VOL. XXI; NO. 8 CHARLOTTE. N. C, THURSDAY, JUNE 28. 1M1 Subscription Price 12.00 Per Y«f Put On the Heat • • ./ UNION LABEL WEEK—SEPT. 2-8 Frank Edwards Says: One For The Books . It takes cotton to fire artillery •hells . . . and the Chniese Com munists in the last offensive used a surprising amount of artillery fire upon United Nations troops. Where did it come from? In 1950, American cotton ex putters sold the ***««•• Beds $28,000,000 worth of cotton. After Korea was invaded by the Com munists, American cotton traders •old $11,000,000 worth of cotton. How many dollars worth of American cotton does it take to kill American, British, French, Turkish and Greek boys in Ko rea? see Help For The inters . . . The Federal 'CcC *is tration soon will a. . -> to approve a plan to provide 60 days free hospital care each year for those 65 years or over who are now receiving or are eligible for old age benefits. Those old • people—7 million of them—cannot' buy hospitalization insurance at their age. The pres ent Social Security Fund has a surplus which can easily take care of them. Miscellaneous Comments ... The House of Representatives, which scuttled the Public Hous ing Program, has passed a bill providing gold lapel buttons for families of service men killed in These buttons will enable the families to look very distin guished as they search for a shack to live in. see Hats Off—Senator Benton ' Congratulations to Senator Ben ton (D.) of Connecticut for try ing to save some TV wave length’ for educational needs. S ' * *" ^vnton, though he msd"1’ trf ney In commercial advertising—or maybe because of it — is frankly skeptical about commercial stations meeting edu cational needs. It is his opinion that the radio networks are doing a poorer educational job than 20 years ago. He proposes a review board to check oil both TV and radio to see that each is filling its responsibilities to the public. Here is a table developed by Dr. Richard Murphy of the Uni versity of Illinois to determine how food a union IMOUPC »: ?? WAS IT A GOOD UNION MEETING ?? (Check Yea or No.) Yea No 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 0. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 16. 16. 17. 18. 1». 20. Did the meeting begin promptly?..... ’ " ■ Did the meeting adjourn in reasonable time. - ..—. Were all reports of officers, committees, etc. ready and presented in good order?...-. -. Was an agenda followed?.—.. T. Were the Constitution. By-Laws, and rules of order followed? Were proposals for action put in specific motions? .—.—•*..-.... Did the discussion reflect the various opinions and interests of the members?..— Was there ENOUGH discussion to show what the membership really thought?.-. * . Was the discussion good tempered? ....—. Could everybody hear what was said?...—. Were the members interested in the proceedings? ......—.-.——. ... Was necessary business transacted?..... Were irrelevant matters excluded? ..-«.— When work had to be done outside the meeting, were committees or persons assigned to job?... Was the meeting held together (no little groups here and there in the hall having their own meetings? ..'....... Did the presiding officer guard against “railroading'’ ? .-.....— ---—• Did the officers conduct the meeting with meaning and dignity? --—...—— —.- .— Was there an atmosphere of freedom—of give and take? .------— Was your faith in your union strengthened by what went on at the meeting?.—...—--— Yu I glad I came to meeting?.. Totals.-—.-.-. laat page to see what yew Good Minimum Wage And Job Standards A Defense Necessity "Washington. — Good minimum wage programs can be of “inval uable aid” in attracting new re cruits to the labor market, both in defense* work un i as replace ments in the “on Jamorous” but essential civilian services, Under Secretary of Labor Michael J. Galvin told State minimum wage administrators from all over the country. The "State officials met hete May 24 and 25 at their annual conference under the auspices of the U. S. Labor Department’s ^Women’s bureau. Galvin stressed that Wage Sta bilisation Board policies do not bar the efforts of States to ob tain minimum wages "consistent with the basic purpose of State minimum wage laws—namely, liv ing wages.” Many State govern ments, he noted, are now “moving ahead energetically” to revise and issue minimum wage orders bring ing the minimum wage closer inte line with the current cost of liv ing. “There is, however, another area of State labor legislation for wo men where we feel that great vigilance is needed,” Galvin warns. “I am referring to the attempts which are being made—supposed ly as an aid to the defense effort —to relax or waive the employ ment standards which are con tained in various laws which many irye* *r» responsible for admin istering—notably these establish ing maximum daily and weakly hears of work for women, speci fied meal and rest periods, and prohibiting night work.” To waive these standards, he said, would lead to lowered pro duction. ■ WSB Okays 75 Cents Base Pay Washington.—The Wage Stabil ization Board announced that wage increases made after January 16, 1950, to comply with the 1949 am endments of the Fair Labor Stand ards Act, may be incorporated into a company’s base period pay level for the purpose of computing al lowable increases under General Wage Regulation 6. (The 10 per cent ceiling.) » Employers desiring to incor porate the Fair Labor Standards Act increases into their base pe riod pay level must obtain ad vance approval of the board be fore making such a change. Such petitions may be disposed of by WSB Executive Director Robben W. Fleming. WSB also announced a revision of General Wage Regulation 10 covering tandem wage adjust ments. Regulation 10, as originally is sued March 8 by the Economic Stabilization Administrator, had limited tandem relationships to employe units in the same indus try and labor market area. The amended regulation removes that limitation. The board also altered the re quirement that tandem increase had to follow in strict chronolog ical order. The change requires only that the tandem adjustment be directly related” to the other. TRAVELERS During 1950 some 320,000 Ameri cans went to Europe on an aver age two-month trip and spent $226,000,000 for transportation, fan, food, sights and lodging, ac cording to the Commerce Depart ment. This was the second big gest traveling year for Ameri cans. Hie biggest year area in 19C9, when 360,000 Americans went to Europe, spendinj less, however—$*1*,000,000. , . I Asks Labor Co-Operation WILLIAM GREEN 27 States Aiding Small Business To Win Defense Production Role COMMISSIONS FORMED, CO-OPERATE WITH DPA . f Twenty-seven states have organized State Small Business Commissions or have delegated small business duties to an existing organization, in response to a request of the De fense Production Administration. Twelve more states have indicated their intention to form such commissions. While policies end program* vary with the states, in general the corora iMiona are directing their effort* to help small busi ness in the following field*: 1. To convert to defense pro duction. 2. To find new markets. 3. To explain and publicise the effect of federal controls and reg ulations. 4. To give leadership, assist-, ance and support to all reason- j able demands for scarce materi als and supplies. 5. To aid in selling to federal agencies and their prime con tractors. 6. To obtain prime and subcon tracts for local manufacturers. 7. To conduct or encourage re search for substitute materials. 8. To improve techniques and managerial factors. 9. To make available the tech nical knowledge and skill avail able within the state or from the federal government. 10. To review manpower re quirement* and wage price regu lations. Technical sun-comnwuees Some commissions have organ ized statewide technical subcom ! rr it tees which work closely with ! the Department of Commerce, j Office of Technical Services. Almost all the commissions are making an accurate, detailed in j ventory of plant facilities in their j states, and are organizing, or have . already organized, co-operating ; committees on the commuiyjty lev | el to work on these problems. Most commissions are studying | regulatory measures and orders 1 of the Defense Production Admin i istration, National Production Au I thority and other defense agen : cies to evaluate the impact of I these regulations upon their loval i industries and grades. They are encouraged to make an immedi ate tie-in with the Department of ! Commerce field offices. New Hampshire has organized 1 a finance organization through which about 80 industrialists and j bankers will provide venture cap ital for small business. In Florida alt major procure ment centers have been contacted and small buainess clinics are be ing held throughout the state ’which consider problems in all fields of assistance. Several ex hibits of subcontract item* are 1 also being staged. The Florida [Commission follows through on complaints of members, carrying them to Washington for. solution when necessary. To Famish Data Kentucky announced it will establish a file showing how small firms can secure scarce ma terials. In California the commission is under the State Division of Em ployment Development and Stabi lization. This commission Is well equipped to consult procurement agencies, develop programs and locate acarce materials. The Cal ifornia commission also holds clinics and panels which serve as an exchange, placing at the dis posal of the small businessman the experience of others in the same trade or industry. Michigan is experimenting with different types of organizations under the Department of Econom ic Development of the Michigan Defense Production Council. There is active interest In acqui sition of scarce materials, con version to substitute market* and obtaining defense contracts. Minnesota and Oregon have suggested amendments to exist ing orders, and have made rec ommendations regarding nationat policy and programs. New York has done an out standing job in statewide dissem (Continued On Page 2) URGES UNIONS AND MEMBERS TO WRITE THEIR . CONGRESSMEN BEFORE JULY 10 TO VOTE STRONG PRICE, RENT CONTROLS WASHINGTON.—AFL President William Green called on AFL unions and their members to make enactment of a strong Defense Production Act their "chief topic of union business during the next 30 days." Mr. Green urged the 8 million AFL members to write their congressmen before July 10 asking them to vote for a strong new law to replace the