VOL. XVIII; NO. 39
CHARLOTTE, N. C- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1949
Subscription $2.00 Per Yenr
AFL Supports Bill Abolishing
T-H Law; Okay Of The Senate
Committee Believed Assured
BACKING IS ANNOUNCED BY COUNCIL AFTER A
CAREFUL SCRUTINY
Miami.—After spending many hours in a careful, section
by-section review of the Truman Administration’s bill re
storing the Wagner Act with a limited number of amend
ments, the Executive Council of the American Federation
of Labor Officially announced that it will support the meas
ure wiping out the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Act,
The Council’s backing had been indicated from the mo
ment the bill was introduced, but the AFL leaders tempo
rarily withheld a formal statement until they had had the
opportunity to scrutinize the measure thoroughly with the
nnniafnnoo nf IdOTitl POlltlSPl.
AFL President William Green
informed correspondents that the
Council had reached a unanimous
decision to support the Admin
istration’s bill without important
reservations. He added that he
would testify before the Senate
Labor Committee , on February
10, now scheduled as the final
day of hearings on the bill.
Executive Council members
noted with satisfaction that the
Administration bill declares
that the Taft-Hartley Act, which
has handcuffed organized labor
since 1947, is “hereby repealed",
and that the Wagner Act of 1935
is “hereby reenacted.'^ The
American Federation of"" Labor
has called repeatedly for the re
peal of the Taft-Hartley Act,
which was actually written by!
National Association of Manufac
turer’s lawyers.
The repeal of the vicious anti
labor statute and the reinstate
ment of the Wagner Act, which
was fair to both management
and labor and fostered genuine
collective bargaining, were writ
ten into the new bill in conform
ity with the solemn pledges of
the Democratic Party in the last
election campaign.
The Administration bill also
contains some amendments to the
old Wagner Act as recommmend.
ed to Congress by President Tru
man.
Mr. Green, responding to point
ed questions from reporters in re
gard to the “national emegency’’
provisions of the new billn said
the Executive Council fully ap
proved of these provisions as now
phrased. The bill calls for a 30
day “cooling-off” period and no
resort to injunctions against labor
at the end of the "cooling-off”
period. The Taft-Hartley Act
authorises crippling injunctions
against workers at the drop of
a hat.
The AFL leader told report
ers he will support the repeal
bill when he appears before the
Senate Labor Committee but may
suggest an amendment guaran
teeing the right of skilled crafts
men to have their own bargain,
ing unit in an industrial plant.
This suggestion and possibly
some minor changes in language
probaHy would be the extent of
the AFL’s proposals, Mr. Green
indicated at the press conference.
As the Executive Council’s
meeting neared its close, the
AFL leaders issued a statement
holding Soviet Russia solely and
entirely responsible for the "lack
of progress toward the attain
ment of world peace and securi
ty"
The Council denounced the lat
est insincere bid by Joseph Stal
in, the Soviet dictator, for a so
called “peace” talk with Presi
dent Truman. The transparent
Russian maneuver was called "an
unmitigated sham.”
The Council, in another state
ment, urged Congress to give im
mediate consideration to bills
granting pay inreases to federal
government employes. The Coun
cil pointed out that wages of the
average government employe are
“lagging considerably behind those
paid in private Industry.’
Applauding the breakup of the
Communist puppet organisation
calling itself the "World Federa
tion of Trade Unions,” the Exec
utive Council called for the for.
motion of "a genuine internation
al federation of trade unions"
and pledged that the AFL will
gladly co-operate with the free
unions of all countries, large aad
small, “t«i hasten the day of. their
unification into one world federa
tion of labor dedicated to the
principles of freedom,, social jus
tice and lasting peace.”
The pending reaffiliation of the
International Association of Ma
chinists was under discussion at
the Executive Council session.
AFL and IAM peace committees
have been conferring. The Coun
cil received a report on the prog
ress of the talks between the
Federation and the pesently un
affiliated union- *
CopjrrifM 1949
THI MACHINIST—I A M.
Council Asks Billions For Education Aid,
Pushes Health Program and Civil Rights
AFL LEADERS WELCOME CHANCE TO ENACT SO
CIAL JUSTICE LAWS AS BUTTRESS OF FREEDOM;
OPPOSITION TO SCHEVENELS IS STRONG
Miami.—The Executive Council of the American Federa
tion of Labor, in session here, called upon Congress to pro
vide $1,000,000,000 in federal aid to education. The coun
cil said the $300,000,000 aid bill now under consideration in
Washington is inadequate to assure an effectivve program.
“The shortcomings of our present educational system
are a reflection upon our American democracy which must
have a well-educated and well-informed citizenry in order
to remain vital and dynamic,” the Executive Council de
clared. “Because of the financial handicaps of many of our
states, which prevent them from providing proper school
facilities and decent standards for teachers, federal aid
to education is a ‘must.”
“We do not believe that the
legislation now being considered
is adequate to the needs of the
nation. The *300.000,«00 fund
which is proposed for federal aid
to the states is not sufficient to
insure an effective program. The
American Federation of Labor
believes that America is wealthy
enough to set aside a billion dol
lar fund for this essential pur
pose. Surely, the education of
our children is the soundest and
most constructive investment we
can make for the future of our
people and our democracy.”
The Executive Council called
for the enactment of social se
curity legislation to increase
present benefits, to widen pres
ent coverage, to institute disabil
ty insurance, to nationalise and
improve the unemployment com
pensation system, and to inaug
urate a national health program,
“including health insurance, med
ical research, increase in health
facilities and training of more
personnel.”
The council said the nation
faces "the most promising op
portunity in more than a decade”
to secure the enactment of a
broad program of social justice
legislation “to strengthen and
fortify the American way of
life."
“The new 81st Congress has
come to office with a clear man
date from the people to put this
program into action without un
due delay,” the AFL’s top lead
ers declared. “The Executive
Council is confident that the new
Congress will live up to tts cam
paign promises.'’
The council lashed out at the
irresponsible charges of reaction
aries that social justice legisla
tion is “ socialistic" or “destruc
tive of American freedoms.”
These allegations are absolutely
baseless, ,the council said, add
ing that “to the extent that real
social security is provided for
the American people, the free
enterprise system win become
correspondingly secure against
ideological attacks.”
The council emphasised that
the AFL’s program of social jus
tice legislation “will not only
provide far greater enjoyment of
freedom and economic opportuni
ty to all the American people but
will also, at the same time, serve
to buttress and support the free
enterprise system.”
Civil rights received the atten
tion of the top leadership of the
American Federation of Labor.
In a short statement, the council
said:
“The convention of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor unani
mously endorsed the civil rights
program recommended to Con
gress by President Truman. We
will press for its adoption in
order to protect the democratic
rights and freedoms of minority
groups.”
Taking note of the proposal
now before Congress to lift the
minimum wage, to 75 cents an
hour under the Fair Labor Stan
dards Act, the Executive Coun
cil said the minimum should be
set at $1 an hour and coverage
of the law broadened. The mini
mum is now 40 cents.
Unalterable opposition was an
nounced to the appointment of
Walter Schevenels, Belgian trade
unionist, as secretary of the
Trade Union Advisory Commit
| tee of the European Recovery
[ Program. A staetment ox tne
International Labor Relations
Committee, which was endorsed
by the Executive Council, said:
“After careful consideration
of the full report of the recent
session of the Trade Union Ad
visory Committee of the Euro
pean Recovery Program held at
Berne, Switserland, the AFL ex
presses its complete confidence
in the position taken by its
European representative, Irving
Brown. We especially endorse
his vigorous opposition to the se
lection of Walter Schevenels as
secretary of the TUAC.
“The AFL is unalterably op
posed to Mr. Schevenels because
he is unfit to hold so high an of
fice in the ranks of democratic
wtrld labor. The secretary of
the TUAC must be one who com
mands the confidence and respect
of all its national affiliates. Oth
erwise, he cannot secure their
effective co-operation which is in
dispensable to the success of the
ERP. Mr. Schevenels lacks this
confidence and respect.
"The record of Mr. Schevenels
in the former International Fed
eration of Trade Unions shows
that, though be may be an inde
(Continued on Page 4)
Carpenters Council Also
Meets Here Sat. Night
The regular monthly meeting of the North Carolina
Building Trades Council (AFL) will be held in Charlotte
Sunday beginning at 10 o’clock in Carpenter’s Hall, 920
West Trade Street. This is the first meeting of the council
to be held in Charlotte for several months, as each ninth
ly nu>eting is held in other cities of the state on a rotating
plan.
Much business comes up for discussion and disposal each
month before this body and according to officials of the
organization considerable business of importance is to be
transacted here Sunday.
A. T. Russ of Asheville, is presdient of the North Caro
lina Council, and H. E. Setzer is secretary-treasurer.
CARPENTERS MEET SATURDAY
The North Carolina State Council of Carpenters and
.loiners of America will hold their regular monthly session
in Charlotte this month also, the meeting being scheduled
for Saturday night at 7:00 o’clock in the Carpenters Hall
at 920 West Trade Street.
The Carpenters meeting is largely attended each month
by delegates from all parts of the state and it is one of
the largest meetings of AFL unions in the State. Like
the meetings of the State Building Trades C ouncil the Car
penters meetings ala* rotate each month.
Ellis Wright is president of the State Carpenters’ Coun
cil.
Central Labor Union Notes
The regular bi-monthly meet
ings of Charlotte Central Labor
Union are now being held in the
new Carpenter* Hall at #20 West
Trade street. The meetings are
held on the second and fourth
Thursday nights of each month
at 7:30 o’clock. The meeting of
the Central Body this week was
an interesting one. Many mat
ters were up for discussion and
disposal. The reports of local
affiliated unions were well re
ceived and delegates from local
unions all reported their mem
bers at work and doing well.
The Sheet Metal Workers had
representatives present and re
ported that their local has voted
to affiliate with the local branch
of the American Federation of
Labor. The credentials will per
haps be received at the neat
meeting.
The Federal Labor Union has
sent in its quota of new dele
Kates and they were ordered
.y'Atqit™..
The Central Labor Union com
mittee on arrangements for the
August meeting of the North
Carolina Federation of Labor
convention has been appointed
and probably will have a lively
report at an early date. John
Lovett, local Carpenter Business
Manager, has been named chair
man of this important committee.
The Government Employes Un
ion was represented at the Feb
ruary meeting by Brother Knight,
who reported that his union has
recently taken in 10 new mem
bers.
Brother J. J. Thomas of * the
Firemen’s union reported that his
association is now endeavoring
to get the recognition of the
North Carolina General Assem
bly in the making of laws for
the better protection of the
State’s firelighters.