The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-01-16
Evening Slime


cunning attacks on labor by reactionary news
papers was shown to be we'll founded by edi-
torials appearing in the Cumberland Evening
Times last Wednesday and Saturday.
The Evening Times editorial bias against
labor is we'll known to the organized labor
movement which remembers the treatment it
received during the Celanese stoppages On
the last occasion the paper went so far as to
publish a phony letter from a nonresident
"Celanese union member who wasn't even
on the Celanese PAYROLL
The paper worked itself into high sweat
over the threatened strike at the Fairehild
Airplane Corporation plant at Farmingdale.
N. Y. In its editorial captioned Our National
Scandal it subtly suggests that the firing
squad penalty which is applied to mutnous
applied to striking workers!
The editorial FIRST says "that CLIO
workers in the aircraft engines division
of the Fairchild Airplane Corporation at
Farmingdale, N. Y, have voted to 60 on
strike tomorrow night"
Further on appears the strange asser-
ton that at may be taken for granted
that the vast majority of the workers
themselves would not, Of their own free
will, bring about strike of this kind"
Taking the two statements together one
would expect to read further and find
criticism of the mems employers.
But, hold on. if you know your Evening
Times you would not expect it. Instead. the
editorial continues to say that workers who
seek decent wages and conditions from their
oh, fat
are likely TO force the government to con-
script labor Then comes the inevitable at
tack on labor leaders with its comment that
is exactly what the INSCRIPTIONS labor leaders.
seeking to feather their own nests, are invit-
ing"
In the same amazing editorial attack on
labor leaders the editor pirates, We bring
them into the lnelight at this time because of
our friendship for properly conducted labor
unions and our respect for the system of well
managed collective bargaining Let US say
In very plain terms that properly conducted
unions for which the Evening Times has any
respect are those which are small weak, in
and make no demands for better
wages and working conditions for their men,
bers. Let US add that the Evening Times con-
both sides sit around the table and the bosses
listen carefully to the workers representatives
demands and refuse them
Continues the Evening Times When wages
are low. when working conditions are unbear-
able. when any attempt is made to degrade
labor, then the worker has the moral right to
strike If peaceful settlement of his difficulties
is impossible. Mote well it earlier advocates
that this moral right be taken away and re-
placed with the firing squad.)
Well, the workers at the Farmingdale
plant had been trying for months to re-
new a union contract with the manage
ment which had expired last October 81!
The management stalled and stalled and
stalled at renewing the agreement. Il re-
fused to permit further funetioning Of the
union grievance committee because, said
the company, call Of the 240 employees
may discuss their complaints personally
with their superiors."
The workers. through their union. voted to
ask for a very modest wage raise Of FIVE
CENTS per hour or TWO DOLLARS per
forty hour WEEK. They asked for MINI
MUM of FIFTY CENTS PER HOURl
Does the Evening Times ask why the man
agement Of this vital plant refused to renew
n contract which expired more than two
months ago1 Does the Evening Times charge
that a MINIMUM wage of FIFTY CENTS an
hour is too much for airplane workers. Does
the Evening Times believe that union griev-
ancs committee has no place in our industrial
democracy Does the Evening Times believe
that workers are not entitled to FIVE CENT
hourly raise over the amount they received
last year2
We ask all these questions because they are
the ones upon which the dispute was based
and which had been the subject Of protest for
some months past. But the Evening Times
does not go down to the fundamentals. In
stead it makes vicious and undocumented at
tacks on labor leaders. We doubt If il could
name any Of them concerned in the Farming
dale situation, which is the case which the
Evening Times itself selected.
Now that the strike threat is averted
by the employer agreeing to sign q con-
tract with his workers union we propose
that the Evening Times collects all the
surrounding facts Of the situation. We
propose that they write an editorial stat.
ing their position to the workers de-
mands, give the time and history of the
efforts of the union and employer 70
come 20 an agreement over the past few
.-.<,.sh. ard ewnv..s THAR ooinion an who