Owned and Published 
By and For Labor

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

VOL. 1, No. 39

LANSING, MICHIGAN — DECEMBER 13, 1945

$1.50 PER YEAR — PER COPY, 5c

SNAPPED AT THE PARTY

Free Dance 

Silent About Wage Increases

Congress Rushes Bills 
Restricting the Unions 
But Not the Employers

14 Prominent Americans 

Endorse Union's Case 

for Raising GM Wages

 Fourteen prominent American citizens not affiliated with 
general Motors or the union met in Detroit last week, re­
vested the corporation and the UAW-CIO to furnish com­
plete facts about the case, and after studying the material 
for two days issued a report commending the union and 
endorsing its case for a wage increase.
[Said one part of the Citizens’ Committee report:

“From the record it is clear that the union in its re­
fusal to accept a wage increase that involves a price 
increase has lifted the whole matter of collective bar­
gaining to a new high level by insisting that the ad­
vancement of labor’s interest shall not be made at the 
 expense of the public. The union has shown a sense of 
 social responsibility that indicates its growing matur­
ing and is certainly to be commended."

NAMES OF THOSE PARTICIPATING

DR. HENRY HITT CRANE, Central Methodist Church, 

Detroit, chairman;

DR. HARRY A. OVERSTREET, College of the City of 

lew York, vice chairman;

MRS. J. BIRDSALL CALKINS, National President, Y.
C. A., New York City, secretary;
PROFESSOR ERNEST W. BURGESS, Professor of So- 

iology, University of Chicago, Ill.;

RABBI LEON FRAM, Temple Israel, Detroit, Mich.;
ROBERT E. GARRIGAN, Assistant Director, New Coun- 

cil of American Business, Washington, D. C.;

JOHN B. HANNA, Church Counsellor of the Council for 
Social Action of the Congregational Christian Churches in the 
U.S. A., New York City;

LEON HENDERSON, Research Institute of America, 

Washington, D. C.;

MRS. DOROTHY S. McALLISTER, National Consumers 

League, Grand Rapids, Michigan;

FRANK W. McCULLOCH, Director, James Mullenbach 

Industrial Institute, Chicago, Ill.;

MRS. BONARO W. OVERSTREET, Author, Lecturer, 

 BISHOP WILLIAM SCARLETT, St. Louis, Mo.;

few York City;

 MRS. M. E. TILLY, Secretary, Christian Social Rela- 
tions, Woman’s Society of Christian Service, Southeastern 
Jurisdiction, the Methodist Church, Atlanta, Ga.;

WALTER WHITE, Secretary, National Association for 

he Advancement of Colored People, New York City.

THE CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE SAID:

Because of the importance to the whole country of the 
issues involved in the current work stoppages in the General 
Motors Corporation, we were glad to accept the invitation of 
lie UAW-CIO to ’examine the transcript of its negotiations 
and to inquire into the problems raised thereby. We have 
also sought and received from the Corporation materials set- 
ting forth more fully its position.

GM Stays Away

C. E. Wilson, President of the General Motors Corpora­
tion, H. W. Anderson, Vice President, R. J. Thomas, President 
of the UAW-CIO and Walter P. Reuther, Vice President, were 
invited in person to present further information to the Com­
mittee. Mr. Thomas’ office informed the Committee that he 
was out of the city. Mr. Reuther appeared and answered 
questions put to him by the Committee. The Corporation did 
not respond to the invitation.

The Committee has read the 739 page record of the ne­
gotiations between the Corporation and the Union and has 
sought all available information on both sides of the contro­
versy.

The Public Should Know

Our review of this very complex and strategic industrial 
controversy leads us to believe that the public should be more 
fully apprised of certain facts. The members of this Commit- 
have reached a number of conclusions which they hope 
may contribute to the public understanding of the contro- 
versy and to the measures necessary for effecting a just and 
prompt settlement of the issues. We have neither been asked, 
nor have we sought, to serve as conciliators or otherwise to 
usurp the functions of the active government agencies in this 
matter. But in view of the apparent stalemate in negotia­
tions and mounting losses from the continuing stoppages, we 
deem it proper to express our opinion on the issues.

As background for consideration of the issues, we here 
present a summary of the contentions of each side of the con­
troversy.

CONTENTIONS OF THE PARTIES

For the Union:
 The controversy arose over the Union’s proposal of a 
30 percent wage increase under the terms of its existing con- 
tract with the Corporation. Part of this increase, it urged, 
should be allocated to an equalization fund to make wage rates 
more uniform throughout the Corporation, part to a social 
security fund and the balance to a blanket increase in all 
hourly wage rates. The Union asked this wage increase to 
make up for reductions in take-home pay resulting from 
shorter hours and downgrading of workers, and to advance 
the general purchasing power necessary to support full em­
inent.

Prices Must Not Increase

A cardinal point in the Union’s proposal was that this in- 
crease be granted without any increase in the prices of Gen- 
eral Motors’ products. It submitted much data in support of 
its contention that the Corporation can afford such raises,

See COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS, Page 4

Friday Nite 

For Pickets

Another big party for all 
General Motors pickets, their 
families and friends is being 
held at the CIO Council hall, 
109 E. S. Street, this Friday, 
Dec. 14.

This will be a dance party 
and will start at 9:30 p.m. 
with music by the string or­
chestra that proved so popu­
lar last week. Featured with 
the music will be Frankie 
Parker, popular young bari­
tone and Joyce Dixon, song 
stylist.

The music is donated by the 
Drake Refineries and the 
Norm English Hawaiian Stu­
dios.

The party is sponsored by 
the General Motors locals. 
Picket cards will admit the 
strikers and their wives or 
friends. There is no charge.

Someone is about to put the 
finger on this happy soldier— 
in fact, it’s the laying on of a 
whole hand, as would-be part­
ner cuts in for a chance with 
his pretty partner at the party 
for pickets in the CIO Council 
hall last Friday. The event 
was called a big success. A city 
wide union entertainment

committee is being organized 
this week to carry on these im­
portant functions for pickets. 
Everyone had a big time at 
the party, whether dancing, 
resting or just watching, judg­
ing by the expressions on their 
faces. Many dance novelties 
were introduced into the pro­
gram.

Veterans Told 

To Sign For 

Compensation

Olds and Fisher war veter­
ans out of work because of the 
strike are being told to go to 
Unemployment Compensation 
offices, 124 N. Larch street 
and sign up no matter what 
they are told when they get 
there, said H. C. Norton, 
chairman of the veterans com­
mittee at the Olds Local.

He tells veterans to disre­
gard assertions that they have 
nothing coming and this week 
issued this statement:

This question of unemploy­
ment compensation has to be 
decided by all of you veterans. 
Your Veterans Committee, 
with others of your Union, be­
lieve that anyone going to 
work in any GM plant after 
September 24, 1945, who was 
not told that the plants were 
having labor trouble or a dis­
pute should not be disquali­
fied from their compensation.
All veterans not yet back to 
work should follow the Selec­
tive Service advice whereby a 
person may refuse to accept

work if (1) the position offer­
ed is vacant due to a labor dis­
pute or (2) the wages, hours, 
or other conditions of the 
work offered are substantially 
less favorable than those pre­
vailing for similar work in the 
locality.

If we, as your Local Veter­
ans Committee, can assist you 
in any way we will be more 
than glad to do so. The Com­
mittee welcomes you at any 
time. Stop in at 1118 South 
Washington Avenue and have 
a talk with your Committee.

Higgins, Stay Away!

OMAHO, Nebr. (LPA) — Ne­
braska last week announced that 
id did hot want to provide refuge 
for runaway shops — even Andrew 
J. Higgins’. The labor-hating ship­
builder, who closed his three 
Louisiana shipyards rather than 
allow decent contracts to his or­
ganized workers there, had alleg­
edly been “invited” by the Mayor 
of Omaha and the Governor of 
Nebraska to move north. In sharp 
rebuke, E. F. Noble of the AFL 
called their action “a direct slap in 
the face to Organized Labor in 
Omaha.”

Bought Those
Victory Bonds?

Thomas Hits 

GM Canceling 

Of Contract

Said R. J. Thomas, Presi­
dent of the UAW-CIO, this 
week:

“The action of the General 
Motors Corporation in cancell­
ing the contract is another 
high-handed effort by man­
agement to evade the central 
issue in dispute—a 30 percent 
wage increase.

“Through 97 days of collec­
tive bargaining, until the com­
pany’s refusal to bargain in 
good faith, to allow concilia­
tion, or even to arbitrate the 
issue, the union sought to con­
fine the differences between 
the corporation to wage mat­
ters and other points which 
properly could be reopened. 
Since the strike was forced 
upon us, we have continued to 
keep the field of differences 
as narrow as possible in order 
that a just and fair settlement 
may be arrived at as easily 
and as quickly as possible..

“With the same arrogance 
and contempt of the public in­
See THOMAS, Page 4

Reports Claim

A Few Firms 

Refuse Jobs 

To Strikers
Reports that a few Lansing 
firms are discriminating 
against GM strikers seeking 
temporary part-time or full 
time jobs have reached the 
UAW-CIO International offi­
ces here, according to George 
Nader, Intl. Rep.

These same firms have hir­
ed other temporary people 
for the Christmas season but 
they rejected all CIO men 
from Olds and Fisher plants, 
the reports claimed.

He called it a cheap trick to 
help GM force lower living 
standards on the workers at 
the expense of the welfare of 
their families, the community 
and the nation.

Nader said the matter was 
being investigated and that 
labor would be informed who 
its friends were and who was 
against them in their fight to 
maintain wages.

Makes Toys

Henry Moss, member of 
Nash Local 13, has turned 
toy-maker.

Friends are keeping him 
busy making wooden toys, 
wheel-barrows, cradles, what­
nots, etc. He states he will be 
glad to serve any union mem­
ber and may be contacted at 
Route 1, East Lansing.

Buy Victory Bonds

Lansing Church Leaders Encourage Strikers

Rev. E. E. Hoats (at far left, partially hidden by 
sign), Rabbi Abba M. Fineberg (fourth from left) and 
Father W. J. Flanagan (sixth from left) visited pickets at 
all gates of the Oldsmobile and Fisher Body plants in the 
bitter cold Monday morning and learned first-hand how the 
men feel about strike issues.

These prominent Lansing church leaders of three dif­
ferent faiths are talking with pickets in front of the Fish­
er plant in the photo above, where a woman told them her 
take-home pay had been about $25. Among the pickets

there (and at nearly every gate) they met at least one or 
two men with six or seven children who had been taking 
home only thirty or forty dollars a week on which to sup­
port their families. After the visitors had asked many 
questions about strike issues and talked with many strik­
ers, picking them at random, they expressed sympathy for 
their fight and urged the men to stick together. In fore­
ground at right is “Rocky” Stone, Lansing Intl. Repre­
sentative who piloted the visitors to the various gates.
More Pictures of This Event on Page 4

WASHINGTON (LPA) — The drive to put over anti­
labor legislation in Congress has reached a new peak of 
virulence. Reactionaries are trying to out-do each other 
in the viciousness of the bills they are offering.

Foremost on the House calendar — and awaiting action 
at any moment — is the Smith-Connally “repealer” bill, 
with riders calculated to fulfill the wildest dreams of 
“union-busters.” That measure is the joint product of 
Reps. Howard W. Smith (D., Va.), Andrew J. May (D., Ky.) 
and Leslie C. Arends (R., Ill.).

Bad as that bill is, Smith didn’t even await House 
action before he introduced another one far more 
sweeping and containing enough shackles to paralyze 
operation of labor unions.

On top of that, Sen. Joseph II. Ball (R., Minn.) announc­
ed he would push for hearings on the notorious Ball-Bur­
ton-Hatch bill, which would cripple the Wagner Act, un­

Go Slowly, Congress Warned

Evidence that Congress is thinking twice before zooming through 
a flock of anti-labor legislation is appearing now. Early this week 
the House voted 200 to 182 to stalL a measure that would penalize 
violations of no-strike contracts, regardless of whether the strike was 
promoted by anti-labor employers who were violating everything in 
sight.

WASHINGTON (FP) — Pres. Eric Johnston of the U. S. Chamber 
of Commerce, testifying Dec. 10 before the House labor committee, 
advised Congress to go slowly in acting on labor legislation requested 
by Pres. Harry S. Truman.

Johnston told the committee it would not be proper to hurry the 
Norton bill through to passage before Christmas as requested by 
Truman.

dermine the Norris-LaGuardia anti-injunction bill and 
impose compulsory arbitration.

Also, Congressman Sam Hobbs (D., Ala.) is trying to 
get immediate action on a bill which, in the guise of amend­
ing the Federal anti-racketeering act, would out-law some 
legitimate labor activities on pain of penalties running up 
to 20 years in jail and $10,000 fine.

In addition, Sen. E. H. Moore (R., Okla.) has dropped 
into the hopper a collection of bills, placing all sorts of 
restrictions on labor in the name of “equalizing rights of 
labor and management.” His bills embody the program 
which the Nat’l Ass’n of Manufacturers has been pushing 
for some time.

Finally, the Administration is pushing the measure ad­
vocated by President Truman for creation of fact-finding 
boards in major disputes, plus a compulsory “cooling-off” 
period of at least 30 days. Administration men are trying 
to speed up that proposition ahead of other anti-labor 
measures but the Smith-May-Arends bill appeared to have 
the inside track.

That bill would, on the other hand, practically outlaw 
all union activities in the political field, and on the other 
impose crushing penalties on unions when workers strike 
in alleged violation of no-strike provisions of contracts.

Leaders of organized labor received their first chance to 
air their views publicly on the Smith-May-Arends and on 
the Hobbs bills, at an unusual informal hearing arranged 
by a flock of friendly Congressmen, under the leadership 
of Adolph Sabath (D., Ill.), dean of the House. Over 100 
solons attended.

Sabath and his associates called the hearing because 
the House Military Affairs and Judiciary commit­
tees had rushed the bills through without giving any­
one — pro or anti — a chance to be heard.

Speakers who denounced the measures were President 
William Green of the AFL; President R. J. Thomas of

Hoffman Rides Again

WASHINGTON (FP) — Encouraged by expressions of Pres. Harry 
S. Truman and others, Rep. Clare Hoffman (R., Mich.) introduced 
four anti-labor bills in the House Dec. 10.

The first Hoffman bill would bar unions from the benefits of 
collective bargaining for from 6 months to a year for “unfair 
labor practices” while the second would maintain the open shop 
by prohibiting interference with the right of any employe to con­
tinue in his employment “or to join or refuse to join any labor 
organization.”

Hoffman’s third bill would permit employers to use the right 
“of freedom of speech and press,” without being charged with 
unfair labor practices; to furnish meeting places for company 
unions, and to talk individually with workers about “problems 
of common interest.” As a clincher, Hoffman offered a bill to 
amend the interstate commerce act to provide for the conviction 
of union officers and agents far removed from the scene of an 
alleged violation of the act, under a charge of conspiracy.

the United Auto Workers for the CIO; Executive Sec’y A. 
E. Lyon of the Railway Labor Executives’ Ass’n for 19 
Railroad Brotherhoods; Martin Miller, legislative repre­
sentative of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and 
John J. O’Leary, vice president of the United Mine Work­
ers,

BEHIND THE HEADLINES
With IRVING RICHTER
Intl. Legislative Representative, UAW-CIO

PLAIN TALK
From Our Readers
Expressions herein will not always 
reflect the policies or views of this 
paper or any UAW-CIO local. Mail 
articles to P. O. Box 657.

bying campaign for it. 
Meanwhile, they arranged to 
have Senator Vandenberg of 
Michigan propose a labor- 
management conference.

Truman immediately ac­
cepted Vandenberg’s propos­
al for the conference. So did 
the NAM. How is it that the 
NAM, which had rejected 
the charter, grabbed the in­
vitation to the conference?

The reason for the change 
of heart by the NAM was 
shown during the course of 
the Conference.

NAM delegates refused 
every proposal to discuss 
the real cause of industrial 
unrest, namely, wages. In 
other words, they wanted 
the Conference to fail. And 
yet Mr. Truman used this 
failure as justification for 
his cooling-off proposal.

SIGN YOUR NAME

This column is for the ex­
press purpose of publishing 
worthwhile comment, suggest 
tions, and opinions of our 
readers. The board of direc­
tors of this publication may 
not sympathize with every 
viewpoint received but it will 
respect any person’s right to 
be heard on any subject if he 
has anything of any import­
ance at all to contribute to 
our readers.

There are two rules that 

must be observed:

1—This paper cannot be 
used for personal attacks 
or to promote union poli­
tics.

2—The writer must 
make himself known to the 
editor by signing his arti­
cle. His name will not be 
published if requested.

Remember that Sen. Van­
denberg, who proposed the 
Labor - Management Confer­
ence, had, ever since 1937, ad­
vocated a weakening of the 
Wagner Act along the lines 
See BEHIND HEADLINES, Page 3

The above statement of 
policy about contributed ar­
ticles will be repeated from 
time to time. This week an­
other article was received 
without the author’s name on 
it. Not knowing who wrote 
it, the editor is not permitted

Babies’ Chances
WASHINGTON (LPA) — A cut 
in infant mortality rates from 64 
to 24 deaths per 10,000 live births, 
a decline of 61 percent, is reported 
over the past decade by the Chil­
dren’s Bureau of the Dep’t of Lab- 
or. The great gains in infant and 
maternal safety were attributed by 
the Bureau to the improved care 
given to mothers who can afford 
hospitalization, improvement in 
economic status of many families 
since the worst depression years, 
and extension of maternal and 
child health services under the So­
cial Security Act.

Bilbo Race
WASHINGTON (LPA) — Com- 
petition for Sen. Theodore (The 
Man) Bilbo in the next Senatorial 
primary may arise when Lt. 
Comdr. Nelson T. Levings of Gulf­
port, Miss. retires from the Navy. 
The veteran, who was acclaimed 
for his “tremendous state loyalty” 
in getting Admiral Halsey’s per­
mission to fly the Mississippi state 
flag under the Stars and Stripes 
when his ship, the “Mighty Missy” 
moved into Tokyo Bay, has recent­
ly been discussing the 1945 state 
campaign with Mississippians in 
Washington.

Mortgage Burned
MINNEAPOLIS (LPA) — The 
Floyd B. Olson Memorial Labor 
Temple here held burning-of-the- 
mortgage ceremonies last week. 
Thousands of AFL men and wom­
en celebrated the occasion with a 
grand ball.

to publish it.

Be sure to sign your let­

ters to the paper.

—Editor.

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.

GM Strikers Gaining Support

Outspoken sympathy for the cause of the General Motors 
strikers continues to increase among non-union citizens, 
groups and publications except newspapers that carried 
large GM advertisements.

Following are some excerpts from various national and 

Michigan Catholic publications.

WHO IS STRIKING?

We are more and more inclined to wonder who is on 
strike, General Motors or its employes. Technically, of 
course, the employees are on strike, i.e., they walked off 
the job and set up a picket line; but in reality this ac­
tion may be considered as a counter-measure to the 
Corporation’s refusal to meet the union halfway. We 
cannot see that GM has made anything like a serious 
effort, such as the collective bargaining process im­
plies, to answer the union’s arguments for a thirty­
per-cent increase in wages with no hike in prices. — 
AMERCIA, Dec. 8, p. 254.

EFFECT ON SOCIETY IGNORED
 General Motors wants its profits, but perhaps more than 
anything else it is determined to conduct its vast operations 
protected from the public eye. . . . The men of the old school 
who have worked their way to the top of many of our large 
corporations still have a tendency to think of labor as an 
item in the accountant’s ledger . . . They think of a business 
as their own private business regardless of how many hu­
man destinies it affects. — THE COMMONWEAL, Dec. 7, 
p. 182.

GM OFFICIALS NOT KINGS

The whole attitude of industrial management reeks of 
threadbare and regal arrogance, as out of place in the mod­
ern world as the divine right of kings. It smells of moth- 
eaten ermine and musty prerogatives. This judgement is 
supported even by the choice of words used in corporation 
press handouts. A recent GM statement, for instance, said:

“Abdication of management ... is in essence what 

the union demands.”
In using the word ‘abdication” the Corporation dug down 
into its subconscious mind and came up with its real feel­
ing. “Abdication” is a word which means, in common us­
age, the resignation of a king. Webster’s dictionary says the 
word “applies particularly to the relinquishment of au­
thority which is inherent or sovereign; as to ‘abdicate the 
crown’ ”.

The managers of industry think they are sovereign pow­
ers : that is the real trouble! . . . They have flouted the sov­
ereignty of the American People. They have precipitated 
costly strikes which have a ruinous effect upon the pros­
perity of the nation. — THE WAGE EARNER, Dec. 7, p.8.

THE BOOKS MUST BE OPENED

What General Motors is most against is opening it 
books. It will not let unions know whether the com­
pany Can pay ... You cannot keep from coming to the 
conclusion that General Motors should open its books. 
The stakes are too big to allow secrecy. — THE MICH­
IGAN CATHOLIC, Dec. 6, p. 10.

Hot Air

Rep. Hoffman of Michigan says he has no worries about 
the high cost of living; if something costs more, he just 
doesn’t buy it. Not everyone can exist on hot air, however.

MEETING OF OPPOSITES

Sec. of Commerce Henry Wallace and retiring NAM Pres. Ira 
Mosher don’t see exactly eye to eye even though they’re photographed 
together at Natl. Assn. of Manufacturers “golden wedding” convention 
in New York. Wallace’s warning to convention that selfish conduct by 
any group would bring depression was answered when Mosher, in 
typical NAM style, called for restrictive labor legislation and special 
benefits to industry. (FP photo).

When Harry S. Truman 
left Independence, Mo., to 
come to the Senate, he came 
as near as any politician 
can, to following an indepen­
dent and honest position. He 
showed no special favors to 
labor, but neither did he lean 
towards industry. As Chair­
man of the Defense Investi­
gating Committee he show­
ed courage and real patriot­
ism by exposing the selfish, 
profiteering activities of 
some American industrial­
ists.

In his seven months in the 
White House, Pres. Truman 
continued, up to recently, a 
middle-of-the-road course. 
He came out for legislation 
to meet the needs of the peo­
ple. He told at least one visi­
tor from Michigan that he 
would not let big business 
succeed in their plans to des­
troy organized labor. In for­
eign policy, he seemed to fol­
low the independent, but co­
operative policy of his prede­
cessor.

BUT HARRY TRUMAN 
DIDN’T KEEP HIS INDE­
PENDENCE.

It’s true he continued to 
talk as an independent. He 
asked for a Full Employ­
ment Bill, but privately the 
word went out that any bill 
would do—and the House 
Committee produced what 
Rep. George Bender called 
“an abortion and a fraud.” 
He asked for unemployment 
compensation, but let the bill 
be smothered.

He talked cooperation 
with Soviet Russia, but 
pulled the props from un­
der Cabinet officers and 
diplomats who wanted real 
friendship with Russia.

The Democrats who hated 
Roosevelt came to like “Har­
ry.” Senators George of Ge­
orgia and Tydings of Mary­
land, two men whom FDR 
tried to purge—and both of 
whom are outspoken oppon­
ents of all labor organization 
—gave Truman their bless­
ing.

Following the anti-labor 
message of last week, the 
stock market went up one to 
five points, and Truman’s 
stock went way up among 
anti - Roosevelt Democrats 
and Republicans. Rankin and 
Hoffman both approved.

But the greatest joy 
was felt in Washington 
and New York offices of 
the National Association 
of Manufacturers. Once 
again a President of the 
United States was on the 
side of big business.

The President of the Na­
tional Association of Manu­
facturers, Ira Mosher, said 
the NAM “applauds the 
President’s recognition of the 
responsibility of the Con­
gress for . . . changes in the 
law.” Mosher had good rea­
son to applaud. The Presi­
dent had fallen for the trap 
laid by the NAM.

Let’s go back to March, 
1945. At that time Mosher 
rejected the Labor-Manage­
ment Charter signed by the 
CIO, the AFL, and the Cham­
ber of Commerce. “This is a 
job for the Congress,” Mosh­
er said.

The NAM then proceeded 
to do the job in Congress. 
Under the leadership of the 
auto manufacturers, indus­
try lobbyists pounded away 
at the NLRB appropriations 
and came close to attaching 
a series of “riders” to the 
Wagner Act. They wrote the 
Ball-Burton-Hatch Bill and 
conducted a nation-wide lob-

Welcome CARE
NEW YORK (LPA) — The Co- 
operative for American Remit­
tances to Europe (CARE) will rush 
food packages to individuals and

organizations in devastated areas 
through the joint action of 22 U. S. 
relief agencies, among them AFL’s 
Labor League for Human Rights 
and CIO s Community Services 
Committee.

Long Road Back
NEW YORK (LPA) — Youthful 
vets, seeking civilian employment 
at wage scales comparable to their 
wartime earnings, are learning the 
irony of it all. Some young pilots, 
for instance, Army-trained and 
promoted until they had reached 
the 400 a mont hpay level, are 
offered jobs at $20 to $27 a week, 
partly because they lack pre-war 
experience partly because the field 
they have been trained for has no 
openings.

Ads for Vets
KENOSHA, Wis. (LPA) — First 
labor publication to use precious 
page space in free want-ads for 
job-seeking vets is Kenosha, Labor, 
jointly published by AFL and CIO 
unions here. Announcement was 
made last week by Harold Newton, 
publisher, of the paper’s action. 
“In appreciation of the splendid 
contributions made this country by 
the war veterans.”

Nothing in the message 
suggests that both the steel 
and auto industries have re­
fused arbitration and concil­
iation. The Railway Labor 
Act, which was the Presi­
dent’s model, is opposed by 
railway labor. It brought 
wage levels down as compar­
ed to other industries. But 
this Act is in an industry 
which long ago accepted col­
lective bargaining. Auto 
steel, and other manufactur­
ing industries have not ac­
cepted collective bargaining.

The President’s proposal 
has encouraged them to pro­
ceed with their union-busting 
plans.

Building Wages
WASHINGTON (LPA) — Wage 
ceilings will continue in the con­
struction industry even after Dec. 
31, by mutual agreement of build­
ing trades unions and employers 
who fear the dangers of inflation. 
Previous WLB controls will remain 
in effect under the administration 
of the Wage Adjustment Board de­
spite the death of its parent body, 
the WLB.

Congressman Pickets; Won't Smoke Luckies

Behind The Headlines

(Continued from Page 2)

proposed by the NAM. Van­
denberg is close to GM and 
the auto manufacturers.

ON THE FLOOR OF THE 
SENATE HE PRAISED 
GERALD L. K. SMITH, 
WHOM GENERAL MOT­
ORS HAD BROUGHT TO 
DETROIT TO BUST THE 
UAW-CIO.

It was Vandenberg who 
brought the NAM foreign 
policy and the Truman for­
eign policy together. And it 
was Vandenberg, too, who 
called the turn on the Admin­
istration’s policy toward la­
bor when he suggested the 
Labor-Management Confer­
ence. This harmony, on the 
NAM’s terms, was a prelim­
inary to the reactionary 
steps taken in redent months 
all over the world by the 
United States — a policy of 
supporting monarchists and 
fascists as against genuine 
democratic governments. 
And now the “harmony” is 
producing on the home front, 
also, the results which big 
business wanted.

The President’s proposal 
is being pushed through. 
This legislation is not just 
talk. The President of the 
United States has put his 
power and influence behind 
the same project which the 
NAM failed to put across in 
Congress last spring and 
summer.

The thirty-day cooling- 
off period sounds very rea­
sonable. But even Mosher of 
the NAM admitted it's a 
strait-jacket. “But for only 
thirty days,” Mosher said.

The one-sided character 
of the proposal can be 
judged by the fact that the 
government has absolutely 
no legal power to compel 
General Motors or any oth­
er corporation to produce 
its books. Labor is given no 
voice in the selection of the 
fact-finding body. The 
corporations remain on a 
sit-down strike. Yet it is 
labor which is told to go 
back to work.

Congressman William T. Granahan of Philadelphia demonstrates 
his support for American Tobacco Co. strikers by Walking on their 
picket line in front of the company plant. The striking members of 
Feed, Tobacco & Agricultural Workers (CIO) ask all unionists to boy­
cott Lucky Strikes, Pall Malls and other American Tobacco products 
until their strike is won. Left to right: Chairman Peg Kendig of 
strike committee, Granahan and FTA International Organizer Emil 
Dean. —(FP Photo.)

Veterans Say 

General Motors 

Caused Strike
World War II veterans 
from GM plants in Flint re­
cently packed the Fisher Lo­
cal hall there in a special 
meeting to discuss the strike 
which put them out of work. 
Jack Holt, regional UAW- 
CIO director, said they 
adopted a report which in­
cluded the following:

"We veterans who 
fought are for the most 
part simply workers who 
in the past have worn a un­
iform. Our interests are 
the same as those of any 
other worker.

"We want decent wages, 
security for our families 
and fair working condi­
tions.

"Knowing we had no re­
sponsibility in causing the 
General Motors corpora­
tion to cease negotiating 
with the UAW or in the re­
fusal of General Motors to 
meet with Secretary of La­
bor Schwellenbach, we be­
lieve we are unemployed 
because of General Motors' 
refusal to engage in real 
collective bargaining and 
therefore are eligible for 
unemployment insurance 
either from the State or by 
the GI Bill of Rights pro­
visions.

"We are opposed to the 
corporation's position be­
cause then propose a long­
er work week of 45 hours 
that can only result in 
more unemployment for 
our buddies who are still 
in service.

"The corporation's re­
fusal to arbitrate the dis­
pute certainly indicates 
that they cannot justify 
their position on the basis 
of fact."

Citrus Prices

Increase With

Controls Off

WASHINGTON (LPA) — 
In its haste to throw price 
control overboard, OPA re­
cently removed price ceilings 
on citrus fruits. The action 
was taken on Nov. 19, just 
in time to affect the holiday 
market.

Prices immediately zoom­
ed into the stratosphere, and 
complaints began to pour in­
to OPA offices all over the 
country. Some areas report­
ed that orange prices doubl­
ed within a few days after 
the removal of the ceilings.

In spite of pressure from 
labor and consumer groups, 
OPA decided to be more cau­
tious about putting ceilings 
back on than it had been 
about taking them off. How­
ever, after watching the sit­
uation for some period of 
time, OPA decided that ceil­
ings had to go back on.

At this stage of the opera­
tion, OPA ran into a coali­
tion which has checked it be­
fore— the Dep’t of Agricul­
ture plus the big farm in­
terests. The results is a de­
cision by the Office of Stabi­
lization Administration to 
watch citrus prices for one 
more week—by which time it 
will be too late to do any­
thing, and the clean-up will 
be complete.

Buy Victory Bonds

Housing Board
PASSAIC, N. J. (LPA)— A five- 
man Passaic Housing Authority 
has been created here, as a result 
of the campaign undertaken by the 
Textile Workers Union of Ameri- 
ca-CIO to get action on a slum 
clearance, low cost housing pro­
gram. AFL and CIO members have 
been appointed to work with a 
Jewish Rabbi and two liberal busi­
ness men to correct the local hous­
ing situation.

THOMAS
(Continued from Page 1)

terest which it has shown 
throughout the controversy, 
the corporation now seeks to 
broaden the area of differ­
ences and make settlement 
more difficult.

“In the meantime the cor­
poration will have to answer, 
not only to their employees 
but to the general public as 
well, if their ill-considered ac­
tion results in a lengthening 
of the strike.”

Committee of Citizens 
Endorses Wage Fight

Churchmen Visit All Gates, 
Lunch At Olds Local Hall

(Continued from Page 1)
while keeping present prices, and still earn high profits. In- 
creased volume of output, tax reductions, new equipment and 
higher labor productivity were analyzed in detail. Union esti­
mates suggested that price REDUCTIONS might even be 
possible if volume is as high as recently predicted by the 
President of General Mators.

Fair Profits Guaranteed

The Union constantly reiterated its willingness to recon­
sider its 30 percent proposal if the “arithmetic” of the Cor­
poration’s financial condition showed such a wage boost would 
necessitate price relief or undue profit cuts. It refused to 
eliminate from the negotiations the consideration of the ef­
fects of its wage demands on prices and profits and requested 
Corporation data to show what these effects would be. It 
elaborated an argument for stable prices and rising purchas­
ing power as necessary to the health of the highly productive 
American economy. 

In the final stages, the Union offered to refer the issues 
to arbitration for a binding decision, after rejecting the Cor­
poration’s counter proposals (noted hereafter) on the ground:
1—That the first proposal (that the work week be in­
creased from 40 to 45 hours) would contravene federal legal 
standards for hours of work and would increase unemploy­
ment, and

2—That the second (an offer of a wage increase of 10 
percent) was predicated on the Corporation’s plan to seek 
higher prices to meet the added wage cost. It asked for the 
Corporation’s answer within 24 hours to the proposal of the 
arbitration principle.

For the Corporation:

The Corporation rejected the proposal of the Union for a 
30 percent increase in wages, stating that this would bring a 
general increase that would necessitate a 30 percent rise in 
prices and lead to inflation. It derided the Union’s computa­
tion of Corporation profits, expected costs, volume of produc­
tion and labor productivity. It emphasized the value of low 
prices and the key role of high production levels in achieving 
them and argued that the possibility of high levels of profit 
is an essential element in the American economic system.
The Corporation submitted general figures to contradict 
the Union’s estimates, but declined to furnish the detailed 
components on which these general figures were based on 
the ground that this was not a proper subject of inquiry for 
the Union.

Won’t Talk About Profits

The Corporation’s representatives constantly urged the 
Union to eliminate questions of prices and profits and confine 
the collective bargaining to the wage issue. It denied that the 
effects of wage increases on profitability was a proper sub­
ject for negotiations with the Union and refused to make any 
wage increase offer tied to an agreement not to raise prices. 
Prices, like profits, it urged, are the Corporation’s, not the 
Union’s business. It characterized the Union’s effort to bar­
gain on these matters as unwarranted invasions of manage­
ment’s province. It also introduced material which suggested 
that unionism in America should be reduced in the scope of 
its bargaining power.

The Corporation also offered counter-proposals of (1) 
Six percent wage increases along with a change in the wage 
and hours law to make 45 hours the standard work week in 
place of the present 40 hour provision; (2) wage increases 
sufficient to make up for the cost of living increases since 
1941 of about 10 percent.

Both proposals were to be free of any stipulation as to 
prices.

The Corporation rejected the Union’s proposal for ar­
bitration on the ground that the terms of the proposal would 
represent an “abdication” by management.

No. 1

After reading the transcript of the negotiations between 
General Motors and the UAW-CIO, we believe it would be a 
contribution to public understanding of the dispute if the 
transcript were published.

No. 2

The Committee was impressed by the serious and 
statesmanlike approach of the representatives of the 
Union as shown in the transcript of the negotiations.

If President Truman and his advisors had had access to 
this record, we believe they would have been in a position to 
insist more firmly on the full use of the collective bargaining 
process before suggesting intervention of the government. 
We believe that the full possibilities of collective bargaining 
have not yet been exhausted, and that it is not too late to re­
new the efforts toward a voluntary settlement. We urge that 
the two parties immediately resume negotiations.

No. 3

The Union’s request to participate in a determina­
tion of the wage issue on the basis of full knowledge 
of the basic wage-price-profit relations is not a “taking 
over” of management.

This request is based on a principle widely approved by 
responsible leaders of business, labor and government. Al­
though the setting of actual prices remains a managerial 
function, at a time when there is a threat of inflation, the 
level of prices becomes a matter of legitimate public concern.

No. 4

If collective bargaining fails to result in a settlement, we 
recommend that any fact-finding commission appointed by 
the President be authorized and directed to determine what 
increase in wages can be given on the basis of the Corpora­
tion’s ability to pay without increase in prices. The Corpora­
tion’s ability to meet a wage increase is a sound factor in the 
determination of wages, both in good times and bad.

No. 5

From the record it is clear that the Union in its re­
fusal to accept a wage increase that involves price in­
crease has lifted the whole matter of collective bar­
gaining to a new high level by insisting that the ad­
vancement of Labor’s interest shall not be made at the 
expense of the public.

Because of confusion in the public mind, the Com­
mittee wishes to emphasize that the record of the pro­

The clergy are shown here at the Logan street gate of Oldsmobile, 
where another man with seven children told them of difficulties in 
supporting his family on the slashed take-home pay. In center fore­
ground is R. E. Richardson, wearing sweater and “Strike Committee” 
armband, president of Lansing’s largest union group, Olds Local 652.

After the chilly trip, hot soup and sandwiches were served the 
group in the Olds Local hall at 1118 S. Washington, where they saw 
pickets fed and entertained with a small orchestra. On far side of 
table are Rabbi Fineberg, Father Flanagan and Reverend Hoats, flank­
ed by Olds Local President Richardson at far end and Archie Perry, 
chairman of compensation committee, Fisher Local 602, at near end. 
On near side of table are Senator Pritchard, chairman of Fisher strike 
committee, and Russell White, chairman of Olds strike committee.

ceedings clearly shows that the Union’s proposition 
was not “30% or else.”

The Union has shown a sense of social responsibility that 
indicates its growing maturity and is certainly to be com­
mended. The public has a vital interest in holding the line 
of present prices againts inflation.

No. 6

The transcript repeatedly shows that the Union’s 30 per­
cent demand was subject to reconsideration if and when man­
agement proved the 30 percent wage increase was impossible 
without a raise in prices.

No. 7

Considerable data from the General Motors Corporation 
and U. S. Government reports were submitted by the Union 
in support of its contention that the Corporation can afford 
a substantial wage increase without raising prices. Outside 
of a flat denial supported by figures based upon sources not 
open to the Union, to this Committee or to the public, 

no convincing evidence has been submitted by the Corpor­
ation to show that the Union’s wage proposal cannot be 
met.

No. 8

While future profits cannot be computed with absolute 
certainty, it is common practice to base the prospects of 
them upon experience and estimated volume and costs. The 
Union is asking that wages be projected in such a forecast 
as other cost factors and profits are projected. It is the 
concensus of the Committee that the Union is making a legi­
timate claim in asking that wages be negotiated in terms of 
future expectations.

No. 9

With regard to the Union’s 24 hour ultimatum on the 
acceptance of arbitration, the public should be remind­
ed that the ultimatum was on the question of the will­
ingness of the corporation to arbitrate and not on the 
basic wage demands, which would have required long­
er consideration.

No. 10

The Committee reviewed carefully the Union’s support­
ing argument for the maintenance of take-home pay. It 
was based on the thesis that purchasing power must be com­
mensurate with production. The Committee agrees with 
this principle of wages since without adequate purchasing 
power to buy the products of industry there can be neither 
full employment nor general prosperity.

BUY VICTORY BONDS