Owned and Published By and For Labor VOL. 1, No. 35 Lansing Labor News Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. For A Better America -60,000,000 Jobs LANSING, MICHIGAN — NOVEMBER 15, 1945 $1.50 PER YEAR — PER COPY, 5c WALTER REUTHER FILES CHARGES THAT: GM CORPORATION REFUSES TO BARGAIN WITH UNION Labor Scores Several Unfair Labor Practices Viclories in Election Cited in Complaint CIO Council Planning New Local Action Auto Blockade al Ford's in Windsor NEW YORK (EP) — Labor-indorsed William O’Dwyer was swept into office as mayor of New York by a plurality of 685,175 votes over his two opponents Nov. 6 and carried in with him almost his entire Democratic-American Labor party slate. Considered the most significant of the municipal elec­ tions that took place all over the nation, the New York vote revealed considerable strength for the ALP New Work arm of the CIO Politi­ cal Action Committee, which turned out thousands of un­ ionists to canvass for O’Dwy­ er in the hectic campaign. Behind the Headlines in Washington with IRVING RICHTER Int. Leg. Rep., UAW-CIO n Detroit— The Morning After Dick Frankensteen admit- ;ed defeat at 3 a.m. on Novem­ ber 7. Frankensteen lost the lection, but over the radio his morning his was the voice of confidence. Jeffries won, but his voice was the voice of defeat. There was no despair in our camp. And Dick Frankensteen stood higher after defeat than he did at any time in the cam­ paign. His post-election state­ ment marks the end of one battle, but at the same time it is an opening salvo in a still greater battle. Jeffries and his camp know what their victory means. It is one of the Hitler victories: a victory which carries with it its own defeat. CLEVELAND In Cleveland, PAC-indorsed candidate Tom Burke won the mayoralty race over Republi­ can Ray C. Miller by 125,640 to 59,791 votes. Burke won 65% of the popular vote, near­ ly matching the record of 71 % vote piled up in the last elec­ tion by labor-indorsed Frank Lausche, now governor. In the councilmanic election, 18 of 29 PAC candidates won and six out of seven indorsed by PAC for municipal court judges al­ so won. WORCESTER, MASS. Charles Sullivan, PAC-in­ dorsed, emerged the victor in the Worcester, Mass., mayor­ alty race, defeating his Repub­ lican opponent. UTICA, N. Y. Long domination of Repub­ lican forces in Utica, N. Y., was broken with Boyd Golden. Democratic - American Labor party candidate, elected may­ or by a 4,000 plurality. Frank Dardano, an official of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers (CIO), was elected to the Utica board of supervis­ ors. There can be no victory for bigotry, for intolerance, for reaction. There may be tem­ porary success, a staving off of defeat, through red-baiting, through race baiting, through the spreading of fear and hate. It worked for 20 years in Italy, 12 years in Germany. But it failed. Now it has worked tem­ porarily in Detroit. But Jeffries knows it won't work for long. That is why he sounded like a defeated man weeks before the elec­ tion was over; that is why he sounded like the voice of defeat in his “victory” radio statement. NEW JERSEY In Mercer county, N. J., Harry Dieth, acting president of the New Jersey CIO Coun­ cil, was elected to the state as­ sembly with labor support. CINCINNATI Election of Rollin Everett, CIO candidate and editor of The Sun, to the city council in Cincinnati was considered cer­ tain as incomplete returns on the proportional representa­ tion voting there showed him running third. NEW YORK Final returns gave O’Dwyer 1,119,225 votes, of which 859,- 957 were Democratic and 259,- See ELECTIONS, Page 4 It was not only the 215,000 votes Dick got—a total great- er than any progressive candi­ date ever got. It was not only the evidence of powerful, in­ dependent political action by labor. It was the great united front of all decent elements, standing as a solid foundation for future progressive politi- cal action, which scared Jef­ fries and his Fascist backers. Nothing Frankensteen said over the air in the many stren­ uous weeks of the campaign carried more conviction; none of his speeches will have more lasting significance for De­ troit, and for America, than the final statement Dick made conceding “defeat”: Council Dance Moved to Dec. 1 The CIO Council dancing Party at 109 E. South street Will be held Saturday, Dec­ ember 1 and not on Nov. 17 as originally planned. Clyde Perkins, Council President, asked the Labor News to notify our readers that the date had been changed. Frankensteen's Statement “In and for itself, this election was not, perhaps, of great or lasting import­ ance. But in a few years there will be many others which resemble it in the sense that candidates com­ ing out of the ranks of or­ ganized labor or receiving the organized support of See FRANKENSTEIN, Page 4 Plans for a wider labor in­ terest in civic affairs have been started by the Lansing CIO Council, according to Clyde Perkins, president. He is sending a letter this week to presidents of CIO lo­ cals requesting representation at a meeting called for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, to start the ball rolling and establish me­ thods for further action. While this group is not be­ ing set up for political pur­ poses, this first meeting will definitely take up certain an­ ti-labor legislation in Wash­ ington, Perkins said. But he pointed out to the Labor News that there are im­ portant community matters that union members, as home owners and taxpayers, as renters and citizens, should be thinking and talking about and to which they may be ask­ ed to contribute time, money or energy. Some of these are: 1. The new civic auditori­ um to be built in Lansing. No Apartments Should Vets Have to Live In Foxholes? Discharged veterans re­ turning to their wives in Lan­ sing are astounded to find the city has no room for them. Apartments are not to be had. The UAW-CIO has filed charges of unfair labor prac­ tices under the terms of the National Labor Relations Act against the General Motors Corporation on the grounds that the corporation has refused to engage in collective bargaining in good faith with the union, the legally desig­ nated representative of its employes. The charge was filed by Walter P. Reuther, UAW-CIO vice president and director of the union’s General Motors Department, with Frank Bowen, NLRB regional director. At the same time, Reuther renewed his request that the U. S. Department of Labor assign commissioners of concil­ iation to attend the negotiations with the corporation. In a telegram to Edgar L. Warren, director of the U. S. Conciliation Service of the Labor Department, Reuther said: Paul Stevens, for instance, is a former Olds production employe from the forge plant, where he was working when the army took him four years ago. Recently returning from Europe, where he saw action with the 122nd Field Artillery division of the famous 7th Army he was discharged at a Kentucky camp and arrived in Lansing Saturday, Nov. 3. His wife, Ruth, who manag­ ed a cafeteria in the Nash plant before it closed down with no plans for reconversion to peacetime production of any kind, had been keeping an eye open for an apartment, but in vain. But when hubby arrived, they both made a job of apart­ ment hunting. They stood in line waiting for State Journals to come off the press in order to be among the first to see the want ads. They called real estate firms. They trailed moving vans — all to no avail. They couldn’t catch up with any apartments. Meantime they are staying temporarily (they hope) someplace about 25 miles from town, where even the trans­ portation is inadequate. They — and many other veterans — are wondering what, if anything, is actually being done about the situa­ tion. EDGAR L. WARREN, DIRECTOR U. S. CONCILIATION SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUILDING NOVEMBER 8, 1945 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION HAS REPEATEDLY REJECTED OUR WAGE DEMANDS; SPECIFICALLY ON OC­ TOBER 3, 19, 23, 24, 26 AND NOVEMBER 7. CORPORATION HAS INSISTED THAT IT WILL NOT PAY EVEN A ONE PER CENT WAGE INCREASE WITHOUT PRICE INCREASES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REFUSING TO DISCUSS ITS ABILITY TO PAY ANL WAGE INCREASE WITHOUT PRICE INCREASES. IT HAS DONE SO AFTER PLEADING INABIL­ ITY TO PAY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY REFUSING TO REVEAL EVIDENCE IT MAY HAVE IN SUPPORT OF ITS CONTENTION. IT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT COSTS, PRICES AND PROFITS ARE NONE OF LABOR’S OR THE PUBLIC’S BUSINESS. I SPARE WESTERN UNION THE EMBARRASS­ MENT OF REPEATING THE ADJECTIVES USED BY GENER­ AL MOTORS IN MAKING THIS STATEMENT OF CORPOR­ ATION POLICY. YOU CAN READ IT IN THE RECORD. CORPORATION COMPLETED PRESENTATION OF ITS CASE NOVEMBER 7. ON THAT DATE THE UNION REJECTED CORPORATION PROPOSAL TO RAISE WAGES BY RAISING PRICES. SINCE CORPORATION HAS REFUSED TO CON­ SIDER UNION PROPOSAL OR ANY MODIFICATION THERE­ OF WITHOUT PRICE INCREASES AND SINCE UNION RE­ JECTS CORPORATION PROPOSAL TO JOIN IN HIJACKING CONSUMER BY AGREEING TO WAGE INCREASES OBTAIN­ ED THROUGH PRICE INCREASES, NEGOTIATIONS ARE AND HAVE BEEN DEADLOCKED. WE ASK THAT YOU IMPLE­ MENT THE PRESIDENT’S NOVEMBER 6 STATEMENT THAT THERE ‘‘IS NOT ONLY THE RIGHT, BUT THE DUTY, TO BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY. I DO NOT MEAN GIVING MERE LIP SERVICE TO THAT ABSTRACT PRINCIPLE. I MEAN THE WILLINGNESS ON BOTH SIDES, YES, THE DETERMI­ NATION TO APPROACH THE BARGAINING TABLE WITH AN OPEN MIND, WITH AN APPRECIATION OF WHAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE—AND WITH A FIRM RESOLVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT FAIRLY.” WE AGAIN REQUEST THE PRESENCE OF A U. S. COMMIS­ SIONER OF CONCILIATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING WITH THE CORPORATION: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9 AT 2:00 P. M. IN GENERAL MOTORS BUILDING, DETROIT. WALTER P. REUTHER UAW-CIO VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR, GM DEPARTMENT GM OFFERS NO EVIDENCE In filing his complaint with the National Labor Rela­ tions Board, Walter P. Reuther, Vice President of the UAW-CIO and Director of its General Motors Department, charged that “General Motors Corporation, by its officers, agents and employees— REUTHER’S STATEMENT "pleaded financial inability to pay any wage in­ crease whatsoever, while at the same time refusing to discuss with the Union the Corporation’s ability to pay. a wage increase; refusing to disclose any information, essential to collective bargaining over the issue and form of data concerning its cost and financial posi­ tion; “entered negotiations with an expressly stated predetermination not to permit ability to pay to be­ come a subject of discussion in collective bargaining over wages; PLUGS UP EARS “deported itself in such a manner throughout nego- See GM REFUSES TO BARGAIN, Page 3 —Federated Pictures How pickets, with 1500 cars packed tightly from curb to curb, stopped police from getting scabs into Ford plant at Windsor, Ontario, is shown above. The blockade has since been removed, though the picket line of Local 200, UAW-CIO continues to swell with additional CIO and AFL members. Even the mayor encour­ ages the union in its fight for decent wages — for he knows better than many others how much the community welfare depends upon good wages. Ford has not shown that he cannot pay good wages and still make good profits. NADER SAYS General Motors Trying To Provoke a Strike With Silly Wage Offers By GEORGE NADER Intl. Rep. UAW-CIO General Motors seems to be full of insults. Their idea of confusing the wage issue is to make ridicul­ ous offers which they know will not be accepted. These are an insult to the intelli­ gence of Americans who have heard the Union state facts upon which wage claims are based and their willingness to have the public and the press in on the meetings so that everyone can see just who is not willing to lay the cards on the table. The Union has stated that if GM can show facts to substan­ tiate their claims of being un­ able to pay without price in­ crease, they would either mod­ ify their demands or join them in their claims. They haven’t been willing to do either. see SILLY WAGES. Page 2 Is it going to be large enough ? How about the parking facilities? Is any­ one getting the real gravy from the project? Could it be done better, or is the present plan good enough? Who is doing the planning and do the citizens of the community See CIO COUNCIL, Page 2 More Pages Soon Next week your Lansing La­ bor News plans increasing to a regular six pages or more. Following last week’s eight- page issue, it was planned to have six pages this week, but needed equipment did not ar­ rive at the printers in time, so we were crowded into four pages again. The paper is printed at the Campus Press, East Lansing. Plenty of Empty Ships Why Aren't the Servicemen Being Shipped Home Faster! NEW YORK (FP) — Ac­ cusing the War Shipping Ad­ ministration and army and navy officials of fumbling the job of getting millions of Am­ erican GIs quickly back home, representatives of six Indus­ trial Union of Marine & Ship­ building Workers (CIO) lo­ cals estimated that in the port of New York alone at least 50 merchant ships could be re­ fitted in eight days to return released servicemen. 2,500 Jobs At a press conference in the headquarters of the Greater New York CIO Council Nov. 5, the shipworkers’ spokesman said that about 50,000 service­ men now stranded in Europe could be accommodated on the 50 ships, most of which can cross the ocean in 10 days. Work on refitting these ships would provide jobs for 25,000 to 30,000 workers, they point­ ed out, charging that the pre­ sent do-nothing policy of the WSA has resulted in layoffs of thousands of workers. The ports of Baltimore and the Boston-NewEngland area could match the port of New York’s performance and the Philadelphia - Camden yards could handle an additional 25 merchant ships at the same rate, the union leaders said, estimating that the several hundred vessels now laid up in scattered American ports or released to private commercial shipping could be converted to troop - carrying within 30 days. Contracts Cancelled A 4,000 - capacity troopship has been lying half completed in the Kearny, N. J. yard of Federal Shipbuilding Corp. for two months, they charged, while contracts for two others were cancelled by WSA almost three months ago. These three GI's Are More Important Than Bananas, Seamen Say TAMPA, Fla. (FP)—Backed by veterans and civic groups, Tampa s organized seamen will give preference in manpower only to ships bringing home returning GIs, come Dec. 1. “Calls for troopships will be filled first,” Edward Gordon, port agent of the Natl. Maritime Union (CIO), told Federated Press. "Union men sailing out of Tampa will not be assigned to ships hauling banan­ as and gee-gaws so long as America’s fighting men are to come home from battlefields and foxholes. Which means that we’ll give preference to troopships and not to commercial ships when we send out men from our headquarters.” Gordon said that Tampa seamen were “backing enthusi­ astically” the national policy outlined by NMU Pres. Jo­ seph Curran at a recent press conference in New York of refusing to let union members man commercial ships after Dec. 1 unless the government provides sufficient tonnage to bring the fighting men back home. transports could have been in the service by now, returning 12,000 GIs every two weeks they claimed. Lack of work has already resulted in layoffs of almost 10,000 workers at Federal Shipbuilding and one of its two yards is scheduled to be completely shut down. Assertions by WSA officials that conversion of a merchant ship takes from 30 to 40 days were ridiculed by union spokesmen, who said that the government agency was not as concerned with getting work done as it was during the war. Both WSA and the ship­ builders act like the war emer­ gency were over, but we don’t think so—not as long as there are American boys stranded overseas,” said Exec. Sec. Jos­ eph Townsley of Hoboken Lo­ cal 15. If GI’s Knew Reg. Dir. Charles A. Leone said the “government’s disre­ gard of the urgency of bring­ ing home high-point GIs has led to many contradictions. It takes 30 days to lay up a Lib­ erty ship in the James river, where we are told many are now going, while it would take See SERVICEMEN, Page 2 BOUGHT THOSE VICTORY BONDS power of labor. The three de­ pend on each other and their welfare is that of the Ameri­ can people. Yes, GM must quit bluffing —time has come for action, action that is for the best in­ terest of all Americans. The war cannot be won unless we win the peace, and maintain an American standard of liv­ ing for all Americans, instead of for a privileged few. SILLY WAGES (Continued from Page 1) There is good reasons for GM’s refusal. They can’t af­ ford to have the public and press know that they are not bargaining in good faith. They don’t dare to have the public know that the Union has proof for its claims and that GM’s statements are not facts, but idle talk. It’s no wonder C. C. Carl­ ton refused to accept the chal­ lenge I made to debate the wage issue. He knows that facts are needed, not just wild statements in a debeate. It’s no wonder C. C. Wilson refused to debate Walter Reuther on that subject. Industry hopes, by insults, to cause wild work stoppages, thereby spoiling the effective­ ness of a united action. I am confident they again will find themselves on a limb. Their hopes will not materialize as we are sure of our ground. We are confident that once the public is aware of the facts, we can’t lose. The government has upheld our claim that wage increases must be made to maintain the buying power of the American people. We have presented facts. We challenge industry to re­ pudiate them. We challenge them to prove their wild claims. If — as GM says — this is of concern to all the American people (and we agree that it is) why are they afraid to furnish facts and let the American people judge? Their influence of press and radio, their wild accusa­ tions will not mislead the pub­ lic. You can’t fool the Ameri­ can public or the returning soldier with lies. They want facts. Ten per cent will not make up for 23% lost through cut in hours, nor will it make up for 10% to 20% through down grading or the nearly 50% in­ crease in the cost of living. No, 10% will not make up for these nor will it help America to have an American standard of living. Their attempt to pit labor against the farmer or busi­ ness will also fail. Because both farmer and business wel­ fare depends on the buying How Many of These Firms Do You Know? LANSING LABOR NEWS, INC. MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. OFFICE: 109 E. South St. — Phone 2-9621 Entered as second-class matter April 13, 1945, at the post office at Lansing, Michigan, under the Act of March 3, 1879. A non-profit newspaper dedicated to the interests of the commun­ ity and to the interests of labor here and everywhere. Published every Thursday at the Lansing CIO Council headquarters by the fol­ lowing incorporated body, representing local voting to participate. BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT—Ernest Miller (Reo 650). VICE-PRES.—Maurice McNaughton Fisher (602). SEC.-TREAS.—Kenneth McCreedy (CIO Council). TRUSTEES— George Jakeway (Fisher 602). MEMBERS—Robert Richardson (Olds 652), Earl Watson, Charles O’Brien (Reo 650), Maurice Mac Naughton (Fisher 602), V. E. Vandenburg (CIO Council), Peter Fagan, Adrian Jensen (Olofsson 728), Arthur Chappell, Woodrow Brennen (Dairy 93), James W. Roberts, Dean Reed (SCMWA 276); Louis Newmark (SCMWA 406); Earl McClure, Melvina Stevens (Hill Diesel 646). ASSOCIATE MEMBERS—Mrs. Robert Atkinson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. Harold Wilson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. William McCurdy (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. J. B. Eno (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. Evelyn Moss, Mrs. Etta Kenyon (Local 93 Aux.). EDITOR — V. E. VANDENBURG SUBSCRIPTIONS — Included in the dues of participating locals. In­ dividual subscription, $1.50 per year by mail. CONTRIBUTIONS—Should be typed double-spaced on one side of paper and signed with author’s name, phone and address. Name will not be used if requested. Notes on news not written up but containing complete names and all the facts are acceptable too. Mail all contributions to Lansing Labor News, P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. HITLER BACKED IT, TOO Our Secretary of State VS. Freedom of the Press What is freedom of the press? It’s a good question and one we had better keep right on bringing up if any freedoms at all are to be maintained. For 20 years the U. S. Department of State has had press conferences five or six times a week at which reporters could ask government officials just about anything—and print the answers—until the present Secretary of State, Jimmy Byrnes, who has cut these free-for-alls to one a week and is doing his best to muzzle the reporters with formalities and denials of traditional journalistic rights. That bit of news was reported this week in Drew Pear­ son’s nationally syndicated column from Washington, which cited a recent example about a reporter who inquired of Byrnes why the American position regarding the Dar- denelles had not been given out three or four days before, when erroneous reports regarding that position emanated from Turkey. The irritated Secretary is reported to have blazed back with: “You have no right to inquire about the American position. I will tell you what I want you to know when I want you to know it” Pearson says Byrnes loves the phrase, “Freedom of the Press,” but simply hates press conferences. It is evident that Byrnes believes in his own kind of freedom of the press—the freedom to print what Byrnes wants printed. Hitler believed in the latter kind, too. We’ll take the other kind—in which the reporters try to report things they believe most people want to know about. And one of the things they want to know about is just what Mr. Byrnes is doing with our foreign affairs and whether we are being steered toward peace and world prosperity for all or toward excessive prosperity for a few—which means another war. __V. E. V. SERVICEMEN (Continued from Page 1) eight days to turn a Liberty ship into a troop carrier. We can’t understand this any more than the GIs could, if they knew about it.” Fifty ships could be con­ verted every eight days with­ out interruption or discontin­ uance of present dry-docking or collision emergency work, Leone said. Naming 10 ship­ yards which could easily do the refitting, the unionists pointed out that not a single job of refitting is underway in the entire port. San Francisco Meanwhile in San Francisco seven maritime unions charg­ ed that more than 20 troop­ ships available to bring ser­ vicemen back for discharge were lying idle in San Fran­ cisco bay. These and other ships if placed in service would be capable of transporting from 50,00 to 100,000 troops at one time. Terming it a “scandalous situation,” the unions asked Pres. Truman for an immed­ iate public investigation. Their charges followed a protest voiced a week earlier at the transfer of 55 Victory ships to intercoastal trade. NOW IT’S YOUR MOVE CIO COUNCIL (Continued from Page 1) Around The Shops have a voice in those plans? 2. The controversy over the Boy's Vocational School: By George Nader Should the school be mov­ ed from its present lcation? What about the disposition of land and buildings if the school is moved ? As a citizen do you wish to have any voice in the matter ? 3. Stadium for Sexton high: Who wants a stadium — who doesn’t? Why the two sides? Should CIO interest itself in the progress of ath­ letics in this cmmunity. Before long the delegates to the Lansing CIO Council will undoubtedly be taking some position on many of these is­ sues and of course with the hope that real progress for an even better city shall be help­ ed by such action. (Continued from Page 1) FRANKENSTEEN labor will be standing for office. These candidates will be standing - not as representatives of organiz­ ed labor alone — but as men whose purposes are those of the majority of the people. This is an in­ evitable need of the times. In free elections this can happen without there be­ ing appeals made by con­ servative interests to race and class prejudices, with­ out the injection of sland­ er and personal vilifica­ tion. “Well, there will be oth­ er labor-endorsed candi­ dates running in many a future election as labor's objectives gain wider un­ derstanding as the real ob­ jectives of all the people. It is my deepest hope that as this happens there will never again be a campaign which relies for its success on the propagation of fear and hate. “Progressive forces do not look upon the election results as a defeat. We have polled the largest vote ever given a progres­ sive candidate, even a win­ ning candidate. This can mean but one thing: That despite the injection into this campaign of issues having no place in a demo­ cratic election — despite this, more thinking voters than ever have seen through the haze of race and class hatred to the ba­ sic truth that the aims of progressive forces are the ultimate aims of the Amer­ ican people." After the elections the pa­ pers printed their first honest picture of Dick — showing him clean, smiling and confi­ dent. Jeffries’ sickly smile, plastered over the front pages, was full of fear and hate. As we left the party, we felt more closely knit, more determined than ever. When Dick said to us at 5 a.m., “We’ve got to get started to­ morrow for the next battle,” no one thought it was prema­ ture ; no one looked dubious. It was a long but pleasant I visited the Olds plant last week. Having worked there for 12 years, I was quite inter­ ested in just how well they were converting. Although some departments were confused, the overall picture wasn’t bad. In fact, I think they have done a nice job and was impressed to see females on jobs in so many departments. I hope that this practice continues — and that while we give girls an even break, we don’t allow discrim­ ination against male em­ ployees. Attention: Mike Mirmo: When a girl is unable to cut a job, she should be given a chance at another, not a slip saying she quit. After all, she didn’t choose the job. Reo is still down to about 1,400 employees. I hope we will be able to clean up the piece work mess ’cause those jobs no longer are in the plant and the sooner we can clean up, the sooner we can start over on a clean slate. Nash is down to about 150 employees — a plant that em­ ployed up to 8,000 now an empty investment. John Bean is doing a good job on employment, as is Lundberg and Novo, where they need more help. Chaard started on candy. I’m keeping my fingers cross­ ed. Deer (four-legged ones) will be the objective of thousands in the next few weeks to you who are going — best of luck. It's Your Last Chance to Buy Bonds to Finish Winning The War and cheerful ride back to the hotel. We, a group of cam­ paign workers, didn’t feel licked any more than did our candidate. R-E-O-G-R-A-M-S LOCAL 650 NEWS AND VIEWS By ERNEST MILLER union from 1924 to 1942, when the office of president was created and he was elected to both offices. Obergfell gained national fame during the pro­ hibition era from 1920 to 1933 as a leader of the forces fight­ ing for repeal of the 18th amendment and saw his ef­ forts prove successful when the prohibition repeal law was passed in 1933. BUY VICTORY BONDS Brewery Workers President Dies CINCINNATI (FP) — Jo­ seph Obergfell, president and secretary-treasurer of United Brewery Workers (unaffili­ ated) died here at the age of 64 after an illness of two months. A member of the brewery union since 1900, Obergfell rose to early prominence in the labor movement. After holding several local posts in Indianapolis, his home town, he was elected to the union’s general executive board in 1907 and was reelected anual- ly to that post until 1915, when he was chosen general recording secretary of the in­ ternational and moved to Cin­ cinnati to assume the duties of his new office. He served as secretary­ treasurer of the international minate in riots, revolts, re­ volutions, and internation­ al wars. He pointed out that our vaunted 20th cen­ tury has been the bloodiest since Roman times. And his remedy is that mankind in order to sur­ vive must agree to a set of the highest universally binding values and stand­ ards such as those in the Sermon on the Mount and the Golden Rule. But will mankind do so at this late date? The history of the past half century makes one doubt it. Yet if the world is not to be utterly devastated by future wars it must be done. Here in Rec our eyes are on the GM wage negotiations. We hope the GM workers can win their just demands with­ out a strike. Labor does not like to use the strike weapon unless it must, but if it must it will. As our Bro. Fish­ beck says a strike is as much as economic waste as a de­ pression. The Union seems to have established and un­ assailable case for the GM workers which is largely backed by Government econ­ omists and the President himself. The Union rests its case on reason and facts. Will GM management meet us on the same level? We anticipate no particu­ lar trouble at Reo. Manage­ ment has repeatedly assured us that they are willing to pay the area rates. If the area rates are upped we should benefit, Your delegates had an interesting time at the special convention in Flint Sunday to elect a regional director. As everyone prob­ ably knows by this time Jack Holt was elected. Jack is a pretty decent fel­ low, a tough bargainer, as Local 650's Bargaining Committee knows, and a man whose integrity and devotion to organized labor is beyond question. Good luck, Jack, the region is be­ hind you. Ray Reed had to leave in the midst of the convention to attend a funeral in the family. Alternate delegate Thomas Gilbert substituted for him. With that big black cigar stuck in his face he looked just like a politician. In fact almost all the Reo delegation were smoking big cigars like a bunch of king­ makers. But a couple of them, Salter and Lewis, spoiled the effect by pilper- ing their unused lumps of sugar when they had a cup of coffee. The sugar short­ age must be acute in their families. Our Local has been hav- much grief with seniority. Our departmental seniori­ ty setup is an unmitigated headache and occasionally dat ole debbil “ability to do the work" raises his ugly head. The only real an­ swer to seniority is, of course, full employment. If everyone were gainfully employed, seniority would be a minor problem. Inci­ dentally it should be em­ phasized that full employ­ ment is the Union's num­ ber one objective. Every­ one who can work must work if we are to have an expanding economy. In­ dustry should realize that without mass purchasing power their sales and pro­ fits will shrink. It is to their interest as well as ours that we have full em­ ployment and we hope they see this. Our capable recording sec­ retary, Dollie Fitzpatrick, who has been ill for some time, has been sorely missed at our membership meetings. But we are happy to hear that she will be with us again soon. / heard Dr. Pitirim Sor­ okin's lecture on the Ayres Foundation. His conclu­ sions were more pessimis­ tic than the press reported. With scientific accuracy and detachment he depict­ ed the increasing number of antagonistic groups in our civilization who lack a common fund of supreme values and whose antagon­ isms begin in mild rivalry and competition, and cul­ What Is Happening To Our Victory? By H. DEAN REED People all over the country are asking what’s happening to the victory we won over fascism and reaction? Where is this new world that we planned at Dumbarton Oaks, Bretton Woods, San Francisco conference, etc? What’s happening on the legislative front? Let us take a look. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ($25 for 26 weeks for the unemployed during reconversion) Bill has passed in a modified form in the Senate but is now bottled up in the House Ways and Means Committee. At the present time it’s chance of passing is poor. FULL EMPLOYMENT BILL; passed Senate Committee, now buried in House Committee on Expenditures in Exec­ utive Departments. Hearings have been completed on this bill but it is having tough Republican opposition. THE 65c MINIMUM WAGE bill which would increase minimum wage standards by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act is in the Senate Committee on Education and Labor and in the House Committee on Labor. It will probably emerge soon. There are many other bills we in the CIO are interested in, not alone for our own protection and security but be­ cause we believe that workers throughout this nation and the world are vitally interested in preserving a free Amer­ ica and a free world. WHAT IS THE ANSWER to this stalling by Congress and our fight for a decent living wage? The answer is for all liberal and progressive forces through the country to line up together and present a unified front. This can and will be done. In fact, within the last few years the liberal forces have been working closer together than ever before. We who are fighting for these same priciples have to work together if we are to attain the success we hope for in having a free America and a freeworld. G M CHARGED WITH REFUSING TO BARGAIN (Continued from Page 1) tiations as to discourage collective bargaining, by in­ dicating repeatedly that its position would remain un­ changed regardless of any facts, reasoninng or argu­ ment which might be advanced by the Union during the course of negotiations, by absenting from bargain­ ing conferences its authorized representatives compe­ tent to commit the Corporation to wage agreements, leaving the Union representatives to present their case to minor Corporation representatives, and in general by indicating its contempt for the entire negotia­ tions, GM TALKS STRIKE “addressed letters to its employees (those represent­ ed by the Union and also those not represented by the Union) at the outset of negotiations, emphasizing the futility of negotiations and warning them of the in- eviability of a strike; by doing so, interferring with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed them by Section 7 of the Act; in bad faith unduly delayed the inception of nego­ tiations, and after finally commencing negotiations re­ peatedly refused to discuss the Union's case during the course of its presentation; MADE FAKE OFFERS made an illusory offer in bad faith imposing con­ ditions it knew the Union could not legally fulfill; has demonstrated both by direct expression and by action an intent not to reach an agreement. By the above and other acts, the Corporation by its officers and agents has refused and continues to re­ fuse to bargain collectively with the Union in viola­ tion of Section 8, subsection 5, of the Act ON VIOLATION OF LAW by the above and other acts the Corporation by its officers and agents has discouraged and sought to dis­ courage membership in, and activity on behalf of, the Union of its employees, thus interferring with, re­ straining and coercing its employees in violation of Sec­ tion 8, Subsection 1, of the Act." former Brooklyn district at­ torney, also had the support of the AFL and CIO central labor bodies, CIO-PAC Chair­ man Sidney Hillman, Mrs. Franklin D. RoRosevelt, Sec. of Commerce Henry A. Wal­ lace and Pres. Truman. Main labor backing for Goldstein came from Pres. David Dubin­ sky of Intl. Ladies Garment Workers Union (AFL) and a few other labor leaders group­ ed in the Liberal party. Democrats refused a joint slate with the ALP, Borough Pres. James J. Lyons, Demo­ crat, was reelected. Only in Richmond were the Democrats defeated in the borough presidency race. There Cornelius A. Hall, Re­ publican-Labor-Fusion candi­ date, won out. Results of the councilmanic election, in which labor took an even more active campaign role than in the mayoralty race, will not be known for at least a week because of the proportional representation system used in voting. HURTS DEWEY Calling O'Dwyer’s victory a “clearcut repudiation of Gov. Dewey and the reactionary forces he reperesents,” Hy­ man Blumberg, state secre­ tary of the ALP, said: “The Democratic party must learn from today’s elec­ tion results that success is possible only by uniting and rallying around genuine pro­ gressive candidates of distinc­ tion with a real program for labor, small businessmen and liberal forces generally to gov­ ern the state of New York and to strengthen the progressive group in the New York state congressional delegation. O’Dwyer, in his victory state­ ment, expressed appreciation of ALP support. O’Dwyer, former brigadier general in the U.S. Army and Labor Economics Class Starling Want to know something about inflation? Want to know why wages can be raised without boosting prices and why price boosts would help bring inflation? The answers to these and many other questions will be discussed in a closs on labor economics startings at 7:30 p. m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Council Hall, 109 E. South St. In charge of the group will be Clayton Carpenter. The class is open to all CIO mem­ bers without charge. ELECTIONS (Continued from Page 1) 268 were American Labor. Poor showing for Judge Jonah J. Goldstein, Republican-Lib­ eral-Fusion candidate who came in second with 434,000 votes, was a setback for Gov. Thomas E. Dewey’s chance of 1946 reelection and his hopes of winning the 1948 Republi­ can nomination for President. Labeled as Dewey’s “per­ sonal choice,” Goldstein, who bolted the Democratic party to win the mayoralty nomina­ tion, won 123,218 votes on the Liberal party line. Third runner-up with 399,- 437 votes was City Council Pres. Newbold Morris, who entered the campaign late on a hastily assembled No Deal ticket. Morris was backed by Mayor F. H. LaGuardia, whose 12-year rule of the city will come to an end Jan. 1. OTHERS IN NEW YORK Elected to office with O’Dwyer for a 4-year term were Lazarus Joseph, comp­ troller, and Vincent R. Impel- literi, city council president. Also brought to victory by sizeable margins by the Demo­ cratic-Labor coalition were Borough Presidents John Cashmore of Brooklyn, James A. Burke of Queens and Capt. Hugo E. Rogers of Manhat­ tan. In the Bronx, where the TOO MANY PEOPLE An amusing lesson in economics from the column, “Way Down to Earth," by Mike Quin in the ILWU Dispatcher. Mr. Arbuthnot had covered several large sheets of paper with figures. He had calculated and recalculated, added, subtracted, divided, multiplied and allowed for liberal per­ centages of deterioration, wear and tear, death by acci­ dent and catastrophes like earthquakes, floods and atomic explosions, which he grouped together under a heading: "ACTS OF GOD.” “There's no use, Crudlow," he said, finally, throwing down his pen. “There are just too many people. There's no getting around it. We're licked." Archibald Croudlow had been making calculations of his own on an adding machine, saving the paper tapes, clipping them together and piling them in little stacks. He leaned over Mr. Arbuthnot’s shoulder and studied the jungle of arithmetic scribbled on the paper. "Have you figured in birth control?” he asked. "It seems to me you could deduct another 10% for that.” “I've got that," said Arbuthnot, irritably. “I allow­ ed 15%, then deducted 2% of that, allowing for a cer­ tain amount of employment involved in manufacturing devices. Then there's a percentage of sterility. It's on the increase, I understand. Poor diet. City living. That sort of thing. One percent should cover it. But any way you figure it, there are too many people." "What in the name of God do you suppose God was thinking of?” asked Crudlow. “It's beyond me," said Arbuthnot. “All he has to do is produce them, I guess. But we've got to employ them. It can't be done." "Still and all,” said Crudlow, "if you look at it from his standpoint, there’s plenty of room. God knows we can produce enough food. There’s no particular shortage of anything. We can manufacture enough clothing, furni­ ture, whiskey, automobiles, and alarm clocks for 10 times the population.” Mr. Arbuthnot beat on the desk with his fists. “Production! Production! Yes. Certainly. We can pro­ duce the stuff. But how are they going to pay for it? Who's going to pay their rent? It's all right to talk about production — production — production. But I'm thinking in reasonable terms of dollars and cents. Who's going to pay for it, and who is to employ all of these people?" "It’s a hopeless mess,” said Crudlow. “You're telling me?" said Arbuthnot. He picked up one of the sheets of paper and began pointing. “Look at this. One hundred and thirty-seven million Ameri­ cans. Forty million Frenchmen. Forty million English­ men. Eighty million Germans. More than 350,000,000 Indians. Three hundred million Russians. Four hun­ dred million Chinese. Why, it's ridiculous! We don't need all these people. Why, in America alone, employ­ ing only a fraction of the population, we can turn out enough goods to supply all our domestic needs and half the foreign market. With atomic power, we won't even have to employ that many. It's insane." "We need another war. That’s the only answer,” said Crudlow. “I'm afraid you're right," said Arbuthnot. “I don't see any other way around it." "Either that or we’ll have to raise wages and shorten the hours of work in order to give everybody jobs.” “Now you're talking like a madman," said Arbuth­ not. "Well, look at it this way,” said Crudlow, "Our pro­ ductive power is great enougth to supply everything. The only trouble is, if the people haven’t got jobs they can’t buy anything. And we don’t need them all. We can pro­ duce enough for all of them by employing less than half of them. The only thing to do is spread the work and raise purchasing power.” “What sort of idealistic dreaming is that?" demand­ ed Arbuthnot. “What are you? A Roosevelt-Wallace experimental visionary, or a practical businessman? ... It's a plain case of too many people. Too much pro­ duction and nobody to pay for it." "You’d think if God was going to send them here,” said Crudlow, "he’d have figured out some way of paying their bills.” “It isn't God's fault," said Arbuthnot, reverently. “After all, he's not a businessman. He doesn't reason things in down-to-earth dollars and cents."