Editorial
,, *
THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS
Published at Charlotte. North Carolina _1
OLDEST LABOR PUBLICATION IN THE TWO CAROLINAS
H. A. Stalls. Editor and Publisher W. M. Witter, Associate Editor
Entered as second-class mail matter September 11, 1931, at the
Post Office at Charlotte, N. C., under the Act of Congress of
March 8. 1879. ___
Endorsed by Charlotte Typographical Union, Number 338, An Af
flliate of Charlotte Central Labor Union and the North Carolina Fed
ation of Labor. _*
2
1 NPA’s FREE RIDERS
Sen. Burnet Maybank <D., S. C.), chairman of the Joint
Congressional Committee on Defense Production, charges
that “the most serious problem before the country’’ is the
abuse by the big-business run National Production Author
ity (NPA) of a law that gives many firms tax-free pnvi
leges,
* The result is loss of mon^y rightfully belonging to the
Government. You, the taxpayer, have to make up the dif
ference.
The measure, called the “amortization law”—passed by
Congress last year—gives lots of businessmen with wav
contracts a profit of up to 20 per cent tax free. The law al
lows many companies which must build new plants in filling
defense orders to pay for their increased expense in five
years by subtracting it from their tax bills.
But NPA is giving tax reductions to finps that are not
in defense work. Maybank said many certificates tor quick
tax write-offs have been given to such businesses as cotton
gins, a cement firm and a motor truck line. None is in de
iciioc nuin. t
He said $2. billion in such certifications have gone to big
firms simply because ‘‘generally speaking, the bigger com
panies have come in faster.” Maybank said $11.6 billion
for tax amortization privileges had been received by March
19. During World War II the total amount of such privi
leges was only $6 billion.
The Maybank committee will begin an investigation of
the mobilization program April 4. Defense Czar Charles
Wilson will be the first witness. Labor and farm leaders
will be heard later.
VOICE FROM ,THE WILDERNESS
Read what one business leader, President Alfred Baker
Lewis of the Union Casualty Insurance Co. of New York,
says about organized labor and the defense program in a
letter to the New York Times, March 8:
“The United Labor Policy Committee’s fundamental con
tention with Mr. Wilson is that labor wants to be treated
in ouj* defense mobilization effort not as a very subordinate
underling, but as a full partner. i
“Surely this is an important part of the distinction be
tween free labor and forced labor as it exists under totali
tarian dictatorships. . . .
“The second World War set-up, with Mr. Hillman for
labor and Mr. Hnudsen for tntfttstry having^ equal authority,
is a fair precedent for what “labor wants in this respect.”
“BUNCH OF SERFS”
“We have fought business organizations set up In re
straint of trade, we have fought trusts and monopolies,
liien we turn over to Big Business the whole works of de
fense mobilization.
"It might be 20 years until we no longer have a fear of
aggression. In that time under present policies we’ll cer
tainly be a bunch of regimented serfs.
“The defense mobilization machinery is the most socially
indefensible, economically unworkable and politically un
wise program that I ever heard of.” AFL Vice President
George Harrison, March 20, 1951.
RICH GUYS ALWAYS VOTE
The rich guys always vote. But most other people fall
down on the job.
The February Oregon Democrat points out 81 per cent
of the voters in 15 Portland precincts where rich people
live went to the polls in 1950. But only 47 per cent of the
people in 15 precincts where plain people live bothered to
vote.
If more people like you and your neighbor went to the
polls, more people with your interests at heart would be
elected.
THE MAN WHO DOESN’T BELONG GETS LEFT
BEHIND
Listening to the radio debate on Town Meeting of the
Air the other night, we noted one important point on which
both I.AM. President A1 Hayes and the management
spokesman, Robert A. Whitney, were in complete agree
ment.
Mr. Whitney raised the point: What about those Ameri
cans who don’t belong to an organization? Nobody is look
ing out for their interests.
A1 Hayes didn’t argue the point. He agreed with Mr.
Whitney that the unorganized, the men and women who
don’t belong to a union are at a great disadvantage, espe
cially in times like these.
The man who doesn’t belong gets left behind. On that
there is no argument. Even management admits it.
Twenty years ago, most Americans were in the same
boat. Unions were small groups of men—men with far
sightedness and great courage. Then came the great de
pression of the early 1930’s and most of us learned our
lesson the hard way. We joined unions.
Today, unions are no longer small organizations. Today
there are almost 16,000,000 men and women in America
who belong to unions. It doesn’t take much farsightedness
now to see the practical benefits that come from union
membership. However, it still takes some personal inde
pendence and personal courage to join a union.
Organized labor’s gain over the past 20 years have not
been made without a struggle. Many men and women
have known the dreary ache of long hours on the picket
line. Courage, organization and unity have paid. off—not
only in wage rates and paid vacations and paid holidays
and better conditions, but in the personal sense of self con
fidence, and independence that comes from being a part of a
strong, American union.
Whenever we hear or read about the problems of unor
ganized workers we feel sad, too. Because we know that
in many cases, those men and women can do something to
help themselves. Our unions are open. They can join us.
Then they won’t be stragglers at the end of the parade.
As union members they will lead the procession.
—The Machinist.
RALEIGH, N. C.—The General j
Assembly now has entered what
might be called “dog days.”
The legislators are driving for
adjournment by April 14, at the
latest and may make it. Tempers
are short and pay has run out. |
The flood of new bills continues
to pour in at a terrific rate. The
members are all trying to get
their local bills through before
curtain time.
This too is the time of session
when the oldtimers either have
their eyes open for “sneak bills”
or else are trying to ease their
own “sneakers” through. The
original ABC bill, for example,
was pushed through in the final
days—or perhaps it could be
termed more properly the final
“daxe”—of a mid-30’s session.
So, between now and April 14
you can expect almost anything
to happen—if it already hasn’t.
The battle of the appropria
tions bill, which has passed the
House, could have been a political
ace In the hole for the conserva
tive “hold-the-line” leadership,
i But it turned into a losing handj
when they tried to put a pair of
jokers in the deck.
The anti-administration boys
couldn’t stand their good luck
when income tax returns showed
that there might be enough
revenue to pay the $42,000,000
boost in the budget to which they
had been forced.
They had to take a couple of
end-of-the-session swipes at the
governor.
They included a couple of little
amendments in the bill which
would have (1) given the Ad
1 visory Budget Commission au
I thority to allocate the surplus
i highway funds, now allocated by
the governor, and (2) also giver.
I the Advisory Budget Commission
control over whacking up the $2,
; 000,000 Contingency and Emerg
’ ency Fund, now parceled out by
j the governor and Council of
State.
They tried to rush the report
of the Joint Appropriations Sub
Committee—which had those lit
tle getttft tucked deep, inside -V
through the full committee the
same day it was reported out.
But the full committee man
aged to stop this move. And
before this happened, one inquisi
tive reporter found the two jok
ers. She passed the word along
and the fat was in the fire.
The lines began to form. Gov
ernor Scott questioned the consti
tutionality of the grab for power
by the Conservatives. It put
members of the Legislature in
the position of double-oifice hold
ing in addition to invading the
executive branch of the govern
ment. i
Folks normally on the anti-ad
ministration side began to bear
from important folks back home.
The full appropriations commit
tee managed to fight off the re
bellion, despite the move being
, termed “damnable” by lawmak
I ere. One of these was Rep. Phil
Whitley of Wake who consistent
ly—from this corner, at least—
has tried to call ’em the way he
sees ’em, no matter who was
backing a bill.
I By the time the bill reached i
the floor of the House, though, it
was obvious that the Scott forceh j
had whipped together a winning
margin on the two changes in
policy. Offers to compromise
were turned down. And when
the bill reached the floor.
House Appropriations Committee
Chairman Larry Moore avoided a
a losing fight by withdrawing the
two changes that would have
curbed administrative powers of
the governor. »
That fight was one of the wild
est. no-holds-barred affairs staged
in recent legislative history. The
behind-the-scenes slugging was
terrific, and it’s rumored that
there would be some mighty red
faces among the conservative
crowd if the whole story of the
battle could be told.
- , tj
The “hold-the-liners” managed
to keep their joint sub-committee I
report intact through the House,)
except for that defeat, however, i
Despite blasts from school
teachers and State employees,!
and repeated attempts to go be
yond the appropriations commit
tee report, the attempts failed.
Charges and counter charges
were hurled across the floor.
But it still wound up at rough
ly 142,778,000 above the origi
nally recommended budget, bring
ing the total budget for tbe next
two years to roughly $502,000,
D00.
Some adroit questioning on the
floor brought admission from con
servative leaders that the higher
budget would not help the teach
er load nor would it buy new
school buses.
This, along with the $15-a
month across-the-bftard raise for
State employees , already has
caused turmoil in' the vario us
State Departments. ‘ Employees
claim the conservative leadership
promised a ‘'cost-of-living” In
crease that would help them. Fol
lowing the action, many may quit
their jobs for better ones. De
partment heads say the leaving
of their jobs by experienced per
sonnel will seriously hamper their
work, and actually cost the State
more money in Efficiency than
would have what they considered
a more equitable wage boost.
Teachers are unhappy over the
$2,200-13,100 pegging of their
salaries. But efforts to tag on
contingency raises or any other
raises of any kind have failed.
The "hold-the-liners” feared that
they would not be able to stem
the tide of amendments if the
line were broken once.
However, the fight is still on,
and there might possibly be a
few changes in the final score.
The first attempt to ram the
appropriations bill through the
Senate failed, but the vote indi
cated a possible brawl. A two
thirds majority was needed for
Sen. Hampton Price s motion to
suspend the rules and pass the
bill. Twenty-six voted for the
motion and twenty against, fail
ing to get the Required majority.
The vote came lifter vigorous ob
jection by Sen. Julian Allsbrook
of Halifax, who said he had an
amendment he .wanted to offer
but refused to say what it was.
The rabble-rousing technique
used by the veterans marching on
Raleigh hollering for a bonus
was disturbing «h a lot of folks—
many of them veterans, too.
They threatened a real march
if they didnt get what they
wanted. They jh)d they wire en
titled to a bonus, that they want
ed the voters to decide, that the
! money could come from added
tax on beer, wine and whiskey and
| wouldn't hit the non-drinkers, that
I they were owed something for
fighting for their country.
Daniel MacFarland of Raleigh,
an Army sergeant and a veteran
of Anzio, didn’t feel the same
way. He told the Finance Com
mittee he thought veterans were
pretty well taken care of by Uncle
1 Sam, that if they could find all
that money there were a great
many State agencies and services
needing it badly.
It made you a little sick to
listen to it all. Out of a group
of several hundred only one man
didn’t want to be paid for loving
his country. Only one man ap
parently thought he owed North
Carolina and America something
for living in a free country.
Wonder if those boys ever
thought what would have happen
ed to them in Japan, Germany or
Russia if they had marched to
their capitol telling their law
makers they demanded a bonus or
else.
They’d have gotten the "or
else,” all right — except they
would have been on the receiving
end.
Here’s your bonus, boys. You
live in a country where you can
march on your capitol, demand
lawi you want And most im
portant — you walked back out,
atill free men to cuss your law
makers, your state, ytmr nation.
You still can go out and get a
bonus—opportunity to live your
life the way you see fit, grab op
portunity in your hands and make
your own bonus—millions of folks
are doing it
And you ought to get down on
your knees every night and thank
God for it.
GET THIS BOOK ON
BOWLING «ON THE CUFF
New York. — Glass Bottle
Blowers Association (AFL) is
giving away a 20-page record
book for bowlers. In addition to
space for recording 120 games, it
contains information for begin
ners, and a page of accurately de
fined bowling terms. A free copy
of the book can he obtained by
sending a stamped, self-addressed
envelope to the association, 12
Sooth 12th Street, Philadelphia
7, Pa.
|LITTLE THINGS about 1the STARS}
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MODELING, SHE 60TT M«R
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TELEVISION - RADIO - HOLLYWC
By GEORGE L1LLEY
NEW YORK, N. Y.—In ceremonies at Valley Forge, Pa.,
General Omar N. Bradley has presented on behalf of
“Cavalcade of America” one of the highest honors yet bestowed
upon a broadcast—first place for radio programs in the 1950 Freedom
Foundation Awards. In 1949, when the first 'annual awards were made,
the Du Pont dramatic program also won one of the top honors for best
exemplifying the Foundation's credo of the American Way of Life. A
jury consisting of State Supreme Court Justices and officers of American
patriotic societies, select Freedom Foundation winners.
m ar m
Gene Tierney
Richard Widroark
Joan Fontaine
In it* 16th year, "Cavalcade of America” (Tuesday nights, NBC) d-?als
with people, little know as often as not, who have made significant con
tributions to the growth of America. Scripts are authentically written in
an idiom of vivid reality and the stars who perform them are virtually a
"who’s who" of Broadway and Hollywood. Such names as Helen Hayes,
Joan Fontaine, Walter Hampden, Gene Tierney, Richard .Widmark,
Charles Laughton, Irene Dunne, are among the frequent “Cavalcade"
guests. f
PORTIA'S UFE
Like an old friend, % rod radio
serial wears well. Among the best
wearers: “Portia Faces Life," a
show that over the last 11 years in
variably has rated among the top 3
in the noDularity charts. “Portia”
Lucille Wall
.* . unhappy
(daytime, NBC)
is a brilliant
lawyer who
would rather be
a contented
housewife. In
variably she is
far from her
happy goal. She
has faced widow
hood, support of
a young son, ad
justments of a
new marriage,
of her second husband (amnesia),
the necessity of defending him in a
murder trial, among other domestic
trials. Smart, veteran actress Lu
cille Wall has played “Portia” since
the beginning. Wednesdays the pro
gram offers a special feature,
“Woman of the Week”—human in
terest interviews with women in the
news selected by the show's star.
2nd MRS. BURTON'S 5th
"Tho Second Burton,” CBS
daytime serial, iscelebrating its ft tin
anniversary—one of radio’s more
pleasant domestic dramas. “Terry
Burton” as the second wife of “Stan
Burton," New England storekeeper
Patsy Campbell
...cooking A coins
ana aaooier in
politics, has her
homey problems
—especially her
mother-in-law—
but, generally
speaking, this is
one of radio’s
most moderate,
lovable charac*
ters. Patsy
Campbell, a
quiet, informal
ex - Chicagoan
who likes farm
cooking and com collecting, plays
the role of "Terry.” Dwight Weist,
who gained fame as the March of
Time voice of Hitler, Churchill,
Roosevelt, Wendell Wilkie and
others, is "Stan.” Wednesdays an
interview series, “Family Counse
lor,” presenting people of interest to
ho uewives, is part of the program.
Plausible Tramp (in suburbs)
—“Lady, I ain’t beggin’ but can
I hang around till yer dawg’s
done with that there bone?”
The wise consumer bays Un
ion Label merchandise.
Buy Gompers stamps!
SUAr MAivuts rnu t
ROLLBACK REFLECTED
IN CON8UMER SALES
WASHINGTON. — Reports
reaching OPS headquarters indi
cate that the recent roll-back of
manufacturers’ prices of soaps
and cleansers is being reflected
in price cuts in retail sales to
consumers. Makers’ prices, which
had increased this year, were
rolled back to December levels.
Prices of inedible tallows and
greases, basic soap materials, and
of fancy tallow, were also rolled"
back. OPS Director DiSalle said
that, except for retailers caugns
in a “squeeze” by not having
raised prices prior to January 25.
the order should result in reduc
tions of a cent a bar on soap and
possibly two cents on packaged
soap products.
MacTavish: “1 hear yer friend
Angus has marrit a third wife.”
Elder: “Aye, Angus is an ex
pensive freend—two wreaths and
three presents in seventeen years.
CAKES • CANDY
A GOOD PLACE TO
REST AND REFRESH
We want you for our
customer
MAYFAIR H0T&
NEWSSTAND
Charlotte, N. C.
Soft Drinks — Ice Cream
Rocky Mount Mills
ESTABLISHED 1818
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
COTTON YARNS
GREETINGS
CHINA AMERICAN
TOBACCO CO.
LEAF TOBACCO
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.