The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-07-04
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS

Expansion of American tung oil
production to level adequate to fill
domestic demand would result in the
employment of 100000 persons or the
support of about 100000, according to
National Youth Administration re-
port just completed.
The United States uses from rs to
so per cent of the worlds production
of tung oil, says the report. 1t is an
essential IN making paints and var
nishes. Heretofore, we have never
grown more than per cent of the
worlds production.
Besides paints and varnishes, tung
oil is used in several hundred other
industrial products ranging from
printers ink to waterproofing and
plastics. According to the study,
American industries eventually will
absorb 4OO,0O0,OO0 pounds of this pro-
duct annually, compared to present
consumption of about S7415,00O
pounds per year now.
X X X
At first glance, it would seem that
new industry is in the making,
bringing with it new job opportunities
to the tune mentioned above. If this
was true the unemployed would have
cause to make serious inquiry as to
the possibility of immediate employ
ment in the Southland where most of
the tung industry is located. But, this
is farthest from the truth, sad COM
mentary on our productive genius, in
this, new hopeful avenue of employ
ment.
At the present time, the NYA study
says, there is no shortage of labor in
the tung industry, except during the
harvesting season and then it lasts
only 60 or 80 days. "It is not recon-
mended that anyone desiring employ
ment move or plan to move to tung
producing areas without well planned
previous contacts or good financial
background" is the warning word of
the study.
"In general" the report goes on,
"the number of higher salaried jobs
in the industry have been secured by
persons who have not risen from with
in the industry. The tendency is for
common laborers and helpers to re-
main in their status and for trained
workers for the more skilled type of
labor to be imported.
X X X
Of this situation there is not so
much complaint because we can under
stand that certain skills may not be
available in certain localities in the
South, but of the present wage level
in the industry, there is cause for COM
ment.
Wages in the tung oil industry, ac-
cording to the study, range from 80
cents and one dollar a day for unskill-
ed labor to $4.OO and $3.50 day for
semi-skilled workers. Skilled labor re-
ceives as high as $3.50 month.
In this time of national defense
preparedness, tung oil is an essential
raw material. The workers in this in
dustry are as important as workers in
any of the nations manufacturers.
Then why the poor wages for such es-
sential operations The NYA report
answers that in these words: "Lack of
occupational organization"
X X x
The announced policy of congress
and the administration to require
oaths of loyalty from all WPA relief
workers is proceeding with dispatch
and effect throughout the nation as
many state and municipal WPA of
fees are already mailing out thous-
ands of blanks requiring reliefers to
attest to any Communist or Nazi af-
filiations.
In New York City, the surface has
already been scratched, as six mem
bers on WPA rolls find themselves out
of jobs because they refuse to answer
the questions Uncle Sam puts to them
Nobody with a clear conscience will
refuse to answer the questions on the
WPA affidavits. Only those WPAers
afraid of the consequences will refuse
to accede to the will of congress and
tba paop1a