The Union Times

As We See It
by
THE STAFF

AT THIS holiday season, the staff of The Union Times wishes its friends the best. Tim Collins' fine Christmas Day Message, printed on Page 8, represents our views, and the views of all organized labor in Connecticut.

"CONN. State Journal" makes this interesting comment in its discussion of political possibilities:

"A summary of the election as applied to Connecticut Democrats might call attention to the fact that they need to give attention to Bridgeport and Waterbury without too much delay. They must recognize that much of their strength on November 7 came from the PAC. the CIO, the AFL. They should realize that this labor contribution is not contracted for by the Democratic party as a permanent performance. The Baldwin vote in the state should prove that statement. The records most assuredly indicate that the governor didn't lose the labor vote as the national and state ticket did.

"The big vote cast for Brien McMahon for United States Senator was a tribute, but at the same time, his majority wouldn't have reached where it did without both the labor and the independent groups working perhaps not so much for him as they were working to defeat Senator John Danaher."

ALL WAR BONDS bought during December will be credited to the Sixth War Loan, and unions which have not yet bought theirs should do so before the end of the year.

WE ADVISE our readers, especially those in the building trades, to read carefully the article on Page 1 which deals with the meeting of the building trades business agents with the State Labor Wage Board. It contains important material. Johnny Gaspic, the new Assistant Secretary of the State Federation, made his first official appearance in his new capacity at the meeting. Being a building tradesman, he knew everyone present.

FORTY-TWO states were represented at the national Conference on
Labor Legislation, held last
(Continued on Page Eight)

AS WE SEE IT
(Continued from Page 1)

week in Washington. Connecticut's delegates, a good looking crew, are included in the picture on Page 1. We hope to print a digest of the deliberations in next week's issue.

LARRY BOARDMAN, city editor of St. Paul (Minn.) Dispatch, tells this story about Ernie Pyle when the latter was on the Washington (D. C.) News as a $30-a-week copy reader. One day Ernie wrote a headline: "Man Inherits Huge Fortune of $15,000." Bill Colver, then executive editor, wrote Ernie a note: "Where do you get the idea $15,000 is a huge fortune?" To which Ernie replied: "If you were earning the same dough I am you would think $15,000 is a huge fortune."

WARDEN Charlie Dean of the Cook County, Ga., Farm has decided that advertising really gets your message across. He advertised 50 feeder pigs for sale and the next night the whole lot was stolen.

NORWALK Central Labor Union is holding its annual meeting at Hatters Union headquarters Dec. 21 for the nomination and election of officers. The delegates will receive a recommendation to approve the campaign of the A.F.L. to raise $1,000,000 for the Free Trade Union movement in liberated countries. A complete report will also come in on contributions by Norwalk labor to the United War and Community Fund. Pres. Leonard Craig urges all delegates to attend.

LEAD story in the Louisville (Ky.) Times said: "French troops were seen throwing a bridge across the Rhine." The Harlingen (Tex.) Valley Morning Star noted the scarcity of game in an item which read: "The complaints charged the man with hunting the owner or caretaker." And this came over the Chicago Daily News foreign service wire: "We are losing air bases in China... One is a valuable gwinvkoevitowohamuotv."

NEWSPAPERS were not only on the losing side in the last presidential election, but they have been on the wrong side in fighting social and labor legislation, L. Metcalf Walling, Wage-Hour Act administrator, declared this week. He cited the campaign against the Wage-Hour Act as an example.

"Of the thousands of business men to whom I talk in the course of my work, the vast majority have accepted the principle of a minimum wage and overtime pay after 40 hours a week," he said. "I find only a small minority who oppose or advocate repeal of these provisions."

On the other hand, newspapers "were almost unanimous," he pointed out, in demanding repeal of the overtime provisions and in their news, as well as through their columnists, gave overwhelming prominence to attacks on the act.

AN additional 3200 skilled workers from the United States are needed at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, the Navy said today.

It quoted Rear Adm. William R. Furlong, commandant of the Navy yard:

"Pearl Harbor Navy Yard is now one of the greatest sea fortresses of the world and the number of men needed to keep it at full production is astounding—but must remain untold for security reasons.

"Thousands of men and women from all over the United States have been working alongside island employees to repair and supply the powerful Pacific fleet. With the increase of the number of combat ships, more personnel is needed for the maintenance of these ships and to keep them supplied."

GI sign at a Quartermaster Corps laundry in England:
"We don't mangle your clothes with machinery—we do it carefully by hand."—Readers Scope.