Owned and Published by and for Lansing Labor Phone 2-9621 OFFICE: 109 E. South St. VOL. 1, NO. 24 Lansing Labor News Official Weekly Newspaper of CIO Labor in Lansing MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. Subscribed by a Majority of City War Workers 5c per copy $1.50 Per Year by Mail LANSING, MICHIGAN — AUGUST 30, 1945 ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY Big Parade, Speakers, Ball Game, Dances Monday LABOR day resolu tion Says Nadar LABOR DAY EDITORIAL Against Mass Unemployment And Less Pay, the CIO Fights 10th Birthday Of UAW-CIO Was Aug. 25 DETROIT (FP) - The lusty United Auto Workers (CIO), mightiest union in the western hemisphere, observed Aug. 25 the tenth anniversary of its chartering by the AFL, from which it dates its existence as the industrial union of the auto industry. In Detroit and else- where the anniversary banquets were held in the midst of ter- rific layoffs following the United Nations victory over Japan earlier in the month. Since Aug. 13 over 160,000 UAW members have been laid off in the Detriot area alone and counting only plants where the UAW holds contracts. The number laid off since VE-day last May is 260,000, according to Director James Wishart of the UAW research department. General Eisenhower, Others Wire Greetings Almost 400 attended the De- troit observance which was showered with telegraphic greetings from Gen. Eisenhow- er, War Sec. Patterson, Com- merce Sec. Wallace, WLB Chairman Taylor, Senators Wagner, LaFollette, Pepper, Kilgore and Mead, and other notables. UAW-CIO Nearly Tripled Workers Annual Incomes The political note was struck by Pres. R. J. Thomas who sug- gested the feasibility of a third party in case neither the Demo- cratic nor the Republican party meet the needs of the workers in the reconversion and post- war period. Thomas also sug- gested support for a liberal Re- publican who might be found to run against reactionary Sen. Vandenberg, who must face re- Don’t Let the Boys Down! And don’t let America down. Let’s start making those jobs and making them fasti The Lansing Labor News be­ lieves that the miracle of gigantic production for war can easily be surpassed by a greater production for peace, at higher wages than ever before and bigger profits than in­ dustry made before the war. The CIO will fight for that program and for the better America that it will bring. election struggles in 1946. UAW members inclined to pessimism because of the mass layoffs were cheered to hear that the union in 10 years rais- See 10th BIRTHDAY, Page 2 Show Em That Labor Is United Workers and their families are urged to attend the big Labor Day festivities in Lan- sing and help to make it Ameri- ca’s biggest day for labor—one that “will service notice on our home front enemies that labor, millions strong, stands united and ready for cooperation to as- sure justice or to fight with all its resources for it, if neces- sary.” Inti. Rep. George Nadar in issuing that statement to the Labor News pointed out that in paying tribute upon this day to those gallant men and women who Worked, sacrificed and even died while fighting* for labor’s rights we must not for- get our responsibility for car- rying on their work. “They had faith that their fellow workers would finish the job — which is still unfinished — which will premanently as- sure a fair deal for American workers,” he said. Federal Facts About Strikes Despite all the scary black headlines about workers sabo- taging the war effort with strikes, U. S. Dept, of Labor statistics show that time lost due to strikes for the year 1944 was only nine-hundredths of one percent of the available working time. Except for 1942 this is the smallest figure since 1930. Organized Workers Learn History's Greatest Lesson BY THE EDITOR Labor Day in 1945 is an unusually significant marker in the dramatic history of organized labor’s generations of achievements in working for higher standards of living and building a better world. A World Plot Against Labor Though labor has. faced many enemies, no menace was ever greater than that of fascism, which for the past ten years and more has openly destroyed unions with firing squads and con- centration camps in many parts of the world, A POLICY WHICH FINALLY DEVELOPED INTO A WORLD WAR AND AN ATTEMPT TO DESTROY DEMOCRACY NOT ONLY IN LABOR, BUT IN GOVERNMENTS. Only history will show how nearly they succeeded. Organized labor, which long had seen the inevitable catas- trophe coming, plunged into the fight with everything it had — men for the armed services, money for bonds and war activities, long weeks of work day and night, and even its own blood. Patriotism of the Workers CIO auto workers and their locals bought a half billion dol- lars in bonds yearly and contributed 400,000 pints of blood, do- nated $10,000,000 to the Red Cross and other war relief and gave some 300,000 members to the armed forces — which was about a quarter of its peak membership. These figures, furnished by Director Jack Zeller of the UAW education department, clearly establish the patriotism of labor in the world war against fascism. DURING THIS PE- RIOD A SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF TIME WAS LOST See ORGANIZED WORKERS, Page 3 Lansing Labor Day Program 1:00 p. m.—Parade from Capitol out East Michigan to the Armory. 2 to 5 p. m.—Contests and ball games. Winner of ball games to get CIO trophy for the year. 5 to 7 p. m.—Entertainment and dancing (park plan) at the Armory. 7 to 9 p. m.—Speakers, Labor Day Queen selection, and some of prize drawings. 9 p. m. to 1 a. m.—Drawings for prizes, dancing (tickets 75c per couple with stub on youf Labor Day Festival ticket, or $1.25 without). Armory Is Scene of Celebration With thousands out of work in Lansing war plants, organ- ized labor is going to stage its biggest celebration in the city’s, history next Monday on Labor Day to emphasize the need for speedy reconversion, said Clyde Perkins, president of the Lan- sing CIO Council. A big parade will start at the Capitol at 1 o’clock and march out East Michigan to the Lan- sing armory on Marshall street, where a ball game, contests, dances, nationally prominent speakers and selection of a La- bor Day Queen will fill the af- ternoon and evening. FRANK HOOK, REUTHER, SCHOLLE TO TALK The talks, all short, and on vital current labor problems, will be in the armory starting at 7 p.m. Rep. Frank Hook, congress- man from Iron Mountain, will be one of the speakers. It was his left hook that upset some of the rank in Congressman Rankin, Mississippi reactionary who challenged Hook physical- ly on the floor of the house when the latter was speaking for a bill labor wanted. Hook didn’t scare and soon demon- strated that he could defend labor’s rights with his fists, too, if that were needed. Walter Reuther, vice-presi- dent of the UAW-CIO, and di rector of the union’s GM divi- sion, Wednesday promised to be on hand. It was Reuther who recently launched the campaign for a 30% increase in rates for General Motors workers. See BIG PARADE, Page 3 The Man Who Founded Labor Day - And Some Labor Highlights of the Past Year Labor Day Founder Political Action Labor Conference Victory San Francisco Reconversion Politics Peter J. McGuire, founder of United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners, and later vice president of the AFL, was also the founder of Labor Day. In 1882 he proposed set- ting aside “one festal day in the year for public tribute” to the genius of the American worker. On June 28, 1894, Labor Day became a national holiday by act of Congress. Labor won a great victory with the reelection of the late Pres. Roose- velt—and proved its political strength. It was the hard campaigning of or- ganized labor groups, together with other progressive forces, that return- ed the Roosevelt administration to office and defeated reaction. While Allied armies fought together on the battlefields, representatives of 30 Allied unions met in London in February 1945 to form an organiza- tion for active world labor coopera- tion in war and peace. Here Chair- man Sommerville-Hastings of Lon- don County Council welcomes dele- gates at opening of World Trade Union Conference. V-E Day found workers jubilant over defeat of Nazism and eager to Labor took deep interest in United Nations conference at San Francisco. continue the battle of production ne- Adoption of a plan for world peace cessary to defeat Japan. It also in- and prosperity, necessary to the se- tensified need for reconversion plan- ning which was to become acute with Japanese fall. curity of all workers, was climaxed when Edward R. Stettinius signed United Nations Charter for the U. S. End of European war meant lay- offs to thousands of workers, shrunk- en pay envelopes to countless others. In huge rallies like this by United Auto Workers (CIO) in Detroit, workers demanded smashing of Little Steel formula, reconversion action from Congress. Labor’s constant pressure for ac- tion on reconversion problems brought only talk from Congress — and a 3-month adjournment despite warnings of AFL and CIO. Now, with war’s end, the nation faces unem- ployment of eight to 10 million. Con- gress must act immediately when it reconvenes on Sept. 4 to meet labor’s demands for jobs for all. LANSING LABOR NEWS, INC. MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 657, Lansing 3, Mich. OFFICE: 109 E. South St. — Phone 2-9621 Entered as second-class matter April 13, 1945, at the post office at Lansing, Mich- igan, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 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. Living Memorial To Roosevelt Is Financed by CIO WASHINGTON (FP) — As a means of demonstrating its appreciation for his achieve- ments, the national CIO has voted to sponsor a “living me- morial” to Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt in the form of a com- pletely equipped children’s wing of the new Georgetown hospital here. Writing to Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Murray said “I am sure that you will be interested in learning that the CIO is sponsoring a living memorial to your late husband. The execu- tive officers and vice presidents of the CIO on Aug. 16 author- ized the administrative officers of the CIO to appropriate the sum of $55,000 for the estab- lishment of this memorial. It will comprise the entire fifth floor west in the new George- town hospital, a strictly non- sectarian institution.” The hospital is operated by sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis and is connected with Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, but will admit pa- tients of all faiths. Support our advertisers. WASHINGTON (FP)—The Murray-Wagner full employ- ment bill (S 380) was intro- duced in the Senate Jan. 22, 1945 and is pending before the banking and currency commit- tee of that. body. Stating that it is U. S. policy to “foster free competitive en- terprise and the investment of private capitol in trade and commerce and the development of the natural resources of the U. S.,” the bill declares: “All Americans able to work have the right to useful, remunerative, regular and full-time employment, and it is the policy of the U. S. to assure the existence at all times of sufficient employ­ ment opportunities to en­ able all Americans who have finished their schooling and who do not have full-time housekeeping responsibilities freely to exercise this right." After setting out a number of goals, such as raising the standard of living, protecting the home and family, helping returning veterans, etc., the bill next states it “is the furth- Outline of S.380—the Full Employment Bill Hearings Are Being Held On It Now Hillman Urges Jobless Benefits LaGuardia For Annual Wage er responsibility of the Federal government to provide such volume of Federal investment and expenditure as may be needed to assure continuing full employment” with this invest- ment to “stimulate increased employment opportunities by private enterprise.” Annual Labor Budget Report Provided Under the terms of the bill, which is actually an enabling act and not a set of specific rules of action, the President is instructed to deliver to Con- gress each January the nation- al production and employment budget setting out in summary and detail: The size of the labor force for the coming fiscal year; esti- mated volume of expenditure and investment needed to pro- duce a gross national product to provide for full employment for the labor force. He would also estimate the amount by which he believes the volume of production will fall short of providing full employment and call for increased non-Federal outlays and if these are believ- ed to be insufficient he shall call for a federal public works program performed by private concerns to make up the differ- ence. —Federated Pictures “I believe in an annual wage for merchant seamen and all Ameri- can workers,” declared Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia of New York City as he signed a petition urging the War Labor Board to grant sea- men’s 55c minimum wage demand. Shown with him is a delegation representing three CIO maritime unions and one unaffiliated union. Banker Tells What Makes Big Bankers WASHINGTON (FP) — It took Pres. F. R. Von Windegger of the Plaza Bank of St. Louis, to give the Senate banking and currency committee its first belly laugh Since the public hearings began on the full em- ployment bill. Von Windegger testified in favor of the bill and of its pur- poses. Commenting on the op- position of the powerful Guar- anty Trust Co. of New York, he said: “Sometimes I think the prime qualification for the head of a big bank is a con­ stitutional inability to grasp a new idea.” Expansion of unemployment in- surance is Congress’ most urgent job, warned Chairman Sidney Hillman of CIO Political Action Committee in New York as PAC opened a campaign to speed legis- lation for protection of workers during reconversion crisis. 10th Birthday (Continued from Page 1) ed the average annual income per auto worker from $1,074 to $3,000 (swollen by war over- time), according to Director Jack Zeller of the UAW educa- tion department. These Firms Send You Labor Day Greetings -- Stop In and See Them Sometime OUR ADVERTISERS WILL APPRECIATE YOUR PAT­ RONAGE. Support our advertisers. Treasury Official Lauds Labor For Bond Buying I am glad to take the occasion of Labor Day to record once more the Treasury Department’s sincere appreciation of the magnificient support given to its War Bond program by the wage-earners of the United States. It is also appro­ priate on this day to express our thanks to the men and women of Organized Labor who have helped to make this support so effective. All observers of the War Finance program of the United States Government have been tremendously im­ pressed by the remarkable growth of our Payroll Savings Plan. There has never been anything like it in the history of government finance. As long as our Navy is in Japanese waters, and dur air­ men in Japnese skies, and our soldiers and marines stand­ ing guard in the home islands of Japan and in other lands which have known the crushing weight of Japanese tyranny, we of the home front cannot afford to withhold any part of the support which in the past we have given them. Let us go on buying Victory Bonds with every dollar we can set aside, until peace is fully established. FRED M. VINSON, Secretary of the Treasury Among other events for the afternoon will be the park plan dancing in the Armory to the music of Ed Berry and his or- chestra. This will be from 5 p. m. to 7 p.m. From 7 to 9 p.m., after the speakers have finished, there will be prize drawings arid sel- ection of the Labor Day Queen. From 9 to 1 p.m., Ed Berry’s music makers will again hold forth for dancing. Admission to this will be 75c per couple with the stub on your Labor Day Festival ticket, or $1.25 without the stub. BIG PARADE (Continued from Page 1) Another prominent speaker will be August Scholle, 6th reg- ional director of the CIO-PAC, who will have something to say about the union’s political cam- paign for jobs and more pay. MANY UNUSUAL FLOATS IN PARADE Prominent in the parade will be the floats created by the dif- ferent locals, and rumors have it some very unusual ones are being built behind closed doors. Watch for the startling entry from Nash Local 13. Perkins said he is endeavor- ing to obtain the Flint CIO band for part of the parade’s music because of the big hit that or- ganization made with the crowd at the “Little Steel” rally. ALL-STAR BASEBALL GAME AT 2:30 A hot baseball game is sched- uled for the hardball diamond at Marshall Field, just across Saginaw from the Armory. The game wil start at 2:30 and will be played by two teams of local all-stars. ORGANIZED WORKERS (Continued From Page One) THROUGH STRIKES THAN EVER BEFORE (U. S. LABOR DEPT. FIGURES) AND UNION LABOR DELIVERED THE MIGHTIEST VOLUME OF PRODUCTION EVER DREAMED OF, literally Swamping our enemies on every front with gi- gantic quantities of equipment. Labor's Reward (?) for Cooperating Union labor’s reward for this astounding patriotic coopera- tion in the war has been: 1—Constant persecution from newspapers and other sources because the no-strike record lacked about one- tenth of one percent of being perfect. 2—Failure of the government to keep its pledge to hold the line on living costs. 3—Failure of the government to prepare for immediate reconversion relief for the millions of unemployed workers, though industry was amply provided for. The Payoff in Detroit The city government of Detroit has its own unique reward for the patriotic achievement of its workers in the war effort. Word has been passed out that the city will furnish no relief to the unemployed until after they have used up all their war bonds, cleaned out their savings accounts and cashed all investments. BUT THE BIGGEST BATTLE IN HISTORY HAS BEEN WON AND OPENLY ORGANIZED WORLD FASCISM DE- STROYED. Next comes the battle against anti-labor reactionary forces in the democracies themselves, where labor has already scored one big victory in a British election which stirred liberals throughout the world. Here at home labor thrilled to the huge maority rolled up in the Detroit primary by Richard Frankensteen, candidate for mayor of a city which certainly needs a change in administration. After More Jobs, Higher Wages Meanwhile, on the industrial front, the CIO is waging a great economic battle for more jobs and higher wages with which to insure our standard of living for American workers and returning veterans. And that battle, too, wil be won — for with increased pro- duction possible with the new automatic machinery industry can pay substantially higher wages without losing one penny of pre- war profits. This Labor Day of 1945 is particularly significant to workers. With history's greatest war won and the political administration of the largest empire defeated, organized labor now knows for the first time in history, and knows for certain, that no fight is too big for labor to win as long as workers stay organized and work together. Organized labor can now with a mature new confidence plan ahead for its increasingly important part in building a better world — in our time. V. E. VANDENBURG BUY WAR BONDS Double Time Starts Again For Builders DETROIT (FP) — The pre- war overtime rule of the De- troit Bldg. Trades Council (AFL) by which all overtime was paid at double rates is in effect again beginning the week ended Aug. 25. Overtime was reduced to time and a half during the war, starting with government work. For a time after the time and a half was ordered some locals did not countenance overtime work but all finally fell in line. After VJ-day refusal to work overtime at less than double- time was again used as a suc- cessful lever to restore the higher rate on all jobs. Support our advertisers. Lansing Salutes Labor American Workers Fought Fascism With History’s Greatest Production! These pictures are only fragmentary glimpses of what the United Nations’ victory owes to free American labor in war plants — and farther behind the fighting front in stores, offices and on the farms. When the final counting-up comes, one cold hard fact will be highlight­ ed by history: it was free U. S. labor that provided the weapons, the munitions, the ships and the food that turned the tide against Axis tyranny. England was finished, confessed Field Marshal Douglas Montgomery, until the U. S. came to Britain’s aid. The storming of So­ viet armies across thousands of miles from Stalingrad into Berlin was made possible by planes, tanks, trucks and other equipment bearing U. S. labels. But Russia and Britain were only two of the 35 United Nations for which the U. S. became the “World’s Arsenal” after satisfying the tremendous needs of our own Army and Navy. This “miracle of production” has been hailed by U. S., Russian and British leaders as the greatest production feat in the history of the world. Hats Off to American Labor For a Huge Job Well Done! CONGRATULATIONS, WORKERS, FOR YOUR PART IN A GREAT VICTORY! CAPITOL CITY WRECKING CO. 719 E. St. Joseph New and Used Lumber and Building Materials Phone 21115