The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-05-11
Labor Mobilizing To Meet
Reuctionary Wing Of
American Big Business
BY BETTY G0LDSTEIN
Federated Press

case may be adopted by the reaction
ary wing of American big business as
the 1914 version of the Mohawk Valley
formula to destroy labor unions.
In New York, heart of the nations
high finance, signs of this grim trend
have already appeared. Organized Ia
Dor here is mobilizing to meet the
emergency, serving notice on all em-
ployers that any attempt to extend
the Montgomery Ward formula for
disruption of wartime morale and
orderly Industrial relations into any
industry in this area will be fought
vigorously and effectively.
During regional War Labor Board
hearings on deadlocked negotiations
between the Associated Fur Coat d
Trimming Manufacturers Inc, repre-
senting 750 companies, and the Inter
national Fur < Leather Workers Union
(CIO), Arthur Steinberg, employer at
torney suddenly issued statement to
the press challenging the authority OF
the WLB and threatening not to abide
by its decision.
Declaring that the contract demand
ed by the union would change vested
rights of management existing for ~
years in the industry, the employers
statement said IF the regional WLB
orders ms to enter into any such con
tract we will refuse To do 50. II the
national WLB orders it we shall also
refuse to do so, and we will then pro-
t.,Iy ba In y
Supreme court. if necessary. We main
tain the WLB has no constitutional
power to change conditions existing
for 81 years"
Pointing out that this is an effort
10 place the association of fur manu-
facturers in the same position az Mont
gomery Ward and To make ii also "A
front for those who are obstructlng the
war. fighting the government ana
President Roosevelt, especially at this
critical time on the eve of the decisive
invasion of Europe" the union dis
tributed IL leafet among all fur work
ers May 3 warming:
do not be provoked by any ire
sponsible actions on the part of amy
boss or association leader. i1o not per
init yourselves to be provoked into amy
stoppage oi. strike II
Second concern here to pr@.lainl out
right defiance of the WLR on the'heels
of Sewell Avery was the Phelps Dodge
Copper Products Corp. Al ii hearing
of the 2nd regional WLB, the board
chairman asked Pres dent Wylie
Brown of the corporation Are you
ready 10 sign AN agreement with the
union as ordered by the WLBf'
Browns reply was AN outright No.
The United Electrical Radio x Ma
chine Workers OCIO), the union in
yolved, Il taking the case to the
NWLB.
The company has shown before that
its main desire Is to provoke the union
into strike action So that ii can there
by weaken the union and, If at all
possible smash IL" United Electric
said adding that It's no-strike pledge
will be- maintained.
Two other companies which AN
nounced they would not abide by or
ders of the regional board are the
Security Title x Guarantee co. of New
York and the Kings County Capital
Corp of brooklyn, which wired the
NWLB they refused to bargain with
Local gG. United Office < Professional
Workers (CIO). rs ordered, and were
prepared Ia test the WILLIS authority
ia court.
Meeting in special session May >,
the Greater New York CIO Council
executive board served notice on all
New York employers that ANY at
tempt at extension into any industry
in This city of the Montgomery Ward
formula for disruption of wartime
morale and orderly Industrial relations
viii be- fought vigorously and effective
IN by the whole of the cos 300
unions and 100000 members In 'his
city"
Other Indications of support of the
Avery formula in certain biz business
circles include the motion at the an
nual stockholders meeting of the
powerful l.. :. Steel Corp. Going on
record as proud 10 number among
our directors Sewell l.. Avery" L, :.
Steel reelected Montgomery Wards
dsruptionist chairman to its board for
a 3-year term.
In Cincinnati the convention of the
American Mining Congress appauded
Governor John W. Iiricller (lD of
Ohio, who delivered dcnunciation of
the government for putting down the
Montgomery Ward rebellion. In Phlla
dephia President G.. Mason oWlett of
the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Asso
citation plainly indicated that Ayery's
refusal 90 accept the authority of the
WLB was designated 10 SCI off a wave
of defiance of the government by bust
ness.