_- A GENERAL NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS AN ATTAINMENT OF THE LARGEST GENERAL WEEKLY
IWNe OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
vired
nses a —
nce, Recognized and Endors- Gur Shop Is Equipped
low. ed by More Than Fifty to Do Job Printing of
nust Local Unions and Cen- All Kinds. Nothing Too
ade, tral Bodies Over Cam- Large or Too Small
. the bria County and Ad- We Cater Especially to
urg. jacent Mining Areas. Loeal Unien_ Printing.
i | ———————————————
Union Press, Established May, 1935, wnt Patton Courier, Established Oct., 1893.
VOL. 45. NO. 18. EE CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AREA. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1939 RPO FA SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 PER YEAR
UNITED MINE W
C10 CHARGES AFL
WAGNER PLANS A
PERI OUS MOVE
Say Intention Is Not Only to
Break Up CIO, But Endanger
All Collective Bargaining.
By Henry C. Fleisher..
Washington—The nine amendments
to the Wagner Act, sponsored by the
top leaders of the American Federation
of Labor and introduced by Senator
HALUSKA DISFAVORS
ACTION TO ABOLISH
MINES DEPARTMENT
Senator John J. Haluska, Cambria
Democrat, last week looked with dis-
quietude upon reports that Governor
Arthur H. James intended to abolish
the Department of Mines and replace
it by a bureau in the Department of
Labor and Industry.
“If any department should exist on
this hill,” he told the senate, “it is
the Department of Mines. Certainly the
coal miners and operators should have
some substantial agency to take care
of their problems.”
“I regret very much,” he added.
Washington.—The United Mine Wor-
kers of America took the first steps
last Friday toward negotiation of new
| contracts affecting 500,000 miners.
Officers of the union announced
that the policy committee, headed by
President John L. Lewis and including
ORKERS PREPARING FOR TALKS
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND!
WORKERS ARE INVOLVED
©
Policy Committee, Headed by President John L. Lewis Will Meet |
in New York City on March 9th to Draft Demands for Soft Coal
Contract. Present Agreement With Operators Expires Mar. 30. |
$5.60 in the south. Approximately 100,- |
000 anthracite miners are covered by |
a contract expiring April 30th which |
has a basic $4.62 per day common la- |
bor rate.
Both industries were hard hit by the
business decline in late 1937 and 1938. !
N A NEW AGREEMENT
{MINES DEPARTMENT !
RETRENCHES UNDER
SECRETARY THOMAS |
Further retrenchment in pay roll]
expenditures in the Department of!
Mines in Pennsylvania was disclosed |
the other day by John Ira Thomas, |
new secretary of mines.
Thomas rescinded three appoint-
ments of mine inspectors made in the]
closing days of the Earle administra-!
tion. Leslie L. Steele of Richland |
township, was among those dropped. |
In eliminating the three additional!
| inspectorships, Secretary Thomas said
tonnage production in Pennsylvania
mines did not warrant appointments
EAGLES PLAN A
GALA MEETING
FRIDAY NIGHT
Charles C. Guenther of Pitts-
burgh Principal Speaker, and
Class Will Be Initiated.
Friday eveing of this week, Febru-
ary 10th, has been set as the date for
a special meeting at Patton Aerie No.
1244, Fraternal Order of Eagles, when
Charles C. Geunther, Past Grand Wor-
5 David Walsh of Massachusetts, will] at Be Sovernos id already seen | 1) istrict union officials, would meet | Soft coal production dropped 100,000. | in the first place. thy President of the Order, of Pitts-
a destroy almost completely the value % to @ olish one Durezu in ine de- | in New York on March 9th to draft | 000 tons in 1938, and J. D. Battle, sec-| Another retrenchment move an- | burgh, will come as the chief speaker.
> of the Act for American labor. pariment, hal having to do with the | demands for the new soft coal con. retary of the National Coal Associa-| nounced by Thomas was the curtail-| In a statement concerning the fra-
It the amendments should pass, an- bituminous mining mn western Penn- tract. tion, estimated the industry's loss in| ment of the activities of three miners’ ! ternity’s social-justice work, Worthy
: ti-union corporations and that section | SYlvania. | Anthracite unions ip Pennsylvani» | excess of 60 million tollaré. Anthra- | examination boards in the bituminous President’ L. Claire Smale said that
of the AFL leadership which is moved | a ~~ | were called to a convention at the | cite production dropped from 51,836,000 | districts. Three members of each board | while the F. O. E. was founded forty
only by blind hate of the CIO and in- PREDICT MINIMUM | Commodore Hotel in New York March | tons in 1837 to 45,054,000 in 1938. | had been serving five days a week at | years ago as ‘a mutual benefit socie-
sn of the nation’s | 21 to map policy in negotiating a new The imminent fixing of bituminous $10 a day each. Thomas said most of ty and has since paid out more that
dustrial organization i
workers, will get benefits. The workers |
in the AFL and the CIO alike will]
suffer.
These are the conclusions reached |
by the CIO Legal Department after al
study of the Walsh bill. The CIO will |
shortly issue a pamphlet attacking the |
amendments and demonstrating point |
by point how they would injure all |
bonafide unions and prepare the way
for a giant gain in company union-
ism. |
Among the nine amendments sug- |
gested by President Green of the AFL |
are proposals which were never dis- |
cussed, let alone approved, by the |
federation’s conveantion in Houston, |
Texas, last summer. Had they been |
offered to the convention delegates it |
it likely they would never have been |
sanctioned. :
The amendments would, to all in- |
tents and purposes, prevent the Na- |
tional Labor Relations Board from rul. |
ing against the vast majority of com-
pany unions which have been fostered
by anti-union employers.
Under the new definitions of a com-
pany union, only the most clumsy at-
tempts to keep the workers out of bon- |
| Appalachian agreement, but the U .M.
| W
BITUMINOUS COAL
PRICES BY MAY 1ST
Washington.—National
Coal Commis
to reestablish minimum coal
soon after representatives of the soft
coal industry and of the United Mine
Workers of America meet to negotiate
a new collective bargaining contract.
Negotiations between a joint com-
mittee of 10 coal operators and mine
union officials will begin in New York
on March 14th.
Industry - spokesmen were expected
to demand modification of the present
prices
. of A. will counter with a demand
for contract improvement, as noted
elsewhere in this issue.
A coal commission member said
some minimum prices for the western
district may be fixed by April 1st, and
that prices would be fixed by May 1,
and possibly by the middle of April
A supreme court decision, last week,
permitting the commission to make
public individual cost statements of
operators, cleared the way for the fi-
nal hearing on proposed district pri-
Bituminous |
on officials are hoping |
hard coal contract and to select ne-
gotiators. Approximately 300 delegates
from three districts and 275 local un-
| ions will attend.
Operators in both fields are expect-
ed to ask modification of the present
agreements and the U. M. W. of A. is
expected to counter with demands for
improvement, including a thirty hour
week. Both agreements now call for
a seven hour day and 35 hour week.
The soft coal contract, which ex-
pires March 30th, covers more tha
400,000 miners and provides for a bas
minimum prices by the National Bi- |
tuminous Coal Commission may be a |
factor in the soft coal negotiations.
Government officials, mine union lea-
ders, and some operators believe that
these prices will stabilize the business
and halt the losses. Coal commission |
| officials hope to reestablish price min- |
ima by May 1.
The Tri.District Hard Coal Confer-
| ence was called at a meeting attended |
| by President Lewis, Secretary-Treas-
> ( district presidents and secretary-treas- |
wage of $6 per day in the north and |
urer Thomas Kennedy and the three |
urers.
Harrisburg.—Forty dollars
month was proposed in the Pennsyl-
all persons over the age of 65.
Senator John J. Haluska, Democrat.
of Patton, suggested in his bill that
the aged who get such pensions be
permitted also to hold real estate and
a maximum of $2,500 in personal pro-
perty.
every |
vania Legislature on Monday night for | ka, Democrat, of Cambria county, pre-
SENATOR HALUSKA SEEKS PENSION OF $40.00 FOR
ALL OVER 65 YEARS, IN LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL
|
John H. Dent, Democrat, of West.
moreland county, and John J. Halus- |
sented the bill. Dent waved the mea-
sure as he introduced it and said:
“Governor James wanted to reduce |
the number of restaurants selling li-
quor. This will give him the machin-
ery to do it.”
The senators figured the number of
the examining under the Haluska Cer-
tificate law was completed, so he or-
| dered the boards to be in session not
more than two days a week during
the next four months.
POSTPONE ACTION
ON OCCUPATIONAL
DISEASE CLAIMS |
Orders have gone out to state
$76,000,000 to protect its own members,
it has played an important part in
helping non-Eagles as well.
The local officer listed among the
order's humanitarian activities its er-
forts to help indigent widowed moth-
| ers and their children, the dependent
| aged, and workmen injured at their
jobs, citing the fact that all states now
have passed mothers’ pension and old
| age pension laws, and forty-six states
have workmen’s compensation laws.
workmen's compensation referees this! yo said that when the Eagles became
week to postpone action on occupa- | jnterested in legislation
| tional disease claims pending a state | these three groups not a state or even
| supreme court decision on validity of |
the statute.
Constitutionality of the occupational |
| disease act and the revised workmen's |
| compensation law, enacted by the 1937 |
Legislature, was attacked by two |
Clearfield county soft coal mining |
companies that were joined in the suit |
by nearly all the anthracite mine op-
erators. |
to protect
a county had such laws,
The order is now concentrating its
efforts in the humanitarian field on
the stabilization of employment, be.
lieving, the local spokesman said, that
a continuous job at a saving wage for
the worker would insure economic
stability for the country.
The Eagles-Ludlow bill, which has
been introduced into congress, embo-
Labor and Industry Secretary Lew- dies this idea.
1
is G. Hines ordered the 15 referees to
file occupational disease claims Sor! ure in the fraternity, w
further reference without hearings un-
til the appelate court rules on validity
of the compensation laws.
Mr. Guenther, a widely known fig-
ill discuss par-
ticularly this last phase of the organ-
ization’s work, Worthy President L. C.
Smale said.
the | licenses to be distributed by the con- “The referees advise me,” Hines! A panner meeting night ‘is being
said, “that work on other cases is al- | looked forward 10. With Mr. Geunther
most at a standstill due to a flood of | as the pricipal guest, and in honor ot
occupational disease claims. . .. | Conrad H. Mann's birthday, the local
It is upon their advice and solicit. | 1odge will initiate a class of candidates
The state at present requires
aged to sign over to the commonwealth gressional districts on the basis of one
any real or personal property over K to ench 1,000 persons in a township,
$500 in value before assistance up to borough, incorporated town or city.
$30 a month is allowed. | License fees, now running from $150
found objectionable. The more sills [0 Jrevens jevetation of this Sats on
methods, which have been used by | .
_| More inan 500,000 individual prices
hundreds of employers would be ap | will be promulgated by the commiss-
ion in an effort to guarantee the
_3
afide labor organizations would be | ces. A group of operators had sought
proved.
It compel the National Labor Rela-
tions Board to certify each craft occu-
pation as a separate bargaining unit—
whether or not the workers involved |
desired to be separated from the ma-
jority.
Demands that employers be allow-
ed to go to the courts for subpoenas
for evidence—thereby making it pos-
sible for them to delve into the private
files of unions; that the board be for- |
ced to make its files public; that em- |
ployers’ expenses on NLRB cases be
paid by the Board; and that NLRB
trial examiners be disqualified if em-
ployers think them biased—all these |
point to a deal between the AFL and
Big Business.
The AFL leadership has always!
sought to justify its activities with the
argument that it has been working in
the interest of the workers. Its pro. |
posed amendments to the Wagner act,
however, expose Green and his sup-
porters on the AFL executive council
as players of the employers’ game in
their war against industrial unionism
and the CIO.
REELECT GRIFFITH
HEAD OF CAMBRIA
EXTENSION GROUP
J. Norman Griffith of Cambria town-
ship, was reelected president of the!
Cambria County Agricultural Exten-
sion Society at the annual business |
meeting of the organization held last
Thursday in the Ebensburg court
house.
Othe rofficials elected are E. J. Bea-
rer, Hastings, R. D., vice president, S.
I. Miller, Carrolltown, R. D., treasurer
and Mrs. Freda O'Hara, Cresson, R.|
D., secretary. |
The following were named to the |
executive committee: Englebert Far- |
abaugh, Loretto, R. D.,, Lyman Sher-
bine and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Jones, all |
of Wilmore, Edward Westrick, Patton, |
R. D., James Garrett, Cresson, R. D.; |
Mrs. Russell Edwards, Ebensburg, R. |
D; Mrs. George Leiden, St. Law- |
|
|
| . :
{ less their owners obtain the necessary
“weighted cost” of production to coal
operators. The commission's first
minimum price fixing effort was re-
voked February 25th, 1938, after sev-
eral circuit courts of appeals had en-
joined the prices and cast doubt on
their legality. The commission has re-
vised its procedure in a manner it be- |
lieves will meet those objections.
OWNERS OF 10,000 DOGS
UNLICENSED IN CAM-
BRIA FACE PENALTY
Dogs—at least 10,000 of them—are
unlicensed in Cambria County and un-
permits at once the latter will be sub-
ject to fines of $5 and $100 and costs.
This announcement was made last
week by John A. Risconsin, dog law
investigator of the Department of Ag-
riculture.
During 1938 there were 17,977 dogs
licensed in Cambria county,” Mr. Ris-
consin said. “Up to date this year on.
ly 7,000 licenses have been obtained.
We have every reason to believe that
there are just as many dogs in the
county now as there were last year.
Unless the owners of unlicensed ani-
males obtain permits at once they will
be subject to a fine.
“Last year at this date, 8,646 dog li-
censes had been issued by the county
treasurer, which shows that up to the
present time this year, 1.646 fewer li-
censes have been issued to date. We
intend to start a drive against unli-
censed dogs within a few days so it is
up to all owners of these animals to
obtain licenses at once.”
The license fee for a male dog is
$1.10; female, $2.10; and a spayed fe-
male, $1.10. In applying for a license
for a spayed a certificate must ac-
company aplication unless the dog has
been previously licensed in this coun-
ty. If aplications are made to County
restaurant liquor licenses, doubling
the fees, and permit bottle sales in
hotels, restaurants and clubs, was in-
troduced in the senate.
Legislation to cut the number of |
to $600 depending on population,
would be doubled.
Hotels, restaurants and clubs could
sell for consumption off the premise, |
bottles of not more than one quart
County Controller Henry L. Cannon
and John Thomas, Jr., president, spe-
aking for the board of county
missioners, on Monday joined in an ap-
peal to the five assemblymen from
Cambria county to introduce legisla-
tion postponing property sales for de-
com-
until 1941. The two officials pointed
out that the sales scheduled this year
would work an undue hardship upon
property owners who are endeavoring
to settle their tax acccunts.
Unless legislative relief is forth-
POTATO GROWERS
HEAR PATTON MAN
AT ANNUAL MEET
The Cambria County Potato Grow-
ers Association is able to market all
potatoes raised in the county, P. C.
Strittmatter of Patton, declared at the
annual meeting of the Cambria Coun-
ty Agricultural Association held in
Ebensburg last Thursday. More than
200 persons attended the meeting.
J. Norman Griffith of Ebensburg, R.
D. 2, president of the association, pre.
sided.
“Times have changed during the
past fifteen years in the marketing of
potatoes as well as other farm crops,”
Mr. Strittmatter said. “The Cambria
County Potato Growers’ Association
has been very successful in marketing
our product through the state associa-
tion.
Treasurer John Lloyd Jones by mail,
rence and Mrs. John Hice, South Fork, | CAMBRIA ADDS 630
R.D,
A report of the work done by the
farm women of the county was given
by Mrs. Emma Hall Eastman, home |
economics director of the county. Var- |
ious other reports were submitted, in- |
cluding those of H. C. McWilliams, the |
county farm agent. |
Citizenship Examinations.
PERSONS TO ROLLS
OF RELIEF AGENCY
Cambria County ranked fifth among
the 67 counties in the number of new
return postage should be enclosed.
cases added to relief rolls during |
{last week in January the weekly re-
port of the Department of Public As-
sistance showed on Monday. Through-
“Pennsylvania potato growers
sell their products in the
cause not sufficent potatoes are rais- |
ed in Pennsylvania to meet the mark-
et demand. We therefore have the ad-
vantage by the margin of freight costs
state be- |
{ have not made settlement for
COMMISSIONERS AND CONTROLLER APPEAY TO THE
ASSEMBLYMEN TO PROMOTE A TAX SALES DELAY
coming, the officials pont out, prop- |
erties in which 1935 and 1936 taxes are |
delinquent will be offered for sale by
the county treasurer the third Monday
in April and those on which owners '
1937,
will be sold the first Monday in Au-|
| gust. |
linquent taxes of 1935, 1936 and 1937, |
| making an honest effort to
| their delinquent
“Many taxpayers in the county are |
settie |
taxes,” Controller |
| Cannon said. “Two tax sales within al ; : :
| year would work too much hardship | handle a producer's entire production.
can | McWilliams, county agent, to sit in
upcn property owners, especially un- |
der existing conditions,” he said. i
ee
that the potato growers unit is coop.)
erating with the Pennsylvania Faun)
Bureau Federation in purchasing ev-
ering the farmer uses excepting farm |
machinery. He invited those at the!
convention to take advantage of the |
| clog the
| CLASSIFICATION FOR |
| : :
[ ble to receive discounts on coal pur-
ation that I issued the orders to un-
workmen's compensation {
claims settlement machinery. |
COAL BEING URGED
Washington.—President Walter Ott, |
of the American Coal Producers’ Ass-
ociation has recommended the Nation-
al Bituminous Coal Commission class- |
ify three types of distributors as eligi- |
chased for resale in cargo or railroad
carload lots.
Ott, member of a Boston coal dis- |
tributing company, testified at a hear-
ing on ‘rules and regulations for reg- |
| tration of distributors entitled to such
discounts under the Bituminous Coal
Act. His suggested clasifications:
1—"Exclusive” distributors, who
2.—“Regional” distributors, who
handle all of a producer's business for |
a single region.
3—"“Wholesale” distributors, who
buy and sell coal generally. |
E. Wever Dobson, of Minneapolis, |
chairman of the American Coal Re-
tail Association’s executive commit.
tee, suggested “wholesaler” be defined
| the degree work to be exemplified by
Patton Aerie Degree team. A fish and
| oyster supper for members anu ue
newly initiated candidates will fol-
low. It is expected that Eagles from
| many nearby points will attend the
meeting,
BOY SCOUTS OF NORTH
OF COUNTY TO HIKE TO
HART'S SLEEPING PLACE
| In observance of National Boy Scout
Week, various troops of the Boys
Scouts of the Northern Cambria are
will hike to Hart's Sleeping Place, ®
St. Joseph's Church, next Saturday.
They will leave their various towns at
10 a. m,, take their lunches with them,
and prepare their meal at noon. Troops
| from Patton, Watkins, Bakerton and
Carrolltown are expected to take part.
| Attorney Peter J. Little of Ebensburg
| president of the Cambria County His-
torical Society, will be present after
{ the noon meal, and will address the
| boys on tne early history of Cambria
County and on the particular signifi-
| cance ot Hart’s Sleeping Place in the
early county and state annals,
wholesale prices obtained in this co-| 35 @ “person who purchases coal for BARNESBORO K. OF C. TO
operative buying.
John L. Jones of Ebensburg R. D. | who does not physically handle such |
and Keller Jones of Wilmore spoke |
briefly on the activities of the 4-H!
Clubs. Clarence Griffith of Ebensburg
R. D,, spoke on a farm machinery de-
monstration which was held recently
on his farm.
Farmers of the county were invited
by Ira Bloom, manager of the Cam-
bria County Fair Association, to in-
crease their exhibits at the fair to be
held in Ebensburg in September,
“We will do everything possible to
co-operate in making these exhibits a
success and we have invited H. C.|
with our board in making up the pre.
mium list,” Mr. Bloom said.
The farm women of Cambria coun-
ty were lauded by Mrs. Russell Ed-
wards of Ebensburg R. D. who pointed
over raisers in other states who wish | out that at the state farm show held
to sell in Pennsylvania.”
Mr. Strittmatter declared that
recently in Harrisburg, they led the
in | state in the number of exhibits, Atl
order to market potatoes a standard | the show, Mrs. Edwards said, farm wo-
package is necessary.
“Large manufacturers who market
national products have learned that |
men of this county had 50 exhibits,
and won 32 premiums.
Prof. Willis Kerns, rural socialogis:
they most successfully enter the mar-| and extension specialist of State Col-
resale in cars or cargo vessels and
coal” and “retailer” as “a person who
purchases coal inrailroad cars or car- |
80 vessels for sale in any quantity
and who physically handles such coal.’
TWO NORTH CAMBRIA
MEN HELD FOR THEFT
William Wagner, 28, and Wade Ad-
ams, 22, both of Barnesboro, have been
committed to the Cambria
breaking, entering and larceny. The
defendants were unable to raise $1,-
000 bond each when they faced D. A. !
Westover, Barnesboro justice of the |
peace. Both entered pleas of guilty
at a hearing.
Wagner and Adams were arrested |
by County Detective Charles Cowan |
County |
Jail to await action on charges of)
| HOLD PRE-LENTEN AF.
| FAIR ON FEBRUARY 16
|
1
A pre-lenten dinner and card party
i Will be held by Barnesboro council,
| Knights of Columbus, at the Brandon
| hotel, Spangler on Thursday evening
| February 16th. The announcement of
| the affair was made following a meet-
| ing Monday evening, Jan. 23, of a
| committee selected to stage the event.
The committee chairmen chosen to
represent their respective communities
were as follows: P. O. Holtz, Hastings;
D. R. Lovette, Spangler;
Carrollitown; D, J. Murphy, Barnes-
boro; R. G. Lieb, Nickto
Buck, Bakerton, and Francis X. Young,
Patton. Also present at the meeting
|
| were Thomas V. Kortz of Barnesboro,
grand night; Dr. Harry Denny of
Spangler, lecturer; and the Rev. Mich-
and Chief of Police Dean Whited of | 2¢L Brett, chaplain.
Barnesboro. The defendants allegedly |
stripped an automobile belonging to|
Hale Repine of Mentcle, Indiana coun.
ty, while the vehicle was parked be-
fween Belsano and Strongstown. They
also allegedly stole ten cartons of cig-
arets and a quantity of candy and
chewing gum from the A. Arturius
A chicken dinner followed by cards,
Eridge, and cinch arc planned for the
evening. A short entertajr, went,
Pat McGlynn of Hastings an
Domenic of Spangler ren
selections, will immediiately follow the
dinner. Father Brett will
toastmaster,
n
1 An
serve as
ket when their product is put up in| lege, and Paul Edinger, assistant di-
standard packages,” Mr. Strittmatter | rector of agriculture extension at the | store in Marstellar one night recently.
declared. “This also is true as regards | same institution, were the nrincipal | ;
potatoes. We are now marketing our | speakers at the afternoon session. Oth- | ton, R. D.; E. J. Hughes of Wilmore; have been invited to attenc
product in bushel and peck packages, | er speakers were Mr. McWilliams, Mrs. | T,awrence Cretin of Dysart; E. J. Wes- | Priests from the neighb
but the smaller size package in the Emma Hall Eastman, home economies | trick of Patton, R. D.; W. H. Fyock, | unities and the Most 1
most popular with the housewife.” | worker, Englebert Farabough of Lo- | ot Johnstown, R. D.; Jessie Griffith of ' Richard T. Guilfoyle, D. D
The Patton man also pointed out retto, R. D.; F. A. Westrick of Pat- Colver, and R. J. Nedimyer of Flinton. | extended special invitat
Preliminary examinations for nat- | out i Bi ip iste were 19,658 per.
uralization papers will be conducted S0nS & ed to the DPA caseload, in-
in the courthouse at Ebensburg on | cluding approximately 650 in this coun-
Februray 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th ana |%-
18th, it is announced by Prothonotary ! _——
John L. Hite. More than 300 applicants Mexico's people are about thirty per
will take the examination. Final tests | cent Indian, 9 per cent white and 60
will be given in June. | per cent mixed.
Knights from the Ebensburg, Johns
town, Altoona, and Portage counci