The potters herald. [volume], April 27, 1939, Image 4

About The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
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THE POTTERS HERALD
Mi OFFICIAL IOUHHJU. OF
1BK KATIONAL BBOTHEBHOOD OF OPEBATIVE POTTO
gad
BAST LIVERPOOL TRADES & LABOR COUNCIL
Published Ey«ry Thursday at East Liverpool, Ohio, by the N. B. of O
P., owning and operating the Best Trades Newspaper and Job
Printing Plant in the State.
Bntered at Postoifice, East Liverpool, Ohio, April 20, 1902, as second
class matter. Accepted for mailing at Special Rate of Postage
provided for in Section 1108, Act ol October 13, 1917, authorized
August 20, 1918.
Qwral Office. N. B. O. P. Building, West Sixth St.. BELL PHONE 575
reg—————^
President—lames M. Duffy, P. O. Box 6, East Liverpool, Ohio.
CfjFirst Vice President—E. L. Wheatley, Room 215, Broad Street National
Bank Building, Trenton, New Jersey.
Second Vice President—Frank Hull, 117, Thompson Avenue, East Liv
erpool, Ohio.
AV, Third Vice President—George Chadwick, 802 Bank Street, East Liver
tnl pool, Ohio.
ria Fourth Vice President—Charles Zimmers, 1045 Ohio Avenue, Trenton,
Fifth Vice President—Ale* Young, 31 Passaic Street, Trenton, N. J.
MSixth Vice President—George Turner, Glenmoor, East Liverpool, Ohio.
_iSeventh Vice President—James J. McGowan, 744 Cadmus Street, East
Liverpool, Ohio.
uuO«
\viEighth vice President—Joshua Chadwick, Grant St., Newell, W. Va.
....-Secretary-Treasurer—John D. McGillivray, P. O. Box 6, East Liverpool,
^1 Ohio.
.i.,F. JEROME McKEEVER Editor and Business Manager
Year to Any Part oi the United States or Canada 2.00
EASTERN GENERAL WARE STANDING COMMITTEE
Manufacturers
A.
G. DALE, FRED SUTTERLIN,' JAMES TURNER
Opratives, E. L. WHEATLEY, WM. E. YOUNG, EDWARD SEYF1ERT
WESTERN GENERAL WARE STANDING COMMITTEE
Manufacturers, CHARLES F. GOODWIN, M. J. LYNCH, ARTHUR WELLS
Operatives. JOHN McGlLLIVRAY, LOUIS P1ESLOCK, FRANK HAYNLS
EASTERN CHINA WARE STANDING COMMITEE
Manufacturers, BEN D. HARDESTY, E. K. KOOS, CHAS. F. GOODWIN
Opwatives, E. L. WHEATLEY, JOHN T. BAI.DAUF, Jr., WM. OWEN
WESTERN CHINA WARE STANDING COMMITTEE
Manufacturers, BEN D. HARDESTY, E. K. KOOS, CHAS. F. GOODWIN
Operatives, ALV1N J. BURT, H. R. HAISLOP, JOHN D. McGlLLIVRAY
DECORATING STANDING COMMITTEE
Manufacturers, J. B. McDONALD, HARRY SPORE, MARGARET PARKER
H. B. of O. P.. JAMES SLAVIC, HUGO MILLEfc, ROLAND HORTON
n FEDERAL LAW
»THE period since 1929 has marked realization oi'
maturity on the part of our nation that has
lifted relations in many fields to a national level,
During the periods of discovery and colonization
Y on this Western Continent districts developed sep
arately and were only brought together in common
1 cause for political freedom. Even with indepen
dence and national government the states were
agricultural areas in which the local government
was of greater importance than the national.
Increasing population which inhabitated all
-•lareas, technical progress promoting industry,
transportation and communication developments,
gradually welded the whole country together with
interests and problems nation-wide in extent. In
dustries are organized around a national market
supplying the nation's needs. Interstate commerce
is an integral part of national industries. Prices,
industrial output, business activity, reflect nation
wide conditions, which, in turn, are affected by
world events. Unemployment follows a decline in
this nation-wide activity. Industries count upon
drawing upon the work force of the whole nation.
Their calls "Ilelp Wanted" are broadcast irrespec
tive of state lines. The independence of industries
extends the order for slow-downs and shut-downs
from area to area.
In the infancy of this country economic mat
ters were of local importance and concern. Now
that we have grown into a nation they are national.
When we attempted to fix a bottom below which
economic competition should not go we enacted
the National Recovery Act and the Fair Labor
Standards Act—national laws. When we decided
to guarantee workers the right to membership in
unions of their own choosing for purposes of col
lective bargaining, we enacted Federal law. When
we determined to provide economic security for
wage-earners in old age we enacted a Federal law,
but when we attempted to safeguard workers
against depression in our national industries, our
national law provided only a stimulus for state
action. The result is that the nation's workers
guided by "Help Wanted" notices broadcast from
their industry in any state, find the unemployment
provisions determined by ."7 political .jurisdictions
Benefits under these 7 different laws are unequal
and efforts for improvement are handicapped by
the necessity for 57 separate campaigns.
Consideration of health insurance is now im
pending. Labor contends that the first fundamen
tal decision in this held is the scope of the legis
lation and that there is every reason to decide for
federal legislation.
o
THE C. C. C.
pPUESIDENT ItOOSFVFLT sent a message to
the dinner which celebrated the sixth anniver
sary of the Civilian Conservation Corps, saying, in
part:
"I believe that the boys who have served in the
C. C. C. have become better citizens. I believe then
are thousands of other boys who should have the
opportunity which the C. C. C. offers while tlie.v
carry out the enormous conservation program
which is vital to our welfare. 1 hope the C. C. C.
will long continue, under wise direction, the job
it has so well begun."
At least
(.)9.S7
per cent of Americans feel the
same. The C. C. C. brings the contact with nature
which every young man should have in some way.
The only fault is that all lads, so far, have not
had the same chance but perhaps that lies in the
future.
—o-
MAKE TRADE WORK FOR DEMOCRACY
Pan-American policy of (iood Neighborli
ness involves practical obligations as well
the desire to strengthen the democracies of tin
Western Continent. South American countries are
for the most part agricultural countries newly be
ginning industrial development,. Many of the coun
tries are rich in natural resources that the world
wants—rubber, coffee, nitrates, gold et cetera.
Foreign trade will be built up on exchange of these
basic products, and upon this foundation relations
with other countries will be developed. In spite of
frantic efforts of the past ten years, no nation has
been able to become self-sufficient, and so foreign
trade will continue to maintain a structure of in
ternational relationships. If we wish to maintain
democratic institutions in the New World, we must
as a nation direct and develop trade with Lai in
American countries. This may be with mutual ad
vantage financially and politically with a unite
powder for democracy.
A central agency in our present policy of Good
Neighborliness is the Kx port-Import Bank for tin
purport of finaiiein^ and abjuring loreign trade
developing this new field for public finance. The
JUS
TMil'i
recent agreement between the United States and
Brazil in economic undertakings represents united
action against Fascist economic penetration of
Brazil. Germany has made overtures to South
American countries along her barter policies by
which she laid an economic foundation for con
trol in the Balkan States. The plan involves ex
change of German goods for foreign goods and sale
of surplus in other markets even below costs to
provide ready capital. The result has been demor
alized markets and losses for legitimate trade.
We are in an age in which we cannot enjoy
freedom for our own nation unless we assume re
sponsibility for helping other countries to main
tain their freedom.
The democracies of the world can be strength
ened by developing and promoting trade and econ
omic ties between them.
o
PLANNED PUBLIC WORKS
IN the past ten years we as a Nation
have
far in understanding and providing against the
economic emergencies that overtake our citizens.
While our natural resources and free land were
still open for settlers, we left unemployment for
individuals to deal with, knowing that they had
alternatives. Now our economic structure has so
closed in on us that the jobless person is unable
to meet his own needs. When Society cannot pro
vide an alternative for the jobless we must pro
vide relief or assistance. The only lasting assist
ance that can be given a person who must earn a
living is assistance in getting new employment.
Accepting the basic principle that Society or Gov
ernment has a responsibility to keep business ac
tivity at safe levels, Labor has repeatedly suggest
ed a division of public works responsible for long
range planning, prepared to time the launching of
new projects as private business activity may in
dicate the need. Public works should be denied
broadly to include other national needs than build
ing and construction work. Timing such projects
to check a tendency to decline in its early stage
would save us from many a depression and ac
companying human misery. In addition such pub
lic works would directly and indirectly provide
work for many without recourse to relief and tests
of need. These projects would simply provide new
jobs—jobs that in no way would do injury to the
workers desire for independent self-support. Work
ers would be hired for the fitness for the job.
Standards of employment and compensation
should accord with the best practices and the de
cisions reached through collective bargaining.
There arc two important provisions that should
be provided for the agency administering public
works: All planning and financing should be under
the supervision of a single agency. The head of
this agency should be a career person qualifying
in accord with civil service procedures and the en
tire staff should be civil service appointees. The
value of such an agency depends upon its freedom
from party influences or domination.
o
FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN
ANOTHER "Wagner bill," more correctly a Wag
ner-Rogers joint resolution is before Congress.
It ought to pass. What Senator Wagner has done
for American labor is known to all but this is
something different. It is a resolution authoriz
ing the admission to this country of 10,000 refu
gee children from Germany this year and the same
number next.
"Provided, that satisfactory assurances are
given that such children will be supported and
properly cared for through the voluntary action
of responsible citizens or responsible provate or
ganizations of the United States and consequently
will not become public charges."
The provision for such assurance is so nearly
made already that it may be taken for granted.
The Nonsectarian Committee for German Refugee
Children and the Quaker organization of the
American Friends Service Committee, which never
failed yet, are committed to it heart and soul.
Thousands of families in more than 10 states have
already offered to receive these children and
medical examination will insure that they are
sound in body and mind. Also, they will go to
families of their own faiths.
It is an unusual thing to do but the tyranny
of Nazism calls for unusual remedies. As Chester
M. Wright said when the question was laid before
him, "We won't know they're here." Twenty
thousand children in two years, cared for by guar
anteed effort, will not make a microscopic differ
ence in our own affairs—but the difference it will
make with the children is untellable.
Labor cannot speak too strongly on this point.
o
TAX EXEMPT BONDS NEXT
pRESJDENT UOOSEVELT told a pi
•ess confer-|
once that the action of the Supreme Court in
wiping out tax exemptions on Federal salaries
probably would cost him $",500 a year in income
taxes in New York but he approved it, just the
same. And he wanted Congress to go ahead and
make provisions for taxing income from bond
issues.
There is no possible doubt that the President
is right. Privileges of this kind are sure to be taken
out of the hides of those who are not privileged.
It may be necessary to call in tax exempt bonds
and replace them with other bonds* bearing some
what larger interest—but it would pay.
OPPOSITION IS INDISPENSABLE
opposition in
"Hue
rPiIAT
a
...u..
silppoi tel s.
A I
(Y* i i
Vi
S
roi
come
vv'l.-VS
oni his opponent than from Ins fervent
his supporters Will push
disaster unless his opponents show him where
dangers are. So if he is wise, he will often pray to
be delivered from his friends because they will
ruin him. I Hit, (hough it hurts, he ought also to
pray never to be left without opponents. For they
keep him on the path oi' reason and good sense.
—Walter Lippmann.
—o
SIDEWALKS ON HIGHWAYS
is a yood idea of the Massachusetts au
thorities, to use part of the Federal money
that is coming to the state in the construction of
sidewalks along the main highways. The time will
come when all highway construction will includi
provisions for sidewalks. The sooner it arrives,
In "juicker there will be a reduction in the list oi
motor fatalities.
THE POTTERS HERAI.D
OHIO CONSTRUCTION
NEWS
A $741,900 addition and improve
ment program drafted by the Ohio De
partment of Public Welfare for state
institutional buildings has been ap
proved by the joint welfare section
of the House and Senate Finance
Committees of the 93rd General As
sembly.
Most of the improvements will elim
inate fire hazards and make necessary
repairs to roofs and equipment. Allo
cations include: Cleveland state hos
pital, $f2,0C0 Columbus state hos
pital, $51,300 Dayton state hospital,
$05,COO Longview (Cincinnati) hos
pital, $18,000 Toledo state hospital,
(0,000 feeble minded institution, Co
lumbus, $25,000 Ohio penitentiary,
$152,500.
Additional construction in a huge
plant improvement program approved
in 1937 by the American Rolling Mill
Co., Middletown, is scheduled to ma
ture this summer, according to re
ports, with $3,200,000 of the original
amount earmarked for improvements
remaining in the fund.
Construction of a $2,000,000 manu
facturing plant, to provide centralized
production of the Cleveland Graphite
Bronze Co., Cleveland, is reported
contemplated for this summer by the
company.
Application for an FHA loan, to be
used in constructing an apartment
building in Mariemont, Cincinnati, at
an estimated cost of $500,000, has been
made by sponsors of the contemplated
project, according to reports.
A $200,000 remodelling program at
a packing housed owned by the Mogar
Corp., Youngstown, is expected to ma
ture soon, reports state.
Construction of a $325,000 factory
building to increase facilities of the
Ohio Wax Paper Co., Columbus, is re
ported contemplated and is expected
to mature soon.
-SAIL ON CHIPPEWA L.AKE-
Murphy Upholds WPA
Head Oon Minimum Pay
Attorney General Rules Wages and
Hours Law Has Only Limited
Application to Relief
Washington, D. C.—Attorney Gen
eral Murphy ruled on March 27 that
the Works Progress Administration
is not bound to pay minimum wages
provided by the Wages and Hours Act
of 1939, except to those classes of
workers who would be entitled to the
rates were they performing the same
service in private industry.
The opinion was sent to President
Roosevelt in an.swer to a question
transmitted by him from Colonel Har
rington, the WPA administrator, as
to the status 5f relief workers under
the Wages and Hours Act.
Colonel Harringto^-ai^ed the point
that debates in Congress on the WPA
and the PWA Appropriation Acts for
193K revealed that some Congressman
held the view that the minimum wage
of 25 cents an hour imposed under the
Wages and Hours Law would be ap
plicable on relief projects. This in
ference was drawn from the provi
sion that "not less than the minimum
rates of pay so established (under the
Wages and Hours Act) shall be paid
to persons in similar occupations in
the same localities employed on pro
jects in the subsequent section of this
title."
Attorney General Murphy agreed
with Colonel Harrington.
"However," the Attorney General
said, "the statute actually provided
only that if minimum rates of pay
should be established 'for persons em
ployed by private employers in any
occupation,' not loss than such mini
mum rates should be paid to persons
employed on projects of the Works
Progress Administration 'in similar
occupations in the same locality.'
"Since the Fair Labor Standards
(Wages and Hours) Act established a
minimum wage only for employes 'en
gaged in commerce or in the pro
duction of goods for commerce' and,
furthermore, expressly provided in
Section 13 for certain exemptions, it
appears to be an inescapable conclu
sion that the minimum wage of 25
cents per hour is not prescribed for
all possible classes of workers em
ployed by the Works Progress Admin
istration any more than it is prescribed
for all classes of workers employed
by private industry."
After citing that this had been the
interpretation of the WPA Adminis
trator, and further reference to de
bates in Congress, Mr. Murphy ended
with this conclusion:
"Rased upon the foregoing,
it is
Work.
belief
an(1
to
him
to
my
opinion that the Works Progress Ad
ministration should not now depart
from the interpretation heretofore ap
plied in the administration of the
,,ublil'
democratic system is indis- |,rol"''ation Act of 1938 that the min-
Works
linuin wage of 25 cents per hour is
be. observed only where that rate
has ,u.en established «for persons em-
.ployed
by private employers in any
tluvoccupatinn' under the Fair Labor
Standards Act and where persons arc
employed by the Works Progress Ad-
ministration 'in similar occupations in
the same locality.'"
ALL COFFEE YOU WANT
GOOD PATIENTS-
Sebring, Ohio.—When Mrs. T. M.
Woods Sr. of 103 East Florida Avenue
underwent an operation in Alliance
'ity II ospital Tuesday morning, she
became the sixth member of the fam
ily to go under the surgeon's knife
within the last four years.
There are six in the immediate fam
ily and Mrs. Woods .Jr., lifth to bft
operated upon, was released from the
hospital le«o than a month ago after
au appendectomy.
Truths Pondered While
Riding At Anchor
MR. MODESTUS
HIGHEST DEMOCRACY
ANOTHER FORUM
BUSINESS STRUCTURE
ESSENTIALLY HUMAN
This here democracy—
It seems to have so many possible
forms—
Its implications diversify in so many
directions—
One man, of German parentage,
working for Federal government—
Declared that the Hitler pattern of
elections—
Was the "highest form of democ
racy"—
But he was a German—
But you ain't seen nothing yet—
Here comes a printed document—
Issued by the Goodyear Rubber
Company—
Speaking of 45,000 Goodyear em
ployes-r-
AIso of the 40,500 persons who own
shares of Goodyear common stock—
Then of the 21,129 who own shares
of the Goodyear preferred—
Adding to that the customers who
have paid over $2,755 million dollars—
Besides the $50 million in bond
issues held by insurance companies—
These representing millions of life
insurance policy holders—
This illuminating document then de
scribes all this—
As a "graphic illustration of actual
democracy of our American econ
omy"—
Then this democracy reports profits
for 1938 of over $6 millions—
Of which it democratically paid $5
per share on the preferred—
And 25 cents per share on the com
mon—
It tells of paying taxes in the United
States, of $9.3 million—
Amounting to $345 per employe—
Or $4.53 per share of common stock
outstanding—
Which, somehow, is doubtless also
democratic—
They invite us to look at the $179
million income total—
Out of which they paid in wages
$48.9 million—
For rubber and other materials they
paid $94.8 million—
To replace obsolete and worn-out
machinery, $8.3 million
Taxes outside of the United States
took $8.2 million—
Interest on money, and dividends to
foreign subsidiaries, $3.5 million—
Which widens the democracy quite
some considerably—
Regardless of all which, they in
sist—
"The whole structure of business is
essentially and intensly human—"
They say that the 45,000 employes
on the payrolls—
Do not include the other thousands
of dealers and their workers—
Nor account for the Japanese coolies
who tap the rubber trees—
In their plantations in the far
islands of the seas—
Nor the traveling representatives in
all parts of the world—
They point to the $3,920 investment
for each factory worker—
And seem to court a total army of
Goodyear, amounting to 106,000 per
sons.
All of which is somehow conceived
to be democratic—
They announce: "Goodyear is not
owned by an abstract force known as
capital—
"It is not implemented by an ab
stract force known as labor"—
They insist that there is nothing im
personal or inanimate about Good
year—
All of which probably accounts for
the migration of their plants from
Akron—
The moving to southern points, such
as Gadsden—
The smashing of the labor unions in
Akron by machine guns—
The assaulting of labor leaders in
Gadsden by their gun men—
Which are not included in this docu
ment—
Which they call: "A Report to Em
ployes for 1938.'
And this use of "other people's
money"—
Does not report the special salaries
paid to the leading "democrats"—
Nor the violations of law perpet
rated in smashing labor.
PICNIC BASKET READY
•*8" $ e
WISDOM
'I'»
How much time he gains who
does not look to see what his
neighbor says or dors or thinhfl,
hut only at what lie does himself,
to make it just and holy.
—Marcus Aurelius.
BOTCK FOR A DIME
WHAT NEXT?
»?. IF I IL A 1 i
Homes "glued together" in
groups of 10,000 as a means of7'
solving the nation's housing prob
lem were visualized by Raymond
V. Parsons, research engineer, at
a Yale University low-cost hous
ing conference. The units would
he erected in large garden cities
and would house 30.000 to 100,000
persons paying rents as low at
$15 a month, he said. They would
be "glued together" with a new
resin compound, eliminating nails.
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS
It's an ill wind that blows no one
good. The depression has interfered a
lot with the higher education of those
who were headed toward it but it has
been the means of teaching at least
1,000,000 Americans to read and write.
One of the first things that Federal
relief meant when it came in 1935,
after averting the sheer starvation,
was a chance to learn to read.
The Works Progress Administration
has been the main agent in this, as in
most benefits to the very poor and
Dr. L. R. Alderman, director of edu
cation for WPA, has headed a reform
of something which has been a serious
obstacle to getting a late education.
"That," says Dr. Alderman, "is the
chagrin and self-consciousness suffered
by full grown men and women when
they are obliged to pore over absurd
little stories written for six-year-old
children. It takes much fortitude for a
backwords grandfather to stand be
fore a roomful of liis neighbors and
laboriously relate the adventures of
the little red hen."
Grown up subjects have been put
in simple words and are proving en
ormous encouragement. Considering
that we have at least 8,000,000 per
sons over 10 years of age who can get
no information out of a printed sheet,
this looks like a fairly important de
velopment.
Many people wondered why Presi
dent Roosevelt,' in asking whether
Hitler and Mussolini meant to attack
certain countries, mentioned Luxem
bourg. Luxembourg is smaller even
than Rhode Island, has less than 300,
000 inhabitants, looks like small po
tatoes. But—in 1937, it was the
seventh country in the production of
pig iron 2,512,000 tons more than
Japan, three times as large a tonnage
as Italy. Germany overran Luxem
bourg without resistance in the World
War and could do it now.
A pictorial statement of the work
of the International Solidarity Fund,
setting forth the details of the mag
nificent efforts of the trade union and
labor movement to assist the Spanish
people, has just been published.
It is shown that the European la
bor movement, between July, 1936
and December, 1938, raised approxi
mately £500,000 through the Inter
national Solidarity Fund alone. This
total does not include aid given
through other channels than those of
the International Solidarity Fund, by
trade union and other labor organiza
tions in various countries for such
special services as they have organized
and financed directly to provide for
Spanish refugee children, expectant
Spanish mothers and aged folk, as
well as direct consignments of milk,
food, clothing, medical supplies, and
other relief activities.
The latest phase of the problem is
that the labor movement has had to
accept responsibility for over three
hundred Spanish seamen who have
been living on Spanish boats in British
ports which have now been handed
over to the Franco government. These
Spanish workers cannot safely return
to Spain, and pending arrangements
for their future the International Soli
darity Fund has accepted financial re
sponsibility for their maintenance.
PICNIC CASTING CONTEST
SHOWS SUCCESS OF EFFORT
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).—"De
casulization" is a formidable word.
•But what it means is getting rid of
odd and casual jobs and a WPA re
port on what has been done on that
in one line of work is decidedly inter
esting.
The West Coast longshoremen's
strike of 1934 was settled by an arbi
tration board appointed by President
Roosevelt. One feature of the award
was a hiring hall, controlled and op
erated by a bipartisan labor relations
committee the qnion receiving the
right to appoint the hiring hall offi
cers who assign men to the jobs.
During 1937, the report states, the
weekly earnings of longshoremen in
San Francisco averaged $37.50. And
the work was rotated so well that the
interniittency of jobs for the regular
workers was greatly lessened. Tra
ditionally, the report says, a large
part of the labor force has been de
pendent on work that was too inter
mittent to provide an adequate income.
FREE BOXING BOUTS
Don't forget to bring a cup to the
Picnic for excellent coffee with plenty
of rich cream.
ONTHEHUNTFOR
TUBERCULOSIS
Colleges and chools throughout
the country are iliis mouth taking
part in. tlie Early Diagnosis Cam
paign o£ the National Tuberculosis
Association. Above is a college
Creshmau having an X-ray taken olj
'itijfl lung-
Thursday, Xpril 27, T03U
The Cherry Tree
Where We Hatchet Out
The Truth
DON'T GAG EMPLOYER
GOSSIP OR INTERFERENCE
NLRB DOING GOOD
BUT CAN IMPROVE
Are wage earners such tender,
spineless creatures that they must be
"protected" by law from expressions
of opinion by their employers?
Chairman Madden of the National
Labor Relations Board seems to think
so.
He doesn't like the American Fed
eration of Labor proposal to elimin
ate the word "interference" from the
provision of the Labor Act which says
that it is an unfair labor px*actice
for
an employer to "interfere with,
re
strain or coerce employes."
A. F. of L. says the word is so gen
eral it permits the NLRB to cover too
much territory, to the detriment of A.
F. of L. unions.
"The board has run rampant in its
interpretation of the word," says the
A. F. of L., which charges the board's
interpretation has resulted in decisions
which have invalidated A. F. of L.
contracts, upset selections won by A.
F. of L. unions and prohibited employ
ers from recognizing A. F. of L.
unions.
A. F. of L. doesn't want the em
ployer gagged. It doesn't believe the
heavens will fall if the employer is
permitted to express an opinion on
unions.
"Under the board's interpreta
tion, normal, ordinary relations
betwegn employers and legitimate
labor unions have been outlawed,"
the Federation declares.
So the A. F. of L. wishes to amend
the act to permit expression of opin
ion, "provided that such expressions
of opinion are not accompanied by
acts of discrimination or threats there
of."
This, the A. F. of L. explains, is not
to protect the employers' right of free
speech, as they arc well able to pro
tect their own interests.
It is, the Federation adds, simply to
.remove a pretext for depriving A. F.
of L. unions of the benefits of its con
tracts and of its right of representa
tion.
-K
The A. F. of L. cites one case
which it says mere gossip among the
workers was held proof by the NLRB
that the employer was "interfering"
with a CIO organization movements
The workers, it seems, talked about
reports that foreman were spreading
reports the management favored an
A. F. of L. union. This was employer
"interference," the board held, though
there was no evidence produced that
the employer had authorized any
statements of any kind to be made.
My, but wouldn't some of the long
gone pioneers of the American labor
movement if they could come back
and hear what constitutes employer
interference these days!
In their time they met interference
that was interference—beating up of
union members and organizers by
plug-uglies of the toughest breed, syp
ing and trouble-making in every or
ganization meeting, forthright declar
ations in sulphureous language by the
employers that they wouldn't stand
for unions under any conditions.
Now the head of the National La
bor Relations Board thinks any ex
pression of employer opinion on unions
must bo dealt with by the full power
of the Federal government.
Well, it's a sure bet that men and
women who really want to be organ
ized will organize regardless of hints
from the boss that he isn't widly en
thusiastic about unionism.
Nobody wants the bad ftld days
back. The National Labor Relations
Act is a good law and has done much
for labor. It is not perfect, however.
It can be improved. That will be made
plain as the proposed A. F. of L.
amendments are further discussed
before Congressional committees.
DUE BOOKS WORTH MONEY
STUDIES BOND BIDS
Columbus, O. (OLN'S).—The State
Public Institutional Building Authority
and state financial officers last week
began consideration of five proposal
submitted by bidders for purchase of
$7,500,000 in bonds which the Au
thority is empowered by law to issue,
for the construction of state welfare
institutional buildings.
Several bidders suggested minor
changes in the Building Authority
law which they believed would make
the bonds more marketable or would
serve to reduce the interest rates. The
proposals for financing the projects
were from large syndicates of bond
houses as well as individual firms, Ed
Switalski, secretary of the Authority,
said.
CHIPPEWA LAKE, JUNE LO
BACK-LOG REDUCED
Columbus, O. (OLNS).—Back-1
o e n i n I n u s i a o i s s i i
ca es involving workmen's compens
a
tion claims was reduced during the
first three months of this year and
further substantial decreases have
been made during April, Attorney
General Thomas J. Herbert announced
last week.
"We have instructed our attorneys
representing the Industrial Commis
sion to get the docket cleaned up •.
quickly as possible," Mr. Herbert said,
"because delay in adjudicating claims
works a great hardship on the injured
workman."
FOTTERG BEST PICNIC
Great opportunities come to tho^e
who make use of smaller ones.