The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-11-28
(Confinued From Paee OneJ

wage scale that was supposed to
serve as a guide or standard. But
the employers dealt with the work
ers as individuals only. High class
skilled workmen who had worked
at the trade for many years would
accept jobs in the various branches
of the trade at ten per cent or
twenty per cent off this standard
wage scale. Many of the men who
did this were ashamed of it and
tried to keep it a secret. But they
felt that they were helpless vic
tins of conditions that made it
necessary for them to do this in
order to get job. Because of this
condition and the fear of being
identified with a labor organiza-
tion an atmosphere of suspicion
and distruct surrounded the trade
and no potter seemed willing to
trust a fellow workman.
''This was the situation when
the \. b. of o. p. came into exist
ance. You can readily understand
what labor, sacrifices and humilia-
tions the pioneers of the n. b. of
O. =. experienced in the effort to
break down this prejudice and to
plant the seed of unionism in the
minds and hearts Of the operatives,
SO that we could reap the fruits of
organization and the friendly in
dustrial relationship that we en-
JOY today.
Recalling his early days at the
trade and when a mere lad Of 15
years of age he started to work as
a jiggerman after putting in four.
years as a mould runner, batter
out and finisher, he recalled as
having joined the N. b. of o. p.
that same year and had the good
fortune of meeting and working
with practically all Of the pioneer
leaders of the n. b. Of o. p. "To-
night" he said, 81 can look back
over the years and see the faces Of
many of them and can vividly see
the scenes Of many occasions when
we talked and planned and work
ed and negotiated to build up the
n. b. Of 0. p. and establish an
industrial relationship that would
make life better and more secure
for ourselves and those who were
to follow US. And when | think of
the loyalty, sincerity and devotion
Of these men | feel like saying in
the language of the poet:
Let fate do her worst, there are
relics of joy,
Bright dreams Of the past which
she cannot destroy.
They come in the night time of
sorrow and care,
And bring back the features that
JOY used to wear.
Long, long be our hearts with
such memories filled,
Like the vase in which the roses
have once been distilled.
You may break, you may shatter
the vase, if you will,
But the scent of the roses will
linger, round it STILL"
Recalling the first wage contract |
with the manufacturers he said, sit |
was over forty-six years ago that
the n. b. Of O. p. made its first |
wage contract with the u. S. Pot
ters Association and agreed upon
the establishment of "A standing |
committee Of three workers and
three employers to settle disputes
without strikes. Both the u. S.
Potters Association and the N b. |
Of O. Z. are entitled to great credit |
for having continuously maintain
ed this method of peaceful indus
trial relationship for more than
forty-six years. Workers are for
tunate when they can secure an in
crease in wages and an improve
ment of conditions without being |
involved in a strike that causes |
the loss of wages over period of |
weeks or months. In these times |
when so many people are asking |
for governmental Intervention to
solve industrial problems, am
proud TO be able TO point to this
forty-six year record of the u. S.
Potters Association of the N. h. of
O. p. as showing a much better
way to accomplish and maintain
industrial peace than to resort to
the arbitrary method of govern
mental Intervention, which will
bring upon society greater evils
than those it is intended to remedy.
"Some critics are now very severe
in condemning organized labor
They say it has become too power
ful and that it is using its power
and influence as tyrannically as
the captains of industry and the
czars Of finance did in the past.
"Organized labor is an institu-
tion of human beings and its lead
ers and members can and undoubt-
edly do make some mistakes. The
public has a right to criticize or
ganized labor and its leaders. But
we must not overlook the fact that
the powerful, shortsighted and sell
fish financial groups that are most
interested in discrediting organ
i1ad labor very larualu copfro1 tho |