EE ————————————— | |
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OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
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jacent Mining Areas. ; Loeal Union, Printing.
Union Press, Established May, 1935, Wee or Patton Courier, Established Oct., 1893,
VOL. 45. NO. 20, CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AREA. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1939 7 Spun kim ave. SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 PER YEAR
CHAIN STORE TAX [OPERATORS ARE
ISRULED INVALID | ALSO PREPARING
DAUPHIN COURT FOR CONFERENCE
Tax Has Been Virtually Ineffec- | om mittee of 16. Selected to
tive Since Passage py 1937 Meet With Miners, and More
Legislature, May Be Chosen.
Washington.—A committee of 16 6se-
validated the chain store tax—enacted I SR
by the 1937 legislature to raise salaries | oo. the Uditod Mine Weree
of teachers in foruth class school dis- Aerics; reporied 10 & meeting of {he
tricts. : hs
The tax had been virtualy ineffect- ” siniors Jn New York on Wednesday
ive since it was signed by former gov-
ernor George H. Earle in the summer
of 1937 because of preliminary injunc-
i a St ai operatin X : ;
Sons Branis) on chains op g tions. Operator representatives said,
a decision, written by | however, that the Wednesday meet-
President Judge William M. Hargesy, | 8 would discuss the possibility of
held the graduation of taxes on stores | changing this practice and enagging
f a single unit to $500 per other negotiators. Negotiations are
iii a br jit Be Or. nove Stores | scheduled to start on March 14th,
an : ’ | i 0 slected y
theatres or gdsoline stations to ‘be a Somlse Zembers elected by
“ é arbitre capric- ’ : :
onscasenable ubivary | and carrie | ner, nih Volatile Fid—L
a . Ay ; ie ’
sonable or just relation” to the pur-| \00ds, Columbus, Ohio; W. J. Cun-
ringham, Crummies, Ky.; Holmes Mor-
poses of the act. sii ton, Charleston, W. Va.; L. C. Gunter
The court handed down two injunc- Knoxville. Tenn.
tions, one in the action brought by the Southern low volatile field—P. C.
Harrisburg.—The Dauphin County
Court on Monday of this week in-
work for several weeks, usually rep-
resents the operators in the negotia-
American Stores Company; the other | Themas, Pittsburgh; O. I.. Alexander, |
in hay Brougys by Hie Siamiey Com | New York; J. W. Carter, New
pany o erica, War 8. - T Fotos (FTIOE, AN
tures, Inc., and Warner Bros. Theatres, L. T. Putnam, West Virginia.
Inc., theatre operators. | Melll. New , :
The tax was intended to raise an es- | Ne Pa ew York; A. J. Musser, Indi
J on = oe ke, etn
our 2 at Morrow, and W. I ffelder, Pitts-
salaries from an $800-$900 minimum to |; ow: an L. Affelder, Pitts
| burgh.
$1,000 a year. Ohio—Walter Robinson,
York;
R. L. Ire-
The committee, which has been at|
Central Pennsylvania—Charles O’- |
JD. A
At an interstate conference, held in
Washington, . of Unemployment Com-
pensation Agencies, Lee Pressman, gen-
eral counsel for the Congress of Indus-
trial Organizations, discussed necessary
changes to better the present unem-
ployment compensation laws. He pre-
sented the Committee for Industrial
Organization program for the impro-
vement and extension of the present
system.
On the basis of four major criticisms
of the present law, Mr. Pressman in his
speech outlined the remedies which
organized labor would seek through
legislation during the coming year.
The four major defects of the pre-
sent laws set forth by Pressman are:
1. The inadequacy of present bene-
fits, both in amount and coverage of
| workers.
| 2. The complexity of the present
|
laws which make it hard to under-
i stand and administer them, and which
| has caused serious delays on the pay-
| ment of benefits.
| 3. A number of interpretations of
| certain provisions of the law, such as
the labor disputes clause, which have
i worked to the disadvantage of organ-
ized labor.
4. So-called “merit” rating provi-
| sions under which employers with the
| least amount of unemployment pay
lower social security taxes, thus pla.
| cing the heaviest burden on those em-
COMPENSATION LAWS SHOULD BE
BOTH EXTENDED AND IMPROVED
COUNSEL FOR LABOR ASSERTS
laws be extended to include agricul-
tural and domestic labor and employes
of charitable organizations; the sim-
plification of the present laws; in-
creases of the minimum and total am-
ount of benefits payable; and a sys-
tem of receipts to workers so that they
may know what their earnings are
under the social security laws.
Mr. Pressman said: “I think we can
make one basic assumption in these
discussions, namely, that the principle
of unemployment compensation has
been firmly established. In other
words, the hazards of unemployment
are beyond the control of the indivi-
dual worker and the individual em-
ployer and the consequences of this
unemployment are a responsibility of
the government, to be relcived so far
as possible through a system of in-
surance against unemployment. Our
problem today is to make this system
as effective as possible.”
Attacking the merit plans Mr. Press-
man said: “A merit rating system, in-
stad of promoting stability of unem-
ployment by offering an advantage to
the employer who can maintain uni.
form employment throughout the year,
in fact increases unemployment. This
is so because in order to obiair the
benefit of lower tax rates, the em-
ployer pares his working force down
tc a bare minimum and throws out of
work a large number of persons who
| ployers least able to bear it.
Mr. Pressman urged that the present
El =
might otherwise be employed for vary-
ing periods throughout the year.”
NEW STATEWPA
HEAD SAYS THAT
NEEDY IS FIRST
Acting Head Declares That All|
Hint of Politics Will Be Elim-
inated in Pennsylvania.
Harrisburg.—Everett C. Smith, Jr, |
acting administrator of the Works
Progress Administration in Pennsyl-
vania, declared Monday he intended |
{oc “eliminate politics, and see that
MINERS PREPARE
FOR CONFERENCE
ON WAGE SCALE
Both Anthracite and Bituminous
Parleys to Be Held in New
York City Next Month.
New York City will be the scene
of much activity on the part of the
United Mine Workers of America, be-
ginning on March 9. On that date the
international policy committee of the
those who most need it get work re-| ,nion will meet at the Commodore
lier. | Hotel, New York, to formulate and
Smith, former chief regional engin- |
eer for the five state district including |
Pennsylvania, assumed the administra- |
tor's duties Monday after the resign- |
| reement, which expires on March 31.
| All of the Bituminous Districts will be
ation Saturday of J. Banks Hudson
from the $8,500 a a year job.
adopt a policy for the union In its
negotiations with the operators of the
Appalacian area for a new contract to
take the place of the Appalacian Ag-
In his first press conference, the new | represented in this meeting, of which
administrator said there would
“no changes in policies as enunciated
by Col. F. C. Harrington, federal ad-
ministrator of WPA, last week in Chi-
cage.”
Smith said Harrington instructed all
state administrators to carry out the
‘mandate of congress” under the re-
recent 725-million dollar appropriation
act, calling for purging the relief rolls
of politics, and requiring a reclassifi-
cation of the financial status of every
WPA worker in Pennsylvania before
March 26th.
“The third thing we are stressing is
efficiency in operation,” Smith as-
serted.
He said 700 provisional workers were
being hired to carry out the “needs re-
classification.”
“They will question every WPA pro-
be | President Lewis will be chairman.
There will also be a meeting of the
| International Executive Board at the
| same time.
| The Joint Conference of the United
| Mine Workers of America and the op-
| erators of the Appalacian area will
| open at the Hotel Biltmore on March
[14 for the purpose of negotiating a new
contract. The present Appalacian Ag-
reement contains a provision for the
| Conference to begin on that date in
| New York. No ene can tell at the pre-
sent time how long this Conference
| may last. Representation in the Con-
{ ference will be limited to those dis-
tricts covered by the present agree-
| ment. When a new agreement is
reached for the Appalacian area each
outlying district will hold a separate
| District Conference with its operators
“The decision in this case is diffi- |}. 14, Jr, Cleveland,
cull,” Judge Hargest wrote. “If we fol- | N : GR i Res
) ig ! g : | Northern West Virginia—Charles A. | PE S Y
low the cases of the United States Su- | 5, once ang Alexander Grant, Fair- 100 000 NN LVA
month of February and March was In the scale resolution adopted by
preme Court we would be led to the] mount, W. Va. INVOLVED IN 375 LABOR CASES
| . pegged at 243,000 employees, but that |the 1938 International Convention for
ject worker and secure a signed state- | to negotiate a new contract for that
NIA WORKERS ment of his resources, financial obli- | particular district, based upon the
gations and dependents,” Smith said. | terms and provisions of the Appalacian
Smith said the state’s quota for the | Agreement.
conclusion that the statute does not : oe
offend the equal protection clause of | . ui Ar ie
the Federal constitution. [LENTEN REGULATIONS |
“But if we follow the Pennsylvania, READ IN THE CATHOLIC | More than 100,000 Pennsylvania of hearings went to eight. In July | the rolls at present had only 239,000. the bituminous industry there are
Supreme Court cases, we are plainly CHURCHES 5 | workers were involved in 375 cases e- | alone, initial hearings were held in “We intend to raise that as quickly | these two provisions:
led in a different direction. ? S ON SUNDAY | : : ninety-eight cases and 189 hearing days | as possible to 243,000 and maintain it| “The wage scale committee is em.
a fore the Pennsylvania labor relations J i { ¥
“In none of the states whose sta- : 3 | were consumed. through February and March,” he de- | powered, through the medium of a
tutes are undgr attack in the Supreme| Pastors in the various Catholic chur- | board, the board announced. P. T. Complaints of unfair labor practices | clared. “What further reductions may national, Appalacian, or other proper
Court of the United States was there | ches over the Altoona diocese last Sun- | Fagan, president of District 5, United ! charged 324 violations of the Penn- [Le necessary depend entirely whether | joint council, to negotiate the best
a decision holding that graded income | day read the Lenten rules and regula-
or inheritance taxes were invalid such | tions, as ordered by Rt. Rev. Bishop
as in Pennsylvania. Richard T. Giulfoyle. The lenten sea-
“The precise question
us is whether, under our constitution, | The regulations are as follows:
there can be a valid classification for 1. The Lenten fast and abstinence
the purpose of imposing this graduated | begin on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22nd,
tax on different classes. and cease at noon on Holy Saturday,
“When the ordinary man voted that April 8th.
‘all taxes shall be uniform’ it is cer- 2. All the days of Lent, except
tainly taking the words out of their! Sundays, are fast days on which enly
ordinary significance to hold that ‘all’ one meal is allowed either at noon or
does not mean what it says, and it re- | in the evening.
quires a refinement of reasoning in 3,
dulge to extract excise or privilege | the sick, women in delicate health and
taxes from the operation of this lan- | condition, and those whose
guage.
“Certainly the ordinary man did not | nature. Those who
do this in voting for this provision.”
doubt whether
{ they are exempted or not should con-
| sult their confessor.
ONE EMPLOYER, ONE 4
| cept the Wednesday of Holy Week.
: Mavlea in | Working people and their families,
The Enterprise Food Market, in however, by a special privilege of the
EMPLOYE, ONE UNION | during Lent are days of abstinence, ex- |
confronting | son began on Wednesday of this week. |
! ) : All the faithful between the ages |
which the ordinary man would not in- | of 21 and 59 are obliged to fast, except |
occupa- |
tions are of a laborius and exhausting |
Mine Workers of America, is a mem-
ber of the board.
Of this number, 226 or 61 per cent;
were charges of unfair labor practices |
and 149, or 32 per cent, were petitions |
from labor oragnizations asking to be
certified by the board as collective
bargaining representatives for em-
ployes. In addition to proceedings filed |
| during 1938, 106 cases not disposed of
{ during 1937 remained for the consid-
eration of the board last year.
Labor’s recourse to the legal chan-
nels provided by the board for the im- !
partial handling and determination of |
arising between employer |
| and employe witnessed formal pro-
ceedings in practically all of these
| cases and necessitated 935 days of |
| hearings for the taking of testimony. |
i This is in line with the board’s policy
|
|
|
|
|
| problems
| ings for all parties affected by pro-
| ceedings before it. Computed on the
| basis a five-day week, an average
| schedule of three and one-half hear-
sylvania labor relations act. An alaly-
sis of the causes of these complaints
shows that 127, or 85 per cent, invol-
ved alleged discrimination against
workers because of their union affilia-
tion or activities. Other principal vio-
lations charged were interference with
and coercion of employes and the em-
ployer’s failure in good faith to bar-
gain collectively with representatives
chosen by his employes.
During the year, the board rendered
190 decisions and orders, seventy_seven
in unfair labor practice cases and 113
in collective bargaining controversies.
These included dismissals, cease and
dessist orders with reinstatement of
workers with or without back pay and
certification, in petition cases, of ex-
clusive kargaining agents designated
by a majority of employes to represent
Every Wednesday and Friday | of providing full and complete hear- | them in negotiations with the manage-
ment.
Cases before the board originated
from practically all industrial counties
of any size in the state and cover
Congress provides a new appropriation
and the method the federal adminis-
trator sets up for distributing funds to
be used until the end of the present
federal fiscal year, June 30.”
SEE ABANDONMENT
OF 3 COAL MINES,
BEAVERDALE AREA
Beaverdale — Abandonment of the
three coal mines operated here by the
now defunct Logan Coal Company was
forseen last week as the result of ac-
tion taken last Friday by more than
600 former employes of the company
in voting to turn down an offer made
by officials of the Johnstown Coal &
Coke Company for reopening of the
closed mines.
The employes voted to refuse to re-
furn to work in any of the three mines
until their wage claims had been satis-
tied.
Officials of the Johnstown Coal and
Coke Company held a meeting with
| contract obtainable.”
| “Every effort shall be put forth to
establish a uniform six hour day and
| thirty-hour, five day week.”
| In addition to ail of these bituminous
| meetings and conferences the Anthra-
cite Tri-District Convention will open
| ir. New York on March 21 to formulate
| wage demands to be submitted to the
| Anthracite Joint Conference which, in
| all probability, will open early in
| April. The present contract between
{the United Mine Workers of America
land the anthracite operators will ex-
| pire on April 30. It is anticipated that
| approximately 300 delegates, repre-
senting the more than 100,000 members
lof the three Anthracite Districts will
j attend the Convention. The date for
| the Tri-District Convention was fixed
{at a recent conference between the In-
| ternational Officers and the officers of
|the three districts at International
| Headquarters in Washington. It will be
[the first Anthracite Convention ever
| held in New York.
Philadelphia, had two employes, Cam- Holy See, are obliged to abstain from | ings each day was adhered to through- | widely diversified industries and busi- Members of the International Policy
ille Carter, who favored the Congress : £ ii ?
of Industrial Organizations, and Neil | €at only on Ash Wednesday, until
Tornese, who favored the American | ; : > ints
Federation of Labor. A dispute arose | days. On all other (days of abstinence
as to whether the Congress of Indus- | embers of the family who are opligen
trial Organizations or the American | to fast, may eat meat at their principal
Federation of Labor should be the ne- | el Fis 0 obilged Jmay eat meat
gotiating agency to deal with the com. Sa
pany for wages and working condi-|, 9: Those who are excused from
tions. The Pennsylvania State Labor fasting and abstinence should endeavor
Relations Board ordered an election | © enter into the spirit of Lent by
to determine the question. A ballot box Feriorming other acts of self denial
r Jan 4, and when | 20 y frequenting the Lenten devo-
Was S6t UD on Janay 2 tions provided in all our churches. At-
the election was over at 5:30 p. m. the
: tendance at dances, theatres and world-
XW. still ty. Not a vot "
ballot box was Still empiy. No e ly entertainment is contrary to the
was cast. Tornese, the American Fed- : 4 boy i;
eration of Labor man, was fired for |Penitential spirit of this holy season.
> 6. Easter Communion should be
economy after the election had been . r
oy and Carter said he could see | féceived between the First Sunday of
y Lent and Trinity Sunday.
no reason for voting, since he was the
only employe of the company.
ST. BENEDICT BOYS ARE
PLACED ON PROBATION
COLUMBIAN KNIGHTS
OF BARNESBORO ARE
GUESTS AT BANQUET
Warned that they might have been | Barneshoro Council 2277, Knights of
facing federal charges as the result of Columbus, entertained at a dinner and
breaking into the St. Benedict post- | q5rq party 1ast Thursday evening in the
cffice on February 9th, John Malloy, | Brandon Hotel, Spangler, at which
16, and Joseph Ohman, 16, both of St. | nore than 200 guests were present.
Benedict, were placed on probation Joseph V. Kortz of Barnesboro, grand
for two years by Judge Ivan McKen- | night of the lodge, delivered the ad-
rick on Monday. They were ordered to | gress of welcome, and Dr. H. B. Denny
report regularly to Rev. C. Clyde Lev- | of Spangler, lecturer, introduced Rev.
ergood, pastor of the Bakerton Metho- | gather Michael Brett, chaplain, as
dist church, who had interceded in the | {3astmaster. The principal speaker
boys’ behalf, was Most Rev. Richard T. Guilfoyle,
Judge McKenrick pointed out to the | hishop of the Altoona Diocese. He dis-
boys that although they had obtained | cussed the work of the organization,
only $1.50 in stamps, envelopes and; Rev. Father James Madden of
money, they were fortunate that the | Altoona sang several solos a capbella
federal authorities had decided not to | and there were vocal selections by Dan
press charges. McGlynn, accompanied by Miss Chris-
tine Dietrick, both of Hastings, and
Beverly Ann Hesselfinger, 17 mon- | Angelo Domenic, accompanied by Miss
th old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wil- | Dorothy Christoff, both of Spangler.
liam Hesselfinger of Revloc, was tak- Eugene Stevens of Johnstown, dis-
en to the Memorial hospital, Johns-| trict deputy, was a guest and members
town on Friday after she suffered se- | of the clergy, Knights of Columbus and
vere burns of the face when a pan of | friends from Altoona, Johns-
hot greae spilled on her at the parent- | town, Ebensburg, Portage and various
al home. Her condition is regarded as | north county towns were present.
noon on Holy Saturday, and on Fri- |
out the year, but during the mid-sum-
| mer months the daily average number
| nesses in the manufacturing, traspor-
tation and retail fields.
{ COMPENSATION RATE IS
| DEFENDED BY MINERS
HEADS AND THE CIO
| Philadelphia—The cost of compen-
| sation to Pennsylvania industries un.
der the new Compensation Act of 1937
and the Occupational Diseases Act is
not excessive for employers who ac-
cept the law, the United Mine Workers
of America and other CIO affiliated
unions contended in a brief filed in
the Supreme Court.
Constitutionality of the acts was
attacked by coal companies and the
case was argued in January. The
unions were not represented at the ar-
gument but the court allowed them to
submit briefs. The brief filed was pre-
pared by Oliver K. Eaton, Pittsburgh;
Roger J. Denver, Wilkes Barre, and
Isadore Katz, Philadelphia.
The coal companies contend that the
new acts broaaen the old Compensa-
tion Act and that the cost under them
will be exorbitant, tending to ruin the
anthracite industry.
The union brief stated that the
plight of the anthracite industry is of
great concern to the United Mine
Workers . “They do not beleive how-
ever,” it added, “that they, and with
them all the working people of Penn-
sylvania, should be deprived of just,
reasonable and adequate compensation
because of other conditions affecting
the anthracite industry.
“We respectfully submit that the fi-
nancial plight of the industry is a mat-
ter that is not decisive of the bills in
equity before the court.”
[S. W. 0. C. AT JOHNSTOWN
ASKS PERKINS DIRECT
MINIMUM WAGE RULE
Conemaugh Valley Lodge, 1074, Steel
Workers Organizing Committee, has
forwarded a communication to Frances
Perkins, secretary of labor, relative to
minimum wage rates on government
work in steel plants.
Under the signature of Arthur W.
Tishue, president of Lodge 1074, and
Anthony Matolyak, secretary, the fol-
lowing letter was addressed to Madan
Perkins:
“Conemaugh Valley Lodge 1074, S
W. O. C,, representing 10,000 employes
of the Bethlehem Steel Company in the
Cambria Plant located in Johnstown,
Pa, passed a resolution at its regular
reeting held on Wednesday, February
15, 1939, requesting that no further ex-
tension be granted under the order es-
tablishing minimum wage rates for
steel companies who want to enter bids
on government contracts.
“It is the sentiment of the lodge ex-
pressed by the unanimous approval of
this resolution that the Bethlehem
Steel Company has had ample time
in which to prepare for compliance
with this order and that further ex-
tenion will be an injustice to the work-
ers who have been anticipating the es.
tablishment of the rate.”
STEEL COUNTER
CONTRACT GIVEN
BY COUNTY HEADS
A contract to furnish Cambria coun-
Miss Anna M. Cacciacarne, daught- !
er of Mrs. Patsy Cacciacarne-Del Broc- |
co, of Barnesboro, and Francis V. Za-
nella, also of Barnesboro, were mar-
ried at a ceremony performed recently
in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
fair, Bridge and cinch followed the dinner.
in Barngsboro.
ty with a steel counter containing 66
roller shelves was awarded Monday
by the county commissioners to the
Johnstown Office Supply Company.
The contract price for delivery and
installation was $375. It will be utiliz-
ed for the keeping of tax records.
creditors of the Logan Coal Company |
last week, at which time a plan was
approved whereby creditors agreed to
waive claims in the event the mines
would be reopened by the Johnstown
concern.
The Johnstown Coal & Coke Com.
pany officials announced last week the
company would be willing to reopen
the mines and operate them, but that
the concern could not be responsible
for the back wages of more than
00 employes. This responsibility, it
was pointed out by the officials of the
Johnstown firm, is one for the miners
and the Logan Coa! Company to settle.
With the three mines here being
closed for several days, the danger of
the pits becoming filled with water
will confront any company which may
have a desire to reopen the operations.
If this condition is permitted to ex-
ist, cost of dewatering operations
would be prohibitive, it was pointed
out, and the mines probably would
be finally abandoned.
Played in the streets and roadways.
owe a majority of the miners approx-
imately three weeks back pay.
CONVULSIONS FATAL
TO PATTON INFANT
Patton—Francis H. Lallemand, five-
month-old son of Henry and Cath-
erine (Stresser) Lallemand of Patton
E. D, died in convulsions at 3:45 o’-
clock last Friday morning at the par-
ental home. The child had been ill
several weeks, suffering of whocping
cough. In addition to the parents, a
brother, Theodore, survives.
Private funeral servises were held
on Sunday afternoon at the parental
home. Interment in Fairview Ceme-
tery, Patton, directed by Mortician J.
Edward Stevens, Carrolltown.
Ebensburg — County Controller and
Mrs. Hendy L. Cannon of Eebensburg
hav egone to Maimi, Fla. to spend
several weeks. They left Ebensburg
early last week.
| Committee either have been or are
being chosen in the various districts in
accordance with the usual procedure.
Several hundred officers and mem-
{bers of the United Mine Workers of
| America will be in New York during
| the progress of these meetings. They
| will come from every coal mining field
in the country to represent the men
who work in and around the mines,
both bituminous and anthracite. It will
be their purpose to protect the best
interests of the men in the mines ana
their families and to make further
progress in their behalf.
ANDREWS LAYS
DOWN NEW RULE
Washington.—Wage-Hour adminis-
trator Elmer F. Andrews last week
promulgated more stringent regula-
tions governing the keeping of indus.
trial homework records which he said
“will at least test the practicability of
this kind of control of industrial home-
work.”
Faced with an increasing amount of
homework, especially since the Wage-
Hour Act became effective last Oct-
ober 24, Andrews said the new regu-
lations which become effective March
15 and will be in effect for a six-month
trial period may “perhaps answer the
question whether we can enforce the
provisions of the Fair Labor Standards
Act as it new stands with respect to
work of this nature.”
In his first annual report to Con-
gress last month, Andrews cited the
homework problem, particularly in
Porto Rieo, and told the legislators
that it may be neccessary to prohibit
homework if regulation fails.
Postmaster Appointed.
The United States Senate last week
canfirmed the appointment of Michael
J. Musilek as postmaster of Dunlo,
this county. Musilek has just complet-
ed serving his first term of four years
as postmaster in Dunlo