THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL AND DIXIE FARM NEWS Published at Charlotte, North Carolina __ _ H. A. Stella, Editor and Publisher W. M. Witter, Associate Editor Entered as second-class mail matter September 11, 1981, at the Tost 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 838, An Af filiate of Charlotte Central Labor Union and the North 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. ._;_ MEMBER SOUTHERN LABOR PRESS ASSOCIATION The Labor Journal will not be responsible for the opinions of cor respondents, but any erroneous reflection upon the character, stand ing 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 ir. the past or that may exist now relative to The Labor Journals relationship to the North Carolina Federationist 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 i“ advertising and subscriptions state-wide in cities and h»n>let» where “ Labor‘paper exists since it first began doing business in 1981 and sees no just reason why it should not continue to do so. It is our ITm T serve „ many of our brother member, a. is humanly pos sible. and let no one fool you by telling you that The '* *» illegitimate publication, so far a. Laboris ^ iword, for more than 18 years, disproves Una ‘fifth column props This newspaper has during the years endeavored l° Pro™0^* a better understanding between Capital and Labor. Ita effort* •»* borne much fruit. Our ®nly regret is it carry on in a bigger and better way. This, the publisher pledges you, he will strive to do henceforth. ____ . P. O. Box 1061 Address All Communications to CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL Charlotte, North Carolina GREAT injustice needs correcting While the North Carolina General Assembly is in a more settled and conciliatory mood, seemingly, than it was two years ago, its members should give due and just consider ation to that ill-advised piece of legislation it enacted into law two years atfo which put undue restrictions on both employers and union workers alike. We refer to North Caro lina’s so-called “right-to-work" law. The Labor Journal believes that House Bill No. 229 was enacted into law a? the direct resut of the “anti-labor phobia” which wa* sweeping the Nation at that time. Two years later certain ly the legislators who took part in the 1949 proceedings, and the new lawmakers as well, have had time to study the results of their handiwork and after meditating the re suits of the law’s application and effects on collective bat; gaining agreements must have concluded to some degree aj least that the law is entirely too stringent a measure to tx further imposed upon the workers of North Carolina. In reflecting upon the proceedings of two years ago Th< Journal wonders if some of the members of that Genera Assembly do not remember the words of that great South ern statesman and newspaper publisher, the late Hon. Jo sephus Daniels, when he plead with them not to shackh North Carolina management and Labor with the anti-closec shop bill which was stampeded through that session. Mr Daniels, in addressing the committee on Labor and Manu facturing, related his relationship with the unions in th< printing trades represented In his newspaper plant as ar example of good labor-management relations. He said thal for a half century his experiences with his union employes had been marvelously pleasant. And he also said that n« one should interfere with his right to make an agreement with his employes in which he recognized the closed shor if he so desired. Publisher Jefferies of the Greensboro Daily News and Record also presented a wonderful argu ment against passage of the measure. The present law has cost North Carolina Labor thou sands of dollars. Labor in this State has sent a test cast on the bill up through the courts of the State, and on to the Supreme Court of the U. S. The final ruling on the North Carolina law by the higher court was to the effect that North Carolina has a right to legislate such a bill, but con stitutionality of the law’s provisions was not passed upon, if our information is correct. Not only coating thousand* of dollars to find out how the law affects Labor, management has lost in both time and money, while lawyers have been called in and consulted on matters that have been settled directly between Labor and Management from time immemorial. Perhaps the in stigators had in mind destroying Labor when it concocted this vicious bill, but we have both Management and Labor with us yet. Both have made progress, but the cost has been much greater than in the many years Labor and Man agement carried on minus the deadweight tacked upon them. Gentlemen, of the Legislature, it’s time to do something about this matter! ; RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER SEES CLEARLY In an editorial in last Thursday’s Raleigh News & Obser ver that newspaper expressed itself as being in favor of out right repeal of the (torth Carolina Labor legislation which was enacted two years ago and which denies both employers and workers the right to bargain for closed shops in this State. The News & Observer’s’ remarks were made in con nection with the introduction last week in the House of the Shreve bill, which, although not what North Carolina Labor desires and deserves, is far better than the present law. The Shreve amendments allow both the closed shop and check-off of union dues for almost all of the unions, but its provisions do not allow sufficient time for the holding of elections to determine bargaining agents and units for the building crafts, due to the fact that several weeks or months may lapse before an election date can be set. This lapse of time would allow sufficient time for many jobs to be completed before the Building Trades Unions employed thereon could get closed shop recognition. Now, if an amendment can be made to the Shreve meas ure in which the buiding tradesmen may receive full recog nition of their rights to bargain with their employes look ing toward a closed shop contract provision along with the other unions, it may be that the Shreve measure will re ceive the support of North Carolina Labor at this session, although outright repeal of the . present law is wholly de sirable. The Labor Journal is heartily in accord with the senti ments expressed by The News & Observer and joins that great newspaper in calling for outright repeal or else a satisfactory modification of the measure which will meet the needs of both employers and workers in arriving at harmonious working agreements. FREE SPEECH OUTLAWED BY T-H ACT On George Washington's birthday, February 22, free speech for trade unionists was outlawed “reluctantly” by an NLRB decision. The Board found that the secondary boycott provision of the act prohibits a union from peaceful picketing and even using “we do not patronize lists” if they are vaguely connected wth a so-called secondary boy cott. This decision was made in spite of the fact that Section 8c of the Act says that uncoercive expression of “any views, arguments or opinions,” or their dissemination is not an unfair labor practice “under any of the provisions of the act.” This decision means that now an employer can contract out most of his work to scab shops, and his own union em ployes are prohibited from so much as objecting verbally. This decision was made against the AFL Carpenters Coun cil in Kansas City. Yet just five days before this decision when Richard Gray, president of the AFL Building Trades Department, was appearing as a witness before the Senate Labor Committee, the Washington Post reported the reac tions of Senator Taft, author of the bill, as follows: “Sen ator Taft, Republican of Ohio, said he agreed with Gray that it never was contemplated that the (Building Trades) industry was in interstate commerce and under the act.” This is an amazing statement from the man who lent his name to the Act since it is obvious that the prohibitions against the secondary boycott, the closed shop, and the ju risdictional dispute were directed 99 per cent against the Building Trades. Last week Senator Taft said that he ad vocated 68 changes to the act. It appears that even the author of the Act has now repudiated his own brain child. THE 81ST CONGRESS IS ON TIME The Taft filibuster on the Labor bill and the newspaper magazine agreement not to criticize the 80th (The Worst) Congress are creating the impression that the 81st Con gress Is slow In getting results. . This is not the case. The 80th (The Worst) Congress working closely with lobbyists carefully refrained from de > ciding many important issues. The method used was to I provide that laws should expire in a year or less. The 80th • (The Worst) Congress thus accomplished two purposes. First, it brought the lobbyists back for another round of entertainment on the same subject and secondly it made it I extremely difficult to enforce the laws. The 80th Congress , was controlled by men who are opposed to law enforcement . —they went on strike against O. P. A. and killed price con trol by extending it for a few months at a time. Consequently, the 81st Congress before taking up any of its regular work had to renew the law which gives the President the power to ration scarce materials. The 80th Congress provided that this law should expire March 1, 1949. Second, the 81st Congress had to extend the President’s power over export controls, which the 80th Congress had >rdered to expire on February 28, 1949. Third, the 81st Congress had to take up immediately the Reciprocal Trade Program which the 80th Congress had Tippled and had ordered to expire June 30, 1949. Fourth, the 81st Congress had to extend Rent Control jvhich the 80th Congress had ordered to expire March 31, 1949. There are other less important measures which have to be taken care of before the new Congress can take up its own work. Otherwise the Truman program of Health Insurance, in creased Social Security, repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act and increased minimum wage, are all going along as fast as can be expected, in view of the Taft-Martin filibuster tactics. TUCK-BYRD FIGHT EDUCATION, MINIMUM WAGE Virginia’s Governor Tuck, who has pubiicly admitted be ing completely subservient to anti-labor Senator Byrd, was reported by the Washington Post, February 19, as speaking out “against extention of Federal grants in aid.” Tuck was quoted as saying, “The bait of government largess has had a tendency to weaken the moral fiber of the individual citizen and undermine the strength of the national char acter.” Obviously his attack was against Federal Aid pro grams for health, education, social security, and housing. Yet Virginia has less than three hospital beds per 1,000 population and spends only $92.29 per child on education as compared to $215.44 in Montana. Only four States in the Union pay lower old age assistance benefits than Virginia, and 63.8 per cent of Virginia’s homes are so inadequate they don’t even have bathrooms. The voters of Virginia have every reason to vote out of power the present reac tionary political machine which so obviously misrepresents them Because of such actions by the present reactionary po litical rulers, the Virginia LLPE is mobilizing the working people of Virginia to break the stranglehold of the Tuck Byrd machine in the August State election this year. Uncle Sam Says is I he Baying lT. S. Sayings Bo best way I know to step icy. AW if you after starting I sure, automatic way, the _ I in starting la pile up X only worry you'll hate is haw beet to spend it when you start cashing in after ten years. Your government offers two great plana, both of them automatic and both profitable. They are the Pay roll Savings Plan where yon work, or, if self employed, the Boml-u If ap far a *37.50 I they'll grow to I4.9M in 10 US. tVsssurs New on4 RecoaiitioMt PIANOS For the Beat value in NEW or reconditioned piano*, yours from our stock of 100 instruments. Sei Mathushek, Winter. Howard, | and many others. Prices to suit ANDREWS MUSIC CO. “Our 55th Year" “Steinway Headquarters1* Ml North Try on Street ambulance!won* 6129 (Hand£e- IN CORPORA T*D • Martin’s Department Store RELIABLE MERCHANDISE ALWAYS AT LOW PRICES Shop at VflaJdin and Son* SHOES—CLOTHING—FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY AT CORNER TRADE AND COLLEGE 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 want well done, you consult us. Simply telephone 5-1776 or else call at the office, 118 East Sixth St., Charlotte, N. C. H. A. Stalls Printing Co, PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE AT YOUR DISPOSAL P. O. Box 1061 CHARLOTTE, N. C.