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CHARLOTTE
LABOR JOURNAL
VOL. XVII; NO. 19
CHARLOTTE. N. C. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER IS. 1917
Subscription $2.00 Per Year
Administration Oi Labor
Law Has Hard Sledding
AFL COUNCIL’S REFUSAL TO SIGN NON-COMMUNIST
AFFIDAVITS SEEN AS BLOW TO DENHAM RULING:
TAFT SAYS RULE NOT IN ACCORD WITH LAW
Washington, D. C.—The Taft-Hartley Act is on the verge
of a complete breakdown in administration.
The first body blow was the refusal of the AFL Execu
tive Council to sign the non-Communist affidavits required
by a ruling issued by Robert Denham, Chief Counsel for the
National Labor Relations Board. This means that, as long
as the ruling stands, no cases involving -AFL unions can
be processed by the NLRB. The CIO is expected to follow
the same policy, thus removing organized labor from the
sphere of NLRB procedures.
Alarmed by this development, Senator Robert A. Taft, of
Ohio, co-author of the Taft-Hartley Act, told newspaper
men in California that there was no "legislative history”
to justify the Denham ruling. He said he believed the law
required non-Communist affidavits only from the officers
of local unions and the national and international unions
with which they were affiliated, but not from the officers
of the top federations. .
This statement, in effect, cut
the ground from under Mr. Den
ham and |eft him no alternative
but to change his ruling or to
resign. Newspaper editorials
throughout the nation condemned
the Denham ruling as unjustified
and unconstitutional.
AFL President William Green
had declared earlier that he could
see no justification for the Den
ham regulation and that he be
lieved the courts would so de
clare. He added, however, that
the AFL as yet had prepared no
specific court test et the mat*
ter.
The AFL Executive Council’s
decision was announced by Mr.
Green at a press conference in a
concise statement. He said:
“The Executive Council decided
that the Taft-Hartley Law is rep
rehensible, vicious and destructive
of the civil and legal rights of
workers. It could not conform to
the Denham ruling.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Coun
cil kept up its rapid-fire attack on
Senator Taft with a statement
assailing his defense of State’s
rights in a California speech. Thg
Council said: > '
“The sudden espousal of States’
rights and decentralisation of
Governmental power by Senator
Robert A. Taft, of Ohio, is com
pletely mystifying to organized
labor.
“If the Senator means what he
says, he should be the first to de
mand repeal of the Taft-Hartley
Act, of which he is co-author.
That law thoroughly repudiates
the principle of local self-govern
ment and sets up the most arbi
trary system of Government con
trols over labor and industry in
the nation’s history.
“The Executive Council is con
vinced that the Federal bureauc
racy created by the Taft-Hartley
Act to regulate the trade union
movement and rule over labor
management relations will prove
more oppressive and totalitarian
than all the war-time controls
combined.
“Senator Taft orates about the
‘right of the people of each com
munity to run their own affairs,’
bub he forgets that his own law
subjects collective bargaining in
every little shop and factory in
the nation to domination and con
trol from Washington.
“Since its creation, the Ameri
can Federation of Labor has op
erated as a free federation of
autonomous national and interna
tional unions which, in turn, ar«
composed of local unions enjoy
ing local autonomy. The Taft
Harjley Act and the regulations
issued under it seek to destroy
that fundamental principle of
democratic self-government.
“Apparently Senator Taft be
lieves that the American workers
and their trade unions have no
right to the freedom which ne
professes to be so anxious to as
t Please Tara to Page S)
Memorial To
War Dead
Be Erectedl
New York City. — The AFL’s
Central Trades and Labor Council
announced plans for a “living me
morial” to members of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor who died
in World War II.
The memorial will take the form
of a five-story gymnasium and
recreation building, expected to
serve 10.000 to 12,000 of the city’s
young people each year.
Cost of the project is estimated
at $500,000, of which $400,000 will
be raised by the AFL unions com
prising the Central Trades and
Labor Council. Ninety AFL lead
ers approved plans for the proj
ect. I
The project was described at a
luncheon meeting of the AFL
group by Brother S. A. Ryan,
athletic director of Power Me
morial Academy, Amsterdam Ave
nue and Sixty-first Street. The
building, Brother Ryan said, will
be erected on land owned by the
Academy at a cost of $500,000,
of which $70,000 already has been
raised by the Academy. The
school will provide another $30,000
—forty-eight of its alumni who
died in the war will share in the
tribute represented by the build
ing.
Brother Ryan emphasized that
the building would be administered
by the Academy faculty with the
co-operation of the Police Ath
letic League; for youths from all
parts of the city.
William Collins,* regional direc
tor of the American Federation of
Labor, explained that the build
ing would be open to all youths,
without regard to race, color or
creed.
The Power Memorial Academy,
although operated by ths Chris
tian Brothers, hag students of all
faiths and does not require the
study of religion, it was said.
Thomas A. Murray, president
of the State Federation of Labor,
presided at the luncheon. It was
announced that Martin T. Lacey,
president of the Central Trades
and Labor Council, had accepted
the chairmanship of the labor
committee to raise the $400,000.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION
INCREASED DURING 1947
Washington. D. C.—The U. S.
Department of Agriculture esti
mated that electric service will
eventually reach another 390,000
rural consumers under Rural
Electrification Administration loans
made during the fiscal year 1947.
The loans amounted to $251,
349,172. They will enable bor
rowers to string more than 135,
000 miles of new power lines and
step up the capacity of some ex
isting systems in forty-four states
and Alaska.
Wage Raises
Absorbed By
High _Prices
Washington, D. C. — Average
earnings of factory workers in
creased in Jure, hut the gain was
only on paper according to the
release of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. ,
Weekly wages were $47.37, up
$.93 over May, but rising prices
entirely wiped out the increase.
BLS said.
In fact, the “real”, wages of
manufacturing employes are still
lower than during any year of
the war, the report showed.
BLS estimated that the “net
spendable” earnings in June,
measured in terms o/ the 1939
buying power of the dollar, were
only $26.50 for a single person
and $29.97 for a family with two
children. That figure was arrived
at by deducting social security
and income taxes, and taking into
account the zoom in living costs.
A comparison with 1944, the
war year in which worker’s
“take-home” wages reached a
peak, illustrate with particular
emphasis what has happened to
pay envelopes.
In dollars, factory workers arc
drawing >3.30 a week more than
in 1944, dofpite a substantial. losft,
in overtime. But in terms of
buying power, workers have from
Id to |8 a week less “spendable”
money now than in that year.
The fact is that ever since the
war ended, “the wage earners of
America have not been able to
keep abreast of the cost of liv
ing,” Secretary of Labor Lewis
B. Schwellenbach declared.
As shocking proof of this, he
pointed out that “savings by wage
earners decreased 45 per cent be
tween 1945 and 1946.”
“Furthermore, our lower income
families, who are most in need j
of a nest-egg for the future, have
been the hardest hit,” he ex- j
plained.
That’s true, he said, of all fam
ilies in which total earnings of'
all employed members is less than'
|3,000 a year. These make up
65 per cent of the population, but'
in 1946 their earnings equalled
only one-third of the nation’s in
come and still worse, “they ac
counted for only 4 per cent of the
personal savings for the year,”
he stressed.
“That fact becomes more start
ling when it is realized that the
30 per cent of the families in this
country in the upper bracket and
who had 59 per cent of the in
come accounted for 93 per cent
I of the savings in 1946,” he added.
And yet some people are criti
cal of workers for seeking higher
wages. Schwellenbach said. At a
time when corporations are mak
ing huge profits and building up
big reserves, it is unfair, he con
tended, to expect that workers
, “should dip into their savings
and let the future take care of
1 itself.”
FILM UNIONS AGREE ON
JURISDICTIONAL TRUCE
New York City.—Heads of the
thirteen principal film unions
signed an agreement with New
York City film producers provid
ing that all jurisdictional disputes
would be solved through arbitra
tion. The agreement is to run
for a pefiod of 5 years.
Mayor O'Dwyar complimented
the union officials for the part
they played in reaching the agree
ment which, he said, is an “out
standing contribution" to stabili
sation of movie production and to,
advancement of the campaign to
induce film producers to make
more movies in New York City. 1
STRUCTURE TO BE ERECTED AT CORNER NORTH
CHURCH AND TENTH AVENUE
The Charlotte Carpenters Union Local No. 1469 this week;
announced the consummation of a deal whereby the union
has purchased a suitable lot at the corner of North Church
street and Tenth avenue upon which to erect a large and
modem labor Temple building sufficiently large to accom
modate all of the Charlotte American Federation of Labor
unions. Claude Nolen, carpenter's business agent, made the
announcement at the Thursday night meeting of Charlotte
Central Labor Union.
The announcement will come as
good news to all American Fed
eration of _Labor n ions in this
city, a« the matter of securing
sufficient office and meeting hall
space since the Labor Temple
property on McDowell street was
disposed of several months ago
has been difficult. The present
home of. the CLU at 317 1-2
North Tryon street has been over
frown by Charlotte Unions.
This announcement will be fol
lowed by an announcement of the
[ Charlotte Typographical Union,
which has had a committee out
for some timd in search of suit
able property upon which to
build a modern printers club and
meeting place for the local. The
printers also intend to provide
extra space to take care of meet
ings of other crafts in their new
quarters. Perhaps the two new
buildings of these Charlotte Un
ions will be sufficient to take
care of the needs of Charlotte’s
local union needs within the next
few months.
Council Demands
Action On Inflation
The AFL Executive Council at the Chicago meeting de
clared that inflation has “assumed alarming proportions"
and warned that “unless the cost of living is promptly
reduced and stabilized, pressure or higher wages is sure to
mount.”
Opposing the reimposition of price control, the Council de
clared the Government “must encourage expansion of pro
duction and prevent restraints upon production which cre
ate artificially high prices."
To stimulate thj drive to provide a more bountiful sqpfc*
amend
“Of goods for ’American consumers, the Council reconi
ed the immediate revision of our foreign export commit
ments, expansion of industrial and agricultural production,
and expansion of transportation facilities to move our in
creased production.
The complete text of the Executive Council statement
is as follows:
Inflation has now assumed alarming proportions. The
purchasing power of the wage-earner’s dollar has been cut
in half since the war. Food prices are now bursting
through the roof. Economists are predicting a dollar a
dozen eggs and a dollar a pound butter. Meat is going to
be more scarce and more expensive, t Substitute foods, be
cause of increasing demand, will also shoot upward.
The burden of inflation falls heaviest upon the workers
because wages cannot keep pace with rising prices. Unless
the cost of living is promptly reduced and stabilized, pres
sure for higher wages is certain to mount.
Proposals from some quarters that Government price
controls be restored are not supported by the Executive
Council. It is ridiculous to suppose that the present Con
gress would approve such legislation. While the OPA was
killed, prematurely, it is now dead and cannot be revived.
Qpvernment regulation and control of prices is abhorrent
in a free economy. We must look elsewhere for a permanent
solution of this pressing problem.
The Executive Council recommends three specific meas
ures:
1— Immediate revision of our foreign export commit
ments.
2— Encouragement of increased industrial and agricul
tural production.
3— An expansion in our transportation facilities to move
our increased production.
It is time for America to take stock of its resources, its
needs and its productive potential. It is time also for a
similar international inventory, in accordance with the
Marshall Plan.
The Executive Council believes that our country should
continue to extend all possible assistance to those countries
which are willing to co-operate with us for the preservation
of world peace. However, our resources are not inexhaust
ible. There are limits beyond which our country cannot go
without inviting economic disaster. These safety limits
must be definitely set and adhered to. ,That alone would
prove a stabilizing factor and prevent further speculative
booms that can only end in a crash. It must be remem
bered that the first essential to restoration of a sound world
economy is the maintenance of a sound economy here in
America.
In the long run, the only way to bring our national econ
omy into balance and shake prices down to their natural
level is greater and still greater production with resump
tion of true, competitive enterprise. The Government must
encourage expansion of production and prevent restraint
upon production which 'create artificially high prises. It
can best do this not by such artificial props as guarantee
ing new industries against loss or incentive payments, but
by increasing minimum wage levels to a point commen
surate with decent American living standards. Million^ of
American workers and their falimies are still submerged
at income levels far below subsistence standards. The pres
ent minimum wage of 40 cents an hour is a disgrace to
the nation and a blight on an expanding economy.
America has not. yet reached the end ef its economic
frontiers. We can produce more and we can consume more.
Our great present danger is not surpluses but continuing
shortages. These must be wiped out before living costs
can go back to normal.
4Eat Less Doctrine’ Of
Taft Unpopular Advice
SLAVE LABOR LAW ADMINISTRATION NEAR BREAK
TAFT’S CALLOUS ATTITUDE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO
LOWER-WORKERS’ LIVING STANDARDS
ALREADY HIT BY NEW LABOR LAW
Washington, D. C.—“Eat less,” Senator Robert A. Taft’s
advice to the American people on how to combat the high
cost of living, promises to go down in history along with
Marie Antoinette's advice to her French subjects, then
starving for bread—“Let them eat cake.".
The Ohio Senator’s Presidential aspirations suffered a
severe blow as his campaign train was flooded with pro
tests from all over the country from American citizens who
resented his cruel and callous attitude.
Electricians
To Give Fish
Fry Sept. 25
Charlotte AFL Electrical Work
ers Union B-879 will stage a fish
fry at Bryant Park on Thursday,
September 25 and announcements
have gone out to several hundred
invited to participate in the af
fair. Business Agent Stitt and
his office force ha# been busy for
several days addreeaing the invi
tations.
The Ash fry will begin at S-.80
and last until 10:80 o'clock on the
evening of September 25 and a
This is an annual event with the
B-S79 Electrical Workers and
naturally it is looked forward to
with much interest.
US.Family
Food Cost
Is Double
Princeton, N. J.—Public opinion
place* the family** weekly ex
penditures for food at nearly
double the amount spent in 1942,
according to the latest study
made by the American Institute
of Public Opinion, more common
ly known as the Gallup Poll.
The current median average ex
penditure for non-farm families
is $21 a week, an increase of $4
since March, 1946, and $10 since
April. 1942.
These increases, as reported by
the people who buy the food, are
greater than the reported - In
creases in the Bureau of Labor
Statistics’ consumers’ price index
which merely reflects the prices
of goods and not the total expen
ditures made by a family for
necessary food.
r urinermore, me pumic is
thoroughly discouraged about the
future prospects for the general
price level. In response to a
question,, “Do you think that
prices would be higher. Thirty
per cent thought prices would be
about the same, while only 21 per
cent were optimistic enough to
predict lower levels.
On the question of wages, there
was little hope that wage in
creases would be realised. Only
18 per cent of the people ques
tioned on the subject expressed
the opinion that wages would be
higher a year from now. Forty
four per cent thought wages
would be the same and 27 per
cent forecast lower wages at the
end of a year.
The results of this public opin
ion poll confirm the position tak
en by the American Federation
of Labor which has consistently
denounced the trend toward high
er and higher; prices, while prof
its are at record levels, as an un
just aqueexe on the American
worker.
i"
* i _
(
Labor leaders were quick to
point out that the basic philoso
phy in Senator Taft’s statement
was a desire to reduce the Amer
ican standard of living and that
this same philosophy permeated
ths Taft-Hartley Act, of which
he is co-author. Through that
law. Senator Taft sought to
force American living standards
down by weakening trade unions.
Meanwhile, official concern over
mounting prices became epidemic
in the nation’s capital as politi
cians began assaying popular re
volt against a dollar a pound but
ter and a dollar a dosen eggs in
terms of the IMS elections.
With an inflation orisis at
hand. Government officials were
forced to admit that the future
looks even more dismal and that
pried- spiral whirled up and around
again, taking additional foods end
basic commodities on its diszy
ride.
In Chicago, grain prices
strained against the Board of
Trade limit on daily advances,
setting new seasonal highs for
September corn >nd all deliveries
of soy beans. Soy beans jumped
8 cents a bushel, July wheat was
up 10■ cents, com was up 6 to
7 5-8 cents, and oats prices rose
1 7-8 to 2 1-2 cents. Operators
in the grain markets expressed
the belief there would be no re
turn of Federal price controls be
cause opposition by farmers would
be too strong.
With cotton prices soaring $-1
a bale, it was estimated that the
increase alone in the price of
that commodity, com, wheat, soy
beans, and oats would, projected
to the estimated 1947 crops of
those farm products, add more
than $360.000,600 to their base
price, to say nothing of the ad
ditional increases and mark-ups
every step of the way from farm
to consumer.
The wholesale price of Maxwell
House coffee went up one cent a
pound. Two of the major re
finers of corn products raised
corn syrup prices 40 cents a hun
dredweight, starch 25 and 30
cents, and feed products 30 • ton.
The livestock and butter and
egg markets reflected, in the form
of some weakening of wholesale
prices, dull trading that was at
tributed by some merchants to the
Jewish holidays and by others to
an increase in consumer resist
ance.
While trtbice steers sold in
Chicago at $35.00 a hundred
pounds, the highest price sine*1
December 5 and the highest Sep
tember quotation on record, other
grades were unchanged to 25
cents a hundredweight lower. But
ter wholesale prices in Chicago
were from 2 cents lower to half
a cent higher, while in New York
range was from unchanged to 1
cent lower. Egg prices were un
changed from Friday.
The Birds-Eye frozen food com
pany announced that prices of
most of its products would hold
at 1940 levels this winter and
some items would be priced low
er. Howard F. Lochrie, market
ing director, said the concern's
output of frozen food would be “
30 to 35 per cent larger than last
year.