Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / April 26, 1951, edition 1 / Page 1
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RALEIGH. N. C.—The abrupt eleventh-hour dismissal of Gurney P. Hood as state commissioner of banks and the appointment of ■ Woodrow W. Jones as his suc cessor has caused almost as much yammering—on a state level, of course—as the MacArhtur wran gle. Hood, who has done a good job for 20 years, says he heard about his replacement via radio as he was driving to see a sick friend. “The first I knew about it," he said, “was when I heard the ra dio announcer say that the Sen ate had just confirmed W. W. Jones as commissioner of banks, replacing me.” Hood said he had received no word from Governor Scott or his office that he was to be put out to pasture. That aroused a storm of criti cism from foe and friend of the governor. There was almost unanimous opinion that Hood should have been given the common courtesy of notification that he was through. And it brought out two ques tions both of which has not been — and are not likely to be — answered officially. These ques tions are: 1. Why was Gurney Hood let out? 2. Why wasn’t he at least told goodbye. The answer to question number one is rather involved. Hood backers claim that Kerr Scott •till has not forgotten that the ex-banks commissioner supported Charlie Johnson for governor and -that that i« the tm^rn #*r his dismissal. They clam that since Scott's election Hood has gone down the line for the governor, backing the school roads bond is sues, backing Frank Graham for senator, and generally backing his boss all the way—even incurring the enmity of his old conservative friends by so doing. Scott supporters, who were pleased with Hood's campaigning on behalf of Better School and Roads, infer that Hood’s appar ent up-to-the-hilt support of Scott has not been all that it seemed. They claim that Hood has been giving lip-service to the Scott ad ministration, but that his heart and some under-cover effort has been in at least giving "aid and comfort” to Scott enemies. You can hear—if you’re listen ing in the right places — that Scott promised the commissioner of banks job to Jones as far back as 1948. You also can hear, and probably have heard, that Jones knew nothing of the appointment until the morning he was con firmed by the Senate; that Jones was called from the governor's office and asked how he would like to be commissioner of banks and that all that was heard from Jones’ end of the telephone line was a gulp and a gasp. That is the best explanation that can be found as to why Gur* ney Hood was let go. As to the second question, why wasn’t he told about it, that answer is much simpler. You remember that the Senate confirmed Jones as commissioner of banks on Saturday, the last day of the session (April 14). The Governor did not know und 5:30 p. m. Friday, the day be fore, that the appointment had to be confirmed by the Senate. In fact, he had been advised ear lier by Attorney General MacMil lan that confirmation was not re quired and had planned to wait to name the commissioner of banks after the Legislature had adjourned. So, after 5:30 p. m. on ^riday, the move was' made to insure Senate confirmation of Jones. Hood was not told anything about the move because it was antici pated that he would spend the Intervening hours lining up sup port for himself within (Sen ate. Even if he could not keep Hie job himself, it was felt that be might bo able to line up enough opposition to block Jones' i inirmirti"! — since big beakers throughout the State have been bitterly opposed to credit unions, particularly the State Credit Un ion which Jones headed, and would have fought Jones* ap pointment if they had had the chance. The question is asked, of course, as to why Hood wasn't at least told the next day —Saturday — at least a few minutes before the matter was brought before the Senate for action, rather than having to hear about his being fired via radio. The answer to that is, I am told, that it was an unintentional oversight; that the Governor’s of fice had planned to contact Hood and inform him of the impending action, but the Senate action came sooner than expected and caught the chief executive’s office flat footed. All of which, it is true, will not pacify the vitriolic anti-Scott forces who wouldn’t believe a kind word about the Governor even if they knew it was true. It still will leave many of the State’s open-minded citixens a little baf fled that such maneuvering is necessary. And the small core of Scott-right-or-wrong folks won’t blame the Governor. But all of them should remem ber that there is a continuing, bitter, no-quarter-asked political brawl going on within the Demo cratic Party in North Carolina. The so-called conservatives are interested in status-quo govern ment and will stop at nothing to get their boys in the saddle, but throw out sops in the form of “no new taxes” as a battle cry. The so-called liberal faction is haling for expanded services for the people of North Carolina, even if it takes added taxes to do the job, with the belief that ex pansion will make Tar Heelia a better-balanced State with better educated, more progressive and more prosperous citizens. Then there are the ultra-conservatives —interested in special interests legislation and who really are Republicans at heart without thd* guts to admit it. At the other exreme are the ultra-liberals, who want the government to do everything. Caught in the middle is con servative-liberal Mr. and Mrs. North Carolina, who want good government with needed services, minus bureaucracy and debt. These folks dream of a states man-like Utopia where the issues and decisions can be dearcut. mi nus the issue-clouding and con niving of so-called practical poli tics. Laugh of the week: A news note states that “Wachovia Bank and Trust Company of Winston Salem said it spent only $34.85 in sending its lobbyist and gen eral counsel, B. S. Worable, to in fluence lawmakers on banking legislation.” Speaking of Wachovia Bank, it is rumored that the bank’s Ra leigh veep Leroy Martin fidddled while Gurney Hood got burned— and Jones got promoted. The story going around is that Martin, an effective behind-the scenes wire-puller among conser vatives, got caught flat-footed in the Hood dismissal-Jones appoint ment affair. Hood had fought the big bank’s light against its non par, or charge-for-check-cashing, brethren almost single-handed. And although they might not have objected too much to Hood’s losing the commissioner of banks job, they certainly would have fought the appointment of Jones, a credit union man (a distasteful occupation in the minds of many bankers)—as his successor. But Martin, H is reported, got involved in trying to stop the State Highway Commission from operating a cafeteria in its new building. At the last minute n looked as though, the story goes, Martin got so engrossed in that fight that Hood was out and Jones was hi before he wake up to the fact that a political end run had been made while he was PATENTS FURNISH INCENTIVE FOR STRUGGLING INVENTORS The amount of research and cash it takes to develop the patents which help American manufactur ers produce more and better goods at lower prices is well illustrated by the history of the slide fastener known as “the tipper”. The zipper was invented in 1891 by Whitcomb L. Judson. Colonel Lewis Walker, of Meadville, Pa., formed a company to produce it, hiring Inventor Judson to improve it and build a machine for quantity production. Years Used Up Judson called it quits a doxen years later when his machine balk ed after making a few tippers. Walker teamed up with an engin eer, Gideon Sundbaek. Sundback made a better machine, but its tip pers didn’t always “tip”. The fastener company’s funds were used ap. Getting supplies on credit Sundback worked four more years while Walker’s law fees sup ported the company. The machine was perfected in 1912. Success Slow First a tailor began using zip pers on money-belts. The Navy put them on flying suits. A rubber company made zipper overshoes. Then—in the 1930’s, 40-odd years after Judson's invention—a dress manufacturer tried the product, and the long battle was won. Now one company makes 400 mil lion zippers per year. Judson’s original patspit expired years ago, but a company directed by a grand son pf the late Colonel Walker controls many patents taken out during the long research process carried on because of knowledge that if success were attained, the invention could be protected by patents. DON'T RUSH IN TO BUY Tlie best possible advice to working people in this day of rising prcies and price freezes that do not freeze and wage freezes that do, is to sit tight. Do not rush in and buy things you think you may need at some dim date in the future. Take it easy until all the rules are known. The idea is to stop the inflationary swing. That can only be done if costs and production are controlled, regulated. Then prices can be regulated too. It cannot be done all at once, however, no matter how desirable that might be. The brakes have got to be applied in such a manner that our highly complex economy does not come apart. Working people can help by refusing to take part in the buying spree. Refuse to go into debt. Buy only what you need; buy at a normal rate. Do not hoard anything; there is plenty to go around. If you have any extra money, which is doubtful, play safe by putting it in the safest, surest investment on the face of the earth—government savings bonds. • • * As Executive Vice President Dave Beck has pointed out in recent Teamster conferences: In the short period of % few months we have come from a slipping, downgrade economy to an inflationary, upgrade economy. Last June unemployment was increasing, production was decreasing, the future was anything but bright. Then came the Ko rean affair and almost over night the whole economy changes right about face; prices started soaring and in flation was upon us. It was impossible for wages to keep up with living costs. _ x ,. Wages are still too low. They must go up. But, they will go up under a system of rules and regulations. Red tai>e will grow and grow, but that must be expected when government moves in. Socialist and communist countries are the most bureaucratic and official-ridden lands in the world They really grovel in red tape and inefficiency. We do not know if the rules governing wage increases will be fair or to our liking. We do not think they will be, but until we see the rules and understand them, there’s no profit in running a temperature about them. 'Go slowly: don’t buy what you don’t need. Buy U. S. Savings Bonds. —Washington Teamster. looking for a plunge through the middle of the line. There seems to be a determined effort to whitewasn the 1961 Gen eral Assembly, apparently for 1962 election purposes, and label it as one that did great things for North Carolina. By mouth and printed word there is pious and pompous praise of legislative action, particularly the school program. These either intentional or unintentional prop agandists are either ignorant of the true facts or are deliberately misrepresenting them. “The public schools were given everything that was requested by the State Board of Education,” is the loudest and most untruth ful claim. Just what is the truth? Well, the State Board of Edu cation presented three plans to the Genera] Assembly. The first was a minimum—calling for ade quate appropriations to continue as is but to asset expanded needs caused by increased enrollment, inflation and additional school buildings, and set forth a mtnl asuas A sortifirate teacher salary of $2,200-63,100. Each of the other two plans called for more, and for a minimum salary of 92, 400-63,600 far A-grade teachers. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Clyde Erwin tells ms Apt the Legislature did NOT ap propriate even enough money to meet the minimum request of the State Board of Education. Tbs Legislature am net add to school boa appropriations. The Legislature did not npp^p priate 9410,000 needed to pay for water and lights for three to four thousand new school rooms that will be ready for use next ya*r. This expense now will fall on th« counties, if the new schools Sre to be used. The Legislature did not give the school teachers and other school employees the $15-a-month cost-of-living raise handed other state employees—this would have cost approximately $9,500,000. And most important, the Legis lature did not provide any money for reduction of the teacher load! All of the above-mentioned items were in the MINIMUM re quest for funds made by the State Board of Education. The truth of the matter is that, despite all the bragging and the whitewash, the 1951 General As sembly actually cut the effective ness of the public school system for the next two years. The heartbreaking thing ' to every person interested in our schools is the failure to cut down the teacher load—the number of pupils per teaeher. This ratio is supposed to be 35 students tm each teacher, but in far too 1 many instances even this pro portion is not met. Even at 35 to one, the children of North Carolina are not getting the educational opportunity they deserve. One teacher—who is In a sup plement-paying city and happens to have exactly 85 students in her sixth grade class—summed it up this way: “W)|fc that many students I can’t five any of them the indi (Continued Oa Page 8) NTEA; ILL PREACHING BUT RO PRACTICE For eight years the National Tax quality Association (NTEA) has been fighting co-operatives NTEA has been peddling the lie | that co-ops don't pay taxes. The only taxes co-ops don't pay are corporation taxes. That’s because they're not corporations. NTEA wants to make the co ops pay corporation taxes. Why? Because NTEA is financed by grain speculators and other food gamblers who don’t like competi tion from co-ops. Co ops also help keep food prices down. What abobut NTEA’s record on taxes? Last November the U. S. Tax Court ruled that the NTEA —not the co-ops — is dodging taxes. The court said corporations and others financing NTEA can’t de duct their gifts for income tax! purposes. That’s because, the court explained. NTEa isn’t an educational group. .as it claims. It’s just another bij busines i ;ob ly So facts show the eery group which says co-ops don’t pay taxes has been encouraging tax-dodg ing itself. BANS CRAB MEAT FROM THE USSR Washington.—The U. S. Treas ury Department’s Customs Bu reau has banned the importation of canned crab meat from the Beodet Union on th > - ijfc, *f • finding “that conviet labor, forced labor, and indentured labor under penal sanctions are used in whole or in part” in the manufacture and production of the crab meat. The ban applies to canned crab meat manufactured or produced wholly or in part in the USSR and on vessels which are of USSR registry or under “exclusive do minion and control’’ of the USSR, unless the importer can establish “by satisfactory evidence” that the crab meat was not manufac tured or produced * by convict, forced, or indentured labor. Vets Administration Should Be Informed Veterans who are in training un der the G. I. Bill should make cer tain when their training is com | pleted or interrupted, that the Veterans Administration is inform ed of that fact, according to the VA. Otherwise the veteran will receive one or more subsistence checks for a period when he was not actually in training, and the checks will have to be returned. A veteran is not entitled to sub sistence allowances for any month in which he is not training. The veteran, as well as the school or college concerned or the on-job training establishment, should , see to it that the VA is notified with out any delay when a veteran's training is completed or interrupt ed, the VA said. If a veteran receives a check for payment to which he is not en titled, it should be returned to the U. S. Treasury Department, rather than to the Veterans Administra tion. If the check is not returned, the VA is required to collect the overpayment. Q. Deee a veteran have to be honorably discharged to'be award ed monetary benefits of VA ? A. Under existing laws, it is not necessary for % veteran to have an honorable discharge to be award ed benefits. However, it is neces sary that he be discharged under conditions other than dishonor able. Q. As a World War II veteran, will I have to pay a fee to have someone represent me in my claim for benefits for VA? A. If you are represented by an official of an accredited service organisation or the American Red Cross, there is no fee. U you are represented by a lawyer or agent who has been admitted to prac tice before VA, eucb attorney or agent is permitted to* charge $10 DISALLE ASKS LABOR TO HELP ENFORCE CEILINGS ON LOCAL COMMITTEES WASHINGTON — Members of organised labor are being asked to serve on local volunteer price stabilisation committees. Price Stabilisation Director Michael V. DiSalle telegraphed 1,253 mayors of cities over 10,000 population on February 4 urging them to establish “immediately a volunteer emergency stabilisation co-operation committee.” Mr. DiSalle “respectfully sug gested” that the mayors include representatives of organised la bor. Central Labor Unions might be wise to call up their mayors and volunteer several names to serve on these committees. “The purpose of this commit tee,” Mr. DiSalle said, “would be to provide means of assisting re gional and district office of price stabiliastion in encouraging gen eral public knowledge and observ ance of regulations adopted in the interest of a sound national econ omy.” Each of the Volunteer Emerg ency Stabiliatioa Co-operation Committees will have an oppor tunity to work closely with dis trict and regional officials of OPS, helping in every way they can to bring information about price control before their fellow citizens. OPS officials said they would be provided with factual material to aaablbs thmsute arswer quwio/. from the public, and would be called on for advice and assist ance in planning future programs of community education and co operation. The mayors were asked to no tify their nearest district OPS of fice of their committee member ship, so that an immediate work ing arrangement between the OPS officials and the volunteers could be established. LOOPHOLES “This excess profits tax law is so full of exemptions, credits, loopholes that it doesn’t even warrant the name.” — Business Columnist Sylvia P. Porter in The New York Post, March 19. in an original claim, or $2 in a claim for increased benefits. Q. May I appear personally be fore the Rating Board in my own behalf? A. Yes, but you must make a definite appointment to do so and be punctual if the hour of hearing has been designated. 4 IT’S UP TO CONGRESS TO BATTLE INFLATION THROUGH BETTER UW The people are wondering what Congress is going to do about strengthening the Defens# Pro duction Act.—the law which was supposed to hold down inflation. The Act dies June 30. And with it will die so-called controls on prices, .on charge accounts at the stores aid on money bor rowed to build or bay houses. < At the same time, the rent con trol law—which is not part of the Defense Production Act—also will expire. About the only thing which the Act has accomplished has been to freeze wage raises to 10 per cent —despite a jump of 22 per cent in corporation proflts after the Korean war began—and to allow grain gamblers to run up the cost of food. Trade unionists — whose aver age income is about enough to maintain their families at 1014 living standards—want to know if Congress will plug the tax loopholes! control the cost of food at the grocery store and, at the same time, assure farmers a fair price fr their products end pass a strong rent control he. As far back as December SO, the United Leber Policy Commit tee told President Truman that the Defense Production Act “should be promptly amended te accomplish these ends.” The committee represents 16 million paganized workers. s, ', ’ ‘ "The worker, the smalf beSfnees man and the housewife are watching Capitol Hill to see if their Senators and Representa tives have the courage to ignore the Big Business lobbyists, and the common sense to pass a de cent law that will insure equality of sacrifice . during the defense emergency. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR PRICE CONTROLS OPS Director Michael V. Di Salle said: “During: my service as director of price stablization, I have learned that the American people generally have • pretty sound knowledge of price controls. “Five years of stabilisation un der OPA educated them to what price controls can really accom plish. We are counting on this public knowledge to give us the support we need to make price controls a success, to enforce control* with the backing of pub lic sentiment, to have both the advantages and the burdens of controls shared equitably among all the people." WHILE YOU'RE CONSIDERING MV DlfABIimej-DOWT OVERLOOK mv ABILITIES 1! “v r ~ 1.Mi-rjr m r i_i uoti 109 menraiiy iKJiuBcoppcii/ #w* EMPLOY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED mmm
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 26, 1951, edition 1
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