Vol. 75/No. 14      April 11, 2011

Under the 29-year reign of terror, first of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier and then of his son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc”—both of whom dubbed themselves president-for-life—the country was run by a tiny exclusive clique of rich landowners and businessmen. The Duvalier dynasty brooked no opposition—most opponents were exiled, imprisoned, tortured, murdered, or some combination of these.

This set-up was largely financed by Washington and other imperialist powers, which poured $200 million a year into Haiti.  
 
April 10, 1961
The movement for a shorter work week with no reduction in take home pay as an answer to automation and chronic unemployment is gaining momentum within the labor movement. The New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, urged last month through its Shorter Work Week Committee that each of its affiliated unions set up a similar committee and organize meetings of its jobless members.

The National Maritime Union has set the shorter work week as its major bargaining goal for new deep-sea contracts to replace those which expire June 15. The NMU demand calls for the basic work week to be reduced from 40 to 30 hours. Seamen would stand the same watches they do now, with hours worked between 30 and 40 hours made up in paid time-off ashore so they could spend more time with their families.  
 
April 11, 1936
Germany and Japan have struck a virtual bargain for joint action against the Soviet Union. This alliance, in preparation for several years and often reported consummated, was the outstanding development this week in an international diplomatic situation crammed with plans and counter-plans, notes and threats, offers and promises, under cover of which the powers of Europe are jockeying into position for war.

The frequent exchange of military and economic commissions between Japan and Germany during the last three years has not been for purposes of courtesy. Now that Germany has upset the European applecart by marching into the Rhineland and the crisis brought nearer, it is logical that Japan should seek means of correlating its own plans against the Soviet Union more closely with similar arrangements in Europe.  
 
 
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