The Omaha guide., 1943-04-24
SKILLED NEGRO WORKERS HOLD POSITIONS OF TRUST
AT INDIANA HARBOR STEEL WORKS

BENNETT ROBINSON. Negro a
Sherman on a splice bar machine
at work with a white employee
AN EMPLOYEE fer many years a.
tae Indiana Harbor works of Inland
steel is Add Young. Negro. shear.
man on q splice bar machine.
HUNDREDS ENGAGED IN
VITAL BIG WAR PLANT;
WHOLE FAMILIES EMPLOY
ED BY INLAND COMPANY
Nobody yet has hsd to worry a
bout employment Of Negroes in the
steel industry. Beginning with the
great migration from the South dur
ing World War I, when Negroes
came to northern industrial areas
for good jobs and better economic
opportunities they've been holding
down jobs in the steel mills. Dur
ing the depression years. employ
ment fell off among them just as
it did among whites both native
and foreign born. But today it's
a different story, for the about war
effort has the mills humming to
turn out steel.
In the Calumet region of Chicago
land, thousands OF Negroes labor in
the roaring mills. Most Of the col
ored population OF Gary and East
Chicago live there solely for that
purpose, and have been doing so for
years.
one plant with a long record Of
Negro employment is the Indiana
Harbor works Of the Inland Steel
Co. which also has many other ma
tionalities and races On it's roster.
Most of its Negro workers started
out as common laborers. but today
they are represented in practically
all departments Of the plant, and
in jobs ranging to skilled machine
and equipment operators and sam
piers. And it's nc novelty to see
Negro foremen and assistant fore
men heading crews throughout the
giant plant.
WHOLE FAMILIES EMPLOYED
Compan yrecOrds revaI cases
wherein all the male members Of
q family have been employed at IN
land. Take the Davidsons, for in
stance. At one time. there were
eight Davidsons working here, con
sisting Of the father and seven sons
Three generations of the Logans
have been on the payroll. And the
Wiseners and Chamberses are other
families with many members en-
ployed at this plant.
A good many workers have long
continuous employment records.
There's a Twenty-Five Year club at
Inland composed Of workers who
nave been there a quarter of a cen
fury without Interruption. Already
several Negroes are members, with
more to be included before the year
ends. Latest addition is Orange
Paxton, janitOr foreman. who has
been rated by Inland officials as
one Of their most valued workers.
HOLD SKILLED BERTHS
It's the labor policy Of the plant
to make no distinction as to race.
creed or color. This means, accord
ing to Inland officials, that all EN-.
ployees have equal opportunities
through promotional sequence sche
dulles in keeping with the seniority
of the plant. In other words, Z
mans service record and length OF
employment are the factors deterr
lining upward grading.
Although exact figures are no;
available. there are hundreds q
Negroes holding down skilled, semi
skilled and supervisory assignment
at Inland. with the result that they
draw the high wages commensur
ate with their classification.
Here r some Of thier Jobs: owe
head electrical cranemen, acetyIent
burners, billet clippers. b~ulldozel
operators, samplers, benchmakers
rail drilers. furnace chargers, and
many others. Negroes are in g
occupations at Inland. in addition
to common labor.
They are, of course, ~integrateC
throughout the vast plant. In the
sheet mill it is no novelty to SCI
a Negro originally from Mississip
pi sweating beside a Polish or al
Italian-born workers. This situa,
ton is accepted without comment
and they have come to know am
respect each other. Nor is there "a
sentiment when a Negro foreman
in the steam department gives ar
ders TO the crew, which NAV in
clude American-born whites.
Inland officials are Of course. sat
isfiad vvi+b 4hair Naz~o