LABOUR UNITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24178, 21 January 1942, Page 7

LABOUR UNITY

MERGER SUGGESTED AMERICAN ORGANISATIONS NEW YORK, Jan. 19 The New York Times says that officers of a new united Labour movement, which is expected to develop from a merger of the American Federation of Labour arid the Congress of Industrial Organisations, have already been agreed upqn. Mr. George Meany, secretary-trea-surer of the A.F.L., and a consistent supporter of President Roosevelt, will be made president of the unified movement at a salary of 20,000 dollars a year, says the newspaper. Mr. John Lewis, former C.1.0. president, will become vice-president and Mr. Philip Murray, another former C.1.0. president, will be asked to accept the post of secretary-treasurer at 18,000 dollars a year. Mr. William Green,- former president of the A.F.L., will retire on 20,000 dollars a year for life. There is optimism that an early merger will be effected as a result of the pressure of public opinion, the urgency of the war situation and the desire of members of both organisations for a cessation of labour hostilities. RUBBER AND FIBRE SCHEME IN UNITED ' STATES (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 19 The Department of Agriculture is considering a plan for sowing guyaule and yucca seed from aeroplanes on the vast arid lands in the south-western United States with a view to supplying the nation's rubber and fibre neecls. The plan has been submitted by the noted inventor, Mr. Lytle Adams, and provides for "seed bombs," consisting of seeds, fertilisers and insecticides, moulded together in a pellet and dropped from aeroplanes. By this means 700 acres could be sown in an hour. ABYSSINIA'S FUTURE AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN LONDON, Jan. 19 An agreement in which the independence and integrity of Abyssinia will be formally recognised by Britain has been completed, and details are expected to be made known shortly in London, says the British official wireless. It is anticipated that full sovereignty will be restored to Haile Selassie and that assistance will be rendered by Britain to his Government in order to secure a sound economic basis for the country, which has twice been involved in war during the pa«t six years..