The Butler County press. [volume], January 02, 1942, Image 1

About The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
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By CHESTER M. WRIGHT
Washington, D. C. (ILNS). —The
gigantic war job of American labor
and the key burden placed upon it is
shown by this startling statement:
It requires 18 workers in industry
to keep one fighting man in the field!
Nothing else drives home the enor
mous and vital role of labor with the
dramatic punch contained in that
simple statement.
Of course there is no absolute ac
curacy about the figures of 18 to one.
But it is the best estimate available
and probably conservative, since some
estimates run as high as 25 to one.
Estimates of ratio of workers to
fighters in the first World War ranged
from five to one to nine to one, but
none ran higher than nine to one. So
that, on any reasonable basis, this war
puts upon labor more than double the
burden placed upon labor in the first
World War.
U. S. Now World Arsenal
More than that, in this war the
United States—the workers and the
factoi-ies—are pouring out supplies
for every allied army—British, Rus
sian, Chinese—in an increasing stream.
In these figures there is the key to
the grave concern of the President
over continuous production, the fear
that drove Congress to the verge of
enacting the Smith bill—and the de
termination of organized labor itself
to find machinery that will operate to
end all stoppages until the war is won.
It is probably the case that when
the war is over it will be found that
he unity of feeling and conviction in
labor's own ranks constituted the
greatest factor in preserving indus
trial peace and continuous production.
Victory Seen Greatest Issue
Every labor expression in Washing
ton, in and out of official meetings,
COUNCILMEN TO BE
INDUCTED MONDAY
Hamilton's seven councilmen, five
incumbents and two newcomers, will
be inducted into office next Monday
night at 8 o'clock when the first coun
cilmen caucus of the new year is con
ducted in the Municipal Building.
Here's a Dramatic Picture of Labor's Job in the World
Battle for Human Liberty—United States Now World
Arsenal, Pouring Out Supplies to All Allied Armies.
The new councilmen, to be sworn
into office by Millikin Shotts, director
of law, include Howard "Hack" Wil
son, serving his first term, and An
drew Bruck, former Council member.
They succeed E. F. Warndorf, who
was not a candidate for re-election,
and Dr. Mark Millikin, who lost at the
November election after serving 14
years.
Old Council members to take the
oath will be Leo J. Welsh, mayor dur
ing the last two years William
Beckett, Joseph Toerner, Raymond H.
Burke, and John Schwalm.
Principal interest in Council affairs
at the present time is centered in the
mayoralty contest.
THE HAWAIIAN
STORY
(From Editor and Publisher)
Despite the heavy damage inflicted
by the Japanese sneak attack on Hon
olulu and Pearl Harbor, it is our be
lief that public confidence in the gov
ernment and the armed forces was
greatly improved by the prompt and
candid report of Secretary Knox. In
that instance, the lag of a week be
tween the event and a comprehensive
report was not highly important. It
was much more vital that both the re
sponsible authorities and the people
Labor's Huge and Imperative War
Job-Keep Eighteen Men at Work
To One Fighter To Play Vital Role
David Webb & Sons
FUNERAL HOME
PHONES 48-78 BOSS AT "D"
I
has been to the effect that there must
be no strikes and no stoppages. The
A. F. of L.'s gesture toward labor
peace and in the direction of declaring
a moratorium on battles for the union
shop show something of the deep con
viction that winning the war is the
greatest issue confronting the nation
and its workers. Coming from the
CIO side of the labor picture are the
emphatic declarations of Philip Mur
ray, who is generally conceded to
mean what he says when he talks.
Since Hitler started on his orgy
of conquest, American labor has
understood the basic issue—free
dom or slavery. It knew what
Hitlerism meant when it saw the
trade union movements of Europe
go down one after another, like
ninepins under the impact of an
insensate ball blasting its way
down the alley.
And when the issue came to the
United States in actual combat, labor
knew how grave, how commanding and
all-important is the business of keep
ing eighteen men at work for every
man who fights.
Production Paramount Job
Unless the eighteen keep on work
ing, without let-up or slow-down, the
Niagara of munitions and supplies
will falter—the tools of war will not
be at hand—and the army, the navy
and the air force must sag and falter
in their front-line job.
In a sense never before true, this
war mobilizes and commands everyone
and the job of firing a shell or a bullet
or a bomb starts in the work-shop
where those eighteen must toil so that
there can be final delivery from the
muzzle of those vital messengers of
death to dictatorship. Since only or
ganization can be effective, that lays
down the great job of American or
ganized labor in this war.
be given a clear, expert story of what
had happened, free from the slightest
thought that anybody was being
shielded or any major facts suppressed.
The United States was not organ
ized on December 7 to report a major
engagement through official channels.
We did not have the facilities for mak
ing known"
the facts of a reverse within
a few hours, as did Mr. Churchill on
British misfortunes near Malaya. We
shall do much better in the future,
when the men commanding our armed
forces fully realize the necessity of
getting news out promptly.
The dictator nations have frequently
beaten their adversaries to the gun
with news that didn't stand up when
all the facts were known, and we can
very well do without that variety of
victory. It should be evident, however,
that with all of the technical news
skills at the command of the American
press and the American government,
we can quickly establish a supreme
reputation for speed, completeness,
and accuracy of our reports, be they
good or evil tidings.
Machinists Defeat CIO
In Car Plant Election
Amherst, N. S. (ILNS).—By a vote
of 673 to 289, the International Ma
chinists (AFL) defeated the Steel
Workers (CIO), for the right to act
as the collective bargaining agency
for the employes of the Canada Car
and Foundry Company here.
The CIO unit had made a vigorous
effort to be named as the bargaining
agency, and had campaigned exten
sively among the workers for several
months. Practically all the affected
employes participated in the referen
dum, which was under the supervision
of the provincial labor department.
Advertise in The Press.
THE BUTLER COUNTY PRESS
VOL. XLI. No. 40. HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1942. ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR
DEFEMJE
Unanimous approval was given to a
four-point statement of principles.
They are:
1. There be no strikes or lock
outs during the war period.
2. A uniform basis be reached
for war areas and war bonuses
and insurance.
3. All rights guaranteed to la
bor and industry under collective
bargaining will be retained and
all agreements and obligations in
existence will in no way be vio
lated. Labor and management
promised to give their full ener
gies to the successful completion
of the nation's victory program.
4. A Maritime War Emergency
Board shall be set up to settle dis
putes. The conference petitioned
the President to name a board of
three whose decisions will be
final: One member shall be se
lected from the Department of
Labor and one from the Maritime
Commission,
Representatives at the conference
included about 75 delegates from sea
men, licensed officers, radio operators
and longshoremen unions, shipowners
associations, steamship operators and
other employers of waterfront labor.
CIO Proposal Fought
Behind closed doors of the confer
ence a bitter fight was waged by
Harry Lundeberg, president of the
Seafarers' International Union of
America, A. F. of L. affiliate, against
the proposal of CIO left-wingers
(Harry Bridges' Longshoremen and
Joseph Curran's Maritime Union) for
a new super-board in Washington of
unions, shipping employers and gov
ernment officials and for regional and
local boards similarly constituted to
handle labor relations and increase
work output of unions.
Workers-Shipowner Conference
In Full Agreement on Principles
Insuring Maximum War Effort
Maritime Industry Pledges No Tie-ups, Reaching Complete
Accord at Closing Session of Meeting—Unanimous Ap
proval is Given Four-point Statement of Principles.
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).—With
representatives of the workers and
shipowners signing an agreement in
tended to insure putting forth of the
maximum war effort, the maritime in
dustry has become the first to be per
manently stabilized for the prosecu
tion of the war. The complete accord
was reached at the closing session of
the conference between government
and representatives of the employes
and employers of the industry called
jointly by the United States Maritime
Commission and the Department of
Labor.
vnpgffw* i^ggrpvo^ «w*r v"«^4^"%
UNITED
STATES
SAVINGS
BONDS
AND 01AM P8
Going to Sea Again
At the beginning the super-boatfd
ers had some employers and some
government officials on their side. But
Lundeberg pointed out that more
boards would hamper our war efforts
and that existing wage boards and
government agencies could handle
every issue satisfactorily. He said the
union representatives and ship owners
could both do more for winning the
war by helping man the ships than by
spending their time in endless wran
gling.
President Lundeberg ended by say
ing that as soon as he could wind
up the pending conferences he intended
to go back to being a sailor for the
duration of the war, he wanted to join
his fellow seamen who were risking
their lives delivering necessary car
goes between the United States and
the front-line fighting in the Pacific.
The CIO left-wingers were alone in
their demands for more boards at the
conclusion of the conference.
October Wage Average
Is Highest On Record
New York City (ILNS). Wage
earners in 25 manufacturing indus
tries received an average of $35.63 for
a work week averaging 41.7 hours in
October, the National Industrial Con
ference estimates.
The September average was $35.10.
The October wage average was the
highest on record, the board reported,
comparing with the previous top of
$30.05 for a 49.3 hour week in Au
gust, 1920, and with $29.22 for 49.3
hours in October, 1929.
Average hourly earnings also set a
record at 85.3 cents, compared with
84.5 cents in September.
Iron Workers Ban Strikes
New Orleans (ILNS).—Banning of
strikes or work stoppage on national
defense projects has been announced
by the membership of four locals of
the International Association of
Bridge, Structural and Ornamental
Iron Workers which included locals 58,
500, 619 and 635.
Why experiment on our economic
problems when union labels will solve
them!
UNIONS CO-OPERATE
IN CIVILIAN DEFENSE
New York City (ILNS).—American
Federation of Labor unions are all set
for active civilian defense work here
if the city is attacked.
Mayor La Guardia has announced a
new arrangement under which his Of
fice of Civilian Defense will have di
rect contact with A. F. of L. unions
through a liaison officer of the Central
Trades and Labor Council, to be sta
tioned at City Hall 24 hours of the day.
Expressing his thanks for the co
operation pledged by labor organiza
tions, the mayor said his office could
now call on 800,000 skilled workmen
for emergency help and service as it
was required. Men in the building
trades will be enrolled immediately as
part of the emergency repair squads,
working with city departments and
public utility companies.
A transport division will include
milkmen and men making bread de
liveries, who will get primary instruc
tion as air-raid wardens so that they
can act in early morning air raids.
Thomas J. Lyons, president of the
State Federation of Labor, said his or
ganization would hold a state-wide
I
WJI.UW!
Bet a G-E
Get AH This!
1
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Signal, from Europe
South America come in
monger than ejer be
fore. The new General
Electric* hav*
2
times .^ch ibo«_
vare wnsitmty
a*
Pte
vious model*.
k FINER DOMESTIC
RECEPTION
FM radio
et standard* of receiver
grr°jssa-8:
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co°u
.'So
as FM.
AND FM!
I
MViprp i* to air travel
fid in a G-E you get
genuine Armstrong
10 8
FM You will
wstem of IM. i-u
Sear the overtones that
King mu*ic to life
overtones that conven
donal radio cannot
bnng
-Andjecepuon^
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practically *tatic-free!
meeting January 6 to extend the plan
throughout the state. The state fed
eration represents more than a mil
lion members.
City Receives Bids
On Electric Items
Bids for electric meters, transform
ers and electric bulbs for the munici
pal electric system for 1942 were re
ceived Monday by City Manager R. P.
Price.
The bids were referred to William
J. Welsh, city purchasing agent, for
tabulation, after which the successful
bidders will be announced.
A contract for 35,000 tons of coal
at $4.42 a ton was awarded Monday
to the Duersch Coal Company. The
only other bid $4.47 a ton, was sub
mitted by the Valley Ice Company.
New Marshal Approved
Oxford, Ohio.—The appointment of
Harry Spencer as marshal and chief
of police was approved this week at
a village council caucus. Spencer has
been serving since the resignation of
L. O. Grimes in November. He is to
be appointed formally January 6.
Read The Press.
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CQURT