The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-10-06
Would Halt Loans To Firms
Not Paying Decent
Wage Scale
LOSE NO TIME
Brotherhood Representatives
Present Proposal At
Opening Session
LOSE NO TIME

opening 0eSS1OO
| Apparently losing no time in pre-
senting their first resolution for the
consideration of the American Fedora
tion of Labor delegates assembled in
convention at Houston, Texas, the
representatives of the National Broth
erhood of Operative Potters struck a
blow at the policies Of the Recon-
struction Finance Corporation.
The resolution, intended to halt the
loaning Of money to unfair firms, was
introduced at the opening session by
President James M. Duffy, First Vice
President f. l.. Wheatley and William
Watkin, Brotherhood delegates. The
resolution was born in the potters'
July convention where it was intro
duced by the Executive Board and
passed as part of the Officers Report.
1t is the contention Of the Brother
hood that the RFC is defeating it's own
purpose when it furnishes money to
fair firms and then makes loans to
companies paying low wages. These
companies are able to sell their prod
ucts at a low figure and make it i'm
possible for the fair-dealing firms to
pay off their debts. Eventually the
fair firms will be out of business and
union workers will be walking the
streets.
Chairman Hit
The resolution proposed that the
AFL officers either demand removal
of the RFC officials or seek legislation
which will prevent chiseling exploiters
of labor from obtaining loans Of fed
eral funds. Jesse Jones, one Of
Houston's leading business men is
chairman of the RFC.
There is only one person respon-
sible for the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation policy of financing ex-
ploiters of labor" the resolution read.
The proposal made its Houston debut
at the Union Label Trades Department
meeting prior to the opening of the
fifty-eighth AFL convention. Dele
gates Duffy, Wheatley and Watkin
were lauded for their stand against
unfair practices.
The resolution committee, headed
by Matthew Woll, went into closed
session with the removal resolution to
be considered
'The Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration has loaned public moneys to
concerns who deny their workers th..
right to bargain collectively" the
resolution began.
"These concerns advertise that by
their paying workers wages which are
40 per cent less than the wages paid
to organized workers, members Of
national unions, such governmentally
financed concerns are able to sell the
products of their grossly exploited
workers at wholesale prices which are
some 25 per cent less than prices nee
essarily paid for comparable products
of organized workers.
every honorable effort has been
made to prove to officials of the Re-
construction Finance Corporation that
this policy of financing chiseling ex-
ploiters of labor is detrimental to the
best interests Of America as well as
the American people.
SSCiilliiSis lHCiC ID Ilo Sof Si
agency sufficiently interested in pro-
tecting the wage, hour and working
condition standards built up by the
national and international unions to
whom those most vitality affected
might appeal.
Must Stop Chiseling
"There is a vital need in the in
%or ~ ,1l,Drc Of A,,,o~ioon 1f,orly-
ers, some way be found to set aside
this present system of loaning public
government moneys to chiseling ex-
ploiters of labor who publicly seek to
lower the none-too-high standards
which now prevail.
"There is only one person respon-
sible for the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation policy of financing ex-
ploiters of labor and the policy Of our
present government
Removal Urged
The resolution asked the convention
to "direct our officers to request Pres
ident Roosevelt to replace the present
officials of the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation with others who will not
loan government funds to chiseling ex-
ploiters of labor and failing to secure
the removal or replacement of these
officials, that our officers be directed
to seek legislation which will prevent
chiseling exploiters of labor who de-
ny workers the right of collective bar
gaining and refuse to pay their work.
ers minimum wages which prevail in
such industry"
President Roosevelt, who will be
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