Editorial
THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
Published at Charlotte, North Carolina
H. A. SUlle, Editor and Publisher W. M. Witter. Associate Editor
Entered as second-clast mail matter September 11, 1981, at the
Post Office at Charlotte, N. C., under the Act of Congress of
March 3, 1879.___
Oldest Bona Fide AFL Newspaper in North Carolina, consistently
serving the American Federation of Labor and its members since it
was founded, May 12, 1931. Approved by the American Federation
of Labor in 1931. ’
Endorsed by Charlotte Typographical Union, Number 338, An Af
filiate of Charlotte Central Labor Union and the Nortn Carolina Fed
eration of Labor. _
News Services: American Federation of Labor, U. S. and North
Carolina Departments of Labor, and Southern Labor Press Associa
tion. , . . ■ i . ■
MEMBER SOUTHERN LaIbOR PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Labor Journal will not be responsible for the opinions of cor
respondents, hut any erroneous reflection upon the character, stand,
injf or reputation of any person, firm or corporation which may ap
pear in the columns of The Labor Journal will be corrected when
called to the attention of the publisher. Correspondence and Open
Forum opinions solicited, but The Journal reserves the right to reject
objectionable reading matter and advertising at all times. In order
to'correct any misunderstanding that may have existed in the past
or that may exist now relative to The Labor Journal's relationship
to < the North Carolina Federation^ the publisher wishes to state
that the Federationist is the official organ of the North Carolina
Federation of Labor and that The Journal is not now and has never
been the Federation’s official organ. Anyone, whether on our
staff or otherwise, who claims The Journal is.the official organ is
stating an untruth. However, The Labor Journal has solicited both
advertising and subscriptions state-wide in cities and hamlets where
no Labor paper exists since it first began doing business in 1931 and
sees no just reason why it should not continue t& do so. It is our
aim to serve as many of our brother members as is humanly pos
sible, and let no one fool you by telling you that The Journal is an !
illegitimate publication, so far as Labor is concerned. Our past i
lecord, for more than 18 years, disproves this “fifth column” props- j
ganda.. This newspaper has during the years endeavored to promote
a better understanding between Capital and Labor. Its efforts have
borne much fruit. Our only regret is that we have not been able |
to carry on in a bigger and better way. This, the publisher pledges
you, he will strive to do henceforth. i
Address All Communications to
CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL
P. O. Box 1061 Charlotte, North Carolina |
Were it not for the labor press the labor movement
would not be what it is today, and any man who tries
to injure a labor paper is a traitor to the cause.
* —AFL President Gompers.
LABOR PRESS NEEDS BE SUPPORTED
The recent meeting of the Southern Labor Publishers
in Miami, The Journal hopes, is the beginning of a brand
new era in l^abor Press-Union Member relationship in the
South. In» the past too few have realized that the press
and the membership are inseparable and that the two
should be bound together, or let us say, welded together,
for the advancement of both.
The Journal has noticed that there has been a tendency
on the part of some unionists to pass over entirely too
lightly the value of their labor publications. They have been
too prone to toss them aside without taking note, of their
contents; and they have been negligent in paying the rel
atively small sum , asked for a year’s subscription to their
paper; or else they have neglected doing their share in
helping to see to it that the Labor paper is given the news
about what is happening in his or her local union.
Fellows, all of this adds up to an answer which indicates
something should be done to correct a badly neglected
condition. Every member of Organized Labor needs a
medium whereby he can keep himself familiarized with
what is going on in the Labor World. Your medium re
flects just what you do in helping to make it representative.
This is just a simple case of mathematics. If you have
a horse, or a dog, or a flower, or garden, and do not pro
vide it with the proper nourishment and attention, what
happens? You know the answer. This same example ap
plies to your Ijibor press.
While The Labor Journal has l>een blessed to a great
degree by having the co-operation of many, many unionists,
there is yet considerable room for improvement. After
attending the Southern Labor Press Association meeting in
Miami the editor has returned with a new outlook, a re
newed vim and vigor. The Journal intends to do its part
to chronicle the Labor 'happenings in Charlotte, North Car
olina, the South and Nation-wide. In this undertaking
this paper needs have your support. It needs to know
about what is going on in your local union in order that
it can better serve you and all the other organizations in a
more comprehensive manner.
The Journal’s telephone numbers are 5-1776, 5-1777 and
5-1778.
MINNEAPOLIS CUT SALUTES PRINTERS
Sister locals of Chicago Typographical. Union No. 16 are
not the only ones who realize the value of the long battle
Chicago Printers have waged against the Chicago publish
ers who are hiding behind provisions of the Taft-Hartley
act in breaking past contract provisions with the Chicago
printers.
The first central body in America to pledge its backing
to the striking printers of Chicago was the Minneapolis
Central Labor Union, and for fourteen months that sup
port has been expressed by boycott action, financial assist
ance, and publicity in the CLU’s official paper, the Labor
Review. This editorial appeared in a recent issue of the
Review:
“While the voter denunciation of the Taft-Hartley slave
act is being credited to various persons, things and sources,
we have not noticed the International Typographical Union
and its affiliates getting the applause they deserve for the
defeat of the Taft-Hartley ites.
It was this international union and its branches, how
ever, that made the outstanding battle against Taft-Hartley
slavery on the industrial field and in the courts.
“In busy Chicago, pickets of the Typographical Union of
that city served as a continuous reminder, to the millions
"ho passed through Chicago, of the battle that union labor
was waging against being enslaved.
“The refusal of the powerful Chicago local of the tvpos
to bow to Taft-Hartley slavery helped to keep unions
throughout the nation alive to the dangers of this vicious
law.
“It took hundreds of thousand of dollars of the funds of
First!!!
the Chicago local and the International Typographical Un
ion and other organizations to keep up this courageous
fight, and emissaries of the unions brought the story of this
gallant stand against Taft-Hartley slavery to all sections
of the nation.
“Delegates to the 1948 convention of the Minnesota State
Federation of Labor will long remember the eloquent pres
entation that Representative Wicks of the Typographical
Union made of the Chicago situation and of how Chicago’s
Tribune and the other Chicago daily papers were attempt
ing the destruction of the union.
“It was the plan of the Taft-Hartleyites to soft-pedal the
Taft-Hartley law until after election; to make of it a ver
itable time bomb that would not explode in all its destruc
tiveness of human freedom until after the election. It was
the hope that organized labor would sleep through the
election. ' :::::::
There was nothing that did more to make this impossible
than the. continuous struggle that the typos made against
the Taft-Hartley law on the economic field. This struggle of
the typos‘kept the outlines of TH slavery plain and un
forgettable in the mind of every trade unionist.
“There is glory enough for all who aided in beating back
this craftily conceived TH slavery, but to the International
Typographical Union and its affiliates goes the credit for
all time of continuous action that brought home the vicious
provisions of the TH law.”
It would be well if other unions throughout the country
would emulate the action,of the Minneapolis Central Labor
Union and give the Chicago Printers the moral backing
they deserve for waging one of the greatest battles in
American Labor Union history in resisting the first big
scale attempt to break down ail American Unions. Chicago
is not the only city in which the printers have been having
trouble.
WORKING FOR REPEAL AT THE GRASS ROOTS
In midJanuary striking members of No. 16 began visit
ing cities north, south and east of Chicago to stimulate ac
tivity for Taft-Hartley repeal. They have addressed a num
ber of unions outside the printing trade, but for the most
part they have concentrated on ITU locals and chapels,
urging prompt action and advising those ITU bodies as
to the best wsy of getting action from other local organi
zations. * *
All the speakers report excellent results. In some lo
calities the* Typographical and other unions had already
acted, officially and through their individual members, and
our emissaries have had accasion to thank them for it and
to suggest to them how to widen the scope of their work.
While on the road the speakers have corrected many
false impressions of the Chicago strike created by enemy
propagandists. The Picket has received numerous letters
from chapel chairmen, thanking No. 16 for sending out
these speakers to nail lies peddled by ANPA agents and re
lented by ANPA dupes.
It is planned to send speakers to many cities, especially
in the West, continuing and expanding the campaign to re
peal Taft-Hartley and giving full information on the Chi
cago printers’ strike.
•—Chicago Picket
HAMMOND STRIKE ENDS
The regular meeting of Typographical Union No. 16 on
Sunday. January 30, voted to accept the counterproposal
of the Hammond Times for settlement of the strike against
that paper.)
The publisher’s proposal had been examined by the ITU
contract department and approved as being in full conform
ity with ITU law.
The vote for acceptance, on secret ballot, was 849 to 254.
An estimated 300 members declined to vote although pres
ent at the meeting.
This brings to an end a strike that began November 26,
1947, two days after the union’s members walked out of
the Chicago Herald-American, Tribune, Daily News, Sun
Times and Journal of Commerce. The strike against the
Chicago dailies continues, as does the Chicago Defender
lockout which began December 6, 1947.
Sixty-eight members struck against the Hammond paper
14 months ago. Of these, 12 had permanently withdrawn
their cards from the chapel during the strike, 19 have been
working elsewhere under emergency regulations, and 2
have been sick, leaving 35 available for immediate re-em
ployment. Eight returned to their jobs on Tuesday, Febru-1
ary 1, and more will be placed at work as the machines
are put in running order.
The Hammond Times was established in 1906 and had
always operated as a union shop. *lt has not previously'
had a contract, always operating under the wage scale ne
gotiated between No. 16 and the Chicago publishers.
—Chicago Picket
AFL MOVIE OPERATORS
WIN NEW PAY INCREASE
Columbus, Ohio. — Robert W.
Greer, president of Local 386 of
the International Alliance of
Theatrical Stage Employes and
Moving Picture Machine Opera
tors. AFL, announced that the
union and theater owners signed
a 23-month contract calling for
a minimum of |54 a week.
The new contract, is to end 31
days before the 1860-51 New
Year’s eve rush business. It
class for a top salary of $70 for
a 44-hour week, according to Mr.
Greer. Salaries under the old
contract, he said, ranged from $47
to $59.50 a week.
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Letter-Press
Printing
Letter press printing in the graphic arts
means the direct application of inked type
and engravings or other type material to
paper.
It is the simplest of all graphic methods
of reproduction and at the same time the
most lasting. It was the method employed
by the medieval craftsmen who first ap
plied type to paper and it has persisted
throughout the centuries over all innova
tions. until today, when the best of crafts
manship is sought in a job, there is no al
ternative to letter press printing, along
with high grade paper and typographic
good taste.
We suggest that if you have some print
ing in view’ that you w’ant well done, you
consult us. Simply telephone 5-1776 or
else call at the office, 118 East Sixth St.,
Charlotte, N. C.
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PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS
40 YEARS EXPERIENCE AT YOUR DISPOSAL
P. O. Box 1061 CHARLOTTE, N. C.