Owned and Published by and for Lansing Labor Phone 4-9612 OFFICE: 109 E. South St. VOL. 1, NO. 9 Lansing Labor News Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. 15,000 Paid Subscriptions For City War Workers 5₵ PER COPY $1.50 Per Year by Mail LANSING, MICHIGAN — MAY 10, 1945 ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY CIO COUNCIL TO BENEFIT LABOR AND CITY New Officers of Lansing CIO Council President Vice-President Financial Secretary Recording Secretary CLYDE PERKINS United Dairy Workers Local 93 STANLEY CLEEVES Reo Local 650 WALTER (Nick) CARTER Olds Local 652 ELIZABETH BLAIR Nash Local 13 Others elected to offices at the meeting of the Lansing CIO Council last Wednesday, besides those shown above, were How­ ard Ranney of Novo Local 872, Sergeant-at-Arms; and the fol­ lowing trustees: William Rioux, Amalg. Local 724; Maurice MacNaughton, Fisher Local 602; and Dean Reed, SCMWA Local 276. BOB FELLER AND HIS BLUEJACKETS Great Lakes Baseball Team Coming June 5 Reo President Lauds The Health Institute New Olds Local Office Hours New office hours for Olds financial secretary, Bruce Trenouth, and the dues-pay- ing window were approved at the membership meeting last Friday. Henceforth the hours will be 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., except Saturdays, when the office will close at noon. The office will be open evenings the first Friday of the month during the regular business meeting and on the third Friday, when stewards and committeemen meet. State Employee Locals Taking The Labor News Two more labor groups have voted to take the Lansing Labor News. Both are state employee locals. State, County and Municipal Workers of America Local 276 wrote the paper advising of their participation in the pub­ lishing plan and enclosing their per capita share for the next three months. Named to serve on the paper’s board were their president, H. Dean Reed, and James W. Roberts. Louis Newmark, president of SCMWA Local 406, announced his unit’s approval of and par­ ticipation in the plan and said Mrs. Marion Ketchum would be a delegates to the board. By RAYMOND W. REED Pres. Reo Local 650 It gives me great pleasure to nform the members of Local 550 that at our regular business meeting held April 27, through a recommendation from the Ex­ ecutive Board, it was voted by the membership present to af­ filiate with the Health Institute of the UAW-CIO. Visits Clinic On April 11, I had the privil­ ege of visiting the Health Insti­ tute in Detroit with officers from other local unions in Lan­ sing. We were shown through the Institute and had the pleas­ ure of meeting several mem­ bers of the staff. After thoroughly investigat­ ing the benefits that members would receive, and the services of the Health Institute that were available to members of our respective Local Unions through affiliation, there was no doubt in any of our minds that every Local Union should affiliate and give its members the opportunity to realize the benefits the Health Institute offers. Complete Exams Through individual examina­ tion the Institute can determine if your present job is undermin­ ing your health and if you are physically fit to do the job that is requested of you. You will receive, complete physical examinations, labora­ tory and X-ray services and consultation with specialists when necessary. Also lung X- ray, blood tests, urine-analysis, electr-cordegraph (heart) stud­ ies, basal metabolism tests, a complete study of your case history, and such other proced- See HEALTH, Page 4 Found: City's Youngest War Father—Maybe Friends of A. R. Dobson of the Olds shell plant in Bldg. 75 claim he is the city’s youngest war worker with a boy in the service. He is 36. Can anyone beat it? Small Local Gets Big Results In Recent Drive for Clothing Largest per capita contribution to the cloth­ ing drive of any union local in the city is the claim made by the Arctic Dairy unit of Amal­ gamated Local 93, which, though numbering only about 60 members, collected the above large load with every member bringing in at least one time for a 100 percent contribution record. But the members refuse sole credit and point to the fact as an excellent example of what workers and management can accomplish when they work together, for here they all pitched right in and worked together on teams —and we mean worked. Shown above are Paul Kittle, maintenance engineer and team captain; L. D. Smith, former committeeman, also team capt.; Elmo Sher­ man, chief steward; Harold Valleau, commit- teeman and team capt.; Ed Odusky, branch manager; and Robert Fauson, sales manager. Another team captain was Bill Fudge, of the sales division, not n picture. Will Play-Club From Nash Local The Nash Local 13 Recrea­ tion Committee announced to­ day that once agan Lansing baseball fans are to have the pleasure of seeing the Blue­ jacket Nine from Great Lakes. Bob Feller, famous Iowa farm boy who overnight became an American League star pitcher with the Cleveland Indians, gave up professional baseball and a brilliant pitching career, to enlist n the Navy will ap­ pear here. The former Ceveland mound star was on active sea duty in the Pacific for a long time. This spring he was reassigned to Great Lakes and was made man­ ager of the Bluejackets. He is to bring his team of former professional baseball stars to Lansing on Tuesday, June 5. The game is to be a twilight affair, and arrange­ ments have been completed to play at Michigan State College. Leading payers of the City League are being asked to com­ pete in the contest. Further in­ formation concerning details of the game will be announced at a future date. Apple Days Here Again For Soldiers COLUMBUS, O. (FP)—Vet­ erans of World War II will be permitted to peddle apples and other goods in Ohio without paying the regular peddler’s li­ cense fee under a bill passed by the house. The vote was 110 to 0. 10 Births Announced Announcement of ten births in the family of Mrs. Dolly Wil­ son created no little excitement at the Olds Auxiliary meeting last Thursday. And we don’t mean dogs or cats or some other animals. The little ones were born to one of her fish. Saved Their Sanity Labor Editor, Captured By Germans, Organized Activities in Prison By HERBERT A. KLEIN By Wireless to Federated Press WITH THE 7th ARMY AT BAD ORB, GERMAN (FP) — The story of how thousands of American prisoners of war, liv­ ing amid indescribable conditons of filth and starvation, were saved from plunging into complete mental apathy by the ef­ forts of one of the prisoners—Pfc. John H. Dunn, Jr., news edi­ tor of Federated Press on leave—was revealed with the liberation of Stalag 9-B, Nazi prison camp near here. War correspondents who arrived at the camp the day of its liberation by onrushing American forces were told by his fel­ low prisoners that Dunn, older than most of them, was chiefly responsible for keeping up their morale and helping them through the horrible four months of their imprisonment. Ersatz Bread, Vile Coffee Dunn, who has been in the infantry for two years, was one of several thousand American soldiers captured by the Nazis in the Ardennes offensive in Decembr on th Belgian and Lux­ embourg fronts. The Bad Orb prison camp, a 400 foot square barbed wire en­ closure, housed 6,500 Allied soldiers, including 3,200 Amer­ icans. They were billetted in 18 flimsy, rotting wooden build­ ings, one of which was occupied by 160 men. The daily diet was. less than 260 calories—below the starvation level. It consisted of watery soup, ersatz bread, indigestible cheese and a vile coffee substitute all served in microscopic portions. Brought to the camp after a gruelling 2-week journey in a box car jammed with Yank prisoners, Dunn looked over his surroundings and announc­ ed: “I'm not going to just rot here.” A former American Newspaper Guild (CIO) organ­ izer, Dunn set about organizing recreational and educational activities for his colleagues. PFC. JOHN H. DUNN, JR. First he started a weekly forum in which he delivered from memory 31 lectures on American history, attended by 50 to 100 POWs in an ice-cold hall. In order to heat the place endurably, POWs from each barrack contributed two sticks of firewood from their scanty stores. See CAPTURED WRITER, Page 4 Perkins Asks That 4 Rules Be Followed The newly elected president of the Lansing CIO Council, which represents 30,000 workers here, emphasizes some important prin­ ciples in the following article. By CLYDE PERKINS Pres. Lansing CIO Council The Council is a representa­ tive body of the CIO members in and around Lansing. There is no doubt in my mind that much good or much evil can emanate from such an organi­ zation. Which it shall be will de­ pend a great deal upon wheth­ er individuals, groups and the Council body as a whole will be able to eliminate all else except the one very pertinent fact, namely; that the good of the people, our people in the CIO and those with whom we are a part in the community, be for­ ever considered in every action we take as a truly representa­ tive body. Surely prejudices, hates, de­ sires and so on, have no place in our collective bargaining. They must in turn have no place in our duty as representatives of those people who trust us and look to us for a larg meas­ ure of leadership. It is my request that all re- sponsible leaders in the CIO ac­ cept and follow these prin­ ciples : 1—To work always for the in­ terests of the members of the CIO. 2—To consider all action tak­ en in the light of “good or bad” for the community. 3—To give freely of their time and strength to the devel­ opment of a real Council. 4—To grant fairly advice, criticism and impartial judg­ ment. The coming year will be a hard one for us all. Let’s do a sincere job. Now is the time for our leaders to rise above self-interest and carry out their obligations to others as we have many times accused others of not doing. The good that can be done for our people far supercedes the good that any individual may do for himself. I pray that our leaders shall retain their sense of justice, truth and fairness in all of their actions whether in their Locals, as delegates or of­ ficers of the Council and a citi­ zen of a large and certainly outstanding community. Novo Police Raises Are Agreed Upon Union and management have gotten together on a wage in­ crease that will give Novo plant protection employees a 20 cent raise retroactive to January 1. Other benefits include fur­ nishing of uniforms. The agree­ ment was signed Monday and forwarded to the WLB for ap­ proval, said George Nadar, Int’l Representative. Detroit Population DETROIT (FP) — The pop- uation of Detroit July 1, 1944 was estimated as 1,700,000, ac­ cording to local experts cited by the Detroit bureau of govern­ mental research. The 1940 cen­ sus enumerated 1,632,452. LANSING LABOR NEWS, INC. MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. OFFICE: 109 E. South St. — Phone 4-9612 A non-profit newspaper dedicated to the interests of the community and to the interests of labor here and everywhere. Published every Thurs­ day at the Lansing CIO Council headquarters by the following incorporated body, representing locals 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 Jake­ way (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), Dale Gates, Clyde Perkins (Dairy 93), James W. Roberts, Dean Reed (SCMWA 276). ASSOCIATE MEMBERS—Mrs. Robert Atkinson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. Harold Wilson (Olds Aux.). Mrs. William McCurdy (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. J. B. Eno (Fisher Aux.). EDITOR — V. E. VANDENBURG SUBSCRIPTIONS — Included in the dues of participating locals. Individ­ ual subscriptions, $1.50 peryear by mail. CONTRIBUTIONS—Should be typed double-spaced on one side of paper and with author's name, phone and address. Name will not be used if requested. Privilege of rewriting to fit news style of paper is reserved, but facts will not be changed. Interesting news about people in shop or in service or their relative is solicited. Notes on news not written up but containing complete names and all th facts are acceptable, too. Mail all contributions to Lansing Labor News, P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. Our V-E Day Sticker Campaign The Lansing CIO had planned no plant shutdowns to cele­ brate V-E Day, the Lansing Labor News was told last week. The paper carried a story, however, about a downtown pro­ gram for the big day and a headline about the celebration. After the paper had gone to press, it suddenly looked as though the official announcement was practically at hand. Therefore, in order to prevent the least bit of misunderstand­ ing about the story and headline and to do everything within our power to prevent work stoppages, we ordered the printing of thousands of brightly colored notices to be furnished with the paper. The notices, emphasizing that the CIO did not sanction V-E Day work stoppages, were signed by an Intl. Representative and presidents of locals. Your paper will continue to do everything in its power to keep facts clear and to prevent possibilities of misunderstanding. We want this paper to be as effective as possible in your inter- ets always, and that is one of the ways of making it so. Those Italian partisans who tried and executed Mussolini in­ side 24 hours should be ashamed of themselves. The Allied War Crime Commission could have given work to 100 investigators, jailers, witnesses, judges and advocates trying Muss to see if he was guilty of anything. Now Wallace will have to create 60,000,- 100 jobs after the war. We understand the auto industry has a new postwar plan that will beat the labor-industry charter all hollow. The propos­ al will be to cut wages so products will cost less so more people can afford to buy them. A subcommittee is working on the prob­ lem of what people will use to buy the things with. Newspaper accounts of the San Francisco conference make it sound as if the papers arid wire services had sent only their fight reporters to cover the meeting. And some of the stories are as phony as a radio account of a match between two wrestlers. Davis Says 30 Percent More Pay Needed—Later! WASHINGTON (FP)—Eco- nomic Stabilizer William H. ward wage increases while hold­ Davis believes that after recon­ version to peacetime economy, U. S. workers must have a 30 to 40 per cent increase in real income “or else we are sunk”. ing prices.” Touching on the postwar sit­ uation of the labor movement, he said he did not believe that the effort to destroy unions that followed World War I would be repeated this time. He com­ mented that the destruction of unions “may not be impossibe, unions “may not be impossible, sible.” Tradition Broken This Painters Union Welcomes Woman Member SAN DIEGO, Calif (FP) — An old tradition has fallen with a big bang, a couple of gee whizzes and much wagging of of gray union heads in San Di­ ego. Faced by a desperate short­ age of manpower on urgently needed housing projects, Local 333, Bro. of Painters (AFL), for the first time in history is de­ pending on womanpower to help pull it through the emer­ gency. First woman to win approval of the local’s examining board is pretty 28-year-old Mabel Denham, mother of two chil­ dren and eight-time blood don­ or, who made the eyes of old- time union members pop when she stood beside five men can­ didates and took the oath of obigation of the union. She is employed as a painter on a project where her husband works as a truck driver. Big Nash Dance Is on May 26 The Nash Local 13 Recrea­ tion Committee announced to­ day that plans have been com­ pleted for another one of those grand Nash dances. The dance is to be held on Saturday night, May 26, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 213 S. Capitol Ave. The doors will open at 7:30 p.m. Dancing will be to the music of their own accomplished band leader of the Cedar St. plant, Ed Barry. Ed has a fine, well-balanced band which can give out to suit the wishes of all the daneers and he is featuring the lovely- to-look-at and lovely-to-hear Betty Krest. Our old friend, Benny Bene­ dict, will again be ready to dish out the hot dogs, coca cola and what have you to the hungry and thirsty throng. The affair will be open to all CIO members and friends. If you want an evening to be re­ membered and a load of fun, get your tickets early. People working in Mt. Hope and Cedar St. plants can obtain their tick­ ets through their stewards. People outside the local can get same by sending a money order to Nash Local 13 Recrea­ tion Committee, 1818 S. Cedar, or calling in person between 8 a. m. and 5 p. m. Tickets will be 90 cents per person, tax in- cuded. At the same time, however, Davis warned that it is impera­ tive that the wage and price line be held steady now. He in­ dicated that he would fight to hold controls firmly on both in the coming months. Davis expained that the con­ trols would not be arbitrary, saying he “didn’t like the stone­ wall concept.” “The probem is a common problem of getting production and consumption started. The controls will be handled with that in mind, and not in terms of abstractions.” As to reconversion, Davis said “we have to reconvert somehow a $50 to $60 billion war economy into goods and services and we have to con­ sume 90 per cent of it. That means you will have to raise the standard of living 30 to 40 per cent. You must have a 30 to 40 per cent increase in real in­ come. If we don’t do that we are sunk.” At one point Davis remarked that “when reconversion is ac­ complished we can work to­ Steward Officers Elected at Reo At the last meeting of the Reo Local No. 650 Steward Council, the following officers were elected to serve for one year: Wendell Thompson, Chair­ man; Ruth Jacquay, Vice-chair­ man; Dollie Fitzpatrick, Secre­ tary. Sunday Paper Funnies Back DETROIT (FP) — Double doses of comic sections were handed to readers of Detroit’s three dailies May 6 after the thirsting public had to go with­ out the previous Sunday. The conspiracy by the three publishers, Detroit Free Press, News, and Times, to undermine Mailers Union No. 40 of the Intl. Typographical Union (AFL), starting in an attempt to override union rules on hir­ ing and overtime, failed. When the publishers agreed to com­ ply, though still refusing to sign a union contract, the union reissued the permits to non­ members which it had canceled and the supplements went out again. News Suppressed So ashamed were the dailies of having their anti-union con­ niving known in this strong union town that they published no word of explanation of the comic goings-on though each paper knew all the facts. The first Sunday they falsely stated that it was because of “circum­ stances beyond our control,” Dairy Men Name Paper Delegates Delegates to the board of di­ rectors of the Lansing Labor News from the Dairy and Serv­ ice Employees Local 93 have been announced as Clyde Per­ kins, president, and Dale Gates. The Dairy group recently voted to participate and paid up their per capita share for a year in advance. though their control was prov­ ed the following Sunday when by their settlement with the mailers the comics appeared again. On the second Sunday they were again mum as to reasons, simply announcing that readers would get two sets because one “could not be delivered last Sunday.” Failure to publish the news of what was going on in their own plants caused much com­ ment among worker readers, especially as the News and Times in a kind of sympathetic lockout agreed not to send out their comics when the Free Press picked a quarrel with the ITU and found itself short- handed in the mailers depart­ ment. TO KILL THE PEACE By JOHN PAINE Federated Press “Well, I see that Argentina is a democracy at last,” said Mr. Dilworth suspiciously. “I hope they don’t carry it too far.” “You don’t need to worry, Pop,” said little Luther. “They’ll carry it about as far as a pallbearer carries a corpse.” “You have an exceedingly rude manner of talking about our new ally, Luther,” his fath­ er remonstrated. “There is something peculiar in your atti­ tude.” “There’s something exceed­ ingly peculiar about our new ally,” retorted Little Luther. “They remind me of the gents who used to run the old shell game. They swear up and down they’ve got a democracy but when you guess which shell it’s under, it isn’t there. And they laugh so hard ...” “There are a number of genu­ ine democrats in Argentina,” Mr. Dilworth began. “And I bet they could tell you exactly the number,” Little Luther said. “They’ve got them all in jail where it’s easy to count them.” “Those men they arrested were simply agitators who wanted to distract the populace with celebrations when Ger­ many collapsed,” Mr. Dilworth explained. “Celebrate the collapse of Germany? What a shocking idea!” exclaimed Little Luther. “Why, that’s as bad as the people want to see the San Francisco conference succeed.” “I’m afraid you’re being sar­ castic, son,” the father said. “Argentina has a seat at San Francisco, don’t forget.” “They should disinfect it be­ fore anyone else sits in it,” said Little Luther. “Luther, are you intimating that the Argentine colonels have lice?” demanded his fath­ er. “No,” said Little Luther, “but I once heard of a perfectly re­ spectable louse who had Ar­ gentine colonels. They had to shoot him, poor fellow.” Company Denies Editor a Leave Odsmobile denied a request of V. E. Vandenburg, time­ keeper, for a month’s leave of absence to work full time on the Lansing Labor News, of which he has been editor on a part time basis. Action of the paper’s board of directors in enlarging the paper and authorizing full time work prompted the request for the leave. The company said a scarcity of workers and a newly install­ ed system in the time depart­ ment requiring extra work made it inadvisable to grant the leave for another job. Postwar Work MEMPHIS, Tnn. (FP) — Repre- sentatives of all branches of the la­ bor movement and Memphis indus­ tries sat down together to put into effect the postwar industrial peace charter drawn up by the heads of the AFL, CIO, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. CLASSIFIED ADS FOR SALE BROWNING automatic 12-gauge shotgun. Reo Local 650 office, be­ tween 8-5 p.m, Phone 9-3916. TRAILER CAMP LAKE ODESSA trailer camp will open between June 1st and June 15th. All modern conveniences. Watch for opening date. H. Wouters, Nash Lo­ cal 13. FOR RENT PUBLIC address system. Will cov- er large outdoor gathering. Joseph Leys, 128 Milford, Ph. 8-2110. Stockholders Revolt Against Avery In Montgomery Ward Meeting CHICAGO (FP) — Revolt against Sewell L. Avery’s anti­ labor and anti-government pol­ icies flared at the hottest tem­ perature yet reached at Mont­ gomery Ward & Co.’s annual stockholders meeting here. More than 160,000 shares of Ward stock backed up a proxy statement at the meeting charg­ ing that Board Chairman Avery’s management of the company had damaged not only the company but the country. Feeling Growing Last year only two stock­ holders with 300 shares of stock voted against the resolution which approved the Avery management. This year the pro­ test group voted more than 110,000 shares and management itself was compelled to cast about 50,000 shares in favor of the motion condemning Avery, under instructed proxies. Two resolutions backed by the protest proxies were presented by Frank W. McCulloch of Chi­ cago, industrial secretary of the council for social action of the Congregational Christian churches, and Miss Zara du- Pont of Cambridge, Mass., re­ bellious member of the power­ ful duPont munitions family. A duPont Protest The McCulloch resolution di­ rected management “to cease their defiance of and non-com­ pliance with the orders of the Natl. War Labor Board.” The duPont resolution asked the shareholders to “condemn the policy and conduct of the man­ agement, and especially its chairman, Sewell L. Avery, in its dispute with the WLB.” The resoutions were lost but the strength of the protest definite­ ly made management uneasy. UAW Aids Vets In New Contract Signed in Kansas KANSAS CITY, Mo. (FP)— The United Auto Workers (CIO) has obtained seniority credit for veterans who have never held jobs before in re­ newing an agreement with the North American Aviation Co. The agreement covers the plants at Kansas City and Dallas, Tex. The provision is the first of its kind ever incorporated in a union agreement. For every month of service, the vet­ eran will be credited with one month’s seniority. Only veter­ ans who have never held a job prior to their entranre into the armed forces are covered. Cred­ it will be given for all service since May 1940. All veterans will pass through a 30-day pro­ bationary period before being assured of a place on the senior­ ity list. The new contract provides for maintenance of membership without the usual 15-day escape period, improved grievance procedure and regularly sched­ uled policy meetings between the union and management. European Workers Celebrate May Day NEW YORK (FP) — Joyous and triumphant, millions of workers throughout liberated Europe celebrated their first May Day in freedom after six years of Nazi bondage with hope of peace in their hearts, dispatches reaching here re­ vealed. The traditional workers’ holi­ day was celebrated in Berlin as the Red army stormed the last- line of defense in the very heart of the German capital. Rec colors flew in labor’s honor on the buildings in which Hitler mapped orders that meant death and slavery to the work­ ers of Europe. Paris workers, 500,000 strong, marched in their first May Day parade since 1940, shouting death to Petain and the Vichy traitors who collaborated with their conquerors. In Rome a huge crowd of 100,000 staged a May Day celebration in the Pi- aza del Popolo only a few days after the execution of their one­ time dictator, Mussolini. In Moscow's Red Square, thousands shouted in thunder- our triumph as Marshal Stalin proclaimed the imminent end of Nazi Germany and vowed the destruction of fascism by the United Nations. Fishing is Fine, Writes Soldier Who Caught 45-Pounder in Burma CIO Man Named Chairman of an OPA Price Panel A Nash Local 13 man, Earl Cobb, Route 3, Grand Ledge, has been named to the gas pan­ el of OPA in Eaton county. He will be chairman of the price panel and is the first CIO man to be chairman of any OPA agency in the vicinity, accord­ ing to Int’l Rep. George Nadar. Cobb replaces Earl Forbes of Olds Local 652. Cpl. Grant W. Miles, former Fisher Body employee before Army induction, now serving with the Medical Corps in Bur­ ma, writes that fishing there is “tops, having caught several big ones, one weighing 45 pounds.” ' As evidence he mailed home several fish scales measuring one and three quarters inches long and an inch across. Corporal Miles praised labor for its loyalty and says he feels confident labor will furnish all the weapons of war needed to bring about a complete victory over Japan — or any other na­ Chicago CIO Wins Election CHICAGO (FP) —. Over­ coming stiff opposition from management, Local 758, Intl. Union of Mine Mill & Smelter Workers (CIO), won a NLRB election at the Precision Scien­ tific Co. by a vote of 190 to 31. tion or groups of nations who threaten the peace of the world in the future. Union Demands Action For Unemployed As Ford Demobolizes Bomber Plant L. D. F. should get them to sign up and help others. OLDS 652 Whoever told the boys in the gauge crib that Nadar signed an agreement on rates, classifi­ cations, etc., is either trying to do a job on me or kid someone . . John Osborn is losing weight, especially around the waist . . . Ray Sherman is chain smoker of cigars . . . Saw Leon Zimmerman in a gas station. Farm life seems to agree with him. Sure wish he’d get back into the harness . . . Barnaby is having difficulty with his OPA appointment. The Eaton folks apparently don’t want to put him where he can do a job for labor or anyone else. LANSING TOOL & DIE An agreement completed by the union and signed May 1 makes the employees part of the Amalgamated Tool and Die Local 728. Negotiations on wage adjustments will com­ mence Monday. Reo Man’s Son Named Captain William J. Berglund, son of Henry J. Berglund, group lead­ er of the oilers at Reo, was pro­ moted in April to Captain of Combat Engineers. He is now in Germany. OLOFSSON 728 My friend Bill Watt received greetings from the president, doctors found his heart, etc., ok., and so unless something happens the whole 200 pounds this is Bill will be utilized against the Japs. REO 650 There is a felow at Reo whose sincerity and good intentions ere rewarded by his election w o vice-president of the Lansing t CIO Council. Congrats, Stan Cleeves . . . Seems funny not to argue with Helen Moore. Can hardly believe it but we seem to agree. Helen is one girl you have to give a lot of credit to even when you disagree with her . . . Noticed Sister Fitz­ patrick, Brothers Reed, Mallet were among the new delegates to the Council. ceive the difference between straight time pay and time and one-half pay which you were entitled to for the respective Saturday worked, on approxi­ mately May 25, 1945. If you worked Sunday of the same week you will receive your premium pay for both Satur­ day and Sunday, provided you worked the full week with the exception of July 3 and 4 pre­ viously mentioned. Management agreed that these checks should be ready for you on May 25, 1945, unless some unforeseen reason should make it impossible for them to issue the checks at this date. You will receive this money in a separate check. News from the AUXILIARIES Olds Aux. 76 •Proceeds from a dinner and card party held in April, along with all money making projects for May will go to the Disabled Veterans Fund drive. The auxiliaries of this region have been asked to aid in this worthwhile drive. Through combined donations it is hoped more can be accomplished for the veterans fund toward fur­ nishing a room at the Percy Jones hospital. There will be a card party at the Olds local hall at 8 p. m., Saturday, May 12, with prizes and refreshments. Admission, 50 cents per person. Chairman is Mrs. Onahlee Loe, with Mrs. Hazel Bentley, Mrs. Lucy Kring and Mrs. Mae Hamilton assisting. Premium Pay Case Is Won By Reo Local By RAYMOND W. REED Pres. Reo Local 650 All employees working on Monday July 3, 1944 who work­ ed right through and completed the work week, except last July 3 and 4 when the plant was down, will receive premium pay for the sixth day worked due to a decision granted us by the War Labor Board on March 31, 1945. Employees who worked the week of July 4th last year no doubt recall receiving straight time for Saturday because it was management’s contention that Monday, July 3 could not be counted as a day worked for the purpose of identifying the sixth day of that particular week. Due to differences in opinion as to how this rule complied in computing the’ sixth and sev­ enth day worked in a regular work week, it became necessary for us to make a dispute case of it and bring it before the War Labor Board. It gives the officers of your Bargaining Committee pleasure to inform the members of Local 650 that the case was settled in our favor and that you will re- PAC Here to Stay Says Local Director By H. DEAN REED I . Lansing PAC Director When Philip Murray and the C. I. O. Executive Board or­ ganized the Political Action Committee in July, 1943, no time limit was set for it’s ex­ istence. They intended PAC to endure until it’s clearly defin­ ed objectives were realized. Anyone who has troubled to acquaint himself with the C. I. O. - P. A. C. objectives knows that we are still quite far from their realization That is why P. A. C. is here to stay. Last November at the Sev­ enth Annual Convention of the C. I. O. in Chicago, a resloution was passed declaring that the committee’s effectiveness in the recent national election justi­ fied it’s continued existence as a means by which the C. I. O. and all progressive Americans may attain the great goals to which they aye dedicated. The orginal objectives of the P. A. C. can be summed up in one sentence: To awaken American people to their full responsibilities of citizenship that we may safeguard democ­ racy against all evil. The objectives are simple, but not easy to attain. It is generally conceded that the foundation of 'our democracy lies in our right to vote and our responsibility to use that vote for the good of the nation. Men will die to obtain that NASH 13 Hear where former President Don Hackett is chief steward. Congrats, Don. Once active, al­ ways active ... Getting good reports on the job E. Stingley is doing on the price panel. She is active there, too . . . Silent Brown was at the Council meet­ ing. Wonder if he still has dogs to let? Brownie, as you may not know, used to trade horses. AMALGAM. 724 The boys and girls represent­ ing 724 at the Council were STANDING at the back . . . yes, the Council would seat them but maybe Brother Moran wanted to stay poised for a pep talk. CHAARD LAB Some of the girls at Chaard are having difficulty convincing some of the girls at Chaard that a union is what you make it . . . Back pay issue is about finished and now we’ll be able to con­ centrate upon other things — we hope . . . Congratulations to D. Smith for 21 new members, to R. Van Camp and her team­ mate for the 20 odd new mem­ bers. Keep up the good work. Some of the others should get in and help. I want to give full credit to Charles Rawley, president of the company, for working out issues and improvements for the lab. When management is cooperative they should be com­ plimented and I take this op- portunity of doing just that. If a recent story in this paper implied that management had no share in working out im­ provements the story uninten­ tionally gave the wrong impres­ sion. In fact, Mr. Rawley had some improvements planned even before the union was or­ ganized there. If there was a false impres­ sion, we want to correct it. That is the CIO way of doing things. ATLAS The case on wages, retroac­ tive pay, etc., will be up for a hearing witihn the next week or so. LANSING STAMPING The committee has been go­ ing to come in for the past few months but just don’t seem able to make it. LANSING DROP FORGE The drive is going strong, Jack Crump reports. It’s about time those boys got smart and got organized. They realize that no protection from the whims of management is not healthy. Anyone who knows anyone at - right, but unfortunately when the right is theirs, too many tend to neglect it, and let others decide their current destiny. In presidential elections, even when the voting is very heavy, more than one fourth of the eligible voters do not partici­ pate. The picture gets gloomier as one examines the percentage of eligble voters participating in gubernatorial elections, city elections, county elections, and townshp elections. Less than 30 per cent of elig­ ible voters usually participate in the election of mayors and other city officers. Often few­ er than 10 per cent participate in county or township elections. This situation — bad enough in normal times — might prove disastrous in trying times such as these, for if this apathy con­ tinues, or is deliberately en­ couraged to continue, a perni­ cious minority might quietly usurp the power belonging to the people through the election of their candidates to all gov­ ernment offices. P. A. C. is dedicated to the task of preventing such usur­ pation of power violently ac­ cused of attempting to “cap­ ture” the democratic party, and of attempting to “capture” the government for labor, P. A. C. has also been accused of trying to foist a “foreign” conception of government on the American people. Anyone who followed P. A. C. through its utterances and printed programs knows that our basic aim was and is mere­ ly to awaken the American xpeople — labor, businessmen, small farmers, housewives — to the urgent need of participat­ ing in the affairs of the nation through political action. But the people need some or­ ganization to gather facts, com­ pile records, and present them in a manner the people under­ stand. They need an educa­ tional institution for political action. They need P. A. C. And that is why P. A. C is here to stay "THESE BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES ARE A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT. ALL THESE WEEKS AND NOT A SIGN OF ANY BEEF!" “YEAH, BUT WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT'S GROWING ON THE BACK STRETCH!“ HOUR OF RECKONING ‘So you're the senator who voted for price increases, eh? U - NEED A LUNCH Home Cooked, Tasty Meals 1114 S. Washington Open Daily Except Sunday 5:30 a. m. to 6 p. m. NOW IN STOCK KENNEDY MACHINISTS TOOL CHESTS ALSO LUFKIN TOOLS South Lansing Hardware 1133 S. WASHINGTON Central Michigan ’s Larges t Dealer USED CARS Four Convenient Lansing Locations — ALSO — CHRYSLER - PLYMOUTH Sales and Service Don McCullagh we’ll find out if the manufact- urers want the plants scrapped or are trying to get a good bar- gain by waiting.” This was a slap at Exec. Vice Pres. Henry Ford II of the com­ pany who had said Ford has no plans for Willow Run and toss­ ed the tremendous plant on the scrap heap with the remark, “If this plant has hastened the end of the war, it is as expendible as a battleship and no more ex- pensive,”—in other words, sunk. But the rumor that Ford will concentrate tractor operations there persists, with the added wrinkle that the plant will lie idle until Ford can exercise his option at bargain prices. Passes Buck Ford says congress is to blame because it has delayed recon­ version legislation. He thinks the company can offer lots of jobs if and when civilian pro­ duction resumes. On the constructive side Thomas demanded abandon­ ment of the Little Steel formu­ la so that take-home pay will not shrivel disastrously as more plants go on the 40-hour week with loss of overtime pay and as second and third shifts are dropped with loss of nightwork premiums. Walking Streets At Murray Corp., a parts plant which has lived on air­ craft contracts until now, men with seniority dating back to 1935 are out on the street. One oldtimer, who helped to union­ ize most of the Detroit east side shops, went to the U. S. employ­ ment service from Murray and was offered two jobs, one in Pearl Harbor and one in Alas­ ka. Seniority tangles are snarl­ ing up many plants as layoffs pile up. At Packard the man­ agement is stirring up trouble by picking people for transfer to other jobs regardless of sen­ iority and threatening to fire those who fight this violation of the UAW contract. At Ford Lincoln upgraders (trained in one specialty only) threw a picket line around the gates when regular tool and die- makers, laid off at other plants, came to claim their rightful seniority. At Ford Highland Park women workers distribut­ ed leaflets sayng: “The company is laying off women union members in vio­ lation of seniority. Will vet­ erans be pitted against non­ veterans? Foreign born against American born? It’s the old Ford game. Don’t be sucked in by company tricks.” An echo from the 1940 CIO convention was heard at the Ford mass meeting when UAW Ford Director Richard T. Leon­ ard asserted, reviving the fam­ ous phrase of John L. Lewis: “You are faced with the pros­ pect of a shrunken belly, with enslavement like that which we had here before the days of the CIO.” By CARL HAESSLER Federated Press Rapid demobilization of war workers at Ford Motor Co. plants finds the authorities in the Detroit area virtually help­ less while members of the United Auto Workers (CIO) are demanding swift action to forestall mass unemployment. Unconcerned State Director Edward L. Cushman of the war manpower commission airily dismissed the whirlwind tapering off of the huge Willow Run bomber plant, expected to close down this month, as the natural end of what he termed a “glamor plant.” He lightly said: “Workers, especially women, should be impressed with the fact that similar jobs are not available." Thomas Speaks More seriously UAW Pres. R. J. Thomas told a huge mass meeting of Ford workers May 5: “Unless more adequate plan­ ning is done we are facing un­ employment for everyone in De­ troit. Let the government put up these plants for sale and PHOTOGRAPHS PORTRAITS ENLARGEMENTS B&B Photo Studio — Open 6 P. M. to 9 P. M. Only — Tues. — Thurs. — Fri. — Sat. Phone 2-0139 909 E. Saginaw (Member Local 13) AUTOMATIC SAW FILING All kinds of saws filed and jointed. All work guaranteed. Jesse L. Jackson & Son Ph. 2-4347 315 Regent St. EVERYTHING FOR THE OFFICE And we mean EVERYTHING Hilding Office Supply 228 S. Capitol Ave. Phone 2-1141 HEIGHTCHEW'S GROCERY 1529 NEY YORK AVE. GROCERIES meats PRODUCE BEER WINE PHONE 9-1268 AN N.R.O.G. STORE For Extra Prompt and Satisfactory Dry Cleaning Service Just Call MIKE O'NEILL Phone 2-3724 AL’S DRY CLEANING SERVICE 12 Years of Successful Experience Newer Styled SPRING & SUMMER SUITS $29.50 - $34.50 . ALL WOOLS in the new light and dark shades in fine long- wearing worsted. — ALL SIZES — 2nd Floor SAM’S 317 N. WASHINGTON Klein Wires Warning From Europe About Anti-Russian Rumors By HERBERT A. KLEIN Federated Press FROM PARIS . I feel compelled to warn labor people and progressives every­ where in the U S. against a flood of Russian atrocity sto­ ries which will unquestionably start flowing shortly in the re­ actionary press. It will come os­ tensibly from the Soviet-held German areas but will actually be inspired and whispered by German burghers and hidden Nazis, of whom there are still plenty around. Propaganda Already Getting Started Repeatedly, well-to-do Ger­ man civilians, no longer afraid that the easy-going Yanks will harm them or deprive them of their profitable possessions, have begun taking the verbal offensive with such questions and remarks as: “Do you feel proud, having the Bolsheviks as allies?” “How long do you ex­ pect it will be until you’ll be fighting the Reds?” “Better not crush Germany — you’ll need us to help you against the Rus­ sian hordes from the east.” That line made this war pos­ sible. Will British Press Push War With Russia Sickeningly, the day of the juncton, I heard a British news­ man just arrived from London report that some British jour­ nalists, with Germany hanging on the ropes and ready to drop, were speculating on how soon a a conflict will develop between the Anglo-Americans and the Russians. Captured Writer (Continued from Page 1) Starts Quiz Program Dunn then branched out and established a forum program attended by as many as a thousand of the prisoners. Deep in Naziland, the half-starved men discussed such issues as the post-war world and the GI bill of rights. A quiz program was ar­ ranged with the winner getting two cigarets, worth 200 francs or $4 each at Bad Orb rates. The winner was Pvt. Kachedar Are- dizian of Pawtucket, R. I., who evchanged both cigarets for one slice of saw-dusty black bread. Dunn also set up an English reading corner in which the only 18 English books in the entire camp were carefully guarded and rationed out so that all the Yanks could get a chance at them. They “Publish” Newspaper Together with two other newspapermen, Ed Uzmak of the Chicago Times and Dennis Murray of the Chicago Tribune, Dunn got out a wall newspaper written in pencil and with hand-drawn maps. They got their nes from a radio smuggled into the camp by British prisoners piece by piece and successfully concealed from the Nazi guards. Howard Byrne, Stars & Stripes reporter and a member of the Newspaper Guild of New York, devoted a big part of his report on the Bad Orb camp to praising Dunn, who he said had lost a good deal of weight and “looked like Lincoln.” Other corres­ pondents who inspected the camp agreed that it was one of the worst hell-holes the Nazis devised for Allied prisoners. 400 Prisoners Died Four hundred of the Bad Orb inmates died before the camp was liberated. Among them were 36 Americans. Those who sur­ vived were virtually skin and bones, clad in rags, many of them too weak to walk. There were only two American doctors to care for them with hopelessly inadequate medical facilities. Sanita­ tion facilities in the building which housed 160 prisoners con­ sisted of one rusty water tap. The toilet was a hole in the floor. There were no soap and towels. Dunn, a charter member of the Guild, worked on every im­ portant daily paper in northern Ohio and was responsible for organizing many of the papers there. He became an internation­ al representative of the ANG in 1938 and in the early part of 1939 became assistant editor of The Guild Reporter. He joined the FP staff in April 1942. - Labor Editor, a German Prisoner, Lauded in Congressional Record WASHINGTON (FP)—The above story by Herbert Klein of how Pfc. John H. Dunn, Jr., news editor on leave of the Fed­ erated Pres, helped maintain morale among his fellow prisoners in a Nazi terror camps was told to Congress April 30 by Rep. Hugh DeLacy (D. Wash). DeLacy inserted' his speech in the Congressional Record as follows: “Mr. Speaker, under the privilege granted me, I include in The Re­ cord a news story from Federated Press Correspondent Herbert A. Klein who is with the 7th Army in Germany. This story is only one among hundreds which tells of the brutal and inhuman treatment of American prisoners of war by the most brutal of all systems, Natl. Socialism in Germany. “Yet, this story tells something more. It relates how an American private, who has devoted most of his adult life to fighting tyranny and preserving democracy, became a hero among all this Nazi brutality. This soldier of democracy, Pfc. John H. Dunn, Jr., is credited with keeping the morale of his fellow prisoners from crumbling. Armed by the power of his own enlightened belief in democracy, he held off the full terror of Nazi brutality. “I call attention to this story because John Dunn was the chief edi­ tor of Federated Press, the only daily labor paper service in this coun­ try, and as such was one of the leaders in labor journaism in the U.S. before he entered the army. Before that he was a labor organizer. “Because of his devotion to labor and his positions of leadership in the labor movements, Pvt. Dunn fell within that great body of patriotic and intelligent Americans termed ‘subversive’ by the former Dies com­ mittee , and others of small minds who are quick to place that brand upon those who advocate progress for the American working man and woman. “Had his opinions been used as the guide, rather than his loyalty-— had the War Dept, adopted the ‘tests’ of the Dies committee instead of its own common sense standards, John Dunn might never have had the opportunity of doing the tremendous service he did his fellow prisoners of war. “For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, and because of the great service Pvt. Dunn has rendered his fellow American prisoners, I include the following FP news story in the Record:” He then read the above story about Dunn, written by Klein. Photo Flashes of the News Belgian Landscape, 1945 Macy Workers Win Fight HEALTH z (Continued from Page 1) tires as may seem advisable, will be made. Best Equipment Written reports of the ex­ aminations, laboratory and X- ray findings are sent to the patient, the Local Union, or his own doctor if he so authorizes. By making this service avail­ able to you, we are making it possible for you to realize the benefits of the very latest X-ray equipment there is to be had. Now that this service has been made available to you, don’t forgt to let us know if you are in need of it. Further informa­ tion may be had by inquiring at your Local Union Hall. (United Nations Photo) WHILE AMERICAN RED CROSS TRUCKS rumble to the front, these two Belgian refugees walk slowly back to Bastogne. They Fought For This —Federated Pictures Pledging that they would not strike, workers at the R. H. Macy & Co. in New York, world’s largest department store, took their fight for higher wages and improved working conditions directly to customers for support—and won! They are members of Local 1-S, United Retail, Wholesale & Dept. Store employees (CIO). Above, a. union official and a few of the Macy girls pose with the leaflets they distributed to the public. New Union Cruiser Launched Macy Workers Win Contract In New York NEW YORK (FP) — CIO department store employes of R. H. Macy & Co., who deter­ mined not to let management’s anti-labor policies provoke them into striking but took their case to the customers instead, won out with substantial improve­ ments in wages, working condi­ tions and union securty as well as 1,500 new members. Members of Local 1-S, United Retail Wholesale & Dept. Store Employes, had used their lunch hours and days off to make every customer entering the word’s largest department store familiar with its sweatshop wage policies. That brought management together with the union and the New York State Mediation Board fast and resulted in an agreement ending months of balking and delay. The agreement increases union membership from 3,500 to 5,000 by extending the union shop provision to every selling and non-selling department ex­ cept office workers and pro­ vides portal-to-portal pay for 500 restaurant workers who must spend a half-hour daily preparing to go on the job. Other provisions include a straight 8-hour day with over­ time pay for work after eight hours in any one day, where formerly it was on a weekly basis, and a severance pay clause. Truman Backs OPA Control of Prices WASHINGTON (FP) — A documented plea to hold pres­ ent price ceilings on meat at re­ tail, to coordinate the entire food program under one agency and to break up the black mar­ ket was contained in the report of the special House committee to investigate food shortages May 2. Chairman Clinton P. Ander­ son (D. N. M.) submitted the report a day after Pres. Harry S. Truman had given his strong support to the OPA and its chief, Administrator Chester Bowles. Truman’s statement said he recognized that no other govern­ ment agency “comes into such intimate contact with every citizen during war-time,” and declared that “naturally, things must be done which displease many people. No businessman, no farmer, no merchant likes to be told how much he can charge for his wares. No housewife likes to be told that she may have only a limited supply of meat, or sugar, or canned goods with which to feed her family.” After pointing out the need to supplant the destroyed eco­ nomic resources of our allies and to help the liberated peoples, Truman said that al­ though OPA “has made a few mistakes, I think that our price control and stabilization pro­ gram has been one of the most, remarkable achievements of this war.” —Federated Pictures Two wounded veterans, both casualties of Iwo Jima, look hopefully at the meeting place of the San Francisco Confer­ ence. With their comrades on every front of this war, they look to the conference to achieve what they have sacrificed so much for—a world security organization which will enforce justice and found a prosperous, lasting peace. —Federated Pictures The work of union men and women, members of the Indus­ trial Union of Marine & Shipbuilding Workers (CIO), the light cruiser USS Galvestion slides down ways of the Cramp Ship­ building Co. yards in Philadelphia on its official launching. The cruiser is one of the newest’ additions to the U.S. Navy. Union Gals Learn How But the Guns Remain —Federated Pictures The CIO Canteen in Chicago has sponsored a new idea—the Canteen College. There, the girls who work in the city’s war plants and offices can take a course that qualifies them to be hostesses at the canteen. Evelyn Gender of the United Federal Workers, pins a graduate hostess button on Ruby Roos, of United Farm Equipment & Metal Workers while Helen Thomas of United Auto Workers looks on. (United Nations Photo) WHEN THE FRENCH AND AMERICANS liberated Strasbourg, the Ger- mans left in such haste that they abandoned tons of materiel. Here these two French children—too young to have ever known anything but invasion and occupation — play with a Nazi light machine gun in a Strasbourg square. Over 4,000 CIO Bowlers Entered Detroit Tourney DETROIT (FP) — The third annual bowling tournament of the United Auto Workers (CIO) in Detroit attracted 4,709 en­ tries from Michigan, Indiana and Illinois unions of CIO auto workers, rubber workers, steel­ workers, retail and wholesale workers, utility workers, and state, county and municipal workers. UAW Recreation Director Melvin West announced $25 war bond prizes to Robert Ewart (UAW Local 250, De­ troit) for individual high game of 270 in Class A and to Larry Nowakowski (UAW Local 735, Detroit) for 260 in Class B. Leo Galfano and Joseph Morin, both of UAW Local 600, Dearborn, won $50 prizes for 276 points over average in Class A and 269 in Class B respectively — all events. Factory Workers LANSING (FP) — Women were 28.9 per cent of all per­ sons employed in making dur­ able goods in Michigan in De­ cember 1944, the state depart­ ment of labor and industry re­ ports. In October 1942 they were 8.5 per cent.