VOLUME XXI: NO. 31
CHARLOTTE. N. C.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER «. !»5l
SnbscrtDtion PHm 15 on Pm
No Need To Relax Labor
Staandrds, Say Officials
SAFEGUARDS HELD VITAL
TO DEMOCRATIC DEFENSE
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).
There is no necessity for re
laxing labor standards now. Sec
retary of Labor Maurice J. Tobin
declared in a policy statement op
posing lowering of hour, safety,
health and other standards.
“The mobilization authorities
agree that the present situation
does not require relaxation of ex
isting labor standards except in
unusual and individual cases —
and then only on a temporary
basis," Tobin said.
“Labor legislation which safe
guards tho health and welfare of
workers is a vital part of the
• democracy we are defending. The
application of the policy here rec
ommended will go a long way to
insare maximum production with
out needless waste of manpower
and materials, and to maintain a
healthy, efficient and dynamic la
bor force.”
The Labor Department’s state
ment, issued in response to re
quests from state labor adminis
trators for guidance on national
policy, was approved by the Na
tional Labor-Management Man
power Policy Committee and the
Office of Defense Mobilization’s
Committee on Manpower Policy.
The Labor-Management Commit
tee is made up of top represen
tatives of organized labor and
management, and the ODM policy
committee is composed of the fed
eral mobiliation agencies con
cerned with manpower problems,
including Defense and Labor De
partments and the Defense Pro
duction Administration.
Anticipating that requests will
be made for relaxing state laws
and regulation* on hours of work
on emergency production, the
policy statement said variations
will be necessary "only in states
with relatively high standards
which are not sufficiently flexible
to meet emergency needs.” It
warned that longer hours tend to
increase accident frequency, and
opposed any relaxation of indus
trial health an safety standards
and regulations. Nor should there
be any relaxation relating to work
by minors under 18, or in the
laws establishing minimum wages
and regulating, industrial home
work, it added.
Where necessary to provide
flexibility in emergencies, the pol
icy statement said, states should
consider stand-by legislation
authorizing the state labor de
partment to take care of produc
tion bottlenecks under specific
standards. Such standards rec
ommended by the statement in
clude:
“Industry - wide exemptions
should be avoided. Requests for
exemption should be granted only
upon a clear demonstration of
need for critical defense produc
tion, after investigation of the
facts and only for a specified
time, with provision for peirodic
review by the state labor depart
ment for purpose of termination
or renewal. Before a request is
granted, employers should be
urged to consider alternate meth
ods of operation that might elim
inate the needs for relaxation of
standards. Additional shifts are
to be preferred to the lengthen
ing of hours of work.
"At this stage of the emer
gency the employment of women
on the third shift does not appear
necessary, and, in view of their
family responsibilities, their em
ployment on the third shift or on
seven days a week should be dis
couraged.”
GOD NOT INDIFFERENT
It sometimes looks to our din
eras m if God hod forgotten to
bo just, but He never forgets. Por
reasons of His own He often al
lows to wicked men ample scope
for the development of their wic
kedness. Bat this delay is only
for a season. It trill end by sad
by.
Priests Discuss
Labor Relations
CHARLESTON, S. C„ Not. 30.
—South Carolina Catholic priests
| this week gathered in three cities
to prepare a definite plan to ed
! ucate their parishoners about the
rights of labor organization, the
dangers of the Dixiecrats’ “States
‘Rights” movement and the morals
of social justice.
The pastors bemoaned the ig
norance of the Catholic laity as
to the teaching of the Popes and
Bishops on labor relations. A
well laid out program to acquaint
I Catholic workers and employers
, alike with their Church's moral
i teaching on the duty of paying
annual, living and saving, family
wages and the equal duty of
recognizing and dealing fairly
I with unions was discussed.
The three special mettings for
the clergy were under auspices
of Bishop John J. Russell of
Charleston. They were held in
| Greenville, Columbia and Charles
ton on Not. 26, 27 and 28. The
institutes were conducted by the
1 Catholic Committee of the South,
regional organization of priests
and laity working in the field af
i social and racial justice.
Very Rev. Maurice V. She&n of
Rock Hill, S. C., and Rev. George
Higgins of Washington, D. C.,
were among the priests running
the one-day educational institutes
for their fellow clergymen.
Father Shean is general chair
man of the Catholic Comimttee
f of the South and Father Higgins
is with the social action depart
I ment of the Nat tonal Catholic
Welfare Conference.
I he growth of industries m the
South Father Shean called a
“backhanded slap in the face
to those of us who live here”
i because it is primarily caused by
corporations in search of what
i“is commonly called cheap labor,”
workers unprotected by any un
ion organization.
“The influence of the basic un
Christian thinking that to the
favored'of God go the wealth of
the world is too evident in the
conversations and actions of the
much of the South,” he said. “In
spite of the many good people
of the region and its so-called
Christian tradition, there are
many ideas and activities of the
South that are decidedly in
fluenced by paganism.”
The prime example he gave
was the present states rights
movement which he said seemed
(to be “a camouflage for retaining
the present status quo in human
relations.”
After describing the godless
ness of Southern industry, the
CCS chairman said: “Any sys
tem that denies to men their
fundamental rights of manhood,
creative ability and organization
needs Christianization badly.”
BARBECUE PLANNED
A barbecue to benefit the boy
scout building fund will be given
i December 15th, from 12 noon un
til 9 P. M. by the Sugaw Creek
Presbyterian Church at the boy
scout building. Located opposite
the Fairgrounds on Sugaw Creek
Road.
f The barbecue to be prepared by
J. W. Oehler, Jr, of Mallard
Creek and will be served rain or
shine as there will be ample eat
ing space inside and large park*
j ing area outside.
Sandwiches and soft drinks for
: the children and plates prepared
J to take home, consisting of a
complete meal for |1.25.
With Army and Navy brass and
some businessmen considering the
possibility of space travel. Or car
| Schachter, deputy director of the
! United Nations legal department,
recently came out with: “What
happens if space ship men occupy
the moon? Does the moon be
come the property of the country
involved, as newly discovered con
tinents were claimed centuries
ago?” Mr. Schachter doesn't
know, but inclines to oppose such
colonisation.
TOUGHER DRAFT POLICIES IN 1952
Recent military policy decisions in Wash
ington are to mean a much tougher draft
program for young men between the ages
of 19 and 25 in 1952. The new draft poli
cies will go into effect in January, according
to present plans, and will affect many farm
workers, married men, essential workers,
college boys, and others—who heretofore
have been comparatively safe.
There has always been considerable dis
agreement within the United States as to
who should be exempt from draft laws.
Many of our higher educators, and some
draft officials, have favored exempting stu
dents studying sciences, medicine and other
special courses, in which fields there are
shortages of professional talent.
On the other hand there has always been
a certain amount of criticism of this policy
—some people arguing that those boys who
are fortunate enough to be in medical school
for one example, should not be excluded
from the ordeal of carrying a rifle, and per
haps in Korea, just because they happen to
be in medical school. Every American boy
have the same chance of living or dying,
defending his country, these people say, re
gardless of other circumstances.
Those defending exemption policies say
j the country needs more scientists, doctors.
1 etc.—and that these boys can serve their
[country best by following their studies and
applying themselves to his special field.
The recent military decision to toughen
draft policies was not made primarily as a
result of criticism of current draft policies
but because another half million men are
needed in the armed forces and this seemed
to be the best way of getting them. In
the next 18 months the armed services hope
to build up a strength of about four mil
lion men, and women.
The decision to change the policy is in
j teresting in the light of policies recently
adopted in European countries, which are
expected to be our allies, in a future war.
France, for example, has a draft law requir
ing every able-bodied youth—who has not
had two brothers killed in action—to serve
j his time in the military service. Other Eu
ropean countries have long followed this
policy—under which all physically-fit young
men serve their time. In these countries
such draft laws are defended as democratic.
Whether U. S. draft policies have been
democratic or not, come January, many who
have been exempt will have to don uniforms
and carry a rifle.
TAXES NOW TAKE $1 OF EACH $3.40
New federal tax increases will bring: the
toll out of every dollar earned to a higher
level than in 1945—the peak tax-spending
year of World War IL The toll, federal,
state and local, in 1952, is expected to be
$1 out of every $3.40 earned. In 1945 it
was just a penny less. But in 1950 it was
only $1 in each $4—still a high rate.
In 1941 the toll was $1 out of every $5.
Thus the taxpayer today is more heavily
taxed than ever before in U. S. history. The
main question is — where do we go from
here. The answer will certainly have a
bearing on the 1952 elections.
AMERICANS EATING LESS
The Department of Agriculture estimate*
that per capita meat consumption this year
will be the smallest in eight years. After
increasing steadily in recent years, high
prices encountered by housewives this year
1 have forced consumption down sharply.
The average American family now spends
almost 20 per cent of its income, after tax
es, for food. This figure is higher than in
the past for two reasons. First, the cost of
food has risen more rapidly than the cost
of other goods. Second, the average Amer
ican family is now buying a greater per
capita quantity of food than it was only 10
or 15 years ago.
Food which cost $118 in the pre-war
of 1935-39 now costs almost $275. Compared
to the same 1935-39 period, the average
family is buying eleven per cent more food
today.
Already strained by large food purchases,
at high prices, the average family's food
budget could not stand the sharply-increased
price of meat this year and thus the decline
in consumption, which is expected to be fol
lowed by some decline in prices.
A LONG WAIT FOR COLOR TV
The decision of the Federal Communica
tions Commission to halt expansion of the
color television industry may mean better
color television for future buyers.
The FCC’s decision, some months ago, to
let manufacturers go ahead with production
of the CBS color system, was a temporary
expedient at best, in that even CBS admit
ted its system would probably some day be
changed to an electronic system.
As approved, it was a mechanical system,
with a spinning color wheel as the key de
vice in operation. That wheel had to be
twice the size of the picture, in diameter,
and naturally this posed a major problem
in construction of 20 and 30-inch screens.
If an electronic system, as one other of
major companies advanced to the FCC in
hearings, could produce a picture as clear in
detail as the CBS-system picture was, it
would be the logical choice, since this sys
tem involves no color wheels, but electronic
tubes. Using this system there fewer
limitations on the size of TV screens. RCA
claims today to have perfected its electronic
system to a quality comparable to the ap
proved CBS system. And CBS officials have
admitted electronic color tubes are the long
term answer to the problem.
It is quite probable—since the FCC has
not banned the manufacture of these tubes
and other equipment for experimental pur
poses—that by the time the industry is al
lowed to go ahead with mass production of
color TV sets again, a better, and perma
nent, color transmission and reception sys
tem will have been perfected.
BARKLEY READY TO RUN AGAIN?
In all the speculation over President Tru
man. General Eisenhower, and others—as
possible presidential candidates in 1952—
there has been little talk about the number
two spot on the two major party tickets.
In Washington there is a growing belief
that Governor Earl Warren might be in a
good spot for the second-place nomination
on the Republican ticket. If Taft were nom
inated Warren would possibly allay the
fears of more liberal Republicans, if placed
on the G. O. P. ticket, and if Eisenhower is
the Republican candidate he would blend in
nicely with most of Ike’s international phil
osophy.
On the Democratic side, it has become in
creasingly obvious that despite his age,
Vice President Aiben Barkley would accept
nomination again for this office. Barkley
has made it clear to several people of late
that he is ready to run again. His chances
for renomination might suffer if President
Truman does not run, but if the President
runs again, Barkley must be given the in
side chance for second-place on the Demo
cratic ticket.
Building Permits Six Millions In October
DROP OVER SEPTEMBER ABOUT 50 PER CENT *
RALEIGH. Nov. 30—Building permits issued in 77
North Carolina municipalities totaled $6-608,628 during
October, the State Department of Labor reported today.
i ne uctooer tout was less man
half as large as the building
figure for September, said Labor
Department statistician C. H.
Pritchard. AH types of building
declined sharply from the high
September level.
New housing totaled $3,721,048
during the month, Pritchard said.
The permits included 486 single
family dwellings to be built at
an average estimated construction
cost of $7,187 each, 33 duplexes,
one apartment building and one
tourist camp project, me new
‘ housing authorised during Oc
tober will provide • to tel of 5M
family dwellings.
The month’* non-residential
building permits, which totaled
only fl,5M,3S5, included 43 store*,
12 factory and workshop build
ings, 70 private garages, seven
commercial garages and service
stations, 14 churches, eight small
office buildings, two institutional
buildings, four public works build
ings, and 36 temporary or un
classified building*.
Additions, alterations and re
pairs to existing buildings totaled
$1,332^25 in October.
Charlotte, which issued per
mits totaling $1,196,085, was the
only city reporting more than $1
million. Greensboro hras second
with $626,067 and Raleigh third
with $459,056. All other cities
and towns were below $400,000.
“Believe me, sir, never a night
goes by, be I ever so tired, bat
I mad the Word of God before
I go to bed.”
\ —General MecArthur.
AFL Predicts Living
Cost To Rise In 1952
,, . _ . „ , Washington, D. C. (ILNS).
I he tapehart and Herlong amendments to the Defense
Production Act may bring a two per cent increase in
living costs, the American Federatio nof Laor said in
its “Labor’s Monthly Survey.”
Organized labor vigorously opposed the two amend
ments when they were before Congress last summer.
New Auto Tags
Now Being Sold
RALEIGH—The Department of
Motor-Vehicles began mailing out
more than 1,200,000 license re
newal applications last week. The
huge bulk of cards, which are
necessary for purchasing new li
cense tags, were distributed to
their owners by December 1, the
Department estimated, on that
date the bright new ’62 tags
went on sale at branch offices
throughout the state. The main
office in Raleigh is closed on Sat
urday, the Department reminded,
therefore tag sales here did not
begin until Monday, December 8.
Motorists who fail to receive a re
newal application should request
one from the Department of Mo
tor Vehicles, supplying their ve
hicle's make and engine number.
Current plates are valid up to
January 31 but owners are urged
to buy early and avoid expected
last minute congestion.
Color scheme for the 1962 tagl
ia a deep red background with
white numerala and lattera. Of.
ficials at State Prison, where tha
licenae plates are made, aasured
the Department that the new tags
would not fade.
Truck and trailer owners, ap
plying for new licenses, will be
asked to list the body style,
capacity and type of fuel used by
their vehicles. The Motor Ve
hicles Department, in co-opera
tion with the War Department,
is seeking the information as a
defense measure. The truck and
trailer facta are needed in an
effort to catalog the nation's total
motor transport capability. For
truck and trailer owners the re
newal application card has been
especially prepared so that the
information asked for may ba
checked off simply and easily.
The Department is urging every
such owner to fill in the informa
tion before buying plates, either
by mail or in person.
In addition to the Raleigh of*
flee and the Winston-Salem Auto
Club new license plates may be
secured at the following branches
of the Carolina Motor Club: Ahos
kie, Albemarle, A she boro, Ashe
ville, Brevard, Burlington, Can
ton, Charlotte, Clinton, Concord,
Dunn, Durham, Edenton, Elisa
beth City, Elizabethtown, Fay
etteville. Forest City, Franklin,
Gastonia, Goldsboro. Greensboro,
Greenville, Hamlet, Henderson,
Hendersonville, Hickory, High
Point, Jacksonville, Kannapolis,
Kinston, Laurinburg, Leaksville,
Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton,
Lumberton, Manteo, Monroe,
Morehead City, Morganton, Mt.
Airy, Murphy, New Bern, North
Wilkeaboro, Oxford, Plymouth,
Reidsville, Roanoke Rapids,
Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Ruther
fordton, Salisbury, Sanford, Scot
land Neck, Shelby, Siler City,
Smithfield, Southern Pines,
Spruce Pine, Statesville, Sylva,
Tarboro, Wadesboro, Wallace,
Washington, Whitevilie, Wiliiam
ston, Wilmington, Wilson and
Yanceyville.
NOT CLOCKS ONLY
A good story i» told of old
Thom** K. Beecher, who could
not boar deceit in any form. Find
ing that a clock in hia church was
habitually too fast or too slow he
bung a placard on the wall above
lit, reading in large letters:
"Don't blame my hands -r the
trouble lies deeper."
That is where the trouble lies
with us when our hands do wrong,
or our feet, or our lips, or even
our thoughts. The trouble lies so
deep that only God's miracle pow
er can deal with it. Sin indeed
goes deep; but Christ goes deep
er.—From Christian Witness.
The AFL prediction was made
public on the eve of testimony by
Price Stabiliser Michael V. DiSalle,
who asked repeal of the amend
ments and the last sentence of
Section 101 of the act, the so
called Butler-Hope amendment,
i He spoke at a hearing held by
I the Joint Committee on Defense
i Production.
Increases in price ceilings may
not result in immediate rises in
the cost of living because of the
big supply of goods on the
j market, the AFL survey said.
“But if demand rises next year .
and inventories keep on declining
prices will undoubtedly rise,” the
i federation declared. It added that
I the new formulas, after account*
; ing for increased excise taxes,
“might result in a rise of per
haps two per cent in the Con
sumers Price Index.”
The API, pointed out that the
Office of Price Stabilisation is
completing its adjustment of
price regulations as required by
j the Capehart and Herlong amend
ments. Explaining how they will
force prices upward, it said:
“The complicated calculations
necessary to arrive at the new
ceilings make them exceedingly
difficult to enforce. The Capehart
formula allows manufacturers to
jHrtM' c-mto the consumer ail coat
| increases up to July 28, 1951”. The
| Herlong amendment, applying to
j distributors (wholesale and re
j tail stores) allows firms their
I pre - Korean percentage profit
margins.
Consumer to Pay, As Usual
, “These percentages, figured on
, higher costs, give higher total
profits. So far distributors, it is
profitable to increase costa, not
reduce them. And if prices reach
I the new ceilings', the consumer
will pay the bill.”
The AFL prediction and Stabi
liser DiSalle’s testimony followed
publication of the October Con
sumers Price Index, showing a
; record high in living costs. The
index October 15 was 10.1 per
cent higher than the June, 1080
, (pre-Korea) figure, and 8.7 per
j cent above October of last year.
FERRET OUT TRAITORS.
AFL URGES UNIONS
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).
Hunt out Communist traitors,
ths American Federation of La
bor admonishes labor in its cur
cent economic survey.
The federation warns that the
Soviet-dominated World Federa- *
tion of Trade Unions was “given
its marching orders for intensi
i h«d subversive warfare” Novem
ber 17 in East Berlin and em
phasizes that the following policy
was openly proclaimed:
“Communist agents are to
bore from within western non
Communist labor anions. Strikes
I •** t® be called in decease-sup
porting industries. Western mil
itary programs must be crippled
and sabotaged, at all costs,
WFTU’s 200 top officials were
; told.
“Thus the Soviet Union now
seeks to foment civil war within
western nations whose growing
military strength makes possible
their resistance to communism.
Unions most ferret set these
traitors and bring them to Jus
tice.”
The AFL says that according
to well-informed persons, the
Kremlin does not want a world
wide military conflict which it
could win, but seeks to weaken
the west by sabotaging its re
armament, and to conquer by in
filtration, subversion and power
pressure.”
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