The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-01
Little Guy In
Little Guy In
 Cross-Nation TeteUision May Come About in 1946
By RORERT RTCHARDs

By ROBERT RICHARDS
 United Press Stan COrrespOndent) New York, Jan. CUP) = It looks as if the little man, from coast to coast, has chance of getting Q gander at television sometime in 1946.
 A lot may depend on how badly the little guy, himself, wants 1t. If he shouts loud enough, he might get 1t.
 The Bell Telephone System at present has transcontinental coax ial television-telephone cable, which will run from New York to Los An- geles, completed to the halfway mark at Dallas, Tex.
 COmpletlOn-Tim Unknown
 A Bell official said today that this line will run across the southern part of the United States to Los Angeles, and then up the Pacific Coast to San Francisco.
 we can't say exactly when it'll be finished" the official added, but we're doing all the rushing possible. ,
 Bell plans to lay more than 5000 miles of coaxial television-telephone cables within the next few years" which means 1t shouldn't be too long before the milkman in Omaha can flip on lighted screen and watch Broadway cuties dancing in his living room.
 Capital Serviced
 Television will become 8 regular part of Washington's radio diet in mid-January when CBS and NEG, working with Bell, begin New York to Washington broadcasts.
 Bell has a Midwest cable lineunder construction which will interseet the California cable at Jackson, Miss. This section will stretch from Terre mount. Today the claims figure stands at about 5000.
 Shortly after V-g Day, and the extensive layoffs and decrease in work hours, came union demands for 30 percent wage boosts for the brass industry, and numerous con- tract-change requests for smaller firms.
 The labor unrest spread rapidly, and led to strike votes at four firms, and numerous petitions for strike ballots at others. Several small walkouts were recorded.
 At the turn of the year, heavy walkouts were predicted for early in l946, and strategy was planned by unions for calling strikes.
 The USES still had jobs on hand, but a majority of them were high ly specialized, and few applicants were qualified.
 The Jamaicans have gone home Immigrants were packing up and heading home to Maine, New Hamp- shire and Vermont. Servicemen were returning in increasing numbers for their old, or new jobs. Industry and labor were in the midst of watch full waiting"
 The year of 1945 started of with a shortage of 5000 worker in Wa terbury. and ended with an excess of more than 5000. The year was one of constant change and turmoil from the labor aspect.
 In January recruiters were still going from houSa to house in quest of additional help for war plants. A Navy officer was sent here to aid in the task. Jamaicans began to ar- rive for war jobs.
 That month and the next a crew of "minutemen" called at club meet ings to seek additional workers. New manpower orders came from to send 4-Fs into war jobs. Stabilization controls were frightened. But the shortage con- tinued.
 Tn March a l2-point recruitment program was expanded by the War Commission, and em- ployers were asked to apply the vari- ous recruitment methods.
 In April few small cutbacks were noted, and the WING began to an- ticipate possible layoffs. Then at the end of May came an order for of referral controls over women workers. It was the begin- ming of the turning point. Tn June came the first of the heavy cutbacks In intuition manufacturing.
 The labor situation changed quickly from then on. The biggest blow came in August, after Vel Day. with announcement of cancellation of all Army contracts. All man. power controls were lifted. and the labor shortage was crossed of the books. The WING started arrange ments to close up.
 With the contract cancellations came a "reeonyeTsion holiday" for about 5000 workers, and unemploy- ment compensation claims began to Haute. ind, to St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans.
 An off-shooting link from the California cable will run from At- lanta to Miami. Fla.