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Show lxLon.oxnr 2 Cwuwreirat E3veiraC64i a iUi UuJ cAsairca. EDUCATE ORGANIZE COOPERATE SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH. MARCH VOL X; NO. 38 H. R. 1 Would Provide a Much Needed Curb of Growth of Huge Octopus In this timely article the Utah Labor News gives its read evil in this nation. Congressman ers facts on the chain-stor- e Wright Patman of Texas, sponsor of H. R. in Congress, has made a thorough study of interstate concerns. He has provided this paper with data on the subject, which should be of great value to the people who believe in the future welfare of our young men and women. The material in this story is by 3114 cents of the consumer dollar Congressman Patman. It reads as while the poor grower got a mere 1 In a recent report the Federal Trade Commission cites a number of glaring examples of the unfair gouging of farmers and growers throughout the land. This reportI deals with many commodities. will mention a few. In each example the consumers dollar is broken down fractionally 3 cents. Texas onions: Again in 1936, of one consumer dollar, 114 cents paid for packing and loading; 23 cents for rail hauling watch this closely 4114 cents went to the in terstate chain stores, but the hardworking Texas onion grower received only 1214 cents. Texas cabbage: For the same market one consumer dollar, 1014 cents paid for packing and loading; 36 cents went to railroads; the interstate chains grabbed 3514 cents; and the painstaking Texas cabbage grower got only 1414 cents. Florida cabbage: Same mar kets, same year of one consumer (Continued on page 6) 21 follows: HOW CHAINS AFFECT FARMERS as follows: Pacific Northwest apples; Of one consumer dollar spent in 1936, 1414 cents paid for packing and loadcents for railroad shiping, 23 ment to Dallas, Chicago, New York, and other principal markets: the interstate chain stores hogged 1-- CuireocmaEi Aba Murdoch Explains His Vote on Dies Committee Fund Congressman Abe Murdock was among those who voted against the proposal to provide additional funds for the work of the Dies Committee. A few of his constituents took him to task for his vote and wrote him asking why he voted against the continuation of the Dies Committee investigation. In reply to one of these Mr. Murdock wrote a rather long letter, setting forth his views. In the hope that it may prove of interest to the readers of the Utah Labor News, Mr. Murdock has sent us a copy of the letter with permission to use it a3 v we may see fit.' The letter is so good and contains so much truth that every American should know and understand that we are publishing the letter in full. The letter reads: on the Coming now to my votecommitDies the of continuation tee. First, let me assure you that ther6 is absolutely no question in purmy mind as to the sincerity of matpose in your attitude on this ter, and of your communication toI me. Let me also assure you that welcome such letters as yours. So many people are prone to pat us on the back when they write or meet us personally, and then severely criticize us to our backs. Your letter, while very critical, is also very frank and genuine. For you to fully understand iny position on the Dies Committee, it would be necessary for me to talk with you for at least an hour and give you a number of personal angles entering into the matter which only I know of, and which, could be explained only by a personal interview. As to my knowledge of the acticities of the Communist withparty, the Nazis and Fascists enclosam I in the United States, ing herewith an editorial, a cartoon, and an article by Dorothy Thompson, all of which appeared in this mornings Washington Post, and are descriptive of a convention held Monday night in New York German-America- n City by what is called the is a Bund. This organization. The meeting was atthousand tended by twenty-eigworn were uniforms Nazi people; by thousands; the swastika was very much in (evidence, and the pro-Na- zi ht WHAT PRICE BUSINESS Prices Business appeasement, says Henry Zon, Washington newspaper columnist, "is a phrase that you will find with increasing frequen cy in the news and editorial col umns of your daily newspaper. It is supposed to be shorthand for the administrations policy towards business and descriptive of the ef forts of the administration to get the wheels of industry to turning ly with their workers or thtow a few pennies in the pot for old age benefits or pay a little more taxes so that people out of work would have money with which to buy the gadgets the businessman makes. If we could only be sure that we could make our own rules . . the businessman is represented as saying. Would Allow Coaxing In return for being appeased the businessman will allow himself to be coaxed into making a profit. He (Continued on page 4) C. I. Special to the Utah Labor News WASHINGTON The eyes of labor and the nation will turn to the nations capital on Friday, March 24, as leaders of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the American Federation of Labor resume their meetings to discuss ways and means for uniting all organized workers under one banner. The C. I. O. plan for labor unity stirred the whole country when it was pre- ; sented at the first unity conference find various ways of settling knotcalled in the White House by Pres- ty problems. I accept the premise that both ident Roosevelt. sides want peace, the President Won Acclaim Calling for a unity convention to said, pointing out that in many bring the three great labor unions, cities the local C. I. 0. and A. F. C. I. 0., A. F. L. and the railroad L. "are working together in closbrotherhoods, under one roof, won est harmony, and calling attention widespread acclaim and brought a to the volume of demand for unity flood of telegrams from labor from the rank and file of labor. unions all over the nation. The G I. 0. Peace Plan far-reachi- It is contended that businessmen would spend all the money they have available for investment if they could b sure that the ogre in the White House was not going to do something else horrible, such as making them bargain collective Cents Per Copy O. Peace Parley Resume Meetings in Nations Capital, Friday, March 24 A. F. L.-- APPEASEMENT! 5 ng tt. The C. I. 0. plan is the only conAgreement to discuss the plan in New York was reached at a second crete plan thus far presented to the unity conference held in the U. S. committee. It calls for separate Department of Labor and attended conventions of the C. I. 0. and A. by John L. Lewis, Philip Murray F. L. between April 15 and Apiil and Sidney Hillman, representing 30, 1939, to pass upon and approve the C. I. 0.; and by Harry C. the following procedure: Bates, Daniel J. Tobin, Matthew (1) A joint convention of the Woll and T. A. Rickert, representA. F. L., the C. I. O. and the railroad transportation brotherhoods ing the A. F. L. Discussion of the plan was taken to be held in Washington not later up when the peace delegates met than June 1, (2) Formation at this unity City on March 8. News Comment in New York few a Following meetings of the convention of an Amecan Concommittee the conferences were re- gress of Labor, to Include the By M. I. T. cessed until March 24, when it C. I. 0., A. F. L. and railroad lameets in Washington. bor organizations. WRONG AGAIN The first meeting was called to(3) Neither John L. Lewis nor William President Green to be eligible for Roosevelt at Former President Herbert Hoo- gether by the House White election to with Secretary any office in this conver predicted continued European of Labor Frances life tenure of present in also Perkins and vention, peace as he passed through Utah attendance. be to assured for Green and salary last week. President Opens Meet A. F. L. Secretary Frank MorriThe next day Hitler made things In opening the first conference son.' stir in Europe. President Roosevelt emphasized (4) Executive board of the A. the importance of labor unity, C L. to be composed equally of A. VICTOR PETT NAMED urged that the conferees enter ne- F. L. and C. I. 0. representatives, MINES INSPECTOR gotiations with open minds, and with proportionate representation declared: It is desirable that this for the Brotherhoods, and the presState Representative Victor G. should be a negotiated peace made ident to be elected from the BrothPett of Eureka was Tuesday by this committee, using your own erhoods. by the industrial commis- ingenuity and resourcefulness to (Continued on page 2) sion as deputy metal mines inspec-o- r. He will serve under A. E. Hodges, chief metal mines inspector. Mr. Pett has served two terms in the state legislature. He was chairman of the house labor committee in the recent legislative sesBy KENNETH G. CRAWFORD ' sion. (Published in The Nation Magazine, March 1 1 Issue.) He has been active in the organThough expediency and plausibility are on the Presidents ized labor movement for a number side in his effort to bring peace to the labor movement, it will of years. As a member of Tintic District Miners union he served be no simple welding job to unite the A. F. L. and the C. I. O. the local as president and in other The last time it was tried, without success, the sole issue was jurofficial positions. ' He was a vice isdictional. Both Green and Lewis were going along with the Federpresident of the Utah State ation of Labor for a term of one New Deal. Their organizations, making the most of unprece- and t ap-point- ed A. F. L. iMo G. 0. P. V year. - dented opportunities under the Wagner Act, were gratefully gathering in membership cards. Labor was divided but on the . UNPOPULAR march, Since then more serious complications have set in. It is When the New York of no asked readers for letters longer merely a matter of who shall organize whom. The approval or criticism of its increas- cleavage between the parent organization and its offspring goes Deal editorial pol- deep into ideological as well as ingly, icies, it found that only 28 per cent procedural bedrock. The trend of he is trying to unify labor as a of the letters favored the papers the C. I. 0. has been to the left of political force, for its effect on stand. the New Deal; it has demanded Congress now and on the election i World-Telegra- anti-Ne- m w INTERESTING NOTES Homer Martin is apparently out of the C. I. 0. labor movement and more than a part way into Henry Fords own labor movement. Politics rather , than real desire for economy seems to have motivated the reduction in PWA allotment by Congress. TVA has been given a clean bill of health by the U. S. Supreme Court, and the private utilities corporations in the Tennessee valley are selling their properties, out- -' (Continued on page 3) heavier relief expenditures and in 1940, he will almost certainly be larger recovery outlays than those disappointed. He G.has come too late. Gone 0. P. Roosevelt has approved. The A. F. L., meanwhile, has veered sharply to the right, joining the National Association of Manufacturers and the Chamber of Commerce in advocating appeasement of business at the expense of the unemployed. But for the Presidents personal intervention and his apparent willingness to serve as mediator, the latest peace project would be hopeless As it is, there is small chance for more than an armed truce or a superficial reconciliation. If it is the Presidents idea to save business the annoyances incidental to labor rivalries, he may succeed. If The ruling clique of the A. F. L. has already gone over to the publicans. At its meeting in ReMi- ami the executive council issued a statement that might have been written by the N. A. M. It deprecated fear, lack of confidence, and distrust on the part of business, deplored various forms of public spending, and recoiled from the idea, of maintaining an army of uneJfiployed as wards of the government Its essence was well expressed by the headline: "Green Raps New Deals Recovery and on page 8) |