The Omaha guide., 1944-12-09
S.T.uE. Seeks immediate Opening Of Cow Owned lands the West
FOR RESETTLENENT BY
DfSPOSSESSEG FAMILIES
OF SOUTH FORCED OUT BY
MECHANICAL LABOR.
PLAN NATIONAL FARM
LABOR UNION

A plan for organization of a nation
al farm labor union was last week
submitted to conventions of the AT.
Q of L., New Orleans; Clio, Chicago,
and the National Farmers Union,
Denver.
H. L. Mitchell President of the
Southern Tenant Farmers Union,
sent kilograms to William Green,
President Of the American Federation
of Labor; Phillip Murray, President
of the Congress Of Industrial Organ
izations and to Jases G. Patton,
President of the National Farmers
Union urging cooperation in organ
izing a national farm laobr union ex-
tending social security laws and feo-
eral protection, and the right Of col
lective bargaining to farm workers.
The kilograms also stated that,
due to rapid mechanization of cot
ton production and plans for manu>
facture OF mechanical cotton pickers
in 1916, it is necessary for thousands
Of white and Negro workers to mi
CRATE to other areas. Both sections
IF organized labor and the progress
i've National Farmers Union were
urged to use their influence to secure
the immediate opening of government
owned lands in the West for resettle'
ment Of dispossessed farm families Of
the South.
Mitchell said this action followed
plans worked out at the 18th annual
convention Of the STU. which end
ed n Little Rock, on November 18th.
where he was directed to eBlist the
support OF organized labor and small
farm owners in organizing a nation
wide farm labor union to be compos-
ed of workers employed on industrial
lied farms and plantations.
The President of the STU. also
revealed that a special Organizing
Committee had been formed for the
purpose of unionizing sbilled farm
laborers employed as tractor drivers
and farm machine operators on cot
ton plantations Of the mid-south area
Ho said the STU. intended to re-
quest the AT of L. and Go to fur
nish two or more good trade union
organizers to direct the campaign.
Among the highlights OF the STF-
U. convention held in Little Rock,
attended by 1874 delegates from II
southern states, was a visit of a del
tgati9n Of Cannery Workers from
the west coast, where were enroute to
the AFL Convention in New Orleans.
The Canery Workers delegation was
headed by Hal P. Angus Of Oakland,
Calf, who stopped in Little Rock for
a day to attend the STFU meetiRe
and work out plans for the migration
OF several hundred unemployed wor-
kers to California for the winter sea-
son.
3 Also addressing the Little Rock
2 convention during its 4 day session
were; Leon B. Schachter Of the Meat
and Canery Union (AFL), Camden,
New Jersey; Adolph Germer, Nation
al Representative Go, Denver, Colo.
Herman Gehrig, AFL. Organizer,
Memphis; and Fred Bayler of the
International Oilers and Firemen's
Union ,AFL); Miss Rose Pesotta,
Representative, Workers Defense !
League, New York.
A resolution adopted by the STU
convention condemned the use Of
Nazi war prisoners in competition
with free Americans in the cotto.
fields, compdesses, and warehouses of
the mid-south.
Another resolution instructed new
ly elected officers to make arrange
ments for ex-Servicemen who arc
members of the Union, to secure a
years free training in accredited
schools and colleges under the CT.
Bill. The officers were directed to
plan courses for vocational training
in operation and care Of farm mach
inery, management of cooperative
business enterprises and trade unioi,
organization.
Officers elected for the year 1915
are as follows H. L. Mitchell, Pres
ident. Memphis, Tenn. F. R. Bet
ton. Vice President, Cotton Plan,,
Ark. Executive Council Members ::
W. A. johnson; McAndrew Nc
Crary; Royal Isom; John Afford
Gammill; J. E. Clayton; J. F. Hy-
nds; o. c. Morgan; Mae Pearl Kel-
lev. George Stith