VOL. XIX; NO. 25
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1949
Subscription Price $2.00 Year
Tenth District Committee To
Outline 1950 Election Plans
W. Sterling Hicks, general chairman of Labor's Joint Po
litical Action Committee for the Tenth congressional dis
trict of North Carolina, announced this week that a meet
ing of the committee will be held Sunday, November 6 at
2:00 p. m. in the Labor Temple at 920 West Trade street.
Chairman Hicks requests a fu| attendance of the commit
tee at this important meeting.
According to present plans, the
committee will take up and die*
cum the entire political picture
from a local viewpoint and will
set the necessary machinery id
motion to begin work in prepara
tion for the political campaigns
of next year. The present fore
cast is that the campaign in
North Carolina will be a Utterly
fought one. with the senatorial
race in the forefront.
Every union man and woman in
this district should be interested
in the 1950 elections and there
fore should attend all meetings
and familiarise themselves* with
Labor’s program for the Old
North State.
Labor’s
Political
all
paigna.
It is understood that other
committees patterned after the
Tenth district committee have
been set up already and others
are to be set up at an early date
Job Placements Rise
To High Peak for *49
Washington.—More nonagricul
tural job placements were made by
the local offices of state employ
ment services In August than in
any previous month during the
year, the Labor Department’s Bu
reau of Employment Security re
ported.
Robert C. Goodwin, director of
Oe bureau, reported to Secretary
of Labor Maurice J. Tobin that
with the exception of the trans
portation equipment field, place
ments in all major nonagricudtural
industry groups increased over
*#'
including 451,790 nonagrieultural
and 9103M agricultural job place
ments," Goodwin said.
throughout the State in prepara
tion for the 1950 elections.
Do not forget the time and
place: Sunday, November 9 at
2:00 p. m. in the Labor Temple,
920 West Trade street, Char
lotte, N. C.
AFL EXTENDS BRITISH LABOR BACKING
GREEN LASHES REACTIONARY CRITICS
St. Paul.—The AFL extended tha
hand of friendship and understand
ing to the workers of Great Brit
ain in their efforts to solve suc
cessfully their postwar economic
■crisis.
Delegates to the 68th annual
convention applauded President
William Green’s declaration that
statements In the reactionary press
of this nation critical of the gov
ernment of Great Britain are not
in accord with the AFL’s point
of view.
And the convention gave a tre
mendous round of applause to the
two fraternal delegates from the
British Trade Unions Congress for
their explanation of the crisis be
ing mastered by Great Britain’s
workers and their appeal for con
tinued understanding and good will
from the people of America.
The British delegates were Lin
coln Evans, general secretary of
the Iron and'Steel Trades Confed
eration and a member of the gen
eral council of the TUC, and Tom
Williamson, president of the Na
tional Union of General and Muni
cipal Workers and former member
of Parliament
Mr. Green responded.
“It is the fixed and unalterable
purpose of this great organised la
bor movement in America, the
American Federation of Labor, to
serve day in and day out in the
promotion, maintenance and per
petuation of friendship, good will,
understanding and cooperation be
tween the workers of Great Britain
and the workers of the United
States,” he said.
Mr. Green noted the statements
of the reactionary press, column
ists and radio commenators critical
of the government of Great Brit
ain.
“Right now I want to state pub
licly,” he said, “that we are not
in accord with that point of view.
The people of Great Britain have
a right to shape, formulate and
cany out their own economic and
political policies free from inter
ference from the outside anywhere.
Whatever form of government you
want to establish we shall say
you have the right to do so, so
long as it is not a totalitarian form
of government.”
Mr. Evans said that.Great Brit
ain is attempting to carry through
a great social experiment in hu
man welfare which he said is the
central question of this century.
"We think you can throw around
every family a ring of social serv
ices to protect them against the
full hazards of sickness, accidents
and unemployment,” he said.
"Some people call this the welfare
state. Weil, what is wrong with
the welfare state? Surely it is
the obligation of every government
worth its salt to seek the welflue
and well-being of its people above
every other consideration.”
Mr. Evans said this can be
achieved by the socialist govern
ment in Great Britain without the
trade union movement being in the
government's pocket.
“We support the government,”
he said, "but we remain independ
ent and will continue to do so.”
Mr. Williamson said that Great
Britain is “making a magnificent
recovery” and has come far sine#
IMS when Winston Churchill called
the government “broke” and “bank
apt.”
He related how production has
increased, agriculture expanded,
imports cut below prewar levels
and exports boosted.
“So when next you come across
a Jeremiah who would have you
believe that Britain is finished,
don’t believe it,” Mr. Williamson
(Continued On Page 8)
Gastonia Will Host December Meet
A December meeting of the
Western District of the N.C.F.P.
O.C. is scheduled to convene in
Gastonia on December 3.
i At this writing arrangements
in incomplete, bat Vice-President
Wilson Forbes has assured the
Fed that every effort will be ex
pended to assure a profitable and
entertaining occasion for all who.
attend. ,
Postmasters, postal supervisors
City and R.F.D. latter Carriers
•rill also be invited to attend, says
Forbes.—Tar Heel Fed.
Director Calvin Appearing
Before Individual Unions
W. A. Calvin, recently appointed Southern Good Relations
Director of the Atlanta office of the American Federation
of Labor, has been in Charlotte several days meeting with
officers and members of A. F. of L. unions in this territory,
familiarizing them with the plans of the American Federa
tion of Labor for the South and this section during the
coming months, expected to be very important months from
both the standpoint of organization work and political ac
tivity.
I
Brother Calvin has already ap
peared before several Ideal AFT.
affiliates and has addrebserf th«
members therof. He has proven
himself to be an interesting
speaker and is well versed in
what he has to say aad also a
versatile yentlemaa of the old
school of unionises, who knows
his away around, f
terflsttonal union. Several yean
aye ha was unfortunate and lost
his good health which necessitated
his retirement from active -work
until recently when he accepted
the position of Editor of the
Florid* Labor Advocate, publish-!
ed at Jacksonville, Florida. He
left his position there to accept;
the appointment with the Amer
ican Federation of Labor. For
several years Mr. Calvin worked
with the Metal' Trades Depart
ment of the American Federation
of Labor in Wlihiagtoa.
JNw
doing so Mr. Calvin
expects to spend some time In
North Carolina and hopes to ap
pear before all American Federa
tion of Labor Unions in this
. State.
Central Labor Union Notes
Charlotte Central Labor Union
held its regular bi-monthly meet
ing at the Labor Temple, 920
West Trade street, this week,
with 'President Walter Hooker
presiding. Secretary Clnm being
absent, a “sub” was put on to act
in his place. Brother Rogers gave
the invocation, followed by the
roll call of officers and officers’
reports.
The minutes of the previous
meeting were rend and approved,
and roll call of delegates from
affiliated unions was called for.
The Electrical Workers report by
Brother Hooker discleeed all their
members are at work and Or
ganiser Calvin as having appeared
before their local to deliver a
talk. Brother Lovett for the
Carpenters reported that his un
ion was negotiating for * a new
wage agreement and Brother Fer
guson for the Postal Workers dis
cussed a bill passed before Con
gress adjourned which will give
postal employes an increase in
annual salary of from $120 to
$420 a year, depending upon the
length of service of each. He
thanked the CLU and the Ameri
can Federation of Labor for help
given legislative representatives
i in Washington, and also Congrsa
esan Hamilton C. Jones, Senators
Graham and Hoey and others who
had a part in helping to get the
increases for government em
ployes.
Delegate Stalls reported for
the Typographical Union and said
that new contract negotiations are
underway with the two daily
newspapers now and that they
will be opened wih the commer
cial shops shortly. Delegate Phil
bers taken into his Sheet Metal
Workers onion and that all mot
hers are working.
An express charge for sending
AFL literature from St. Paul to
Charlotte was ordered paid amt
President Hooker announced that
all unions are requested to avail
themselves of this literature
■ which can be obtained from his
' office at the Labor Temple. It
has to do with convention pro
ceedings at St. Paul, organization |
work and political matters. It ia:
of interest to. all members of la
bor, Mr. Hooker said.
A resolution was presented by |
Bro. J. A. Scoggins which called,
for maintaining rent controls lo-.
cally. This was passed and it
will be presented to the proper j
authoriteis as was also another,
resolution by Typographical dele-;
gates calling for a vigorous prose-!
cution of the Charlotte Housing
Authority activities covered in a
separate article in this issue of
The Journal.
Two standing committees were
named by President Hooker, one
on organization and another on ed
ucation. Brothers Clum, Hughes
and Gibson were named to tho
committee on organisation and
Brothers Scoggins, Albea and
Hicks were named to the educa
tional committee.
The Central body then ad
journed until the second Thurs
day night in November, the time
changing from 8 o’clock to 7:30
on that date.
Resolution Proposes
Motion Picture on AFL
St Paul.—A resolution was sub
mitted to the AFL’s 68th conven
tion urging the AFL to sponsor
production of a full-length feature
motion picture on the birth and
organization.
The proposal was one of eight
submitted by various branches of
the federation urging the AFL
to tell Ha story via motion pic
tures and literature.
llie others urged more money
for workers’ education, literature
for high schools and colleges, and
film shorts on such subjects as
"How to Negotiate a Contract.”
Other resolutions advocated ex
tension of social security law cov
erage, improved working condi
tions for government employes and
repeal of the Taft-Hartiey law.
AFL Fight Against
Discrimination
Told To World
St. PauL—The American Fed
eration of Labor’* lone fight
against discrimination beeanse of
race, creed, color or nationality
was broadcast to the world in 21
languages by the Voice of Amer
ica.
President William Green said in
the broadcast that the Americas
Federation of Labor can be relied
on “to practice and preach broth
erhood everywhere, every place,
and to fight against discrimination
because of race, creed, color or
nationality anywhere or any place.”
Mr. Green renews! this pledge
of policy just after accepting a
plaque from A. Philip Randolph,
president of the Brotherhood of
at the 68th eanual AFL conven
tion “for distinguished service in
the fight for abolition of racial
discrimination in the labor move
ment.”
In his presentation remarks, Mr.
Randolph said that division in the
ranks of labor because of race,
color, religion, national origin or
ancestry weakens the labor move
ment and disarms it in its fight
to achieve higher wage rates, im
proved working conditions, shorter
hours of work, democracy and
peace.
“You, Brother Green, have given
of your talent and ability and the
power and prestige of your office
to help eliminate all forms of dis
crimination and segregation from
the labor movement,” Mr. Randolph
said.
“The Brotherhood of Sleeping
Car Porters,” Mr. Randolph said,
“seeing that the powerful and men
acing forces of Communism in the
United States, Europe, Asia, and
Africa, are seeking to split or con
trol the labor movement and mi
norities, white and colored, takes
this occasion as a challenge and
refutation to the vicious misrepre
sentations and violent psycholog
ical warfare being waged by totali
tarian Communist Russia and her
satellites against a free trade union
movement, the Negro liberation
movement, and the cause of the
western democracies in general and
the democracy of the United States
in particular.”
Mr. Green responded that the
AFL understood early in life that
it is impossible to establish the
brotherhood of man until every
man of character and standing, re
gardless of creed, color of nation
ality, is permitted to Join and work
with all other workers in the na
tion.
“I cannot conceive,” Mr. Green
said, “of the establishment of that
principle and that organisation
anywhere or any place until those
who advocate brotherhood prac
tice brotherhood and express them
selves repeatedly over and over
again as opposed to discrimination
because of creed, color or nation
ality anywhere, any place in the
United States.
"We have grown and developed
and expended, serving in that ca
pacity and preaching that unchal
lenged doctrine,” he said. “We are
advocating it. We stand for it.
We are united. We are going to
make it more effective ia the
future than we have in the past.”
Resolution To Be Presented
To Charlotte City Council
At the regular bi-monthly meeting of Charlotte Central
Labor Union this week a resolution was passed which will
be sent to the Charlotte City Council soon requesting that a
full scale revival of the local Housing Authority be act
ed upon immediately. The CLU also passed another reso
lution • condemning the proposal to lift local rent controls.
American Federation of Labor Unions in Charlotte were in
strumental in getting both the Charlotte Housing Authority
and the Rent Control Board set op {s ago and
they are becoming uneasy as to the fufae plan* Vegarding
these two authorities. ' >■
Earle R. Britton
Wins 40-Year Button
Columbia, S. C.—Forty years at
continuous membership in good
standi' g with tho Interaational
Typographical Union haaf boon
completed by Earle R. Britton,
President of tho South Carolina
Federation of Labor and organiser
for the Amerieaa Federation of
Labor.
At a ipaeial ceremony on 8aa>
day, September M. Columbia Type
GIVEN ORCHIDS
St. Paul.—AFL President Wil
liam Green and Secretary-Treae
urer George Meany each received
a leis of orchids flown to the
AFL’s 68th convention from Ha
waii and presented during the ses
sions by Hawaiian Delegate A. S.
Reile, representing the Honolulu |
Central Labor Council.
Although p\ir»c Wf Dim wK
Bitted to titeaptr Council for IN
approval. oAj^colled for o great -
or ampW sr housing units thnn
the Auth«riand some time
••o, tt is folt by local Labor that
tbo authorisations for Housing
units in a revived program up to
tbo present have boon insufficient
to COCO for Greater Charlotte's
Mote, both for the present and
te tbo fbture.
In other words, local labor is
interested in eoning tbo alum
districts wiped out completely in
Charlotte and sufficient housing
aeoomnmdaWons provided ter all
of Charlotte^ population to bo sbio
sons* knows that shim districts
brood filth sod crime, and coming
In contact with it constantly as
many do, especially bafhBag
tradesmen, all of tho Labor
movement is anious to see these
handicaps remedied as speedily as
possible.
As to the lifting of rent con
trols organied Labor is IDO per
cent opposed to the idea.
ANTI-LABOR WEEKLY URGES
BUSINESS TO USE STRIKES TO
SELL PUBLIC AGAINST UNIONS
BY ABNOLD BBICHMAN i
New Ytrk CwmpM4nt for
AFL Now* Service
New York.—A little lew then a
year ago, that bible of the National
Association of Manufacturers, Busi
ness Week, highly influential in
dustry magazine, in a long editorial
a few weeks after the fall of
Thomas E. Dewey, in November,
1948, wrote:
“ . . the Taft-Hartley Act con
ceivably could wreck the labor
labor movement.”
Titled, "Why the Taft-Hartley
Law Failed,” the Business Week
confessional declared:
"By going that far, the law de
feated itself.”
But in an editorial October 8,
1949, Business Week says very
clearly that the steel and eoal
strikes prove that the Taft-Hartley
law does not go far enough. It
now wants a ban on industry-wide
bargaining.
Business Week has called for a
businessmen's crusade to annihi
late the labor movement
That is the only way to interpret
the position of this ideologue of
American industry which 10 months
ago admitted:
j "What was wrong was that the
Taft-Hartley Act went too far. It
crossed the narrow line separating
; a law which aims only to regulate
from one which could destroy. . . •
"Given a few million unemployed
! in America, given an administration
in Washington which was not pro
union—and the Taft-Hartley Act ’
conceivably could wreck the labor
movement.’’
j Well, Business Week didn’t*mean
! what it said so penitently 10 months
igo. Like Shakespeare s uuke ox
Gloucester,
“And thus I clothe my naked vil
lainy
With old odd ends, stolen forth
of holy writ;
And seem a saint when moot I
play the devil.”
The recidivist Business Week in
its latest editorial position en
titled, “A Longer View of the
Myth of Union Invincibility,” says:
“It should now be 'evident to
everyone that, while an important
first step, the Taft-Hartley Act
is not the full legal code needed
to stabilise the labor front.
“The events of this week dem
onstrate that it should be supple
mented by a ban on industry-wide
bargaining.”
Business Week has forgotten that
it once said that “the Taft-Hartley
Act did fail—on one of the most
important grounds by which a law
must be judged in a democratic
society. That ground is consent.
Only the police state can enforce
a law which is believed to be un
just by the people it affects.”
Today, Business Week writes:
“Many people took the Taft
Hartley Act as the definitive an
swer to oar labor problems. They
felt that the passage of that stat
ute redressed the obvious imbal
ance which existed between the
jargaining power of unions and
management. They felt that the
law established sufficient safe
guards for the public interest in
abor disputes.”
Ten months ago, by way of il
ustrating its editorial, Business
Veek reprinted a cartoon showing
abor pinned to the ground by the
r-H law, an indication that it did
tot think that the T-H law “re
(Continued On Page 8)