The potters herald. [volume], April 09, 1942, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
I
t,
i
Heads Of AFL And CIO Are
Cheered At Patriotic
Demonstration
PAUL McNUTT ATTENDS
Workers Of Our Country
Performing Production
Miracles
Pittsburgh (ILNS). American la
bor's unity in the war effort was
strikingly emphasized here at n big
labor rally at Syria Mosque under
joint AFL-OIO direction, with AFL
President William Green, CIO Presi
dent IMiiHp Murray a.ni Federal Se
curity Administrator Paul V. McNutt
as principal speakers.
How American workers are helping
to win the war was the theme of the
meeting. The addresses were broad
cast from coast to coast by the Mutual
Broadcasting System.
The meeting marked the first time
since the split in organized labor that
the presidents of the AFL and CIO
have appeared on the same public
platform together.
"The workers of otir country are
performing production miracles every
day," Green said, "(live them the tools
find the materials and they will pro
duce everything America needs for vic
tory."
Green declared "certain business In
terests and high pressure propagand
ists" were claiming that America must
abolish the 40-hour week, overtime pay,
the union shop and the right to strike.
He quoted President ltoosevelt, War
Production Director Donald M. Nelson
and heads of the army and navy as
agreeing "unanimously" that abolition
of the 40-hour week would not "add a
single hour of labor to war produc
tion."
"I am liappy to tell you" "tonight,"
|een said in eiydlng his* talk, "that
rv
Is showing4 the nation how to
bury past quarrels and how to unite
in all-out war effort. Ever since the
war broke out the AFL and the (MO
have worked .together as patriotic
Americans and have conferred to
gether at regular intervals with
President Roosevelt to formulate joint
policies for winning the war."
Kight to Strike Waived
The same Government authorities,
CJreen said, agreed also that "overtime
pay is necessary to meet higher living
costs and provide an incentive to great
er production and that labor's
voluntary surrender of the right: to
Strike, for .the duration of the war, is
far more effective than any compul
sory law could be."
(ireen Presents Murray
Then, "in token of this spirit of
unity and cooperation which is neces
sary for victory," Green introduced
Philip Murray as his "friend, collab
orator and fellow-American."
Murray declared American workers
"hold the fate of the United Nations
in their hands, for upon the output of
this nation's labor and industry de
pends the victory." Facing the foe as a
well-trained army, he added, "labor is
determined that our country shall not
suffer the fate of France and Norway,
through the disruptive efforts of fifth
columnists or self-proclaimed patriots
who preach disunity.
"Labor is sick and tired of having
its patriotism questioned," Murray de
clared. "With their backs bent over
their machines, their hearts and minds
devoted to increased production, the
workers now look over their shoulders
and find behind them, with knife tip
raised. groups who would renew old
attacks upon the working man and his
organizations.
Already this war of produc
(Turn to Page Two)
Pennsylvania Labo
Pittsburgh (ILNS).-—The State Su
preme Court has dealt a blow at effec
tive action by the Pennsylvania Labor
ISoard in a ruling holding that the
board may not appeal court decisions
revoking its orders or espouse any
party's cause in litigation.
Chief Justice William I. Schaeffer
wrote the opinion, which contended
that the State Labor Relations Act had
not contemplated the board Incoming
a litigant to c: es tried before it and
added that such a practice was con
trary to the customs and traditions of
the commonwealth.
The court dismissed the labor
board's appeal from a ruling of a
Philadelphia Common Pleas Court
which set aside the board's order di
recting reinstatement with back pay of
two members of the CIO United Auto
Workers' Union discharged by a Phila
delphia motor company.
Justice Schaeffer'g opinion interpret­
Mm
Green And Murray Pledge
Unity Fori War At Rally
fEDUj
APR 1a IV?
GREEN PROTESTS USE
OF MacARTHUR PICTURE
IN ANTI-LABOR ADS
Washington. D. \—(HAS).In a let
ter to S»H*retary of War Stimson,
President William (Jreen of the Amer
ican Federation of Laltor vigorously
protested against use of (Jen. Douglas
MacArthur's picture in advertisements
supporting anti-labor legislation. (Jreen
asked Secretary Stimson to take offi
cial action "to prevent further abuses
of the same nature."
(ireen told Stimson that full-page ad
vertisements signed by "patriotic in
dividuals and firms" had appeared in
two Witchita, Kan., papers, prominent
ly displaying (Jen. MacArthur's picture
and urging abolition of the right toi
strike, abolition of the 40-hour week
and abolition of overtime.
(ireen said that he believed the
firms s|onsoring the advertisements
were selfish rather than patriotic, and
declared that the "nefarious and un
authorized use" of tlie picture of the
hero of Bataan put him in the position
of advocating policies rejected by Ids
Commander in Chief, President ltoose
velt.
Erwin Potters Help
Clerks Gain Closed
Shop Agreement
Organized Labor Called
Upon When Merchants
Refuse To Sign
Erwin, Tenn.—The recently organ
ized Clerks Union No. 1412 appealed to
members of organized labor here in
Krwin for assistance in negotiating a
contract with our local merchants.
A coiMnittee composed of the folk\\v
ing brothers: L. Kerr of L. U. 10:1,
N. It. of (). P., Callie Casey and II. It.
Walker of the Railroad Craftsmen as
sisted the clerks in drawing up a con
tract which called for a closed shop.
This was presented to the merchants
who flatly refused to sign it. Several
meetings were held and the merchants
finally agreed to go along with the
clerks and sign their contract, provid
ed the closed shop clause was elimi
nated. E. L. Kerr, chairman of the
committee refused to listen to their
request and warned the merchants that
it was closed shop or nothing.
After much discussion tlie committee
was asked to leave the room for a
few minutes in order that the mer
chants could reconsider the clause.
Calling the committee back the mer
chants agreed to the closed shop clause
and the following merchants who are
considered the "Big Five" were imme
diately signed up: A. It. Brown, Huffs
Grocery, Carter Bros, (irocery, Service
(irocery and Unaka Store.
Several stores as yet are not in the
fold, hut labor men here have made It
known that any who fail to sign with
the Retail Clerks will not have the
patronage of union men in Krwin.
Higher Pay Granted
Seattle Meatcutters
Seattle, Wash. (ILNS).—Meatcut
ters in independent markets in Seattle
have mvived wage increases up to .$10
per week as a result of a new contract.
The new scale provides $ffi per week
for journeymen, $00 for foremen and
$10 to $11 per day for extra help. The
Butchers Union has remained on a
strike against several chain organize
tions. They were out only a short time
before the new contract was signed
with the independent operators.
Board Barred
From Appealing Court Decisions
ed the law as permitting appeal by
either "party," but said the hoard, a
quasi-judicial agency, was not definable
as a "party."
According to interpretations of the
opinion, unions hereafter must bear tin
costs of such appeal litigations, which
have been paid by the labor board in
the past.
As some of the board cases have
been in the process of hearing, rehear
ing and appeal for as long as four
years, few of the smaller organizations
could undertake financing of prolonged
litigation and many such complaints
may have to be dropped.
The ruling is directly contrary to
Federal Court decisions governing op
eration of the National Lalor Rela
tions Board, as most of its major cases
have been won In the United States Su
preme Court on appeals from adverse
rulings in the lower courts.
I
VOL. XLV., NO. 50 EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO, THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1942
Will A Shutdown Of The Pottery
Industry Be Necessary To
Protect Our Wages?
The pottery industry, employes and employers, with few
exceptions have over a period of more than forty years bar
gained collectively. The industry, as a whole, has been in the
forefront of those which have settled the grievances, wages
and working conditions of the workers at the conference
table, rather than through industrial strife.
Last December, after a week of intense debate between
representatives of the employers and the workers, your of
ficers succeeded in prevailing upon the employers to grant an
increase of ten per cent in wages, together with other bene
fits, effective February 1, 1942. This increase in wages, as
your officers foresaw, just about equalled the increased cost
of living. It did not offset, nor was it expected to, the loss of
family income due to the great number of our younger men
who joined the armed forces of their country. Neither did it
offset the increase in taxes which we have all gladly paid.
This increase in wages, even the job opportunities of our
workers are now jeopardized. Not directly by the short-sight
edness of the employers, as has so often been the case, but by
possible threatened official action on the part of a group of
Washington bureaucrats, few, if any, of whom have any prac
tical knowledge of industry either as producers or in the man
agement and operation of a production plant. The employers
in the pottery industry to meet the increased costs of opera
tion, such as wages, materials, freight and traveling expenses
instituted an increase in wholesale selling price of the products
of our labor. Lo and behold the Office of Price Administration
issued an order that such an increase should.not be made
effective.
Your officers, after careful consideration and realizing
that the wage rates 'paid to pottery workers are not in excess
of the wages which are paid in industry generally, are abso
lutely opposed to any pottery worker accepting a reduction in
the wages made affective through collective bargaining on
February 1,1942. With direct wages representing, as we un
derstand they do, some sixty per cent of the wholesale selling
price, surely the workers are concerned both as to their wages
and their opportunities for a job.
Our principal interest in the prices which the employers
secure for the product of our labor is that they shall have suf
ficient funds to continue to provide jobs and pay the wages
which our workers honestly earn. If the pottery workers—
with a history of collective bargaining second 'o none in
^America—atv deprived of their jobs, deprived oitiW earnings
which they honestly deserve, what opportunity is there for
other American workers?
Why should our Government continue to spend hundreds
of millions of dollars, as is essential, to maintain a civilian
''Morale" and a Civilian Defense Administration and at the
same time permit or authorize a few book-learned bureaucrats
in Washington to jeopardize the "morale" of more than 200,
000 American citizens dependent for their livelihood on the
successful operation of the American pottery industry. It is of
some interest to note that while these Washington bureau
crats are jeopardizing, if not destroying, the "morale" of the
more than 200,000 Americans dependent on the American pot
tery industry, a well known Washington columnist portrays a
situation presumably in Washington, which deprives Ameri
can pottery workers of their job opportunities.
The Washington Times-Herald of April 2,1942 on its edi
torial page, in an article written by Helen Essary, says:
"I wonder if there isn't too much talk about 'morale'. Silly
sort of word—'morale'. Possibly an excuse for doing anything
you want to—a wartime aibi. I prefer to change it to 'produc
tion' and 'discipline' and even 'revenge* when my country is in
danger.
"I don't see how England, if so hard pressed that she
needs every man we've got—or almost every man, and certain
ly every other dollar—can continue to carry on a good Atlantic
trade.
"Yesterday I was shopping for china. 'We have very little
American china' said the clerk, 'but we've got lots of fine Eng
lish china. Just arrived. See—here, and here, and here. Our
English china comes in much faster than the American.
'Our own china factories have been ordered by this gov
ernment to give a part of their effort to defense. But the Eng
lish factories have no handicap. We can get a shipment from
England three months after we order. It takes a United States
factory ten months.'
"Very nice, all-out aid for England. But what happens to
United States industry while British merchants enter the
United States markets?"
Of course, there is no ceiling or price or profit limit which
the merchandiser must observe on his purchases or sales of
pottery or chinaware produced in foreign countries.
IT IS FAIR TO ASK WHY AMERICAN WORKERS
AND AMERICAN INDUSTRIES SHOULD BE PENALIZED.
Workers Win Injunction
Restraining Employer
Los Angeles (ILNS).—A new prece
dent in California law was established
recently, the American Civil Liberties
Union says, when Judge Henry M.
Willis of the Labor Relations Depart
ment of the Los Angeles Superior Court
issued a preliminary injunction order
restraining an employer from interfer
ing with the organization of his em
ployes. The order was issued in a suit
sponsored by the Cleaners and Dyers
Local 278, Amalgamated Clothing
Workers, against the Avalon Cleaners
of Los Angeles.
The injunction, to run until the trial
of the case, restrains the employer
from threatening to discharge any em
ployes because of union activities and
from taking any action which inter
feres with their right to organize them
selves. The injunction is said to be
the first of its kind ever issued by a
California Judge.
Official Organ
of the National Brotherhood of Operative Potters
Open Mind Is Urged In
Employment Of Women
Chicago, (ILNS).—Employers engag
ed in war production work were urged
by Chester W. Hepler, United States
Employment Service Director in Illi
nois, to consider with an open mind
the employment of women.
"With our armed forces daily grow
ing in volume, the demand for war
production will continue to grow in
proportion," said Director Hepler.
"And the employment of women ill
war industries in increasing numbers
is inevitable.
"In general, women will not add to
the supply of skilled labor, but they
do present a large and promising
source of workers for a wide variety
of operations."
Curtailment of civilian production
will undoubtedly release numbers of
women with varying degrees of skill.
These women, he pointed out, are
available for tranlning 4n war work.
Potters Herald
Recent Attacks On
Labor Rebuked By
Cambridge Potters
Killinger, Malpass And Pat
terson Named On Legis
lative Committee
Cambridge, Ohio—The first meeting
of Local Union No. 122 in .March was
held at the Eagles llall, with a very
good attendance, despite the fact that
an Army Day celebration was held on
the same night.
The resolution committee presented
a number of resolutions for considera
tion by the local, intended of course
to remedy matters which have proven
unsatisfactory, despite the forty odd
years of bargaining activities by the
X. B. of O. i\
The recent attacks on organized
labor, which have been published in.the
Herald, caused finite a bit of comment
at our last meeting. I am sure
that the union workmen now serving
in the army, making the required sac
rifices, relies upon those who continue
to lalMir in the factories to maintain
to the I jest of their ability. Industrial
standards, which will not require still
reater and continued sacrifices from
the returning soldier-worker at the
end of the war.
There is no reason why labor should
give up what Iteneflts they have se
cured until every class of society has
surrendered similar benefits possessed
by them. I mean, of course, the Manu
facturers Association and the cou]ton
clippers in and out of the Chamber of
Commerce. The Federal Landlords are
exploiting from iahor and the legisla
tors are selfishly interested in main
taining an advantageous market for
stocks and Itonds.
In this war where everyone is sub
ject to the draft for service with
Uncle Sam. there should be no return
by the elite to luxury and a return
of the working man .to poverty.
I trot her Alley Mc'ullough, mouhl
uiaker. employed here for the past six
years, died suddenly ftoai-a hejutt. at
tack. He was well liked by all his
associates, because of his jovial and
friendly nature. Our sincere sympathy
is extended to his surviving family.
Brother Alley came here from Coshoc
ton, Ohio.
Two of our brothers who have been
away from the bench because of sick
ness are now back at work.
Brother Al Laird, new memlter of,
our police squad made a fine appear
ance while directing traffic in our busi
ness district when the ariuy jeeps and
trucks passed through.
Our local appoint**! a legislative
committee composed of Brothers Kill
inger, Malpass and C. L. Patterson,
with authority to write our State and
National legislators to opinise all bills
undermining labor interests when and
wherever they appear. O. C. 1L!L\
Attendance At 86
Takes Sudden Drop
Palmer Named To Fill Un
expired Term Of Re
cording Secretary
Our attendance has certainly fallen
off since our last meeting on Monday.
March 30, when the door prize was
claimed by I teniard Martin.
Beginning last Monday anyone who
claims the door prize must he paid
up to the month in which the drawing
is made. So all members who wish to
compete in the drawing lake notice
and keep your dues paid up.
Brother Laughlin, our recording sec
retary has taken a job in the mill and
Harold Palmer was elected to fill .the
unexpired term.
Three new memlters were initiated
at our last meeting.
The sudden death of Brother Clyde
Parsons was a shock to Ills many
friends throughout the trade. Clyde
was active in the affairs of Local
Union Sfi. Many of the members weut
in a body after our meeting .to pay
their respects.
We ltelieve our local is sending more
men to the defense of our country than
any other local in the trade. We are
proud of this honor and those of us
who are still left should do our part in
helping these brothers, by purchasing
all the Defense Bonds wo can.
6 Cents For 10 Hours Work
New York City.—From underground
sources, the International Transport
Workers' Federation lias learned that
the German Arbeitsdienst (compulsory
labor service) is hard pressed for
workers. Its offices in .the Baltic States
are busily recruiting—by force or per
suasion—volunteers for work behind
the Eastern front lines. The pay of
these "volunteers" is 27 Pfennig daily,
six American cents. The average work
ing day is 10 hours.
ilH
.00 PER YEAR
Looking Forward To Better
Turnout At Meetings Of 45
Attorney General Biddle
Repudiates T. Arnold
Washington. I». c.—Attorney Gen
eral Francis Biddle publicly dis
avowed Assistant Attorney General
Thurman Arnold's latest attack on
organized laltor.
Mr. Biddle, who hpnrts the De
partment of Justice, declared flatly
at a press conference that Mr.
Arnold, who Is his sulordinate. was
not sfteaking for that department,
for the Government or for anyone
other than himself when he bowed
such charges.
Attorney General Biddle was re
ferring directly to Arnold's testi
mony In* fore a Congressional com
mittee that labor unions have
preyed u|ton consumers, farmers
and small business and that existing
law Is not adequate to regulate
unions.
The daily newsletters plastered
Arnold's charges all over page 1.
They buried the repudiation by his
chief, Attorney General Biddle, at
the tail end of stories on another
subject where it would be least
likely to attract notice.
Bank Night Bad
Influence Among
Pottery Locals
Would Like To Hear From
Other Locals Through
out The Trade
Local Union No. 10 met last Monday
evening, with T. M. Ramsey presiding
in the absence of President Silliman,
who is working on the night shift.
It was reported two apprentice
turners were starred at Hall
China
Co.
Our next meeting on April 2tnh. is
your last chance to hand in resolutions.
Any resolution that is not in the print
ed program will not lie presented at tiie
convention.
While the attendance at our meet
ings has been increasing, there is srill
room for improvement. With the atti
tude taken by some of our memlters.
in never finding time to attend at least
one meeting a month, it is little wonder
that labor is having such a hard time
to maintain its rights. How long
would it be before we would go back to
the sweatshop days and the fti-hour
week, if we all felt like those brothers.
Let us hope that we do not have to
start a bank night to get our members
to attend local. While speaking of bank
night, I think this coming convention
should do something altout it. For a
memlter to come out to meetings when
there is a large cash prize to be given
away, is not my idea of a union man
and as long as this practice is allowed
to continue, you can look forward to
much wrangling throughout the tiade.
I would like to hear from other
locals tlirough the columns of the Her
ald regarding their stand on hank
night. Whether They think it is for the
good of the local, or just a gamble.
Vichy Bans Mention Of
French Trade Union Chief
New York City (ILNS).—The Amer
ican office of the International Trans
port Workers' Federation re]torts that
in the midst of sensational testimony
at the Rioni trial of the former gov
ernment heads of France the system
atic application of the Vichy |tolicies
of silencing all opposition has gone
virtually unnoticed.
0
Changing Of Hall And
Meeting Night Should
Boost Attendance
CHECK YOUR DUES BOOK
Final Match With Metuchen
Will Be Roiled Satur
day, April 18th
Trenton, N. .T.—The officers of Local
Union 4.1 were kept busy at our meet
ing last Friday evening.
A check for $200.00. insurance bene
fit for our late I'.rot her I rank Linden
tbal was received and sent to his
widow. We are always glad when we
can forward the full amount. How
much would your beneficiary receive if
you were called now? Some, we are
sorry to say would rather chisel a few
cents and have their Iteneficiary lose
dollars at a time when it is so badly
needed. One brother's family did not
receive anything on that account.
Rules are rules and must Ite enforc
ed. If you are not familiar with them,
k your shop collector, or ask your
secretary for the latest copy of the
Constitution and re:id Section 123.
Another matter which we would like
to call to your attention is attendance
at our meetings. We think you will
agree that education is of utmost im
liortance in any movement, but how
are you to get education along union
lines if you do not attend your local
union meetings. We know from per
sonal experience that any amount of
excuses can l»e thought of, but after
all, they are only excuses. Is it un
reasonable to ask every member to
attend at least one meeting a month.
Many organizations fine their memlters
$1.00 if they do not attend one meeting
a month. Do you think Local 4H should
do the same?
We will sfton !e in our new hall,
-with no steps to climb an»i a
eo«ter atmosphere. We hofte it will
an inducement to some of our brothers
to attend our meetings. Don't leave all
the work for the fit her fellow to do
and criticize him when he has done his
best, feeling that you could have done
It so much hetter. The only one who
never makes a mistake is the one
who does nothing.
I^et us lie honest with ourselves and
with others, that is what is needed at
all times and especially in this emerg
ency. We can all deceive ourselves
much easier than we can deceive oth
ers Nations are deceiving themselves
to the point .that they have declared
war on jteace loving nations. The
press, as of whole, is trying to deceive
our jHHiple by stating that labor is
res|Mtnsible for our unpreparedness. If
labor does get time and one-half for
overtime what is that compared with
the salaries those on the other side of
the social calendar are getting and will
continue to get when the war is over?
We urge everyone to invest all they
can in Defense Bivnds every week so
that if we have to go through another
depression like we did after the first
World War, we will have something to
fall back on. Saving now will help to
keep prices down, spending more than
we need, will help them to rise.
We hear that the tnouldniaker who
left our plant to work in a non-union
shop two months ago, regrets it now.
He would have been better off today
if he bad been satisfied with 40 hours
in one pottery instead of .trying to
work in two, as our mouldmakers
have leen getting six hours overtime
for several weeks.
We have informed him if he secures
work in a union shop and pays all back
dues and assessments due the local
since lie left the Mutual, lie will lie
.granted a transfer. Some feel we are
(Turn to Page Tvio)
Thirteenth All-Ohio Safety Congress
To Be Held In Columbus, April 14.15.16
Columbus. O.—Industrial safety and
accident prevention as a patriotic as
well as a moral responsibility is the
keynote of the Industrial Commission
sponsored Thirteenth All-Ohio Safety
Congress and Exhibit, to be held in the
Deslder-Wallick Hotel April 14, 15
and lfi.
The keynote was sounded by Gover
nor John W. Bricker in accepting the
invitation of Thomas 1'. Kearns, super
intendent of the Commission's Safety
and Hygiene Division, to dedicate the
Congress at its opening session Tues
day morning, April 14.
The Governor said, in part: "Noth
ing is more important at the moment
than the conservation of manpower de
voted to defense production. The nation
can ill afford the loss of the produc
tive capacity of a single man and it Is
the conservation of that manpower
through accident elimination, I be
lieve, that will furnish the principal
theme for the deliberations of your
April sessions. This emphasis is not
only timely as an antidote for the ris
ing tide of work mishaps in Ohio dur
ing lim, but also as a contribution to
the national effort to crystalize senti
ment to bring about that unity neces
sary to speed the triumph of Ameri
can arms."
Labor representatives will again
take an active part in the section and
general sessions of the Congress, which
offers a program of extremely inter
esting and important subjects.
William Reinke, secretary of the
Ohio State Council of Carpenters, Cin
cinnati, is chairman of the Construc
tion Section of the Congress. Robert
D. Dale. Columbus, secretary-treasurer
of the Ohio State Building and Con
struction Trades Council, will speak at
the Tuesday afternoon session of this
section on the subject, "Safety and Its
(Turn t§ Page T«w/