L.P.A.Poses Questions to
Nation's Labor Leaders
“What do you retard as the Most pressing task
for the labor movement in the year ahead?”
And, then, “How Is your union going to tackle
its share of the tasks?”
' HERE ARE THE REPLIES WE RECEIVED:
TREND TOWARD
“CREEPING FASCISM” .
MUST BE HALTED
BY EMIL RIEVE, President
Textile Workers Union of _
America, CIO.
Big: businss control of big gov
ernment, coupled with the ugly
menace of McCarthyism, has crest,
ed a condition in the United States
today which I call “creeping fas
cism.” Arresting this trend—turn
ing our country once again in the
direction of liberal enlightenment
and restoring its moral courage—
is the most pressing task for the
labor movement in the year ahead.
In saying this I do not charge
that the average Republican or
the average businessman is delib
erately promoting fascism. I do
aay that a government primarily
devoted to the interests of big bus
iness tends to be authoritarian by
definition. Meanwhile the critical
sense of the daily press has been
dulled by pro-business bias; Mc
Carthy and HTs imitators do their
utmost to make life miserable for
those dissenters who remain.
We in the labor movement can
not bring about a change single
handed, but we bear the major
share of the task. We most ham
mer away at the facts. We must
reach our own members and their
families more effectively than ever
before; we must be the rallying
point for other liberal forces in
the community.
The job is big but the stakes are
bigger. I do not believe “creeping
fascism” is at all likely to become
fascism in fact, for I have bound
less confidence in the sense of the
American people. However, while
we are handing huge chunks of
the national domain to private
profiteers, glaring at our friends
abroad like surly apes and toying
with our first venture in book
burning, we are losing precious
time and ground in the world-wide
struggle for men’s minds.
To lead the world away from the
false promises of communism, our
people and our government must
be brave in heart, generous in
spirit and free in mind. This should
be our greatest goal—in the year
ahead and every year until it is
won.
Having set such a broad task for
the labor movement as a whole, I
must set what may seem a much
Authorised Service Major Electrical Appliances
Sales and Service
RAWLINGS-TODD COMPANY
212 South St. Gastonia, N. C. Phone 5-2386
HOLSUM BAKING COMPANY
%
Gastonia, N. C.
FOR TASTE
APPEAL
AT EVERY
MEAL
COMPLIMENTS OF
KINCAID ENGINEERING COMPANY
STEEL FABRICATORS AND BOILERS
INDUSTRIAL PIPE WORK
209 S. Church St.
, . GASTONIA, N. C.
5-S4I4
«
KENDRICK BRICK & TIU
COMPANY, INC*
Face, Common and Roman Brick
Plants 2 b 3 — Pfcon# Sfcntetea-l
Main Offtet: Meant Holly
ChaHatta Offka: 123S
6-S465
%• g.:^w
_
narrower on* for the Textile Work
ers Union of America, CIO—
namely, to organise the unorgan
Textile is the least organised of
any basic industry. Barely one
third of the workers are covered
by TWUA-CIO contract; perhaps
another 10 per cent are scattered
among smaller unions. Most of the
unorganised workers are in the
southeastern states.
The changes in political think
ing necessary to fulfill ray defini
tion of "labor’s most pressing
task” are most badly needed in
this', southeastern area. Such
changes can be brought about only
when the workers are organised.
Thus what appears to be a narrow
aim is actually an essential part
of the broader one.
BAKERS PLAN ORGANIZA
TION, MEMBERSHIP EDUCA
TION, LABEL DRIVE
By JAMES G. GROS8, President,
Bakery and Confectionery Workers
International Union, AFL.
The basic problem that faces
the organized labor movement to
day is how to grow dnd prosper
in an unfavorale climate. All those
things that we had come to accept
as labor’s inalienable rights are
presently being challenged from
every side by those who would de
stroy the union labor movement of
this country.
Under the administrations of
Franklin D. Roosevelt, labor or
ganizations enjdyed a phenomenal
growth. In some ways, this growth
resembled the hot house variety
where large memberships were
built only to wither on the vine
when transplanted into the fields
of adversity. This was due in a
large part to the lack of member
ship education.
International and local unions
were not even geared to cope with
the mechanics of processing mem
bership in the late 30’s and early
40’s. For the sake of expediency,
the education of the prospective
member was neglected. This neg
lect has risen up to haunt many
an organization with an avalanch
of unfavorable labor legislation in
recent years.
Due to lack of knowledge, some
members and those hosts who
were once members of organised
labor express little or no concern
over the fate of the union that se
cured for them what we have come
to know aa the American Stand
ard of living. This problem we pro
at our disposal.
We plan to follow a bold course.
For a labor organization to con
solidate its gains and stand still
is to invite attack. To retreat from
previously established positions in
sures disaster. The Bakery and
Confectionery Workers Interna
tional Union is presently mapping
an intensive organizing drive in all
branches of its jurisdiction. It is
our intent to sell the prospective
member on the benefits he will
enjoy when he joins our organiza
tion. The struggles that went into
the creation of our International
Union will be vividly portrayed to
him.
To bolster this program, oar
public relations and Union Label
Department is coordinating its ef
forts with the Department of Or
ganisation in the promotion ox our
Union Label and the development
of motion picture films and special
material to educate the new mem
ber. This is in addition to carrying
the message to the general public
of how important labor unions are
to the welfare and economy of our
nation.
Our research department is mak
ing available to our department of
organisation and our public rela
tions and Union Label department
the resources and statistics* so nec
essary to translate their program
into action. Everyone is on tha
team at International Headquar
ters with but one thought in mind
—progress. Our entire program
GIVE-AWAYS PRECEDE
ATTACK ON LABOR,
HARTUNG BELIEVES
BY A. P. HARTUNG. President,
Intenmtiwl Woodworkers of
America, CIO.
“It is my opinion that political
action is the moot pressing prob
lem that confronts the labor
movement for the year that lies
ahead.
«
In viewing the actions of the
present administration we are
shocked to find the hard-money
and give-away programs that are
being practiced. Labor has strug
gled valiantly and has come a long
way in the last fifteen years. We
now And ourselves confronted with,
because of the present administra
tion, the employers using the vic
ious Taft-Hartley Act in the form
of injunctions, refusing to bargain,
refusing to live up to contracts, all
because they feel they have the
government on their side.
Should we be unsuccessful in up
setting the majority of the House
and Senate in 1954 and the reac
tionaries, who ire calling the shots
for the Eisenhower administration,
remain in office, by the time 195«
rolls around there will be little, if
anything, left of the social and
economic gains that labor has
made by its valiant struggle over
the past years. All of our vast na
tional resources are being threat
ened and the give-away boys in
Congress will have completed their
job unless we are successful in
stopping their forward march at
the polls in 1954.
in me wooawonung indus
try, hare done everything we could
to stop the give-away of our tide
lands oil. W# are aware that the
same group who gave away the
tidelanda oil have bills prepared
to start giving away the vast na
tional forests that still remain in
the hands of the people, as well
as the power dams and other im
provements that have been made
possible through the efforts of our
federal government.
The give-away program they are
carrying on will have the same
effect upon destroying the effec
tiveness of the labor movement. I
am sure that once they dbmplete
their give-away ’program they Will
intensify their efforts to destroy
the labor movement, if they pos
sibly can. Not that I am fearful
they will ever succeed, but it may
take the sacrificing of many vig
ilant labor representatives in order
to stop their mad desire for power.
8TRONG LABOR MOVEMENT
ESSENTIAL TO FREE
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM
BY T. C. CARROLL, PresMeot,
Brotherhood of Maiateaaace of
Way Employes.
The most pressing task confront
ing the Labor Movement in the
year ahead, and for that nutter,
| a number of years to eome, is that
of pointing out to the American
people that the preservation of
our complex and highly industrial
ised society, including the free en
terprise system, is dependent upea
a strong, organised Labor Move
ment.
Responsible representatives of
management have individually and
generally recognised the many
contributions which Labor has
made to the economic well-being of
our country. Unfortunately, how
ever, collective groups represent
ing the interests of big business,
sbch as the National Assoeiatio:
of Manufacturers and the Uniter'
States Chamber of Commerce, have
consistently attempted to relegate
organised Labor to a position
wherein its role in shaping the
destiny of our nation would be lit
tle more than that of a social
they
LABOR DAY ORBITINGS
MITCHELL & BECKER CO.
Meeefectewr *
Ornamental Iron and Steel Work
1916 SmHi *«» 2-447S
CHARLOTTK, N. C
’ hours’ work that they felt the la*
dividual could physically endure
The time is long since past when
the interests of a few selfish in
dividuals can be considered para
mount to the national pood. In this
modern day and ape, we need a
more statesman-like approach to
the Labor Relations problem.
There must be less concern with
selfish immediate pains and more
concern with lonp ranpe objectives
in which all of our people share.
Capital and Labor are indispen
sible to one another. The whole
hearted participation of both is es
sential to the development of our
way of life. In a democratic socie
ty, we must have both the investor
and the producer, and wo must
'maintain an environment in which
both ean prosper. The fruits of
these efforts most be fairly divided
amonp both Manapement and
Labor. ,
The vast majority of people in
this country are laborers of one
kind or another. They do not want
to place their destinies and future
well-einp in the hands of those
who would impose upon them and
their families a sub-standard way
of life. This basic difference in the
philosophies advocated by certain
bip business interests and orpani
zed Labor must be intelligently
and forthriphtly brought home to
the American people.
The best procedure to follow in
presentinp organized Labor’s point
of view to the American people is
a matU^>f personal opinion. Vari
ous mfflums of information, such
as the Labor Press, the radio and
television should, of course, be
utilised to the fullest extent pos
sible. It is my belief, however, that
the true facts can best be present
ed to the average citizen at the
community level by the rank and
file union members and local of
ficers.
’ In this connection the Brother
hood of Maintenance of Way Em
ployes are fortunate, in that our
membership resides in practically
every city and hamlet, regardless
of size or geographic location,
across the nation. The opportunity
for our people to participate in the
political and social life of their
community is a very valuable asset,
and it will be ottr policy in the
year ahead, as it has been in the
past, to entourage and assist our
members to* the end that they will
seek elective and appointive of
fices in their respective cities and
towns and on their local school
boards in order that a true balance
of public thinking will be the basis
for decisions readied at the com
munity level.
Successful political undertakings
in the past have shown tile abso
lute necessity for concentration at
the “grass roots levd." In my
opinion, the same method of op
eration is essential if the Labor
Movement is to achieve its legiti
mate economic goals.
ORGANIZE AND EDUCATE,
GUILD PROGRAM
BT HARRY MARTIN, President.
American Newspaper Guild. CIO.
The most vital task confronting
Labor in 1068-4 is that of master
ing all its forces in a new drive
to enroll the millions of workers
still unorganised, simultaneously
with the launching of rejuvenated
political action campaign to restore
.he direction of public affairs to
the people of the United States.
These twin chores are compli
mentary. The hordes of non-union
workers, especially in the white
"oiler field, represent not only a
threat to collective bargaining and
union security, but are likewise
the one great area wherein recent
elections have disclosed the crucial
need for political education. Hence,
it is imperative that union organ
isation and political ealightment
take priority in all Labor planning
and programs for the near future.
We are losing through adverse leg
islation and administration the
hard-earned economic gains won
at the bargaining table; this is the
dangerous trend of the day. It
must be halted.
The American Newspaper Guild,
having made during the past year
the greatest advances of its en
tire history in acquiring new mem
bers and improving contracts, has
charted a new program calculated
to maintain the pace of that pro
gress despite entrenched opposi
tion. With new contract goals call
ing for a top minimum of $150
per week for experienced newspa
week, genera] improvements in
working conditions, the Guild will
eencoatrqte heavily this year on
the “free riders*’ and on the un
organized pockets still existing in
areas otherwise well-organised. A
serious attempt at educating both
the new and the oM members as
to the importance and the teeb
(Conthmed an
Page 5)
W. M. DUNNAWAY
INCORPORATED
Battery and Electric Service
WE SERVICE ALL MAKES CARS
ISO W. Airtii»« A**. Dial 5-1820
GASTONIA, N. C.
M. A. RHYNE fir SONS DAIRY
Fnd and Dart Rhyne, Owners
Established Since 1885
New Hope Rend
Tel. 5-2702
GASTONIA, N. C
5SP®
SPENCER MOUNTAIN MILLS
GASTONIA, N. C
Established 1874
COTTON DAMASK
I selis-Jefferses Co.
90 Worth St
New York, N. Y.
—
i /
j 1
LENOIR ROOFING CO.
*
We Cater To Big Mills
NO JOB TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL
★
Phone 346
Lanoir, North Carolina
LABOR DAY GREETINGS
HICKORY TELEPHONE COMPANY
USE LONG DISTANCE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN BUSINESS
AND SOCIAL CALLS
HICKORY, N. C.
GREETINGS
ROBERT LEE
4 , -
Wtk (
Incorporated
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
tag?* ‘
322
MANNING, S. C
mm