Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / June 16, 1949, edition 1 / Page 1
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VOL. XIX; NO. 6 CHARLOTTE, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1949 Subscription Price $2,00 Year Meany Predicts Greater Role For Labor In Political Battles Against Reaction NEW YORK.—George Meany, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Labort predicted that organized labor will go as far down the road of political action “as time and events prove necessary to carry out our basic purpose of raising, maintaining and protecting the stand ards of life of the workers of this nation." Mr. meany reviewed me partici pation of the AFL in political af fair* in an address before the 6th annual dinner meeting of the Liberal party of New York state here. He was one of several speakers including Senator Paul H. Douglas of Illinois; Adolf A. Berle, state chairman of the party, and Louis Fischer, author and political analyst. Mr. Meany declared that_ the real awakening as to the need for1 political action by labor came after the enactment of the Taft Hartley law in 1947, which dem onstrated clearly that “there could be no future progress made by labor unless it became an ac tive and dynamic political force.” He. added: “For the first time, I venture to say, in the history of the American Federation the entire membership approached the ques tion of politics realistically. The result, as you well know, was the action of the 1947 convention of the American Federation or Labor creating a permanent polit ical arm for the AFL through the establishment of Labor's League for Political Education— which provided a basis for direct political action by the America® FedeVhtion of Labor, all its con stituent unions, as well as its individual members and also pro vided for comprehensive partici pation in this political work by all liberal and progressive groups; Who believe in the principles and ideals of the trade union move ment. “Starting along about the first of April in 1948, Labor’s League for Political Education achieved a certain success :a the campaign that followed—in fact, some of our people thought that we had won a complete victory over the reactionary forces that had dom inated the 80th Congress. Some even thought that the results of the attitude of the Hallecks and the Martins and the others in Congress who represent the phi losophy and the interest of the National Association of Manu facturers. "However, what has happened to date in the 81st Congress in dicates quite clearly that while labor won a battle in 1948—it has by no means won the war. “Despite the fact that the is sues in which labor was interest ed—including repeal of the Taft Hartley Act — were presented clearly and definitely to the American people in the 1948 cam paign, and despite the fact that the American people gave a clear mandate to the Congress on these issues by its vote in 1948, there is still more than 50 per cent of the House of Representa tives who refuse to recognize this mandate. This is indicated by the roll call vote taken in the House a few weeks ago on the Wood bill.” Mr. Meany quoted from a state ment released by the AFL Exec utive Council which said that the actual political situation in the 81st Congress is a “tug of war between reactionary forces from both parties on one side and liberals from both parties on the other.” The AFL leader charged that the programs of the Chamber of Commerce and the National As sociation of Manufacturers which demand every legislative advar tage they can obtain from thu reactionaries, represents a chal lenge that labor “cannot sidestep or ignore.” He said: “We will not stay at dead cen ter. We either move in the di rection indicated by the program of the Chamber of Commerce or we move forward toward a better day for America’s little people under the program of labor. To move in the direction of human values we cannot depend on the Tafts, the Hallecks or the Mar tins in Congress. Nor can we ex pect any aid from those on the Democratic side of the aisle who determine human values by the color of a person’s skin. To meet this challenge and to protect the progress and achievements that have come after years of strug gle. labor must move in the di rection of intelligent and ener getic political action. “I am firmly convinced that la bor can produce men who will be effective, in the political a rent. What has happened here in New Yorlc City in recent years def initely indicates that men and women who spent their early days in the shops and factories are by no means lacking in po litical sagacity. Labor has many advantages in politics which I need not point out to this audi ence. Labor has the will and surely it has the incentive. The stakes are high. “JV* are. living today in a world where millions of people are literally hungry for freedom, and democracy. These millions look to the United States of America with faith and hope. To whatever extent America fulfills its dbstiny as the citadel of hu man progress depends in great measure on the success of labor i in the field of progressive politi-1 cal action during the next few years. “Let me again assure you that the American Federation of La bor is going to play its full part in this fight. As to the outcome, I, for one, have no misgivings.” OR. BUNCHE DECLINES OFFER OF APPOINTMENT ASST. SEC. OF STATE WASHINGTON — Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, Negro acting U. N. mediator for Palestine, today de clined an offer from President Truman of appointment as an assistant Secretary of State. Bunche told reporters on leav ing the White House after a talk with Mr. Truman that he had turned down the offer. He said he wanted to continue his work with the United Na tions, and also was concerned about the high cost of living in Washington and the salary cut that taking the post would mean. Do!,o Precautions Children should he cautioned by parent* to avoid swimming in pol luted waters, particularly in areas affected by polio epidemics, Chil dren should use only beaches or public pools declared safe by local health authorities. HI hm THE RATIONAL F1UNDATI01 ■lIFANTILE PABAUrSIS Stars Respect Picket Line Because of rain and wet grounds. the widely Herald ’•triple-header” event at Wrigley Field on Saturday, July 9, was not much of a success. The Sunday Times estimated that 10,000 turned out to watch Hollywood play ball in a 45,000-capacity park. Proceeds of the “triple-header” were to be shared by City of Hope Hospital, the Motion Pic ture Relief Fund, and the Herald American Benefit Fund, according to promotion material put out by the Herald-American, which list ed the beneficiaries in that order. As any one knows who is fa miliar with Hearst-paper tactics, Herald-American actually intend ed to make itself No. 1 on the list. This was to be another “stunt" to rebuild Herald-Ameri can circulation. When President Pilch advised the AFL Screen Actors Guild that the names of Hollywood un ionists were being used as cir culation bait by a strike-bound newspaper, which is being picket ed by union printers and is hid ing behind a Taft-Hartley injunc tion, the actors’ union responded at once with a pledge that none of its members would cross the picket Jine. ^ ~ It is an old Herald-American custom to inveigle big-name per sonalities into its plant and pho tograph them while there. On past performances, it was easy to figure that the Hearst paper would arrange for several of the visiting stars to pose in the struck plant, with at lea>t on: of the femine celebrities sitting down to a Vari^Typer. The co-operation of the Screen Actors Guild and the presence of No. 16's pickets put a crimp in such plans. President Pilch was informed by wire that the Screen Actors Guild had “contacted Motion Pic ture Relief Fund and City of Hope Hospital, and they like us are shocked and terribly sorry that this situation has arisen. Neither Screen Actors Guild nor its members involved nor Motion Picture Relief Fund nor City of Hope were informed or aware that advance exploitation man at Chicago had made tieup with newspaper picketed by AFL un ion. Had we been® informed in time, we certainly would have used our best efforts to have other arrangements made.” President Pilch has made it clear that Chicago’s striking printers have no desire to injure City of Hope or the Motion Pic ture Relief Fund, both of which are worthy causes. For that reason, plans to picket Wrigley Field were dismissed. No matter how disgusted we are with Her ald-American promotion schemes, we wish the best to the hospital and the NPRF. Pickets at the Herald-American and other struck newspapers are raising a fund to aend the actors’ guild for disbursement to City of Hope and the Motion Picture Re lief Fund. mwiti nuKiiiAuc DEBT CLIMBS NEAR $34 BILLION MARK WASHINGTON — The home mortgage debt of the United States climbed to $33,355,000,000, an all-time record high in 1948, the Home Loan bank announced today. This was $4,785,000,000, or 17 per cent higher than the 1947 level. According to the board, these figures were obtained by a sur vey of one-to-four family nonfarm dwellings. The 1948 figure also compares with $19,208,000,000 in 1945, the last wartime year. I . New Officers Of State P. O. Clerks First row, left to right: Chester L. Stevenson. Fayetteville, first viefc president; A. J. Garner, III, Asheville, president; Jere C. Gmy, Raleigh, State legislative representative. Back row. left to right: W. D. Farmer, Rocky Mount, sixth vice president; lack D. Cliff, Raleigh, third vice president; Thomas B. Moore, Fort Bragg, editor Tar Heel Fed; Wilson A. Forbes, Gastonia, second vice president; B. E. Singleton. Asheville, fifth vice president; S. F. Blackwelder, Charlotte, secretary-treasurer; Stanley G. Curtis, Raleigh, fourth vice president, and Frank Overman, Burlington, national State representative, were not present when this photo was taken. New Auxiliary Officers P. O. Clerks Seated—Left to right: Mrs. J. B. Snyder, secretary-treasurer, Winston-Salem; Mrs. Jack Garner, HI, president. Asheville; Mrs. Samuel R. Kenley. editor of The Tattler, Asheville. Standing, left to right: Mrs. F. fe. Stanley, tree president, Wilmington; Mrs. J. B. Houser, Jr., vice president, Gastonia; Mrs. Hal Stafford, vice president, Greensboro; Mrs. J. B. Howell, vice president, Shelby, N. C„ and Mrs. W. C. Evans, Raleigh', vice president. Mrs. Keneth L. Adams, vice president of Fayetteville, was not present when this photo was taken.__-_ A. J. GARNER, III. President N. C. F. P. O. C. Asheville, N. C. MRS. A. J. GARNER, III, President pf Woman's Auxiliary Jack Garner And Wife Are New Heads Federation Of P.O.GerksAnd Ladies Auxiliary Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Garner of Asheville will head the North Carolina Federation of Post Of fice Clerks and Auxiliary for the coming year. Both of these dis tinguished Federationists won de cisive victorias in the elections of officers at the state convention i of the N.C.F.P.O.C. and Auxili- j ary in Asheville on June 11 For Gamer the state presi dency tops a distinctive career in Federation work. On January 18. 1946, he was elected Secretary of| I Local 277. He wa* also a dele gate to the state convention oi that year and represented the substitute employees of he Ashe ville office at a later meeting in Washington. He was re-elected Local Secretary the following year and was agam a delegate to the state convention in 1947. At this convention he was elected a vice president of the state organ isation. He represented Local 277 at the Miami National Con vention in August of 1948 and i(tin served his Local as renter Lainment Chairman for the 1949 State Convention. Mrs. Garner has served as Secretary of Local 277 Auxiliary and has for several yepra been a Vico President of the State Federation Auxiliary. Other Federation officers are Chester L. Stephenson, Fayette ville, First Vice President; Wil son A. Forbes, Gastonia, Second Vice Prseident; Jack B. Cliff, Durham, Third Vice President; Stanley G. Curtis, Raleigh, Fourth Vice President; B. E. Singleton, Asheville, Fifth Vice President; W. B. Farmer, Rocky Mount Sixth Vice President; Thomas B. Moore, Fayetteville, Editor, Tai Heel Fed; Jere C. Gay. Raleigh, Legislative Representative and S. F. Blackwelder, Charlotte, Secre tary-Treasurer. Auxiliary Officers are: Mrs. K. L. Adams, Fayetteville, First Vice President; Mrs. F. E. Stan ley, Wilmington, Second Vice President; Mrs. Hal Stafford, Greensboro, Third Vice President; Mrs. W. C. Evans, Raleigh, Fourth Vice President; Mrs. J. B. Hous er, Jr., Gastonia, Fifth Vice President; Mrs. J. B. Howell, Shelby, Sixth Vice President; Mrs. S. R. Kerley, Asheville, Edi tor, the Tatler, Auxiliary publi cation; and Mrs. J. B. Snyder of Winston-Salem. Secretary - Treas urer.—Tat1 Heel Fed, _ j? ’ • - ■■ .TOO DELEGATES FROM 27 LO CALS POUR INTO THE VANDERBILT Take 300 delegates, a dash of conviviality, a convention minded hostelry and put them together in the scenic setting of a moun tain-top retreat. These are the ingredients of the happy pleas ures experienced by delegates and visitors who attended the twenty-ninth annual convention of the North Carolina Federation of Post Office Clerlts and Aux- , iliary in Asheville on June 10-11. Although the convention offi cially began on Friday, The George Vanderbilt Hotel which served as convention headquar ters, was being rapidly filled by Federationists as early as Thurs day afternoon. By plane, train, bus and automobile they poured into Asheville from all sectiona of Carolina. And on hand to greet them was. genial Broadus E. Singleton, host Local 277 Chairman of Arrange ments. On Friday registration of del egates and visitors was carried on continuously from 8:30 in tha morning until 6:00 in the after noon. The initial business sea sons of Clerks ana Auxiliary 'onvened at 9 A. M. and contin ued until lunch at noon. An of ficial luncheon for state officers ind committee chairmen was held by the host Local arrangements committee. Business sessions convened again at 1:30 P. M. and ad journed promptly at t P. H. to permit attendance at an open forum meeting where John ML Torka, Assistant Secretary-Treas u^r. N F,r.OC,J£.*. Torka was assisted by Oscar L. Whitesell. Vice-President, N. F. P.O.C., and Henry C. Wyman of the Post Office Department. Members of the Auxiliary were . entertained at a Fashion Show and tea in the late afternoon. An old-fashioned picnic, swim ming and dancing party was held during the evening at the Royal Pines recreation park, a rsrai re treat near Asheville. Business sessions again claimed the attention of visitors and del egates throughout Saturday morn ing. During the afternoon the elections of officers for clerks and auiliary were accomplished. During the early hours of the evening the official convention banquet was held in the Vander bilt’s main Ballroom. Dr. Walter T. McFall, Asheville dentist, waa master-of-ceremonies for the oc casion and entertained the gath ering with many humorous anec dotes. Appearing on the pro gram were John M. Torka, Washington; Oscar L. Whitesell, Greensboro; Frankljn Overman, National State Representative, Burlington; Mrs. George Williams, Vice President, N.F.P.O.C. Auxil iary, Raleigh; and Broadus E. Singleton, who introduced stata and Local Federation and Auxil iary officials. Eva Boatwright and orchestra provided music for dancing which followed the banquet and con cluded the festivities of the eve ning.—Tar Heel Fed. NOTICE The reason this issue of The Journal is late is due to an ex tensive job of remodeling which has been going on in our plant since the first of May which put ; our facilities out of order until ; it was completed. The back wall on our building was ready to topple over and the landlord was compelled to rebuild the wall at once. The need was so urgent that only little notice could be given us. While this work was underway we asked the landlord to make other improve* ments and from now on we will have The Journal to you^On time each week. For this delay we are deeply apologetic and thank our suh* scribers and advertisers for their patience. All back issues of The Journal will be coming to you in short order. THE PUBLISHER.
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 16, 1949, edition 1
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