davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
Comment On World Events

accumulating strength in the event of
another war; And there must be no
"next war;" Lasswell says, if Ameri-
ca is to have the jobs, living standards
and freedom which it's people want
Even a threat of war would retard
progress, since preparatory measures
for defense would tend to mobilize
production for possible war, rather
than leaving it free to serve civilian
needs and living standards. Future
wars are likely, however, unless fac
tors which have produced wars in the
past are controlled.
Since crisis of war and insecurity
are often among the unintended con-
sequences of economic policy, it is
wise to consider in advance the prob
able repercussions of economic policy
on security. Such considerations will
necessarily take place within frame
work of world politics that, in it's
characteristic form, is the balancing
of power. The term "world politics"
is used by the author to include the
diplomatic and economic procedures
of nations, apart from any world or
ganization.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

World security will strengthen de.
mocratic tendencies inside Russia
Harold ID. Lasswel says in research
paper prepared by the Committee foi
Economic Development Research Di.
vision, just published by the McGraw-
Hill Book Co. The author is the di-
rector of war communications research
for the Library of Congress.
Entitled "World Politics Faces Eco
nomics," the paper offers, in part, an
analysis of the political and economic
factors involved in preventing World
War Ill. Emphasis is placed on the
Importance of Russia and America as
the worlds bi-polar powers. Efforts of
other nations to achieve security will
move them into the orbit of one or the
other of these two powers.
Both Russia and America proclaim
the dignity and worth of the individ-
ual," but the achievement Of this de-
mocratic ideal depends on the solu-
tion of two quiet different problems,
one political and one economic, Lass
well points out.
Russia's problem is to modify an
all-encompassing bureaucratic dicta-
torship into a flexible balanced soci-
ETY., says Lasswell. Russia needs to
move from Capitalization into decen-
tralization, from dictatorship to de-
mocracy, from regimented communi-
cation to free communication" he de-
clares.
Americas problem, one the other
hand, "is to achieve more stable eco
nomic basis for freedom. We have
many elements of balance in our in
stitutions. But what we have of free
dom is imperled at frequent inter-
walls by the results of economic inse-
curity and, over longer periods, by
the inroads upon genuine business en-
terprise of economic restrictionism."
Naming as the 3 major detectives
of American economic policy (a) high
levels Of productive employment; (b)
a rising standard of well-being; (c)
the attainment of these goals by
means compatible with freedom and
security. Lasswell states that "The
degree to which these objects can be
realized in the United States depends
in no small measure upon the world
environment-upon the level of world
economic life and the degree of world
political security"
Having placed Americas domestic
economic goals in the focus of the
world security spotlight, the writer
analyses the effects of efforts to ac-
hieve these goals on the desire of
other nations, particularly Russia, to
feel free Of any threat of this nations
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
AFL Acts To Aid
Lutin American
Labor Movement

Miami-(FP).- AS the first step il
move to gain the cooperation o1
sympathetic labor organizations in
Latin America, the AFL will hold a
series Of conferences with the Cuban
Federation Of Labor, Pres. William
Green announced Jan. %.
Green said the council, meeting in
quarterly session here, would confer
with a Cuban labor committee to dis.
cuss policy in dealing with Latin
American workers.
The council, Green said, is anxious
to establish free trade union move
ment in the different countries of
Latin America. We invite and hope to
secure the cooperation of those who
accept the economic philosophy of the
AFL. In other words, we wish to have
our labor movement divorced from
the political movement"
Green's statement was regarded as
slap at the Latin American Confed-
Grafton of Labor headed by the Mexi-
can labor leader, Vincent Lombardo
Toledano. The LACL has worked with
the CIO in the United States and with
the unions of Soviet Russia to estab-
lish the new World Federation of
Trade Unions that the AFL has de-
clined to Join.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
Protests Hults
Police Attacks
On Picket Lines

Los Angeles (FP) Outrage pro.
tests by labor, veterans and citizens
from every walk Of life have halted
at least temporarily, armed attacks
on picketines by Los Angeles police
Accused of "reviving the old red
squad with new vengeance" and of
putting his police department into SER
vice "as strikebreaking agency
Mayor Fletcher Bowron (R) denied
the charges and said it was merely
"a matter of law enforcement"
Although the mayor came to an
agreement with unionists on a num-
ber of points, he later went on the
air declaring that the law will be en-
forced vigorously and impartially and
police will protect persons wishing
to pass through picketlines. Teargas
SHOULD be and will be used only in
the most extreme cases." he stated.
Deputy Police Chief Eaton resigned
as unionists pointed out to the mayor
that he was elected by the people,
not by the Natl. Assn. of Manufac-
turers reactionary forces" and would
be held responsible by the people for
police attacks. Labor hastily formed
an overall strike strategy committee
and union and civic leaders demanded
the police commission conduct pub
lie hearing under oath on charges of
premeditated police violence against
the strikers, who are members Of
United Electrical Radio & Machine
Workers.
More than 1900 unionists Jan. 23
backed striking steelworkers in a dem
onstration of union solidarity and in
defiance of court order against strik-
ing and picketing. Thirty-five sheriff's
deputies watched without protest the
single file mass picketline around the
Consolidated Steel Co.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
Congress Urged
To Approve Loan

Miami, Fla.-(FP).-Congress was
asked by the AFL executive council
Jan. % to approve the U. S. grant
of $4 ,4O0, 100000 loan to Great Brit
ain as matter of good business and
not of sentiment.
The council sent message to all
members of the House and Senate in
dorsing the loan and saying that res
toration of trade with Britain would
be of real benefit to U. S. economic
life.
"A world peace may be negotiated
on the diplomatic level and protested
by military measures, but it depends
basically on a sound and prosperous
world economy which provides oppor-
tunity for each nation to establish a
decent standard Of living for its peo-
ple," the statement said.
The council added that not only
would the loan restore the trade of
Britain to the U. S., but it would fur
ther democracy because Britain con-
stitutes the last and most powerful
bastion Of democracy in Europe. The
British life comes closer to our own
ideas of the value of individual life
and freedom than any other"
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

by producing less for fewer people.
Here is the lineup and the pattern, in
dustry by industry:
STEEL, THE PEOPLE: 100000
members of United Steelworkers on
strike in 300 plants in 30 states. Ask
ed So daily increase to make up for
postwar slash in weekly take-hom
pay of $l2.4s-from S56.32 in April
l945 down to $43.48. Union came down
from original 25c hourly demand to
accept Pres. Tiuman's compromise
proposal of 1870, which would restore
only S7.40 to their weekly check.
Union points out that steel wages,
frozen throughout the prosperous
l92Os' were a major contributing fac
tor to the depression of the 30s.
STEEL, THE CORPORATIONS:
The steel industry, headed by the
giant monopoly u. S. Steel Corp, and
generalled by the Iron & Steel Insti-
tute in the anti-labor tradition of
Girdler, Weir and Grace. Industry's
wartime profits ran 276% higher than
in peacetime. In 1916, after paying $2
day wage increases, will still take
home in net profits after taxes $483
million-or 1854 million more than in
1914, more than four times as much
as in prewar years, without raising
prices.
Industry said No four times to
unions attempts to negotiate, only
to discuss it after guaran-
teed price increase, said No to Pres.
Truman's 1870 wage offer, only 3hc
more than its own offer and 6Hc be-
low unions.
MOTORS, THE PEOPLE: 100000
members of United Auto Workers in
ninth week of strike at General
Motors. Average pay $44.81 a week,
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

In the sixth month after victory in
World War IL, as the strikers of steel
and farm machinery joined the strik
ers of electrical, packing and auto
plants from New York, Pittsburgh
and Chicago across to Los Angeles,
from the iron towns of Minnesota
down to Alabama, close to two million
American workers marched on picket
lines-and the pattern became clear
of the new war they were fighting.
On one side stood the workers, who
asked living wage to meet rising
living costs, who pointed out that $22
billion had been lost in the national
pay envelope as the result of cuts in
the workweek and loss of overtime
and that if this loss was not made up
by pay increases the entire national
economy would suffer. Loss of that
purchasing power would mean IL mil
lion unemployed in 1916, they said,
and another depression like that of
the 30s.
In Washington the workers repre-
sentatives were fighting for legisla-
tion to insure full employment, to pre-
serve price control against initiation,
for social security, better housing and
medical care for all. And on the wage
front, in their wish to speed the pro-
cess of reconversion to full produc-
ton, they were willing to listen to
government proposals, to settle for
part now and negotiate the rest.
On the other side stood the big
corporations, whose profits more than
doubled after taxes between 1899 and
1914, when Congress had assured $50
billion in tax refunds, who could af-
ford to grant the wage demands labor
was asking without raising prices and |
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
Are We
One People?

In the past month | have Travelled
from one end of the continent to the
other-through big towns, little towns
and villages. And wherever | have
spoken, have been asked one ques-
tion-is there a difference between
the people in the various sections of
this land of ours?
If there is, | have not found it-for
the one thing which impressed me
most was the unity of the purpose
on basic questions. The difference lies
in the method by which that purpose
is to be achieved.
Fundamentally the desires are the
samoa home, family, honest work
at fair recompense, friends and leisure
time enough to enjoy life. But these
desires imply other things as well--a
hame safe from fear; family grow
ing together with common ideals and
aspirations; honest work at some con-
structive task, at recompense that
will enable family to live decently
honestly and with enough margin ia
serve for the future; friends who are
free to be loyal and kind; leisure in
which to learn and in which to take
part in community life, to serve as a
citizen for the betterment Of all.
These are the basic aspirations. But
they require peace and prosperity to
work them out. Not a peace of ap-
peasement nor a prosperity of wild
speculation, but a peace based on jus
tice toward all and prosperity with
a sound economic footing.
We can achieve this goal in our
time--for our children's time--if we
act as nation. We are the greatest
single force in the world today, if we
act as ONE-not in slavish obedience,
but in willing cooperation. We have
the natural resources and the produc-
tive ability to make us the strongest
power in the world. We have the po-
tential brain power to achieve econom-
ic stability. We have the moral force
to determine peace and to achieve
justice for all mankind.
But we can't do it by sitting back
on the side lines criticizing. The peo-
pie of this country want the same
things, no matter for which party they
vote, or to which church they go. Let
US, the people of the United States,
act together now. Let us not be mis-
led by agitators-alien or domestic
or publicity seeking dissenters into
thinking therei disunity. Let us weld
the bonds Of unity stronger than ever
to prove to the world that by virtue
of our common ideal, we are ONE
PEOPLE.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

asked 30H pay increase, voted to ac-
cept 17I@c wage increase recommended
by Pres. Truman's fact-finding board
When company refused to accept pro-
posal, union returned to 30R demand.
MOTORS, THE CORPORATION:
GM, controlled by the powerful du-
Pont family, netted income after taxes
of $3.50 million in 1943. Without
change in cost or prices, repeal of ex-
cess profits taxes leaves it from $500
million to $500 million, or about 1-3
more than before the war Will save
enough from taxes alone to pay a
29% increase. Six GIN executives on
list of Is highest salaried men in
country; GM Pres. C. +. Wilson got
in salary and bonuses $459.04l last
year; his workers got little more
than $1,000.
Company refused to bargain in good
faith, refused government conciliation,
rejected arbitration, flatly refused to
let government fact-finding board look
at its books and rejected government
compromise offer, which union accept
ed, "a hours after it was made with
out even giving it serious considera
tion. Million dollar ads claim unions
trying to run industry threaten "free
enterprise"
ELECTRIC, THE PEOPLE: 100000
members Of United Electrical Radio
& Machine Workers on strike at 79
plants of General Electric, Westing
house, General Motors electrical di-
vision in 16 states. Asked 81 daily in
crease, offered to settle for 15Hc
now, negotiate the rest of the 25c lat
pr. Workers highly skilled, present
pay averages less than $40 weekly.
ELECTRICAL, THE CORPORA
rIONS: Big Three of the electrical in
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

dustry. GE produces a of nations
electrical equipment, profits rose from
$51 million in 1889 to $3.50 million in
l943. Westinghouse profits increased
from $13,900,000 in 1889 to $3l ,8OO,-
600 in 1914. Westinghouse Board
Chairman A. w. Robertson makes S3,-
l85 week compared to his workers
$50. GE Pres. Charles +. Wilson draws
a yearly salary of 10000, his worker
less than $2,CCO.
Evidence presented by union to Sec.
of Commerce Henry A. Wallace and
Senate investigating committees
shows the Big Three led the rest of
the industry in a hold-back of eec-
trical appliances. Prepared for recon
version long before We Day, then
manufactured washing machines, re-
frigerators, radios, ETC., and are stor-
ing them in warehouses until the gov
ernment grants price increases. Blam-
ing the strike on the union in huge
ads, both companies refused to bar
gain in good faith; GE refused to dis
cuss wages for three months, then
rushed to press with l01ac offer; West
inghouse would not even discuss
wages, offered to raise hours to "A
week. Both companies have used
strikes as pretexts to cancel union
PACKINGHOUSE, THE PEOPLE:
238,00O members of United Packing
house Workers and Amalgamated
Meat Cutters & Butchers Workmen
on strike at Big Four packinghouses.
Among lowest paid workers in U. S.
Rates 62c an hour for women, Tie for
men. $28.80 weekly wage for family
men during war forced many to work
l0O-hour week, caused greatest turn
over Of any industry. Workers have
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

still make twice their prewar profit.
But the corporations were greedy
for more. They had called their own
sitdown strike on production until the
excess profits law was repealed and
they could get higher prices. They had
stalled or refused to discuss the
unions wage demands, refused to ad-
NIT that their ability to pay" was
even an issue and even when the gov
ernment promised them price increases
and persuaded the unions to accept
compromise offers, the corporations
still refused to bargain.
They clearly wanted to provoke the
unions into striking. With their huge
reserves accumulated during the war
and guaranteed profits through tax
rebates regardless Of their produc
tion in 1916, they could afford not to
produce-and they counted on break
ing at last the American labor move
ment.
In Washington their representatives
were using the strikes to try and force
price increases, to repeal the Wag
ner act and wage-hour act, to pass new
forms of labor-shackling laws. The
companies were spending millions of
dollars on newspaper ads to convince
the public that the unions were re-
sponsible for these strikes against the
poor defenseless corporations and the
public. But the clear fact was that the
employers had defied both the u. S.
government and the nations welfare
in attempting to provoke the strikes.
Outcome of this war of 1916 will
decide whether America will go ahead
to prosperity with more for all peo-
Pile, or go back to the open shop days
Of mass unemployment and hunger,
while the companies pile up profits
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

had no increase since before Pearl
Harbor, asked 25c, were willing to ac-
cept l7la now, negotiate the rest, but
said No to meat trusts 7hc offer.
Union stresses "need for continued
and effective price control"
PACKINGHOUSE, THE CORPOR-
ATIONS: Swift, Armour, Wilson and
Cudahy control 70% of the nations
slaughter and packing houses. Using
workers wage demands to break price
ceilings, Armour's Pres. George East
wood flatly told government fact
finding board that "any matter Of
wage increases is matter of price re-
lief" During the war staged several
sitdown strikes to cause artificial
shortages to force price relief; had
powerful bloc in Washington lobbying
against price control.
Wages could be granted without
price relief; wages for Big Four are
only 79t of total expense. Swift paid
$34 million last year in excess profits
taxes, now repealed. Combined pro-
fits of Big Four after taxes last year
were 27OR above 1910 profits.
FARM EQUIPMENT, THE PEO-
PIE: 10000 members of United Farm
Equipment Workers on strike at II
Intl. Harvester plants for 30% wage
increase and a master contract. Struck
when company, after stalling nego-
tiations three months, refused to agree
on even one of the issues raised by
the union.
FARM EQUIPMENT, THE COR
The Init. Harvester en-
pire, ruled by the notorious McCor-
mick family of Chicago, controls 65Fs
Of the farm equipment industry. Har
vester's monopoly has been challenged
in two government antitrust suits, its
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

anti-unon record dates back to the
Haymarket tragedy.
A $4OO million corporation. Harves-
ter gives the Mccormick family $S
million annually in dividends alone.
paid for S2H million marble palace
imported from Italy to Lake Michi-
gan for Elizabeth Rockefeller Nc
Cormick, $l,20O,O0O emerald collec-
ton for one Of the wives of Inlavhoy
Harold Fowler Mccormick. and for
many of the hobbies of Col. Robert r.
Mccormick of the. Chicago Tribune.
Pleading inability to pay unions wage
demands, Harvester's profits were SAT
million in 1889, jumped 3O0z during
the war. Workers wage increase was
frozen at l5%. ts
From industry to industry. the cor
porations' pattern was so similar that
union men recognized it as a consn;r-
acy against labor-and against the
American people, whom it would rob
of prosperity. But against. that nat
tern another pattern was appearing
across the nation.
Labor was out solid on the picket.
lines, almost every plant shut down
tight, no scabs. No-striking workers
in Independent, AFL and CIO unions
were honoring picketlines, in many
cases helping to picket. inexperienced
unionists were holding the line against
teargas and armed police in Los An
geles and Chicago and against injunc-
tions in Kansas. And in Bloomfield,
N. j., Stamford, Conn.,, Lynn, Mass,
the people of the community, little
businessmen, professionals, church
men, even the American Legion, were
helping the strikers with food and
support. The war might be bigger
than industry bargained for.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31

pire by CIO, AFL, citizens commit
tees and minority GIN stockholders. In
Detroit the joint labor defense COM
mittee, manned chiefly by AFL union
lists, held GIN benefit party for the
strikers. The cast of the Carmen Jones
opera company appeared at party
the night before where hundreds of
dollars were raised
The JAWS international strike fund
has been swelled by over quarter
million dollars.
All JAW tool and die shops were
prepared Jan. % to stop work on
GIN orders as additional pressure on
the corporation to settle the long
drawn out dispute. Pres. John Ander-
son of Tool & Die Local estimates
that several million dollars in GM
contracts is involved.
Since the steel strike which began
Jan. Il has already caused layoffs
at Ford and Packard and other plants
it is generally doped out that GIN is
not too interested in coming to terms
before it has steel available to re-
sumo car production. That might be a
minimum of two weeks. The dope is
based on the suspicion that GIN was
picked by the Natl. Assn. of Manu-
facturers to test out union strength
and to break the union if possible.
Public opinion is with Pres. Truman
in his efforts to restore industrial
peace and therefore, the dopesters
argue, Chrysler and Ford were tipped
off to settle, while GIN is strong and
rich enough to hold out longer and
also to take the publicity rap for its
reactionary position.
II is taken for granted that the GM
strike will be settled long before the
JAW assemblies in convention in At
lantic City March 23.
The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1946-01-31
Scribe Gives


tion. If pressed for definition of a
pottery, we would unhesitatingly say
that it was a collection Of well paid
clay workers, kilnmen, high class
decorators and few other highly
skilled workers. This group is sur
rounded by q bottom bracket bunch
consisting of kilndrawers, ware
housemen, glost and bisque girls and
common laborers that might well be
classed NECESSARY EVILS!
During the almost so years we
have been the motive power behind
q warehouse gondola most of the in
creases have been horizontal. That
is the Big Boys got fat pay boost;
while the necessary evils" have re-
ceived microscopic additions to their
pay envelopes, such as that recent
ly given the 5lhc girls. While there
is no doubt that skilled work should
command better pay than unskilled,
there il no sense nor justice always
giving the best paid the largest
raise. II has been our observation
that the pottery owners have alway
concurred in this. You can't have
successful or cooperative plant OPP
GRAFTON where half the working per-
sonnel is toling for wage that
does not induce a desire to give their
best efforts.
While we have not had wide exper-
ience in our ceramic contacts, we
have talked to workmen and Off
cials of out Of town plants, and
have found almost unanimity in their
blaming low production on low priced
labor turnover, and the quality of
the work performed by the labor
they retained. 1t, is time that we
lowly toilers got better recognition,
not 30 much from the manufacturers,
but from our highly paid Union
Brothers.
In closing, we would usurp the
perrogative Of your o. c. and ex-
tend the sympathy of l.. U. 6 to
those loved ones bereaved by the
loss Of that splendid gentleman we
have so long known as our secre-
tary-treasurer, John ID. McGillivray.
Unflagging devotion and answering
interest that have marked his career
have given him a place in the an
nails of unionism that will remain
imperishable.-O. c. 6