Labor History Commons^™

Seasons Past: Wildcat Strikes And The Smith-Connally Act During World War Ii, Andrew Robert Mccloskey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis explores the phenomenon of wildcat strikes during World War II in the United States, the raging public opinion about these wartime strikes, and the passage of the War Labor Disputes Act (popularly known as the Smith-Connally Act) of 1943. Broadly, this thesis examines the wellsprings of working-class anger and frustration which underscored the spontaneous wildcat strikes, the No-Strike Pledge, and the various factions within the public’s perception of these strikes. This thesis furthermore analyzes the congressional debate surrounding the SmithConnally Act and the American public’s reaction to the passage of this restrictive legislation. Finally, this thesis posits that …

Merchant Seamen, Sailortowns, And The Shaping Of U.S. Citizenship, 1843-1945, Johnathan Thayer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation argues that merchant seamen, because of their inherent transience, diversity, and the unique nature of their work, occupied a marginal position in U.S. society, and that that marginalization produced a series of confrontations with shoreside people, communities, institutions, and the state, most specifically over the nature and definition of citizenship. This argument is developed through examination of a series of encounters and negotiations that merchant seamen provoked from the piers, back alleys, and boardinghouses of the nation’s “sailortowns” from the 1830s through World War II, including: 1) nineteenth century maritime ministry projects in the Port of New York …

A Historical Analysis Of The Socio-Economic Forces Which Shaped A Small Industrial Town In Arkansas, Gordon Scott Bachus

OBU Graduate Theses

In 1887, bauxite, the ore of aluminum was discovered in Arkansas . State Geologist, John C. Branner, announced l the discovery in 1891. Reports soon reached the Pittsburgh Reduction Company in Pennsylvania. This young company investigated the report, purchased land in Saline County, and started mining operations.

In 1903 the Pittsburgh Reduction Company built an ore - drying plant in Saline County, Arkansas. The establishment of this plant marked the beginning of the town of Bauxite. Laid out on company- owned land shortly after mining operations began, the town soon became a self- sufficient community with schools, churches, stores, roads, …