Workers Win Just Like Nov. 7, 1944 Owned and Published by and for Lansing Labor Phone 2-9621 OFFICE: 109 E. South St. Lansing Labor News Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. LANSING, MICHIGAN — AUGUST 2, 1945 VOL. 1, NO. 21 Local 13 Elects 4 Officers Nash Local 13 elected four men last week to offices vacat­ ed by resignations recently. Pat Roach, who moved from vice-president to president when that official resigned to take a job outside the plant, said the following won in the elections: Eric “Swede” Hultberg, vice- president. Earl “Doc” Watson, financial secretary. Jim Richards, trustee. Henry Moss, guide. Behind the Headlines in Washington with IRVING RICHTER Intl Leg. Rep., UAW-CIO THEY WANT JOBS —Federated Pictures Speedy reconversion of war plants, smashing of Little Steel formula, higher wages and jobs instead of layoffs — that’s what Detroit workers called for in this mass demonstration in Cadillac Square. Pres. R. J. Thomas of UAW-CIO warned against strikes, urging pressure on government to win reconversion demands. What Are We Saying? Gibson Gets Washington Appointment John Gibson, president of the Michigan CIO, has just been ap­ pointed to a position in Wash­ ington. He was made specialist as­ sistant to Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach, he told a Lans­ ing Labor News representative Tuesday night. He said he would leave by plane early Wed­ nesday morning to take over his new duties. One of Michigan’s ablest labor leaders, Gibson is also not without experience in govern­ ment, for he has also served as head of the Michigan Depart­ ment of Labor. Olds Worker Finds Plenty Of Cigarettes, Sugar, etc. Here’s the Staff At Hill Diesel ' “Planning” and “Freedom” By V. E. VANDENBURG George Seldes, in his July 16 issue of “In Fact,” contributed a real service by exposing all the forces now fighting against the idea of full employment, or jobs for all. Reading through his quotes from Congressmen, from the press, bankers’ speech­ es, radio analysts, etc., you see an almost identical line used by all these propagandists, namely, that if the government helps solve the jobs problem, it is threatening our “freedom.” He quotes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as saying: “ . . . the only way in which we can do it is by abandoning freedom.” Chrysler’s economist, Mr. John . Scoville, has said you can get full em­ ployment only by “replacing free­ dom with com­ munism.” The Hearst press and the “Chicago Tribune’ have de­ voted their front pages to horror pictures, show­ ing what jobs for all would do to Americanism.” Richter Strange, isn't it, how big busi­ ness yells murder when govern­ ment is used to help the people? But they beg for it to help busi­ ness! For example, in NRA days there were plans submit­ ted by every industry in Ameri­ ca for reviving business, such plans to be enforced by indus­ try and the government. When big business got put back on its feet, it demanded liquidation of NRA. The government today is ask­ ed by business to plan trade and market research for busi­ ness in the Department of Com­ merce, to enforce tariffs, to provide subsidies to the ship­ ping, aviation, oil and other in­ dustries, to deliver newspapers at a heavy loss, to send gun­ boats behind the oil invest­ ments. But government action to save jobs or create obs is a threat to “freedom.” The fashion in Pullman club cars is to greet the word plan­ ning with snorts, derision and tear. But every day, lobbyists of the NAM work on the House ways and Means Committee, to An Oldsmobile worker has found where to buy cigarettes—all he wants—and an abundance of steaks, sugar, butter and li­ quor without points or coupons, besides such other scarce items as automatic shotguns, shells, cotton and woolens, typewriters, etc., and no nonsense about priorities. Unions Are Sending 72 Boys Camping Seventy-two sons of Lansing CIO and AFL members will go camping at the Mystic Lake camp of the Y. M. C. A. next week, leaving from the CIO Council hall, 109 E. South St. Tuesday morning, Aug. 7. They will make the trip by chartered bus and returned Aug. 17. The period at the camp will be packed with interesting ac­ tivities for the kids, who are selected and sent from various labor locals in the city, with each local allowed a number of boys based upon its size. Jerry Kring of Olds Local No. 652, is chairman of the camp committee. Other members in­ clude: Clyde Perkins, president of the Ingham County C. I. 0. council; Louis Crozier, Nash Lo­ cal 13; William Watts of Olof- sson Tool and Die Local No. 728, William Rioux of Amalgamated Local No. 724; Urshal Hood, Hill-Diesel Local No. 680; Dean Reed, State, County and Munici­ pal Workers Local 276 and 191; Chester Cowan, Fisher Local No. 602, and Ernest Kelso, Reo Local No. 650. Witnesses of Accident Are Asked to Call Settlement of a suit arising from a street accident in which a Nash worker was severely in­ jured may depend upon a few of the many witnesses helping out the victim, the Labor News was told this week. Mrs. Edith Smith, a day, shift worker at the Mt. Hope plant, said she had parked her car and was ready to walk across Wash­ ington avenue into the plant last December 6, when she was suddenly struck by a car while waiting for an opening in the His name is Rolland Lenz and he is a toolroom worker in the shell plant, but if any of you are interested, please don’t wait at the gate for him and jam up the southwest part of Lansing. It wouldn’t do you any good, because he is in Mexico City. Land of Plenty Told to take his wife to a dif­ ferent climate for awhile be­ cause of her health, he obtained a leave of absence, locked up the house, packed up his wife and three year old child, locat­ ed some transportation and was off to Old Mexico—fabulous land of wartime plenty, cheap living and lovely senoritas. The first bit of disillusion­ ment came with the discovery that the rest of the world had apparently moved to Mexico City just ahead of him, using up all the dwelling spots. After some weeks of hectic hotel ex­ istence, a house was obtained, one with “a mixture of Turk­ ish, Swedish and Mexican fur­ niture,” Lenz writes the Labor News. Rent, he found, was high. Eggs 7c Each Then staring him squarely in the teeth again was the old high cost of living—but higher. Eggs he quotes us at seven cents each, but we haven’t ordered any. Bacon (an American meat apparently not edible in Ameri­ ca) is $1.40 a pound. It may be higher by the time you read this, for inflation has definitely set in—and it isn’t a nice con­ trolled kind of inflation in which the prices are rigidly held down to maybe fifty or a hundred percent higher than pre-war, like here at home. “If a man has money here the world is his” Lenz writes. “You can buy your way into or out of anything. When I started down here I expected to find a place where the dol­ lar wasn’t worshipped. And I did—because here they wor­ ship the peso.” The lovely senoritas? “I may state,” he states, “that the pulchritude of the Mexican women has been grievously overrated, but definitely.” The climate, we presume, is still good, though. See WASHINGTON NEWS, Page 4 See ACCIDENT, Page 2 Following are the officers and staff of the Hill Diesel Local: Urshal Hood, president; Wil­ lis Atkinson, vice-president Earl McClure, financial secre­ tary; Duane Draper, recording secretary; Clyde Shauver, sgt.- at-anns. Committeemen: M. S. Mc­ Clure, Robert Rininger, Art Rademaker, Hood and Atkinson. Executive Board: Charley Wiley, Earl McClure, Fred Gib­ bons, Ray Songer, Hood and At­ kinson. Chief Stewards: Melvina Stevens, Harry Service, Leon Campbell, William Doster, Byr] Fritz, Anna Robson. Safety Kids Collect Big Sum at Olds The Lansing Safety Patrol fund drive has met with remark­ able success with the boys at Olds Local No. 652 ringing the bell. On July 7, boys of the Lan­ ding Safety Patrol “picketed” the Olds plant and collected the amazing sum of $207.94 in con­ tributions at the gates. Reports other locals in the units will be forthcoming the following week. —Federated Pictures The overwhelming victory of the British Labor Party has cheered workers everywhere. TOP: Eng­ land’s new prime minister, Clem­ ent R. Attlee. BOTTOM: Winston Churchill, defeated. Monday Is Tag Day at Nash Plant The Welfare Committees of various locals have various ways of rebuilding depleted funds. Some have dances, card games, etc. With consent of the mem­ bership and the Int. Ex. Bd., it is also possible to make special assessments. However, this is to announce a Flower Fund Tag Day, spon­ sored by the Welfare Commit­ tee of Nash Local No. 13, which will be Monday, Aug. 6th. These funds are used for two purposes: to send flowers to union members or members of the immediate family who are in the hospital: and to pay for not over three hours lost time to blood donors who are called out of the shop during working hours. The Bigger They Come —Federated Pictures Bigger they come, harder they fall — that’s the motto of Lt. Jimmy Trenz, right, former activities director of Local 1227, Un­ ited Electrical Radio and Machine Workers, CIO. This picture, from Ontario, Calif. Army paper “Wings,” shows Jimmy coaching the big guy for Golden Gloves championship, Subscribed by a Majority of City War Workers per COPY $1.50 Per Year by Mail ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY British Labor Wins Election Campaigning For Jobs, Security NEW YORK (FP)—It was like the day after Nov. 7, 1944 all over again as U.S. workers joined the rejoicing of the British people at the election victory of the British Labor party, which campaigned on a platform of jobs and security. The defeat of British reaction “gives greater assurance of an era of peace, harmony and prosperity in the postwar world,” Chairman Sidney Hillman of the CIO Political Action Committee said. “The election results in Great Bri­ tain must be regarded in their implications as second only to the reelection of Franklin D. Roosevelt in this country last year. They are confirmation that the whole world is moving in the direction of greater democracy.” The Greater New York CIO Council called the victory “a les­ son to those forces in America which seem to be ready to trample upon the people’s rights.” ‘The common people of England,” it said, “have voted de­ cisively against the British policy which has maintained in power the monarchist and anti-democratic elements now ruling Greece with terror and torture, which has protected and befriended the dictator Franco against the heroic people of Spain, and which even in this hemisphere is the mainstay of fascist Argentina.” Urges Petition to Truman For 20% Wage Increase Cutbacks, layoffs and loss of overtime pay will led to an ec­ onomic crisis unless the nation­ al basic pay rate is raised 20 percent, congressmen are being told by Rep. Chet Holifield (D- Calif.). He is urging them to sign a petition to President Truman to revise the national wage policy. Patriotic Cooperation? Montgomery Ward Again Refuses WLB Orders WASHINGTON (FP)—Stubborn refusal to obey legal gov­ ernment orders has brought Montgomery Ward & Co. back into the limelight again, this time with issuance of a Natl. War Labor Board order directing it to a hearing Aug. 3 to show cause why it has not complied with WLB directives. Ward is in non-compliance with the WLB orders in Pueblo, Colo.; Baltimore, Md.; Kansas: City, Mo.; Trenton, N. J.; Washington, Pa. and Barre Vt. Plates for Planes? The largest case involves the Baltimore mail order store where 1,200 employes are represented by the Inti. Longshoremen’s & Ware­ housemen’s Union (CIO). The WLB has ordered main­ tenance of membership, checkoff, correction of sub­ standard wages, grievance machinery, seniority and the signing of the agreement. At Kansas City, Kan., 150 workers are represented by the Retail Clerks Intl. Protective Assn. (AFL) and the WLB has ordered maintenance of mem­ bership, checkoff, seniority, and arbitration. Across the river in Kansas City, Mo., the United Mail Or­ der Warehouse & Retail Em­ ployes Union (CIO) represents 225 workers. The issues are practically identical with the neighboring city. At Pueblo, Colo, and Wash­ ington, Pa., the AFL Retail Clerks Union represents 72 and 35 workers respectively. The is­ sues are maintenance of mem­ bership, overtime and grievance machinery. At Barre, Vt., there are 32 workers, and at Trenton, N. J., 70, represented by the United Retail, Wholesale & De­ Registration Of Aircraft Is Starting Beginning August 1st Michi­ gan, through its Aeronautics Commission, will start the re­ gistration of aircraft within this state. The aircraft registration law is similar in effect to the auto­ mobile license law and applies to all aircraft operated over the lands and waters of the state, with the exception of scheduled airlines, aircraft owned by the Government or States, and non­ resident aircraft not engaged in commercial operations within the state. Non-resident aircraft used for personal purposes will be permitted to operate within the state for a period of 90 days without registering with the State Aeronautics Commission. partment Store Employes (CIO) with maintenance of membership, checkoff, wages, vacations and grievance mach­ inery involved. LANSING LABOR NEWS, INC. MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. OFFICE: 109 E. South St. — Phone 2-9621 Vacationing Congressmen To Be Contacted / Giant Rallies Being Planned To Ask Work NO TIME FOR A VACATION 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), Earl Watson, Roy Newton (Nash 13), Charles O’Brien (Reo 650), Maurice MacNaughton (Fisher 602), V. E. Vandenburg (CIO Council), Peter Fagan, Adrian Jensen (Olofsson 728), Arthur Chappell, Woodrow Brennen (Dairy 93), James W. Roberts, Dean Reed (SCMWA 276); Louis Newmark (SCMWA 406); Earl McClure, Melvina Stevens (Hill Diesel 646). ASSOCIATE MEMBERS—Mrs. Robert Atkinson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. Harold Wilson (Olds Aux.), Mrs. William McCurdy (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. J. B. Eno (Fisher Aux.), Mrs. Evelyn Moss, Mrs. Etta Kenyon (Local 93 Aux.). EDITOR — V. E. VANDENBURG SUBSCRIPTIONS — Included in the dues of participating locals. Individ­ ual subscription, $1.50 per year by mail. CONTRIBUTIONS—Should be typed double-spaced on one side of paper and signed with author’s name, phone and address. Name will not be used if requested. Notes on news not written up but containing complete names and all the facts are acceptable too. Mail all contributions to Lansing Labor News, P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. England’s Election "This Is the Century Of The Common Man" H. DEAN REED Lansing- PAC Director With the defeat of Winston Churchill, England ends an era of conservative government. With the election of Clement Attlee, she begins a new era of government, a strongly socialistic one. What effect, if any, will England’s election have on the United States? It will have a move far-reaching effect here than any other political event since the first Roosevelt landslide. It signifies that the ‘‘common people" of the world are on the march. They want and expect certain things from their gov­ ernment. We must remember that one-third of the people of England lost their homes during this war. Clement Attlee promised these people their homes back, with a garden and a steady job with steady pay. The labor party pledged itself also to a program of national socialization of heavy industry, mines, transportation and even the socialization of the bank of England, which is today one of the main institutions in the financial world. The people of England did not believe the Conservative Party would give them these things, which is why Clement Attlee and the Labor Party won. One thing more we should remember. Of the original big three, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, only Stalin remains. President Truman and Mr. Attlee will have to depend on Mr. Stalin for a great deal of what has taken place in the past conferences. We here in the United States are now the most conservative of the big three. Russia has her communism, England will now have her socialism. Both are leftist governments. You can look for President Truman to listen to liberal advisers more closely, and to steer his course a little left of center. It begins to look to me that Henry Wallace was correct when he said, “this is the century of the common man.” BUY WAR BONDS OUR ADVERTISERS WILL APPRECIATE YOUR PAT­ RONAGE. Let’s Get Acquainted While Congress has taken a run-out powder on reconver­ sion problems until Oct. 1, unions are planning a series of dramatic mass demonstrations to demand jobs and security for the millions of war workers marked as present and coming victims of cutbacks. DETROIT Following a huge job rally by Detroit war workers in Cadillac Square July 24, the executive board of the United Auto Work­ ers (CIO) named Aug. 12 as a day for nationwide demonstra­ tions by its entire membership in some 1,000 locals. Already hard hit by cutbacks, the UAW with its membership based al­ most entirely in war industry is demanding higher wages and an adequate reconversion pro­ gram “to avoid disaster for our community and our nation.” NEW YORK New York workers will rally in Madison Square park Aug. 29 at the call of the Greater New York CIO Council to demand that Congress get back on the job and enact labor’s program for protecting workers during the transition to peacetime pro­ duction. New York CIO members are collecting a million signatures on a petition to Congress and plan to greet New York congres­ smen on their return home with mass delegations. BALTIMORE In Baltimore, Md., one of the nation’s most important war ar­ senals, AFL, CIO and railway unions were planning a joint citywide reconversion confer­ ence for this week, to be follow­ ed by a mass public demonstra­ tion in early fall. Thousands of workers in Bloomfield, N.J., will gather in MacArthur Plaza Aug. 16 under the auspices of the CIO to pro­ test the scheme of the big Gen­ eral Motors plant and other war industries in Bloomfield to bust ACCIDENT (Continued from Page One) It’s a Date traffic. It happened at 6:45 a.m. Knocked unconcious and ter­ ribly bruised, though no bones were broken, she was unable to return to work until about April 1, she said. Layoffs at the plant relieved her of further work af­ ter May 24. She said the car driver’s in­ surance firm opposes much of a settlement, apparently because they believe she has few, if any, witnesses. Everyone who saw this acci­ dent or saw her there afterward before she was carried uncon­ scious from the scene, should tele phone her at 58364. Assist­ ance in this case is urgent and may result in an out-of-court settlement. Plan to attend the membership meetings of your local. Here is when and where they meet. OLDS 652—First Friday of month, 7:30 p. m. 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 650—Meets second and fourth Fridays of month, 7:30 p. m., 1314 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, 109 E. South St., at CIO Council Hall. — BUY WAR BONDS — Support our advertisers. the unions and move into unor­ ganized, cheap labor areas. HEAT IS ON More and bigger demonstra­ tions are expected as cutbacks spread and thousands of more workers face joblessness and wage cuts. The hot weather may have driven congressmen away from the nation’s capital for the summer, but observers predict that the soaring tem­ peratures will be nothing com­ pared to the heat put on Cong­ ress by an aroused labor move­ ment insisting that it doesn’t want a future of apple-peddling and ghost plants. WHAT WE WANT Still No. 1 on organized la­ bor’s postwar program is jobs for all, implemented by de­ mands that the government maintain high purchasing power, raise unemployment benefits, expand social security and reject attempts by indust­ ry to turn the reconversion per­ iod into a wholesale wage-cut­ ting, unionbusting campaign. Union Leases Resort Site (FP) — AFL unions here sign­ ed a 19-year lease with the TVA along the Chickamauga Lake and plan to convert the proper­ ty into a resort for the union membership. HOW MANY OF THESE FIRMS DO YOU KNOW? Want Belter Merchandise or Service! Try These! Home Front Action Is Prescribed WASHINGTON (FP) — There’ll be little time for vaca­ tioning congressmen to relax by the old mill pond back home if the CIO carries through an action program sent, out to all affiliates, councils, regional directors and field representa­ tives July 26. In a broadside sent through­ out the country by Legislative Director Nathan Cowan, the CIO proposed that delegations be organized behind a broad program and that members of the AFL unions, Railroad Bro­ therhoods, veterans, YMCAs, church and fraternal groups be asked to make it a commun­ ity proposition. Specifically the drive calls for asking congressmen and senators back home to subscribe to a 6 point program: I. Insist on immediate hear­ ings on emergency unem­ ployment compensation and call for passage of the Kil- gore-Forand bills (S 1274, HR 3891). Ask passage this session of the Wagner-Mur- ray-Dingell bill (S 1050, HR 3293) for broad, permanent social security legislation. 2.Sign the wage petition ad­ dressed to Pres. Truman by members of congress, asking him to give the WLB author­ ity to order wage increases. 3. Sponsor the full em­ ployment bill (S 380, HR 2202). 4. Support the Pepper- Thomas-Hook bill (S 1282, HR 3841) amending the wage-hour act to raise mini­ mum wages from 40c to 65c an hour. 5. Sign the discharge peti­ tion No. 4, fording the perma­ nent FEPC bill (HR 2232) to the House floor. 6. Fight the Ball-Burton- Hatch bills (S 1171) with its threat to all labor arid the Wagner act. The instructions call for wide organizational activity in a co­ ordinated campaign to force real action by congress When it returns Oct. 8. including the great trade un­ ion movement in Detroit, will join with us in making the Full Employment Bill a law of the land." G. Titus D. Titus Keep that furnace fixed We rebuild and repair Old Furnaces TITUS and SON Eavestroughing — Furnaces — Cornice Copper work — Skylights Metal Ceilings, etc. Phone 29-080 105 East South St. Lansing, Mich. Membership Maintenance Is Protected WASHINGTON (FP) — In a decision of wide importance, the Natl. War Labor Board said fed­ eral law is superior to any state constitution or statute that would deny maintenance of union membership clauses in a contract. The WLB acted on a petition from the attorney gen­ eral of Florida who sought to bar three AFL unions from gaining such protection. Wallace Urged To Do Something About Jobless FORT WORTH, Tex. (FP) — Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace was urged by Presi­ dent O. A. Knight of the Oil Workers Intl. Union (CIO) to call a conference of industry and labor leaders to allay the fear of joblessness and depres­ sion that is beginning to haunt the homes of millions of Ameri­ can workers. Washington News plan tax systems which will make the rich richer, and the poor poorer. The fact of the matter is, as Barbara Wooton pointed out in a brilliant book written in Lon­ don in 1934, under our “free” enterprise system, as it has been operated, “the final up­ shot may fairly be described as a community more planned against than planning" Page Willow Run! As Rep. Helen Gahagen Doug­ las (Dem., Calif.) wrote in a mesage to the Cadillac Square meeting in Detroit on July 24: “The idea of jobs for all is being branded as subversive and un-American. I am one of those who believes unemploy­ ment to be un-American, con­ trary to the very essence of our democratic way of life. The right to a job at decent wages is a basic right of a free people. For that reason I know the American pebple, Feeling the Pinch Unions Show Gerald Smith Not Wanted LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FP) —Organized labor, AFL and CIO, helped pack Olympic arena here with 12,500 applauding, shouting citizens while another four or five thousand outside vainly tried to get in to show they too did not want profes­ sional fascist Gerald L. K. Smith setting up his hate base in Los Angeles. The stop-Smith move­ ment, starting from scratch, mustered more than double the tournout at a rally held by the America First leader himself a few blocks away. Always Be Alert, Perkins Advises Labor they may be heard. Realizing as well as any that many people do seriously crit­ icize the activities of organized labor, and realizing, too, that others are just as subject to our criticism, it will certainly profit labor generally to keep their thinking as much as hu­ manly possible away from the thought of individual or partic­ ular group until and if such thinking is good for the nation’s workers or at least is not harm­ ful to them. I believe such thought is pos­ sible. I believe that many of our people are maturing and can and will give leadership of this type. I believe that many who now criticize will begin, to have more favorable reaction to labor as we ourselves devel­ op a certain amount of “states­ manship within our own organ­ ization.” I believe real honest recogni­ tion of labor today as a force for good could be recognized much more if we can develop ourselves in this direction. New 3rd Shift At Hill Diesel A new third shift has been added to the wrapping and packing department at Hill Diesel Engine Co. Darlene Weaver was pro­ moted to foreman of the new Crew of 25 women and two men. The shift is growing larger daily, it is reported. OUR ADVERTISERS WILL APPRECIATE YOUR PAT­ RONAGE. By CLYDE E. PERKINS President Landing CIO Council The evident necessity of working people always being alert and taking the initiative whenever possible has been seer time and again during past his­ tory. A recent statement by the new Secretary of Labor, Mr. Schwellenbach, that his depart­ ment must not play favorites to one group or another proves this point in a fashion possibly hard to see for some hard-shell or narrow minded people. There is no doubt that such a statement of policy is the very best of democratic idealism pos­ sible and harms no one, but is more likely, if strictly followed, to be of benefit to all of labor. Last week I made the state­ ment that labor is maturing in its thinking and in its actions. I am positive that such is true, but reserve such statement as far as to say that progress is slow and uphill. Statements such as the Sec­ retary of Labor has made some­ times appear to many of our people as prejudicial to what is termed “our own particular in­ terests as a labor union.” Such a feeling of self-interest does exist and has a definite effect of lessening the effective­ ness of programs designed pri­ marily to benefit a certain group or groups but which just as well could be of benefit to all workers if the feeling were dismissed and substituted there for the factual knowledge of right for all or right for a few and be damned, with the rest. All such thinking des­ erves the alert attention and initiative of workers. But Secretary Schwellenbach must remember and be remind­ ed that organized labor is and will continue to be one of the spokesmen and champion of workers. It can hardly be oth­ erwise as only through organ­ ized functions can the voice ac­ tually be heard and their prob­ lems and programs be made clear to those who, because of lack of organization have no representative spokesman or other medium through which Mobilization & Reconversion with emphasis on a voluntary plan aimed at continuity of em­ ployment, President Eric John­ ston of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce announced. John­ ston spoke as chairman of an OWM subcommittee on which labor, industry, agriculture and public members are represented. He Took It! There's No Place Like Home Wailed Nations Photo These French prisoners of war are all smiles as they look at their homeland during a stopover on the train trip from Germany to France. Some of them haven’t seen France in five years, but this year they were able to help their country celebrate Bastille Day (July 14, France’s Fourth of July). Although the celebration, be­ cause of food and transport shortages, was somewhat sober, it was the first Bastille Day without Germans since 1939. AFL Refuses The One Man Street Cars Soviet Labor Is Democratic, Leader Claims DETROIT (FP) — The city- owned Detroit transit system may plan to convert its present two-man cars to one-man op­ eration but the members of Div. 26, Amalgamated Street Elec­ tric Railway & Motor Coach Employes (AFL), will refuse to operate them. This was unani­ mously voted by the local July 14. It has the contract with the Dept, of Street Railways. Their stand was indorsed July 24 by Pres. R. J. Thomas of the United Auto Workers (CIO), who denounced the proposal as an unsafe and unjustified at­ tempt to create additional un­ employment. The AFL will operate modern one-man cars, it stated, but at increased pay. Have you read what our ad­ vertisers have to say? WASHINGTON (FP) — Charges that the Soviet labor movement is undemocratic can be made “only because of a lack of information ... or by ene­ mies of the labor movement/’ Chairman Vassili Kuznetsov of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions said here. Kuz­ netsov and nine other Soviet labor leaders arrived here as guests of the CIO to tour U. S. plants. Annual Wage Plan Studied WASHINGTON (FP) — An exhaustive study of the guar­ anteed annual wage is being un­ dertaken by the federal govern­ ment through the Office of War Around The Shops By George Nader One of the most important problems now confronting wor­ kers, is the correct procedure to follow in case of a lay-off Too many of our people are not checking up with their un­ ion, to see that they get all they are entitled to. Many of them depend on office girls at the United States Employment Service for a ruling, and wheth­ er right or wrong accept it. I don’t want to give the im­ pression that these girls are de­ liberately beating people out of what is rightfully theirs, I do mean to imply, that if the cases called to my attention had been carried out based on their theo­ ry, those people would not have received what they had coming. Credit should go to R. Walters who corrected most of the mis­ understanding. Our people have either got to check on the rules, or ask. They should check if in doubt, or if they are told that they have nothing coming. I am not going to attempt to give you the information, because people will try to twist it around and apply it to their case. I would rather have them get the print­ ed booklet, or have their case checked. I have stated, and I repeat, it’s unfair to keep manpower regulations without a major change, in, view of the plant lay-offs. They have relaxed them on females but at the present the men are at mercy of Management and that isn’t healthy. * * The traffic commission says we don’t need a light at Wash­ ington and E. South Street. They gave us a light on S. Ced­ ar street, where it does clog up traffic. If that makes sense, I’ll be a jackass’ uncle. The election results in Eng­ land has the big shots worried —labor, they found out—could do a job. Here in the good old U.S.A, we haven’t made such progress but we could if we quit allowing ourselves to be used by either party whose only use for us is votes. I attended Oloffsen’s picnic at Pleasant Lake and had a swell time. Heard that Reo had a swell picnic. They certainly had a break in the weather. A picnic is nice to attend — it’s usually the only place you can meet everyone without problems dis­ cussed. The families get a chance to meet the families, etc. * We have a nice bunch of peo­ ple who are going to serve on OPA panels, but we could use about ten more so how. about it — will you help? The resignation of Brother Swanson sure has the boys speculating. I haven’t been wearing a hat, so it’s kind of hard for me to throw one in. Now with so many problems coming up — problems that con­ cern you — you should attend your meetings. Your local now, more than ever, needs your ac­ tive support. It’s your problem and your Union. Help them both By be­ ing active. Yeoman 2/c John L. Casteen of Rocky Mount, N. C., hit the $64 question and a $156 jackpot—and then won a $1,000 bond as the 1,000th contestant on CBS’ “Take It or Leave It.” Quizmaster Phil Baker, left, later helped the sailor phone home. Cooperation Pays The ladies, even the little one, are in favor of the cooperative store run by Local 201, Oil Workers Intl. Union, CIO, Hammond, Ind. Union members get the finest quality here at reasonable prices. —Federated Pictures Fashion Heads For Fall Berets reach a new high in the Patton gold velvet which CBS actress Mary (“A Woman's Life”) Patton selected from Sally Victor's advance collection of & autumn originals. Characteristic of the “round” mood in this designer's latest millinery, this hat adds a profile flattering curve that compliments both face and coiffure. Sculptured crown and softly curved brim of the graceful cinnamon red felt creation' recently shown by designer Peg Fischer' appeals to CBS actress Doris McWhirt for early autumn wear. High gold braid against antique gold grosgrain gives the ultimate touch in highlighting the molded silhouette. Modified hourglass cloche of dusty pink felt, introduced by designer Peg Fischer for early- fall wear was selected by CBS actress Doris McWhirt. Rising above the head-fitting brim, the crown; .. is tiered in, telescope effect, with bronze-tipped brown ostrich accenting the face framing to brim.