Muncie, IND.; News of Local 23, news of Hemingray's float from Labor day parade

MUNCIE, IND.

By Paul Miller.

Having been elected press secretary of Local Union No. 23, I feel it incumbent on me to have an article each month in our grand little magazine, the Flint. So I ask the members to co-operate with me and give me any news items that may interest the trade. I was just admitted to membership at the September meeting on the expiration of my apprenticeship, so I am started out as the press secretary. I appreciate the honor and will do my part.

With the exception of president, all the old-officers of Local Union No. 23 were re-elected. In that office we placed Brother H. A. Barth, who we are confident will impartially, preside over our meetings the ensuing year and to the credit of our local.

We got started to work September 3rd. One tank employing eight shops on each turn, and in the near future we are in hopes of having the second tank put in operation. We will need gatherers, and ye experienced insulator gatherers take notice, if interested, write Executive Cyrus Herron, 1224 E. Twelfth street. The yard is about empty of ware, and it looks as though, if anything, there will be an increased demand for insulators. A good many are shipped abroad and it may be, according to the gains of the Allies the past few days, that our insulators will be used as shrapnel over there. I would like to get a whack at the kaiser with a big, nine-inch Muncie myself.

I suppose all our local unions observed Labor Day. We had the biggest demonstration this year ever held in Munce. It was gotten up by the Trades Council and the local branch of the Alliance of Labor and Democracy and all patriotic organizations of the county participated. It was a pure "win the war" celebration and a big success. All proceeds above expenses were turned over to the Red Cross, which amounted to about $2,000. The Hemingray factory was represented by a twenty-eight-foot float, and for novelty and display took first mention in the local papers. We had three distinct lines of communication, in miniature, on the float, showing our forces in France, the army, navy and Red Cross at work, and through the line of march the members of Local Union No. 23 we brought out the effect, by lines strung on insulators, names of cities, and banners which tended to show that eventually we would be in Berlin. I must not forget, we also had Uncle Sam at the head of the procession. He carried a banner which read, "I am proud of my boys," and he surely was proud of himself, and I wish to congratulate Brother William Bird on playing his part so well.

There was a certain brother passing the cigars around last Saturday and receiving the glad hand, especially from the married men, but the younger fellows were a little reluctant about congratulating Brother Lester Mapes on his marriage. The lucky bride was Miss Marfin Erlinghagen, a prominent young lady of the East End, and we all join in wishing them a long and happy future.

Brother Walter Claspel, our former press secretary, now has a lucrative position at the Warner Gear Company as an assistant foreman, and we feel confident that he will make good.

The State Federation of Labor goes in session at Fort Wayne the 25th of this month and we will have as our representative Brother Harvey Hickman. He is ever watchful of trade union affairs here in Muncie and will make a creditable delegate for Local Union No. 23.

Hoping by this time next month I will be in a position to say that we are working in full and that you members of No. 23 will keep me informed of news as you promised, I will close.