Evening star., 1942-03-20
Labor
Continued From First Pa2eD

from December l through March IA,
that the number of strikes was
about the same for the first two
months as in l94l, but that they
were being settled much more
quickly.
Statistics introduced by Mr..
Bards aides showed that those
working in Navy yards averaged SIS
hours a week, while the average in
private shipbuilding yards was 81
hours At one point. Mr.. Bard
said Navy yard workers were not
paid double compensation for Sun
day and holiday work.
A protest against the Smith Bill
was telegraphed to the committee
today on behalf a the Amalgamated
Clothing Workers of America. c. I. O.
The telegram said that although
ostensibly in aid of the war effort
this legislation would strike body
blow at our national unity and VOL
untary cooperation of labor and in
duStry to secure maximum prOduc-
ton"
Profit Recapture Ideas Asked.
Chairman Vinson of the commit
tee demanded that the Navy De-
partment submit recommendations
for recapturing excessive profits
after Undersecretary James v. For
restal had objected to provisions OF
the Smith bill on that matter.
Mr.. Green said the demands for
special labor legislation resulted
from an organized attempt to con-
fuse and mislead the American peo-
ple' OF which he said the Okla
homa campaign was a leading
example.
who are the men behind this
drive?" Mr.. Green asked of the
Oklahoma campaign. Who is pay
ing for it? Where do the, thousands
of dollars that are being spent in
conducting it come from? What
is the connection between the cur
rent Oklahoma campaign and the
anti-war rallies and mass meetings
organized in Oklahoma shortly be-
fore Pearl Harbor?"
The A. F. L. head then asked Sen
ators to investigate what he said
was campaign by the oklahoma
Publishing Co. of Oklahoma City,
publishers of the Oklahoma City
Times and the Daily Oklahoman.'
Mr.. Green said form post cards
and kilograms were used in the
Oklahoma appeals to members OF
Congress as "the campaign spread
quickly and every available propa-
ganda channel was used"
The witness said tens of thou
sands Of messages have been sent
to Washington from Oklahoma"
and that kilograms cost senders
SO cents each.
TT is clear that on these tele-
grams alone enough money was
spent to be able to pay for a fasts
fighter plane for our armies in the
Pacific Mr.. Green said.
The labor leader said this evi-
dence is sufficient to justify
prompt, fair and impartial investi-
cation by Congressional commit
tee of the financial sources, back
ground and affiliations of the indi-
viduals and organizations making
these large outlays of money to
spread disunity and disrupt Amer
ica's war effort"
IT'S so obvious that these tele-
grams and letters are from the
same sources" Mr.. Green added.
As to criticism Of payment of
double-tim rates for work on Sun
days and holidays, Mr.. Green said
that A. F. L. Building Trades and
Metal Workers Unions had waived
this in the stabilization agreement
worked out for construction OF CAN
tonment and other war facilities.
He said many contracts carrying
this double time provision for other
unions would expire this spring.
He said as he left the closed
session after more than 21a hours
that he had asked that the Okla
homa investigation be made by the
Special Defense Investigating Com
mittee under Senator Truman, DEM
ocrat, Of Missouri.
No Strikes in Oklahoma.
There has not been single strike
involving single worker in Okla
homa war industries since Decem-
ber 7, 1941," Mr. Green said as he
testified that the two Oklahoma
papers made a frantic appeal to
repeal the 40-hour work week and
to outlaw strikes"
Mr.. Green related that the papers
sponsored a mass meeting down.
town at which speakers urged those
present to contact Oklahoma Sena-
tors and House members.
Restrictive labor legislation, Mr..
Green said, would take the heart
out of the voluntary cooperation
offered by American workers."
Mr.. Murray told the committee
that man for man." American
workers are out-producing the
workers of any other nation in the
world.
He said that, while it is his judg-
ment that the war output of the
Nation 'is only about half Of what
it could be-" the basic reasons are:
Failure to convert more civilian
industries to war work; failure to
spread war orders effectively; fail
ure to increase the supply and direct
the flow of raw materials, and fail
ure of plants to operate full time.
Mr.. Murray admitted steel indus
try workers averaged only 1876 hours
a week last year, but said this was
not due to refusal of the men to
work, nor to any law. but failure Of
the steel industry to offer more en-
ployment.
He said Labor Department studies
show the customary shifts in war
industries are 4S, so, IS or 90 hours
q week, except II. the continuous