Montana labor news., 1944-12-14

Clio CONVENTION
aims FOR PEACE,
60 MILLION JOBS

a
60 MILLION JOBS
CHICAGO-(FP) Flushed with VIC
tory and animated by unity, the CIO
closed its seventh annual convention by
re-electing President Philip Murray in
a tumultuouS 45-minute session.
It's victory at the polls acknowledged in
person by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Vice
President Henry A. wallace, Secretary
of the Interior Harold L. Ickes, Mayor
FIJI. LaGuardia of New York and Mayor
Edward Kelly of Chicago. the CIO rode
a high wave of enhanced prestige and
internal harmony characterized by not a
single negative vote being cast on any
question in the five-day sessions.
Affirming that labor has no interests
apart from the peoples welfare, the con-
vention voted to continue the CIO Po-
ltical Action Committee after giving
Chairman Sidney Hillman the greatest
ovation of his career.
The nations industrial union fedora
ton ended its sessions on a stern note
when it demanded immediate action to
scrap the Little Steel formula and in
crease wages in step with advancing hv-
ing cost. This was demanded not only
as matter of justice to war workers but
to prevent depression as the nation ap-
proaches V-Day with its reconyerslon
problems. Public members of the Ma
tional War Labor Board received
singing rebuke for failing to recommend
action of the President on the steel
workers TIC hourly wage increase.
The convention, representing 100000
workers in Al unions, presented a COM
prehensive postwar program to the ma
ton in Murray's unemployment plan,
based on industry councils topped by a
national production board to assure co.
OOo. 600 Jobs. Wide vistas 10 rfull employ
ment were opened in the CIO postwar
plan for development OF civil aviation
as a major industry for cleaning out
the slums, extending schooling and
health services developing more river
basins on the iva model, rebuilding run
down railroads and highways and build
ing up the merchant marine to handle
greatly increased foreign trade
On the international scene, the CIO
affirmed decisions Of Breton Woods and
Dumbarton Oaks to set up world or
eanization with power to assure peace
and prosperity throughout the world. 1t
also bade Godspeed to its delegates en-
route to London to open preliminary
talks with British, Soviet and other
union leaGers to outline world labor
federation, open to all United Nations
unions.
Delegates gave a tremendous ovation
to Wallace when he urged them to keep
their ewes fixed on Washington in the
next two years to see that 6O,OOO,OOO
Jobs became reality. "A job for every
voter and voter for every job" was the
way wallace put the problem Of build
ing prosperity by getting out the vote
pressing home the issues and holding
congress to account as stewards OF the
people.
In sonnber mood, the convention heard
It, Gen. Brehon B. Somervel declare
that our armed forces in their victories
in Europe and the Pacific had run lar
ahead of schedules, with resulting acute
shortages in many war materials. La
boris no-strike pledge, made in Murrays S
words. to the President, the people and
the armed forces, was reaffirmed in
solemn standing vote. Officers OF key
unions in war industry conferred with
Murray over immediate plans to plug
nanpower holes.
The convention heard a representa-
tive of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
pledge continued labor-Yeteran solidarity
through Jobs for all. Unanimously dele
gates insisted on a stern peace for Ger
many and Japan with ruthless eXterml-
nation of every vestige of fascism IN
every country.
Labor unity was urged with the AFL
and railroad unions behind a program
embracing the Kilgore reconversion bill,
extension of social security and housing
Hillman declared that labor achieved
unity at the polls November z despite
socalled neutrality of some AFL leaders
and the stand taken by leaders Of the
United Mine workers (unaffiliated.
The convention reelected Secretary
James B. Carey and the nine vice presi-
dents by unanimous vote along with an
international executive board composed
of one representative for each union.