davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04

Specific suggestions which del
egatcs carried back with them to
their local alxiliaries for imme-
diatc action included registration
for defense service. such as rcd
cross work. Cantccn work. first
aid classes. etc. strengthening
the morale OF tho armed forces By
correspondence and gifts TO union
draftecs and parties for service
mon in their own communities.
and participation in and coopera-
tion with local civilian defense
bodies especially tho nutrition and
consumer interest committees
which have been set up in mary
parts Of the country.
Strengthening Of defense
through adequate health facilities
and fight against malnutri;ion
was emphasized rs an important
part Of the auxiliary program.
Improved knowledge Of nutrition
among housewives. the demand
for low-cost nutritious meals In
eating places near factories. and
n vigorous campaign against prof
iteering were three Of the steps
recommended for auxiliary action.
ORGANIZATION Of consumers to
protest rising living costs was
constantly emphasized as one Of
the auxiliaries most important
tasks. Immediate passage Of a
price control bill was placed first
on the list for legislative pressure.
Maintenance of our own DEM
ocracy was recognized BY the con-
! ference to be vital part OF a real
defense program In line with this
auxiliarics were urged to give full
support to the CTO legislative
program and immediate assistance
IN the campaign to defeat wage
| control and other anti-labor meas
ures in Congress.
In addition 10 a program OF ac-
ton for auxiliaries all over the
country, the Conference voted Ia
make two suggestions 10 defense
agencies in Washington. First they
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04

primary future Of the Go.
Not even n great national
emergency should stop the
work Of organization" he said.
THE work must go on"
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
IIrTLE IITIIER

Father >a.d l,tlc Luther Il
amt understand why labor is al
NAYS gul,g
~ is perfectly obvious Luther
tnn' labor is the cause OF these
defense strikes. II that is what
ynu arc referring 70"
EFT looks perfectly obvious to
me. father tina, employers arc the
capsc Men don't strike for fun.
you know
"Nonscu., Labor is taking adj
vantage 81 the defense program 10
sock tho power o. dictatorship
over oar national life"
Think there's much chance Of
labor doing that. father :"
Only the strongest measures
can save the nation. my hoy. And
pray to God tina, our congress
and our President will not hcsi-
tate TO take them
Father. I sometimes find my
self in disagreement with YOU on
certain fundamental premises.
Take Your fear of n labor dicta-
iorship: suppose that labor had
spent millions Of dollars To spy
upon the nations employers. 10
MAIN and murder those who were
unfair Ia labor: suppose that thou
sands Of employers were black
listed and ruined by labor: sup
pose that the police made n habit
81 clubbing and arrcsting employ
ers on the llimSiest charges: sup
pose that the newspapers editor
ial;zrd against the greed Of the
aircraft companies and the other
armament makers who refused to
produce until they got the prof
IFS they demanded from the gov
eminent that was n real strike
against the government, father -
suppose that the national guard
was called out TO seize the homes
Of recaIcitrant employers; sup
pose"
Il don't SOC The poin, Of all this
ridiculous imagining, Luther
ITS ridiculous. all right was
Just thinking Of one more possi-
bility. but it's pretty hard 20 i'm
aginc"
And what is that 80
"Can you imagine. Pop. what
Il would be like If all the bigshots
in congress got up to dcnoancc
the traitorous employers who have
sabotaged the defense program By
refusing to expand production ny
provoking strikes. and acting in
general as II they were Hitler
first cousins"
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04

pfatticc 81 awarding government
contracts witnou, discrimination
J" fator ~ any particular urion
Tho OrM was scored 'or VICIOUS
ibHsc NJ authority
II TN, action Of III" OpM IS
permitted to stand lu,ha..cascd.
dangerous prccrdca' "Ill mace
been established which viii ercak
havoc not unly upon the uCWOC
but upon cycry affiliated organi-
cation Of tho co The resolution
warned
The conventions double &c
ton in supporting both the
miners fight for the union
shop and Pres. RooscVrlt's
foresight policy only highlieht-
ed NurrRl'> task in keeping
peace.
The tension produced ny the
coal strike was heightened
during debate an the foreign
polio, resolution when n group
~ delegates led hS Denny
Lewis and kathryn Lewis in
dlcat"d their diSapproVai hy u
silent sitdown. Miss Lewis il
>"crrtary-treaSurcr Of District
80. 'nitcd Mine Workers.
This mancuvcr was interpreted
as Ar open slap "a, Murray when
tho bloc held fast as tho rest Of
The delegates rose 70 applaud MUIR
ray pledge ~ complete support
20 tho miro str.kc and full loyal
~ 20 Lewis Tho sitdown was re-
peatcd mex; day during ar ovation
!or Murrays leadership % the
Clio.
a number OF UNIV delegates.
however. were observed supporting
Murray They included Sec
Treas Thomas Kennedy District
Presidents Van a. Bittncr and
Mar; r. Brennan. and fohn
OLcary international board mem-
Der.
Adding 20 tho tension was a
series Of four fights in the lobby
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
'ClO Bids For Full Share
In Defense Programs

Workers sand TIE. aud hr,n or
f-rcd good aa.u. rs DISTRICT ~
in return for bringing tl.r i'm nus
into the UNIV Tho a'un,uum
workers wcrc reported to hayc
been npprca' ned also
The scriou>urs> nf tho ,it,m-
ton was horne out when Muir
ray. in his address following
reelection. declared: II viii no,
encourage juri,dictionaI raids.
conspiracirs or cOnnivancc
against an, leader in our or
ganizations" lie also condemn
ed those responsible for The
convention hrawlS.
Murray breakdown. coupled
with his demand for the loyalty
and support % nh Go unions a
demand which most Observer
agreed was directed at LOWS pro-
vidcd further evidence that tho
ClO head was planning "a pay
stronger and more independent
role
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
Murray Balances Dynamite
Cocktail On CIO Rostrun1

UETEOII-If'-NfiN the captive
mine strike with a generous por-
iicn ~ support for Pres. Roo~c-
,rii'> foreign policy. heat with
several exchanges ~ fisticuffs. add
hii,rrS from the conflict between
co rrr~. Philip MURRAY aud a
group NJ John L.. Lewis adhcrc"i-.
Tho resultant dSnamii" cocl>'sil
j. hat NurraN hold in one hand
while with the other he rapprd
the fourth day Of the co CON
,rn;ion 10 order.
Delegates were sharply aware
u an apparent sph' between Muir
rag and LOWS. >temming from
their divergent VIEW on foreign
policy on this point the eonvcn-
ton solidly backed Murray cs-
,abh hing him rs co leader IN
MS own right
Murrays problem was % pre-
scrvc unity in III" face % Lewis
opposition to IN" newly adopted
Go stand o. "a" war ono big
package of TNT was ucutralizcd
when the resolutions committee
worked out q compromise with a
y Denny Lewis of the United
Construction Workers Organizing
Committee over the Currier Lum-
her Co case in which Associate
Dircctor-Gcneral Sidney Hillman
Of OPM had frozen OIL, tho low
bidder because he employed ClO
workers
The UCWOC wanted tho con-
vcntion 10 demand Hillmans dis
missal But agreement was reach
cd on a resolution denounclng the
OPM and its responsible off
cials" for making the sterilization
pact with the AFL Building
Trades Department. The pact was
called "rcprehensiblc and extra
legal" denying employment to
Go men. and the convention
voted il should be "nullified in
its entirety"
The resolution demanded re-
turn to the Just and time-honorcd
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04

Tested staff. In addition the
delegates approved the launch
ing Of an intensive organizing
drive in an effort Co attain the
CIO goal Of I0.OO0.0On members
by 1915.
Tho outbreak Of series Of fist
fights brought to the fore another
problem which was the subject 81
serious concern IN many off-thc-
floor discussions
II was reported that many dele.
gates had come with bccfs about
jurisdictional raiding by UNIV
District 80 and tho United Con.
Siruction Workers Organizing
Committee With the UCWOC I'M
der tho leadership Of a. n. Denny
Lewis. brother Of John L.. these
delegates were asking: What's
up"
Presidents Reid Robinson Of the
Init Union Of Mine Mill Il Smcltcr
Workers and Edward Chcyfitz OF
the Natl Assn. of Die Casting
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
ALLIANCE DISBANDs

NEW YORK FTP The
Workers Alliance. 10 year old or
ganization OF unemployed and
WPA workers. has dsbandcd ms
national organization because
many Of its locals have joined CIO
councils. WA Pres. Richard y.
McKibbcn has announced.
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04

primary future Of the Go.
Not even n great national
emergency should stop the
work Of organization" he said.
"The work must 20 on"
Indorsing the extensive organ
izing drive launched among en-
ploycs oil the federal government.
the clio convention sharply crit
icized certain officials in the
government who have been blund-
gconed into adopting the technique
Of the Dies committee
Unanimous passage of a great
variety Of resolutions occupied
convention delegates ON Thanks
giving day. with the vcilcd fencing
and ou,bursts OF previous sessions
missing.
Outstanding was vote Ia
defend with determination NIL
Of labor's rights. Including
the right 10 strike" II was
emphasized that all means Of
mediation and Cancellation
would he used for peaceful set
Element. in order to speed the
defeat Of Hitler.
A CIO committee for British and
Allied war relief was Endorsed.
with the proviso that funds be
distributed through union COM
mittees in the nations being aided.
A resolution on political action
called for candidates from the
ranks Of labor. instead OF friends
of labor. and advocated an indie
pendent political role for organ
lied labor. The resolution made
no reference To Labor'S Non-Par-
tisan League. tho nationwide or
ganization nurturcd by John L.
Lewis.
The fight " railroad work
ers for substantial wage in
creases was recognized in n
resolution requesting the gov
eminent to compel the carriers
TO meet the demands Of the
brotherhoods.
Consumer problems came to the
floor when. as in previous years.
the convention Endorsed consumer
! cooperativcs. The special handi-
caps OF government workers
caught between frozen wages and
higher living costs. were dealt
with in resolutions urging time
and a half time for all govern
, ment employees after 10 hours, and
a IS per cent raise for navy yard
workers to bring their scale up to
the prevailing rates.
The balance Of Pres. Murray'S
report was adopted unanimously
including praise for The CiO
News and the Economic Outlook,
criticism Of the NLRB. the poll
tax. Negro discrimination and
other evils.
Resolutions assailing thc NLRB
and tho FBI were adopted just
before the close Of the convention,
Showing with increasing frcqucn-
cy" its bias against the CLIO was
the charge hurled at the NLRB,
while the FBI was compared to
Hitlers Gestapo. Need for main
tenancc Of civil rights and liber-
ties. protests against the use OF
FBl to harass labor organiZa-
tions. and insistence upon the
FIJI to ferret ont and stamp out
Nazi activities here were out
standing points of the resolution.
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
Clio Women's AuxiIiariies
Map Programs To Aid
Defense, Democracy

DETROIT detailed defense
Of democracy. cnaxng Go Womrns National
Week time early next the important result
national conference auxliaries he in Detroit.
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
BORROWING Is HARDER. TOO

Tho Treasury Department has
simplificd the income tax form.
but the problem OF payment will
be more complicated than ever.
The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-12-04
By MARC STONE:
Federated Press

Any analysis If the recent co
convention must weigh the impact
Of the defense program aud tn"
effect Of the captive mine strike.
The coal strike stole the spot
light. The delegates gave unani-
nous support 10 United Mine
Workers Pres. John l.. Lewis in
the fight for the union shop. aud
the subsequent settlement indi-
Gates another victory for the vet
Gran leader of the miners union.
Despite an undcrcurrcni Of criti-
cism against Lewis by number
Of delegates. ii was n forcgonc con-
cluSion that on tho union shop
issue no leader Of labor could dis
sent.
Equally predetermined was tho
conventions Endorsement Of Pres.
Hoosevcl.s foreign policy on this
issue the ono big question was
whether or not Lewis would carry
to the floor his reported opposit-
ion
Despite the silent sitdown Of
Lewis followers on tho foreign
policy resolution. no floor fight
matcrializcd To most observers
this indicated clean victory for
ClO Pres. Philip Murray
Approval Of tho administration $
foreign policy raised the next big
issue How far would the CfO 20
in demanding rightful place for
labor in the defense sctup. in ex-
change for support OF the Prcsi-
dent?
That the CTO had no intention
of rclinquishing hard-won rights
was clear from the support voted
the miners in the first hours of
the convention.
From this point the con-
vrntion proceeded to demand
of the administration accept
ance Of the Go plan for in
dustriaI councils and full
voice for labor in planning and
execution Of the. defense pro-
gram. u coupled these de-
mands with sewers criticism Of
the OPM and its SI-a-year-in-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06

thinking is being done about this. Some of that thinking has been done by a com mittee of so conservative an organization as the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. And that committee has submitted a report to the chamber for approval. It has found that a law against strikes is not the means to produce what all want, Strikeless defense pro gram.
 Says this committee: G. anti-Strike laws will prove ineffective and will deny fundamental rights to our citizens the public interest will best be served by vol- untary cooperation" This committee found that loss of man-hourS due to strikes in 1940 was approximately half that of the 1889 period. This showed that increasing public opinion demanding no interruption to the defense program was doing the job.
 Acountry which cannot trust its work ing people voluntarily to back up a pro- gram is in hopeless case to begin with. There is an essential difference between drafting labor" and drafting soldiers, which many in the passion of a moment, forget The soldiers are given by all the people the solemn trust of defending their country in arms. The drafted" industrial employe is still working for a private employer who is presumed to be operating his business for a profit To compel man, or men, to work for such an employer is little better than slavery.
 Should such compulsion be introduced. it would result in an inevitable demand that the business for which he Is com pelled to work be public business, oper- ated solely by and for the public. on no other grounds is compulsion justifiable. And that the proprietors of business do not want The chambers committee has done a service in calling attention to the real implications of a proposed law whose proponents have not stopped to think the matter through.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06
No More Grades

Gradual elimination of numerical pro- gression in elementary public schools ot Connecticut is the latest recommends tion from our State Board of Education. The idea isn't so radical as it may sound at first and is more or less subsequent step in the educational policies that have gradually been accepted throughout the United States Where educators nave paused to consider the problems of tie elementary school child they have often come up with ideas that make those ot us who trace our schooling back to older methods gasp.
 The general idea of the now system IS to do away with first, second, third, and fourth grades as distinguished one from another by advancing numerals. There would be two schools - lower and an upper elementary or perhaps an elemen- tary and an intermediate. The exact designations, of course, are more or less immaterial to the actual purpose that IS to be accomplished. The idea is that the distinction between second and third and third and fourth grade pupils is becom- ing too fine and the transition Ill these grades is not too marked.
 Normal progress through the lower school would be much the same as now, but admission to the upper UT ulIel1lle- diate school would be denied until the pupil was we'll grounded in fundamentals. We like what Dr. Alonza Grace'S report to Governor Robert A. Hurley says Of ele- mentary school needs. It says: "Amerl- ca needs to strengthen her elementary schools. We need to dwell on those habits of neatness, thoroughness, accuracy, the ability to read, the ability to think for one's self, the ability to get along with other people. These and other habits and attitudes start in the elementary school. If there is any place where we need the best teaching, it is at this level in our educational system. ..."
 In other words as the twig is bent, so the tree inclines. The system can be simplified, but the fact remains the 1n- Struction must continue as alwoys uni formly excellent to achieve good results.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06
Non-Commercial Highways

Massachusetts is considering embark ing on a program of highway expansion that will closely rival the efforts of Con- necticut and Westchester County in New York State. Efforts are being made right now to interest the Legislature in the passage of laws that will allow construc- tion of express routes that may escape the touch of commercialiSm through complete state control of wide rights of way. As the Bay State views it there IS need for more than mere discussion of such matters right now with Washing ton talking defense highways.
 Extension of the Merritt Highway is mentioned in Massachusetts dispatches. But, of course, what the Bay State legis- tors and others really mean is an exten- sion of the Wilbur L. Cross Parkway which will eventually run all the way from the Housatonic River up to the Con- necticut- Massachusetts boundary line, our northeastern corner Massachusetts would extend this route clear to New Hampshire, where, we presume, 1t would be a simple matter to link it in with the new route into Maine and that latter states chief city, Portland.
 There's no doubt but what the road building activity in Connecticut is going to be emulated elsewhere in New England. And what's more natural than that Mas sachusetts, the most populous of the New England States, should be the first to do something about it. But it stands to req son that Rhode Island will be as much concerned about linking Providence in any New England network of express highways, all built to exclude intersecting traffic, commercialism, and to skip cen ters of congestion. Connecticut can take a lot of credit for spreading the parkway gospel in New England but 1t can't stop working to gloat over this fact.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06
Pass a Law" Not Always Best

Certainly on thlS one thing all will agree: It is highly undesirable to have strikes at this time, especially in indus tries directly concerned with defense The immediate reaction of some people is simple and direct; Lets pass law pro- hibiting strikes"
 But 1t isn't that easy It never is. We must stop and ask the question: Will such a law, if passed, accomplish the good results sought?" "Will 1t have other results?" "What Cesults?' No body thought to ask those questions when It came to national prohibition. The coun- sRy wanted to end drinking The law didn't do lt. It started, on the contrary, a lot of other things
 So with strikes. Nobody wants strikes, So it Is proposed; Just pass a law against strikes" But fortunately, some
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06

of books. Mir. Smith, you have perfectly swell chance to set all those young men in the Y. M. c. A. good example. You might be 8 few years over age but what's that when you've had a soft job and could keep in good physical trim. Why not join the army, MT. Smith? Also MT. Kimball? Also all the col- lege presidents and professors and everyone else who advocate DEATH for the young men while they sit at home. It burns me up!
 Mothers, Dads, Brothers, Sisters, Sweethearts: Whether Republican, Democrat or Socialist; if you don't want us to die by the millions. please sit down at once and send a note in a sealed envelope, and say:
 DO NOT SANCTION LEASE LEND H. R. 1776
 DO NOT SANCTION CONVOYS and sign your name.
 Send to: Hon. J. Joseph Smith, House of Representatives, Washing ton, D. c.
 Send to: Senator Francis Maloney, U. S. Senate, Washington, D. c.
 It won't be necessary to send letter to Senator Danaher because he is O. K. and will never send the boys to their deaths. We can trust him. Remember, England is get ting almost our entire resources now, they say, without this act. AS Senator Wheeler (God bless himD said recently this Lease-Lend Act means every fourth young man in the United States will be ploughed under on foreign soil.
 Yours truly,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06
Selected Poem
SKATING POND

SKATING POND
 Keith Thomas in the New York Sum Low-lying where the winter trees Are windless, cold and tall, The ice-gray pond, bright-edged With Snow' Critters, and recall Hours that were silver as the ring Of skates in frosty air; hear the voices that once were Joy-swift and echoed there. l hear through Somber silence Of years deeper than snow The cracking of fire at the ponds end And singing within its glow. My thought of 1t is brighter Than Ice In the sun; l See The figures glide in silver Prom that dark fiXity Wherein the mind has kept them This retieence of years, To skate through winter weather As the bright picture clears.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06

he could consider himself a part of California.
 McAdoo and Chapman talked for a long time. Then next morn- ing at eleven, Chapman, called the ex-senator's apartment to re- port on a matter they had dis cllssed.
 The Senator died just thirty minutes ago." he was informed.
 NOTE = Although McAdoo will be known chiefly for his vital part in the Wilson administration, he also played a greater role in the first part of the Roosevelt Ad- ministration than most people re- alized. Under the agreement by which McAdoo threw the 1882 Chicago Convention to Roosevelt, he was given the right to pass upon two members of the Cabinet. The late Secretary of the Treas ury Woodin was OK'd by him, and Secretary of Commerce Roper was McAdoo's man.
 GOOD GREEK ADVICE
 Sanest advice given to Ameri- cans of any descent or origin came the other day from George Your mas, an American citizen of Greek birth, who is vice president of the Greek-American order or AHEPA. Counseling his fellow Greek Americans, Vournas said:
 "The true American spirit can best be displayed by Americans of Greek descent by extending a helping hand to their fellow Americans of Italian descent against prejudices which may flow from Mussolini's action.
 Those who endeavOr to turn the American of Greek descent against the American of Italian descent and divide America into antagonistic racial groups in-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-06

@. Where is the longest bridge in Europe, and when was it opened?
 A. It is across the sound between the islands of Zealand and F'alster and was formally opened on Septem- Der % 1887, by King Christian of Denmark. The bridge is 10,432 feet long.
 e. Ho wmany colleges and uni versailles in the United States and Canada have endowments of two million dollars or more?
 A. One hundred and forty-four.
 @. What is the meaning of the term displacement tonnage" ap- piled to naval vessels?
 A. This system is invariably used for warships, and represents the weight expressed in tons avoir- dupois of the vessel when fully loaded. It is called displacement because it is generally ascertained by calculating the weight of the water displaced by the vessel when immersed to the loadline.
 If you want . copy of the fascisimile of the Declaration of Independence and the Text of the Constitution of the United States send to Waterbury Demo crat's Washington, D. c. Enclose twenty-five cents in postage.