VOL. XVIII; NO. 31
CHARLOTTE
LABOR JOURNAL
CHARLOTTE. N. C.. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 16. 1948
Subscription S2.0O Per Yenr
What Is Communism?--Read Article On Page 4
House Reports On
Espionage In U. S.
Here are the first few paragraphs from the report on Soviet
•pyinf and the atom bomb, released by the House committee on
un-American activities.
We dpn’t feel any urge to add our opinion to the bare words
of the report itself.
1. These facts have been clearly established by the inves
tigation of the House committee on un-American activities:
(a) During the war, diplomatic representatives of the
Russian government in the United States organized and di
rected several espionage groups made up of American Com
munists for the purpose of obtaining secret information
concerning the development of the atomic bomb.
(b) These espionage groups were successful in placing
some of their members in highly strategic positions in va
rious atomic bomb installations where they had access to
the most secret and confidential information.
(c) These groups were successful in obtaining and .trans
mitting secret information concerning the atomic bomb to
diplomatic representatives and espionage agents of the Rus
sian government.
(d) The committee cannot accurately evaluate the im
portance or volume of the information thus transmitted.
It has been established, however, that certain vital infor
mation was actually transmitted to the Russian govern
ment. and that this information has been and will be of as
sistance to the Russians in their development of the atomic
bomb.
2. The committee wishes to emphasize that this reDort
tells only a very small part of the complete story of Rus
sian espionage activities against the United States during
the war.
The committee has had access to only a portion of the
information contained in the files of the investigative agen
cies of th§ Government. There is no question but that
those agencies have > great deal of additional information
concerning Russian espionage activities not disclosed by
this report.
There can aW*»e little douU that, despite the efficiency
of our investigative agencies, there were some Russian
espionage activities which were not discovered, and which
were successful.
3. The committee has been moat careful in issuing this
report to name as individuals involved in espionage activi
ties only those against whom clear and convincing evidence
has been presented and against whom a prosecution is war
ranted.
The committee has excluded from this report the names
of a number of other individuals against whom serious
charges of espionage were made, pending further investiga
tion and corroboration of these charges.
4. The committee wishes to emphasize that in issuing
this report, it intends to cast no reflection upon that great
majority of American scientists who are without question
loyal to the United States.
The committee is aware of the great debt which the
American people owe to our men of science who are respon
sible for our world leadership in the atomic field.
This report is directed only against those individuals who
deliberately would place in the hands of the most ruthless
totalitarian dictatorship on the face of the globe a weapon
which could be used to destroy our civilization.
The commtttee believes that it has a solemn responsibil
ity to the American people to continue its investigations
until every disloyal individual who has been or is engaged
in such activities is brought to justice.
5. This investigation has once more shown to the Amer
ican people the true character of the Communist conspiracy
in the United States. It has again demonstrated that those
American citizens who are members of the Communist
Party owe their primary loyalty to the Soviet Union, and
will willfully violate the laws of the United States and en
danger even our very security as a nation in order to serve
the interests of the Soviet Union.
This investigation again has shown the necessity and
propriety of the committee’s use of the question, “Are you
a member of tthe Communist Party?” The issue involved
in this question is not one of political affiliation; it is solelji
one of loyalty or disloyalty to the United States,
Employment Remains
Above Sixty Millions
Washington. — Employment re
mained above the 60,000,000 fig
ure for the fifth consecutive
month, according to reports of the
Census Bureau.
Bureau estimates put the total
at 60,134,000 jobs which reflects
a drop of 178,000 from Septem
ber, but is 930,000 higher than
a year ago.
Unemployment, meanwhile
dropped 257,000 to an October
total of 1,642,000, lowest point
of the year, the bureau said. That
was 45,000 under a year ago.
The return of young workers
to school was largely responsible
for the small dip in employment,
the bureau explained. It added
that a larger number of adult
males were employed in October
than in September.
Action Against Subversives Imperative!
Washington.—An attempt by a Commun'st-front Chicago newspaper to raise funds
for the Wallace campaign by high-pressure mail solicitation of funds from Euro pear
trade unions was exposed by the alertness of J. H. OMenbroek, general secretary ol
the International Transport Workers Federation.
The paper. “The Chicago Star,” made the mistage of approaching Mr. Oldenbroek with
a request to purchase space in a special May Day edition for the ostensible purpose
of conveying the greetings of the federation to American workers.
Mr. Oldenbroek. who has had considerable exj>erience in parrying the tactics- of various
organizations which serve the Communist Party detected immediately the intent behind
the seemingly innocent request and refused to go along. Instead he denounced the
scheme as a thinly disguished sham to gain support for the Wallace-for-President third
party move, and branded the “Star” as a “disguised Communist Party organ.”
The letter which the paper addressed to Mr. Oldenbroek and to other European labor
leaders said that a special edition would be released on May Day to promote “interna
tional solidarity" among workers of the world and stressed the importance of obtaining
messages of greeting from European labor groups for their effect upon the American
people.
Such expressions of friendship, the paper's letter said, “will help the American people
in their struggle for a third party and the ictorv of Wallace’s program for peace and
international collaboration.”
So important was this aspect considered, that the newspaper, while begging for con
tributions in dollars from the organizations which it approached, made a special plea that
greetings be sent even if the money was no forthcoming immediately.
“Do not delay sending your greeting bee iuse of exchange difficulties," the letter ad
monished.
It is to the credit of Mr. Oldenbroek and the International Transport Workers Fed
eration that they did not fall for the bait extended by “The Chicago Star.”
Charlotte Observer Commends
JournaVs Americanism Stand
Our Democracy
Faces Danger
The Charlotte Labor Journ
al, Its entire staff and the
iabur*movement as a whole
are very grateful to the
Charlotte Observer for a re
cent editorial in which The
Observer commends The
Journal’s first of a series of
anti-subversive editions
through which this newspa
per hopes to expose many
subversive elements now at
work in the United States.
The Labor Journal will
continue to do everything
within its power to promote
Americanism and the Free
Enterprise System, a system
upon which this great coun
try was founded, and which
has made for us the highest
standard of living in the his
tory of any nation in tho
world.
With the continued co-op
eratioa of our friends, both
inside and outside the labor
movement, we will hence
forth endeavor to redouble
our efforts to combat the
ever - continuing encroach
ment by communists and
other subversive elements
upon our Amreican way of
life. If these encroachments
are allowed to spread and
grow they can and will cause
consequences of disastrous
proportions.
Read The Observer editori
al in the opposite column.
The Observer editors, too,
have many times sounded
the danger signal by herald
ing the growth of anti-Amer
ican dements in our nation.
We feel highly complimented
this great newspaper has
seen fit to recognize our ef
forts.
©rartott* ©bseruir
UNIONS AND COMMUNISM.
THE Communists would have no influence
In American trade unions it the officers
and members of organised labor throughout
the country shared the views at the Charlotte
Labor Journal and followed its commend
able example in active and effective opposi
tion to communism and its program of in
filtration.
The Labor Journal recently began publish
ing a series of editions on the subject of Com
munism. explaining editorially that its pur
pose was “to further enlighten its readers and
fellow workers in the labor movement as to
what communism means, what it haa meant
in the past, and what it may do to hamper
real American trade unions' operations iito
both the immediate and far future.” *
The Journal is the official organ of the
Charlotte Central Labor Union and approved
by the American Federation of Labor and
the North Carolina Federation of Labor.
Hinsy A. Stolls is editor and publisher and
W. M Wirrxa associate editor.
In the initial issue of the series on Com
munism. the paper devoted approximately I)
per cent of its front page and much inside
space to the subject. It featured under a ban
ner line the list of UP organisations recently
named hy Attorney General Tons Class as
subversive, including 12 classified as com
munist Also it featured op the front page
a lengthy article on "What is CnaamunismT”
by L. F. BouLwaat, vice pnddsnl of General
Electric Company. Editorially, the Journal
said: “Be sure you read it It will enlighten
you an many phases of communism."
Under the caption, “Cammuniom in Amer
ican Trade Unions," the tabor Journal said
odi tori ally:
“Communistic activities hi the United
States must be stopped! The infiltration of
Communists into industry, government and
some trade unions has too tong been ignored!
AH Communists in America should be de
ported! These demands and exclamations, and
others, are heard in souvarintions as one goes
about the business of news gathering these
days.
“Rightfully an, aR men and women who
are secretly or otherwise plotting the over
throw of the United States and its form of
government should be tried and dealt with
swiftly.’'
The editorial, noting that “Communist
agents are active in all walks at American
life." warns “both industry aad wodters alike
of the dangers which confront America dur
ing these troublesome post-war days." It adds
that, “throudi communist infiltration, not
only into some American trade unions but
also into government, industry and educa
tional institutions. Communists are working
ts bring about a new order in this country
which is wholly submissive to the dictates
at Moscow.”
The Charlotte Labor Journal is rendering
a commendable service net only to the cause
at trade unionism but alto to the better
interests at industry sad to the American
way of life
SPECTRI
THI pcrww
* paralyze the i
ping popdoction i
better ilhiitnMi
mine strike in
France has Inti
a result of this strf
diplomatic]
strike
overthn
i other i
the other day. ’
band of
the Russian deh
enjoy
about the cev
and directing i
If the
bring the <
merit, but what t
by it is not clear,
the next
the cabinet, and j
course, insist on In<|
police, and Ju
courts.
With those in
prrpared to ■
But i
not be so |
a generali
next spring,
almost certain
be swept into |
Dt Gaullc I
is convinced
continue, the i
will win.
What ha |
not said in |
his campaign I
we might <
very close to i
sternly with
expected to |
of sedition and 1
out of the way I
France
ment, but not ,
too intense a |
era willingly, I
is such that l
forced to use I
Also, Dt
most Ft
danger of 1
ad that
anced hi the
therefore, to,|
tional defense, i
Union, and j
Just now th
sight who sp
deal with the
Gaupu would i
Even so. the '
thf-1
their number un
|y directed by
1 Labor
likely to haf
vious and |
had.
The i
tern of t
the multi-]
vote of ■
Subversive Elements
Should Be Exposed
We do not take away the rights of an individual when
we insist that he tell us if he is a Communist. Not at all.
We make him prove that he is a citizen before we let him
vote; we make all sort of requirements before granting
other rights and privileges. It is our right to know if he
is one of those whose loyalty belongs to Moscow rather than
to the United States, before we accept him as a fellow
Union man, a school teacher, a college professor, or in ,
any other capacity.
That’s why it is silly to call inquiries into the Com
munist leanings of various people by such names at “witch
hunts,” or prying expeditions.”
Why, in some states the individual is required to state
his political party before he is permitted to register!
It is of greatest importance for us to know, those of ua
who believe in the American way of life and who love our
i American rights and liberties, whether those who presume
1 to lead us in any field are Communists. This is true be
cause the Communist is one who would wreck our Ameri
can system. The doctrine of Communism is the direct op
posite of our free democracy. The Communist yelps alsmt
his American rights, but put him in power and all Ameri
can rights and liberties would die instantly. There are no
rights in Communist countries, except those of the red
dictators.
We do not care how the truth about the Communist is
obtained, so long as it is done in an orderly and lawful
manner and those who are not Communists are protected
from needless injury. Let the committees of Congress and
of the state legislature get the facts, if they can. If, here
and there, they discover that some leader of Organized
Labor is a Communist, let’s know that, too, for American
Labor’s great mass of members are not Communistic and
will not long tolerate in positions of truth and leadership
those who owe their allegiance to the Kremlin.
—Washington Teamster.
Threat To Our Safety
Senator Bridges of New HanNpsl&fe 'was entirely corr&t
when he said in recommending a special session of Con
gress on the China crisis that “those Communist forces
now spreading over all of North China are no simple group
of indignant patriots,’' but are controlled from the Krem*
lin in Moscow and are part of the world-wide Communist
revolution.
Too many Americans, including some in high govern
mental places, have taken the soothing syrup that the *
Chinese Communists are different from other Communists
and that they mean no harm but merely want reforms in
China.
If that is true, what is the object of all that Kremlin
directed Communist activity in Southeast Asia, running
all the way from Burma to Indonesia and the Philippines?
The plain strategy is to capture Southeast Asia for Com
munism by means of local revolutions and then to form a
junction in Indo-China by driving clear through China from
Manchuria. Then Russia would have an unbroken front
in Asia from the Artie to the Equator.
From that position she would be very hard to dislodge,
and she would be a direct threat to the safety of the United
States. As Constantine Brown pointed out the other day,
we fought a long and bloody war to get Japan out of that
very position, and now we are about to let Russia entrench
herself where we refused to permit the Japanese to stay.
We emphasize again that it would be useless to send war
material directly to the war lords, because they would
merely revert to their old corrupt practice of throwing
their support where they think it will be most advantage
ous to them.
It would be equally futile to try to shore up the totter
ing Nationalist government, which has lost the confidence
of the people.
Just as we required the European nations to help them
selves before we helped them, so we should insist in the
strongest terms that both the Nationalist government and
its armies be reorganzed under American direction. If
that cannot be done so near the front as Nanking, then let
the government retreat to the interior where it can be re
organized without interruption, while a holding operation
is mantained in the north.
Both the Greek and the Turkish armies are being trained
by unarmed American advisers. There is no reason that
the same thing cannot be done in China.
But whatever action we decide upon, the threat of a
solid Communist front in the Orient extending all the way
across the Northern Hemisphere is a development that
we shall neglect at our deadly peril.
—Charlotte Observer.
The Charlotte Labor Journal recently posed a pertinent
$64 question when it asked how the Communist party in
the United States with only about 70,000 members can
successfully publish the Daily Worker while neither the
American Federation of Labor nor the Congress of Indus
trial Organizations, each with millions of members, can
afford a daily newspaper.
—Charlotte Observer.
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW OUR ENEMIES