The Dallas Craftsman (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, March 14, 1947 Page: 1 of 4
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Body and Is Fighting for the Rights of Organized Labor
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Co-operation Between the Employer and Employe for Their Mutual Benefit and Progress and Development of Dallas
DALLAS, TEXAS, FIRDAY, MARCH 14, 1947
THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR, NO. 11
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $2.00 PER TEAR
■
Conviction of Lewis
Green Asks All Unions to Back
Teachers’ Plea For Higher Pay
WALLACB “COKE" REILLY
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April 30.
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And Union Upheld By
U. S. Supreme Court
Rail Chiefs Call
Conference On
Union Problems
a one-year
•J wage
Printing Industry
News
From Secretary of Typographical
Inloa
RICHARD GRAY’S DAUGHTER
IS BURIED IM ARLINGTON
Mnent Committee,
a meeting prior to
E C.—Michael
.Ive secretary
bin '
with
The
SPOTLIGHT
its final
penses.
Bill,
may
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W. A. No. 80 to ITU
Serves Luncheon
At Melrose Hotel
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THE DALLAS: CRAFTSMAN
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Chicago.—A call for a general con-
ference to consider problems confront-
ing railway employes has been Issued
by Fred M. Aten. President of the
Railroad Employes' Department of
the American Federation of Labor.
The meeting will be held in Chicago
an early recovery by telegrams and
letters.
William Ftnegsn president of the
Cleveland Federation of Labor, was
named acting secretary to serve dur-
ing Mr. Leneban’s absence.
AFL TEAMSTERS EXPAND
New Orleans. I A.—AFL Teamsters
here have organized the drivers of
the Khoolman and Sugarman Whole-
sale Food Product*.
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W. D. Ament, member Denver
Typographical Union No. 49. was a
visitor to the union office* of No. 173
the last week and states lie and Mrs.
(Continued on Page 4)
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Washington. D. C.—Michael J.
Flynn. 62. executive secretary and
treasurer of America's Wage Earn-
ers' Protect!** (bnference for 19
vears. died here of injuries suffered
in a fall on an icy street
withd"hl* P°"
tariff group's ^organization in 1928.
As executive secretary of the com-
terence, composed of 35 labor organi-
•ations interested in tariffs protect-
ing workers against cheap foreign
labor competition. Mr. Flynn testified
in congressional hearing* and reported
on tariff legislation to the organiza-
tions.
Prior to his coming to Washington.
Mr. Flynn was a newspaperman in
Boston.
Joker in Portal Pay
Legislat’n Threatens
Wage-Hour Claims
There being no further business to
come 1-----—- - -----—.
adjourned.
Respectfully Mbmitted,
R. B JAMES. Secretary.
Bv Maurene Davis.
RBJMD
OEIU No. 45
,,a—pse—gj ■
Senate Votes to Close
OPA, Other War
Control Units
DAVID BEHWCKB SELECTED
Chicago, Ill.—At the ninth annual
convention of the Air Line Pilots As-
sociation (AFL) here David L.
Bebncke was reelected for his ninth
consecutive term aa president of the
onion. Jerry Wood of New York was
elected vice-president, succeeding Or-
vls Nelson of Burbank, Calif. Warren
Malvick of thia city wa* reelected
treasurer and Ray B. Andrews was
elected secretary, succeeding Larry
Harris of Wichita. Kans. Sixteen re-
gional vice-presidenta also ware elect-
ed. The convention waa attended by
mem-
A proposal by Senator Hayden, to
increase funds for the Civilian Pro-
duction Adminlptration by $1,200,000.
was defeated on a voice vote.
--
Michael Flynn Dies;
Aide For 35 Unions
Dallas Allied Printing Trades Coun-
cil meets March 17. 7:30 p. m.. 301 Rio
Grande Bld. All delegates urged to be
present
AFL SCORES NEW VICTORY
Sheffield. Ala.—Workers at the
Reynolds Metal and Alloy Co. admin-
istered a three-to-one rebuke to CIO
Steelworkers late in February when
the CIO attempted to take control of
workers' acttvtlee. The vote was
2.260 for the AFL, 771 for the CTO
and 31 or no union.
ed. The convention wa* attend'
10 delegatee, representing 7,OTO
a- —~ r
IWll. e
Minutes of Meeting
Dallas Central Labor Coaacil
March 7, 1947
The Dallas Central Labor Council
met in regular session with President
Reilly in the chair. Mr. Hagerty serv-
ed as guard and Mr. Hays as reading
clerk.
The roll call of officers was check-
ed.
Minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved as read.
Credentials were read from General
Drivers & Helpers Union No. 745 for
W. D. Miller, who is replacing Wylie
Worden. Motion "was made by Mr.
Emerson and seconded by Mr. Harris
that the credentials be received and
the delegates obligate. The motion
carried.
Secretary-Treasurer James made a
financial report covering the month
of February and the first week of
March. He also reported on the con-
vention fund and read a list of of the
unions that have sent in their con-
tributions so far. The reports were
received and filed.
Mr. Tullis reported that the contri-
bution of the Typographical Union No.
173 was not complete as they would
add ft each month.
Mr. Emerson reported the Painters
would In all probability make another
contribution to what they have al-
ready made.
Mr. Hagerty reported the joint board
of the I. L. O. W. U. voted to contribute
$100.00 to the convention fund, at their
last meeting.
Mr. Kepke reported the General
Drivers Union passed on the $100.00
contribution from their organization.
The report of officers from the Tex-
as State Federation of Labor for the
month of February wa* read. The
communication was filed for refer-
ence.
President Reilly stated that at the
last regular meeting be had promised
he would write the representative*.
Only one answer was received, which
was from John L. Orosthwalt, stating
he had received the letter and any-
time the Council desired to do so, to
write him its opinion on pending legis-
lation. Ho made no mention of the
legislation referred to in the Council’s
letter. The Communication was filed.
■ A telegram was read from George
Googe. in regard to th* appointment
of a new director for TV A, was road.
The wire was filed.
Under reports of special committee,
chairman Cooper reported from the
Convention Arras
The oommlttee hal
the Council meeting and each commit-
teeman was assigned certain duties.
Contributions are coming In very good.
Under resignation, nomination and
election of officers. It was stated that
H. C. Maahs. reading clerk for the
Council, had been absent three or
more consecutive meetings. This post
wai> declared vacant by the chair and
nominations were declared in order
for a new reading clerk. Mr. Hays was
nominated by Mrs. Emerson. Mr. Tul-
lis seconded the nomination. Tha
nominations were closed and Mr. Hays
was elected by acclamation.
Udder new business, President Reil-
ly stated that for several years the
Dallss Central Labor Council has
taken an active part in the politics In
Dallas. He commented on the coming
city election and it was his opinion,
a committee should be selected or ap-
pointed, as a legislative committee, if
It is the desire of th* council to enter
Into it Mr. Emerson made a motion
that the Central Labor Council enter
into the political campaign on the city
election and that th* chair appoint a
committee. The motion was seconded
by Mr. Tullis. Th* motion carried
Checking the old list of legislative
committee members. President Reilly
appointed Clint Tullis, Charlotte Mor-
gan, John Hays, Maurice Laughlin,
W. J. Harris, and stated that he and
Mr. James would serve a* ex officio
members. Mr. Haya was asksd, ss
chairman of the old committee, to call
a meeting of the committee and then
the committee could select Its own
chairman for this
Mr. Hays stsl
URGES STRONG DRIVES IN ALL
LOCALITIES FOR MORE
SCHOOL FUNDS
THOMAS A. LENERAN IS FLLi
PAID HOMAGE BY COLLEAGUES
Cleveland, Ohio —A marked tribute
was paid to. Thomas A. Lenehan. sec-
retary of the Cleveland Federation of
Ijibor. at a recent meeting of the Fed-
eration. which granted him a two-
month leave of absence for convales-
cence from his recent illness
Friends of Mr. lenehan who had
been associated with the veteran labor
leader In thi* area for many years,
expressed sincere hope in his early
return to bls office. Lettrs and tele-
grams from labor leaders with whom
he had been closely associated over a
long period of year* at AFL national
„ „ conventions and In neighboring con-
before the Council, the meeting claves have expressed their hopes of
BABGAINING^CUWS ASSAILED^
Washington. D. C.—Any change in
the policy of encouraging collective
bargaining would have "mote un-
happy consequences," Paul M. Her-
zog. chairman of the National latbor
Relation* Board, declared before the
Senate Labor Relations Committee
which is considering far-reaching pro-
posals for revision of labor legisla-
tion.
"Successful collective bargaining
would be frustrated if any of the em-
ploye's right*, guaranteed by the
Wagner Act, were subtracted from
that statute," he said.
Washington. D. C.—Mrs. Elizabeth
Gray Jones. 31, who, as an Army
nurse, eurvived the Pacific campaign
and a torpedoing at sea. was buried
In Arlington National Cemetery with
full military honors. Daughter of
Richard Gray, president of the AFL
Building Trades Department, Mrs,
Jones, a former captain in the Army
Nurses Corps, died from injuries re-
ceived in a fall from a step at Al-
brook Field. Panama. During the
war she saw service in Iceland and
the Philippines.
New York City.—Increased Wages to
the rising costs of living are being
sought by the East Coast Division of
the Seafarers International Union
(AFL), following a meeting here.
Operators with which the union has
contracts were notified ot the new
requests after a special meeting of
the SIU.
In announcing the move, a union
spokesman pointed out that last year
the SIU, aided by other AFL mari-
time unions, had brought American
shipping to a "complete standstill"
when the Wage Stabilization Board
ruled against increases that the union
had negotiated with shipowners
No definite demands have been set
by the union hut a negotiating com-
mittee, headed by J P. Shuler, assist-
ant secretary-treasurer, will attempt
to "work out” a satisfactory wage
scale with operator representatives,
it was reported.
Asserting that the gains won by the
union last year had been "practically
wiped out" by the rising cost of essen-
tialr. Paul Hall, port agent for the
SIU. declared:
"We cannot allow ourselves to go
back to the substandard living that
seamen bad to endure for so long.
"We expect the operators to bar-
gain in good faith. If not, we can
always reply on economic action at the
point of production."
be thought the
Council should make a donation to th*
Red Croee. Mr. James made a motion
the Council donate twenty-five dol-
lars to the Red Cross campaign. Mo-
tion was seconded by Mr. Hagerty end
carried.
President Reilly introduced Mr.
Frank Snyder, a former representative
of the A. F. of L. and stated he had
applied to the State Federation of La-
bor for a position as organiser on their
staff. Mr. Snyder made a few re-
mark*. Mr. Hagerty made a motion
that the Council endorse Mr. Snyder
for thia post. Motion was seconded
and carried.
The chairman called on the dele-
gates of the General Drivers Union
No. 745 for a report on their activities.
Mr. Kepke made a short report, and
introduced Mr. Miller, their new dele-
gate.
Washington. D. <'.—A bill to quash
portal-to-portal pay suits and restrict
every form of pay claim under the
minimum wage laws was given over-
whelming approval: in the House by a
vote ot 346 to 56.
The legislation, avowedly intended
to restrict portal-tf>-portal claims, in
effect opens the door to legalized
violations by employers of all wage
and overtime provisions of the Wage
and Hour Law, the Walsh-Healey Law.
and the Davis-Bacon Act.
Provisions, sweeping away all effec-
tive enforcement of the existing mini-
mum wage and prevailing wage laws
previously enacted by Congress are
contained in the Gwynne bill which
purports to deal solely with the
portal-to-portal claims.
The Gwynne Bill sets up a one-year
statute of limitations on all wage
claims under the Wage and Hour Law
due to the failure of tile employer to
pay an employe minimum wages or
overtime compensation required by the
Congressional statute. This gives
wage claims discriminatory treatment
as the prevailing statute of limita-
tions under state laws provides for
a six to eight year limit on written
claims and a two-year limit in courts.
Property claims are therefore given
special advantage over wage claims.
In addition, the Gwynne Bill pro-
hibits all suits based on activities not
required to be paid for by contract
custom, or practice. One aspect of
this provision is to make it possible
tor the employer to set up his own
standard as to what constitutes cus-
The Craftsman is the Official Organ of the Farm Labor Union of Dallas County and Is Subscribed for by the Dallas Central Labor Council and Affiliated Unions in a
. ■ . , ■ . , .-------------------------------------—-----------------------------— ----- -------- --------- ■». .
March 14 and will survey a number of
matters which have arisen in the last
six months and which have extended
throughout the entire railroad Indus-
try.
The call for the meeting did not
specifically set forth the problems
which will be presented for study, but
men dose to the situation Indicated
that they would concern wages. In-
creasing living costs and kindred sub-
jects.
The conferences will be held in the
Congress Hotel, and notice* will be
posted there aa to where and at what
time the different craft will meet.
Signatories to the notice calling the
special meeting of all general chair-
men of the seven organizations affili-
ated with the AFL were: Mr. Aten,
president; J. M. Burns, secretary;
John Pelkofer, acting president of the
International Brotherhood of Black-
smith*, Drop Forgers and Helpers;
J J. Duffy, international vice-presi-
dent of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers; Charles J. Mc-
Gowan, president of the International
Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron
Ship Builder* end Helpers of Amer-
ica; H. W. Brown. International presi-
dent of the International Association
of Machinists; Irvin Barney, general
president of the Brotherhood of Rail-
way Carmen of America, and L. M.
Wickletn, general vice-president of
the Sheet Metal Worker*' Interna-
tional Association.
At the last regular meeting
of the Dallas Central Labor
Council, President Wallace C.
Reilly called the attention of
the delegates to the coming city
election and suggested the
council ..participate in the se-
lection of fair candidates to la-
bor by making an investigation
of the records of each. The
council concurred in his sug-
gestion and President Reilly
appointed the following com-
mittee to act as the Dallas Cen-
tral Labor Council Political
Committee for this election:
Clint Tullis, Typographical
Union; Mrs. Charlotte Morgan,
International Ladies Garment
Workers’ Union; E. R. Thomp-
son, Street Car Men’s Union;
Maurice Laughlin, Electricians’
Union No. 59; W. J, -Harris,
Musicians Union; John Hays,
Pressmen’s Union. Reilly and
R. B. James, secretary-treasur-
er of the council will be ex-
officio members of the commit-
tee. Dallas organized labor is
interested in who the new coun-
cilmen will be. Labor is inter-
ested in the garbage tax, the
laydown curb tax, the revoca-
tion of the existing ordinance
prohibited city employees from
belonging to a union of their
choice. Organized labor is in-
terested in good, fair, impartial
—------ men directing the affairs ©four
city for the next two- years. It
will be the duty of the Dallas
Central Labor Council Politi-
cal Committee to find out the
candidates most suitable to the
program of organized labor.
Then the council, in turn, will
send its recommendations to all
members of the American Fed-
eration of Labor in Dallas and
ask their full support of the
names listed. You, as a mem-
ber of organized labor should
wait for these names, Do not be
hasty and align yourself with
some group or ticket that or-
ganized labor, as a whole, will
have to oppose. If you, as an
individual, will give the council
this support, labor- will be as-
sured of having friends in the
city hall the next two years.
Dollar Value of
Building In Cities
Tops 17-Year Record
Washington, D. C —AFL President
William Green, in letter* to all AFL
Central Labor Unions, has sounded a
strong appeal to all central bodies to
give vigorous support to efforts of
teachers throughout the Nation in
their efforts to provide increased
standards through advocation of in-
creased educational appropriations.
Deploring the inadequate funds sup-
plied tor teachers. Mr. Green de-
clared :
"The 1946 convention of the Ameri-
can Federation of iaibor gave serious
attention to the crisis in education
which has grown out of inadequate
compensation and resulted in teacher
shortage.
"Teaching is an occupation vital to
our democracy, and should be digni-
fied by pay in proportion to value of
services. To assure pay adequate to
maintain and Improve education's op-
portunities for all children, two ap-
proaches are necessary—Federal aid
to local schools and larger local ap-
propriations, or more effective tax
measures.
■ "Only through the sustained __
coordinated efforts of the labor move-
ment. acting through all federated
bodies and local unions, can these ends
be realized. Education is the concern
ot every union."
Pointing out that throughout it*
lifetime, the AFL has actively sup-
ported the Nation’s public school sys-
tem “as the basis of equal educational
opportunity tor all, Mr. Green added:
"Unfortunately, teacher* themselves
have not organized properly to pro-
mote their economic interests. It was
not until the first World War that
teachers realized an economic founda-
tion was necessary for sustained pro-
fessional standards and began organ-
izing in unions affiliated with the AFL.
During the present period of crisis
the American Federation of Teachers
has made unparalleled progress and
now has locals in over 360 cities.
"The teacher unions are the agen-
cies with which Central Labor Unions
should cooperate in worklag out ade-
educatlon. I urge each Central Labor
Union to take the initiative la it* lo-
cality in securing larger appropria-
tion* for education, and to work In
cooperation with.our union* for these
workers."
Meanwhile. Boris Shishkin, AFL
economist, addressing the annual con-
ference of the New York Teachers'
Guild in New York, cited particularly
the need of providing instructor* with
an adequate salary if the task rests
with them of teaching children how
to obtain an adequate standard of
living.
Mr. Shishkin told the group:
"Since 1941. the year of our entry
into war, half the school teacher* have
left the school system. They were
forced out of their chosen pursuit by
economic 'necessity, not preference.
The crisis wa* precipitated by the im-
pact of the inflation upon their coat
of living and the inability of the lo-
cal and state government* to recog-
nize their full responsibility towards
the teacher* and toward* the commu-
nity. But th* Issue reaches far deejF
er. It is not going to be solved by
the correction of Inequities or cost-of-
living bonus**.
‘ Ths time ha* com* to reasssss th*
entire role of the school teacher in
the community, to establish fair and
firm standards. Proper standard* must
be set not only for teachers' pay but
also her work-load, and the hours she
devotes to her school duties, both in
and out of the acboolbuildlng. Above
all, there must be standard* for
amount of leisure essential to the
teacher for reading, recreation and
rest, the three R'* which the average
teacher has never bad a chance to
learn and without which she cannot
attain the emotional balance and
mental poise so crucial to a teacher.
“Th* teacher* themselves must rec-
ognize their responsibility a* cltitz*ns
to make sure that their program for
the rehabilitation of the American
school teacher and the nation-wide re-
form of the school systems is carried
out within the framework of sound
economic policy. For example, it is
the duty of the teacher to oppose the
use of the sales tax a* the source of
funds for echool improvement The
teacher Is one of those, among the
wage and salary earners upon whom
the sale* tax fall* mo*t heavily. I*
there any justification in making the
teacher herself the most heavy con-
tributor to her own economic rehabili-
tation? Of course not."
The Street Car Men’s Union
No. 1338 and the Dallas Rail-
way Company have settled their
contractural relations and both
sides are apparently well pleas-
ed. To each participant, The
Dallas Craftsman wants to bay
tribute. It is much better to set-
tle one’d differences around a
conference table than resort to
force. Cool, level-headed think-
ing prevailed on both sides. As
Walter Winchell would say,
“Orchids to all concerned.”
• * *
The Dallas Central Labor
Council is preparing for one of
the finest conventions the Tex-
as State Federation of Labor
has ever had. Under the able
chairmanship of D. M. Cooper,
who was appointed to this post
by Wallace C. Reilly, president
of the Dallas Central Labor
Council, a definite program has
been rounded out,' and when the
time comes for the opening ses-
sion of the convention, we pre-
dict it will be a masterpiece, so
far as entertainment and pre-
paration is concerned for the
comfort, convenience and pleas-
ure of the attending delegates
and visitors is concerned. All
organizations of the A. F. of L.
in Dallas have been asked to
contribute to the convention
fund. They have been asked for
a definite amount and the re-
sponse is definitely more than
encouraging. The Baker Hotel
will be the official headquar-
ters and the sessions of the con-
vention will be held in the Crys-
tal Ball Room of that hotel.
Woman's International Auxiliary
No. 80. to the International Typo-
graphical Union, Local No. 173, held
its regular monthly meeting at the
Melrose Hotel, March 12. 12 p. m.
An elaborate program had been out-
lined for this particular occasion,
honoring different members, and the
affair was handled by Mrs. S. W. Gil-
more, social chairman.
Mrs. Elizabeth'Head acted as toast-
mistress. An Invocation was by (Tara
Rcinle.
After the luncheon was served, a
spend id talk waa made by Mrs. Doug-
las. who substituted for Mrs W. M.
Reilly, unable to be present because
of ill health. Mrs. Reilly expressed
keen regret* in not being able to be
prsent at thi* particular luncheon, be-
cause it was given on March 12, her
birthday.
.Reporta were made from last year's
committees by Mrs. Jones, and after
installation -of new. officers by Mrs.
Louis Head, new committee chairmen
were named. They are, as follows:
Label and Shop t’ard—Mrs. R. L.
Hicks.
Tclcnhone—Clara Reinle.
Publicity—Mrs. Sam Rollins.
Sunshine—Mrs. A. M. Jones.
Membership—Mru. H. C. King.
Social—Mrs. Wm. Reinle.
Scheduled on the program was pre-
sentation of gifts by Mrs. Louis Head,
Irish songs by Mrs. J. W. Ireland, a
guest, and piano selections by Mrs.
Warren Page. >
New officer* for the ensuing year,
elected and installed, are, as follows:
President—Mrs. L. D. Deere.
Vice-President—Mrs. Eva Perry.
Secretary and Treasurer—Mrs. J.
D. Allen.
Guide—Mrs. A. N. Phillips,
chaplain—Mrs. A. M. Jones,
Reading Clerk—Mrs. H. W. Causey.
Parliamentarian -Mr*. Wm. Reinle.
Executive Committee—Mrs. N. F.
James, Mrs. J. R. Mattison, and of-
ficers.
Woman's Auxiliary No. 80. to In-
ternational Typographical Union, Lo-
cal No. 173, has long served printers'
wives in Dallas as a social, fraternal,
and civic organization. Its growth
since itw founding. February 9, 1928,
has been consistent, and steady.
Throughout the years its influence has
been felt and helpful in union and
economic conditions. As wives, daugh-
ters, and sisters of union printer*,
these members control the purse
strings and tb#r buying power . 1*
who *e,t ln many channels.
W. M. Cornett, one of the oldest
members of No. 473. and still getting
around in fine r endition, present* the
secretary with a clipping from the
Mobile Press Register, pertaining to
the celebration and observance of the (
111th anniversary of the Mobile
Typographical Union No. 27. This
local typographical union was insti-
tuted Feb. 20. 1836. and affiliated with ,
the International Typographical Un-
ion, September 20. 1858. Among the ,
most cherished possess-lons of the uu- ,
ion is a small mahogany ballot box,
which is aw old as the union Itself, ,
and when the present generation is <
elected to membership, the ballots are ,
r-ounted from this old box. Congra-
Washington, D. C.—The Supreme
Court of the United States, in a his-
tory-making decision, upheld the
conviction of the United Mine Work-
ers Union and its President, John L.
Lewis, for contempt of court.
The tribunal Cut down the $3,500.-
000 contempt fine levied against the
union by Federal Judge Goldaborough
to $700,000, but sustained the $10.-
000 fine against Mr. Lewis.
The court voted 7 to 2 in support
of the citation against the union. But
it was only by a narrow 5 to 4 margin
that it ruled, the Norris-LaGuardia
Act did not outlaw the injunction
issued by Judge Goldsborough which
Mr. Lewis and the union defied. For
this defiance they were held in con-
tempt.
Mr. I>ewis offered no immediate
comment on the verdict. The high
court gave him five days from the 1s-
surance of its mandate to comply with
the terms of the injunction. Other-
wise the full $3,500,000 fine will be
levied against the union. The in-
junction requires Mr. Ix-wis and the
union to withdraw the notice that the
the
This
N. Y. FACTORY JOBS INCREASE
Albany. N. Y.—December manu-
facturing employment In New York
reached 1,898,877, according to esti-
mates submitted to Bute Industrial
CommiMloner JEdwakd Cor*L Thia
waa an increase of 161,298 worker*
over the previous year.
Washington, D. C—The dollar
value of city building construction
reached a 17-year high In 1946. ac-
cording to preliminary estimate* of
the Bureau of Labor Stetisttcs, U. 8.
Department of Labor. Permit* issued
(sn1 Federal contracts awarded) for
building construction in all urban
place* were valued at 84.700,000.000
last year—more than double the 1845
total and the greatest dollar volume
reported since the 1920’s. In part
this high level i* due to current high
construction costa.
The largest part of the gain over
1945 wa* accounted for by residential
construction, which roue from 8769
million to 18,443 million. Nonresi-
f, although restricted
W*. advanced 70 per-
flnce'the and Muir Lavr itself, but also to any
Wage Raises to Meet
Higher Living Costs
dential buildl
by control ot
cent to 81.5 bUlimi; additions, altera-
tion*, and repair* rose only slightly
to 8765 million.
The fact that home construction ac-
cn«nt*1 for more, than half the total
dollar volume in 1946 while nonresi-
dentlal building represented less than
» third is attributable primarily to
the Issuance of Veterans’ Housing
Program Order No. 1 (the construc-
tion limitation order) on March 26.
Prior to that date, nonresldential
projects, particularly commercial and
industrial building, were surging
ahead of hounlng.
Urban permit valuations hit an all-
time monthly high of $742 million in
March 1946, a* many builder* hasten-
ed to get work started on higher
priced home* and nonhousing con-
struction before controls went into
effect. In April, after the limitation
order wa* in operation, the total val-
uation figure plummeted to $433 mil-
lion.
Washington. D, C.- Brushing aside
all protests, the Senate voted, ’ 58-29.
to ring down th* burtaln on OPA and
other wartime control agencies June
30.
Earlier, a Senate Banking Sub-com-
mittee voted 3-3 against a measure to
authorize a general 10 percent boost
in rents. Under this bill rent con-
trols would be taken from OPA and
left to the court* to enforce.
The decision to send OPA to the
graveyard of Government wartime
agencies took the form of a stipula-
tion tn a $180,000.ooo deficiency ap-
propriation for various Government
bureaus.
The stipulation marked for death
the Office of Temporary Controls and
its constituent a<6n< ies These agen-
cies include the remnants, not only of
OPA. but of th* Civilian Production
Administration which wielded enor-
mous priority powers during the war.
and the Office of War Mobilization
and Reconversion.
The appropriation bill passed by the
Senate now goe* back to the House
for action on amendments.
Seventeen million dollars was voted
to enable OPA to wind up its duties,
which now consist mainly of enforcing
controls over r«Ms. sugar an-1 rice.
That amount 1* not enough, said Sen-
ator Lucas. He said It meant the end
of rent control b$ April 30. But
Senator Taft toM the Senate that
Congreee would be able to set up
new control machinery well ahead of
April 30.
Senator Cordon declared OPA would
have ample fund* to carry on and
estimated it would have $10,000,000
more than the amount needed to pay
fgdng-out-ot-business ex-
tulations to Mobile, we wish you an-
other century of continued progress.
The secretary of No. 173 cannot re-
frain from observing the often told
lies that union men and employers
cannot agree collectively and botb
profit therefrom. This Mobile union
was doing business when the State of
Texas was a part of Old Mexico and
some years before the Republic of Tex-
as and following statehood. How
many business institutions have fold-
ed in 111 years and how many cham-
ber of commerce stooges have been
misinformed by money pressure.
U.M.W. contract with the Govern-
men has terminated. This notice
brought on the nation-wide soft coal
strike last Fall.
AFL President William Green said
organized labor will have to study the
decision carefully “to find out whether
it means the return ot Government by
injunction.”
The Supreme Court decision was
announced with startling suddenness
and caught everyone in the nation’s
capital by surprise. It was the first
time in 15 years that a decision had
been handed down on any day other
than a Monday.
It may take many weeks before
thorough legal analysis of the deci-
sion can accurately define its scope
and application to labor relations gen-
erally. However, these points appear
obvious:
1— The majority found that the
Government was exercising its “sov-
ereign. function" in this case and that
the Norrls-leGuardia Act did not bar
it from obtaining an injunction from
the Feder*rYVmrt«. This view
taken by Chief Justice Vinson, who
wrote the majority opinion, and Asso-
ciate Justices Black. Reed. Douglas
and Burton. Voting that the Norris-
I^iGuardia Act did apply were Asso-
ciate Justices Frankfurter, Murphy,
Jackson and Rutledge.
2— The majority also held that in
this case the Government was acting
as the employer of the mine workers
because the Governmnt had hitherto
seized the mine properties under the
War IjSbor Disputes Act. For this
reason the majority held that the
Government could seek injunctive re-
lief to maintain the status quo and
prevent a strike against the Govern-
ment until the courts decided whether
the contract with the U.M.W. could be
terminated.
3— The majority further held that
Mr. Lewis and the union were bound
to respect and obey the injunction re-
gardless of whether it was subse-
quently held legal or illegal. On this
point. Jurtlc.es Frankfurter and Jack-
son Joined the majority and voted to
uphold the conviction.
The court split again on the 8700,-
000 fine. No Indication was given in
the majority decision as to how this
sum was arrived at. Justices Vinson.
Reed. Douglas, Burton and Jackson
supported it, while Justices Murphy
and Rutledge opposed it, while Jus-
tices Black and Douglas expressed the
view that It waa "excessive.”
Only Justices Rutledge and Murphy
dissented from the entire decision and
voted against upholding the convic-
tion.
Justice Murphy said in his separate
opinion that the implications of the
majority decision cast a dark cloud
over the future of labor relations in
the United States. He said that even
the national crisis developing from
the port coal strike did not justify
“the conversion of the judicial proc-
ess into a weapon for misapplying
statutes."
Justice Rutledgs said:
"No man or group 1* above the law.
All are subject to its valid commands.
So are the Government and the courts.
If, as I think. Congress has forbidden
the use of labor injunctions in this
and like case*, that conclusion is the
end of our function. And if modifica-
tion of that policy is to be made for
such case*, that problem is for Con-
grs* in the first instance, not for the
court*."
Actually, the Supreme Court did
not rule on the primary issue from
which the entire court fight developed.
That issue is whether the U.M.W. had
a right under its contract with Secre-
tary of the Interior Krug to termi-
nate that contract on 30 days notice,
as it attempted to do. A trial of thi*
issue might uphold the union's conten-
tion. but since the Government is ex-
pected to release the mine* by June 80
to their private owner*, th* point may
become academic.
standard as to what constitutes
tom or practice.
According to the Gwynne
claimti settled or compromised ,
not be reopened and it is a valid de-
fense for an employer to show that
he relied on a custom, administrative
ruling or a court Judgment.
These far-reaching provisions are
made applicable, not only to the Wage
of the content* of a court decision
arising out of that law. The Bill does
not mention portal-to-portal claim* as
such, but contains a long statement
discussing the effect of all back pay
claims upon employers and describes
back pay as "windfall payments for
activltes performed by employes with-
out any expectation of reward."
The American Federation of I.abor
urge* all wage earners to raise their
voices against the approval of the
"discriminatory and vicious” Gwynne
Bill by the Senate.
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Reilly, Wallace. The Dallas Craftsman (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, March 14, 1947, newspaper, March 14, 1947; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1297434/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .