A GENERAL NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. Recognized and Endors- ed by More Than Fifty Local Unions and Cen- tral Bodies Over Cam- bria County and Ad- jacent Mining Areas. Union Pre ss, Established May, 1935. AN ATTAINMENT OF THE LARGEST GENERAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. Patton Courier, Established Our Shop Is Equipped to Do Job Printing of All Kinds. Nothing Too Large or Too Small We Cater Especially to Loeal Union, Printing. Oct., 1893, VOL. 45. NO. 21. ea AE SP THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 193 725 South Fifth Ave. PATTON. PA. SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 PER YEAR ROOSEVELT MINERS’ WAGE PARLEY OPENS ON MARCH 14TH Deadline Draws For Renewal of Agreements With Both Bitu- minous and Anthracite, Washington — March will be a busy month in the affairs of the United Mine Workers as the deadline draws near for the renewal of agreements with both bituminous and anthracite operators. Beginning March 14, representatives of the United Mine Workers and the bituminous coal operators will meet in ioint conferences to negotiate a con- tract covering wages, hours and work- ing conditions in the industry to re- place the present Appalacian agree- ment which expires March 31. Preceding the joint meetings, the in- iernational policy committee of the | union will open conferences March 9, to draw up the points to be submitted in the negotiations. Pres. John L. Lewis will be chairman of these meet- ings which will be attended by rep- resentatives from all the union’s bitu- minous districts. On March 21, the Anthracite Tri- District convention will open, also in New York, to formulate wage demands to be presented to the joint conference with representatives of the anthracite operators for inclusion in the new ag- reement. The present anthracite con- tract expires April 30. Some 300 delegates representing more thar 100,000 members in the three anthracite districts, one, seven and ne, in eastern Fennsylvania, will at- tend the convention. UMW representatives at the joint bituminous conferences will be limited to those from districts covered by the Appalacian contract now in effect. After the terms of the new nent | are reached, each outlying district will hold separate district conferences with its operators to negotiate contracts be- sed upon the terms of the Appalacian agreement. SPANGLER MAN IS KILLED BY AUTO IN STOP TO PET A DOG Because John Wargo, aged 50, of Nicktown, R. D., liked dogs and had stopped along the highway on Satur- day night to pet one, he met his death. Wargo was hit by an automo- bile on the Spangler and Nicktown ! road. The accident occured on Satur- ! day evening, and the man died at the | Miners’ Hospital on Sunday afternoon. | Driver of the car was Hilarion Kirsch, | 31, of Carrolltown, who told officers | he was blinded by the headlights of an | approaching machine and did not see | Wargo until he was upon him. The | door handle of the Kirsch coupe | caught Wargo at the base of the brain. puncturing the skull. | The deceased is survived by his wife and a number of children, as well as several brothers and sisters. Funeral services were held on Wednesday at St. Nicholas’ Church, Nicktown, in- terment being in the church cemetery. ASSOCIATION FOR BLIND ASKS YOUR HELP IN THE PURCHASE OF ARTICLES] Foster Wilson of near Johnstown, a representative of the Pennsylvania State Association for the Blind, was in Patton last Friday, and addressed the students of the Patton Public schools on the work and endeavors of the state association. : The Blind Association has for sale a number of articles that have been manufactured by members, chiefly brooms, which will be offered the public of the county from time to time. These articles are well worth the prices asked for them ,and at the same time you are helping men who are physically handicapped to make a liv- ing, by purchasing them. When a rep- resentative calls upon you give him a hearing, at least. It will be appreciated. URGE ANTHRACITE CONTROL BY STATE Harrisburg.—Governor Arthur H. James is holding the polite suggestion of the United Mine Workers that he read the voluminous report of the Democratic sponsored Lauck commis- sion before adopting a plan for reha- bilitalting the ailing anthracite indus- try. The commission spent $73.500 in- vestigating the hard coal ills, includ- ing bootleg mining, and recommended state control of production, prices and marketing. The enabling bills were “pickled” by a house mines sub-com- mittee which recorded hundreds of pages of operators’ opposition and of the United Mine Workers endorsement of the plan. DE! EGATES ARE [PRESIDENT ASKS CHOSEN LOCALLY | LABOR'S HOUSES FOR CONFERENCE UNITE IN PEACE District No. 2 Miners Also Seek Groundwork Well Laid Before Law On Wage Claims at Du-| President's Plea — Recovery Bois Convention. Drive Is a Basic Factor. DuBois, Pa., — Legislation giving wage claims priority in bankrutcy pro- ceedings was advocated by 221 dele- cates of District 2, United Mine Work- ers of America, in session last week to elect a district scale committee. | { | Washington — For the first time f since organized labor split into two | factions three years ago, official and | unofficial observers here were suf- | ficiently optimistic to predict that be- | fore another year passed there would { committee in impending wage confer- : ences in New York, were: ” | | | men’s Association. He urged the seven The miners, in a resolution, condem- | ned the present practice of subordin- | sting wage claims and unanimously | opposed efforts to amend the Wagner | Act. Opposition to the confirmation of Maj. Lynn Adams as commissioner of | the state motor police, also was ex- pressed by the convention, in a reso- lution charging activities of the for- | mer police head were against organi- | zed labor. Elected to serve with President, Ja- mes Mark, Vice President Edward | Sweeny and Richard Gilbert on the national scale | John Sloan of Ehrenfeld and Mechael | Degretto of Colver will represent | Cambria County. Other representatives | and alternates elected include Andy | Tokarcic of Jamesville and Joe Ba- nanzo, McIntyre, delegates from Clearfield, Centre and Indiana Coun- | ties; Harry Sheets, Robertsdale, and | Joseph Boylke, Windber, delegates | from Bedford, Huntingdon, Blair and Somerset Counties; Thomas Murphy of | Delancey and N. C. Connor, Rimers- | Armstrong and Elk counties. CONVENTION OF | FIREMEN TO BE HELD LATE JULY, Barnesboro Hosts This Summer | —Association Has Meeting in Patton Fire Hall. The annual convention of the Volun- teer Firemen’s Association of Cambria County and Vicinity will be held in Barnesboro the week of July 31, it was announced at the monthly meeting of the association last Thursday night in the Patton Fire Hall. Edward George, Lilly, president, was in charge of the business meeting. He annuonced that only seven of the vol- unteer fire companies in the county are not members of the State Fire- companies to jo:n the association be- fore the annual state convention in Erie. Representatives from 18 of the 27 companies in the county attended the session. Reports also were presented on the firemen’s training schools be- ing conducted throughout the county by George Cartwright of the Johns- town Fire Department. Delegates re- ported that the schools are functioning excellently. Only four companies in the area are not sending delegates to the schools. They are Scalp Level, Homer City, Cassandra and Oakland. Firemen passed a resolution indor- cing the curfew law and recommended that every municipality in the county adopt a curfew law and to enforce it rigidly. Plans also were advanced for the annual joint meeting of the Somerset County Firemen’s Association and the Cambria County association to be held May 11 in Holsopile, The next meeting of the association will be held March 23 in the Dale Borough - Municipal Building, it was announced. HIGHWAY SUPER, SANATORIUM HEAD IN COUNTY CHANGES Changes in two important offices under state jurisdiction in Cambria county will be made soon, it is indi- cated. Dr. L. A. Wesner of Johns- town, medical director of the Cresson Sanatorium, will be succeeded shortly by Dr. Thomas H. A. Stites, of North- ampton county, former head of the in- stitution. The position pays a month- ly salary of $354.16. John L. Elder of Ebensburg will succeed Paul Gardner of Montrose as County Superintendent of Highways at Ebensburg. His monthly salary will be $225.00. The changes will- be made within the next week it is said. Secretary - Treasurer | : turg, representing Clarion, Jefferson, | | be a re-united labor movement. Secretary Perkins who was largely responsible for the prepatory work which led up to President Roosevelt's peace plea to the American Feder- ation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, indicated that among the objects animating the Administration in the truce efforts was an urgent desire to have industry and a united labor organization cooperate | for greater national productivity. Some significance was seen in the timing of the announcement, following by one day the speech of Secretary { Hopkins in Iowa conciliatory to busi- ness, by two days Secretary Morgen- w’s reassuring statement on taxes nd by eight days the President's own reasurrance to business just before em- ing on his cruise. The Administration has also con- cluded that labor peace was urgent if the Democratic party was to have a possibility of winning in the 1940 clections. In connection with the disclosure of | several secret meetings between spo- | kesmen for the A. F. of L. and the C. I. O. at which a designated agent {of the Labor Deparment was present, it was also reported that at the pro- per time President Roosevelt might [71 both sides to the White House, The Prseident is represented as feel- ing confident that the warring labor groups can and should settle their dif- ficulties themselves, but if there ap- pear to be final obstacles which he may be of assistance in removing he will summon the disputants to his office and personally help mediate the remaining differences. The joint session of the committees from the two factions may not be held before April 1, since the United Mine Workers of America will open its wage contract negotiations with the bitumi- nous coal operators on March 14 and these will keep C. I. O. leaders busy. It is beleived possible but not pro- bable that a preliminary meeting of the A. FV. oft 1... C 1 O conferees will be held within two or three weeks and that it will adjurn until the coal parleys are out of the way. The con- tract expires on April 1 and hope has been expressed that a new wage ag- reement may be signed by that time. Except for those who had been “on the inside,” the President's recuest to the warring labor factions came quite unexpectedly.” Ee JAMES EXPRESSES VIEWS ON LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN STATE Governor Arthur H. James, in a let- ter to the State Liquor Control Board cn Friday expressed his appreciation of the board's order “that liquor store windows no longer be used to adver- tise” alcohol beverages, outlined his general viewpoint on the ‘liquor busi- hess in Pennsylvania” and indicated that he is not a prohibitionist. The board's order resulted from James’ recent plea that restraint be used in all types of liquor advertising to forstall an impending “disastrous revulsion” of public opinion on the wet-dry issue. At the present time he said he was interested in changing the Liquor Board’s policy of “round-robin” dis- plays of the various brands of whiskey. wine and gin in the show windows of the 580 state liquor stores. “I don’t beleive it is necessary,” he aid, “to display the wares constantlly to get trade, and I don’t believe the show windows of the state stores should be used for such advertising,” PATTON CHILD IS INJURED COASTING Timothy Thomas, six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Thomas of Patton was admitted to the Miners Hospital, Spangler, at 6:45 o'clock last Thursday evening suffering of possible fractures of both legs and the left arm and brush burns of the head and body. His condition was reported as fair. The lad was coasting near his home when his sled ran into an auto driven by Mich- ael Sholtis of Patton, CHAIN STORES IN STATEWIDE PUSH UPON RECESSION Consumers, Farmers, Business- men Join in “Pennsylvania Days” Prosperity Drive. All elements in Pennsylvania life are now marshalled for a concerted at- tack on unemployment and the recess- nia Days for Pennsylvania Prosperity”, they are mobilized for the ten day “Pennsylvania Days” drive initiated by 46 of the state's chain systems to in- crease consumption nsylve products and boost the ¢ s purchas- ing power. Advertisers this iss particularly the A & P Tea Company Super Market, and he Store Co., are in the movement, and our readers’ attention is called to the advertisements. Fred Johnson, of chairman of the nia Prosperity ,reported that sumers, farmers and businessmen have hailed the drive as keynoting the ad- vance to better times. We welcome their cooperation in pushing the state’s Johnscon said that the enthusiastic public reception accorded 2 to 11, is designed as an attack on unemployment and lack of markets tarding greater prosperity for ° state’s 10.000,000 citizens. chain stores, is an answer to challen- ges issued to business recently to show Pennsylvania the way out,” Johnson said. The chain stores are offereing in bought and offered for-sale in the greatest quantities they can be bought -—all of which brings prosperity to our own state. Newspapers and con- sumers generally are in accord with this movement. BENEFITS ASKED FOR employes among beneficiaries of the State Employes Retirement Fund was voted last week by the 99th annual convention Pennsylvania officials. The association directed its leg of isla- up a bill for presentation to the Legis- lature, to bring about the change. mittee recommendation to permit boroughs to change their codes ic start a retirement fund system. House, addressing the delegates, made a plea for local cooperation in the ad- ministration of relief. be “made to work” for it, whether the ricipal governments. George F. Greiner of Ridgway ad- vocated broadening the base of tax- ation, and suggested requiring a per- scn to pay taxes before becoming eli- gible to vote. State College, Pa., was picked for the 1940 convention. FARM SHOW AWARDS _ GIVEN TO MEMBERS OF BUCKHORN CLUB Dysart — Awards won at the recent State Farm Show were presented to raembers of the Buckhorn 4-H Club at a meeting Thursday evening in the Buckhorn Grange Hall. Those who received awards were Ruth Marie Hazlett, June Lane, Emma Ross, Ruth Adams, Mildred Chappel, Shirley Lane, Doris Jones, Mary Mar- garet Jones, Mrs. M. L. Miller, Mrs. M. A. Rhodes and Mrs. Clarence Lane. The presentations were made by Miss Emma H. Eastman, Cambria County home economics representative. Shir- ley Lane also received a 4-H Club gold medal in" home economics from the farm show as an award of merit. The meeting was in the form of a Washingion party, with some of the girl's appearing in colonial costumes. Member, their mothers and friends at- tended. Short talks were given by Ruth Marie Hazlett, president, )and Mrs. Clarence Lane, leader of the club, en NAME JOHN FOREMAN President W. W. Davis of the Johns- town Motor Club last week announced the election of John Foreman of Baker- ton as a director of the organization, succeeding the late J. C. Jones. Fore- man has been a member of the club for some years and is interested ac- tively in schoolboy patrol work. ion. Under the banner of “Pennsylva- | | principally Cambria, Somerset borough | . : | defeat Barnesboro on the St. Francis American | Chain Store Committee for Pennsylva- | “con- | industry and agriculture sharply ahead. | the chain | store drive followed the announcement | that the campaign ,running from Mar. | for the state's porducts—factors re- | the | “The campaign, as planned by the | | PATTON HI C this period products of Peansylvania, | BOROUGH EMPLOYES | Harrisburg — Action to put borough | { | | CONCENTRATE SALE OF HOME ITEMS MINING INDUSTRY SUFFERED HEAVY | | | | | | Production in 1938 in Eight! Districts Was Under 1937 —-| Fatalities Drop, Also, The mining industry in this area suffered its heaviest tonnage losses in years in 1938, it was disclosed in a tabulation of production reports for eight bituminous districts embracing and indiana counties. In the eight districts, a total of 6,- 365,847 fewer tons of coal were mined In 1638 than in the preceding year. The cutput last year was 23,861,923 tons, as j compared to a tonnage of 30,227,770 in s | 2937. Froduction in some of the bitumin- { ous districts in this area was regarded as the lowest since the districts were | formed. However, it was explained that the decrease in production was not only local but was general throu- gout Pennsylvania. The 25th bituminous district, embra- cing a large portion of Indiana county and a small part ot Armstrong county, i suffered the heaviest tonnage loss of the eight districts. The decrease in that district last year was 1,336,034 tons from the preceding year. The tenth district which embraces { mining fields in central and northern Cambria county, had the smallest ton- rage loss —333,36. Mining fatalities in the eight dis- tricts in 1938 decreased almost one- third from the preceding year. There | were sixty deaths recorded in 1937, | as compared to 41 last year, a decrease | of 19. OPS + NORTH CAMBRIA J. ] Thirteen Point Rally in Last Frame Nets 25 to 21 Win Ov- er Barnesboro. Loretto—After trailing for three quarters of play, Coach Tom Hughes’ Fatton High cagers went on a 13-point scoring spree in the final quarter to | College floor last Tuesday night and tive and pension committees to draw | It also approved its pension com- Ellwood J. Turner, speaker of the | capture the championship of Section 2 cf the Northern Cumbria League. The | score was 25-21. The game was the playoff of a dead- lock which occured during the regular { campaign. The victory gave Paton the | right to | champion, meet Gallitzin, Section 1 in a playoff for the league { title and a place in the District 6 eli- | minations. This contest will be staged | i cr Friday night at St. Francis. He said those receiving relief should | work be for the federal, state or mu- | ! points It looked like a Barnesboro night as the losers flashed leads of 7-2, 10-9, and 15-12 at he quarters. During the | third quarter Patton pulled up on even | terms with the oppisition at 12-12 for the first time during the evening but Barnesboro counted three points to re- gain the lead as the period ended. With the start of the closing period, the Patten dribblers flashed their best form and counted more points in that closing round than they could garner in the first three combined. The winners clicked off four straight in the early minutes of the fourth chapter and pulled into the lead at 16-12. From then on they were never headed. Ryan was the big gun in the Patton attack. He hit the hoop five times from scrimmage and twice from the foul line to account for 12 points. Bosser- man and Steele divided scoring hon- ors for the losers, each with eight points, COUNTY MAY SECURE FIVE POSTOFFICES Washington --- The House appro- ropriations committee announced last week the Treasury and Postoffice De- partments had approved federal build- ing projects to cost $146,421,000 for con- sideration in any future building pro- gram authorized by Congress. They were not included in the 130-million-dollar public building pro- gram authorized last year, the com- mittee said, but would constitute a list of eligible projects if Congress decides to expand the program. Postoffice projects in this area, which cannot be undertaken until Congress passes authorization legisla- tion and apporpriates money for them, with the estimated cost follow: Barnes- boro, $75,000; Blairsville, $96,000; Cresson, $75,000; Legonier, $75,000; Nanty Glo, $75,000; Windber, $91,000; Patton, $75,000, and Portage $75,000. THERE'S NO TAX CUT AT ALL IN JAMES’ BUDGET In Facet His Message Monday to Legislature Shows Funds to Be Needed Highest Ever. Harrisburg — Governor Arthur H. James submitted to the Pennsylvania Legislature last Monday night a two- year budget calling for an outlay of $537,058,912. The estimate was the highest for a biennium in the state’s history. Former Governor Earle reckoned his 1937-39 budget at 510 million dollars. James said, however, the state will have spent $640,454,252 by the time that biennium ends—June 1. The budget allowed 129 million dol- lars for relief. The commonwealth is spending 10 million dollars a month on relief now. If the present rate of spending con- tinues, relief funds would be exhaus- ted by July 1940, requiring a special legislative sesion. And if this rate keeps up for the two-year period from June 1, 1939, to June 1, 1941, the state's expenses would exceed revenues by 111 million dollars on account of re- lief alone. James presented his budget, the 9th biennial budget in the state’s history, to the General Assembly but did not read it — a depatture from guberna- torial custom. Ii was accompanied by a 6,000-word message. James proposed: 1—No new taxes but retention of the same levies imposed by the Earle Ad- ministration including the emergency iaxes on liquor, corporate net income, capital stock, cigarets and gasoline, 2-—A 20 per. cent slash in govern- ment costs, hitting most departments, 3—Postponment of the effective date of six acts for two years to ef- fect further economy. This includes the law which would permit the state to assume control of the county mental hospitals 4—Abolition of the securities come mission, its duties to be taken over by tae Department of Banking, 5—No new money for flood con- 101, the program to continue under the Earle administration’s approoriation. 6—Appropriation of $100,000 for the Dauphin County grand jury investi- gation of 14 high Democratic leaders, was quickly pushed to the rear when | James estimated general fund ex- benses at 372 million dollars. The Earle | aaministration’s last general fund cal- [led for 354 million dollars, | James said the Earle Administration | left him with a defieit that will am- ount to 50 million dollars by May 31. | At least 42 million dollars of it wilt Lave to be reimbursed from the reve- nues of the next biennium. Added to the general fund was an additional 1565 million dollars for the | special funds, such as motor license, | ame, fish, banking department, tarm show and milk eontrol | Total funds available for the bien- | nium, James said, included $202,500,000 | in “normal” revenues and 163 million | dollars in the emergency taxes which | have been passed for two-year periods | only. | SPORTSMEN PLAN | FOR FIELD MEET AT FAIRGROUNDS | The Cambria County Sportsmen’s Association, at the February meeting last Thursday night at Ebensburg, de- cided to hold a field day the latter pari of July at the Ebensburg fair grounds. Committees will be appoint- [ea later. It is planned to have a full day of attractions appealing to sports- men, including skeet and trap shoot- ing, probably rifle target shooting, fly and bait casting for the fishermen, with food and refreshments available. The field day as an annual event has been discussed in previous years but this is the first time action was taken. The affair will be held on a Sunday, that workingmen may attend. Seventeen clubs in the county wera represented at last week's meeting. The next meeting of the association is slated for March 30th at the Ebens- burg court house. CCC WORK OUTLINED FOR 35-YEAR PERIOD Washington — Assistant CCC Direc- tor James McEntee told the House labor committee last week that enough conservation work already had been authorized by Congress to keep more than 300,000 enrolees busily employed for the next 35 years. The committee is conducting hear- ings on the Administration’s bill to make the CCC a permanent govern- ment agemey.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers