Muncie, IND.; News of Local 23, Two tanks are working at present, George Brass held up by fellow worker, William LaBay wants to operate a cat ranch

MUNCIE, IND.

By Harvey Hickman

It gives me great pleasure to mention to our entire membership, through the columns of our magazine that which is going on in Muncie with Local No. 23.

Well, at this time I might say that everything is in tip top condition as we have two tanks working, here was a slump in the shipping for a few days, but it is picking up again. Brother William Casey, who has been off for some time, is improving very nicely although will not be able to work for some time.

Brother George Brass, while going home one night was held up by some one, but just as holdup said hands up Brother Brass hit the holdup on the head with his black jack such a blow that he broke the handle off of it and saved his wad. But from all indications the guilty party is known as Brother Willie LaBay came to work the next day with a lump on his head and knew all about it.

I notice in the December issue of our magazine that Brother Thurlow D. Lung of Gas City had the record of the Gas City football team, in which he mentioned that Gas City defeated Muncie 89 to 0. Now that looks very bad for Muncie to let a little town like Gas City give them such a beating, so I wish to explain the whole thing. Gas City defeated one of Muncie's fourth class teams, the Congerville Eagles, 89 to 0. Then on Thanksgiving day the Congerville Fliers, which is a first class team, went to Gas City and defeated Gas City 19 to 7. That never satisfied the Gas City boys so they ask for another game which was granted, and to be played on December 8th. The Gas City boys loaded up with outside stars and had everything all set to give Muncie a beating but failed as the Fliers went back on Dec. 5 and gave them the short end of a 14 to 7 score.

As there is not much news to write about, at this time on glass trade items, we might take up the open shop news.

Brothers for some time I have been watching and reading this open shop propaganda and the way I see it, it's up to every union man and woman to put their shoulder to the wheel and do something, or else we will be feeling the effects of it in the near future.

You know as well as I do that in the last few years we have made millions of dollars for the money kings and now they are going to use some of that many millions to bust up our unions, and make open shops out of the factories we work in. Do you know what the open shop drive is on for? It is to cut your wage, and get all they can back on the ten and twelve-hour day, and take away your right to bargaining collectively with your employers. It has not been very long ago when Our government called on all the workers, which included thousands of union men, to co-operate in a way that we could successfully prosecute the war and make the world safe for democracy, and be able to further maintain our free institutions, which they did, not only were the unions proud to see the union man be one of the big factors in winning the war, but the money kings were proud that they were in the war as they knew they were making millions to fight him when he came back. So now the ball has started to roll. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation is going to refuse to sell fabricated steel to builders and contractors in the Philadelphia and New York districts to be erected by the union shops on the union shop basis. Mr. Grace, president of the Corporation, came out openly and said that his concern was sponsoring the open shop movement. So we have all got to keep on the alert, because if they are successful with their shop plans in New York and Philadelphia, they will try it elsewhere and in all crafts. I don't think we want go back to the days of slavery; it is a thing of the past. Thousands of men gave their lives in the Civil War to abolish slavery, and I hope we are not going to lay down now and lose what forefathers won for all on the battlefields from 1861-65. So in the role assumed by the United States as the leader among all nations in fostering democracy and freedom, this country must live up to the standard it has set for the balance of the world; this country can't act as the father of freedom, and at the same time support the money kings with their open shops.

Men prominent and active in organized labor have expressed themselves as believing that organized labor faces the bitterest fight of its life this winter and spring. This belief is based on the organized open shop propaganda assiduously spread by the chambers of commerce, and the employers associations, in many cities. The open shop fight is now on. Although the bosses handed out a different kind of a pill and call it "the American plan," it is not an American plan; it is an un-American plan. There are many things I could mention, but don't want to take up too much space, so let's all keep on the alert and give the open shop a bitter fight.

Brother William LaBay, is calculating on going into business for himself in the near future and has asked me to aid him in getting stockholders, so here is his proposition, which no doubt you will take a large stock and subscribe towards the formation of a large fur factory. The object of this company is to operate a large cat ranch in or near Muncie, where land for the purpose can be purchased. To start with we collect about 1,000,000 cats, each cat will average 12 kittens per year, the skins run from 10 cents each for the white ones to 75 cents each for the pure black ones. This will give the company 12,000,000 skins per-year to sell and at an average of 30 cents each, making a revenue of about $10,000 a day gross. It is estimated that one man can skin 50 cats a day, at an average salary of $5.00. It will take about 100 men to operate the ranch and therefore, the net profit will thus be about $9,600 per day. They will feed the cats on rats and start a rat farm next door. It is estimated that the rats will multiply four times as fast as the cats. Therefore, if they start with 1,000,000 rats, they will have four rats a day for each cat to eat, which is a plenty. He then figures on feeding the rats on the carcasses of the cats, from which the skins have been removed, giving each rat one-fourth of a cat. It will thus be seen that the business will be self-sustaining and automatic all, the way through. Now, if you appreciate this opportunity, and wish to take shares at $10,000 a share, write William La-Boy, Local 23.