The potters herald. [volume], December 11, 1941, Image 1

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

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UNITED FRONT
TO SUPPORT 2
MILL TAX LEVY
Meeting Called By Duffy
Ends With Agreement
On Question
At a meeting called by President
James M. Duffy of the National
Brotherhood of Operative Potters in
that organization's hall last Monday
night, a representative group from
Labor, the Chamber of Commerce and
County officeholders agreed to sup
port a two-mill tax levy for the county
to be submitted at a special election.
The Chamber of Commerce had en
dorsed a levy for 1.8 mills while the
County Commissioners contended a
two-mill levy was necessary to oper
ate efficiently. The meeting was
called by Mr. Duffy to allow Labor to
hear both sides of the argument and
bring about a compromise which
could be backed by a united front.
The two-mill levy was agreed upon
for a period of two years with the un
derstanding that the two-tenths of a
mill difference which separated the
Chamber's tax committee and the
elected officers of the county from
agreement be used not for salaries,
but should go to the aid of the vari
ous welfare funds and advertise tax
delinquents.
Chairman Duffy brought the five
hour forum to a close by urging
everyone present to do his utmost in
putting over the levy. More than 125
people were attracted by the discus
sions.
A two-mill levy was defeated at the
elections last month. It was proposed
by the commissioners with a state
ment that it was needed to provide
adequate funds for welfare needs.
The two-mill levy now proposed
also does that, but in addition will
provide for advertising tax delin
quents, reappraising realty values
c#nd amortisingr thif* *'car'a de$oit, all
being paid for over a two-year period.
In addition, the plan would set up
a "cushion" fund for unanticipated
emergencies.
The commissioners i n i v i u a lly
made these pledges: In return for the
Chamber's willingness to support a
two-mill levy instead of one for 1.8
mills, as it proposed in a Saturday
statement, they will adhere to the
a e s e u e s a o n e y
brought in by the additional two
tenths of a mill not be used for sal
aries or additional personnel but he
added to the fund for advertising de
linquencies and to the various welfare
funds.
Those attending heard virtually
every county official reiterate county
operation would be hampered serious
ly without additional income.
Business and Labor representatives
attended from East Liverpool, Wells
ville, East Palestine, Salem and other
parts of the county.
County officials and Paul L. Court
ney, Chamber secretary, pointed out
the additional levy would make avail
able a total of between $480,000 and
$490,000 for 1942, depending upon the
size of the tax duplicate and the per
centage of collection.
As the meeting neared an end, sev
eral motions were on the floor—some
for indorsement of a 1.8-mill levy,
some for two mills and others to leave
the question up to the tax committee
and commissioners.
Seeking a definite understanding,
Mr. Duffy asked the Chamber commit
tee to confer in a separate room to
decide if it could see its way clear to
accept the two-mill levy.
A short time later Chamber Presi
dent J. T. Croxall announced the sug
gestion had been accepted, with the
reservation that the Chamber would
ask that the $17,000 additional income
be ear-marked $5,000 for advertising
delinquents (in addition to $15,000 al
ready suggested for that purpose) and
the balance as an additional allotment
for welfare organizations. Applause
greeted the announcement.
One by one each commissioner said
he would adhere to these reservations.
As the session opened, Mr. Duffy
introduced Mr. Courtney, who ex
plained main details of the county's
financial dilemma—removal of an il
legal one-mill levy, a loss of $72,000,
and an expected loss of another $64,
000 next year through allocation to
school districts of an additional
share of the 10-mill limitation.
The State Board of Tax Appeals
has ruled in favor of the county inso
far as the 1941 allocation is con
cerned, but the East Liverpool school
district has carried the fight to the
Supreme Court. County heads antici
pate they will be called upon to allo
cate the additional funds next year.
Defending their budget requests for
1942, each official declared in effect
that his office is operating at top ef
ficiency with a minimum of workers
and asserted proper service would not
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&
AJ" ,r vo
Special interest attached to the
calls for peace in labor's ranks be
cause the C. I. O. convention in De
troit last week adjourned without any
direct response to President Roose
velt's plea for the re-establishment of
labor unity as "a patriotic step for
ward of incalculable value in the
Labor Triumphs As House Defeats
Wage Freezing In Price Control Bill
Washington, D. C.—Vigorous action
by the American Federation of Labor
resulted in a vital and significant vic
tory for America's workers when the
House of Representatives, by a de
cisive vote, defeated attempts to
freeze wages through the medium of
the price control bill.
The House adopted the bill by a
vote of 224 to 161 after all references
to imposing wage ceilings had been
expunged. As adopted, the measure
sets up a five-man board to regulate
and control prices of commodities
during the national emergency.
The measure now goes to the Sen
ate where there is a disposition to
delay final action until after New
Year's.
The American Federation of Labor
supported the price control bill as a
step to prevent inflation and further
increases in the cost of living which
hurt workers more than anyone else.
However, the AFL was forced to
fight desperately to circumvent at-
Woll And CIO Grouj
For Labor Peace
New York City.—Matthew Woll,
vice president of the American Fed
eration of Labor, joined with officers
of Sidney Hillman's Amalgamated
Clothing Workers in calling for im
mediate steps to reunite the A. F. of
L. and the C. I. O.
The occasion was the presentation
by the New York joint board of the
Amalgamated of a check for $1,000
representing the final installment in a
contribution by the union of $10,000
to the American Labor Committee to
Aid British Labor, of which Mr. Woll
is chairman. William Green, presi
dent of the A. F. of L., is honorary
chairman of the committee, and most
of its principal officers are leaders of
A. f\ ofL. Unions.
Ornburn Urges Protests To Senate
Against Measures Shackling Labor
Washington, D. C.—Assailing anti
strike legislation, I. M. Ornburn, sec
retary-treasurer of the Union Label
Trades Department, called on all trade
unionists to protest against these
measures to their Senators. In a na
tionally broadcast speech, he said:
"There is now a measure before the
Senate which provides for the shack
ling of American workers through so
called anti-strike laws. This bill
would establish conditions like those
in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. It
is un-American to deprive workers of
their right to quit work, either indi
vidually or collectively. This bill is
illegal according to our present laws
and invalid according to the United
States Constitution which protects
citizens against involuntary servitude
or slavery.
"The same people who, just a few
years ago, were vociferously asking us
to defend the Constitution are now
doing everything within their power
to destroy the rights of citizens under
that same United States Constitution.
't tempts by enemies of labor to insert
wage ceilings in the bill.
This fight will have to be renewed
in the Senate where further attempts
to hamstring labor may be expected.
However, the resounding defeat of the
anti-labor forces in the House on this
issue indicates clearly that a final
victory for the workers is assured.
One of the most reprehensible fea
tures of the drive to impose wage
ceilings was the argument made by
the sponsors of such action that labor
should be punished because of strikes
in defense industries. The fact that
more than 99 per cent of American
workers have not participated in de
fense strikes but have given the high
est type of service day-in and day-out
was, as usual, ignored by labor's ene
mies.
The vote on wage freezing was a
significant test of labor's strength in
Congress and proved once more that
when labor unites on a major issue
the lawmakers in Congress can see
the light.
Make Joint Plea
To Aid U. S. Defense
creation of true national unity." The
A. F. of L. convention meeting in
Seattle last month, had informed the
President that it was prepared to re
sume peace talks with the C. I. O. at
any time.
Representatives of 40,000 C. I. O.
clothing workers in the metropolitan
area applauded Mr. Woll's declaration
that he hoped it would not be long be
fore the A. F. of L. and C. I. O. went
forward under a single banner. He
expressed confidence that the agree
ment of both wings of organized labor
on the necessity for supporting Presi
dent Roosevelt's program of all-out
aid to the nations fighting Hitler
would psave .a powerful lever for
unity.
The A. F. of L. vice president
praised the record of Mr. Hillman,
who took a leave of absence from his
post as president of the Amalgamated
to become associate director of the
Office of Production Management.
Labor And Capital Must Join Hands
For Defense, Green Tells Bankers
Hollywood, Fla.—Five million mem
bers of the American Federation of
Labor have pledged themselves to aid
the government in the successful
completion of the national defense
program, William Green, president of
the Federation, told members of the
Investment Bankers' Association of
America at the opening of its annual
convention here.
'We are Americans first and mem
bers of our union second," he de
clared.
Emphasizing throughout his ad
dress, which was broadcast over a
nation-wide network of the Mutual
system, the stake which labor and
capital have in the preservation of
the system of free enterprise, Mr.
Green called for a united stand of
capital, labor management and labor
in support of the defense program.
The labor leader stressed the urgent
need for preparatory steps to be taken
now to cushion the tremendous and
inevitable shock to our economic sys
tem which he said would follow the
present emergency.
"No doubt the principle of free en
terprise and private ownership in all
free, democratic countries throughout
Mr. Woll said that Mr. Hillman as a
____ (Turn to Page Two)
"Now, I am going to make an im
portant appeal to all citizens who be
lieve in the constitutional rights of all
American workers. I ask you to im
mediately write to your two United
States Senators, from your own State,
all of whom are now in Washington,
D. C., and urge them to vote against
all proposed anti-labor union bills.
Please inform your servants in Con
gress that workers have more votes
than a few unfair employers and
cheap politicians who are advocating
this drastic legislation. This is still a
representative form of government,
known as a republic, and you have a
perfect right to petition your repre
sentatives. Tell them that you are
keeping a close tab on their records.
Let them know that if they vote to
enslave American workers that on the
next election day you will vote to keep
them at home. If your members of
Congress vote for laws that will
shackle labor, replace them with men
who will uphold American freedom
and democracy."
the world will be called upon to meet
a' most severe test," he said.
To prepare for the absorption of
millions of workers now engaged in
defense industries, as well as the re
lease of those in actual military serv
ice, Mr. Green advocated that a
survey be made and plans prepared
for a huge public works program.
"All of this will call for the ex
penditure of large sums of money," he
said. "All of this character of
planning should be formulated and
made ready so that the economic
needs of the nation should be met in
as large a way as possible. It will be
far better for the nation to provide
employment for the millions who will
be forced out of defense production
industries rather than to supply re
lief to unemployed and those de
pendent upon them as we were forced
to do during the previous periods of
economic distress."
Mr. Green warned that labor would
suffer as much, if not more, than cap
ital should some form of Communism,
Fascism or Nazism supplant our pres
ent economic system, and added:
"The chief menace to the preserva
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Official Organ
o/ National Brotherhood of Operative Potters
VOL. XLV., NO. 33 EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1941 $ 00 PER YEAR
Rail Compromise
Prevents Strike,
Increases Wages
Operating And Non-Oper
ating Employes Get
Pay Boosts
Washington, D. C.—A threatened
nation-wide railway strike of 1,200,
000 workers was averted by agree
ment on a compromise wage increase
which raises pay of railroad workers
$325,000,000 a year. A basic rise of
10 cents an hour is provided for non
operating employes and 9,2 cents an
hour for operating employes.
The compromise was announced by
Wayne L. Morse,- chairman of Presi
dent Roosevelt's Emergency Fact
Finding Board, after nearly thirty
four hours of virtually continuous
mediation conferences with represen
tatives of rail management and labor.
The compromise provides for the
following increases:
Non-Operating Employes—An in
crease of 9 cents an hour, as orig
inally recommended by the Faet
Finding Board, to be in effect from
Sept. 1 to Dec. 1, with an increase to
10 cents an hour thereafter.
Operating Employes—An increase
of 712 per cent, as recommended by
the Fact-Finding Board, from Sept. 1
to Dec. 1, and thereafter an increase
of 9'/a cents an hour.
Both increases will be added to the
basic rate, it was said, and will not be
temporary, as the board previously
had recommended. The board's orig
inal recommendations had been re
jected by labor spokesmen both be
cause they were inadequate and be
cause they would have expired auto
matically Dec. 31,1942.
On the question of vacations with
pay for non-operating workers, the
compromise provided that office, cleri
cal and telegraphic employes should
receive paid vacations of six, nine or
twelve days, respectively, for one, two
and three years' and all other
non-operating employes would receive
six-day vacations. The board original
ly recommended that all receive six
day vacations.
Spokesmen for both groups estimat
ed that the compromise wage increase
would add from $300,000,000 to $325,
000,000 to the carriers' annual wage
bill. The cost of the board's original
recommendations had been estimated
by the board at about $270,000,000.
Green To Serve 4s
Labor Co-Chairman
In Birthday Drive
Washington, D. C.—On Jan. 30
President Roosevelt will be 60 years
old. In what has become a national
custom, the President's birthday will
be celebrated throughout the land in
conjunction with a drive to raise funds
to wipe out the scourge of infantile
paralysis.
This coming birthday will be the
Diamond Jubilee celebration and
President William Green announced
that the American Federation of
Labor will take full part. Eager to
serve, Mr. Green disclosed his accept
ance of the post as co-chairman of the
National Labor Committee of the
Committee for the Celebration of the
President's Birthday in the following
letter:
Mr. Keith Morgan, National Chairman,
The Committee for the Celebration
of the President's Birthday for the
National Foundation of Infantile
Paralysis, Inc.,
50 East 42nd Street, New York City.
Dr. Mr. Morgan:
I respond with a feeling of sincere
pleasure to the invitation you extend
me in your letter of recent date to
become a member of the National
Committee and co-chairman of the
National Labor Committee of the
Committee for the Celebration of the
President's Birthday for the National
Foundation lor Infantile Paralysis,
Inc.
I will regard it as a distinct honor
to serve as co-chairman of your Na
tional Labor Committee. I know of
the tremendous importance and sig
nificance which will be attached to
the celebration of the President's 60th
birthday on January 30th. This, as
you have pointed out, will be declared
to be the President's Diamond Jubilee
Birthday Celebration. Truly all peo
ple in all walks of life will participate
in this historic celebration. Because
of my deep interest in the work of
the committee of which you are the
national chairman, I will gladly serve
and help in the furtherance of your
plans and of all your work to the full
extent of my ability.
With all good wishes, I beg to re
mam,
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM GREEN, President,
American Federation of Labor.
Potters Herald
Bostwick Again
Elected To Head
Local Union 44
Sick Members Disappointed
This Year As Members
Fail To Agree
Sebring, Ohio.—Local Union No. 44
met in regular session last Monday
night with a long list of business
items on the docket. This O. C. was
handed another disagreeable job of in
forming our sick members that this
year there will be no collection under
44's name. In previous years we have
taken donations from active members,
put it into a pot and divided it equally
among our sick and disabled members
purely as a helping hand and Christ
mas gift combined. This practice has
caused so much trouble and hard feel
ings, mainly from arguments as to
who and who shouldn't share in these
collections, that the committee ap
pointed to try to iron out the dif
ferences was forced to recommend to
44 that it be discontinued. After a
very thorough explanation by the
committee 44 voted to accept the de
cision.
We of 44 are really sorry that such
a decision had to be made, and are
asking our sick members to try to un
derstand. Those members of 44 who
in previous years have delivered the
checks will be especially sorry, be
cause they have seen several sick
members shed tears upon receiving
the checks, while with others just the
look of appreciation in their eyes was
something to behold.
Several new faces will appear in
your new set of officers. The election
was held this week, with Brother Clar
ence Bostwick again being elected
president. Brother Clyde Jones re
places Chester Jackson as vice presi
dent. John Hall goes in again as re
cording secretary, as well as Bob Lar
king as treasurer. Ralph Ward will
stay on as dues secretary, while
Brother Charles "Pete" Agnew re
places Henry Fairall after a much
spirited contest. Bruce Miskelly was
elected inspector and Frank Lee is
(Turn to PaPr Ty?°J
Bergoff Arrested
In New York City
Notorious Strikebreaker
Tries To Start Same
Old Game
New York City.—Pearl L. Bergoff,
notorious professional strikebreaker,
who had been out of that business
since revocation of his privaterdetec
tive license in 1935, was arrested by
the office of Attorney General John
J. Bennett Jr., on a charge that he re
established himself in the strike
breaking business in New York three
months ago.
Magistrate Vincent J. Sweeney re
leased him in bail of $2,500. Mr.
Bergoff's daughter, Harriet, 31 years
old, with whom he lived at 105 West
72nd street, where they were arrest
ed, was paroled in the custody of her
attorney on a charge of being associ
ated with her father in his renewed
strikebreaking venture. Lew Cohn, 50,
of 559 West 158th street, who also
was charged with being involved in
the enterprise, was released in $1,500
bail, pending trial in Special Sessions.
All were charged with violating pro
visions of the penal law and the gen
eral business law.
Bergoff, according to Leonard E.
Ruisi, Assistant Attorney General, re
turned to the strikebreaking field by
getting his daughter and a private de
tective, Bernhard Haas, 61, of 311
East 89th street, to serve as front.
Using Haas' private-detective license,
the Modern Investigation Bureau, Inc.,
was set up on Aug. 29 at 1834 Broad
way, just above Columbus Circle, Mr.
Ruisi charged. Haas was made presi
dent, but to Miss Bergoff, as treas
urer, was assigned 75 per cent of the
stock, and hence 75 per cent of the
profits. Haas received 25 per cent,
Mr. Ruisi said. With the arrests, the
Haas license was suspended by Mi
chael J. Walsh, Secretary of State.
According to Mr. Ruisi, the Modern
Investigation Bureau hired 70 men as
strikebreakers, 10 of them who had
criminal records. To get the services
of the latter, at least for a 10-day
period, smudged or incomplete finger
prints were sent to police headquar
ters to comply with the law. By the
time police sent an indignant demand
for better prints the men involved had
put in a good several days of strike
breaking, he said.
Mr. Ruisi said that Bergoff's men
were employed actively during No
vember in breaking the strike of mem
bers of the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters, an American Federation
of Labor affiliate, at the warehouse
of Spear & Co., 524 West 28rd street.
Trenton, N. J.—Local Union No. 45
took care of a great deal of business
at the last meeting. There was a good
attendance with a number of new
voices in the audience.
Insurance beneficiary cards are
being distributed by the shop collec
tors to check on correct beneficiaries
and in some cases to get the correct
name so as to avoid any trouble in the
future. We would like to stress this
point, please fill in and return imme
diately.
Nomination of local officers will be
held next meeting night, December 12,
and election will take place on the
19th. To encourage you to take part
in this very important business, a
Christmas party will be held at the
close of the regular session on De
cember 19.
President Cooper announced that he
has a bowling team that is ready to
roll Local Union No. 3o's team as
soon as it can be arranged.
We are afraid all locals have their
share of the kind of members the
O. C. of 133 writes about. In fact all
organizations have them. It goes with
human nature for many to be like
that. They will get a jolt some day
which will waken them from their ego
and selfishness.
We wish Local 133 an evening filled
with enjoyment and something to re
member in the years to come, in the
celebration of their anniversary.
We enjoyed the report of Local 12's
anniversary party and was pleased to
know they had such a good time.
These affairs are of great importance.
We need to get together socially, as
well as just for business. All work
and no play still makes Jack a dull
boy.
This O. C. is encouraged \a know
fTurn to Pa.gr Two)
Full Support In
War Against Japs
New York Federation Calls
On Members To Work
Without Stint
New York City.—The New York
State Federation of Labor, represent
ing 1,400,000 members of various A.
F. of L. unions in the Empire State,
sent the following telegram to Presi
dent Roosevelt:
"We pledge to you our readiness to
cooperate wholeheartedly with you
and to'accede to any request that you
may make of us in helping to protect
our country and its allies and our
common interests against all our
enemies."
Thomas J. Lyons, president of the
New York State Federation of Labor,
called a special emergency meeting of
the Executive Council of that organi
zation as soon as the word of the Jap
anese declaration of war was received
in the United States.
The Executive Council met in New
York City and adopted a resolution
denouncing the Japanese for their
"unprecedented treachery" and calling
upon the A. F. of L. workers in New
York State to turn out the implements
of war "just as fast as it is humanly
possible to do so."
"The A. F. of L. workers of New
York State are determined that
Japan must be absolutely smashed for
her murderous assault upon Ameri
cans and American soil," Mr. Lyons
said. "We are rolling up our sleeves
and we are going to stay on the job
and keep turning out the things our
government needs."
The New York City Central Trades
and Labor Council, representing 750,
000 A. F. of L. unionists, called an
emergency meeting for 10:30 a. m.
Wednesday.
Officers of the Council pledged the
complete cooperation of the A. F. of
L. members of the metropolitan New
York area in "all measures taken by
the American government." They pre
dicted the unanimous adoption at the
special meeting of a resolution pledg
ing uninterrupted production and a
total avoidance of strikes, with the
conciliation and mediation facilities
being used in the event of differences
with employers.
"The A. F. of L. workers of Greater
New York will back up our Com
mander-in-Chief to the last man,"
Secretary James C. Quinn said. "Al
ready we are calling upon all able
bodied men and women belonging to
our unions to volunteer for civilian
defense duties. We will do everything
(Turn to Page Two),
^r^TTTfiT?
0£c
IS 1941
4wur
P%.
TOJ1
Agreement To Be Reopened Tuesday
Morning In New York City's Hotel Astor
U. 35 Schedules
Christmas Party
Election Of Officers Will Be
Held By Trenton Local
Same Night
Conferees To Meet Monday
Morning At Nine
o'Clock
WELLS HITS REQUEST
States Cost of Living Has
Hot Included The Re
quired Amount
The reopening of the wage agree
ment Tuesday in New York's Hotel
Astor will take place under condi
tions unforeseen two weeks ago when
the National Brotherhood of Operative
Potters' request for the conference
was granted by the United States
Potters' Association.
The nation is suddenly at war—a war
that started in Europe two years ago
and has been the cause behind the
steady rise in the cost of living which
prompted many affiliated locals of the
Brotherhood to petition the Executive
Board to ask for a reopening of the
present pact signed last February in
New York.
President James M. Duffy will call
the first pre-conference meeting to
order at 9 o'clock Monday morning at
the Plymouth Hotel where the con
ferees will be quartered.
At a two-day meeting of the USPA
held in Cleveland, Joseph M. Wells,
Labor Board chairman and co-chair
man of the coming conference with
Mr. Duffy, told the members of his
group that the cost of living had not
risen to a point where a revision of
the present wage scale was necessary.
He also complained of various "il
legal work stoppages" in the past and
advocated a "penalty clause in the
contract to cover such outbreaks."
The conferees may find New York
more war conscious than the unruffled
Middle-West. Two false air alarms
have tended to make the metropolis a
little jittery, but the potters will un
doubtedly also find busine»sv going on
very much as usual.
Charles Goodwin
Dies In Cleveland
USPA Secretary-Treasurer
Stricken At Association's
Annual Meeting
Charles F. Goodwin, secretary-treas
urer of the United States Potters* As
sociation, died at 2 o'clock this morn
ing of a heart attack in Cleveland,
where he attended the annual meeting
of the Association.
Mr. Goodwin was born in East Liv
erpool 67 years ago. He was associat
ed with the Goodwin Pottery Company
here in an official capacity until it
closed in 1908.
He was elected secretary and
treasurer of the Association in July
of 1912 after the death of John Cart
wright and had become extremely well
known by members of the National
Brotherhood of Operative Potters
through his work in the wage confer
ences and his participation on many
joint committees, including the stand
ing committees.
His position brought him in con
stant and close contact with Brother
hood officials who are quite loud in
their praise of the work of the USPA
secretary. Mr. Goodwin is credited
with doing much to help smooth the
rough spots in the collective bargain
ing relations enjoyed by the NBOP
and USPA. He had a reputation for
fairness and constantly strived to
make the interpretation of the agree
ment just ard workable.
Not well for some time, Mr. Good
win was stricken at 5:45 yesterday
morning in his room at the Hotel Hol
lenden. His condition was such that
it was impossible to move him.
He leaves his widow, Ann Hancock
Goodwin two sons, Dr. Robert H. of
New Bedford, Mass., and John B. of
New York and two grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements had not been
completed at press time.
Armstrong To Lead
Local Union No. 124
Fish Fry And Dance. Dec. 19
Promises Real Time
For Members
Local Union No. 124 held election
of officers at the meeting Tuesday
evening, with the following being in
ducted into office: Clair Armstrong,
president Lois Coleman, vice presi
dent Ralph Bergner, recording sec
retary Carlos Sayres, treasurer
Laura Merchant, guard Etta Brookes,
inspector William Bergner, trustee,
18
months Henry Cresswell, statistician.
These brothers and sister will give
their best to promote the interests of
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