The potters herald. [volume], December 16, 1948, Image 1

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

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MEMBER
INTERNATIONAL LABOR
NEWSSERVICE
VOL. XLII, NO. 33
JU
GIVE LABOR’S VIEWPOINT—Labor spokesmen at last week’s
Congressional hearing on industry profits told the joint subcommittee
that they only want wage raises that could be granted without raising
prices. Right to left: Nelson Cruikshank, director of the AFL social
insurance division, and Stanley Ruttenberg, director of the CIO Dep’t
of Research A Education.
Union Spokesmen Indict Corporations
For Profit Levels At All Time High
Washington (LPA)—One of the4.------------------------------------------------
harshest indictments of the way
American corporations operate
ever presented to Congress was
made last week by spokesmen for
AFL and CIO appearing before a
Congressional subcommittee inves
tigating profits.
AFL ’representative Nelson
Cruikshank, who appeared along
with Margaret Scattergood of the
AFL research department, assert
ed that current high prices create
today’s high profits. Thru prices
paid for consumers goods, he in
sisted, “buyers are providing cap
ital for industries over which they
have no control and from which
they received no dividends.
“This is a kind of taxation by
corporation without representa
tion,” Cruikshank told the commit
tee, which is a part of the Joint
Congressional Committee on- the
Economic Report, set up under the
Employment Act of 1946.
“Corporate profits, after taxes,
tn 1948 will be moup five times
what they were during the period
1936-39,” CIO Research & Educa
tion Director Stanley Ruttenberg
told the committee. He drew up
an indictment of “the self-interest,
short-sighted, depression-producing
thinking of American industry that
must be altered if we are to avoid
serious economic dislocations.”
He urged Chairman Ralph Fland
ers (R., Vt.) to take up with the
spokesmen for steel corporations,
who will appear this week and next
week, the CIO’s charge that the
steel industry is holding back ex
pansion and keeping high reserves
and “is safeguarding itself against
the depression which it believes
will inevitably come.” And these
very actions, Ruttenberg warned,
are hastening a depression.
“It is the old fashioned notion,”
he said, “of making profits thru
moderate levels of production and
high prices, instead of making the
same level of profits or at least a
reasonable level of profits thru low
prices and maximum production."
The AFL’s proposals for tackl-
Machinists Open
Re-Entry Talks
Washington (LPA)—Conferences
looking toward re-entry of the
Int’l Association of Machinists—
largest union unaffiliated with
either AFL or CIO—into the AFL
are being held here this week.
No )uick agreement is anticipat
ed from the discussions, which are
expected to involve AFL Executive
Council members and the top of
ficers of IAM.
The Machinists were suspended
from the AFL in 1945, after the
union stopped per capita payments
of about $100,000 a year to the
AFL. Several long-standing juris
dictional disputes with other AFL
internationals led to the break
when the IAM was unable to ob
tain a satisfactory settlement from
the AFL Executive Council.
The decision to withhold per
capita payments was later confirm
ed in a membership referendum,
by a four-to-one vote.
Officers Elected By
Local Union No. 124
At the last meeting of Local
Union 124 on Dec. 13, the follow
ing officers were elected for the
first six months of 1949: Clair
Armstrong, president Allan Rose,
vice president Harold Williams,
financial secretary Norman Whip
pier, recording secretary Carlos
Sayre, treasurer Frances Green
wood, inspector Grover Jackipan,
guard Harry Cresswell, statistic
ian Paul Miller, trustee*
ing the related problems of infla
tion and profits, Cruikshank said,
start off with a proposal that Pre
sident Truman convene early in
1949 a conference of business, la
bor and farmers “to examine facts
and propose a joint voluntary pro
gram in cooperation with the gov
ernment to stop inflation.” He
urged a “sound” federal monetary
policy, and said that in any new
tax legislation the present heavy
tax burden on low-income families
should be remembered.
“In view of the drastic price
rises and the policy of many com
panies to charge all the traffic will
bear,” the AFL spokesman said,
*‘labor cannot refrain from asking
maximum wage increases unless
we have assurance from employers
that they will meet our salaries by
following policies which will avoid
price increases and permit prices
trrMecline where they are unduly
high.”
will call for an excess profits tax
and undistributed profits tax,
qrder that the present high
of speculative profits can be
away.”
J-
about
Asked by Sen. Flanders
the AFL proposal for a labor-bus
iness-farm-government conference,
the CIO spokesman indicated that
his organization didn’t think that
voluntary measures would be suf
ficient. For a discussion of “long
term objectives,” Ruttenberg
thought a conference might prove
useful. He recalled that the ses
sion of these groups seven years
ago, called at the suggestion of
President Philip Murray, bogged
down when .the conference rejected
Murray’s proposal to discuss
wages.
United Auto Workers President
Walter Reuther will appear before
the committee Dec. 17, and is ex
pected to take up in more detail
the profits claims of General
Motors and other big-business out
fits which will be heard earlier in
the week.
Green Optimistic
About Next Year
New York (LPA)—AFL Presi
dent William Green said last week
that he looks to the new Congress
to make “decided progress” in
putting liberal labor and social sec
urity legislation on our statute
books.
It has a clear mandate to repeal
the Taft-Hartley law, Green re
minded several thousands of peo
ple in New York’s Needle Trades
High School who gathered to pay
tribute to him on the occasion of
his receiving an award for “his
many years of courageous leader
ship in humanitarian causes.”
Donor of the award was the
Workmen’s Circle, a fraternal
order of progressive trade union
ists.
“Mr. Truman’s victory last
month was a victory for all of us,”
the veteran AFL chieftain said.
“Reports reaching us from labor
organizations thruout the world
show that workers everywhere
share our feeling that the election
was a victory for liberalism, pro
gress and freedom.”
Among the other speakers was
Assistant Labor Secretary Ralph
Wright. Speaking of President
Green, Wright said:
“His lifelong campaign against
intolerance is one of the many con
tributions which have won him re
cognition and the plaudits of all
good Americans. He has always
defended the rights and dignity of
all men, regardless of their race,
color, creed, j?r national origin,”
Renewed Interest
Being Shown By
Members Of No. 3!
Beaver Falls, Pa.—Local Union
33 is in the inflationary circle—
that s as far as attendance goes.
The turnout at our last few meet
ings has Increased about two |un
dred percent.
The main reason for the increas
in attendance is the renewed in
terest of the members who are en
deavoring to seek a solution to
settle several problems about the
shop that have been by-passed for
a long time.
This fact was brought to our at
tention by President Duffy on a re
cent visit to the plant. At a meet
ing with the management in ydiich
very little was accomplished, we
were made to realize what laxity
and indifference to conditions about
the shop will bring about.
The present officers feel the
local as a whole place the blame
on them, when really it is the fault
of the membership for not support
ing the officers. Our chosen offic
ials can only carry out the wishes
of the local.
Election of officers for the new
term will be held at our next meet
ing. It is the duty and privilege of
every member to vote for the of
ficers of their choice and then back
them one hundred percent. Only
through complete harmony in the
local can we hope to accomplish
anything worth while.
The committee who have been
investigating the problems in the
printing room will make their re
port at the next meeting.
Bro. Harry Snook who has been
off through illness for the past five
months is up and around again.
Although the special convention
nas been postponed until some time
in the new year, Local Union 33
will send their full quota to the
parley. Leonard Greco, Bradford
Townsend, Walter Hamilton, Will
iam Rose and Chester Fisher were
elected delegates.—O.C. 33
Canonsburg Couple
Will Celebrate
50th Anniversary
in
levels
taxed
Mr. and Mrs. James Green, vet
eran potters, will celebrate their
Golden Wedding anniversary at
their home in Canonsburg, Satur
day, Dec. 18.
The couple was united in mar
riage at Midway, Pa. on Dec. 21,
1898, with Mr. Walter Green of
East Liverpool and Mrs. Frances
Ritchie of Camden, Pa. brother and
sister of Mr. Green as attendants.
Their children will hold a dinner
for the honored couple at noon,
followed by open house from 4 to 6
p. m. for their many friends wish
ing to offer congratulations. The
evening will be spent in old fash
ioned square dancing.
Mr. and Mrs. Green are both life
long potters, Mr. Green now re
tired, started his career in East
Liverpool and last worked at his
trade as jiggerman at the W. S.
George Pottery in Canonsburg.
Mrs. Green is still employed as a
finisher at the Canonsburg Pottery.
Both are members of Local Union
No. 51, National Brotherhood of
Operative Potters.
Mr. and Mrs. Green have eight
children and twenty grandchildren
who will join with them in cele
brating the occasion, Mr. Ray
mond Green, Huntington, W. Va.
Mrs. Myrtle Wilson, Beach Bottom,
W. Va. Mrs. Virginia Caldwell,
Wheeling, W. Va. Mr. Wallace
Green, Elmer Green and Clemith
Green all of Canonsburg, Pa. and
Mrs. Mildred Crawford and Mrs.
Alice Martin, Dearborn, Mich.
teller Demands
nvestment Probe
Washington (LPA)—An investi
gation of investments of funds by
the nation’s insurance companies
will be asked of the House Judici
ary Committee by its incoming
chairman, Rep. Emanuel Celler
(D., N.Y.).
This was made clear in a state
ment he gave reporters 'here last
week, charging that “insurance
companies are reaching out in so
many directions that they are con
stituting an actual menace to the
economy of the nation.”
Five of .the big firms in the New
York area, he said, have a yearly
income of more than $5 billion
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
owns two apartment-communities
in New York City alone. Celler
said that the insurance companies
(Tars to Page Two\
Plans All Set For
Party At Buffalo
Saturday, Dec. 18
Oe htw ilerald
Buffalo, N. Y.—Local No. 76
held its regular meeting on Friday,
December 3rd, with an above aver
age attendance. They were reward
ed with a big smile from President
Carl Heintz because he thinks this
is much nicer than talking to vac
ant chairs.
After the initiation of Leo Ma
kowski of the general department,
the local went into a discussion of
conditions on the gtost. kiln caud&l
by the stepping up of the kiln. The
chief complaint was having to draw
and load hot cars. Some seemed to
think there was no remedy for this
condition but the majority opinion
seemed to be to give the firm, who
is aware of the conditions, time, to
work it out and that eventually
things would be satisfactory.
The details of the Christmas
party to be held December 18th,
were gone over thoroughly and it
was decided that those who cared
to could bring their friends and
that those who did so would be
responsible for their behavior, and
would sign their own
friends’ names to the
ticket.
*. 4 K
♦a
E. 1ST LIVERPOOL, OHIO, THURSDAY, December 16, 1948
and their
admission
all over­
It was reported that
time had been stopped in the shop
but that 40 hours had been assured.
After hearing several reports about
other plants being on short time,
we are thankful for this assurance.
Officers for the coming six
months were nominated. Further
nominations and election of offic
ers will be held at our next meet
ing on December 17th. We hope
the members will turn out in full
force for this meeting as there is
something very special coming up.
Tobey
Wonders
Too Polite To Mi
Boston (LPA)—Sen. Charles W.
Tobey (R., N.H.) last week asked
the Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue whether his department act
ed in cases of multi-million-dollar
trusts as it would act in the cases
of “humble people who are not im
portant people or people of large
means.”
The gentlemanly New England
Senator told Commissioner George
J. Schoeneman that he wondered
why there was such a delay in col
lecting back taxes from three char
itable trusts connected with Tex
tron, Inc., a textile firm under in
vestigation by Tobey’s subcommit
tee.
Hearings on the devious financial
practices of Textron’s president,
Royal Little, were begun last Sept
ember when Textile Workers Un
ion of America protested the clos
ing of a sheet mill in Nashua, N.
H. As a result of the publicity, the
mill was not closed, but TWUA
President Emil Rieve demanded to
know how Little got away with
some of the tricks he had pulled.
It turned out that the textile op
erator was using “charitable” trust
funds to avoid ta^es and using
money from the funds to buy and
sell factories at. a profit. When tax
commissioner Schoeneman was ask
ed to testify he didn’t show up.
When subpoened last week he re
fused to divulge information on
Textron, claiming that he is pro-*
W:-
1
I
bCHMOOS SAVE THE DAY—-U. S. Army Skymisters, flying the Berlin airlift route, parachuted 100
schmoo balloons with cards that could be exchanged for CARE lard packages. Here are the lucky Berlin
youngsters collecting. It’s not too late for you to send CARE packages for the holiday months. A lard pack
age costs $5.50 for any of ten European countries and $6.50 for Berlin. Delivery is guaranteed. Send checks
io CARE, 50 Broad St., New York, N. Y.
N. Y.
DAY —U. S. Army Skymisters, flying the Berlin airlift route, parachuted 100
Rourke Retains
Presidency Of
Local Union 70
Minerva, Ohio—Local Union No.
70 at their regular meeting on
Dec. 9 elected officers for the first
six months of the new year. A fine
turnout was on hand which result
ed in spirited contests for all posts.
Following are the results:
John Rourke, president James
Miller, vice president F. I. Reed,
financial secretary-treasurer Abe
Edwards, recording secretary Fem
Mandley, inspector Glen Haines,
guard Sylvanus DeBee, statistic
ian Harley Weisenbarger, defense
collector James Rutledge and
Sylvanus DeBee, trustees. A,
To members of the Executive
Board and the trade in general, the
members of Local Union 70 wish to
take this medium of expressing to
all, A Very Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year.—O.C. *70
NY Times Reports
Profits In Public
Washington (LPA)—There was
a gleam in Sen. Joseph O’Ma
honey’s eye when the Wyoming
Democrat read into the record of
the Congressional profits investi
gation an article from the previous
Sunday’s New York Times. The
headline read: “INDUSTRY’S
PROFITS UP ALL ALONG
LINE.”
“Earnings of the nation’s man
ufacturing industries for the third
quarter of this year outstripped
the previous two quarters, lifting
the combined earning in the first
nine months of 1948 to a peacetime
high for the period,” the Times
story opened.
Reporting an increase of 33%
(Turn to Page Two)
If Tax Bureau Is
ilti-Miliionaires
hibited by law from giving out in
formation on tax returns.
Last week’s hearings also turn
ed up the fact that Textron is now
building mills in Puerto Rico where
labor is cheaper, and that these
mills will be free of taxes for 12
years.
Tobey wound up the hearings by
declaring that he will go after .the
“loopholes” in present tax laws so
that this kind of finagling at the
public’s expense will be stopped.
A New Hampshire newspaper
has been hinting editorially that
Little may close down all his New
Hampshire operations, throwing
thousands of people out of work,
in revenge for the union’s insist
ence that the hearings be held.
While the investigation has reveal
ed much in the public interest, it
has more than embarrassed Little.
Speaking to the Massachusetts
Convention here last week, TWUA
leader Rieve demanded measures
to curb “irresponsible manage
ment” in New England. He pointed
out that the high cost of clothing
manufactured there is largely due
to the high cost and short supply
of electric power in the region.
The shortage exists because indus
trialists and some public officials
have opposed public power por
jects in the area. Rieve suggested
that instead of complaining about
the “unfair” competition of TV A
power, they set up their own TV A.
Cambridge Plant
Will Switch Over
To New Product
Cambridge, Ohio The biggest
news from these parts is that Uni
versal Potteries, Inc. will soon
have a third plant making dinner
ware when Plant No. 2 will be con
verted from stoneware to general
ware after the first of the year.
Production here has slowed .to
about half in the past few weeks,
but should pick up next month ac
cording to reports. Few employees
have been layed off although moat
all of us are on short time.
Marie Adams, Vice Chairman, i*
acting Chairman in the absence of
James Coffey, who is working in
East Liverpool district temporar
ily. At our last meeting, it was de
cided to elect local officers at our
next meeting December 22. Mrs.
Fred Green and Albert Van Camp,
our social committee, have agreed
to cook up some kind of entertain
ment before Christmas. These af
fairs have been well worth while
in the past so let’s all attend and
have a good time.
A few brothers from Cambridge
recently attended a meeting of the
“leftwingers” of our organization
in East Liverpool. They made a re
port of their observations at our
last meeting. Some may wonder
what good may come from such do
ings but I for one am content to
wait and see, for in any organiza
tion in which dissension appears,
things often work out for the best.
If affairs need putting to right and
a housecleaning is in order, let’s do
it, but do it right.—O.C. 122
Charters Union Of
Flight Engineers
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).
The Flight Engineers Internation
al Association has received an Am
erican Federation of Labor chart
er, becoming the 106th national or
international union affiliated with
the federation. Issuance of the
charter was approved by the AFL
Executive Council in November.
AFL President William Green
presented .the charter at the feder
ation’s headquarters here to a
committee of 4 presidents of sep
arate associations of flight engine
ers which are merging to form the
new union. The committee consist
ed of L. Flaherty, of San Fran
cisco, Pan American Airways K.
Kidd, of Kansas City, Trans
World Airlines J. Anderson, of N.
Y. City, American Overseas Air
line and T. Beverly, of Miami,
Eastern Air Lines.
Following issuance of the chart
er, the Flight Engineers Interna
tional Association held its first
convention at the Lexington Hotel,
New York City, to elect officers.
Its present membership is 1,000,
which includes about 97 percent of
.the flight engineers now employed
on airlines. Its potential member
ship is about 3,000.
The union representatives ex
plained that flight engineers are
responsible for mechanical effic
iency and safety on the larger type
of commercial airplanes. The Civil
Aeronautics Board now requires
that a flight engineer be a part of
the crew of airline planes with a
gross weight of 80,000 pounds.
Ttht
«4
3-Week Illness
Claims Life Of
Otto S. Beyer
Washington, D. C. (ILNS).
Otto Stemoff Beyer, nationally
known labor relations expert, mem
ber of the National Mediation
Board from 1936 to 1942 and a
leader in labor-management coop
eration for more than a quarter of
a century, died here Dec. 8 after a
3-week illness. He was 62.
Beyer, who was a member of the
International Association of Ma
chinists, became interested in the
idea of cooperation between labor
and management early in his car
eer. His views came to the atten
tion of the late Daniel Willard,
president of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, who sponsored the well
known labor-management coopera
tion plan on that railroad. Beyer
directed the plan and it won the at
tention of Sir Henry’ W. Thornton,
president of the Canadian Nation
al Railways, who invited him to
sponsor such a plan on the Canad
ian railroad.
As industrial relations consult
ant to the Tennessee Valley Auth
ority, Beyer developed a success
ful labor relations plan in coop
eration with a group of AFL un
ions, whose members are employed
on the project. He served in a
similar capacity with the Bonne
ville Power Authority, the U. S.
Maritime Commission, the Alaska
Railroad and the U. S. Interior De
partment.
Bom in Woodbridge, N. J., Sept.
18, 1886, Beyer was graduated
from the Stevens Institute of Tech
nology in 1907 and did graduate
work at the Universities of New
York and Pennsylvania. From 1920
to 1933 he was Director of Labor
Relations for the Federal Coordi
nator of Transportation. Subse
quently he served on the National
Mediation Board and resigned to
become Director of the Division of
Transportation Personnel of the
(Turn to Page Two)
NOTICE L. U. 51
Canonsburg, Pa. A very
important meeting has been
called for Monday, Dec. 20 in
our regular meeting room in
Slovac Hall. Business of vital
importance will be transacted
and officers elected for the
first six months of 1949. All
members are urgently request
ed to be present.
OFFICIAL ORGAN
NATIONAL BROTHERHOOBt 1
OF OPERATIVE POTTERS
Spaulding China Company
Holds Family Party At
Alliance Country Club
Sebring, Ohio—More than 200 employes and friends joined in the
iulding Ch ua Company “family party” to herald the coming of Santa
Claus, when they gathered at the Alliance Country Club Dec. 10.
Gjv.'n, in the words of President Morris Feinberg, “not because we
want to make friends with our employes, but rather because we are
frit', ’b of our employe .” the party was launched with a full-course
turkey dinner given in the main banquet hall, and ended with dancing
as the afternoon social feature.
James G. Eardley, general manager of Spaulding, and Daniel
Eisenberg, vice president, shared the master of ceremonies chore as the
Present Officers
Of Local No. 156
Receive New Term
East Palestine, Ohip—Local 156
dected its officers for next year at
a 4:15 meeting on Monday, Dec.
7th. All the old officers will be re
tained for the next six nths be
cause we are well sat.oi.ed with
1r ir work. Just for the record we
will list Dn-rward
PeteiBim, r.—
man, vice president Esther Bu
hecker, recording secretary Zelma
Me Co win, financial secretary
Dorothy Werner, defense collector
Clark Ulbrich, inspe»r August
Brueckman,
statistician.
guard Vrkna Boren,
it is a little over a
before Santa Claus
Although
week away
mak- his visit, and we might say
a little early to be planning for the
new year, just a little reminder to
our membership—Why not make
one of your resolutions for the
New Year to be faithful attendance
at meetings of your local union.
Congratulations to Thelma on
her recent marriage.
We hope Gloria Satterwhite will
be back soon and we’re glad to see
the sliphouse fqgemanjmcl^ again
after his illness.
The $64 question: Have you been
&& Mfough this last year that
your sure Santa Claus will stop. 1
got ashes in my stocking last year
and hope I’ve been good enough to
rate a few chunks of coal
year!—O.C. 156
N:
W
$2.00 PER YEAR
“^officers of the company were pre
sented and each gave a word of
welcome to the workers.
The highlight of the program
was the presentation of gifts, and
the appearance of James Turner as
Santa Claus to present laugh-pro
voking presents to many of the
employes and guests.
Individuals receiving these gifts
from Santa included E. F. Cannel,
James Simpson, Nick Popa, Ray
Rutledge, Frank Weizenecker,
Simon
tomey
Clyde
Miller,
Fisch, who it Assistant At
General of New Jersey,
Hardy, Albert Simes, Bee
president of the Royal
4 'ompany, J. Harrison Kel
ler," president of the Limoges
China Company, Alden McClelland,
and John Hotchkiss.
Turkeys went to Mrs. Carrie
Wilson and John Dorff. Myrtle
Johnson was given a radio Mrs.
Hazel Ellis, a toaster,
Lofland, a lamp.
and David
in Sebring
the guest
Officials of industry
were .represented at
table.
this
David Borowitz, secretary of
Spaulding, and Irving Miller, trea
surer, joined with Eisenberg and
Feinberg in welcoming the throng.
Miller spoke of the association of
the offic I with the firm, saying,
that “coi r. lence in our fellowmen.
is truly of the good gifts of at
lifetime.”
The officers of the firm, “in ap-*
preci&tion of the dependability of
Ji*,*' Eardley with ap
television set. Anthony Cardinal,
on behalf of the employes, present-
ed a facsimile of a bronze plaque
to the officers of the firm. This
plaque will be hung, when cast, in
the Sebring plant.
Included in the program was
group singing, with music during
the meal, and Nick Popa as a
“jack in the box” in a presentation
to the women of the plant.
IAM Alerted For
State Laws Fight
Washington (LPA)—The Inti
Association of Machinists-unaffili
ated alerted its lodges last week
for an all-out fight for improved
state labor legislation.
Most state legislatures—44 of
them—will meet this year, and all
but two of these convene in Janu
ary.
Noting that most state IAM or
ganizations have already prepared
their legislative programs, A. J.
Hayes, secretary of the Machinists’
Nonpartisan Political League, ad
vised the rest to get on the ball.
The actions of the state law
makers “can be just as beneficial
or just as harmful to the working
people as the activitiies of the
Congress,” he said.
US
out
1—
Three issues were singled
by Hayes for special attention:
repeal of little Taft-Hartley laws
in 17 states 2—increased unem
ployment insurance benefits 3—
higher minimum wages under state
laws to conform with the $1 an
hour minimum which organized la
bor will ask of the 81st Congress.
Recently, the IAM leader said,
three states—Massachusetts, Maine
and New Mexico—have rejected
anti-labor proposals, but two—
North Dakota and Arizona—have
fallen for them.
Miners Consent
To Allegations
Washington (LPA)—The United
Mine Workers last week permitted
the NLRB to record, without cen
test, a decree against the union to
clear board dockets of four com
plaints against the union.
All of the employer allegations,
which NLRB General Counsel Rob
ert Denham’s office picked up,
charge the union with having coer
ced workers thru mass picketing
during last spring’s coal strike.
No guarantee was given by the
UMW, however, that when the
NLRB files its decree with a US
circuit court, it won’t discover that
it has walked into a hornet’s nest.