The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-06-27
Fdcing the Fdcts
With PHILIP PEARL


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The retirement of Joseph N. Web
er. as President Of the American Fed
GRAFTON. Of Musicians after forty years
Of leadership in that great union should
be marked by more than a passing
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No man in the American labor move
ment is more widely loved or respected.
No man In the American labor move
Inent more richly deserves tribute of
praise than this courageous leader of
the musicians. -. 4
Slender, grey-haired, gentle, modest
Joe Weber has displayed the qualities
of fighter throughout his long career.
More than twO-scOre, years ago he
started from scratch in Denver by or
ganizing local union of musicians.
When he became president of the nat
ional organization 1t was still tiny
group. Today the union. has 135, 900
members. 1t embraces every great or
chestra in the nation. The members of
this union make the music. of America.
In every symphony hall, in every ball
room, in every hotel and restaurant
and over every radio. the music we
hear is performed by union musicians.
This achievement is all the more re-
lnarkable when we remember that mu-
sicians are artists and therefore indi-
vidually tempermental. To get them to-
gether and to get them to stick together
in a union organization was feat of
education, persuasiveness and persist
ence that required a lifetime of in
spired leadership.
A Life.T Time Job
The musicians of America love Joe
Weber. He has never treated the
slightest one of them mea1ly or unjust
ly. They appreciate what he has ac-
complished for them materially and
spiritually. This appreciation was ex-
pressed in concrete form when the $50
delegates to the unions convention in
indianapolis voted to create a special
lifetime post for him as technical ad.
wiser at $4,000 a year.
So Joe Weber is far from through
yet. If we know him. he will continue
to work day and night for the interests
of the men and women to which he has
devoted his whole life. No one could
drag him away from that job.
In recent years, chronological advan-
ces have destroyed thousands of jobs
held by musical performers. The radio,
the phOnOgraph, canned music that is
piped into amusement places by tele-
phOne-all OF these developments have
threatened to decimate the number of
Jobs open to musicians. With stubborn
perseverance, Mr. Weber has fought
unyieldingly to protect his members
and they have come through critical
times with large measure Of success.
Any appraisal of Mr.. Weber's career
would be entirely inadequate IL 1t failed
to mention the inspiration and assist
ance he has received from his faithful
wife. Mrs. Weber, always at her hus-
bands side, Is fully as devoted to his
job as Mr.. Weber. Anyone who has ev-
er seen them together could not help
being impressed by their loving and un-
selfish regard for each other. II ever
there was an ideal couple this Is it.
A Fighting Speech
In recent years illness has cut down
Mr. Weber's activities hut 1t has not
Quenched his fighting spirit. Those who
attended the last convention Of the AM
erican Federation OF Labor In Cincin-
natl were afforded d striking example
OF that. -, ~; ~: s f. = ~. -, u. I
One of the. delegates from the Musi-
clans Union in an address to- the con-
ventiOn turned his, ca,lstic wit on Pres
ldent Roosevelt and took Il few pOliti-
cal cracks ut him. Since this delegate
is known as q confirmed Republican
and since his addresses for many years
have been Il feature Of 4. +. of l.. con-
ventiOns, no one appeared to be .unduly
disturbed by his remarks. But Presi-
dent Roosevelt Is one of Joe Weber's $
heroes and the Musicians Union last
year, and again this year, gave him
their unqualified endorsement. So Joe
Weber, although under doctors orders
to refrain from any excltable activity,
marched up to the platform, brushed
aside those who attempted to deter him
and delivered an impassiOned defense
of the President that was one of the
highlights of the convention.
Joe Weber's honesty his integrity,
his sincerity and his outstanding abil-
ity never have been questioned. He is
a credit to his organization. He is a
credit to the American labor movement.
The American Federation Of Labor can
be proud Of the fact that Joe Weber
for many years has been one OF Its stall
wart leaders and Il member Of Its Ex-
ecutive Council. His record. his career
and his great service to. the workers
of this country constitute q full and un'
answerable reply to those who would
like to besInirch the good name of the
American labor movement .,..
Children are often cursed by the ex-