Owned and Published by and for Lansing Labor Phone 4-9612 OFFICE: 109 E. South St. VOL. 1, NO.11 Lansing Labor News Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. LANSING, MICHIGAN — MAY 24, 1945 15,000 Paid Subscriptions For City War Workers 5c PER COPY $1.50 Per Year by Mail ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY Union Studying Layoff Announcement at Nash LABOR NEWS OUT FRIDAY NEXT WEEK Because the regular printing day falls on a printers holiday next week—Memorial Day— the paper will be one day late. It will be printed Thursday and distributed Friday. LABOR vs. VETS? NEW YORK (FP) — Labor and veterans both must fight attempts of reactionaries to "divide and conquer” them, Chairman Ted F. Silvery of the Natl. CIO Veterans Committee told a citywide conference on veterans welfare called by the Greater New York CIO Coun­ cil. Lansing Dairy Organizers Asking Aid Your assistance is asked by the committee organizing the Lansing Dairy drivers in this statement sent to the Lansing Labor News: The organizing committee at Lansing Dairy, composed of salesmen with guts, are hereby requesting the aid and support of all good CIO members in the city. We are going to establish a CIO union for our salesmen. You can help as follows: 1. Ask your Lansing Dairy milk man to show you his union card. 2. Refuse to continue buying milk if he does not produce a card the next time he collects. 3. If you cannot see your milkman, leave a note in the bottle informing him you are going to find out if he is a union driver. Remember, Lansing Dairy is selling their milk for the same price as organized dairies. Phone 29612 about the driver on your route. (Signed) Organizing Committee of the Lansing Dairy. Nash Kelvinator employees, given assurance a month ago that new contracts would pro­ vide plenty of work at least un­ til next winter, were confused last weekend by the sudden announcement that 1,000 would be laid off shortly. The company’s announcement said the crisis was caused by cancellation of certain con­ tracts for propellers for Bri­ tish planes. Union officials were given no background in­ formation on this and no ad- vance notice which might en­ able them to do something a- bout the situation. On a similar occasion a month ago they helped the firm get new con­ tracts and prevented 1,000 lay­ offs impending at that time. Local 13 is investigating the matter in an endeavor to learn whether the sudden announce­ ment of layoffs was necessary without an effort first being made to obtain more contracts or at least give the union a chance to talk it over with man­ agement. Wiener Roast Sunday, June 3 Everyone is invited to an out­ door party scheduled for the Ledges at Grand Ledge at 3 p. m., Sunday afternoon, June 3. It will be a wiener roast. Tickets are 35c per person and may be obtained from any member of Fisher Auxiliary 202, sponsors of the affair. Ev­ eryone is welcome but must have a ticket. Proceeds will go into a fund to be used to furnish day rooms at the Percy Jones hospital. LABOR WINS NEWARK, N. J. (FP)—The slate of city commissioners backed by the labor movement won in Newark’s municipal el­ ection. Plans All Complete For Dance Saturday The plans for the UAW-CIO Local 13 dance are all complet­ ed. Saturday night, May 26, is “the night” at the Veterans’ Memorial building, 213 South Capitol avenue. The employees of Nash, their families and friends are going to make merry and dance to their hearts’ content to the music of Ed Berry and his fine orchestra. the cold drinks and “what have you?” There will be 15 door prizes given away at 2:00 A. M. Tick­ ets, which are 90c (tax includ­ ed) are on sale with stewards in the shop and at the local union office, 1818 South Cedar street. They will also be on sale at the door. SEE YOU THERE! Refreshments will be served in the basement. Let’s make this a really grand get- together for all Nash folks and their fami­ lies. The dance will be from 10:00 P. M. to 3:00 A. M. in order that the second shift can take advantage of the party. Benny Benedict will have charge of Make 200,000 Cars in 1945? Yes, But Let’s Get Started WASHINGTON (FP)—Pres. R. J. Thomas of the United Auto Workers (CIO) told a news conference May 17 that labor agreed with the industry program that it could produce 200,000 cars before the year is out, but believed that a start should be made immediately. Thomas said he believed the outlook "was not promising for auto workers in Detroit” in view of the decline in employment. WPB officials, answering Thomas, said that an immediate green light for the civilian production of cars would be mean­ ingless unless steel was available. Until the army releases steel, little can be done. Thomas replied that the Ford Rouge plant’s steel mill was far below capacity and yet 31,000 workers had been laid off in the last 16 months and he had difficulty reconciling this with the steel shortage story. Richardson, Reed With Delegation In Washington Urging Fast Action To Speed Reconversion Auto Jobs Congressmen Given "Jobs for 60 Million" Buttons Reinhold Neibuhr, chairman of the Union for Democratic Action, opened the campaign for the Full Employment Bill of 1945 by presenting red, white and blue buttons “JOBS FOR 60 MIL­ LIONS” to Senators Murray( Montana); Elbert Thomas (Utah); O’Mahoney (Wyoming); Wagner . (New York) and Rep. Wright Patman (Texas). Senate Banking and Currency hearings on the bill are to open next month. Present at the ceremony in Sen. James E. Murray’s office were (left to right), Ted Silvey, Chair­ man Reconversion Committee CIO; W. G. Flinn, Representative of the Grand Lodge of the Int’l Ass’n of Machinists, AFL; James G. Patton, president of the Nat’l Farmers Union; Rep. Wright Pat­ man, Sen. Elbert Thomas, Sen. James E. Murray and Reinhold Niebuhr, chairman of the Union for Democratic Action. Oldsmobile Bars Notice From Bulletin Boards Big Meeting Was Held in Detroit Fri. Officials of the UAW-CIO do not propose to sit in a cor­ ner watching quietly with fold­ ed hands to see whether auto plants are going to speed up re­ conversion, or whether—as cer­ tain events have indicated — some plants will take their time while thousands remain jobless. If federal action is required to assure a minimum layoff period, the union is going to in­ sist upon that action. R. E. Richardson, president of Olds Local 652, told the Labor News that approximate­ ly 200 presidents of Michigan locals met in Detroit last Fri­ day to discuss speeding up re­ conversion. He said they repre­ sented a million workers. It was decided that 15 from the metropolitan area and two presidents from each region would form a delegation to go to Washington this week and personally request immediate action. Richardson said they planned to see the stabilization director, the War Labor board, War Manpower Commission and various other agencies. Lansing is represented by Richardson and Ray Reed, pres­ ident of Reo Local 650. They left Tuesday for the capital. Oldsmobile refused to allow on union bulletin boards in the plant a copy of certain changes enacted recently in the Work­ men’s Compensation Act by the Michigan legislature, said R. E. Richardson, president of Local 652. Some of the changes provide more benefits to employees in case of injury or certain occu­ pational diseases. The follow­ ing was on the notice: The employer shall prompt­ ly supply to an injured em- loye such artifical limbs, eyes, teeth, eye-glasses, hear­ ing apparatus and other ap­ pliances as may be necessary to cure and relieve from the effects of the injury, for such period, as the nature of the injury or the process of re­ covery may require. If the .employer shall fail, neglect, or refuse promptly to do so, he shall be liable for the rea­ sonable expense incurred by or on behalf of the injured employe in providing the same. Silicosis Amendment: Maximum benefits for sili­ cosis increased from $4,000 to $6,000. Monthly increase in reaching the maximum raised from $50.00 per month to $75.00 per month. Medical Examination Requires employers to fur­ nish employe medical examin­ ation at regular intervals but not more than one such exam­ ination each six months. Re­ quires that where silicosis or pnuemoconiosis or other dust disease is found, that a true copy of the medical report must be furnished the employe. Em­ ployes who would refuse to submit to such examination would not be entitled to bene­ fits under Part VII of the Act. Casual Employes: Makes casual employes subject to the Act. Strikes language prohibiting coverage to employ­ es covered by Federal Acts. LOOK AT THE RECORD Did Truman Vote For the People While in Senate? WASHINGTON (FP)—The voting record of Harry S.-Tru­ man as a U. S. Senator from Missouri and briefly as vice-presi­ dent makes some interesting reading for all Americans. Here are ome of the highlights: Back in 1935 Sen. Truman voted for the Wagner Labor Rela­ tions Act; the Social Security Act; loans to permit tenant farm­ ers tp purchase land; adherence to the world court; to strength­ en the authority of TV A. The year 1936 found Truman backing the veterans’ bonus; fed­ eral financing of flood control; soil conservation. In 1937 Truman voted for extending the reciprocal trade agreements act; the Guffey bituminous coal act; more TV A expansion: the wage-hour law; low cost housing; confirming Hugo Black to the Supreme Court; putting the CCC on a permanent basis. backed increased funds to works program of that year and probe civil liberty violations. Following up in 1938, Tru­ man voted to limit Senate de­ bate on the anti-lynching bill but the poll-taxers won and the filibuster was successful. He was for the amendment to the housing act to stimulate con­ struction by private capital. In 1940 Truman was strong­ ly supporting the bill to bar strike-breakers and labor spies in labor disputes; he was for limiting campaign donations to $5,000; again favored extension of the reciprocal trade pro­ gram. As the war drew near in 1939 he voted to revise the neutrality act; favored the big public Lend lease won Truman’s See TRUMAN, Page 2 U. S. Employes To Get Raise WASHINGTON (FP) — By unanimous vote, the Senate has passed a bill giving basic pay and overtime increases to 1,225,000 federal employes in the executive, judicial and leg­ islative branches of the gov­ ernment. Amounting to $487 million, the pay increase measure now goes to the House. It does not cover navy yard, arsenal or other government workers who won raises under the Little Steel formula. cover nvy yard, arsenal or other government workers who won raises under the little Steel for­ mula. Timely Rhyme Helps Baseball WANTED: Two bits from every member of Olds Local 652 to support the baseball team. Alvin Taylor, secretary of the Education and Recreation Com- mittee, urges workers interest­ ed in supporting the team to immediately contact their stew- ards and buy a tag. For em­ phasis, he submits these lines— To keep our baseball team from lagging, It’s going to take a lot of tagging. URGES KAISER DETROIT (FP)—Pres. R. J. Thomas of United Auto Work­ ers (CIO) revealed that he has asked Shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser to consider buying the huge Willow Run bomber plant for automobile production. WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES TRAVIS K. HEDRICK For Federated Press and Lansing Labor News By RANKIN ASKING FOR IT AGAIN WASHINGTON (FP)— Our American freedom of the press is a jewel each of us ought to cherish and know more about. It is frequently abused by those who enjoy it, and others use the phrase loosely to cloak acti­ vities that should land them in the nearest jail. Reporter Won’t Rat; Cited For Contempt However, the freedom of the press in now being attacked by Rep. John Rankin (D. Miss.) in his effort to have the House cite a reporter for the New York newspaper PM for con­ tempt. The reporter, Albert Deutsch, wrote a splendid series of stor­ ies exposing conditions in the U.S. Veterans Administration and veterans hosptals. He got his material from interviews, and correspondence, with many doctors in and out of the Veterans Administration. This list of doctors includes some of the highest profession­ al standing,” Deutsch said. Rankin, who is chairman of the Veterans committee of the House, irked at the revelations, and eager for the scalps of the talkative government doctors, demanded that Deutsch give the names of his informants. This was properly refused by Deutsch. No newspaperman worthy of the name would do so under any circumstances. So Rankin got his committee to hold Deutsch for contempt and is pressing for House act­ ion to make the case stick. PM Editor Calls It Lynch Law PM’s Managing Editor John P. Lewis termed the Rankin ac­ tion: "An application of the Mississippi lynch law to the American press. What it means is that no public em­ ploye may dare talk to a re­ porter—much less give him information — without run­ ning the danger of reprisals and investigation by the Ran­ kin gestapo. If this lynching is upheld, it will erect a bar­ rier to prevent a free press from performing its function of exposing and correcting corruption or mismanage­ ment of government.” Pres, Milton Murray of the American Newspaper Guild (CIO), a PM scribe termed the Deutsch-Rankin case “a chal­ lenge to the rights of newspap­ ermen.” American newspapers and newspapermen will fight this newest Rankin outburst to the last ditch. They will guard their interests here with mu­ tual concern, but there is an­ other side to newspapermen here that is not so good. See WASHINGTON, Page 4 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 McCreedv (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 . 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 signed 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 changd. 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. How a News Double-Cross Scooped And Confused World About V-E Day The “anything goes” attitude of the nation’s press in violating promises and ethics and double-crossing each other and the public when necessary to get a story again came to light (but not in thenewspapers) when Associated Press wired from Eur­ ope the scoop ’ that had the world putting out newspaper extras and celebrating V-E Day on Monday instead of on Tuesday, when it was supposed to be. Radio news services flashed the following item that week, which probably got little attention at the time and of course was not printed in newspapers. UP Correspondent Boyd Lewis reveals that he was with 16 war cor­ respondents who flew to General Eisenhower’s headquarters to hear the story of German capitulation. Lewis says that all of them—including AP Correspondent Edward Kennedy—had been pledged to secrecy until Supreme Headquarters allowed them to release their stories. Lewis is one of scores of correspondents Who have signed an official protest saying that—to use their word—“Kennedy was guilty of a de­ liberate, disgraceful double-cross” in suddenly announcing he would not respect the pledge, after he had been allowed to witness the Nazis surrender. It didn’t matter to Kennedy or Associated Press that millions of fellow citizens back in America, already disappointed by one unofficial peace announcement, would be confused again by another. Nor did newspapers cooperate with the president in any marked degree. Brazenly carrying on their front pages a White House statement that Monday was not V-E Day, they put out extras anyway. They couldn’t wait just a few hours for the official day, Tuesday. But let workers ever dare to celebrate anything prematurely, or even celebrate at all in some cases, and editorial howls scream across the land. The published climax to the Kennedy double-cross in Europe was the peculiar defense adopted by some of the follow-up edi­ torials. They attacked the Army for not immediately releasing the story Monday. That’s what caused the confusion, they said. Little wonder that authorities like George Seldes say that: “AMERICAN JOURNALISM IS THE MOST IRRESPON­ SIBLE IN THE WORLD. IT IS STILL IN THE POLICE COURT STAGE, OR SCOOPS-AT-ANY-PRICE.” It is not surprising that labor wants its own city newspapers —and is starting them. May Be Important to File Claim When 65 Years Old; Waiting Might Be Costly To make sure that he gets all the benefits that may be due him under old-age and surviv­ ors insurance, a worker should get in touch with the nearest of­ fice of the Social Security Board when he is 65, regard­ less of whether he intends to retire soon or not. There are some important matters he should consider. Maybe he should file his claim for benefits even though he in­ tends to keep on working. Workers should understand that the amount of a benefit does not stand still. Benefits are tied to earning. They de­ pend primarily on the worker’s average monthly wage in cov­ ered jobs. And after 65 earn­ ings from such jobs are apt to be less than before. Average May Drop After 65 a worker is apt to be sick more than before. Ob­ viously, when he is sick, he is not earning; so his average monthly wage goes down. After 65 a worker is apt to work for less pay on the same job, or be shifted to a job at lower wages. This again reduces his averge monthly wage. He is apt to lose his job altogether and be un­ employed for longer or shorter periods of time. He is apt to shift over from time to time into uncovered work, where the wages do not count towards old-age and sur­ vivors insurance benefits. Yet the months of unemployment and the months in uncovered work are all added in and work to reduce the average monthly wage. Can Keep Job For any of these reasons it may be wise for the fully in­ sured worker to file his claim for benefits as soon as he reach­ es 65. This, of course, does not mean that he has to retire. He can keep on working—and he will receive benefits for any month in which he notifies the Board that his wages in cover­ ed jobs are below $15. If he continues to work steadily after filing his claim, he may be able to raise his bene­ fit amount by filing a request for recomputation at a later date. However, if a worker after 65 continues to work steadily at pay which is as high as, or higher than? his past average under social security, there is no advantage in his filing a claim immediately. Get the Dope On the other hand, it is gen­ erally to his advantage to file, his claims if his pay begins to drop, or if he begins losing time on covered jobs, or if he works in noncovered employ­ ment. W. Scott Hamlin, manager of the local office of the Social Security Board, 2nd floor, Post Office Bldg., states that he or a member of his staff will be glad to talk every individual’s circumstances over with him and to advise him on this ques­ tion. BRETTON WOODS What It Is and What It Means to Us The UAW-CIO Research Department has prepared an ex­ planation of the Bretton Woods bill in Congress, which is HR 2211 in the House and S 540 in the Senate. This will be published in several installments. No. 1 What Is the Bretton Woods Agreement? This is an agreement worked out at the resort town of Bretton Woods, New Hampshire in July 1944, by financial experts repre­ senting the United States and 43 other nations. The agreement was to set up the means for expanding world trade, thereby in­ creasing purchasing power and employment throughout the world, preventing the rise of economic aggression of the sort used by Japan and Germany to prepare for war. These plans were the result of years of careful study and preliminary negotiations. They must be approved by the U. S. Congress before we can offi­ cially take part in them. How Will Bretton Woods Function? In the first place, there will be created an International Mon­ etary Fund. This fund will stabilize currency exchange. Purpose of the Fund, as outlined in the Bretton Woods agreement, is “to facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade and to conribute thereby to the promotion and maintenance of high levels of employment and real income and to the develop­ ment of the production resources of all members as primary ob­ jectives of economic policy ... to avoid competitive exchange depreciation ... to eliminate foreign exchange restrictions which hamper the growth of world trade” THE FUND WILL OUTLAW THE KIND OF ECONOMIC AGGRESSION WHICH LEADS TO WORLD WAR. How Does the Fund Work? Each country contributes a share to the Fund, and is accorded the right to make short term loans to adjust temporary drains on their national banks. For example, if Belgium is short of dol- lars at a time when she wants to buy American products, she can borrow dollars from the Fund by giving them her own cur­ rency, and will pay back the Fund in dollars in a short time. Otherwise, Belgium would have to devaluate her currency, and would probably be unable to buy American goods, since the price of these goods in terms of her currency would go up beyond the ability of the average Belgian to buy. What Control Does U. S. Have? The United States has 28 per cent share in the control of the Fund, and Great Britain 26 per cent. Next largest subscribers ate England, Soviet Union, China and France. The original amount of the Fund will be $8.8 billion. How Important Is the Fund? Without the Fund, the Bretton Woods proposals would be al­ most meaningless. We would go back to a system of blocked cur­ rencies, competitive currency depreciation, economic national­ ism, exhange controls, resultant falling off of foreign trade, with unemployment for American workers THE U. S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT says: “The essence of the proposed International Monetary Fund is that it would substitute order and stability for he dog-eat-dog attitue lhal has in the past characterized international currency practices. Order and stability in exchange policies are objectives that can be attained not by a single country working alone but by the united action of all of the 44 countries represened at Bretton Woods. UPON THE ATTAINMENT OF THESE OBJECTIVES HINGES THE REALIZATION OF THE ULITMATE GOALS OF NATIONAL POLICY—HIGH LEVELS OF EMPLOY­ MENT, RISING STANDARDS OF LIVING, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. In he shrunken world of tomorrow, prosper­ ity, like political security, lies not in isolation but in cooperation and mutual understanding.” What About the BANK? The proposed International Bank for Reconstruction and De­ velopment is the second half of the Bretton Wods proposals. This bank will make long-range loans for productive investments, or example factories, dams, power plants, and trasportation facilities in the countries ravaged by war have been shelled, bombed and pillaged, he Bank will be able to finance long-term loans to repair this war devastation. Secondly, many undevelop- world the Far East’ and some of Latin-America, need to develop their resources and become industrialized. The bank will make loans for these backward countries to purchase needed industrial machinery. How Is the Bank Set Up? The Bank will have an initial fund of $9.1 billion, of which the China will subscribe $3.175 billion, England billion, Russia, largest amounts The bank Bank can loan only 20 percent The united states will have reserve have 32 per cent of the voting power in have ’ Great Britam 24.8 per cent. The United Sates will have veto power over proposals to increase the capital stock of CARD OF THANKS We want to express our sin­ cere thanks to the members of Olds Local 652 for their as­ sistance since fire destroyed our home—Mr. and Mrs. Ira O. Short. Classified Ads I WANT TO BUY a bottled gas outfit, including stove, or plate and tanks and regulator. See J. M. Fer­ guson Bldg., 32 Tool Room, or phone 50087. CAR WANTED USED CAR wanted for about $100 cash, any model or year if it runs. Write description and price to X.B.O., Lansing- Labor News. In War—Why Not in Peace? the Bank and over all amendments. The principal office of the Bank will be located in this country. How Important Is the Bank? The United States Treasury Department says “Once the Bank is in operation, the American investor can take advantage of foreign investment opportunities without assuming the risks that have had o be assumed in he past. Furthermore, since we are one of the few nations in a position to export substantial quantities of heavy materials in the immediate post-war period, a large proportion of the total loans sponsored by the Bank will neces­ sarily be used for purchases in this country. THE BANK, THEREFORE, WILL HELP TO CREATE MARKETS ABROAD FOR THE OUTPUT OF OUR CAPITAL INDUSTRIES. What Does It Mean to American Workers? To American factory workers, Bretton Woods means jobs in manufacturing goods for foreign trade. The CIO estimates that if Bretton Woods is passed by Congress, it can create as many as, 5 million jobs in foreign trade. FIVE MILLION OUT OF 60 MILLION JOBS — ONE OUT OF TWELVE WORKERS DEPEND ON BRETTON WOODS. TRUMAN (Continued from Page 1) support in 1941, along with a $7 billion appropriation; fav­ oring giving FDR power to take over struck defense plants and repealing the neutrality act. He opposed limiting the use of the armed services to the western hemisphere. rights” soldier vote bill which was defeated. Only one opportunity to vote came to Truman as vice-presi­ dent in 1945. He broke a tie and defeated a plan to stop presidential power to carry out postwar lend lease deliveries under war contracts. It’s a Date Plan to attend the membership meetings of your local. Here is when and where they meet. OLDS 652—First Friday of month, 7:30 pm. 118 S. Washington. OLDS AUXILIARY 76—First and third Thursdays, 7:30 p. m., 1118 S. Washington. NASH 13 — Second Sunday in month, 10 a. m.,1818 S. Cedar, pre­ ceded- by steward’s meeting at 9 a. m. REO 65j—Meets second and fourth Fridays of month, 7:30 p. m., l314 1/2 S. Washington. FISHER 602—Second Sunday of month, 6 p. m., 1111 W. St. Joseph St. FISHER AUXILIARY — Second Tuesday of month. OLOFSSON 728 — First Thurs­ day of month, 5 p. m., corner Porter and High St. DAIRY UNIT 93—Meet 7:30 p.m., second Friday of month, 1318 1/2 S. Washington. B-24 CANCELLED SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FP)— Completion of B-24 contracts at the Consolidated Vultee Air­ craft Corp, will bring about the layoff of more than 5,000 workers by June, officers of Dist. Lodge 1125, Intl. Assn, of Machinists (AFL) have learn­ ed. BUY WAR BONDS PAYOFF With the nation at war in 1942, Truman favored the price control act, soldier vote act; again stood up for the liberal cause and fought to limit de­ bate on the pol-tax bill; but the tories won again by filibuster. In 1943 Truman favored the extension of reciprocal trade agreements; continuing the NYA; for a pay increase to railroad workers; backed the Conally resolution advocating an (international security or­ ganization. He opposed and vot­ ed against the Smith-Connally anti-strike bill and unseccess- fully supported FDR’s veto of that law. The year. 1944 found Truman backing the bill exempting un­ ions, farm cooperatives and other tax-exempt organizations from filing financial reports. He again unsuccessfully voted for cloture on the poll-tax bill. He was against the George plan of state control of unemploy­ ment compenstion and with FDR opposed raising the Little Steel Formula. He won the fight against liquidating FEPC and also stood on the right side against the so-called “states NASH LOCAL 13 SPORTS SCHEDULE May 28 AAA Softball, Ranney Park, 8:30 P. M. May 29 Baseball, Sycamore Park, 6:30 P. M. May 29 AA Softball, Elm Street Field, 7:30 P. M. May 31 Baseball, Marshall Field, 6:30 P. M. June 1 A Softball, Marshall Field, 7:00 P. M. June 1 AAA Softball, Elm Street Field, 8:30 P. M. Mayor Crego Will Welcome Bob Feller's Baseball Team Mayor Ralph Crego will be on hand to welcome Bob Fel­ ler’s Blue Jacket baseball team of stars from the Great Lakes Training Station when they play the Nash Local 13 All­ Stars in an exhibition game here a week from next Tuesday, June 5. Everything is being done to make it a gala occasion. The committee has arranged for Eastern High School’s 63-piece band to be on hand and there will be flag raising and other ceremonies. Manager Ed Morris has been having some trouble with the weatherman but looks for bet­ ter things during the coming week. The Nash All-Stars are an aggregation of picked players from last year’s city league and are capable of quite a show themselves. Tickets for the game (and you’d better get ’em early) are $1.20, tax included (60c for ser­ vice men and children. They are on sale at: Olds Local 652, 1122 South Washington; Reo Local 650, 1314 1/2 South Washington; Mo­ tor Wheel Local 182, 914 Mc­ Kinley; Merle Sattler, Motor Wheel; Bunny Darcy, Fisher Body; Nash Local 13, 1818 South Cedar; Mrs. C. White, Chaard Laboratories; Interna­ tional UAW-CIO office, 109 E. South; Vandervoort Hard­ ware Company in Lansing and East Lansing; any steward or chief steward at Nash-Kelvin ator. WHAT THE READERS WRITE Letters intended for publication should avoid personal attacks and fac­ tional union politics. Statements in any letter do not necessarily express the views of this paper or of any CIO administration. To the Editor : I have just read the call of our new President of the Lan­ sing Council, Clyde Perkins. It is a call to self-sacrificing ef­ fort on behalf of the great La­ bor Movement. Honesty and square dealing are in every sen­ tence. We now have a triumvirate of leaders .whom we can safely follow into the reconversion period. They are honest, public spirited and capable men. Clyde Perkins head the Coun­ cil ; Ernest Miller heads the Board of the Lansing Labor News, and Dean Read heads the P.A.C. Let’s Go! K. Local 724 DEMILLE BEATEN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FP) Organized labor’s vigorous fight to whip the “DeMille” bill to outlaw union political Assessments culminated in an outstanding victory with a de­ cisive assembly vote to table the meaure. The vote was 50 to 27. REWORK BY ROY NEWTON NASH LOCAL 13 LAYOFFS. Layoffs are hit­ ting Nash and the other plants as was to be expected. Layoffs and cutbacks are signs of the imminence of the end of the war, and therefore make us happy in a sense. It will be a happy day when every war plant in the country is closed. ATTITUDE. The attitude the boys are taking toward the coming layoff and conclusion of war work is in strking con­ trast to the attitude we took toward “losing our jobs” back in the dark days of the depres­ sion. Then the prospect of be­ ing laid off was a matter of great concern and apprehen­ sion. Now people are glad to be laid off. They want a rest, a vacation. If everybody goes fishing who says he is going fishing, the streams and lakes of Michigan will be depleted for a generation. LIBRARIES. At the last meeting of the Board of Con­ trol for this paper, it was vot­ ed to send copies each week to every Library in Lansing and East Lansing, including the College Library. CHESS. A thriving chess club meets every Tuesday even­ ing at 7 o’clock in the Woman’s Club House, 603 S. Washing­ ton. They have some 35 mem­ bers, and will be glad to have any of the boys or girls inter­ ested in chess drop in. DANCE. The big Nash-spon- sored dance scheduled for this Saturday is open to all CIO members, friends, and guests. Come one, come all, let’s cele­ brate. Veterans’ Memorial Building on South Capitol. Tickets at the door. More Social Security Needed in the South COLUMBIA, S. C. (FP) — Extension of social security legislation to cover the 62 per cent of all southern workers now without protection under existing laws is a must if this section is to continue the pro­ gress which it made under the historic years of the Roosevelt administration. The fact was brought home to southerners in an address by Regional Director Richard H. Lyle of the Social Security Board in Atlanta before the In­ terstate Conference of Employ­ ment Security Agencies held here. Invest in Victory — Buy War Bonds and Stamps. Heartaches of a Boss Around The Shops By George Nader During the past week some of the plants have found it ne­ cessary to lay off help. That in itself is not news, but the fact that they have tried to con­ vince us that the war is not over, and that production must be increased, the fact that the man-power control has not been let down, the fact that even in plants where layoffs occur, or are anticipated, some members of supervision are condemning people for asking for a vacation —that to me is news. I feel that the working people are fully aware of the war that still must be fought. I feel that they relize the task that is still ahead in which they must play a part. But I do feel that when a plant anticipates a lay-off, that when a plant has surplus man- and woman-power, they should be fair enough to give some consideration to the men and women who have done a great job, and in fairness to these people give them the op­ portunity to take time off that they may want, give people who would like to take their vaca­ tion a little earlier, thereby making it possible for people who can’t afford time off to work. I have heard where men and women who have gone into the shops because they wanted to contribute to the war effort have asked to be laid off in­ stead of others who couldn’t afford to be laid off, and were turned down. I have heard of people who could find employ­ ment in other lines of work and who asked to be given time off so that they could do that work, leaving the jobs for those who could not step out and find other employment, ad were turned down. I think that if we are to avoid another period of unem­ ployment we must work for the welfare of all concerned. If the war cut-backs are to be done in a way that will assure full em­ ployment, we must do it through cooperation, and with common sense. You just can’t turn down a man or woman who has worked steady and faithfully and who might want a few days off by preaching patriotism, then turn around and lay others off. Managements must start to share their secrets with the el­ ected representatives of the em­ ployees. Managements must stop calling the committee in and breakng the sad news to them at the last minute when in some cases they could have let them know weeks ahead. I know that in some cases the news is just as much a shock to them as it is to the commit­ tee, but I do believe that the representatives of the workers should be kept fully informed as to the production schedules, and whatever changes are made. The government should call in both parties to make announce­ ments, and not keep labor in the dark so long. Some of the people who. were laid off at Abrams are being called back to work, which is encouraging. It’s really a job, when management in writing up briefs, always calls attention to workers whose rate is quite high. Believe me, they never call attention to the ones whose rate has made it impossible-for them to make a decent wage BOSSES ATTEND LOS ANGELES (FP)—Big­ shot west coast ship employers turned out in unprecedented numbers to a luncheon called by the mayor of Los Angeles in honor of Pres. Joseph Curran of Natl. Maritime Union (CIO). SNEAKED IN AUSTIN, Tex. (FP)—The soak-the-poor amendment to limit income taxes to 25 per cent promoted by the reaction ary Gannett Committee for Constitutional Government, was slipped on the Texas house cal­ endar without a public hearing. WAGE REPORT WASHINGTON (FP) —Union officials and others in­ terested in the current, cost-of- living controversy will be in­ terested in a Natl. War Labor Board decument printed May 7. It is the WLB’s “Wage Re­ port” sent to Pres. Roosevelt on the relationship of wages to the cost of living. Copies may be ob­ tained from the Public Infor­ mation Dept. WLB, Washing­ ton, 25, D. C. All data was re­ leased previously in mimeo­ graphed form. News from the AUXILIARIES The Olds Auxiliary will hold its next card party Tuesday, May 29, at the Olds Local hall. Committe in charge will be Mrs. Mae Hamilton, Mrs. Inez Gardner and Mrs. Bernice Bailey. There will be prizes and refreshments. Admisson will be 50 cents per person. This party is a benefit for the disabled veterans’ fund. Proceeds will help furnish rooms at Percy Jones Hospital. Come and bring your husbands and friends. LABOR REFUSED SAN FRANCISCO (FP) — The United Nations conference steering committee overruled a decision to seat the World Trade Union Conference as an observer on the Economic So­ cial Council subcommittee. This treatment was protested by the French delegation and by CIO Pres. Philip Murry, who par­ ticularly assailed the leading role U.S. delegates played in the affair. The U.S. delegates made their first concession to labor in an unexpected propos­ al that the new World Security Organization create an interna­ tional bill of rights, which is in close accord with the pro­ gram placed before conference leaders by both the AFL nd CIO. FILLING GAPS IN THE CUTBACKS LOS ANGELES (FP)—War contracts amounting to $23,- 244,792 are being poured into southern California by the WPB to take up the manpower slack caused by production cut­ backs in aircraft and shipbuild­ ing. Backing the President Seaman Jack Marcotti looks on approvingly as Vice-Pres. John McQuade, of Local 151, Utility Workers Organizing Committee (CTO) signs the scroll which the Los Angeles Industrial Union Council sent to Pres. Truman pledging support in the the winning of the war and the peace. New Auxiliary On News Board The new Women’s Auxiliary of Amalgamated Local 93 has voted an endorsement of the Lansing Labor News through affiliation. Two delegates nam­ ed to serve on the paper’s board of directors are Evelyn Moss and Etla Kenyon. Alternates are Vivian Brennan and Wilma Chamberlain. because of the area bracket racket. * I suppose Atlas will have Charlie Cummings or perhaps Kaleen at the hearing next Saturday. For the life of me, I can’t understand why they don’t have confidence in them­ selves enough to present their own case without legal minds. I predict that the workers at Lansing Forge will soon have, a union, Management, through its mouthpiece (Mr. Cum­ mings) has promised to let us know if they will recognize the union, whether they will consent to an election or what, by next Monday or Tuesday. Those eligible for unemploy­ ment compensation should act to be in line for it. If you’re not sure, check with your union. The girls who have been of­ fered piece work as means of ’getting more money, should know what they are getting in­ to, before they get into it. I am not going to influence you one way or another, but take my advice . . . know the facts, be­ fore you act. ROSES . .. To Nash Local for the won­ derful job they have done in the past and are doing now, in bringing big time baseball to Lansing. It not only is good for labor to have their teams play big time, but it shows people that the union can and is doing something for all the people. It helps sell the union; The dances are also a contributing factor. To . . . the Olds Com. Local 652, management for avoiding trouble, by peaceable settle­ ment of a very ticklish prob­ lem. To . . . the new committee at Duplex for the job they are do­ ing. To . .. Wm. Ingram . . for a box . . of . . candy. To . . Chaard employees for three large Y-drive contribu­ tions. To . . Lansing Paint and Col­ or, Melling Machine Forge, No­ vo Engine, Lundberg Screw, Olofsson Tool and Die, Lansing Production, Federal Drop Forge, Lindell Drop Forge, Melling Drop Forge, Arctic Dairy for the wonderful job done on the Y-drive. To . . Local 652 on the coun- cilihg program, which is get­ ting results. To . . this paper’s board of directors for cutting cost to Lo­ cals on this paper. If all Locals will get in and help it wall bring large dividends. RAZZBERRIES . . . To . . Olds management for refusing to go along on coop­ erating on the Y-drive. To . . Fisher management for discharge of a good worker, a good union man. To . . John Demyer, for re­ fusing a fellow the chance to have a little time off, a fellow who has put in lots and lots of extra time. This is it. I hope you like it. If not, let me know. Will try to give what the majority want, knowing, you can’t please ’em all. WASHINGTON (Continued from Page 1) Negro Reporters Barred From Press Galleries With hundreds of Negro newspapers over the nation, and with Negro newspaper re­ porters almost universally ac­ cepted, they are barred from the press galleries in the U. S. capitol. One of them, Harry McAlpin of the Atlanta Daily World, is accredited to the White House, but so far McAlpin has had no luck in crashing the Senate or House press sections. Another Negro newsman, Ernie Johnson of the Associat­ ed Negro Press, is determined to take up the fight through the courts. Johnson attends the war department, OWI, WLB and other press conferences in the city, but he has been refused admittance to the capitol gal­ leries. McAlpin’s case never has been acted upon. It is just “pending”, but there is a small difference in that McAlpin re­ presents a daily paper, while Johnson writes for just week­ lies and under the rule set by the speaker of the House and the Senate rules committee, is barred by that fact. Will Invoke Sherman Anti Trust Act What Johnson intends to do now, however, is to again file his bid and, when turned down by the standing committee of correspondents (elected by newspapermen covering Con­ gress) he proposes to file suit against them for violation of the Sherman anti-trust act. Johnson will contend that the standing committee is con­ spiring to keep news from a large group of newspapers in restraint of trade. The committee is headed by Sam Bell of the New York Her­ ald Tribune and includes John Cutter of the United Press, William Knighton of the Balti­ more Sun, Elizabeth May Craig of the Portland Press, and Bukley Griffin of the Bos­ ton Traveler. Mrs. Craig was elected last winter on platform that in­ cluded support for McAlpin’s case. She can’t get the commit­ tee to act on McAlpin despite his obvious qualifications. Jim Crow still rules the con­ gressional press galleries. Booby Traps Of Peace Not all the booby traps are found on the fighting fields of Europe. Some are skillfully hidden in hundreds of unlikely spots to blow up the unwary. Others- are woven in newspaper columns—and like the first— have a lethal charge. On May 15, for example, a typical example of the journal­ istic booby trap was widely cir­ culated in the U.S. A story from London said a British naval unit had arrived at the Italian port of Trieste while the Churchill government handed Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia an ultimatum requesting that he remove his troops from the city. The story said the U.S. had joined in the order to Tito. But, as is not always the case, the denial came from Lon­ don the same way with an offi­ cial spokesman branding the story ‘"exaggerated.” He! said there was no question of a cris­ is or an ultimatum, and that conversations were proceeding “in an atmosphere of frankness and of friendship.” What it all boiled down to was simply that the Allied gov­ ernments wish to use the port facilities for suppiles to the armie of occupation and for re­ lief of Europe’s starving mil­ lions. Photo Flashes of the News A Close Shot CIO Holds Veterans Conference The umpire stands by to watch a bit of fast playing on the basketball courts between the Middletown, N. NJ. and New York City teams of Int’l Fur and Leather Workers (CIO). The games will decide which team gets the IFLWU trophy, and so far, the score is tied. —Federated Pictures Attacked by Suicide Planes At a city-wide conference on veterans welfare called by the Greater New York CIO Council, 300 delegates from labor, civic, welfare and veterans organizations were warned against the drive to create antagonism between soldiers and civilian workers. TOP: The lucheon session. BOTTOM: starting left, Pres. Michael J. Quill of Tranport Workers Union (CIO); Col. Robert C. Cook of U.S. Veterans Administratin; and Sec. Treas. Jacob S. Potofsky of Amalgamated Clothing Workers (CIO). —Federated Pictures Jungle Boats What’s Going to Be Done? Local Committeeman Asks Some Important Questions About Aid For Workers By JOHN HARUSKA Committeeman, Nash Local 13 In the last issue of the Auto Worker, the UAW-CIO Interna­ tional Executive Board set forth some good points from its Mil­ waukee meeting. Included were the following: 1. Protecting the workers’ buying power by their “Take Home” pay. 2. Immediate elimination of area wage brackets. 3. Action by the Federal government for $35 per week for Unemployment Compensation. 4. Government assistance for migrant workers who have been laid off in getting back to their homes, or to other places of employment. 5. Immediate action on public works. 6. Labor, Government and Industry getting together for post-war planning. 7. For the Office of War Mobilization and Reconstruction to put work in those idle aircraft plants after V-E Day. 8. Complete abolition of manpower controls. These are all good points, but what is going to be done about bringing them to realization.When workers are organized, as they'are today, how can such things as the average wage rate of those laid off war work be cut 21c per hour when they seek em­ ployment on civilian goods? What’s Wrong With Steel? There will be 250,000 workers laid off from April 1 to August 1 in Michigan alone, yet it will be September before any auto­ mobiles will be coming off the assembly lines. The Steel Industry is only putting out 96 per cent of its capacity; the other 4 per cent would employ 300,000 people in building 300,000 cars per monh, but who is holding this up? Is it manpower, when Union members will spend $140,000,000 of their savings while looking for jobs? Why is the Willow Run plant (a monument costing $156,000,-’ 000) standing idle, when farmers have no equipment to farm with and are attempting to feed the world with rakes and hoes to till their land? Why can’t we build the needed farm imple­ ments ? We have leadership in the UAW-CIO. Why can’t they start taking positions on what we of the rank and file should do, or do we have to lead the way to win back our loss of rights? Corporations Gained Plenty Have Corporations gained? The following figures are from the Securities and Exchange Commission report as of September 30, 1944. Excluding banks and insurance companies, they have increased their holding of cash and Government securities from 13.1 billions in 1939 to 43.0 billions; total current assets from 54.6 to 97.9 billions; total current liabilities from 30.0 to 52.8 billions, resulting in an increase of net working capital from 24.6 billions in 1939 to 45.1 billions on September 30, 1944. They are protected by the George bill. What happened to the Kilgore bill that woud have helped Labor? Let us hope the International officers force their program into effect. We of the rank and file will promise them backing if they need help and will keep us informed of national happen- ings.- Yugoslavia will press her claim for the city forcibly tak­ en from her in World War I by Italy, but fully expects to handle the matter in the regu­ lar channels at the peace table. Yugoslav troops of Marshal Tito occupied Trieste because they fought for it and took it U.S. and British forces ap­ proached the scene. Tito’s forces will remain in Trieste. Equally explosive and equal­ ly exaggerated by the trained seals of American journalism both in San Francisco and abroad, is the Polish question. It too, is a booby trap, being laid constantly by those people who want no unity with the Sov­ iet Union after peace comes. The word “justice” is being repeated, over and over again as a sort of symbol and slogan by the reactionary Polish group that sits in London as a gov­ ernment with nothing to gov­ ern. Echoing the London Poles here is the wealthy Rozmarek Polish-American crowd also de­ manding that the U.S. force the Soviets to accept the London group. Leaders of the London Poles are the proud Polish families of the agricultural eastern sec­ tion—the part now returned to the USSR. The recognition of the old Curzon line deprives wealthy Poles of their great es­ tates. The Lublin government has cut up the remaining Polish land and distributed it to the peasants in a great land-reform program. The Poland that is left will be largely industrial, with workers instead of peasants making up the bulk of the pop­ ulation. The London landlords know there’ll be no place for their feudal aristocracy there. The London Poles also know that their type of leadership will never be recognized by the Soviets. The Russians do not trust them. To the remaining London Poles—the old Socialists—the Lublin regime consitutes an im­ passable barrier. Traditionally opposed to Russia, these Social­ ists won’t abandon their cher- ihed bitterness to what they feel in a communist govern­ ment. The “justice” the London Poles want’ is a selfish one— the restoration of their land, and time to organize a new war on Russia. One of them, interviewed by I. F. Stone of the Nation, sets the pattern. Stone asked, “Has Poland any alternative but to come to terms with Russia—to accept, if you like, Russian domination—or to provoke a third war that will be the end of Poland forever?” He replied, “I do not agree with your formulation. We can­ not compromise with death.” The London Poles prefer a new war—a war on Russia. Invest in Victory — Buy War Bonds and Stamps. ------- When the hospital ship USS Comfort, on its way home with a load of Okinawa wounded was attacked recently by a Japanese sui­ cide plane, members of Local 9, Industrial Union of Marine & Shipbuilding Workers (CIO) were particularly enraged. They worked on the ship and outfitted it last year at the Bethlehem yards in San Pedro. TOP: USS Comfort. BOTTOM: An Army nurse inspects some of the wreckage. —Federated Pictures (United Nations Photo) THIS ODD SIGHT—a truck-full of assault boats in the middle of primitive jungle—was photographed deep in central Burma. The British and Indian soldiers taking fabled Mandalay had to fight their way through jungle, scrub and swamp, bringing their own boats with them to cross the many streams and rivers. These boats ere being unloaded in the jungle ready for the British 36th Division’s cross ing of the Shweli River. At zero hour, the troops carry their boats through the jungle down to the river’s edge. Addresses Vets Training Replacements For the Army Cooperation of labor and vet­ erans organizations can assure an end to wars and economic depressions, Asst. Natl. Chief of Staff Adrian J. Grobsmith of Veterans of Foreign Wars (above) told the veterans’ con­ ference called by the Greater New York CIO Council. French Road Experts Study Michigan System A delegation sent to the United States by the French government to study American methods of constructing roads, bridges, harbor facilities and homes, visited Highway Com­ missioner Charles M. Zliegler recently to obtain information on how Michgan builds and maintains its highways. Above are photos of Camp Wheeler, Ga., showing army technical training methods. TOP LEFT: Live ammunition and “ememy” sniprs keep trainees on their toes 'in model village street fighting. TOP RIGHT: Trainee pours lead into enemy target. BOTTOM LEFT: Typical trainee during field exercises. BOTTOM RIGHT: Browning automatic rifle is explained to reporters. At right is Travis K. Hedrick, Washington bureau mgr. of Federated Press. —Federated Pictures