The potters herald. [volume], August 10, 1939, Image 2

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

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
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Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL
Old John L. Sullivan was clever
enough to lead with his chin sometimes
and get away with it. But John L.
Lewis is not John L. Sullivan. The
white hope of the C. I. 0. led with
his chin the other day before the
House Labor Committee and he is still
seeing stars and hearing the birdies
sing.
The verbal encounter between Lewis
and "Cactus Jack" Garner will go
down in history as the '^battle of eye
"brows." The Vice President, with his
hiinds tied behind his back and his lips
sealed by his official position, spotted
the C. i. O. dictator more than 100
pounds and won in the first round.
Lewis tried his old stunt of breathing
-fire but the flames boomeranged and
singed his eyebrows.
The Vice President taught Lewis
that in the game of political power,
just as in the card game, you can't
bluff on every pot and expect to get
away with it. Garner called Lewis'
bluff and when the cards were laid
down on the table for all to see, Lewis
had nothing. Naturally he was wiped
out.
For all his remarks about the other
people's whiskey drinking, Lewis dem
onstrated to the country that a man
can get far more drunk on ego than
in liquor. Intoxicated with his own
importance, Lewis disgraced himself
before the whole country. He made a
holy show of himself. And his hang
over will be long and bitter.
As the mists seethe around his tor
tured mind, Lewis will also experience
a severe case of the "D. T's." He will
see not only "evil old men" but prac
tically the entire population of the
country dancing around his prostrate
form. How have the mighty fallen!
The Next Chapter
It is now apparent even to his own
followers that Lewis is through. He
has taken the count too often. He is
getting slug-nutty, as they say in the
fight game. He can't hope to stage a
comeback. He shouldn't be allowed
even to try. Not that anyone is
worrying about Lewis absorbing more
punishment, but because a repetition
of such farcical performances will
just about ruin the membership of the
,C. I. O. and hurt the cause of labor
generally.
The damage already done by Lewis
to the labor movement is becoming
evident on all sides. He has accomp
lished just the opposite of what he set
out to do. Ho has been a dossal fail
ure. lie tried to ride the crest of
radicalism, only to be submerged in a
heavy backwash of public protest.
Labor cannot afford to permit the
progressive accomplishments of the
past few years to be engulfed and de
stroyed by a reactionary wave. Lfihor
no longer can afford John L. L4wis.
He is too expensive a luxtujy. If he
is permitted to continue his mad course
unchecked, the present wave of reac
tion may become a tide.
More and more rapidly the workers
of this country are losing interest in
Lewis and his C. I. O. because they
are learning that Lewis has no real
interest in them. They are learning
that Lewis has no real interest in tin
trade union movement. They are be
ginning to realize the truth. And the
truth is that Lewis's only interest in
the workers of this country is to use
them as catpaws in the furtherance of
his own personal, selfish political am
bitions.
Those Whom the Gods Would Destroy
It is no longer any secret that Lewis
is out to promote his own power
rather than the welfare of labor. He
'Tdown't care a continental about help
ing the laboring masses, except as it
may help him control these masses.
The trade union movement has always
been regarded by Lewis merely as a
stepping stone—a stepping stone to
the domination of our country.
lien? is a man who has utter con
tempt for democracy. Here is a man
with delusions of grandeur. Here is a
man whose mentality matches that of
Hitler or a Mussolini. Here is the
great "I Am."
His whole record proves that. Look
at the way he has subjugated the coal
miners to his personal control and dic
tatorship. Look at the way he has
pulled the strings of his C. I. 0. pup
pet. Any Lewis movement is a one
man movement. Any Lewis organiza
tion is a one-man show.
Look at what he has done to the
automobile workers. We have just
come back to Washington from a short
stay in Detroit. What we saw then
was tragic. Lewis never tried to or
ganize the automobile workers, lie
tried to mobilize them. He has suc
ceeded in wrecking them. Then men
in the ranks are now demoralized. Tin
industry is demoralized. There has
been nothing but a constant succession
of strikes and more strikes, every
variety of them under tin sun. The
men are now sick of strikes. Their
wives are even more disgusted. They
are fed up with Lewis' brand of fake
unionism. They are fed up with be
ing C. I. O. catspaws and stooges for
the Communist Party. They want
steady work. They want steady pay
envelopes. They want a chance to earn
a living. They don't want a dole, they
don't want relief and they don't want
to go on breaking their hearts and
ruining their future on a permanent
C. I. O. picket line.
These people now sec a ray of hope
The A. F. of L. has moved in to help
them. A corps of thirty-five ace A.
F. of L. organizers led by National
Director of Organization Francis P.
Fenton, moved into Detroit Saturday
They met with Homer Martin, presi
dent of the United Automobile Work
ers of America, the legitimate auto
workers union holding an A. F. of L.
111 1
UJJ .U-^""J'U°1 'A H-".I VUJJ i
international charter. Together they
drew up a policy for a "new model"
union and laid plans for an aggressive
organizing campaign. They have gone
to work in a deliberate, systematic
way. Every A. F. of L. union in the
Detroit area is working together with
them. We want every A. F. of L. union
in every part of the country where
automobile plants are located to ren
der similar cooperation to the auto
workers. The time is ripe. This united
drive is destined for success. A sound,
sane, constructive auto workers union
can be organized and must be estab
lished. Enough damage has been done.
Let's clean up the C. I. O. wreckage
and build a self-disciplined and self
governed trade union of auto workers,
by auto workers and for auto workers.
Craft Unions
(Continued From Page One)
"Board Member Leiserson went so
far as to state that the Wagner Act
foreclosed the Board from designat
ing a craft unit after a contract had
once been entered into between the
company and the industrial unit.
"This reasoning was too much even
for Board Member Edwin Smith. How
ever, Board Member Smith agreed
with the conclusion on the basis of
his famous Allis Chalmers Company
dissent to the effect that the indus
trial unit is preferable.
Chairman Madden Disenta
"As a result, craft organizations
can be certain as long as Edwin Smith
is on the Board and as long as Board
Member Leiserson retains his present
view, 'the craft form of organization
is for all practical purposes denied
the right to exist,' as Chairman Mad
den states in his dissent.
"This devastating decision and its
injustice is forcefully pointed out by
Chairman Madden in the following
portion of his dissent:
'Thirdly, I think the proposed dis
tinction works out unfairly in prac
tical effect. It means that where a
craft union obtains an exclusive bar
gaining contract the industrial union
may nevertheless, by taking away the
membership of the craft union, merge
the craft unit with the industrial
unit.
'If the industrial union fails in its
first attempts it ljiay nevertheless
continue its efforts. But once the in
dustrial union has obtained an ex
clusive contract on a plant-wide basis,
either by organizing before the ad
vent of the craft union or by cap
turing the craft union's majority in a
later election, thereafter the craft
employes are irrevocably part of the
industrial unit.
"'The effect is, therefore, to crys
tallize the industrial form of organi
zation and prevent the craft employes
from ever thereafter changing their
minds.'
Decision Justifies A. F. L. Amend
ments to Labor Act
"No more dramatic illustration has
been presented of the manner in
which, under the vague, indetermi
nate, broad discretion of the Board
over units given by the present Act,
the rights of craft unions depend com
pletely on the personal preference of
th'j individual members of the Board
"No greater proof than this case is
necessary to justify the amendment
proposed by the American Federation
of Labor whereby the vital decision of
whether or not craft workers shall
constitute a separate unit is left to
those most directly concerned-—the
craft workers themselves—and not to
the whimsical inclinations or eco
nomic views of members of the Board
"The case is a striking demonstra
tion that the greatly cherished right
of autonomy of organized labor is
threatened by the present language of
Section (c) of the National Labor
Relations Act. Unless that language
is changed, many craft unions can
lyok forward to ultimate destruction."
10,400,00 Are Still
(Continued From Parje One)
ers, add,s to a total of 8,500,000 new
unemployed.
"These new unemployed have count
ed heavily on WPA, which has in the
past provided for more than 3,000,COO.
"Today WPA is cut to 2,418,000
(July 5) and further reductions will
follow rapidly. Relief rolls of l,fi45,
000 in May included several hundred
thousand unemployed."
Unemployed Union Members
The statement issued by the Fed
eration also included the extent to
which trade union members have been
hit by unemployment during the last
decade.
For all trades the average per cent
of union members unemployed during
each year was: 1!28, 13 per cent
192i), 12 per cent 15)30, 21 per cent
15)31, 2G per cent 15)32, 32 per cent
1!33, 31 per cent 15)34, 2(5 per cent
153f, 23 per cent 15)3(5, 17 per (jent
15)37, 13 per cent 1938, 18 per cent
1935) (July), 12 per cent.
During this ten-year period the
trade union members of the building
trades were hardest hit by unemploy
ment. The A. F. of L. figures reveal
that the average per cent of jobless
union members in the building trades,
was: 1928, 27 per cent 1929, 25 per
cent 1930, 40 per cent 1931, 52 per
cent 1932, 04 per cent 1933, fi7 per
cent 1934, 57 per cent 15)35, 52 per
cent 1930, 33 per cent 1937, 26 per
cent 1938, 37 per cent 1939 (July),
23 per cent.
A DEAL
"When the Queen of Sheba came and
laid jewels and fine raiment before
Solomon, what did he say?" asked the
school teacher.
'Hov/ much. io
you.
wa^t for the
lot?" suggested a boy,
Individual Plant
(Continued From Page One)
tive bargaining in the plants has es
tablished such a pattern of bargain
ing. On the contrary, bargaining
practice in the past has recognized the
individual status of separate plants.
'Furthermore peculiar problems
arise out of the division of the inter
national union into two groups. For
it appears the A. F. L.-U. A. W. may
have overwhelming majority in sev
eral of the plants and the C. I. 0.
U. A. W. a similarly large majority
in several others. Under the circum
stances we conclude that each of the
plants involved in this proceeding
constitutes a separate appropriate bar
gaining unit.'
Qualifies Importance of Ruling
"Although the decisions point out
the dangers inherent in the vesting
of unlimited discretion over units in
a Board and the danger from the di
vision of the Board on such an im
portant ruling (for it is possible for
one member of the majority hereafter
to reverse his position and join the
dissenting member), yet it is gratify
ing to note that the principles pro
nounced in the Longshoremen's case
and the Libbey-Ford-Owens Glass
Company case were not followed in
these automobile industry decisions.
If they had been, the American Fed
eration of Labor may have been ex
cluded from representing its members
in automobile plants even though all
the workers in a plant were members
of the American Federation of Labor.
Machinists Recognized as Separate
Unit
"Of considerable consequence, too,
is the acceptance by the Board of the
contentions made by the International
Association of Machinists that ma
chinists be constituted a separte unit
for the selection of a bargaining rep
resentative. The decisions grant the
petition of the International Associa
tion of Machinists and the employes
in this craft will vote independently
of the other production workers in the
plants."
The reasoning used by the Board in
its recent decisions adopts the con
tentions of the American Federation
of Labor as voiced by President Green,
Judge Padway and other witnesses at
the hearings of the Senate Committee
when the Longshoremen's and the
Libbey-Ford-Owens Glass Company
cases were discussed and criticized.
Extension of Ohio's
(Continued From Paqo One)
not be absolutely necessary.
It is within the discretion of the
director or the superintendent of the
minimum wage division to appoint a
wage board on the basis of informa
tion in their possession, with or with
out a special inve^tyj^Uyfl.
The Chapman survey revealed that
9 per cent of women and children
workers in the retail industry in cities
of more than 100,000 population
(Cleveland and Cincinnati excepted)
were being paid less than $5 per week
14 per cent were being paid less than
$5) weekly 30 per cent received less
than $13 and 90 per cent were paid
less than $17 a week.
The remaining 10 per cent receiving
more than $17 per week included
women holding executive positions
Cleveland and Cincinnati averages
were somewhat higher, whilo in citie
of less than 100,000, the average
wage payments were less than those
listed above.
In support of the contention that
his department did not receive appro
priations sufficient to extend the
minimum wage law, Director Strain
points out that $150,015.00 is personal
service and travelling expense items
were slashed from his budget request
by the 93rd General Assembly.
A comparison of appropriations to
the Department of Industrial Re
lations for the 1937-38 biennium and
the 1939-40 biennium indicate that
the Department received an appropri
ation of $45,500.00 less in 1939-40
than for the previous biennium.
The Republican party platform for
193S stated: "The Republican party
.believes. .that sufficient appro
priations should be made to that de
partment (Industrial Relations).
for the proper enforcement of the
minimum wage law for women and
minors."
Thirty-Five A. F.
(Continued From Page One)
firm purpose to help it grow and pros
per. It is not our purpose to create
turmoil in the industry. We seek to
stabilize it. We are not out to play
any political game for any political
movement. We are out to build a
trade union for the promotion of the
economic welfare of the workers.
Supports Americanism
"We have no interest in training
recruits in the techniques of revolu
tion. We want to bolster American
ism. We have no intention of mak
ing a general nuisance of ourselves.
Instead, we are determined to make
our movement a constructive force.
We are not going to promise the moon
to our men. Wo do pledge them the
concrete benefits of trade unionism.
"We have made a lot of mistakes.
We will not repeat them.
"After all, the automobile industry
itself did not grow up overnight. The
industry made many mistakes during
the development of the first rattle
traps into the sleek, streamlined cars
of today. We ask the public to tajce
that into consideration.
"In the same way as the industry
hat. done, v.e are now offering the
nation a new model union/'
pc
THE POTTERS HERALD
Editors Comment
(Continued From Page One)
Garner's political methods, but his
personal habits.
Maybe it was the proximity of Mars,
as some have suggested, or the heat,
as others charitably explain but our
own hunch is that Lewis became in
toxicated by the sound of his phrases.
NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNfe
July 29, 1939
Lewis has cracked up against his
opposition. We say "cracked up" ad
visedly. For never was there a great
er confession of defeat, considering its
source, than this hysterical tirade
against the deputy chief executive of
the country. Little wonder Mr. Gar
ner chuckled. Good poker players are
thoroughly familiar with the ex
plosions which precede collapse.
CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE
July 29, 1939
There does not seem to be much
cause for excitement in John L. Lewis'
attack on Vice President Garner. Mr.
Lewis' roars, which his admirers be
lieves shake the earth, usually do well
to rattle the shutters.
Mr. Lewis is still an active promoter
of civil disorder, and his communist
lieutenants have not abandoned their
revolutionary hopes. But his pre
tensions to political power are by now
disproved. This is one reason why he
yells so loud.
WASHINGTON POST
July 29, 1939
Mr. Lewis' paragon of virtue and
assiduous ascetic though he may be,
has this time stepped heavily on a
banana peel and is in for the conse
quences customarily consequent there
Dn. In doing so he has certainly
achieved publicity, for which his yen
is unmistakable. Hut there are var
ious sorts of publicity and the pres
ent instances Savors of the halitosis
variety.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
July 29, 1939
It is obviously unnecessary for any
American citizen to be a political sup
porter of John Nance Garner in order
to feel and to express deep resent
ment over John L. Lewis' intemper
ate denunciation of the Vice Presi
lent as a "labor-baiting, poker-play
ing, whiskey-drinking, evil old man."
The torrent of criticism that has
deluged Lewis because of his inex
:usable outburst before the House
Labor Committee is not that of any
particular political group or faction.
It has cut across party lines.
This would seem to indicate that,
whatever Mr. Garner's political course
in the future, the Lewis tirade is hard
ly likely to handicap him. In fact, it
is even conceivable that the blister
ing enmity of |fc Lewis could be a
political asset. -£ver since last No
vember's election in Pennsylvania
Lewis' political influence has appeared
to be on the down grade.
In politics and elsewhere the term
'boomerang" is often misused. But
in this case Lewis' sulphuric words
?eem to have missed their target and,
like a real boomerang, returned to
swat the tosser.
It may be that Lewis' recklessly
personal attack on Mr. Garner is a
sign of his own waning political
power. Certainly he has given labor
cause to wonder whether his leader
ship may not be a grave liability.
FROM PAI GALLON'S
SYNDICATED COLUMN
July 29, 1939
Even a wise and experienced alder
man never uses this kind of attack
in modern politics. It lias not been
considered quite right since Grant won
the Civil War and the Presidency
twice against the same kind of per
sonal abuse. The politicos do not shun
this strategy because they are kind
hearted, merely because they have
learned it is foolish and usually fatal
to their causes.
PROM CLIFFORD A. PREVOST
COLUMN IN DETROIT FREE
PRESS
July 30. 1939
John L. Lewis rendered organized
labor a great disservice when he at
tacked Vice President John Nance
Garner before the House Labor Com
mittee this week. At the same time
Lewis rendered great service to those
who desire completely to emasculate
the Wage-Hour Act, particularly the
lobbies representing the agricultural
industries.
Congress has been in such an up
roar for the last two weeks that any
thing can happen. And if the Barden
program should pass, Mr. Roosevelt
will have only Lewis, his political ally
of other days, to thank. The Lewis
White House alliance is not what it
used to be. Mr. Roosevelt has told
friends that Lewis is "the greatest
egotist in the country" which might
explain why the C. I. O. leader grabbed
the spotlight by attacking Garner.
But Garner's supporters are very
happy over the entire Lewis incident.
If the Vice President was seeking to
amend the Wage-Hour Act then Lewis
helped him in no small degree. And
as for the effect on the Texan's presi
dential boom, Lewis helped there also.
FROM MARK SULLIVAN'S
SYNDICATED COLUMN
July 29, 15)35)
It was a lucky break for Mr.
ner.
But it is a lucky break for the coun
try—that any one should make such
an attack as Mr. Lewis made, on the
man who holds the second highest of
fice in the United States, and might
any day, through iv.itad'-eiiture to the
President, hold the highest That the
••& y*.f ~-y
FOUR DAUGHTERS AT CERAMIC
FROM LUDWELL DENNY'S COL
UMN IN THE SCRIPPS-HOWARD
NEWSPAPERS
August 2, 1939
John L. Lewis' characterization of
Vice President Garner as a "labor
baiting, whiskey-drinking, poker-play
ing, evil old man" recalled today that
one of Mr. Lewis' chief aides in poli
tics as well as labor affairs seconded
with glowing words the renomination
of Mr. Garner at the Democratic Na
tional Convention of 1936.
Thomas Kennedy is one of the "big
three" of the United Mine Workers,
secretary-treasurer of that big union,
and represents it on the executive
board of the C. I. O.
Three years ago he was elected
Democratic lieutenant-governor of
Pennsylvania, and in 1938 was unsuc
cessfully backed for the governorship
nomination by a political-labor combi
nation organized by Sen. Joseph F.
Guffey (D., Pa.) and Mr. Lewis. Mr.
Kennedy was one of 17 speakers sec
onding the Garner nomination at Phil
adelphia three years ago.
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The three Love Sisters and Gale Page, stars of
"Daughters Courageous," an outstanding picture which
opens at the Ceramic Sunday.
More Potters Join
(Continued From Page One)
is headed by capable F. X. A. Eble
and Joseph Wells, it should not be
taken for granted that individual ef
fort is now unnecessary. The fight
to exclude all foreign-made merchan
dise should be renewed with even
greater enthusiasm than before. The
time is certainly opportune to rid all
the shelves in pottery-town stores of
anything but American-made mer
chandise.
A local merchant stated recently
that people are not demanding to
know where articles are made as they
did a few months ago. He could not
be sure if they were forgetting the
campaign, or had come to know his
store carried no foreign-made goods.
He hoped the campaign was still alive.
spokesman of a comparatively small
pressure group, attempting to brow
beat Congress should do what Mr.
Lewis did?
It could be a lucky break for the
country, provided the country realized
the" menace.
Everything Free
(Continued From Page One)
married. Thanks for the candy and
cigars. You know if you do anything
special you have to hand the O. C. a
cigar or no mention in the paper. We
extend to you a sincere wish for a
happy life.
We hope to see the following mem
bers of our sick list back to work soon:
Elizabeth Brobander, Mildred Klean,
Mamie Vonnam.
Beware of all signs on the Goshon
road mentioning rides for kiddies. We
have a member who doesn't approve
of signs.
Fred Shaffer and Harry Vincent are
turning to politics. They seem to think
they can run the city a bit better and
a bit more efficient if they are given
the chance. Why not help them out
with a vote?
Don't forget the PICNIC.—O. C. 42.
ANNOUNCEMENT
All E. Liverpool City Lines, Including Grand
view, Pleasant Heights and the Main Line ...
EAST LIVERPOOL WEEKLY SCHOOL
TICKETS
EAST LIVSiyPQQlrCHESTER
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Thursday, August 10, 1939
NOTICE!
Important Announcements of Local
Unions are to be found in this
Column
NOTICE LOCAL UNION NO. 21
"The honors "that I crave when I am gone,
Are that some lonely one may safely say,
When I was wandering wearily along,
He helped me on my way."
Sale of Weekly Passes Discontinued
Effective Sunday. August 13th
Widespread abuse of Weekly Pass privileges has de
veloped an unfair discrimination against passengers
who pay cash fare or use Tickets. For this reason
the sale of Weekly Passes will be discontinued.
In memory of Brother Albert Cline, who died July 17, 1939.
REDUCED TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON ALL
LINES AS FOLLOWS:—
"I have fought a good fight I have finished my course of iy
faithful fellow worker and Brother." The Angel of death has en
tered our midst and we are called to mourn the loss of a faithful
Brother Worker.
We shall miss the face of him who has cheered us by his
presence. Today his form is not seen, his voice is not heard, his
chair is vacant, but his name is written in the kindness on all the
hearts of those with whom he was associated. He played well his
part in the Drama of life and to his memory deservedly should be
offered the loving tributes of a grateful humanity and an appreci
ative Brotherhood therefore be it
Resolved, That Local Union No. 42, National Brotherhood of
Operative Potters, Salem, Ohio, in testimony of our loss, drape
our charter for a period of thirty days, a copy of these resolutions
be published in the Potters Herald, a copy be spread upon the
minutes and a copy sent with our deepest esteemed sympathy to
the family in their hour of bereavement.
Members and newly elected of
ficers are urged to attend next
regular meeting of the local,
September 7 for installation. •.
Those who fail to attend will re
linquish their office or post.
—By Order of President.
Referendum Defeat
(Continued From Page One)
ject to attack provides for an increase
in the number of commissioners from
two to three.
"We have and shall continue to sup
port an odd numbered commission,"
his letter states. "It is the only way
in which responsibility for proper ad
ministration of the law can be fixed."
Circulation of the referendum peti
tions was delayed last week when At
torney General Thomas Herbert re
jected the petition informally because
of 15 errors in the summary.
The referendum is being sponsored
by a committee headed by State Dem
ocratic Chairman Arthur Limbach
and a recently organized group iden
tified as the Provisional State Em
ployes' Association.
'if-.
Convention Report
(Continued From Page One)
State Federation over until next meet
ing night. Everyone should attend as
Brother Sullivan will give us an in
teresting report.
The members of Local Union No.
44 wish to extend their sympathy to
the family of George Russ who died
Saturday. He was a potter but had
been out of the shop for sometime.
All Sebring members who have been
working at the World's Fair have re
turned home. They say the Fair is
a great success, especially the potter's
exhibit.
Everyone try and attend local meet
ings a little more regular and give
the officers a little help.—O. C. 44.
RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT
ROY BALSLEY,
WINIFRED REED,
FRED SHAFFER,
-—Committee, L. I'. No. 12.
4
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20
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70c
RIDES
14
$1.00
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$1.00
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