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VOL. XVI 16; NO. 21
CHARLOTTE. N. C„ SEPTEMBER 26, 1946
Subscription Price $2.00 Per Year
Cites U. S. Document
Based On Statements
Of Leaders In Russia
Rockford, 111.—Lifting the “iron curtain” Soviet Russia
has thrown over its labor and other activities, AFL President
Green bared to American labor a formal United States report
proving that Russian workers constitute a giant “slave
army,” that trade unions are “government institutions” and
that the Red workers throughout the Soviet are disciplined
to their government’s “needs and goals.”
Addressing the Illinois State Federation of Labor conven
tion, Mr. Green sharply condemned the CIO for refusal of its
unions to take a stand against Red infiltration and appealed
for a united front by American workers to maintain and
reinforce world peace.
Branding the CIO in general “a
Communist - dominated organiza
tion,” Mr. Green added:
“We can no more reconcile the
Americanism of the AFL with the
communism of the CIO than you
can reconcile the Knights of Co
lumbus with the Ku Klux Klan.”
Citing a strictly factual document
compiled recently by the Library of
Congress on conditions within Rus
sia, baaed upon “what the leaders
of Russia and official Soviet pub
lications have themselves revealed"
Mr. Green said: i.
- “This report devotes art ettfoe
chapter to labor. The report says:
“Trade unions in Soviet Russia
have been absorbed by its general
government economic machinery.
Soviet trade union officials as par
ty “activists” are government offi
cials, carrying out government pol
icies, and Soviet trade unions are
government institutions, disciplin
ing the workers to the govern
ment’s needs and goals and per
forming functions which in other
countries are performed either by
management or by government.
“ ’The relation of the union to
the employing enterprise took on
the aspects of “company unions”
which used to flourish in the Unit
ed States.”
“ ‘Soviet unions are not organ-1
ized to conduct strikes. While there
does not appear to be any specific
legislation prohibi ting strikes,
strkes never occur in State indus
tries. One writer puts it cryptical
ly that “strikes according to the
unwritten and unpublished Soviet
law, are forbidden.”
Declaring that the report “makes
the picture pretty clear,” Mr.
Green told the delegates that “if
the Communists think they can
ever sell the people of this country
on the basis of what Communism
has done for Russian workers, they
must consider American worker*
utter fools.”
Mr. Green vigorously assailed
the recent convention of the ClO’a
Electric Radio and Machine Work
ers for “lavishing praise on Soviet
Russia and at the same time braz
enly denouncing Secretary of States
Byrnes.”
Pointing out that a resolution
condemning Communism and Fas
cism was defeated by an over
whelming vote, he added:
“And the officers who refused to
condemn Communism and Fascism
were re-elected, according to news
paper reports, by a margin of 6
to 1.” * i
John P. Frey, president of the
AFL Metal Trades Department,
launched a strong attack at the a<§>
ministration's rapid extension of
government by authority, “which
is the direct opposite of govern
ment by law.”
“We are no longer a free trade
movement,” he told the delegates.
“We have been made subject to
the whims, fancies, and psedilic
tions of a host of government
agencies, over which we have no
(Please Turn to Page 4)
To Comb
Reds Out
Of Gov’t
Wuhinfton, D. C. — * miunu
Truman has a “live” intareet in
the purging of Communists and
other subversive groups from the
Federal pay roll. Rep. Randolph,
W. Va., told newsmen after a
White House conference. He said
he believes the President will name
a special commission to investigate
such elements in Government ma
chinery.
Randolph, chairman of the House
Civil Service Committee, suggested
such an inquiry to Mr. Truman July
26, when a House subcommittee,
after a brief inquiry into civil
service hiring practices, recom
mended the appointment of a com
mission that would conduct a thor
ough investigation and report to
Congress next January its findings
and recommendations for any need
ed legislation to protect the Gov
ernment against infiltration of
Communists and other subversive
persons.
In his letter to the President last
July, Randolph suggested that
members of the proposed commis
sion be named from the Depart
ments of War, Navy, State, Treas
ury, Justice, and Civil Service. He
said that he did not know whether
Mr. Truman will follow this recom
mendation but asserted the matter
is “now on the President’s desk.”
Randolph told a reporter that it
is the desire of his committee to
see that the Government is protect
ed “against individuals whose pri
mary loyalty is to governments
other than that of the United
States.” ‘
“There is no doubt that there has
been infiltration into government
service of Communists and follow
ers of ideologies and isms import
ed from other countries,” Ran
dolph said. “I am not interested in
‘witch hunts’ or in Red-baiting but
only in seeing that the Government
h protected against disloyal per
sona.”
Randolph said that because he
considers the issue vital to the
stability of the Government, he had
vigorously urged Mr. Truman to
name the commission immediately
so it will be able to report early
next year.
Rep. Rees of Kansas, ranking
minority member on the House
Civil Service Committee, has de
manded that the next Congress au
thorize a sweeping investigation of
all Federal employes whose loyalty
is in doubt, including those who
have convinced the Civil Service
Commission that they are not sub
versive. i
HAAS-DAVIS SIGNS A.F. OF L. CONTRACT
The above picture was taken at the signing of n Union contract by the Haas-Daris Packing Company
of Mobile, Alabama. The contract has been termed as one of the best in this area.
Loft to right in the picture: William Ambretch, Attorney; Morris Atpert, Business Representative of
Teamsters Locdl No. Ml; George Haas, President and General Manager of Haas-Davis Company; and
Wilson Rowland, International Representative of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workers of
North America.
■ -. ... ..——
Truman Dismisses Wallace;
Appoints Harriman To Post
Printers To
Hold Meet
On Sunday
Charlotte Typographical Union
No. 338 will meet in adjourned ses
sion Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock
in the Labor Temple, 317^4 North
Tryon street.
President Claude L. Albea has
issued the following call:
“To Members of Typographical
Union No. S38—Greetings:
“I hereby call a meeting of this
union at the request of the Scale
Committee for Sunday afternoon
at 2 p.m.. Sept. 29. 194$, in Labor
Temple Hall at 217^4 North Try
on street.
"Please attend if possible.
“CLAUDE L. ALBEA. President.”
Washington, D. C. — Preaident
Truman, stirred by Secretary of
Commerce Henry Wallace’s criti
cism of American foreign policy at
a moment when world peace nego
tiations were at a most delicate
point, ousted him from the Cabinet
and in his place named U. S. Am
bassador to Britain Averell Harri
man.
Informed of the Harriman ap
pointment, AFL Presdient William
Green said:
“I know Mr. Harriman. He is a
capable man.”
Wallace split wide with the ad
ministration when, in a speech in
Madison Square Garden, he* at
tacked the firm policy followed by
Secretary of State Byrnes toward
Russia. He warned that a “tough”
policy might lead to a new war.
Administration advisers, con
sultants in Paris, immediately saw
in the Wallace attack a vital weak
ening in Americas’ influence to
compel a just peace. Their views
were conveyed to the President.
Wallaces’ promise to remain silent
until after the peace conference
was held insufficient and the de
mand for his resignation followed.
Removal of Wallace, a political
ally of the CIO, left the left-wing
element stripped of their key
spokesman in the Government.
Harriman, a vigorous New Deal
er from the start of the Roosevelt
administration, was deputy admin
istrator of NRA, occupied other
Government posts and served as
Ambassador of the Soviet Union.
He is a multimillionaire and direc
tor of a number of corporations,
chief of which is the Union Pacfic
Railroad.
Despite his ouster by Mr. Tru
man and the President’s repudia
tion of his views on foreign policy,
Wallace is reported preparing to
embark on a broad speaking tour
to press these views on the coun
try.
TEAMSTERS GET INCREASE
Oakland, Calif.—The Truck Own
ers’ Association agreed to a nego
tiated 18 1-2-cent hourly wage in
crease retroactive to May 1 after a
long meeting here. The agreement,
signed by the AFL Teamsters, end
ed a five-day stoppage and released
trucks hauling produce to can
neries.
President Orders Full Review
Of Federal Wage-Price Policy
Washington, D. C.—Fate of the
Wage Stabilization Board hung in
the balanca as President Truman
ordered a sweeping review of the
Government’s entire wage and price
policies.
The action followed a vigorous
attack on the WSB policies by AFL
President William Green, who de
manded that the public and indus
try members of the board resign
after Mr. Truman, in effect, sanc
tioned the wage-rate agreement
reached privately between AFL
Seamen and Seafarers and the ship
operators—a contract which the
board rejected as inflationary.
Announcement was made by the
Office of War Mobilisation that the
President asked its advisory board
to examine the whole stabilization
policy. The first meeting of the
group to which this study was as- j
signed was set for the week of
September 22.
One advisory board member ex
pressed the view that the Presi
dent desired the study to determine
whether to abolish the board, and
if so, what machinery might be em
ployed to carry oti its main pur
poses.
Despite the insistence of OWMR
officials that the order for the re
view of WSB policies was very in*
formal and in line with the board’s
continuing review of reconversion j
policy, it was conceded generally
io government circM that the
WSB’s future would inevitably,
come into question.
There was no doubt, officials
said, that the board’s prestige was
seriously damaged by the decision
of Stabilisation Director John R.
Steelman approved by the Presi
dent, to direct the Maritime Com
mission to pay the increased pay
rates granted to the AFL seamen
by private ship operators.
Some member* of the advisory
group have indicated a definite
stand that the W5B should be abol
ished and replaced by an agency
“more alive” to the problems of
labor and the gap between wages
and the steadily rising cost of liv
ing. Such a move, they believe,
would do much to iron out labor
difficulties and promote an im
proved employer-worker under
standing.
The general consensus in Gov-^
ernment circles was that any new
policy evolved must take into ac- j
count the sharp price increases of,
recent weeks, and it was regarded I
likely that the wage floor will be j
increased by at least 11 per cent.
Price increases in a wide assort
ment of items have been announced
daily by the OPA, operating under
the new control law, and each of
these, in its own way, has increased
the cost of these products to con
sumers.
American Labor Has
Contributed Millions
To Relief Since 1940
I
AFGE Meet
Acts To Rid
Red Menace
St. Paul, Minn.—James B. Burns
was re-elected president of the
American Federation of Govern
ment Employes at a convention
here, which heard AFL President
William Green predict that "more
and more CIO unions" will seek af
filiation with the AFL in the pres
ent trend to renounce Red domi
nation, obtain better leadership and
improved working condiions and
wages.
Mrs. Bernice H. Heffner was
elected to the newly created post of
secretary-treasurer.
Rallying to an urgent appeal by
Mr. Green that Government work
ers purge their ranks of Reds and
other subversive influences, the
convention went on record as for
prompt dismissal of any workers
guilty of disloyalty to the Nation.
)ir. Green declared the AFL
firmly opposed to any collaboration
with any CIO union “ally plane,
any time for any reason." Orders
to this effect, he said have been
issued to all AFL affiliates.
Mr. Green was particularly Ut
ter over what he said was the $80,
000 contribution “one of our soft
hearted unions' ’made to the CIO
United Automobile Workers during
the automobile strike in order to
help out the families of the strik
ing CIO workers.
"And what happened?” Mr.
Green went on. "While the check
waa in the mail, a group of the
automobile workers was on their
way to Pennsylvania to stage a
drive to break up one of our most
splendid unions in Pennsylvania.”
Mr. Green told the delegates the
present AFL membership was 7,
100,000 and predicted that before
long it would reach a total of 10,•
000,000.
Earlier Harry B. Mitchell, presi
dent of the U. S. Civil Service
Commission, lashed out at "public
ly-made statements” on a Govern
ment pay roll reduction of 2,000,000
persons.
Mitchell told the delegates “any
one who has knowledge of Gov
ernment affairs knows that it can
not be done.
“And it will not be done,” he de
clared.
Civil Service Commissioner Ar
thur S. Flemming told the dele
gates that career service employes
should be given priority over tern- j
porary wartime workers.
No career Civil Service employe
should be displaced if there is a
vacancy in the Federal service he
or she is qualified to fill,” he said, j
LIVING COSTS IN CITIES
UP 2 PER CENT IN MONTH
Washington, D. C.—A recent re
port from the U. S. Bureau of La
bor Statistics reveals that the price
of goods and services commonly
used by city workers with moderate
incomes rose 2 per cent between
mid-July and mid-August. Food
prices were upped approximately
3 1-2 per cent and other necessary
articles advanced less than 1 per
cent. Price controls had been re
stored on four-fifths of the typical
wage-earners’ purchases at the
time the survey was made, August
15.
Journal advertisers are friends of
Laber—bey from them and say yon
saw it in The Labor Journal.
New York City.—American labor
has contributed between 10 and 12
millirn dollars to foreign relief
since 1940, Reginald T. Kennedy,
director of foreign relief for the
Labor League , for Human Rights,
relief arm of the American Federa
tion of Labor, reported at a meet
ing of the relief organization here.
The current appropriation, he
said, is $2,250,000.
Through the foreign relief pro
gram, about 6,000 children are be
ing fed daily, he added, with medi
cal care and attention offered in
addition. In Russia alone, he said,
$$,225,000 was spent entirely for
children’s garments and 500.000
new garments were sent in 1944
and 1945.
The AFL through its labor
league has obtained, with the aid of
other voluntary agencies, “an
agi cement for the shipping of need
ed supplementary relief to civilians
in all zones of Germany except the
Russian,” Mr. Kennedy declared.
Through a workers’ welfare organ
isation destroyed by Hitler in 1933,
but aince re-established in the
American zone, the league has dis
tributed medicine and children’s
food* he reported. i - J ^ j
He Said the league’s representa
tive in Germany, Irving Brown,
would return to New York on Mon
day t0 report on the problem of
displaced persons, a group the
league has dsfended in association
with other voluntary aid agencies.
Addressing the group, Harold I.
Seymour, executive director of the
National War Fund, declared that
organized labor “has a major re
sponsibility to make philanthropy a
part of the main theme, and not a
sideshow of the labor movement,”
in dealing with foreign relief prob
lems.
Paying high tribute to the con
tribution American labor has made
to relieving suffering in Europe
by assuming its proper place in
the field of organized philanthropy,
Seymour urged against any slack
ening in the effort at this time.
“If we are to make this a land of
united people,” he said, “labor
must remain a part of organized
welfare. With the same basic ob
jectives and agreement upon a com
mon purpose, labor and business
cannot separate themselves from
responsibility for human health,
education and general well being.
This is a part of regular union bus
iness today, as important as wages
and hours.”
A paper prepared by Robert
Loosley, Community Chest director
for Rhode Island, declared the
community chest idea would “fail"
if co-operation with labor should
la*.
“I can see no real prospect of
such a failure,” he said, “since they
cannot continue as a vital force
unless they marshall all men of
good will, regardless of their re
ligious beliefs or their economic
status, in the name of a common
humanity.”
41 NEW YORK NIGHT CLUBS
GRANT MUSICIANS RAISE
New York City—Forty-one night
clubs here averted an orchestra
tieup by granting musicians a 20
per cent general wage increase, in
line with a request by Local 802
of the American Federation of Mu*
sicians. The settlement does not
yet apply to hotel bands.
Under the new contract bands*
men will also get time and a half
for overtime and $5 extra on New
Year’s Eve, also minimum “stretch
time,” which means reducing to a
minimum the intervals in the
night’s work when the musicians
re not playing. ,
< t w * j