The Union Review (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 18, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, January 7, 1938 Page: 1 of 4
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VOL. 18. No. 36.
GALVESTON, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1938.
Subscription Price $1.50 Per Year
HHHHHRHHHHHHHH-ggH-HH-
BURNS TO A PEER
POLITICAL CALENDAR FOR 1938
duced by workers in the United States, lions of American workers are unable
$500,000 WAGE INCREASE
WON FOR T.V.A. WORKERS
C. 1. 0. HIT BY A. F. OF L.
PACT WITH REX COMPANY
[This poem, long hidden from the world, was composed
by Robert Burns and presented to the nobleman ad-
dressed upon being called up from the servants’ hall
(where he had been sent to dine with them) to add to
the entertainment of my lord’s company. After present-
ing the poem, Burns put on his hat, turned on his heel
and retired.]
Greeting :
As we enter the new year of 1938, may
I extend to you, on behalf of the execu-
tive staff of the Texas State Federation
of Labor, all good wishes for happiness
and prosperity throughout the ensuing,
year.
has been generally taken to mean that
the city intends to proceed proceed de-
finitely against “sit-downs” or“sit-ins”
in its permanent welfare offices.
WAREHOUSE UNION SIGNS
up McKesson & ROBBINS
Agreement With Chain Drug Firm
Includes 45-Hour Week, Wage In-
creases and Paid Vacations.
By AFL News Service.
Washington, D. C.—The greatly im-
proved condition of agriculture in many
parts of the country and the increased
purchasing power of farmers is held to
be reflected in the fact that 10,000 re-
quests have been received by the Fed-
eral Land Banks during the past ten
months for loans to be applied in the
purchase of farms.
Requests coming from every State,
with the most numerous from Texas
and in the Omaha, Wichita and Louis-
ville Form Credit Administration Dis-
tricts, amount to $38,000,000 for the
period.
According to A. S. Goss, Land Bank
Commissioner, borrowing to assist in
farm purchases has been on theincrease
since 1933, while re-financing of farm
indebtedness has declined.
“My lord, I would not fill your chair,
Tho’ ye be proudest noble’s heir.
I came this night to join your feast
An equal of the best, at least!
’Tis true that caste with me is scant,
And title trifles that I want.
The King has never made me kneel,
To stamp my manhood with his seal.
But what of that? The King on high,
Who took less pains with you than I,
Has filled my bosom and my mind
With something better in its kind
Than your broad acres, somethings which
I cannot well translate to speech;
But, by its impulse I can know
’Tis deeds, not birth, that make men low.
Your rank, my lord, is but a loan!
But mine, thank Heaven, is all my own!
A peasant, ’tis my pride to be:
Look round and round your halls to see
Who boasts a higher pedigree!
“I was not fit, it seems, to dine
With those fox-hunting heroes fine,
But only came to bandy jests
Among your lordship’s hopeful guests.
There must be here some sad mistake—
I would not play for such a stake.
Be a buffoon for drink and meat,
At a poor earl’s tax-paid seat!
No, die, my heart, ere such a shame
Descend on Robert Burns’ name.”
N. Y. Relief Bureau Moves
To End Sit-Down Strikes
SECRETARY ACREMAN’S REPORT
OF STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR
N
$
Labor Board Voided C. I. O. agree-
ment With Connersville Firm Be-
cause of False Claims.
Government Loans To Buy
Farms Sought by 10,000
CHAPELDAINE ANNOUNCES
A NEW DEAL FOR SEAMEN
Official Organ of Galveston Labor Council, Dock and Marine Council
and Affiliated Unions
Endorsed by the Texas State Federation of Labor
PRINTING TRADES OPPOSE
PENDING COPYRIGHT TREATX
Chairman Haggerty of Allied Printing Trades Boards of Gov-
ernors Declares Ratification by the Senate Would Abolish
Protection Now Given Printing Industry Workers Against
Cheap Labor Products of Foreign Publishers.
President of A. F. of L. Unit Upholds Collective Bargaining
As Major Method to Improve Economic Conditions of Sea-
farers; Criticizes C. I. O. Seamen’s Union Leadership.
Rochester Labor Accepts
Seat In Church Council
LOCAL VOICE
OF THE
AMERICAN
FEDERATION
OF LABOR
to secure profitable employment.
Hoping that we may be privileged to
advise the organized printing trades
workers of your state of your cooper-
ation in protecting their employment
opportunities, I am,
With my kindest regards and best
wishes for a happy holiday season,
Fraternally yours,
JOHN B. HAGGERTY,
President, International
Brotherhood of Bookbinders.
By AFL News Service.
Chicago, Ill.—Wholesale Drug Ware-
house Employees’ Union No. 21036 is
now working under a union 'contract
with the Fuller-Morrison Division of
McKesson & Robbins, Inc. nationally
known pharmaceutical concern, which
brought wage increases and improved
working condition to employees.
The agremment established the 45-
hour work week with 8-hours maxi-
mum daily and 5 hours on Saturdays.
Six holidays are recognized and em-
ployees with over one year’s service
get a week’s vacation with pay, while
those with five years’ service or over
get an annual vacation of two weeks,
with full pay.
Agreement With Tennessee Valley
Trades and Labor Council Also
Establishes Maximum 40-Hr. Week.
Secretaries.
Per capita tax for the first of 1938 is
now due and payable. We are constantly
receiving mail returned 'because of in-
correct addresses. Please notify this of-
fice promptly of any change of your of-
ficial address.
Outlook for 1938.
Reports from various sections of our
state give every indication that work op-
portunities for our membership will con-
tinue on the up-grade during 1938. The
welfare of the labor movement and the
possibilities for increased improvement
depend solely on the membership at
large. Won’t you do your part? Get ac-
tive ! Attend your meetings! Pay your
dues! Let’s make 1938 a banner year for
organized labor in Texas!
Fraternally submitted,
Harry W. Acreman,
Executive Secretary.
Referendum.
Enclosed you will find a ballot form
for the convention date referendum.
Please read the instructions carefully,
and comply with them exactly, to the
end that the vote may be taken correct-
ly and to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned.
Highway Department Wage Scale.
The most notworthy item in the De-
cember activities of state departments
was the order by the Texas State High-
way Commission, effective Dec. 2, in-
creasing the minimum wage rates on
contracts under their supervision from
their previous sub-standard level to 40c
per hour for common labor, 50c per hour
for intermediate or serving labor, and $1
per hour for skilled labor.
Guard Your Wage Scales.
A number of complaints have reached
this office alleging that contractors on
state work are defeating the purposes of
the prevailing wage law by using inter-
mediate grade labor at skilled occupa-
tions, to evade the payment of the skilled
workers’ rate. Should this practice be re-
sorted to in your vincinity, please file
immediate protest with the- government
department concerned, setting forth the
date, name of job, name of contractor,
and complete details, and forward a copy
of your protest to this office. This prac-
tice is becoming far too prevalent, and-
By AFL News Service.
New York, N. Y.—Both "a new deal
and a square deal” were promised sea-
men in their struggle with ship opera-
tors for better wages, hours and work
conditions by Robert Chapeldaine, presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor Seamen’s Union here, in a state-
ment to the press following a meeting of
the negotiating committee of the union, of
which 'he is chairman, with representa-
tives of the American Steamship Owners’
Association in an effort to work out a
basis for a new wage scale and working
conditions preliminary to a new agree-
ment.
“We have had a preliminary meeting
with the operators in response to their
request and can report that considerable
progress has been made,” Mr. Chapel-
daine said. “He understand that similar
meetings have been held with representa-
tives of the N. M. U., an organization
dual to the American Federation of
Labor.
New Conditions Sought.
“The A. F. of L. Seamen’s Union is
out to build up conditions for the sea-
men, not to break them down, and we
will not be a party of anyone to use us
as strikebreakers in steamship companies
where we have not been chosen as the
collective bargaining agency.
Democratic County conventions meet
to select delegates to district and state
conventions.
August 6—State Democratic Execu-
tive Committee meets at Austin to can-
vass results of first primary election in
all state and district office races.
Committee lists names to go on offi-
cial ballot for second primary election.
Certification of Democratic candidates
nominated in first primary for general
election ballot.
August 27—Second primary election
day.
Sept. 6 (Sept. 13)—Meeting of State
Democratic Convention to adopt a plat-
form of principles ,to declare nomina-
tions for state offices, to elect state chair-
man, and new State Democratic Execu-
tive Committee of 31 men and 31 women.
Note—Because of an error in a bill
enacted by the 45th Legislature, the con-
vention date was fixed for one week in
advance of the time when the State Ex-
ecutive Committee can meet to canvass
election returns. Unless this date is
changed, the convention presumably will
be unable to announce official nomina-
tions for state offices. Properly, the State
Convention should meet on Sept. 13.
Sept. 12—State Democratic Executive
Committee holds session in the city se-
lected for the meeting of the State Con-
vention, canvasss returns of the second
primary election, prescribes the order of
business for the convention, and prepares
the list of convention delegates.
November 8—General election day.
By AFL News Service.
Rochester, N. Y.—The Episcopal
Diocese of Rochester, in an effort to
promote better understanding between
the church and organized labor, has in-
vited labor to have a representative
serve in the Social Service Department
of the Diocese.
The Central Trades and Labor Coun-
cil named a committee to consider and
report on the suggestion, the favorable
report of this committee being approv-
ed. The representative will be an Epis-
copalian with labor connections, it is
stated. The move has been commend-
ed by several labor afficials and others.
OfficiaLOrgan of the
*,lveston Labor
Coun‘*,,nd Building
trades
By AFL News Service.
Washington, D. C.—A strong pro-
test against the ratification of the new
copyright treaty now pending in the
United States senate was made by
John B. Haggerty, president of the
International Brotherhood of Book-
binders and chairman of the 'board of
governors of the allied printing trades,
in a letter sent to each member of the
senate.
Under the present law an American
copyright is not granted unless the
copyrighted matter is produced by
workers in the United States. The
pending treaty, Mr. Hagerty declared,
nullifies this legislation and enlarges
the copyright privilege to include
printed material published in foreign
countries, where labor standards are
much below the standards prevailing
in the United States. Moreover, the
flood of foreign publications which
would reach the United States under
the proposed treaty would increase the
already large number of unemployed
in the American printing trades.
Text of Haggerty’s Letter.
Following is the text of Mr. Hag-
gerty’s letter sent to each United
States senator:
The organized printing trades work-
ers, affiliated with the American Fed-
eration of Labor, dependent for their
employment opportunities, in large
part, on the continued operation of
American printing plants producing
American copyrighted material, appeal
to you to protect their employment op-
portunities by rejecting, or, at least,
by not ratifying the proposed copy-
right treaty, recently reported by the
foreign relations committee, and now
pending on the senate calendar.
Menaces American Living Standards.
The effect of this copyright treaty
repeals the only protection the Ameri-
can printing trades workers have
against the competition, on copyright-
ed matter, of the lower wages and
lower living standards which prevail
in foreign countries.
Some thirty years ago the congress
enacted copyright legislation which re-
quires that in order to acquire an
American copyright one must certify
that such copyrighted matter was pro-
Foreign Employers Pay Low Wages.
This is the only type of legislation
which will protect the employment op-
portunities of American printing
trades workers and which they have
enjoyed for the past thirty years. Tar-
iff rates are of no avail as the duties
are based on foreign values and there
is no way of ascertaining the costs due
to the inability of knowing or of learn-
ing how many copies of such material
was printed, the larger number print-
employer, falsely claming a majority of
employees, and secured an agreement,
only to have it thrown out by the Na-
tional Labor Relations Board when a
check of the payroll disclosed that the
A. F- of L. local really had a majority
of the employees as actual members.
It was recently pointed out by J. J.
Hurst, A. F. of L. Regional Director,
iin Cincinnati, that /the voiding of this
contract bears out the contention of the
American Federation of Labor that, in
many instances where the C. I. O. has
sought to force contracts on employers
they did not represent a majority of
employees.
Mr. Hurst also stated that, if the
clear thinking workers of the country
would show a little more fight and
courage of their convictions, such as
was demonstrated in the Rex plant at
Connersville, the C. I. O. hysteria out
by the workers themselves.
“Our aim is to give the seamen a new
deal and a square deal and we intend
to fight for the seamen and not for any
ship operators.
Folly of C. I. O. Leadership.
“For the leadership of the N. M. U.
and the C. I. O. we hold only contempt,
but for the rank and file of the mem-
bership of the N. M. U. we have only
respect because they are our brothers and
our shipmates. Their fight is our fight
and their problems are our problems and
we shall not betray their interests.
“Although we can not understand why
some of the seamen have chosen N. M.
U. leadership, we will not attempt to
block any good that such leadership may
do for seamen, through allowing our-
selves to be used in the capacity of
union wreckers.
Support of Seamen Asked.
“We are seeking the support of sea-
men who desire to be aided by the
American Federation of Labor.
“We want all honest seamen to know
that the door is open, and we want the
N. M. U. leadership to know that when-
ever we find that a majority of seamen
in a company now certified to the N. M.
U., indicate through voluntarily joining
with us, that they desire us to speak for
them, we shall come out and speak with
the voice of American labor and not
politicians.”
By AFL News Service.
New York, N. Y.—The Emergency
Relief Bureau here is reported as tak-
ing perecautions to prevent sit-down
strikes in district relief offices. The aid
of police has been invoked to enforce
an order barring persons bearing food
blankets, radios and other items asso-
ciated normally with “a long stay.”
The Workers’ Alliance, which has
sponsored many “sit-downs” in relief
bureau offices, has protested the order.
The Emergency Relief Bureau will
be absorbed January 1 by the City De-
partment of Public Welfare. The order
January 31—Last day for obtaining
poll tax receipts.
June 6—Last day upon which state of-
fice candidates and district office candi-
dates (in districts containing more than
one county) may file applications to have
their names listed on the Democratic pri-
mary ballot.
June 13—State Democratic Executive
Committee meets to make up ballots fof
primary election. Committee also desig-
nates place where State Democratic con-
vention will meet in September.
June 18—Last day upon which county
and precinct office candidates and dis-
trict office candidates in districts com-
posed only of one county may file appli-
cations to have their names listed on the
primary election ballot.
June 20—County Democratic Execu-
tive Committees meet to determine by
lot the order of names listed on the bal-
lot; to estimate expenses of the primary
election; to assess costs against candi-
dates.
July 23—First primary election. In
counties of 150,000 and more population,
polls open from 7 a. m. to 7 p. m. In
counties of less population, polls open
from 8 a. m. to 7 p. m.
Precinct conventions meet and elect
delegates to county convention.
July 30—Democratic County Execu-
tive Committees meet to canvass results
of first primary election.
we must oppose such sabottage of our
recognized wage rates in skilled employ-
ment.
A Fortune Unclaimed.
Several thousand persons in Texas
have not filed claims for the lump-sum
payments to which they are entitled
under the social security act. If you have
been working in employment covered by
the social security act during 1937, and
have reached age 65 in 1937, you should
communicate with the nearest field of-
fice of the social security board. Or, if
you know of an employee who worked
in covered employment, and who died
during 1937, you should remind his near-
est relative to communicate with the
same office. Please ascertain and assist,
if there are eligibles in your community,
as almost $200,000 still remains un-
claimed.
ed, of course, decreasing the unit value
of each book or pamphlet.
The wages paid to printing trades
workers in the United States are from
two to ten times the wages paid to
workers employed in European and
Asiatic countries. The machinery in
use is comparable in almost all coun-
tries, the difference in costs being al-
most entirely due to the differences in
wages paid.
Criticizes Department of State.
For the past ten or more years the
state department, inspired by certain •
selfish and highly profitable American
business interests, who seek the favor
of foreign governments, has sought to
secure the repeal of that legislation
which this government accords those
employed in the production of books
and other copyrighted matter from the
competition of the lower wages which
prevail in foreign countries.
Having failed to secure the approval
of the congress to the repeal of these
protective measures which are obnox-
ious to those foreign countries who
seek this work for their own workers,
they now boldly ask the senate to
ratify a copyright treaty, and, through
the ratification of such copyright
treaty the nullification of laws enact-
ed by both branches of the congress.
Ratification Would Be Un-American.
Not only is such action unfair, un-
American and contrary to all prece-
dents, but, in view of the present de-
pression, with additional thousands of
American workers almost daily added
to the millions unemployed, is almost
unbelievable.
If there is need for any change in
our copyright laws, the American con-
gress, elected by the American people,
and not those who seek- to curry favor
with representatives of foreign govern-
ments, should enact such changes
openly and not by a subterfuge sel-
dom resorted to.
Recommittal Is Urged.
'On behalf of the organized printing
trades workers, we respectfully appeal
to you to recommit the proposed copy-
right treaty until such time as the
congress shall enact enabling legisla-
tion, or at least refuse to ratify such
copyright treaty while so many mil-
By AFL News Service.
'Connersville, Ind.—Now that A. F.
of L. Federal Labor Union No. 20838
is firmly established as the sole collect-
ive bargaining agency for employees of
the Rex Manufacturing Company here,
the hot air and empty promises of C.
I. O. spellbinders who sought to line
up these workers earlier in the year,
appear to be drifting to the clouds,
while the men are enjoying better pay
and improved working conditions.
The local instance was one of the
first cases in which C. I. O. representa-
tives put the “high pressure” on an
By AFL News Service.
Knoxville, Tenn.—At the conclu-
sion of six weeks of conferences and
negotiations here the Tennessee Valley
Authority and the Tennessee Valley
Trades and Labor Council finalized a
new wage and hour agreement for 8,000
skilled and unskilled workers establish-
ing a maximum work week of forty
hours with overtime pay and an in-
crease in wages of approximately five
per cent.
T. V. A. officials said the hourly in-
crease would total more than $5’00,000.
Negotiations -affecting the employes
paid on an annual basis have not been
completed.
A six-member committee represented
the Tennessee Valley Trades repre-
sented the Tennessee Valley Trades
and Labor Council in the conference.
The new agreement was scheduled to
take effect on January 1, 1938. It will
continue in force for one year.
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The Union Review (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 18, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, January 7, 1938, newspaper, January 7, 1938; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1416914/m1/1/?q=music: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.