80 Percent Less Than Before War “Bad news travels fast. La­ bor strikes ... are some­ times sensational . . . The loy­ alty of American labor, on the other hand, seldom makes the headlines ..." From Stars and Stripes, Service newspaper. By R. T. FRANKENSTEIN Vice President, UAW-CIO The official figures for the Michigan automobile industry show that in the 3 years since the declaration of war, time lost on account of strikes has declin­ ed 80 percent compared to the 3 years before the war. For indus­ try as a whole not more than fifteen-one-hundredths of one percent of all man hours worked has been lost in any year since the war began. In other words, labor’s re­ cord has been better than 99.44 percent pure in this war—far better than it was in World War I. I give these facts not to de­ fend or to minimize wartime strikes. My official position, as well as my personal conviction, has been that there can be no jutification for work stoppages so long as this war continues. HOW LITTLE STRIKES MAKE BIG HEADLINES For every hour lost through strike action in 1943 at least 4 hours were lost through indus­ trial injuries and accidents. A few weeks ago there was an ac­ cident—an explosion—in the Dodge-Chicago plant. Most pa­ pers in the country related the injuries and property losses. No mention was made of the number of manhours that were Cost. But let five truck drivers walk out of some small brass snop, and immediately headlines appear from coast to coast; edi­ trials urge repeal or crippling of labor laws; radio commenta­ tors blow it up into a major ca­ tastrophe; soon the public is flooded with imposing statistics about strikes. Union leadership is castigated and the workers condemned as disloyal. THE DODGE, BRIGGS STRIKES IN DETROIT Certain employers welcome strikes. They can have their plants closed for months and still take all the profits the tax law allows them. They consider it will never be cheaper to destroy Unions than now. Awhile ago the Dodge plant in Detroit was closed because man­ agement violated grievance pro­ cedure, firing eight people while negotiations were in progress. Our union was working fev­ erishly to put the people back to work, when out of a blue sky, the Briggs Manufacturing Com­ pany fired eight union stewards. Not only did this present a new See WAR STRIKES, Page 4 Reveals Facts Behind Wartime Strikes LANSING LABOR NEWS Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing 5 PER COPY 109 E. South St., Lansing 3, Mich. Thursday, April 19, 3945 4 Ph. 49612 Vol. 1, No. 6 Our Greatest War Worker As We’ll Remember Him G M Fights Organizing Of Foremen Spearheading a campaign against organizing was a 100- ir.ch General Motors advertise­ ment in Sunday papers claiming that a union for foremen would be bad for labor (they didn’t print labor’s statement), bad for industry, bad for America, and bad for foremen. Arbitrarily deciding it would be bad for foremen makes it amusing when the advertisement so emphaticaly claims that fore­ men are definitely a part of management with ‘‘full author­ ity" in many departmental mat­ ters and participation in estab­ lishing management policies. This presumably has required through the years responsible, intelligent judgement. But when these same respon­ sible intelligent foremen con­ template unionizing, the firm apparently decides they are not capable of intelligent decisions and buys three-quarter page ad­ vertisements to make the de­ cisions for them. And that, say the foremen, is the seat of the trouble. They no longer have much to say about themselves, labor policies or anything—though they get the blame for lots of things that are wrong. They find now that to be effectively heard by man­ agement, they will have to put their voices together in some kind of organization. WASHINGTON, (FP) — Pres. C. E. Wilson of General Motors . Corp. and other members of the Automotive Council for War Production met here April 10 to consider the effect of the NLRB action reversing its former pol­ icy and granting foremen the right to be represented by labor unions in collective bargaining. Instead of accepting the un­ ionization of foremen as a step in gaining a measure of eco­ nomic protection for a group that has been denied it, the automo­ tive leaders saw the movement as another step by unions to participate in management. See FOREMEN, Page 4 many members, he states, that on and after April 1 the assess­ ment must be paid before the issuance of a receipt for the April dues. The dollar assessment is levied or. the members of all UAW-CIO locals by the International act­ ing under authority vested in it by article 12, section 15 of the International constitution. PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT IN MANY MOODS Five characteristic poses that the whole world knew: Grave, hearty, gay, earnest, solemn. Lansing CIO Leaders Express Labor’s Loss Raymond W. Reid, Pres. Reo Local 650 IT'S A MUST’ Pay Assessment Before Getting April Receipt “In the passing of our president and Commander-in-chief the common people and labor have lost their greatest friend. His death comes as a great shock to myself and our organiza­ tion. Now, more than ever, we can do him no greater honor than to carry on a he would have us do. His death is a great loss to the freedom-loving people of the world and his name will make a great imprint in the pages of history." Odell Lamb, financial secre­ tary of Nash Local 13, writes the Labor News to emphasize a point about the Int’l assessment of one dollar being collected now in UAW locals. It apparently is not clear to Maintenance Workers Get WLB Directive The War Labor Board has is­ sued an important directive on the maintenance workers wage case which will be reported at a meeting at the Olds Local hall, 1118 S. Washington at 1'p.m. next Sunday, April 22. Last Monday delegates from Nash, Reo, Fisher, Olds and No. 1124 attended a Detroit confer­ ence at which the directive was received. The delegates were from the Central Michigan Skill­ ed Trades Council, UAW-CIO, Lansing sub-area, which has called the meeting for Sunday. Paul Gardner, Pres. Nash Local 13 “We who believe in an all seeing power and in a creator who shapes all destines must realize that somewhere in his over­ all plan of things to be this seeming disaster, this tragic loss to his family and his country of President Roosevelt has its place. We can rest assured that the spirit of our president has taken its rightful place among the greatest and mightiest leaders of all time in our world." Chester Cowan, Pres. Fisher Local 602 “With the death of Franklin Roosevelt the common people of our country lost an understanding and sympathetic friend. How great this loss is can be determined only in the coming years. Every worker, his family, and the men and women in the armed services should make it their personal duty to see that his great program in war and peace is carried out to a victorious conclusion and they should give President Truman all possible support and aid in doing it. F. J. Jolt, Sub-Regional Director, UAW-CIO “America and the peace loving people of the world have lost See MOURN LABOR’S LOSS, Page 4 50 Percent Cutback Slated for V -E Day WASHINGTON (FP)—Spokesmen for the automo­ tive industry said April 10 they had been officially told that U.S. war production will be cutback 50 percent after V-E day, rather than the 35 percent previously announced. The motormen said they got the figure from WPB Chairman J. A. Krug, who told them: “We’ll be ready to cut loose within a matter of hours or days, not weeks. We hope we can do some- thing on machine tools before then” There was no comment immediately from Krug. LANSING LABOR NEWS, INC. 109 E. SOUTH STREET, LANSING 10, MICHIGAN Phone 49612 A non-profit newspaper dedicated to the interests of the com­ munity and to the interests of labor here and everywhere. Pub­ lished every Thursday at the Lansing CIO Council headquarters by the following incorporated body, representing locals voting to participate. BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT—To be elected. VICE-PRES.—Ernest Miller (Reo 650). SEC.- TREAS.—Kenneth McCreedy (CIO Council). TRUSTEES—George Jakeway (Fisher 602), William Treanor (Olds 652). MEMBERS—Robert Richardson (Olds 652), Odell Z. Lamb, Roy Newton (Nash 13), Charles O’Brien (Reo 650), Maurice MacNaughton (Fisher 602), V. E. Vandenburg (CIO Council), Peter Fagan, Adrian Jensen (Olofsson 728). ASSOCIATE MEM­ BERS—Mrs. Jewel Atkinson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. Harold Wilson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. William McCurdy (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. Doris Eno (Fisher Aux.). EDITOR — V. E. VANDENBURG SUBSCRIPTION—Included in dues in participating locals; to others, $1.50 per year by mail. A Tribute to Our Fallen Leader— By GEORGE NADAR Int’l Represntative, UAW-CIO The untimely death of President Franklin D. Roose­ velt Was a shock felt around the world. No other man has ever received such wide acclaim, in life and in death. He was a world figure. Labor not only has lost a friend, but its champion in the White House. Franklin Roosevelt will live in the mem­ ory of organized labor forever, for through his under­ standing and help labor today has achieved most of its Objectives. Through his help and with his co-operation other objectives are on their way to completion. Labor is not alone, for the farmers will remember him as the man whose leadership helped to make it possible for thousands of them to own their own farms. Through his leadership bills were passed to assure them fair prices and the ability to go on. Labor and farmers will be joined by business, who, without the help and leadership of President Roosevelt, would not have progressed and whose very exisitence was in danger. George Washington lives in the hearts of his country­ men because of the leadership he gave to make this na­ tion possible. Abraham Lincoln is immortal because he kept it together. Franklin D. Roosevelt will head the list, for his vision, courage, leadership were factors by which this Nation licked the depression, met the threat of war, and that same leadership was applied to plant the seed of peace for all the world. Men like Franklin Roosevelt may die, but only the flesh is dead, the spirit lives on. And from it, men gain courage and determination to do the impossible. The spirit of our departed leader will serve to lead us to greater heights on the home front and on the batte fields. New Delegates Named to Board Of Labor News Odell Lamb, financial sec­ retary of Local 13 and Roy Newton, new chairman of their publicity committee, have been chosen representa­ tives of the Nash local on the Lansing Labor News board of directors. They replace Le- Roy Munsil and Harold Nor­ man. The latter served as president of the board. Nash Gauge Checker In South Pacific South Pacific greetings have been received from Tosco Clark, former Nash worker from the Cedar plant where he was a gauge checker and formerly on a truck on all lines. Says he wants to say hello to the fellows and girls through the paper. He has been in the Pacific eight month, in hot spots all the time, repairing pieces used in the navy to time guns and attacks. He’ll probably wind up in To­ kyo. He once was a watch ex­ pert at the Busch jewelry. He says it gets pretty lone­ some. Why not write a few lines to Tosco G. Clark, SAI 3/c, USS Vestal (AR-4) Drv. 5/0, % Fleet Postoffice, San Francisco, Calif. NAM Wants Law to Bar All Strikes WASHINGTON, (FP) — Vice Pres. B. C. Hutchinson of the Chrysler Corp., and a director of the National Association of Manufacturers, said April 9, that the NAM has been working with the U. S. Chamber of Com­ merce on proposed legislation to outlaw strikes. Hutchinson said it was be­ cause of this endeavor that the NAM had refrained from indors­ ing the new labor-management charter announced by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL and the CIO. The NAM director called the charter “ambiguous,” and criti­ cized what it called its apparent indorsement of the national laws without amendments. Hutchinson said the anti­ strike legislation new being con­ sidered would be aimed at stop­ ping strikes that attempt to ‘‘coerce the government” into taking actions; strikes to pre­ vent the introduction of work­ saving innovations, and strikes in violation of written contracts. MAKE EVERY PAY DAY WAR BOND DAY STOP SPENDING—SAVE DOLLARS Meat Workers Now Getting V-E Day Wages CHICAGO (FP)—In an open letter to the President, the ex­ ecutive board of United Pack­ inghouse Workers (CIO) warn­ ed that packinghouse workers are facing V-E day now. The letter is published in a pamph­ let which warns that the “wage V-E day is in effect for us now” and contains photostats of check stubs showing actual take-home pay ranging from $4.12 to $25 a week. “The overtime and premium pay the packinghouse worker has been using to help buy ne­ cessities has been taken away,” the union pointed out. “The breadwinner in the packing plants who formerly worked a 48-hour week and who received 82c an hour (which is an overall average rate for the industry) made before deductions $42.64 a week, but since being denied his overtime and even a full 40 hours work the same Worker receives $26.25. After deductions are made this breadwinner has about $19.64 left as take-home pay to provide for a family of five.” The board asserted that ‘‘dur­ ing the war years 1941 to 1944, the packers made more profits than ever before.” Wage in­ creases ordered by the National War Labor Board are being held up pending a study of “price relief” requested by the packers. News from the AUXILIARIES Fisher Importance of April as can­ cer control month was stressed by Alice Geiger of Flint in speaking at the regular monthly meeting of Auxiliary 202 at the Fisher Local’s hall April 10. She is a member of the Auxilliary’s International Co-ordinating com­ mittee. May has been set aside as Veterans’ month, during which members of 202 hope to raise enough money to furnish two rooms at the Percy Jones hos­ pital. New members being welcomed are Emma Lewis, Jessie Pritch­ ard, Ruth Strong, Fannie Cowan, Virginia Ingram and Marie Stone. The membership drive has been extended another month and CIO men are urged to get their Wives to join the auxiliary. Plans are being made for a May breakfast. The next meet­ ing is May 8. Fannie Cowan was presented with a birthday gift last week. After the meeting games were played and she won again—scor­ ing first prize. Olds Another card party at the Lo­ cal 652 hall, 1118 S. Washington, will be announced soon. The Olds Auxilliary, sponsors of the event, gave a party there April 10, including prizes, coffee, cake, salads and sandwiches do­ nated by members. On the committee were Mrs Evalena Emmons, Miss Edith Bentley, Miss Henrietta Clear and Mrs. Jewel Atkinson, A new committee will be named each month for these parties. Pvt. Chet Cowan At Chanute Field Pvt. Chester Cowan, Jr., son of Fisher’s Local president, is stationed at Chanute Field, Ill. He was graduated from a ser­ vice radio school in Wisconsin. President Truman and His Family President Truman, his daughter Margaret and wife in a news photo made shortly before the Senator from Missouri became Vice-President. 82,000,000 Libel CIO Education Conference Is Next Sunday An excellent opportunity for Lansing local members to get acquainted with both members and programs of other Michigan locals will be afforded at a meeting starting at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 22, at the Olds Local hall, 1118 S. Washington. It will be the first Outstate CIO Educational Conference. It is sponsored by the Michigan CIO council, with a busy day scheduled. Delegates are coming from Jackson, Ionia, Grand Rap­ ids, Cadillac, Flint, Owosso, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Bay City, Saginaw, Traverse City, Benton Harbor, Port Hur­ on and of course Lansing. Why Didn’t They Give Us This? Pfc. George F. McCreery (36874758, Port Tampa City, Fla.) writes calling attention to the Shell Union oil corporation which gave two months pay to all employees upon entering the armed service, if they were married with dependents made up the difference between their military pay and former wages with the company, and defrayed part of the cost of the National Service Life insurance. Why doesn’t Nash do this, wonders Private McCreery, a former Nash worker. Sorry, George, we don’t know the answer. FREE ADVICE The father said to his 12-year- old son, “My boy, you are nearly in your teens now and I sup­ pose it is time we talked about the facts of life.” ‘‘Suits me, pop, I think I can tell you what you want to know.” Westbrook Pegler, longtime enemy of labor, has started feud­ ing with industry as well. A two-million dollar libel suit was miled against him and his employer Hearst, by the Intl. La­ tex Corp. of Delaware when he attacked the corporation’s adver­ tisement in support of Henry A. Wallace and continued allied unity. Company Attorney Max Swir- en declared that “with utter ir­ responsibility, Pegler treats these public service advertise­ ments as Russian communist propaganda.” Dorothy McCurdy’s Brother in Italy Sgt. Louis A. Gray is in Italy as a flight engineer with the air transport command. He has vis­ ited Egypt, North Africa and France recently. Sergeant Gray is a brother of Dorothy McCurdy, president of the Michigan CIO Women’s Auxiliary Council. UNITED NATIONAL WAR RELIEF CLOTHING DRIVE - ALL THROUGH APRIL - Give to those in need! Receive from those who have! Blame not those in dire circumstances— Uplift them and you shall never regret. BRING CLOTHING YOU DON’T NEED ● To Your Union Hall ●● To Plant Gates ● To Station Inside Plants American Legion Working With Labor For 55 Million Post-War Jobs WARTIME LIVING By BETTY GOLDSTEIN Federated Press FISHER AUX SPRING DANCE IS SATURDAY The Fisher Auxiliary is cel­ ebrating the season with a Spring Dance this Saturday night, April 21, at the Fisher Local hall, 1111 W. St. Joseph st. All CIO members and their families or friends are in­ vited. Dancing will be from eight to eleven-thirty and re­ freshments will be served. Tickets are fifty cents each. CIO Plans More Aid to Veterans WASHINGTON, (FP)—Meet­ ing in a two-day conference with representatives of three veterans organizations, the CIO Veterans Committee April 5 re­ ported it would speed formation of additional national and local union veterans committees. Preparing to report to the CIO executive board meeting here April 12, Chairman Clinton S. Golden of the veterans commit­ tee said it “is keenly aware of the responsibility of internation­ al unions and their locals in aid­ ing vetrans to get jobs and will exert every effort to help cre­ ate additional national and local committees to fulfill this pur­ pose.” Representatives of the Veter­ ans of Foreign Wars, the Ameri­ can Veterans committee and the National Conference of Labor Union Legionnaires of the Amer­ ican Legion agreed with the pur­ pose of the CIO full employment program to help solve the prob­ lems facing not only veterans, but the entire nation. CIO, AFL, Etc., Are Invited to Conference WASHINGTON (FP) — The American Legion, which tried to destroy unions after the last war, launched a new nation­ wide program April 5 seeking the cooperation of organized la­ bor to assure jobs for all after World War II. The program was presented at the opening of a a 2-day con­ ference here in which for the first time leaders of the AFL, CIO and railroad brotherhoods were asked by the Legion to par­ ticipate along with representa­ tives of government, industry, agriculture, education and vet­ erans foreign affairs. All Groups Represented Participating organizations in­ cluded the Natl. Assn. of Manu­ facturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Committee for Economic Development, the Assn. of American Railroads, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Natl. Farmers Union, the Natl. Education Assn., the Veterans Administration, WPB, WMC, Depts. of Labor, Commerce and Agriculture, the CIO Veterans Committee, AFL, and Railway Labor Executives Assn. “No one organization, no one group, can assure maxi­ mum postwar employment,” Chairman Lawrence J. Fen- lon of the Legion’s Natl. Em­ ployment Committee declared. “The Legion, the veterans, cannot do it alone. Labor can­ not do it, nor industry, nor ag­ riculture, nor government. “But working together as a great single team of Ameri- have seen in war production cans-—in the same spirit we and on the fighting fronts,— the Legion believes that we can attain maximum postwar employment within the frame­ work of our American system of free competitive enter­ prise.” Big Legion Program Hailed By Union Veterans Groups WASHINGTON (FP)—Hailing the American Legion’s new program of cooperation with organized labor, industry and gov­ ernment in the fight for full employment, Sec. George Danfield of the Natl. Conference of Union Labor Legionnaires told FP April 5: “it is a step in the right direction. The program is not per­ fect but it gives labor a chance to get in and work with the Legion in the communities,” he said. Danfield, who comes from Local 147, Bro. of Painters (AFL) in Chicago, said the new program is a great. victory for the union legionnaires, who now have 123 posts throughout the U.S. Chairman Ted Silvey of the CIO Reconversion Committee, while pointing out the weaknesses of the Legion’s program, stressed the significance that the Legion is mobilizing a campaign for full employment and has for the first time invited organized labor to take a full part. “When before has the Legion told its posts in the field to work with unions right along with the churches, the Rotary and the Kiwanis Club?” said Henry Geisz of Local 3, Int. Bro. of Elec­ trical Workers (AFL) and head of the New York labor legion­ naires. “If the labor movement doesn’t make this thing work, we’re missing the boat.” Appreciates Papers That Were Sent Negro Auto Worker Elected to Council Francis Hannah, Nash Local 13 member in the navy, writes his appreciation of papers sent him by the local, hopes he’ll get more. He says all’s fine there (pre­ sumably in the Pacific) but that it’s so hot and dusty one does not care to do much; that they have movies every night and the day he wrote a USO stage show was scheduled; and that he’s been out there 18 months. His complete address is Fran­ cis Hannah, SK-2c, NSD Navy 3115, Fleet Postoffice, San Fran­ cisco, Calif. YPSILANTI (FP)—First im- pact of the army of auto work­ ers around Willow Run in the political field was the election April 2 of Frank Seymour as al­ derman from the first ward to the Ypsilanti common council. He is a Negro committeeman of United Auto Workers Local 50 (CIO) which has the contract with the Ford Motor Co. at the bomber plant. Seymour won over the incumbent who was serving his second term. IT HAPPENED HERE: Is Abusing Man's Family Good Labor Relations? Price Boost Won’t Remedy Meat Shortage WASHINGTON, (FP) — A former OPA enforcement ad­ ministrator punched some swift ones into the U. S. meat trust April 10 while testifying before the Senate agriculture sub-com­ mittee investigating food short­ ages. The witness, Gen. Counsel Thomas I. Emerson of the Office of Economic Stabilization, left OPA recently after some long and bitter experiences. Highlighting his testimony was the remark, ‘‘You can’t wipe out the black market by raising le­ gal prices to black market lev­ els.” Undismayed by the looks of shock from the senators, Emer­ son added “it can be stated with absolute firmness that any in­ crease in price will not increase the supply of meat by one pound.” Emerson tried to explain that the meat shortage was largely due to bad distribution—from everybody trying to buy meat from the big packers in federally inspected plants—rather than a question of paying more money. He also told the committee that the black market isn’t so much a criminally-operated proposi­ tion as it is one operated within the normal channels of the in­ dustry. The witness said the meat shortage exists only in the big industrial centers and that the solution could be found if the Full Employment Vital Asserting the Legion believes the fight for full employment the most critical of all postwar problems, he said employment for veterans was its most crucial aspect but that it wasn’t solely a veterans’ problem. The program calling for 55 million postwar jobs will be car­ ried to the grass roots in a vig­ orous campaign in which the 20,000 Legion posts will ask local chambers of commerce, central labor organizations, church, pro­ fessional and civic organizations, individual manufacturers and merchants to join in a Commun­ ity Postwar Employment Com­ mittee, it was announced. TO FEATURE NEW AND OLD DANCES SAT. Modern and old time dances will be featured at a party at the Woodmen’s hall 8 p.m. to midnight’, Saturday, April 21. The party, open to all CIO members and their friends, is sponsored by members of the Olds Local, with Nick Carter chairman, asisted by Jack Da­ vis. Admission is $1.50 per couple. Tickets may be ob­ tained at the door. army, UNRRA and lend-lease took more of their supplies from non-shortage areas. Because the writer of this letter remains anony­ mous, we let the company and the supervision men­ tioned remain unnamed too. We direct this not just to the large Lansing war plant where it happened nor just to the members of supervision concerned in this case, but to industry as a whole, in Lansing and elsewhere, believing that labor relations divisions can and sometime will elim­ inate all such offenses against common decency. -—Editor. BY A LANSING WAR WORKER I would suggest that certain supervision do just a little investigating or thinking. Why make a big noise over some little matter that doesn’t amount to a tinker’s damn and let such matters as labor turn-over and promotion of good will with workers go over their heads life a fast freight passing a bum? There are such things as cour-i tesy, tact and diplomacy. An employee, ill at home, ask­ ed hi wife to call the employ­ ment office, as well as his super­ vision, to report that he would not be in. She was informed that everything was in order. He was taking treatments to ward off pnuemonia when he received one of those form let­ ters, signed by Mr. X, about- ab­ senteeism, saying they wanted him back on the job, etc. etc. Again his wife called in to ex­ plain to Mr. X that her husband was a sick pup. But in a couple of days his supervision dropped around to the house. Convinced the man was actualy ill, he then pointed a finger at the wife, saying, “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” Whereupon he reprimanded her for calling Mr. X, saying she had gone over somebody’s head. Is this good labor relations? Since when is it against good ethics to phone a man who has written you a letter? Apparently the foreman just wanted to spank the employee over his wife’s shoulder at a time when the man was unable to sit up. Is this common, everyday respect for a man’s family? Sure, I know this foreman. He doesn’t like me because he knows I won’t take this kind of stuff. He knows I have the guts to fight back for my good old American rights, instead of put­ ting my tail between my legs and taking his abuse. I will clash with Mr. X or that foreman anytime they attempt to Use on me such antiquated me­ thods of handling men, inferior labor relations, no common sense, poor psychology—or call it what you will. Maybe it’s just small-town stuff. There has been a lot of talk in the newspapers lately about a food famine in this country . . . rumors that Americans are going to starve because Pres. Roosevelt is foolishly planning to send all our food to our allies overseas . . . threats of a meat famine and a general food pan­ ic unless prices are raised. The Food Scare Beware of these rumors. They were planted in the papers by the big packing and other food companies who want to cook up a good food scare to break price control and by the old America First isolationist crowd that still hasn’t given up the struggle to keep the U.S. out of the war and the peace. It happens to be a fact that Americans are eating more per person than they did before the war the civilians here are eat­ ing almost three billion pounds more meat per year than they used to eat. More Americans can afford meat at last. If the supply is still short, it’s not because for­ eigners are eating it up, but be­ cause more Americans are com­ peting with other Americans for it. Children Pick Garbage And this is the only country where people have been able to put on weight during the war, Here we’re eating 3,367 calories per person per day, as compared with a prewar average of 3,236. The Greeks get 700 calories a day, the French 1,900. It’s a com­ mon sight in Europe to see child­ ren picking through our military garbage. In 1944 American farmers pro­ duced 37 percent more food than this or any other nation ever produced before the war. For 1945 the farmers have set goals calling for an even greater crop acreage. We have the best-fed army and navy in the world— they have first call on our food. During the second quarter of 1945, civilians will get 73 per­ cent of the total food supply, the armed forces 17 percent and only 10 percent wil go to lend- lease and allied relief agencies. Both English and Russian offi­ cials have told us that if it were not for American food, they could not have gone forward as they did in smashing the Gerr mans. Remember these facts and these words of Food Adminis­ trator Marvin Jones to keep a clear head about the food scare. “No one has gone hungry in this country. No one is going hungry. Our armed forces will continue to be well fed. We will continue to help our fighting allies. Our own people will continue to have plenty of good, wholesome food, and we will contribute our share to the relief of starving people, even if it means a new hitch in our belts. This is a practical mat­ ter arid a part of the war itself.” Local 728 Boasts 75 Percent Carry Journeymen Cards Olofsson Tool & Die Local 728 is proud that 75 percent of its members working at the plant are journeymen and carry a journeyman’s card issued by the Central Michigan Skilled Trades Council. Bill Watts, president, in mak­ ing that statement to the Labor News pointed out that after the war there will be a large num­ ber of the remaining members eligible for applications. To have someone call (hiring my absence and not leave his name or number.—H.E. Roosevelt: War Strategist, Peace Planner President Roosevelt is shown here at Teheran with Marshal Stalin and Prime Minister Churchill when they planned the coordinated efforts that brought victory to the United Na­ tions and laid the foundations for the peace to follow. New Jersey Passes Fake Labor Law TRENTON, N. J. (FP)—Hop­ ing to block any real anti-dis­ crimination legislation, the Re- publican-dominated New Jersey legislature passed a fair employ­ ment practices bill which looks good on the books but has no teeth to protect anyone. The bill as passed requires indictment by a grand jury be­ fore anyone can be convicted of discrimination. All the strength­ ening amendments demanded by labor, civic and church groups in two public hearings here were defeated. Enforcement of the anti-discrimination provisions is left to the state Education Dept., which does not want the job and has continued to permit opera­ tion of 70 Jimcrow schools in the state in violation of existing laws. Terming the law “a gross fraud upon the people of New Jersey,” CIO State Sec. Carl Holderman said that the involv­ ed proceedings of discrimination cases which include grand jury action make it highly unlikely that cases will come to trial. Even if they come to trial, grand juries would be unwilling to in­ dict in view of the drastic pen­ alties, he said. Violators are subject to a maximum fine of $500, imprisonment up to two years, or both. The many organizations which united in the drive for a work­ able FEPC announced they would continue their efforts to obtain more effective legislation. FOREMEN (Continued from Page 1) Wilson summed it up by say­ ing “the issue boils down to the question of who is going to run the plants.” He indicated that his group would fight “with ev­ erything in our power” to op­ pose unions for foremen and hoped that either the courts or congress would decide the issue soon. LOS ANGELES (FP)—Strong opposition to a bill permitting horse meat to be sold in but­ cher shops was voiced here by Meat Drivers Local 626, affiliat­ ed with Joint Council of Team­ sters No. 42 (AFL). Peace Plan Menaced U.S. Gets Jobs For 85,485 Vets In One Month WASHINGTON, (FP)—Amer­ ica’s returning ex-servicemen are being placed back in the ranks of industrial wage-earn­ ers at an increasingly high rate, the United States Employment Service said April 9. During February, the USES said, found 85,485 jobs for veterans, including 12,788 for ex-servicemen with physical handicaps. Of the total 37,306 men were placed in manufactur­ ing and 7,969 in transportation, communications and other pub­ lic utilities. Another 7,178 went into retail trades. More Parties for Counselors Seen A hundred and fifty CIO folks enjoyed the Counselors Ball at the Women’s Club house last Friday, where they danced to round and square dances. Many remarked they would like to see more such parties, for which plans are already be­ ing considered. Proceeds from the dance will be used to train union counselors at Olds, where a successful program is now pretty well under way. Congress May Kill Bretton Woods Fund WASHINGTIN, (FP) — Be­ cause of a lack of full knowledge of the plan and possibly because of the opposition of some lead­ ing banking figures, the U. S. Congress may cut the heart out of the Bretton Woods agreement —the international monetary fund for currency stabilization. Many Washington observers believe Congress will approve both the monetary agreement and the international bank for reconstruction and development. But the bug comes in the cur­ rency stabilization plan—which is aimed at keeping a balance between the currencies of the world. This idea of cooperation between governments to prevent financial breakdown and eco­ nomic chaos has been severely criticized by oldline, internation­ al bankers. Cutting the stabilization fund out of Bretton Woods is another way of killing the whole propos­ al and opens the gates for vari­ ous nations to make individual deals to protect their own cur­ rencies. That would let in the international financiers who have always lived by speculating in world currencies. In the final analysis, the cur- i ency stabilization fund would freeze out these international bankers by taking away their traditional role as professional creditors. Instead of interna­ tional bankers, governments would pool their resources to furnish a new monetary stand­ ard. This would help restore con­ fidence of the various nations and allow them to go ahead with expansion plans of a broad na­ ture. Banker opposition is based on banker conservatism and a de­ sire to be cut in on the interest payments and to have a hand in saying how the creditor na­ tions shall operate and what they must do to get the loans. The U. S. stake in the stabili­ zation fund would be only $3 billion dollars. It would be used to stabilize currencies with the aim of stopping inflation. It would not bar private loans as some of the banking fraternity seems to fear. Tell Congress To Vote For These 4 Bills By Federated Press Organized labor is letting Con­ gress know it is watching its vote on the following: BRETTON WOODS (H.R. 2211 & S 540) Lays sound basis for expand­ ing world trade to create jobs for U.S. workers. House hearings winding up. Senate hearing scheduled. Unionists urging con­ gressmen to support without amendments which would jeo­ pardize entire agreement. FEPC (S. 101 & HR 2232) Bill puts teeth in fair employ­ ment practice through a perma­ nent agency with enforcement powers. Now bogged down by tories in House Banking & Cur­ rency Committee. POLLTAX REPEAL (HR 7) Way is being cleared to force this issue on the House floor through a discharge petition (No. 1). Unionists are wiring their congressmen to sign the petition and vote for the bill. PRICE CONTROL (SJ Res. 30) This bill renews price control act for 18 months with business lobby seeking amendments to limit OPA powers and extend law only for 12, months. Labor is fighting for prompt renewal for 18 months and for defeat of all riders that would check real en­ forcement. KEEP ’EM FLYING Invest in Victory — Buy War Bonds and Stamps. Olds Stewards Meet Friday Officers for the year will be elected at the regular meetings of the Olds stewards and committeemen’s council this Friday, April 20, at 8 p.m. and later the same even­ ing at 12:30 a.m. The program of the meet­ ings will include two legisla­ tors who will discuss labor legislation. WAR STRIKES (Continued from Page 1) problem but it also aggravated the Dodge situation. That indi­ cates not only an individual management provocation but a conspiracy between certain em­ ployers. LOOK WHO GOT A NEW JOB! There is an interesting side­ light to the Dodge affair. The strike leader at Dodge, who ad­ vised the workers to ignore the UAW’s instructions to go back to work, last week was given a management position in a Labor Relations Department. Was that a reward for services rendered? Why do some workers permit themselves to be provoked into strike action? Wages have been frozen while prices have risen and are still rising. THE FACTS BEHIND UNREST OF LABOR Workers know that industry profits are up 327 percent above the 1936-39 average. They con­ trast this with their own wage freeze. They know that the post­ war profits of those corpora­ tions have been guaranteed. But our own government’s postwar security program—the plan for 60 million jobs—has been ridi­ culed and attacked by these em­ ployers. Workers wait as long as two and one-half years for War La­ bor Board action on their griev­ ances. Yet, more and more man­ agements are evading union grievance machinery in the plants and are adding to the Board’s backlog by nonchalantly saying to union committeemen: “If you don’t like it, take it to the War Labor Board.” They have seen waste and idleness encouraged by employ­ ers enjoying cost plus contracts who use every opportunity to brand their workers as loafers. It is a tribute to the patriot­ ism of the average American worker that he has not allowed such grievances to make him for­ get his most immediate obliga­ tion—to do his utmost to win the war. Nash Affiliates With the Medical Research Clinic Nash Local has voted to af­ filiate with the CIO Medical Re­ search clinic in Detroit. This means that henceforth Local 13 members will be eligi­ ble to attend the clinic for ex­ pert diagnosis on occupational, industrial or other diseases at no charge for the services — even though they might run to $50 or more. The cost to the local is 12c per member per year, or one cent per capita per month. People who have attended the clinic have been amazed to find it one of the most modern in the country, completely equipped and well staffed. MOURN LABOR’S LOSS (Continued from Page 1) a friend and a great leader with the passing of President Roosevelt.” R. Lyle Stone, Int’l Repr., UAW-CIO “Labor joins the nation in mourning the loss of our presi­ dent, who will be remembered in the annals of the history of our nation as being oue of our greatest Americans.” George Nadar, Int’l Repr., UAW-CIO “A nation accustomed to shocks received its greatest shock this April 12, 1945. His name will go down in history as the greatest president, a great humanitarian. Every American will pay tribuate to his memory by doing his part to bring about the things he stood for as he so gallantly did his part to the very end.” A Day Before the 1944 Election Shown above with Mrs. Roosevelt, the President is waving a greeting in this photo made the day before the 1944 election.