davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Local II Veterans
Committee
Plans Sports

A full recreation program, IN
cluding almost every phase OF
sports will be offered to the
World War Veterans Organiza-
ton of Local IL, according to
Ted Modrowski, director.
The number of returned vet
erans who formerly worked in
plants affiliated with Local II
has run into the hundreds, and
if the number continues to in
crease as it has in the past, a
physical fitness program beyond
expectations must be created by
the committee in charge.
Plans are under way to place
softball, handball, tennis, arch
cry and golf teams in competi-
ton, and for those who will be
unable to participate in the
strenuous sports, program OF
games, such as dartball, chess,
checkers and other indoor ac-
tivities will be arranged by the
committee. For those who are
interested, plans will be made
to set up a model building and
hobby club.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Journal Asks
For Cooperation

Grievance A. V. O.'S have
been provided all Unit chairmen
for those who are not yet re-
ceiving the TOLEDO UNION
JOURNAL at their home ad'
dresses. Members are asked to
see their Unit chairmen, COM
mitteemen or stewards and fill
out the slip properly and return
it to the JOURNAL office as
soon as possible.
Those who may be receiving
more than one paper, due to
change of shops or other reasons
are also asked to fill out one OF
the slips and return 1t to the
newspaper office. All slips
should be returned to the
JOURNAL through the Unit
officers.
Every effort is being made to
correct the mailing list as rapidly
as possible and members can aid
by cooperating at once with
their committee in filling out
the grievance A. V. o. as
quickly as possible.
Due to the cut in newsprint,
it is important that those who
are receiving more than one
JOURNAL fill out the slip pro-
vided by their executive COM
mitteemen.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Coal Strike Plan
Is AnYones' Guess

WASHINGTON, March II -
(LPA)-John L. Lewis held the
center of the stage in Washing
ton this week. The United Mine
Workers president flatly re-
jected an offer by the bitumin-
Gus coal operators who had re-
fused IL of the UMW's 18 orig
inal demands.
Lewis refusal came within a
few hours after the operators
counterproposals which gave a
definite mo- to Lewis insistence
on a 10c a ton royalty to the
UNIV on each ton of coal mined.
Thus the nationwide coal
strike threatened with no indi-
cation that either the operators
or the UNIV would give in. The
Natl. Labor Relations Board has
scheduled a strike vote among
the 100000 bituminous coal
miners for March %.
Rumors flew thick in Wash
ington as to what would happen
now; whether the government
would take over the mines,
whether Lewis would concede
on some issues and the operators
on others. There were few who
denied that Lewis had the whip
hand because the concensus was
that the miners would respond
to any strike call. In the minds
of both labor and government
officials who were watching the
situation anxiously was the long
famed remark of Lewis that
you can't mine coal with bayo-
nets"
Labor Dept. officials believe
that if no agreement is reached
in time to prevent a strike, the
government may ask Lewis to
withhold or postpone any walk
out order.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Auto Firms
TO Continue
ProVocofionS
Continued from Page /

-
noticed any attempts by other
GIN workers to use an earlier
wage award as a springboard for
new demands.
A spokesman for Chrysler de-
clared heatedly that any wage
raise granted by the WLB would
be "a reward" for strikes and
that the workers were "pressur-
ing" the Board with the fear of
strikes, Taylor, interrupting,
told the Chrysler representative
that the Board would not be
pressured and that he should
stick to the issues of the case.
Sticks For Workers
Reuther contended that mo
group of workers in America
have greater claims to wage ad-
iustments than the maintenance
workers. They are very much
underpaid." These men, Reuther
said, mot only wire the most
complicated electrical machinery
made in America but they also
maintain it," Emphasizing their
high skills, the UAW official
pointed out that their present
work is so complicated and ex-
act that many are now going
into the electronics field.
In reply to GINS argument
that wage increases would nec-
essitate price increases on the
company's products, Reuther de-
elared that the company's finan-
cial condition does not justify
the claim. Last year, he recalled
GIN had asked WLB to raise the
pay of 100000 salaried employees
$40 to $40 month and asserted
at that time that the raises
would not require price in
creases.
Reuther testified that griev-
ances have accumulated because
GIN refuses to give its foremen,
superintendent and plant man.
ayers the authority in labor re-
lations that they are given over
production. Other UAW repre-
sentatives testified to large un-
used capacities at Chevrolet
forge, Ford foundry and other
plants. Even Ford engineers ad-
mitted that the company's foun-
dry had operated at only 26 per
cent of capacity during 1914 and
manpower shortages had abso-
lutely nothing to do with it.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Legion Confused
On Seniority
Continued on Page 2

zation's friendship for the work
ing man and the war workers
who have produced the planes,
tanks, guns and ships that are
closing in on Berlin and Tokyo.
Top Legion officials are re-
ported in Washington to have
forced the Legion representa-
tive on the Advisory Council to
withdraw their endorsement of
the program which would have
given war workers with five
years devotion to their jobs a
solid claim on seniority.
The Legion is definitely back
ing some kind of "super-senior-
ity" which would permit vet
erans to either re-take their old
jobs or one of like seniority
"even though such reinstate-
ment necessitates the discharge
of a non-veteran with greater
seniority"
Whether the Legion's chang
ing attitudes are important or
whether the whole thing is a
small tempest in a small govern
ment teacup remains to be seen
as organized labor goes ahead
with its own plans for full en-
ployment which would insure
not only jobs for returning vet
erans but jobs as well for the
men and women who have made
possible the United Nations vic
tory.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
CIO Investigates
Wages -- Profits

NEW YORK, March 20 -
(LPA)-The basic wage stand
ards of American workers dur
ing the war have been Severe
ly undermined" the CLOS natl.
executive board declared last
week.
Pointing out that the War La
Dor Board has established a
complete freeze of wage rates,
the CIO said that the public
members of the WLB, in their
wage report to the President,
conceded that wage rates since
Jan. 1941 have increased less
than 20 per cent. But the cost
of living for the same period,
they admit, on the basis of an
inadequate survey, has risen at
least 80 per cent, the CIO en-
phasized.
Payroll Loss Expected
OPA has stated, the CIO
board continued, that an antici-
pated return to the 1889 level
of weekly hours, the 1899 pat
tern of manufacturing employ
ment and resulting down grad
ing will mean a loss of 10 billion
dollars in annual payrolls.
While re-affirming the no.
strike pledge, the CIO presidents
stressed the fact that 'Unfortu-
nately there are some employers
and others who seek to take ad-
vantage of our present war situ-
alton and endeavor to provoke
labor by threatening the exist
ence of unions, the discharge of
leading members of the union,
cutting of wages, or other di-
visive means"
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

A down town class in Red
Cross Nutrition held its first
meeting Wednesday, March 81
at 1870 p. M. according to an
announcement being made this
week by Mrs. Ira Fessler, Di-
rector of Nutrition at Toledo
Chapter.
This is the standard 20-hour
course and will be held in the
auditorium of the Ohio Fuel
Gas Company, 231 Huron st.
All women interested in the
vital subject of wartime foods
and food planning are invited to
enroll. The course is offered
without charge. For information
call Toledo Chapter Adams
5146.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

clusion that the answer is GER
tainly not yes, because any
strike that Injuries the welfare
of all, including the strikers, can
have no valid justification. This
Immediately poses another ques-
ton - the answer to which is
necessarily more complicated
and difficult. This question is
"Why do wartime strikes oc-
cur?"
The public press would have
us believe that the strike is to
gain advantages in wartime
which workers would not other
wise be able to gain. In other
words, to profiteer at the ex-
pense Of society as a whole. This
is harsh indictment, which the
facts do not bear out.
The press carries on this cam
paign to perpetuate the Ameri-
can habit of worshipping at the
shrine of ownership. A very
clever program of propaganda
has built up in us, the American
people, a conviction that owner
ship confers infallibility of judg-
ment.
THE KING
I have no quarrel with owner
ship. In fact, I'm for it. l hope
some day to have full title to
my own home without plasters
However, can't get through my
noggin the idea that we should
apply "the king can do no
wrong" fallacy to industrial
ownership.
The funny part of this set-up,
I have found, in talking to busi-
ness men, is that the darn fools
believe it themselves. They be-
lieve this even in the face of
such evidence as business fail
ures, screwball actions, etc.
In writing up news accounts
of strikes, editorials on the sub
ject and cartoons depicting sol
diers unable to get materials of
war, the newspapers start from
this false premise. They COM
pletely ignore the basic fact of
life that it takes more than one
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
.Union-Bus+inq
Drive Slowed
Continued from Page 1

awakened to the true meaning
of the amendment and as re-
suit sentiment against it mount
ed even among employers. That
was reflected in the action OF
the legislature which now leaves
the amendment unenforceable-
in other words, a dead letter.
Down in Arizona, a batch OF
anti-labor bills, including sew
eral phoney freedom to work"
measures, were buried with the
adjournment of the legislature.
There, leaders of veterans or
ganizations joined with organiz-
ed labor in opposition to the
restrictive bills.
The vicious Christian Amer
ican" outfit was set back on its
heels in several other states, as
we'll including, surprisingly
enough, its own home bailiwick
of Texas.
Jenkins Told Off
Also, in the state of Washing
ton, 36 legislators signed a
round-robin reply to a Chris
tian American" propagandist-
in effect, telling him to keep
his nose" out of Washington S
affairs.
That propagandist is Rep. Joe
c. Jenkins, a member of the
Florida legislature, who has
been h wering legislatures
throughout the country with
mimeographed letters urging en-
actment of a fake right to
work" law to smash unions.
They told Jenkins to stick to
his own backyard, and to do
something instead about the
sweatshops and low wages in
Florida and other Southern
states, which were declared to
have medieval conditions and
want in a land of plenty"
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

restiveness is the Army's
failure to put into effect the,
provisions of President Roose
velt's seizure order of Is Ward
properties which included check
off of union dues and establish
ment of other conditions directed
by the War Labor Board.
To date there has been no re-
inStatement of number of
workers who were discharged
without just cause during the
long struggle for union recogni-
ton. Nor has the checkoff, an
other of the unions hard-won
gains, been instituted. Sewell
Avery, whose "wilfull defiance"
of the government was de-
nounced by President Roosevelt,
must be laughing up his sleeve"
declared one union official here.
Order Is Specific
FDR's seizure order on Dec.N
28, 1914, specified that '"The
secretary of war shall operate
the said plants and facilities
under the terms and conditions
of employment that are in ef-
feet at the time possession of TIE
said plants and facilities g.
taken, and during his operation
of the plants and facilities shall
observe the terms and condi-
tions of the directive orders of
the National War Labor Board,
including those dated June 6
and 16, 1914, and Dec. IA and
Is, 1914 -"
Ward workers contend that
these WLB directives to which
FDR referred have not been put
into operation. Another ques-
ton that has interested the
United Retail Wholesale and De-
partment Store Employees-CJO.
involves the question of
much government operatf @
the Ward plants has cost,
much the profits have been and !
to what extent the people of the
United States are bearing the
expense of Avery's defiance of
the government. This and other
questions have not yet been
answered.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

WASHINGTON (LPA) - A
new jet fighter plane, said to be
the fastest in the world, is now
being turned out by union work.
ers at Burbank, Cal, and Kan.
sas City, Mo. Named the "Shoot-
ing STAR; but known to the
Army as the P-80, the new plane
is made at Burbank by the Init
Assn. of Machinists-AFL and al
Kansas City by the United Auto
Workers-CIO.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

In Washington the Supreme
Court refused a request that the
presidential seizure skip over
the lower appeals court and
come Immediately to the top tri-
bunal for decision. The Supreme
Courts ruling means that the
case will have to work its way
up through the lower court and
final adjudication by the Su-
preme Court no earlier than
September or October. Even if
Sewell Avery should lose in the
appeals court it is almost certain
he will carry it to Washington.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
WLB Tells Firms
TO Quit SfaIIing

WASHINGTON (LPA)-The
War Labor Board last week di-
rected that there be no more
stalling on the part of 54 Cali
fornia lumber companies before
putting into effect pay raises of
25c and 40c for second and third
shift workers.
The companies had won de-
lay in putting the new rates into
effect by appealing to the OPA
for price increases that would
pass tn the cost to professors
and consumers. However, OPA
declared flatly that "the esti-
mated costs resulting from 'the
WLB Directive orders can be
absorbed.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Not Wages But Neckfies

ASHIN GTON (LPA)-
When it isn't the Little Steel
F o mul a it's neckties that
badgers the War Labor Board,
one of its members commented
ruefully last week. Certified to
the WLB was the question OF
whether or not 101 employees Of
the Union Motor Coach Ter
minal, Chicago, must wear neck
ties on duty. The necktie issue
became so hot last summer that
a strike occurred when the COM
pany would not permit ticket
agents to work without ties.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Union Mode Tanks
Drive Info Germany
Continued from Page l

products and 100000 tons of
chemicals were shipped to the
u. S. S. r.
American railroad equipment,
desperately needed by the Rus
slams, was also supplied in huge
quantities to our ally.
To replace dams and electrical
power installations destroyed by
the Nazis, the U. S. supplied so
power trains. American material
for the Soviet troops themselves
included 100000 pairs of
army boots, 100000 yards of
cotton cloth, 50,000,000 yards of
woolen cloth and 58,000,000
yards of webbing.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23

to make a fight. If a person
fights with himself, he is either
in an insane asylum or on a bur-
lesque stage making with the
crazy.
War is as much a disaster as
floods, tornadoes and major
fires. In any disaster all the
people involved are in the same
boat. The suffering is pretty
we'll distributed. War is a man
made disaster and is therefore a
little better organized. Looting
and plundering happen in all
disasters because many people
are weakened and are easy prey.
War is no exception, only more
so. In any disaster, it is inevi-
table that some people are in a
stronger position than others,
and the unScrupulous, who are
little better off, will always
take advantage of their stronger
position. If the lootee can mus
ter enough strength to give the
looter a kick in the chin, every
one cheers except in the case Of
labor versus management in
wartime.
WEAKER NOTE
Labor deliberately assumed
the weaker note in this present
disaster when it gave its no
strike pledge. In return, it was
given a no-looting guarantee.
The WLB was established to
handle differences. It's keystone
policy was that no gains previ-
ously made should be taken
away. This hasn't prevented at
tempted looting and few chin
kicks in retaliation.
Most strikes have been unau-
thorized by the union. Over 90
per cent of the strikes in this
war have been chin kicks at
looting tormentors.
The present situation at the
Spicer plant is a good example
of this policy of nagging, tor
menting and looting. The STRAIT
egy of management is well con-
ceived and clever. There are
two legitimate cases before the
WLB, the non-productive work
ers' case and the office workers
case. BY piling silly and ridicu-
lous cases on the Board, the
company hopes to bog it down
so much that it cannot act on
the legitimate cases. In addition
to this, If it can win all or any
part of these new cases, a good
job of looting will have been
accomplished.
Once a week for four or five
weeks, the company has pre-
sented a major issue to the
union. First, they wanted to
eliminate the hiring committee
which has been operating for
years. Second, they docked en-
ployees for voting in the unit
election not only for actual time
lost, but an added penalty. Third,
a steward was discharged on the
eve of new steward elections for
no reason but a trivial excuse,
Personnel men were sent into
the plant to interview stewards
on their draft status. Fourth,
the company notified their fore
men that time study rates deter
mined by them would be placed
In effect whether agreed up to
not. The contract sets up ma
chinery for reaching agreement
on these rates.
Looking this all over from a
little time perspective, it is
somewhat of a miracle that the
chin kick didn't come a lot
sooner and a h--l lot harder.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Buckmon Nomed To WLB
CLEVELAND, March II

CLEVELAND, March II
Herbert Buckman of Cleve-
land, executive assistant to in
dustry members of the Fifth Re-
gional War Labor Board for the
past two years, has been ap-
pointed to sit as a substitute
member of the board, it was an
nounced by Regional Chairman
Frederick H. Bullen.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
I945's Red Cross Record

ASHIN TON (LPA)-
Workers at the Beech Aircraft
Corp, Wichita, Kansas, chalked
up the nations first 1907 rec
ord in the 1945 Red Cross drive
in industrial plants, it was an
nounced here last week. Red
Cross National Headquarters re-
ported that every one of the
plants 10000 employees had con-
tributed to the campaign.
Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-03-23
Sez The


NPA) - Members of a Con-
gressional investigating COM
mittee were told last week
that American women would
not buy $2.95 shoes, or cheap
dresses, because they were
quality conscious"
These straight-faced state
ments were made by a New
York fashion expert, Mrs. Tobe
Davis, before the House Com
mittee Investigating Government
Agencies. All government agen-
cies that have surveyed short
ages of clothing have found that
the greatest complaints are
about the complete absence of
such loW-cost items as house
dresses, children's clothing, and
work clothes in the stores. The
industry spokesmen had no re-
ply to these facts, but continued
to assert that consumers
wouldn't buy goods if the price
was low.
On the other side of the con-
troversy, representatives of 13
consumer organizations attacked
the clothing order in letters to
WPB chairman Krug and OPA
administrator Bowles.
Consumers Recognized
The consumers groups, who
also were represented before the
House investigating committee
by Caroline F. Ware charged
that the program did not go far
enough in inSuring a supply of
low-cost clothing for house
wives.
They reminded Mr.. Krug that
he had promised to take more
drastic steps if the program fail
ed to meet the need for essential
low-priced clothing, and asked
the following questions in order,
they said, "that we may correct
ly inform the members of our
organizations who are face to
face with the problem of secur-
ing the clothing desperately
needed by their families" and
who are impatient over the
failure of your earlier meas
ures."
What will the WPB do, they
asked:
/. If insufficient cloth to sat-
isfy all priorities is produced,
or if the cloth produced is of un-
suitable types?
2. If manufacturers use all
their priority ratings for high
priced rather than low-priced
goods?
3. If manufacturers of low
cost clothing cannot find ma
terials in the market?
4. If manufacturers do not
take up all their priorities?
5. If the order is violated?
Express Concern
They expressed particular
concern over enforcement and
asked, "Will it be possible to en-
force the orders, or will a seri-
o ! black market in textiles de-
velop?"
"Even if the program works
perfectly" they pointed out, 'it
will still have three fundamental
defects:
81. 1t is not a low-price pro-
gram, and will not get enough
low-priced clothing on the mar
ket.
2. 1t will not take off the
market the luxury products
whose presence arouses so much
resentment among ordinary con-
sumers.
3. 1t will not stop quality
deterioration and the use of
poor quality, sleazy materials,
for the orders contain no quail
ity controls"