The Cio News

Voice of Labor
Built
By
Workers

CUMBERLAND, Sept. 26
The story of the Voice of Labor is the story of the labor movement in Western Maryland.
Begun five years ago on September 30, 1937, the Voice of Labor has kept pace with the growth of stability of organized labor in this area.

It has recorded all of labor's struggles, fought side by side with the workers of Western Maryland for economic rights, political and legislative guarantees, and is now devoting its energies with all the people in this people's war for freedom. In the five years of its history it has come to be the respected voice of all the workers.
Published by the Western Maryland Industrial Union from the start, the paper actually became the child of all CIO workers in Western Maryland. And the baby, through all its five years, was nurtured with the care of a mother.
Consideration aimed at forming a labor paper was begun on August 21, 1937, when the Western Maryland Industrial Union Council held its first meeting, a survey of the minutes of the council shows.

CHOOSE BOARD
At the second council meeting plans for the publication of the paper really got underway. An advertising manager was appointed, and the editorial guidance of the paper was left in the hands of the entire council. Later, an editorial board of three was selected to oversee the news published in the paper.
This first editorial board consisted of James Dundon, editor; Samuel A. Graham, assistant editor; and Isaac M. Bradburn, secretary-treasurer. The board acted until James Blackwell was placed at the helm on a full-time basis.
In that time the Voice of Labor made a place for itself in the Western Maryland labor movement by sparking a number of organizing drives. It aided Local 26 of the United Rubber Workers in getting a tremendous majority in a National Labor Relations Board election.

FIGHTS ANTI-CIO WAVE
It was one of important means of combatting an anti-CIO wave that rolled into Western Maryland during 1938.
Celanese workers, during any hitch in negotiations between Local 1874 and the company, always got truthful news through the Voice of Labor.
In the months following the first issue of the paper, all the unions affiliated with the Western Maryland Industrial Union Council jumped in wholeheartedly and freely gave financial support. This support was given with the realization that the Voice of Labor was the only and best means of reaching all CIO members in the area with unbiased labor news.
The Voice of Labor, therefore, served as an educational medium for all CIO members.

played by the Textile Workers union, the mine workers, brick and clay workers and laundry workers in building the Voice of Labor to its present high position in the community.
Each organization of workers contributed financial and moral support to the utmost of their ability.
That support is now being shown in this new phase in the life of the Voice of Labor—its phase as an edition of THE CIO NEWS.
Thus, with the support of all sections of organized labor in Western Maryland, and with the firm foundation of the CIO under it, the Voice of Labor moves ahead toward the celebration of its tenth anniversary—in 1947. That is the goal now.