davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
Reconversion

With the European war moving rapidly
to its conclusion, the appointment OF
Reconversi0n Committee by the CIO
comes none too soon.
Those in Washington, mostly military
authorities, who oppose reconversion, even
the gradual reconversion advocated by
Chairman Donald NJ. Nelson of the War
Production Board, are taking a narrow
view which, if persisted in and sustained,
will lead TO serious unemployment.
II is an admitted fact that by the first
of the year upwards of 100000 workers
in war production plants will have been
laid off due to production cutbacks. Yet,
even in the face of this condition, recon-
version is being fought by those who for
get that mass unemployment is an enemy
which this country has fought for many
years.
Nothing could be more demoralizing
to the American people than large scale
and increasing unemployment due to war
production cutbacks, while materials suf-
ficient to support gradually expanding
civilian production are available.
Even today, before the actual defeat of
Germany, production cutbacks are occur
ring which, as victory comes nearer, will
increase, freeing an increasingly larger
amount of material available for civilian
production.
What will occur once Germany has
been defeated is an open secret Produc-
tion for war purposes TO continue the war
against the JapS will be cut by 80 to so
per cent, bringing about tremendous and
possibly, if no gradual reconversion takes
place, a sudden increase in serious unem-
ployment.
BY gradual recOnversiOn beginning
now, the country could take up the unem-
ployment slack as it occurs in the war i'm
dustries. Moreover, the reconversion
could he accelerated as more and more
materials become available by reason of
cutbacks in war production.
To continue blisfully ON winning the
war in all theatres and piling up an in
creaslng unemployment at home would be
to gradually lose the war at home. 1t must
not happen.
1t is not sufficient that reconversion
become an argument over long period of
time. 1t must be settled definitely now.
Day after day, the war progresses TO its
conclusion, bringing the employment
crisis that much nearer. We must plan
for the future. We must plan now, and
the plan must bring employment to the
workers of the country who are swak-
ening to the uncertainties of the future
and becoming aware of the seriousness of
the situation.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
Regional
Views
By Richard Gosser =
Director Region 2B, UAW-CIO
REMEMBERING


One thing that all of us are gifted with is
memories, We are particularly good at remem-
bering the evils that have occurred to us as
we pass through life.
Perhaps it is because we remember the bad
things that so many of our minds turn back
few years when we are told that production
cutbacks are coming and that up to the pres
ent time, no good or sufficient plan has been
made to ease the unemployment which will
ensue
My mind turns back to 1882. l can see the
confusion and doubts written on the faces of
those whose savings were locked up in the
closed banks. l can see the haunted looks in
the eyes of mothers and fathers whose chill
dren did not have proper food and clothing.
l can see the anger, the hatred in the grim
faces of men whose only concern was in keep
ing themselves and their families living.
Do you remember the hope that took shape
when the new President Roosevelt was inau-
gurated and told the people of this nation not
to fear, that their only fear need be of fear?
Many of you remember the work projects that
gave lot of us an opportunity to make few
dollars for the first time in months.
Those of you who have been members of
the CIO from its beginning, many of you who
were not members, but who were with us in
spirit, cannot forget that it was the Roosevelt
administration which brought about labor's
right to organize and collectively bargain.
which wrote the social security bill and the
National Labor Relations Act
TINES CHANGE
Times changed. Things grew better then
blackened again. We were going nowhere
when this war came along War in Europe
with its alarming developments awakened in
us the realization that we too must prepare.
That made things better. Then, after we got
into it-prosperity
War prosperity is false prosperity There
can be no good come from war. No worker
ever has prospered as result of war boom,
nor will the workers prosper from this war.
Progress for labor depends upon peace and
the real prosperity of workers producing
things which they themselves can use. 1t is
not purchased out of the mouths of guns or
in the block buster spreading death and de-
structon.
Because we know these things are true,
we must take an interest in the things which
going to begin to occur in the near future.
We must above all, protect our political gains
to the end that we shall not only preserve
the things which have been won under great
difficulties but to extend them.
We do not know what the future holds for
u.s. but we do know what the threats of the
future will be for labor. We remember our
past. Our present conditions are rapidly
changing. BY all means register now and pre-
pare to vote for your own economic and pol
itical interests this fall.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
Editors Mail

We welcome letters to the
editor, but ask that cOntri-
butors limit them to $50
words. Letters over the allOt-
ed number of words will be
cut to the required length.
Letters containing personal
attacks or libeIOus statements
will not be published.
The Editors.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
Wants PoPer

Dear Sir:
A lot of the boys who used
to be in my outfit and receiv-
ed your paper have moved.
/ always read the sheet and
liked it, What must / do to get
your paper. ! am not a mem
Der of the CIO.
Very truly yours,
Pvt. j. L. Atlane,
Fl. Knox, KY.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14

the fine spe h S which
statesmen and other dignita-
ries will utter before the sun
sets this evening.
To me the music in the
voices of these youngsters
playing freely here speaks a
deep dedication to the cour-
age and vision upon which
our national fathers founded
this country.
There is no tear here
where the voices of these kids
ring out so freely and hap
PLY. But we, the patriots of
our time, face a fight to keep
the shadow of fear away from
the faces of the kids.
OUR TRADITION
Yes, we face fight to keep
fear out Of our future; and
the 4th of July is a good time
to reasSure ourselves that our
mostly deeply rooted national
tradition is an expression of
the revolutionary fight for
freedom.
We, Americans, are natural
radicals. Radicalism runs in
our blood-stream. 1t is a big
radicalism, and ii is an open
faced radicalism; it is big
like the winds that blow
across our mountains and
prairies; and its face is open
like the faces of the kids
playing in the court outside
my window.
Our radicalism is the revo-
lutionary heritage of Tom
Paine, Tom jefferson, Sam
Adams and the other spark
plugs of our first fight for in
dependence.
NO CONSPIRACY
! have often thought of this
when talking TO many of the
self-styled radicals in the la
Dor movement who think
only of radicalism i'm the
European tradition. A college
girl once told me how thrill
ing 1t was to keep a volume
of Karl Marx and The Com
munist Manifesto hidden un-
der the mattress of her bed.
American radicaliSm is no
such conspiracy; it needs no
imported doctrines to give it
strength and meaning.
The radicalism that runs
in our blood is the contempt
for the blg-shot that prompts
a garage mechanic to tell the
banker to sit down" at ball
game, This kind of a political
philosophy needs no dark cell
lars to meet in; its books need
not be hidden under the mat
tress
Carl Sandburg knows this
because he knows the people;
and ne tells it in his poems
and writings. And if Tom
Paine were alive today, he
would be blasting Dewey and
the GOP-because they re-
present the same forces of
wealth and privilege against
which Paine fought in his
time.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
On The
Beam

This column will appear in
print several days after the
4th of July, on which it is
written, but that does not
matter, because the things I
want to say here seem to me
to be to the point on any day
of the year.
l am writing this piece in
one of the upstairs rooms of
a place we rent in a huge
housing project operated by
the City of Detroit. 1t is as
fine a place as | could ask to
inspire my writing on this
4th of July, 1914
Across the court from my
window, an ingenious and pa
triotic neighbor has secured
a large American flag to his
upstairs window. It hangs
there in the afternoon sun,
fluttering gently in a Wester-
ly breeze.
KIDS AT PLAY
Under this flag several
small children are playing
joyfully. Their happy laugh
ter floats through the project
and echoes among the walls
of the buildings. The voices
of other youngsters playing
in other courts can be heard,
too.
suggest that this melody
of children laughing under
the American flag celebrates
the birthday of our nation
more appropriately than all
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-07-14
Politics In
Housing
By R. J. Thomas

Editors Note: The follotcing
highHghtS 1Uere taken from a
speech deliUered By r. j.
Thomas, president of the
UAW-CIO, before the first ma
tional contention of the Pub
lie Housing Conference, held
in st Louis, Mo-, March 25,
1914.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
4th
Gets Started
In Wilmington
MOVIE PREMIER HH. !
Equipment From
Davis Attracts M
Interest

Opening the Fourth War bond
campaign Tuesday night, an en-
thusiastic crowd thronged both
sides of Front street in the Bailey
theater block as two Camp Davis
eight million candle power search
lights pierced the sky, and the
141st Army band added pep to the
atmosphere that appeared to re-
semble practice Arnistice Day.
All free tickets to the premier
showing in Wilmington of 'Des-
tination Tokyo" had been issued
by noon Tuesday. The picture
rricked the sympathy strings in
the hearts of the gathering, and
stimulated the sale of bonds in the
auction rally after the showing to
$3OO,368.
After the kickoff premier, the
auction of bonds to the highest bid
der. and auction of German he'll
met by master of ceremonies.
Frederick Willets, grab bags, with
Il detail of Wac's to assist, and the
awarding of bond prizes to holders
of lucky numbers, was the gala
portion of the evening.
Mr.. Willets states that the auc-
ton was the largest ever held in
this section. He wishes to express
his thanks to the retail merchants
association; to the Bailey theater.
especially to Mr.. Grist for his
splendid cooperation; to the Wac
for their assistance; to the band
Tor the splendid music; to the Of
ficers and men for the wonderful
display in which the citizens were
so intensely interested; to the pub
lie which responded so generously
in the purchase of tickets and
bonds: and to all others who assist
ed in the execution of the bond
auction.
In continuance of the Fourth War
bond campaign, bond booths are
being operated at the postofflce by
the United Daughters of Confed-
eracy: Belk-Williams store by
Ministering Circle; Sears-Roebuck
by Catholic Daughters of America;
J. C. Penny's by Red Cross Mo
tor Corps; and Efird's by N. Z.
Sorosis. The booth at WoolWorth' S
store will be operated Thursday
nv the Ladies Concordia society,
and Friday by Ladies Benevolent
society.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
ICKES SUSPENDS
HIS ASSISTANT

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. -(P)-
The final chapter appeared near
at hand tonight in the mystery of
the Hopkins letter" which poll
teal opponents of Wendell Willkie
published in an effort to show that
Harry Hopkins wants Willkie re-
nominated by the Republican party
this year.
l. A Justice Department official
said there is mo doubt" the letter
is forgery and predicted the per-
son responsible will be turned
up
2. Secretary of Interior Ickes
suspended without pay his conf
dental assistant, George N. Briggs,
55-year-old former newspaperman,
who, according to Senator LANCER
R-NDO, interested himself in get
ting the letter published.
g. Ickes asked permission to ap-
pear before the Grand Jury inves-
tigating the matter. He said he
hnew nothing about it but Il do
not relish the bandying about Of
my name in connection with mat
ter which seems to be as bizarre
and absurd as it appears to be
contemplate and vicious"
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
TODAY and TOMORROW
By WALTER LIPPMANN

ments to find a settlement of this
vexed question is, in the opinion Of
this school, an indication that the
powers are giving only Zip service
to the principle of collective &C.
tion."
There is a quite opposite view,
which is that the world system
will never come into full force if
the broad lines of the European
and the Asiatic settlement have
not first been successfully laid
down. In fact, only when diplo-
macy among those intimately con-
cerned and directly responsible
has settled regional differences
will that earliest practicable
date'' be at hand for bringing a
world organization into full force.
The broad lines Of a settlement
mean the fixing of the principal
boundaries and the recognition OF
the governments which have legiti
mate sovereign authority within
them. Until this has been done,
how in the name of common sense
are we to know who are the mem
Continued on Page Two; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
BY WALTER LIPPMAN

III me painful subject of the Po-
ssSn-Russian boundary dispute has
Inought forth a certain amount of
"'nellcan comment on how to or
= the peace. This comment
Il Eo. pased on a theory Of interna-
~JadHsm and collective security
=, nl'ich IS, | believe, doctrinaire and
~. W.. contrary to the lessons Of ex-
s sSealence that if it prevailed we
, =. be unable to settle the war
make a durable peace.
lhls is the theory that the from
s sels Should not be settled now by
ino r but should be reserved
~, aa, me decision of the world or
se a' which the four great
nf bos at Moscow promised that
hwy IVY would set up cat the earliest
ssaactlcable date" 1t is wrong,
i ~, C., one writer of this school, to
n.y. NY The broad lines of the Euro
f 1n' settlement before this
to moIla) system comes into full
VIZ Thus the diplomatic action
,ba VI mas long been carried on by
pNt.Ib British, Russian, American,
'Sn and Czechoslovak govern
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19

resentative Of the Wilhelmstrasse,
Schmidt, apparently h d his
tongue in his cheek when he denied
rumors of peace proposals which
have been once again attributed
to Papen." Franz Won Papen,
German ambassador to Turkey
The radio then quoted the re-
mainder of the following story
published Jan. 16 in the Sunday
Times of London (not to be con-
fused with the Times of London j
1T is true that Papen has made
no proposals, but it is untrue that
no proposals have been made.
Proposals were in fact made
two months ago to Turkey, who
refused to relay them to the Al
lies. Similar proposals were made
in Lisbon and Stockholm.
"They are believed to have come
from Hitler himself and have been
based on the possibility of dis
union between Britain, the United
States and Russia.
These proposals were: 1. Ger
many to retreat behind pre-war
Continued OH Page Two; Col. A.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
WAR PRISON CAMP
OPENS HERE FEB. |

T;,e former National Youth Ad
noinistration center, on, the caro-
Ina Beach road near Maffitt Vii
LACE will be opened by the Army
as a prisoner Of war camp aoou'
Feb i. Col. William S. Pritchard
of Fort Bragg. internal security
officer for the North Carolina dis
trict. said Tuesday.
The last obstacle IN the way OF
securing the abandoned center for
the internment of $50 Italian war
prisoners to work in fertilizer and
pulpwood industries and on farms
was removed. Colonel Pritchar1
said. when the U. S. Treasury de-
partment approved the lease OF
the buildings to the Department OF
Agriculture. TIL e department,
through the N. c. Extension Ser
vice, will make the camp avail
able to the Army.
The announcement OF approval
Of the lease of the buildings was
made by Colonel Pritchard at the
same time ne disclosed the ap'
proxilnate date that former Italian
members of General Rommef s
Afrika Korps would be sent here
Informed of this turn in events.
Sheriff G.. David Jones said thai
Gin my opinion the war prisoner
camp will be just as quiet as when
the buildings were occupied by
CONTINUED on Page Two; Col. 6,
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
Moscow Announcement Called
Herald To Delayed Northern Drive

tirement in the center and south.
Apparently, the attacks along
the Leningrad-Lake linen line are
as yet only in their preliminary
phase.
If a Nazi withdrawal has been
ordered to, avoid a Russian en-
trapment thrust in the north SIM
liar to the one threatening the Ger
man army in the Dnieper Bend,
evidence of it should emerge with
in a few days.
German withdrawal on so large
a front as that from the southern
end of the Lovat Marshes, north
of Newell, to the Leningrad area
would require holding open to the
last the Pskov gateway to Esthon-
ia and the northern escape route
via Narva. There are no others.
The air line distance between those
two points is roughly 100 miles.
Of that, the Peipus lake chain and
it's northern marshes form an 30
mile water barrier virtually i'm.
passab1e to retreating army. The
Continued on Page Two; Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
U. S. INCOME TAX
PROGRAM BLASTED

KANSAS CITY, Jan. 18- fR -
Miss Virginia Kellems, Westport,
Conn. war industrialist, announced
today she had not paid her Deem
Der Is income tax and called upon
''ail business both big and small.
to follow my example and put
aside postwar reserves out of their
taxes
The government, she told a
luncheon meeting of service and
civic clubs, lis adamant in it's re-
fusal to let these men (War pro-
ducers) lay aside a reserve so that
they may reconvert their plants to
peacetime production and carry
their workers through this period.
This refusal comes in two ways,
distorted taxation and renegotia-
ton.
ut is impossible for anyone to
emerge with huge sums of money
with the present tax rates but it
is insanity to tax so that there
will be no private business after
the war. All those not financed and
therefore, controlled, by the gov
eminent, will go into bankruptcy"
II have not paid my December
18th income tax" said the manu-
facturer of cable grips for the arm
ed force. 'They are still putting
cold congresses on my account
ants head, but I have not paid it..
One of the reasons why I have
not paid it is because I do not
pay it ="
Noting that everything manufac-
tured in her plant, which employees
$50 persons, is used in the war,
she said "should I pay this tax,
all production of these important
tools would automatically cease,
$50 people would be thrown out
of employment and our armed
forces would suffer.
st for one." she declared re
fuse to be liquidated without a
struggle"
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
NAILS WITHDRAW
TO GUSTAV LINE
u. S. Patrols Cross Rapido
River, Probe Enemy
Positions

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
giers, Jan. 49, LAP -Hitler's 10th
German Army has Withdrawn to
the powerful Gustav line, several
hundred yards northwest of the
Rapido River, for a final bloody
stand to protect Casino on the
road to Rome, headquarters an
nounced today. as American pa
trolls crossed the stream north OF
Casino and probed enemy posi-
tons.
French ops, swinging in
through the mountainous terrain to
the northeast, advanced 1000 yards
and captured SAINT Ella, a village
situated on the loser bank of the
Rapido about three miles from
Casino. further tightening the arc
around the Nazi stronghold.
All signs portended one of the
most furious battles since the fall
of Naples as the Germans put the
finishing touches on their defenses.
The enemy's Notifications on high
ground around Casino command
the Rapido River crossing at the
town itself, but the Rapido does
not appear to be as formidable an
obstacle as was the Volturno,
heavy casualties.
The American patrol that slip
Continued on Page Two; Col. q
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
Railroad Pay Dispute Is Settled,
zCarriers Returned To Owners;
:. yReds Press Leningrad Offensive
LINES ARE SHATTERED
Few Details Are Given On
Drives Which Began
Several Days Ago

LONDON, Wednesday, Jan. 10.
-LR-Lashing out in two new
northern offensives the Red army
has successfully shattered long
standing German defense lines
west and south of Leningrad and
is advancing in the areas south
of Oranienbaum and north of Nov.
gorod. Moscow announced today.
The two offensives. apparently
aimed at clearing the Germans
from lines which cl,rl around Len
ingrad within artillery range Of
Russia's second largest city. were
announced exactly a year after the
siege of the city was broken.
The Russians gave no details on
gains in either Of the two areas
and announced that the drives be.
gan "'several days ago." Previous
German announcements indicated
that the ldives began last FRIDAY
Meanwhile, an article broadcast
by Moscow radio. said that the
Germans lost 46 divisions or about
$4,000 men on the Soviet front il,
the past two months. The article
by Dmitri Manuilsky, member o,
the Communist party central com
mittee, said the Germans also lost
about 5000 tanks in that period
Oranienbaum, about 20 miles
west of Leningrad on the Baltic
shore south of the island nava
base of Kronstadt. has been il
Russian hands throughout the
siege of Leningrad. Although sur
rounded by Germans on the east
west and south, Oranienbaum ane
other towns to the east have beer
a bridgehead for Kronstadt.
Russian troops broke through
strongly fortified enemy defense
lines constructed over a long peri
cd. They are successfully develop
ing their offensive and advanc
ing" said the Moscow communi
que, recorded by the Soviet moni
tor from a broadcast.
North of Novgorod. in the Vlk
nv River front, the second Sovie
drive ''broke through strongl,
fortified defenses of the Germans
and Red troops are successful,
Continued on Page Two; Col. 6
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-19
PAY RAISES FOR ALL
All Unsolved Questions
Agreed Upon - No
Stoppage OF Work

WASHINGTON, Jan. 49, R -
The railroad wage dispute was set.
tied today, with raises all around
and the government-seized lines
were ordered returned to their
owners tonight.
The return of the railroads to
private management, effective at
midnight, was ordered by Secre-
tary of War Henry L. Stimson,
after receipt of a letter from the
White House advising him of the
settlement and recommending the
lifting of army control.
Il have been informed by the
President that all unresolved ques-
tons have been agreed upon by
the carriers and the railroad labor
organizations and that the agree
ments have been approved by the
wage sterilization director" Slim
son said in a statement.
These agreements provide as
surance that there will be no stop
page of rail service and that the
employees of the railroads will con-
tinue to discharge their RESPONSE
bilities faithfully and conscien-
tiously so that there may be no
diminution in the rising tide of
our military might.
II have therefore ordered that
War Department possession and
operation of the railroads cease at
midnight tonight, January 10,
1944.''
Last to be settled was the wage
disagreement with Is non-operat-
ing unions, representing LOO, 900
shopmen, clerks, track workers
and others who do not actually
run trains. They We're granted
wage increases Of to II cents
an hour over rates prevailing Dec.
II when the lines were seized, just
before year-end strike deadline.
The increase above 4 to 10
cent hike previously ordered by a
special mediation board was in
lieu of overtime. The non-operat-
ing workers generally are OH 49,
hour week and overtime does not
start at 40 hours for them as for
many other workers.
Stimson said that from a finan-
cial standpoint, the War Depart
ment will never have been in the
railroad business at all.
I'VE will owe the carriers moth
Continued on Page Two; Col. 81