davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The union times., 1947-11-22
Plumbers Sign Contract With Pre-Fab Builder
GAEL. News Service)

Chicago. = Continuing its policy of extending cooperation to build CTS of prefabricated housing, the Building Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor an- nOunced the negotiation of a con- tract with the LustrOn Corporation, which plans to build lOw-cost, all- steel homes.
 The agreement was announced by Martin P. Durkin, president of the United Association of Journey men and Apprentices of the Plumb ing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada and Carl c. Strandlund, president of the Lustron Corporation.
 Commenting upon the agreement, which>was actually signed on April Is, 1947, but not released until recent ly, MT. Durkin said it is another in series of contracts which serve as an effective answer by labor to the charge that it is primarily responsible for delaying the construction of homes.
 ''Labor clearly recognizes that it has an obligation to those people who want to build homes, and this is particularly true in the case of the CIs," he declared. But labor also recognizes that it has an obli- gation to protect the gains made af- ter many years of struggle for inn proved wage and working condi- tions. Whenever negotiations are carried on with labor and both of these obligations are kept in mind, as they were by MT. Strandlund and the Lustron Corporation, there should be no difficulties.
 Main points in the agreement in clude the spelling out of terms for the uninterrupted production of the Lus- tron Houses in the factory and for their erection on home sites in the U. s. and Canada; provisions for the avoidance of jurisdictiona1 disputes j; and the reduction of the number of crafts involved to three.
 Referring to the crafts included under the agreement, MT. Durkin said the nature and design of the LustrOn House and the fact that it is of all-steel construction made it unnecessary to include all the crafts customariIy employed on other types of housing. This fact alone was the basis for the limitation of crafts to those represented by the International Brotherhood of EIec- trical Workers, the United Brother hood of Carpenters and Joiners, and the JOurneymen and Appren- tices Association in the plumbing industry, he declared.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Building Trades Show High Level Of Production
Two-Fifths Of Workers In Industry Erecting
 Homes

Construction activity in October almost matched the September postwar peak, according to pre- liminary estimates of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. s. Depart ment of Labor.
 The $l ,459 million spent for all types of construction was only $5 million less than in the previous month.
 The near peak volume in October reflects continued gains in privately financed home construction and in commercial building, stimulated in part by the favorable building weather prevailing during the month.
 The volume of new privately financed residential building put in place reached a high of half billion dollars in October, exceeding the dol lar volume of nonresidentia1 building by 78 percent.
 GAP WIDENING
 The gap between the volume, of residential and nonresidential building has been steadily widening this year. In January, only 9 percent more pri- vate money was spent for new hous- ing than for nonreSidentia1 work.
 This indicates the important gains in home building during the year, and especially in the summer and autumn, while industrial building. the largest segment in the nonresidentia1 category declined.
 Construction expenditures for the first 10 months of l947 totaIed $ll.9 billion, compared with $9.5 billion in the same period of l946.
 Construction contractors employed l, 1,883,000 workers in October, 17,00O fewer than in September, but 130,0OO more than in October of last year. Two-hfths of the construction workers were building homes this October, compared with about a third in October, 1946.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Frank Fenton
 Will Succeed Watt

Washington, D. C.-AFL President William Green has announced the ap- continent of Francis P. Fenton, Ma tlonal Director of Organization, to the post of International Representative ot the American Federation of Labor.
 Greens announcement followed meeting of the AFL's Interna- tiOnal Relations Committee here at which time MT. FentOn was selected to fill the post left vacant by the untimely death of Robert J. Watt. 1t is expected that FentOn also will take Watts place as the American Workers Delegate to the Interna- tiOnal Labor Organization.
 MT. Fenton was born in Boston in I09o, and for many years has been active Tn the labor movement. A mem Der of the International Brotherhood ot leamsters, he was active in union affairs in the city of Boston. Fenton served as president of the Boston Cen tral Labor Union and was an execu- tive board member of that organiza- ton for period of 13 years.
 Fenton became associated with the American Federation of Labor as an organizer, and in 1889 was the AFL's New England Regional Director of Organization when he was called to Washington to take the post of Ma tlonal Director of Organization for the AFL, which position he held at the time of his recent appointment.
 In his new capacity as International Representative for the AFL, Fenton is scheduled to leave for Europe the end Of November to attend a meeting of the Governing Body of the Interna- tional Labor Organization.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Stage Employees Re-elect Miller

John J. Miller, business manager of Local No. "A, New Haven Theatrical Stage Employees, was elected to his fifth term as president of the Con- necticut Theatrical State Association, at the annual elections held at the Hotel Taft. The Association includes all the state locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Elm ployees and Motion Picture Machine Operators.
 James J. Corrigan of Waterbury was again elected vice-president, John O'Connell is the permanent secretary of the Association.
 The meeting was addressed by Thomas J. Shea, assistant internation- al president; and William Scan1on, international trustee and district representative.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Formula On How etRichQuick Finally Released

WASHINGTON = (FP) - A true story of American financing and how fortunes are made overnight furnishes fine escape reading for the mine-run citizen who worries about the grocery bill and wonders whether he'll meet next months rent.
 Such a story was released by the Federal Securities & Exchange Com mission. It deals with the sale by Uncle Sam of his war-built Big" and Little Inch Pipelines" which carried petro- leum from Texas to the ports of the eastern seaboard.
 Last January a group Ot z6 ln- vestors formed the Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. by putting up SI5O.OOO for l5O,OOO shares ot stock at Houston, Tex. The com. pany had an authorized capital ot 25O.OOO of the dollar shares, but only l5O,OOO were sold. These shares went to a group of l7 in- vestors in New York, Washington, D. C.. Texas and Louisiana, as well as to II associates in the Wall Street investment house of Dillon Read & Co.,, Inc.
 The Washington investor was Atty !. Ross Gamble, 38, specialist m ln natural gas law, who got up $z,5OO for 2,5OO shares i'll Texas Eastern be- fore it purchased the two pipelines at a bid of $143,127,0OO. :,
 On Nov. 7, the 15O,O00 original shares were reclassified with the ted eral agency's approval on the basis ds of seven shares for one, into l,O50,OOO shares of new stock worth a cool $9, 975,OOO on the basis of a public sale price of $9.50 per share.
 Gamble is the only holder to of- fer shares for sale at the public offering. His 2,5OO shares became I7,5OO shares overnight and he plans to sell 14,OOO of them for a tidy $l33,OOO less taxes and com missions, while keeping $500 shares himself. His net on the deal will run around $1l9,OOO, that he can bank and still retain shares worth $33,25O. All that for letting go of $2,5OO for II month.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Rising Divorce
 Trend, And More Separations
Family Service Assn Says Imitation Also Hits Middle
 Class Groups

NEW YORK - (FP) - The increased cost of living not only less bread and meat on American tables, it reflects itself in a rising di- vOrce trend, increased separa- ton of families, lowered med ical care and hits the average family on a hundred other fronts, survey by the Family Service Association of Amer ica reveals here.
 Reports from IA of its mem- Der agencies in cities throughout the US. show that imitation, like depression, seriously under mines the stability of home life," FSAA Director Frank J. Herte1 declared.
 ALL AFFECTED
 Of the IA agencies included in the study, 84H found the number of cases coming to them for assis- tance nOticeably increased in the past few months. While lower in- come groups were most affected. more than half the agencies re- ported increased difficulties among families in higher economic levels.
 Thus 82 agencies reported increased requests from families whose income was above the public welfare limit, seeking help to meet food, clothing, rent, emergency health needs and other essential expenses. Others, who are already receiving aid from public agencies, found relief grants too small to keep their families going in the face of present prices.
 MORE WORKING MOTHERS
 Fifty agencies reported an increase in the number of mothers forced to work to make ends meet but who can't afford adequate care for their children while away from home Many families were unable to find adequate housing space, not only because of the general shortage, but because they couldn't at- ford the rents where space was avail able.
 Typical of the reports was one from Miami, Fla, which declared: "Re- ceiving an increasing number of re- quests for information about where to go to receive financial assistance from wives and mothers whose husbands have deserted because of the difficulty of finding housing at reasonable rental or cost |. Couples having first child and some third or fourth are request ing this child be placed for adoption since they are unable to provide for it adequately"
 The Wichita report said: ''SOme families are breaking up their homes, the wife going to parents or relatives until such time as the husband can earn enough to re- establish their families.''
The union times., 1947-11-22
Europe Meeting Called By AFL

Washington (LPA) - The AFL last week initiated the first steps to- ward creation of a new international labor organization to combat the Rus sian-controlled Cominform and "the propaganda of Moscow which mis- represents the Marshall Plan and seeks to destroy it."
 Following momentous meeting of its Int'1 Labor Relations Committee, the AFL announced that 1t would "ca11 a conference of labor representa- tives of 16 nations of western Europe to consider how labor can promote the economic rehabilitation of Europe under the Marshall Plan" No date was set for the conference.
The union times., 1947-11-22
AFL Shows Bias Of "Saturday Evening Post"
Weekly Declines To Publish Answer To Anti-Labor
 Article

Washington, D. C.-The Saturday Evening Post, weekly magazine with a wide circulation among the nations workers, was exposed this week as a one-sided organ of reactionary opinion by its refusal to accord space to the American Federation of Labor to an swer an article praising to the skies the obnoxious Taft-Hartley Law.
 This article, featured in the Oc- tober g issue of the Saturday Evening Post, was written by J. Mack Swigert, member of the law firm of Taft, Stettinius and Hollis ter. Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, author of the Taft-Hartley Law, is partner in this same firm. it was not surprising, therefore that MT. Swigert found nothing to cri- ticize in his law partners legislative mOnstrOsity.
 Aroused by Mr. Swigert's biased and inaccurate article, President Will liam Green of the American Fedora ton of Labor wrote to the Saturday Evening Post requesting the courtesy of equal space to tell labor's side of the story on the Taft-Hart1ey Law.
 ONE-SIDED
 In reply, Ben Hibbs, editor of the Saturday Evening Post, curtly refused this request. In his letter he frankly admitted that the Saturday Evening Post is completely one-sided on the question of the TaftHartley Law. He wrote:
 ''We do not consider the Post as forum type publication which must always devote equal space to both sides of any topic.
 ''We frankly take sides on many important questions and we believe that to be our right.
 ''When the Taft-Hartley Law was being hammered out in Con- gress, we gave it a lot of careful study and came to the conclusion that in the main it was a wise and fair law that we wished to support" :"
 MT. Hibbs then made some sneering comments on labor's objections to this law and continued:
 "Labor's arguments against the law have been presented over and over in the newspapers and other publications, until by this time they are an old story"
 Thus, MT. Hibbs rejected the pos sibility that labor might have a new story on the Taft-Hartley Law even before seeing the story. He further stated in his letter:
 We believe it was high time that some publication answer these accusa- tions in a dignifed and fair-minded way, and we believe the Swigert arti- cle did that
 The kind of editorial bias which could regard an article on the Taft Hartley Act by Senator Taft's law partner as Clair r-minded' ''is be- yond my comprehension Mir. Green declared. He declined to comment further on the matter.
 Mir. Hibbs' letter concluded with an insulting offer to the American Fed eration of Labor to reply to the lengthy and technical Swigert article in a '1etter to the editor," not to ex- ceed 400 words, which, even if pub lished, would be buried in an insignih- cant spot in the magazine.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Negro Workers Praised For 

WASHINGTON, D. C.-The con tributionS made to the war effort by Negro men and women demonstrated their competency in the production lines of industry, Secretary of Labor L. B. SWellenbach said before the twelfth annual convention of the Ma tional Council of Negro Women here.
 The Secretary continued by say ing that their production equalled that of any other group. In many sections of the country, he de- cIared, their record in the war years dissolved much of the preiu- dice which in years past barred them from utilization of their highest skills and earning power.
 He mentioned the widening number and variety of professions and skilled trades that are being opened to Negro women. The Secretary called atten- tion to the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor, which has re- gently completed a study of the em- ployment of Negro women and girls in medical and other health services. On the subject of expanding oppor- tunities for employment in this field, he said that particular fields which are opening up to Negro women are as occupational therapists, medical labor atory technicians, X-ray technicians and dental hygienists.
The union times., 1947-11-22
F.D.R. Portrait
 Blacked Out By Federal Order

SAN FRANCISCO - CPD A 7- foot portrait of Franklin D. ROO- sevelt has been ordered removed from 29-panel pOstOffice mural by a Washington government agency.
 Artist Anton Refregier, announcing he would defy the order, said the in- structionS came in a letter from the Public Building Administration, Com- of Design & Construction. Re- fregier was advised to redeSign the portion of the mural showing the late President because I've do not advocate the portrayal of prominent persons in any mural of this character"
 The controversial panel, dedicated to the growth of the United Nations, is dominated by a huge portrait of Roosevelt framed by four blocks rep resenting the four freedoms. The mural is intended for a new postofice annex here.
 Charging that the government order reflects the current ''cam- paign to discredit Roosevelt" the artist said: ''TO omit the portrait of FDR from the final panel deal- ing with the United Nations meet ing in San Francisco is a cOnces- sion l cannot make. I cannot allow myself to be a victim of prOpa- ganda against very great man."
The union times., 1947-11-22
As We See It
 by THE STAFF

Local 4O4's members who were forced to walk out by the manage ment of Hof-Brau restaurant in New Haven,a determined to win, and it is confidently expected that they will. Business Manager Betty MarIand says that morale is high which, in itself, is a guarantee of victory.
 John A Johnson, business agent of Local No. 79, New Haven Car penters, and known to some people as Augie, is the grandfather Of twins.
 A CORRECTION appearing recent
 Iy in the New Bern (N.C.) Sun
 Journal:
 ''Miss Thelma EImore Jones was married to Bobby Stanley and not Henry Hodges Stanley as was stated in the article on their wedding ap- bearing in a recent edition of the Sun-Journal. The bridegrOOm's parents are Mir. and Mrs. John B. Stanley and not MT. and Mrs. HI. H. Stanley, as was stated in the same article, and the officiating minister was Rev. E. W. Downing of New Bern and not Rev. A. E. Brown of Bridgeton."
 The Russians say the ''secret of the atomic bombs is no longer secret. US. army officials think that's hokum and say it ''sOunds like somebody is having pipe dream.'
 The neighborhOOd barber says he'd just as soon wait couple of hundred years to find out who's right.
 There's no way out for John L. Lewis; he's trapped coming and going. First, the Communist news paper, Trud, in Moscow, declares that 'sthe reactionary Lewis" is try ing to ''direct the growing Ameri- can workers movement into a chan mel advantageous to monOpOlistic trusts.' Then, few days later, be- cause John L. won't sign the Taft Hartley Anti-Communist affidavit, the Washington Post calls him ''The AFL's CrOmyko."
 But that didn't end Lewis unso- icited publicity last week. The Int'l Institute of Artists & PhOtog- raphers announced in New York that it had elected Lewis ''Mr. Chin of l947." He won the election over such competitors as President Tru- man, Gen. Omar Bradley. Actor Edward C. Robinson and Singer Jack Smith. In announcing the election, the Institute said, "A mans chin is the true hallmark of his character. It must be 5H inches from jaw to jaw or his chin ap- peaP falls short of American wo- mems demands for rugged man.
 Continued on Page Four)
The union times., 1947-11-22
Letter Carriers Ex-President Dies

WASHINGTON . (FP) U Ed ward ]. Gainor, retired president of the Natl. Assn. of Letter Carriers (AFL) and an AFL vice president for F years, died at his home here last week. He was v.
 Gainor worked as a letter carrier in Muncie, Ind, before coming to Washington in 1916. He retired ir l941 because of failing health, after serving as president of the union for 28 years.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Miners Help Teachers In Organizing Locals

Louisville (LPA)-The active sup port and assistance of the United Mine Workers has helped the Kentucky Federation of Teachers-AFL organ ize locals in the mining country in southeastern Kentucky, according to President Patrick Kirwan, of the teachers union.
 Prior to the organization of local in Letcher County, Secretary George Lundy, of the UNIV local, promised the teachers the wholehearted backing of the miners and their support in the campaign to raise wages and teaching standards in the county.
The union times., 1947-11-22

Washington (LPA)-One in every five tenants in Illinois and Wisconsin rent control regions has signed "vol- untary" lease embodying a 15@o rent boost, according to figures released this week by Acting Housing Expedi- ter Tighe Woods, who administers the federal rent control law. In rent con- trol areas in these states, more than 1O9o of the tenants have to pay 15%o more each month: Massachusetts New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota, Utah. Alto gether, in four months a total of 1,5O8,369 such leases have been filed with local rent control offices.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Bill Of Rights, Whats That?

Washington IPA)-The school system of the nations capital this week denied an auditorium to the "Voice of Democracy" high school oratorical contest, because the final contestants from eight white and three Negro high schools here would com prise mixed group.
 The contest, sponsored by the Wash ington Junior Board of Commerce, is one phase of nationwide competition in which students give speeches on any subject dealing with the Bill of Rights.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Musicians Revive
 Portland Symphony

PORTLAND, Ore.-(FP)- After a 9-year absence, the Portland sym phony orchestra will be back on the musical scene this season, thanks to the gift of $10,000 check from Local 90, American Federation of Musicians.
 The check represents the locals share of royalties from national re- cordings.
The union times., 1947-11-22
Check-OH Starts
 Coop On Its Way

Newport News, Va. (LPA)-The first cooperative to be financed by a payroll deduction plan has been formed in Newport News by mem bers of the Peninsula Shipbuilders Assn. In the first three weeks after the plan was announced, 1882 union members had signed checkof authori- zation cards for monthly contributions to the Shipbuilders Cooperative, Inc.
 Plans for the coop include two food stores, work clothing store, an appliance store and other services. In addition to the payroll deduction plan, with which the company complied at the request of the cooperative, there is an independent drive for capital from non-unionists which has brought the total coop membership to 3,305.
The union times., 1947-11-22

was roughly OulllIlcu Dy GOO uSiSSolNo including the states central, metal and building trades councils.
 TWO MAJOR GOALS
 The two major goals outlined by the delegates were: CD to select and work for the election of pro- labor legislators in both state and federal governments and CD to or ganize the AFL's full resources in behalf of an initiative measure to reapportion the state senate.
 Funds for the two campaigns; which will be kept separate, will be obtained from a $2 assessment levied against all members of all AFL-afiliated unions. It was m this action that the state AFL hurled defiance at the Taft Hartley law, which forbids direct as sessments on union members for po- litical purposes.
 Although various unions in other states have deliberately violated the political curbs of the new slave labor law, this was believed the first such action taken on a statewide basis.
 WEAKEST SECTION"
 State AFL Pres. John F. Shelley, urging the assessment, said the polltl- cal curb was "the weakest section ot the Taft-Hartley act and 1 think we should have the guts to fight it.
 Delegates who reported their inter national union heads had advised a Ego slow" policy in financing political campaigns were reminded by Shelley that the union leaders had voted rla- tional assessment to fight the slave labor law at the recent AFL conven- ton.
 Exec. Sec. C. J. Haggerty pre- dicted: ''You're going to have the wealth of the nation against you in l948. Millions of dollars will be used to beat you" He cited Sen. Robert A. Taft (R. O. as telling a COP audience in Los Angeles recently that Republicans ''must employ'' more men like Full ton Lewis, Jr. and more paid col umnists in newspapers and maga- zines.
 "The chips are down" Shelley told the delegates. If we don't get the money for this campaign we might as well fold up right now"
 The drive to reapportion the state senate would reorganize that body on a population basis, clipping the power of senators from sparsely populated rural counties, which are usually dom mated by the reactionary Associated Farmers. A minimum of 4,000 sigma lures are needed to put the question on the state ballot.
 STATEWIDE DRIVE
 The statewide campaign is to be set up through area committees, each area embracing congressional district. Various local unions and councils will establish campaign committees on the same basis.
 The state federation, which will CO., ordinate fhe con1oo;or7 ic +o oro1,;da