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OFFICIAL ORGAN
NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
OF OPERATIVE POTTERS
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VOL. XLI, NO. 23
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Largest AFL Membership
In History Will Back Move
To Repeal New Labor Law
.. San Francisco.—Backed up by the largest membershi
history, the 66th annual convention of the American Fee
(Fibration of Labor came to grips with the worst legal crisis
ever faced by organized labor in America.
As President William Green rapped the gaVel, Tlalltng
the 600 delegates to order and formally opening the conver
tion sessions, the attention of the Federation’s new hig
total of 7,577,716 members was focused on San Francisco
awaiting the important decisions to be made on dealing wit
the Taft-Hartley Act.
That the American Federation of Labor intends to fight
this obnoxious and repressive law with all its power and to
carry on the fight relentlessly until the law is repealed, was
made evident by the expressed attitude of the delegates from
i 105 national and international unions, as well as State Fed
erations of Labor, City Central bodies and directly affiliated
local unions.
—^United confidence that the forces of democracy and
progress will prevail over the reactionary tide which put
over the Taft-Hartley emanated from every section of the
I convention floor in the Civic Auditorium.
The delegates were expected to consider a 4-day attack on the
predominant problem of the Taft-Hartley Act:
1—To challenge specific provisions of the law in the courts and
to seek a decisum by the National Labor Relations Board overruling
I NLRB Chief Counsel Denham’s ruling requiring non-Communist* af
fidavits from all AFL Executive Council members.
2—To negotiate new contracts with employers which will obviate
application or some of the stringest provisions of the Taft-Hartley
3—~To conduct a tional campaign, including the
waejrf newspaper adv$ ^jonsosedjmdw progranMk totally,
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ley ^Act.
4—To intensify the AFL’s peBtieal activities in the 1948 campaign
so as to defeat those who voted for the law and to elect a new Con
gross which will have a mandate to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act.
Aside from the Crippling effects of this anti-labor legislation, the
/(Mttention of the delegates was centered on two other major subjects.
First, union leaders were demanding action to lower the cost of
'^living. Higher prices they charged, had wiped out wage gains and
threaten the entire national economy.
Second, the delegates appeared deeply concerned by the recent
developments in international affairs, especially the aggressive atti
tude of Soviet Russia. To maintain world peace, they felt, an immedi
ate showdown with Russia is necessary.
Convention committees prepared to hold hearings on large num
bers of resolutions and Executive Council recommendations dealing
with national and State legislation.
Heading the list of legislation which the convention is expected
to demand of Congress are these bills:
1—Amendment of the Fair Labor Standards Act to boost the
minimum wage from the present intolerably low level of 40 cents
an hour to at least 75 cents.
2—Enactment of the Wagner-Ellender-Taft Bill, which would
make possible the construction of 15 million new homes in America
during the next ten years.
3—Passage of the Wagner-Murray-Dingell Bill, to increase So
cial Security benefits in line with advancing living costs, to widen th^
coverage of such benefits and to establish a nation-wide system of in
surance against the costs of medical care.
A number of distinguished speakers have been invited by Presi
dent Green to address the early sessions of the convention while the
committees are holding hearings and preparing their reports to the
convention.
On affairs of special interest to labor, the convention will hear
from Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach and Mayor Hubert H. Hum
phrey of Minneapolis, a well-known liberal. Senator Wayne Morse, of
Oregon, and Lee F. Johnson, Vice President of the National Public
Housing Conference, will talk on legislative matters.
Problems relating to veterans will be discussed by the new Com
mander of the American Legion, James F. O’Neill General Mark W.
Clark, World War II hero and now commanding general of the U. S.
(Continued on Page Two)
Strong Label Campaign Urged As
Practical Means of Defeating Foes
L4 San Francisco. Officers of the
Union Label Trades Department
urged delegates to the department’s
39th convention to wage a vig
orous campaign to influence Ameri
can consumers to favor goods bear
ing the Union Label or services de
signated by a Shop Card or Service
Button.
The report of the department’s
executive board stressed the need
for redoubled efforts in this direc
tion to combat labor’s foes and free
the labor movement from the shac
kles of the Taft-Hartley law, The
report declared: 4
“If American labor desires to re
^eal anti-union laws and obtain the
J»ght kind of protective legislation,
it must stop supporting those who
are making a profit on non-union
workers. These profits are used
to employ high-priced lawyers who
write bills for our lobby-guided
legislators and to hire propagan
dists to promote them. By spending
their union-earned money for non
union goods, free American work
ers help unfair employers to make
huge profits, part of which are
used to elect kept politicians who
pass laws to enslave American
toilers.
“By withholding their support
from unfair manufacturers and
merchandisers and by
patronizing
only those firms that display the
Union Label, Shop Card, and Serv
ice Button, American workers have
the best guarantee for security of
their jobs, wages, and working con
ditions. They have the best assur
ance of creating higher labor stan
dards now being advocated by the
American Federation of Labor and
which help to make up what is
known as “our American way of
life.”
“If we do not spend our high
wage purchasing power for union
made-in-America products and
union services, we cannot expect
fair employers to continue to pay
union wages and maintain the
working conditions all our
members enjoy.”
The report gave an account of the
successful AFL Union Label and
Industrial Exhibition held in St.
Louis in 1946 and announced plans
for a bigger and better show in
1948 to be held in Milwaukee.
Pointing out that the name of
future exhibitions has been chang
ed to “Union-Industries Show" the
report said:
“The 1947 Union-Industries
Show will be a glorious panorama
for all things union. It will be a
show window for union-made goods
and a dress parade for union serv
\Turn to Page Five)
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Local No 201
Held Picnic
On Sept. 20th
Officials Of Firm
Join In Festivities
Huntington Park, Calif. Well
here we are again, just a wee
group of potters of Local 201 on
the west coast, but we Sure have
fun.
Our annual picnic was a little
late, being held at Griffith Park,
September 20th, but the weather
was perfect and everything else
that goes to make for a real pic
nic. There is just no use trying to
explain what a fine job our com
mittees did, both in entertainment
and refreshments. Every year is
just a little better than the pre
vious one.
As usual we were honored with
our executives joining us in the
festivities, to which they so gen
erously donated in order to make
our outing a success. They too, ex
pressed satisfaction with the way
the affair was handled. It should,
and I believe does, go a long way
with the majority of employees to
know that their employer can go
out and enjoy a day’s fun without
the least sign of superiority being
shown. However, we do need each
others cooperation to make a suc
cess.
We were sorry that a number
of our fellow workers could not be
piesent, but I daresay the jane*
who were«mada up in mare way*
than one for those who were ab
sent. One of our very worthy broth
ers got a little beyond his capa
city and when he arrived home he
misjudged the length of his garage
the result, he now has an open air
garage, which is typical of some of
the potteries here on the west
coast.
I know some of you eastern
(Turn to Page Two)
Local Union 42
To Hold Fish Fry
Monday, Oct. 20th
Salem, Ohio—Perhaps the change
in weather might have been the ex
tra spark needed to bolster the at
tendance at meeting of Local
Union 42, but nevertheless, we are
glad to see the increased enthus
iasm displayed at the last few
meetings.
With this kind of spirit there is
no doubt that big and better things
are in store. One of which we men
tion at this time is the fish fry to
be held Monday evening, Oct. 20
at the Memorial building.
The success of our first adven
ture will be used as a measuring
rod by the committee for further
socials throughout the year. Let’s
all make »t a point to be pres
ent and join with our fellow, work
ers in an evening of fun.
A special invitation has been ex
tended the members of the Execu
tive Board and thpy have promised
to be present.
Three new members were initi
ated and their names added to the
roll.
With the Community Chest drive
at hand, once again members of
Local Un ioh 42 have endorsed the
campaign and will back up that
endorsement with a sizable cash
donation.—O. C. 42.
Senate Group Names
Reive, Cruikshank
Washington (LPA)—Officials of
the AFL and CIO were named last
week to an advisory council to
work with the Senate Finance Com
mittee in a special investigation of
how the federal social security sys
tem should be expanded and
strengthened.
Nelson Cruikshank, the AFL’s di
rector of social insurance activi
ties, and Vice-President Emil Rieve
of the CIO are members of the ad
visory group, whose chairman is
former Secretary of State Edward
R. Stettinius Jr.
The special investigation of so
cial security was sponsored in Con
gress by Senators Vandenberg (R.,
Mich.) and Millikin (R., Colo.)
and has $25,000 to carry out
work.
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Bro. Arthur Ferber made his re
port of the Ohio State Federation
of Labor convention in Cincinnati.
He outlined the program for.«d
vancing the interests of labor as
set up by the state body, and the
advances that can be made if the
laboring people as a unit, pull to
gether and show their strength at
the polls on election day.
A committee was appointed to
draw up ideas and recommenda
tions to send to the Health and
Welfare Board to aid them in de
vising a ictirement plan in the pot
tery industry.
Two new jiggers have been in
stalled and will be in operation next
week. The casters are on part time
due to lack of orders for such ware.
By the same token, the jiggers are
working 45 hours most every week
to keep the kilns going.
I saw in the Herald where one
O. C. was complaining about the
tardiness of some firms in install
ing electric whirlers for their fin
ishers. Here in Cambridge we can
who represented the local at the
conference, has some very enligh
tening facts to reveal which will
be of special interest to all mem
bers.
With the fall weather on us maJ^
of the members are talking dance
and banquet. A report from the so
cial committee relative to this hint
would be in order at the next
meeting. How about it fellows?—
O. C. 99.
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LIVERPOOL, OHIO, THURSDAY, October 9, 1947
AFL’s Largest Convention To Act In Labor Crisis
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^GREEN URGES MORE PRODUCTION—Surrounded by report
ers, AFL Pres. William Green leaves the White House after a con
ference with Pres. Truman. Green told the newsmen that labor and
industry should cooperate fully for maximum production as ong way
to curb high prices.—(Federated Pictures).
Power Whirlers
Installed In
Cambridge Plant
Cambridge, Ohio—Our last meet
ing on Sept. 24 proved a big suc
cess from the standpoint of enfight
ment aad^siacerity, though lad^g
somewhat fn attendance. A couple
of small grievances were discuss
ed and ironed eut satisfactorily,
while others will be taken up with
the firm by the shop committee.
Reason for their alarm was the
published announcement of the
American Iron & Steel Institute
that present capacity of the steel
industry should afford a surplus
of at least 10,000,000 tons anually
until the year 2000 on the basis
of 1929 per capita consumption and
predicted population trends.
A Senate Small Business Com
mittee on Steel heard testimony
from both federal and union offi
cials during July and August that
full employment in 1950 will re
quire steel capacity of 100,000,000
tons or more. However, industry
representatives put production fig
ures at 75,000,000 and 80,000,000
tons for 1950. Such figures are a
virtual guarantee, according to
Louis Bean, Agriculture Dep’t econ
mist, of 10 to 12,000,000 unemploy
ed in the early 1950’s.
While the steel industry con
tinued to resist any suggestions
that capacity expansion was des
perately needed for a healthy na
tional and world economy—a con
tention in which union leaders and
Steelmaker Henry Kaiser agreed—
the American Iron & Steel Insti
tute was spending thousands of
dollars last week for large news
paper ads thruout the country.
These ads boasted that production
of steel ingots this year will be
60% more than 1939, but as they
appear^, other pages of the daily
press reported that labor’s charge
of an acute steel shortage had been
verified by General Motors, world’s
(Turn to Page Two)
/COMMUNITY FUND
Following a meeting Monday evening of represent
atives of the various locals in the tri-state district, at
which time it was agreed to carry out the proposed plan
of working a few extra hours at time-and-a-half rates,
with the money being turned over to the Community
Fund, representatives of the Hall China Co. and the
Harker Pottery Co., in conjunction with their em
ployees, immediately began setting up a schedule to
carry out the innovation.
Information regarding other plants was not avail
able as we go to press, but we learned from authorita
tive sources that the plan was acceptable and would be
put into effect with the management and shop commit
tees in the respective plants, drawing up a schedule,
suitable to all.
The Community Fund is an inspiring lesson in com
munity cooperative action. It is true Democracy at
work. It exemplifies unselfish devotion to the public
good. It is an enterprise of men and women of good
will, WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE OF COM
PULSION.
The members of National Brotherhood of Opera
tive Potters have always contributed generously to any
worthwhile cause. In the Community Fund Drive which
is now underway, our members also will go to the limit
of their ability, as they have always done.
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Steel Industry
Basing Plans On
1929 Production
Washington (LPA) Labor
leaders and economists and gov
ernment experts who recently
told a Congressional investigating
committee that the steel industry's
program of planned scarcity was
heading the nation toward depres
sion hit the roof last week.
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L.U. 33 Plans
Anniversary
Celebration
Will Be Held Dec. 6
At Broadhead Hotel
Beaver Falls, Pa.—Fitting cere
monies to mark the 50th anniver
sary of Local Union 33 were com
pleted at our last meeting and
everything in readiness for the gala
event which will be held at the
Broadhead Hotel on Dec. 6.
Special guests for the occasion
will be President James M. Duffy
and members of the Executive
Board, Mr. Arthur Mayer, president
of the Mayer China Co., Judges Mc
Creary and Sohn of the Beaver
County Courts and Mayor Medley.
It is the desire of the committee
to have as many former members
present as possible and since the
reservations are limited to 300, all
those wishing to attend should com
municate with Leonard Greco, Box
303, Beaver Falls, Pa.
It has been quite some time
since any news from Local Union
33 has appeared in the Herald. We
feel this is not entirely the fault
of our O. C. and a plan has been
suggested for gathering news
throughout the shop which we think
O. K. Items of interest should be
turned over to the following in each
department: Lena Kelly, glost ware i
room Elizabeth Radnathy, bisquel
ware room Laura Swartz, kiln
drawers and laborers Florence
Charles Gibson, sliphouse.
Tony Capo and Thomas Bond,
representatives respectively to the
Liners and Warehouse conference,
made their reports which were fav
orably received.—O. C. 83.
White Outlines
Coverage Under
New Group Plan
Clarksburg, W. Va.—Local Union
99 met in regular session last Mon
day evening, Sept. 29, with Presi
dent Auggie Mazzie, presiding.
Mr. Francis White, representa
tive for the N. B. of O. P. Group
insurance was present, and thor
oughly explained the family cov
erage policy that so many of our
members are interested in.
Many questions were asked Mr.
White and after considerable dis
cussion, it was decided that com
mittees would be set up in the var
ious departments to contact each
member now covered under the
group plan to spe if they were in
favor of a plan which would include
members of their family.
Bro. Sam Allison who represent
ed the liners at the special confer
ence gave a report and stated that
a future meeting would be called
to straighten out the present con
ditions.
Due to a death in the family of
Bro. Jack White, delegate to the
special warehouse conference,
President Mazzie gave a report of
what transpired at the meeting.
With the meeting still in session
as the hands of the clock rolled
by the customary hour for adjourn
ment, a motion was passed to carry
over the report from the West Vir
ginia State Federation of Labor
until our next meeting. This should
warrant a record attendance at our
next session for President Mazzie,
(Turn to Page Two)
Painting Memorial
To Mine Victims
Wasington, D. C.—(ILNS)—The
United Mine Workers Journal says
“The Coal Miner”, an oil painting
by Vachel Davis of Eldorado, Ill.,
was presented recently to the state
of Illinois and hung in the state
capitol at Springfield as a mem
orial to the 111 men killed in the
Centralia mine explosion of last
March. Hugh White, president of
District 12, UMWA, unveiled the
painting in the offices of the Illi
nois Department of Labor at the
state house. The last session of
the Illinois Legislature appropri
ated $1,000 for the purchase of the
painting to honor the
the Centralia victims.
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MEMBER
INTERNATIONAL LABOR
NEWSSERVICE
Resurgence of Labor
Result From Effect Of
Anti-Labor Legislation
San Francisco.—Rallying the forces of organized labor
to mobilize their full strength for the drive to repeal the
Taft-Hartley Act, the Executive Council of the American
Federation of Labor struck an optimistic note in its report
to the 66th annual AFL convention here.
Without minimizing the harsh and repressive effects
of the new law, the Executive Council predicted that it
would serve to arouse the nation’s workers to a fighting
pitch of union loyalty which is bound to result in a great
resurgence of the trade union movement.
After assailing Congress and reactionary employers for
the enactment of the Taft-Hartley Act, the Executive Coun
cil said in the introduction to its report:
“The action of Congress is doubly regrettable because
the world is looking to the United States for material help
and for proof that democracy assures rights and opportun
ities for all national groups. Though the fighting war is over
we have not yet won the peace for democracy. In the present
crisis of international relations, all our national policies are
under world review and directly affect our ability to carry
out our international programs. Reactionary employers used
their great opportunity not to serve but to embarrass the
cause of democracy.
“These efforts to handicap and weaken unfons have
roused wage earners of the United States who have the re
sourcesfulness and the faith to meet their dififculties in a
way that will serve and strengthen our democratic institu
tions. The comingj’ear will witness a revival of trade unions
which will make eac^member conscious ot his responsibil
ities.”
Other highlights the Executive Council’* revert to the
Relations With The CIO
The Executive Council warned against any collaboration with the
CIO until both organizations are merged into a single, united labor
movement.
The AFL, the Council said, stands ready to meet with the CIO
for the purpose of working out details of such a merger, as pledged
by both sides.
“We believe that this is the first and primary requirement,” the
report said. “All other things are incidental. We cannot have peace
and war at the same time. We cannot pretend to work together in the
legislative field while engaged in fighting and raiding each other in
another field. We believe the rank and file in both the AFL and the
CIO favor the establishment of organizational unity immediately, and
the termination of strife, division, hatred and bitterness.”
Foreign Policy
Condemnation of Soviet Russia’s aggressive and expansionist
policies featured the Council’s declaration on foreign policy.
“The American Federation of Labor is gratified to note the extent
to which our government has abandoned a policy of appeasement and
adopted a policy of plain speaking,” the Council report said.
“We note with approval a proposal in Congress to urge amend
ment of the Charter of the United Nations to abolish the veto power
of the five nations and to substitute majority rule for all determina
tions.”
The Council recommended further direct representation and con
sultation with labor in United Nations agencies.
High Cost Of Living
Inflation is having a serious and destructive effect upon the en
tire national economy, the Executive Council warned. The upward
surge of living costs has wiped out gains in wage rates and forced
workers to dig into their savings to an alarming degree.
Even with almost full employmefft, the Council found, prosperity
for the masses of the American people is still far beyond reach. High
prices have forced families to abandon plan? to purchase many pro
ducts they need, thus drying up the real market for manufactured
goods which must be sustained for a balanced economy.
The Executive Council urged the extension of consumer coopera
tives to ease the pressure of high living costs on wage earners and
to force prices down.
Council Renews Otter To Meet With
CIO To Plan Unity of Labor -Groups
San Francisco. The Executive
Council announced it stands ready
to meet with the CIO at any time
for the purpose of achieving or
ganizational unification of the two
labor organizations.
In its report to the AFL con
vention the Council declared:
“We believe that this is the first
and primary requirement which
should be met. All other things are
incidental.
“We cannot have peace and war
at the same time. We cannot pre
tend to work together in the legis
lative field while engaged in fight
ing and raiding each other in an
other field.
“We believe the rank and file in
both the AFL and the CIO favor
the establishment of organizational
unity immediately, and the termi
nation of strife, division, hatred
and bitterness.
“The Executive Council stands
ready to carry out the commitments
it has made in favor of organiza
tional unity within the ranks of
labor, and to join in laying the
foundation for the establishment of
such a united movement and to
honestly and sincerely work out
the details incidental to the crea
tion and establishment of such a
united labor movement.”
The Council’s report delved into
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the history of prior negotiations
between committees representing
the AFL and the CIO, and charged
the CIO with misrepresenting the
terms of a resolution adopted last
May. The resolution stated tfiat “it
is the unanimous opinion of the
representatives of the CIO and the
AFL that organic unity should be
established within the American
Labor Movement.” The Council
said:
“This declaration can only be
interpreted as meaning that the
establishment of a solidified labor
movement is a primary require
ment to the development of coop
eration and united action in the
legislative, economic and industrial
fields.
“Proceeding upon this assump
tion a communication dated July
16, 1947, was sent to the President
of the CIO in which there was ex
pressed the willingness and desire
of the committee representing the
Executive Council to meet again
for the purpose of carrying out
the declaration made at the meet
ing on May 2, 1947, as herein quot
ed. The commmittee understood
this to mean that inasmuch as all
had unanimously agreed that or
ganic unity should be established
within the labor movement, that
(Tum ts Page Two)