
SET UP IN CHAKLOlTE
According to plans made
at the Asnevilie meeting
Charlotte will be headquar
ters for the Southern AFL
organization drive for the
two Carolines. Offices will
be set up soon.
COAL PINIM GRIPS NATION,
PARLEY STILL DEADLOCKED
Washington. D. C. — With coal
shortages growing acute through
out the nation, powerful pressure
for prompt rettloment of the dis
pute between the mine owners and
the United Mine Workers of
America became intensified.
President Truman told a press
conference that he'considered the
month-old shutdown «of the mines
alarming in its effects. He flatly
denied, however, that he consider
I ou the situation a walkout against
the Government.
Negotiations between the coal
operators and representatives of
the union continued, but no def
inite progress was reported. The
negotiators are lstill deadlocked
on the first point of controversy,
the need for establishment of
health and safety provisions for
the mine workers.
John L. Lewis, UMW President
summoned the union’s 250-man
Policy Committee into session in
Washington. It is considered cer
tain that this committee, made up
of union representatives from the
coal fields, will back up Mr. Lewis
100 per cent.
Meanwhile, a drastic embargo
on railroad freight shipments, ex
cepting foods and other essential
items, and a 25 per cent reduction
in passenger service on coal
burning railroads was ordered by
the Office of Defense Transporta
tion, effective May 10.
Brownouts are in prospect for
the principal cities of the nation
as electric utility companies re
ported their coal resreves dwin
dling to the danger point.
Steel production already nas
been crippled by the coal short
age and other industries are ex
pected to be drastically affected
by the power pinch within a lew
days.
Publicly, the Government has
kept hands off the coal dispute
except to offer the services of
conciliators and to keep the nego
tiations going. However, severs)
Federal agencies have interfered
in the case “behind the scenes.”
One case in point is the re
peated declaration by Economic
Stabilization Director Bowles that
he will not permit any wage in
crease for the miners higher than
the general level obtained by
workers since V-J Day.
It was rumored that Mr. Lewis
ij peparing a bitter blast against
the secret interference and med
dling and misrepresentation by
Federal officials in high office.
Officials Promise Full Assistance to Drive as Conference
Adopts Key Policies and Charts Great Goals.
Asheville, N. C.—The Southern Labor Conferenee proposed
that AFL national and international unions lend-lease or
ganizing assistance to the new drive to unionize the unor
ganized workers of Dixie. Immediate assurances of such aid
were given by high-ranking union officials.
“Our victory will be the victory of all labor and the nation,”
said a unanimously adopted resolution. “Whatever you lend
us will come back to you many-fold.”
To organize the large masses of unorganized Southern
workers calls for redoubled efforts on the part of established
AFL unions in that territory and “unity and singleness of
purpose by the entire trade-union movement,” the conference
emphasized.
"It imposes an obligation on every national and interna
tional union and every local and state body of the American
Federation of Labor to assist freely and generously.”
These specific steps were urged: I
1. That the AFL Executive
Council authorize President Green
to appoint a co-ordinator for the
organizing drive, so that all ele
ments in the Federation can work
as a team.
2. That organizing efforts be
concentrated first in fields where
unionization has lagged, such as
textiles, lumber, chemical}), gar
ment trades, public employes, serv
ice trades and white collar em
ployes.
3. That state-wide and city cam
paigns be directed by the state
federations and city central bodies
I and that special organizing com
mittees be named to take charge
in communities where no central
labor ceundl exists.
The conference adopted a clear
cut statement of principles to
guide the economic, social and po
litical aspects of the organizing
drive.
The AFL’s first goal in the
South will be to raise living stand- |
ards, declared the delegates. It
v/ill seek expansion of industry tn
the South to create more jobs. |
Through collective bargaining and
the negotiating of contracts the
AFL will aim for labor and peace
in the South and union-manage
ment co-operation. By increasing
the purchasing power of the work
era it will provide better markets
for the products of southern farms
and factories.
Besides these economic; goals the
conference set its course on the
firm path of American democracy,
rejecting any and all alien isms.
Affirming the AFL’s nonpartisan
political policy, the conference an
nounced these political objectives:
“As believers in self-government
we resent invasion from other
communities to direct our use of
the ballot as well as our use of
economic power. As free workers,
we must accept responsibility for
our own lives and hence make our
own decisions.
“Members of the American Fed
eration of Labor years ago led a
movement to openthe ballot boxes
of the South to all eitisens when
we marched the Negro-organized
longshoremen of Savannah to vote
in the primary elections. Organ
ized labor will make this right to
vote effective iri all Southern
States."
The conference adopted a legis
lative program calling for wider
social security, a federal unemploy
ment service, a strong emergency
housing program for veterans, fed
eral aid for education, higher min
imum wage standards, pay increas
es for government workers, and
state labor relations laws patterned
after the Wagner act.
The AFL Presents...
No. 4—United Mine Workers
(Featuring William Blizzard,
president of the United- Mine
Workers in District 17, with ac
tive miners, men blinded and oth
erwise permanently incapacitated
by mine accidents and widows and
children of miners who died at
their work, interviewed by Dwight
I Cooke ( CBS commentator.)
Charleston, W'. Va.—The sorry
plight of the soft coal miners and
of the dependents of those who
have died or have been incapaci
tated for life in mine ■ accidents
was dramatically portrayed In the
fourth of a series of radio pro
grams entitled “Cross Section—
AFL” over the Columbia Broad
casting System.
This cumulative testimony of
the unfortunate victims of the cal
lous disregard by the coal mine op
erators for human welfare pro
vided a powerful and convincing
justification for the current de
mands of the United Mine Work
ers for the inclusion of health and
safety provisions in their contract.
Two ex-servicemen who saw
plenty of action during the recent
war frankly declared they fully
believe the hazards of mining,
under present-day conditions in
the coal fields, are far greater
than those of battle.
Fletch Burlov, a veteran of the
.'(55 th Coftibat Engineers, told
Commentator Cooke:
“I saw plenty of action—espe
cially in the Battle of the Bulge—
and I know what danger is. But
I think a man on the battlefront
has a aix-to-one better chance than
a man in the West Virginia coal
mines."
Turning to another branch of
the service, Cooke asked Curtis
Freeland, who served two years in
the Pacific with the 19th Sepcial
Seabee Construction Battalion and
who took part in two invasions,
how he felt about the dangers of
mining.
“1 fully agree with Burlov on
the hazards of mining in West
Virginia, compared with the dan
gers of battle,” he replied.
Freeland told the radio audi
ence that while he was fighting for
his country the mining company
attempted to evict his family from
the company-owned house in which
they lived.
A small girl approached the
microphone with a seasoned min
er. She identified herself as Mary
Louise Carpenter and explained
that she was there with her father
because he was totally blind and
partly deaf—the result of a mine
accident.
Carpenter said that he is wholly
incapacitated and receives only
$69.52 a month to care for a ram*
ily of four.
Mrs. Whitey Cubby, widowed
mother of 9 children, explained
her husband died of silicosis, con
tracted in the mines. Just before
he died, she said, the company
paid him $1,000 compensation, but
has contributed nothing to the
family since.
Floyd Cowan, who contracted
asthma in his 35 years in the
mines and has been unabie to
work in recent years on orders
of his doctor, is receiving no com
pensation from the company, al
though he has a family of 8, he
told the commentator.
Another * widow, Mrs. Valley
Meade, said she receives compen
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