Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Aug. 9, 1951, edition 1 / Page 1
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VOL. XXI; NO. 14 CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY. AUGUST t. 1MI Subscription Price $2.00 Per Tear p ? Any Delegate Regularly Seated ShouldBe Eligible To Be Elected To Office Where would the great A. F. of L. be if suppressive laws had been set up in its early years to prevent the capable Union men and women being elected to of fices in their organizations ? That question needs answering at the 1951 convention of the North Carolina Federation of Labor. Many controversies nave arisen at each convention of the State Federation of Labor for the past several years regarding Article 5, Section 1 of the Federation’s con stitution which prevents union rep resentatives and others from hold ing office on the executive board, no matter if they are directly em ployed by AFL unions, therefore denying the delegates to a conven tion the right to nominate and elect certain ones of the duly elected and regularly seated dele gates for positions on the execu tive board. In other words, many who are qualified to run for office are ruled out by a provision in the constitution which by all means has no place in our demo cratic organisation. At least one member of the present executive board claims - that to change this law would pave the way for pieces o{ lead ership in the N. C. Federation of Labor to be “open to dictator ship,” while there are others who are not members of the present executive board who contend that no mora violent form of “dicta torship” could possibly exist un der a changed constitution than that which exists under the pres ent law. The following article regarding this controversy recently appeared in The Durham Labor Journal, 'vuose editor at last year’s Win ston-Salem convention endeavored to get Article 5, Section 1 amend ed to allow any duly seated dele gate to run for office. The con troversy in this article accentu ates the rising tide against the present executive board in some of its rulings and policies in con nection with their conduct of Fed eration affairs: ijcwiu a,, rnce, international representative of the Internation al Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers, Ply mouth, who was elected a vice president of the North Carolina Federation of Labor in 1949 and re-elected in 1950, has written a letter to The Labor Journal in an swer to a letter by NCFL Vice President James Gillespie, Jr., of Reids ville. “Vice President Gillespie wrote a letter to The Journal which ap peared in the June 28th issue of this paper. The letter defended Article 5, Section 1 of the Feder ation Constitution, which bars in ternational representatives from holding office on the executive board of the state organization. At the 1950 convention an effort was made to amend this section in order to allow any member of the AFL, seated as a delegate to a convention to be eligible for of fice on the executive body of the North Carolina Federation of La bor. "In his letter, Gillespie says that amendment of Article 6, Sec tion 1 of the constitution would leave the places of leadership in the N. C. Federation of Labor ‘open to dictatorship.' In his let ter, Price defends the rights of international representatives wha are members of local unions af filiated with the state group, and states he will support an amend ment to the section. “The Journal has learned that Price recently resigned from the executive board of the federa tion, after having been re-elected in absentia last year while he was attending a convention of his international union on the Pacific Coast. Price’s letter follows: ‘“The Editor, “‘Durham Labor Journal, “ ‘Durham, N. C. “ ‘In the June 28 issue of The Durham labor Journal there ap peared a letter to the Editor sign ed by James Gillespie, Jr., of Reidsville, in which he attempted to point out the evils and pitfalls of'permitting international repre sentatives and others to become officers of he North Carolina Fed eration of Labor. *“I have NO intention to run for any office at the Asheville convention nor am I interested in promoting any one else for office. “‘Inasmuch as I am a interna tional representative in North Carolina who has been elected to the executive board of the N. C. F. L. for the last two years, I feel that I am in a position to speak on the other side of the question which Brother Gillespie apparently wishes the delegates to the Asheville Convention to consider. “'Let u§ leave personalities out of our thinking on the subject of who should not be considered eli gible to fill these offices. Our ability to think clearly on such a question as this becomes warped when we think in terms of person alities instead of whether or not such a change will promote the well-being of the organization and its members. “ ‘Cries of ‘dictatorship’ have no foundation in fact whatsoever; none of us can seriously believe that the thousands of A. F. of L. members of North Carolina are weak-kneed enough to be dic tated to by a few international 'representatives of the executive board. “‘It is a little discouraging, to say the least, that we who have spent years of our life giving the best we have in us to build a better way of life for our fellow man, are looked upon as dictators. Men whose motives are looked upon with suspicion and mistrust by those for whom they have worked for so long. I am afraid (Continued en Page I) BIG POLITICAL ACTION IS NEEDED BY LABOR AFL Secretary-Treasurer George Meany told the AFL Retail Clerks convention July 17 that organized workers and other wage earners have little influence in Congress. “This situation regarding special interests lobbies in Congress is the most deplorable I’ve ever seen,” Meany said. “But you can’t get any protective legislation up there on the grounds you represent workers. ‘The answer is that labor must meet the threat through political action. Whether or not yon like it or believe in it, American labor is going for political action ia a big way.” * „ f Put On the Heat. . J UNION LABEL WEEK—SEPT. 2-8 j Rhodes Reports On Meeting In Mexico ATLANTA, GA.— Following a meat visit to the organized la bor movement in Mexico, Paul C. Sparks, Secretary of the Texas Federation of Labor, issued a sum mary of the findings of a Special Committee from the Texas Fed eration of Labor, which traveled to Mexico City to observe negoti ations conducted between the Re public of Mexico and the Govern ment of the United States on mi gratory labor agreements. Ac companying the Texas delegation, J. L. Rhodes, Southern Regional Director of the American Federa tion of Labor, Atlanta, Georgia, called upon the officials of the Mexican labor movement, leaving with them a copy of the Presi dent’s Report on Migratory La bor. The combined delegation as sored the Mexican labor move ment of friendly relationships with the organized labor movement of America. All reports indicate that the Mexican organized la bor movement and the American Federation of Labor have a com J. L. RHODES. Southern AFL Director mon interest and, therefore, com mon thinking as to the means of properly regulating and controlling the interchange of labor between the two countries. (Continued On Page 2) Largest Attendance In Years Expected To Visit Asheville North Carolina Building Trades Report On Meet Two Charlotte building trades men, Phil Hughes and John Lov ett, reported upon their return from the Southeastern Building Trades meeting, held in Wasn ington, that the meeting was one which reflects much progress. Mr, Lovett is local business agent for Carpenters local 1469 and is the immediate past presi dent of Charlotte Building Trades Council.. Mr. Hughes is the newly elected president of the Charlotte Council. At the Washington meeting Brother Lovett was elected first vice president of the Southeastern Council and another North Caro lina Labor leader, Perry M. Tay lor of Durham, was elected a vice president at-large fo* North Carolina. Principal speakers at the 3-day conference were Richard Cray, president of the AFflL Building Trades Department and Joseph D. Keenan, recently elected secre tary-treasurer of the department and Director of the AFL Labor’s League for Political Education. Also on the program were rep resentatives of the U. S. Labor Department, members of the Wage Stabilization Board and representatives of the NLRB. International representatives of building trades organizations from most of the 14 state Southeastern conference attended the meeting, and joined in the discussions. Among the representatives were Paul Askew of Goldsboro, Inter national organizer for the Operat ing Engineers, and Karl Knopf of the Carpenters, Winston-Salem. John Lovett, business agent of Carpenters Local 1469, Charlotte, was elected first vice-president of the Southeastern organization. P. M. Taylor of Durham, business agent of Local 685, Plumbers and Steamfitters, was elected vice (Continued On Pago 4) ASHEVILLE, N. C.-1951 The Forty-fourth Annual Convention of the North Caro lina Federation of Labor will convene in Asheville Monday, August 13 and delegates from Charlotte and vicinity are readying themselves for the week-end trek to the 'City in the Sky.” Says The Asheville Labor Advocate: * When Wade A. Elliott, presi dent of the Asheville Central La bor Union, wields the ravel at the City Auditorium Mondey morn ing, August 13, calling the 44th annual convention of the N. C. State Federation of Labor to or der, it is expected that one of the largest delegations in the Feder ation’s history will be on hand. Outstanding speakers and offi cials, both of labor organisations and governmental agencies, will be in attendance to give advice and answer questions concerning the welfare of wage-earners and the citizens generally. Met Here Many Times The State Federation of Labor has held many conventions in this city. As the convention date has always been on the Second Mon day in August, the good folks from the Piedmont and Eastern Carolina have delighted in com ing to Asheville during the hot days of August Than, too, the beauty ^of the mountains always appeal to our neighobrs and friends in the lowlands and the Piedmont Hence, when the city of Asheville has been placed in nom ination for the next convention It is not on record anywhere that an-, other city, was named in opposi tion. This Is An Important Meet Conditions, both at home, over the Nation and over the world, being in such condition as exists today, problems facing the of ficers and delegates and interest ed visitors are of such tremen dous importance that all who at tend will be searching for the best way out, if there is a way. Commissioner of Labor Forrest H. Shuford, President Anthony' Valente of the United Textile Workers of America AFL, South ern Director for the AFL, J. Levp Rhodes, AFL Director of Organ ization Harry O’Reilly, Secretary Treasurer Joseph D. Keenan of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL, and probably President Wm. Green of the AFL, will b<* among the men who are scheduled to ad dress the convention. Officers of International Unions, and repre sentatives of departments of Che Federal government are making plans to attend, if possible. The opening Hear* Invocation at the opening ses sion will be led by C. D. Hensley, chaplain of the CLU and a mem ber of the Fire Fighter* local. He wa* recently elected president of the State Association of Fire Fighter* locals at the Wilmington convention of that association. “My Country, "Us of Thee” will be rendered as the opening song. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, led by First Vice President R. B. Robertson, veteran of World War No. 1, will be recited. Address of Welcome Mayor Car! W. Eller will deliv er the first address of welcome, and will be followed by City Man ager J. Weldon Weir, State Sen ator Zebnlon Weaver, Jr., Repre sentatives Roy A. Taylor, Lamar i Gudger and Claude M. Love. For < the County, Chairman Coke Cand? * ler of the Board of County Com- i missioners will extend welcome greetings, and Leslie A. Owen, < prominent merchant, win welcome < the convention "on behalf of busi- ■ ness. Response to the addresses < ef welcome will be made by I James F. Barrett, former presi dent of the State Federation of Labor and several times president of the Asheville Central Labor Union. President Wade A. Elliott then will extend a welcome from the # Unions of Asheville, after which he will turn the gravel over to President C. A. Fink, whose open ing address will set the stage for the real business of the conven tion. Etnertainment Features John E. Jervis and his enter tainment committee members have planned a real treat for the dele gates and visitors for Tuesday afternoon and evening. First thing on the program of enter tainment will be a trip through the big America Enka Rayon plant at Enka, with company of ficials and employes acting as guides through this matchless plant. Later in the afternoon the people will go to Memorial Stadi um Where, rain or shine, many features will be presented. Of Course, the barbecue and trim tningrs will be on hand, prepared by the employes of the Cafeteria at the Enka plant and served by them, all members of the Enka Rayon Workers Local Union. Working with Chairman Jervis are Miss Nola Ownbey and H. E. Setser, members of Entertain ment Committee. Negro Delegatee Entertainment for Negro dele gates is under supervision of Brother Walter Mapp, of the En ka Rayon Workers local union. He will make announcement at Tuesday’s sessions of the plans for his entertainment program. Negros send large delegations from their local unions to the an nual conventions of the Federa tion. They like to come to Ashe ville because It was in this city 8 or 10 years ago that they were first placed on the executive board of the State Federation of Labor. The Negroes are a very important part ef the state labor movement, and have hews for years. Election and installation of of ficers for the coming year will take place Wednesday afternoon, at the closing session. Group Mootings While the 44th Annual Conven tion of the State Federation of Labor to be held in AahevtO# Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, August IS, 14 and IS, is holding spotlight, there are other meet ings preceding the main conven tion that are most important. These group meetings vrill he held Saturday and Sunday, Aug ust 11 and 12, preceding the open ing of the State Convention on Monday, the 13th. The State Building Trades Council, the Carpenters State Council, the Plumbers and Fitters State Council, the Painters and Decorators, the IBEW, and other Building Trades Unions will hold ■peeial pre-convention meetings. Each group will prepare particir ar programs in interest of their ■espective memberships, and pre tent same to the convention of he State Federation of Labor to ollow. One of the most important of hoso group meetings will be that •f United Textile Workers of America AFL. Anthony Valento >f the International, Southern Oi (Contianed On Pago 4)
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 9, 1951, edition 1
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