Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-07-19
Labor to Exert Growing
Power In N. c. Politics
Continued From Page One)


claims or that Labor has been idle in
striving to attain the aims Of the
organizations.
Labor suffered serious setbacks in
the 1889 session of the legislature.
Instead of getting the State wage
hour legislation sponsored by AFL,
the unions actually lost some of the
advantages they had enjoyed for
years. And the labor leaders have
not forgotten that experience. They
are laying plans carefully now to
capture enough strength in the next
legislature and in the next State
administration to assure more salts
factory treatment. Furthermore,
Labor doesn't hesitate to penalize
folks not regarded as friendly to the
cause.
The 1889 convention of the North
Carolina Federation of Labor is
scheduled to be held in Raleigh on
August A. Normally, the conven-
ton would establish headquarters at
the Sir Walter hotel. But the Sir
Walter folks were more active in
opposing the wage-hour legislation
last winter. So the convention goes
to the Carolina hotel.
Another instance is the effectual
blocking of the appointment of Eu-
gene Brooks, Jr., of Durham, as at
torney for the regional wage-hour
administrative set-up at Charlotte.
Brooks was pretty we'll assured Of
the appointment until the laborites
entered the picture. They rememb-
cred that Mr.. Brooks was attorney
for the hotel association, and in that
capacity appeared bfeore legislative
committees in opposition to the pro-
posed Wage-hour bills. 1t is tribute
to his ability as an advocate that the
labor unions put most of the blame
for failure of their program on his
shoulders. So the labor folks did not
want Mr.. Brooks to have any part
in administering the federal law
This despite the fact that his princi-
pal argument against State legisla-
ton was that the federal act took
care of the situation and that if
properly enforced would be ade-
quate without State laws to supple
ment it. However, the union folks,
under leadership of James F. Bar
rett, southern publicity director for
AFL, put up such a scrap against
Brooks appointment that he has
just about lost any possible chance
to land the job
The appointment hasn't been made
but sporting gentlemen will offer
odds that Lacey McBryde, of Fay
etteville, will get it. McBryde was
an outstanding New Dealer in the
last two sessions of the General As
sembly. Between the sessions he
served as trial. examiner for the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board. He
put up good fight for the wage
hour bills sponsored by organized
labor in the legislature. He wasn't
quite as good as Mr. Brooks, and he
lost the fight. But he made friends
among Labor affiliates. They are
strong for him as attorney for the
administration unit embracing the
Caro1inas
There is one thing that might keep
McBryde from putting all his force
into trying to get the job. He may
want to run for Congress in the dis
trict now served by Bayard Clark.
That will give rise to further COM
plications. Clark is popular. He is
not unfriendly to Labor and has in
the past Jared right we'll atsLabor's
hands. What the unions will do if
they have to choose between an ex-
perienced man. who is friendly and
a new man who is jealous remains
to be seen. Indications here, picked
/ up from conversation with the poll
tically informed and labor leaders,
are that McBryde will get Labor's
almost solid support for anything he
EWantS.
The significant fact is the increas-
ing interest in and evidence of group
faction and concerted effort on, the
part of organized labor in the next
election, not only for Congress in
one or two districts but for all State
officers. Observers do not believe
that Labor will attain the powerful.
position in North Carolina that it
holds in some middle and northern
states,y but they do believe that it
will be very foolish for candidates
and. political parties to ignore organ
| lied. labor next summer.