A Well Earned Vacation; story on the Clarke brothers; Michael Clarke has just severed his ties with the Hemingray Glass Company

A WELL-EARNED VACATION

By HARRY H. COOK, Editor

ON JULY 4th, the Steamer Montnairn will sail from Quebec to Cherbourg, France. This will be the first lap of a trip prepared by "The Art Craft Guild Travel Bureau" which will include the countries of France, Italy, Hungary, Czecho-Slovakia, Germany, Holland, Belgium, England and Ireland, stopping at all of the interesting points enroute. The party will be composed principally of educators.

When the ship draws anchor there will be on board two men whose names occupy very conspicuous places in the records of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union — men who played an important in the legislative and executive work of this organization. They are John H. and Michael J. Clarke, brothers of our National President. A well-earned vacation is in store for and deserved by those two outstanding members of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union.

Here we are reminded that the name Clarke is conspicuous in the archives of the institution. It has been associated with many important questions and for a great many years. This fact is well known to those members who were active in our organization years ago but it may not be so well understood by many of our present members. With this article we are producing a likeness of the Clarke brothers as they appeared May 12, 1907, along with a very brief review of the major activities of each of the five brothers who labored in the interest of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union.

John, William, Michael and Thomas were born on a farm near Elm Grove, W. Va. (just outside of Wheeling), while Cornelius was born in Bellaire, Ohio — within the shadow of the "Stone Bridge." John, William and Michael were employed in the Circus, Belmont, Aetna and Ohio glass factories, all of which were located in Bellaire. Thomas and Cornelius entered the glass industry when they accepted employment in the Fostoria Glass Works at Fostoria, Ohio. The first three completed their trade at Moundsville, Thomas at Martin's Ferry and Cornelius at Muncie.

All of the boys have played a very important part in the affairs of the union, in fact so important that it is impossible to give more than a mere outline of their activities. Their activities and their success, however, can be attributed to their determination to get ahead. Denied an education in their youth — each of them going to work between ages of 10 and 12 — but realizing the importance of knowledge, they enrolled as students in the Muncie Business College at Muncie, Ind. It was a common sight to see four of the brothers going to college in the evening after working all day, and when working at night they were to be found in the college in the afternoon.

It was about this time that their activities in the interest of their fellowmen were realized and recognized. At that time they were all members of Local Union No. 2 of Muncie and employed making fruit jars at Ball Brothers. Local Union No. 2 had approximately 175 members, yet, nothwithstanding that large membership, the local selected each of the five brothers to serve in an official position at one and the same time — John, president; William, recording secretary; Thomas, factory committeeman, and Cornelius, assessment collector.

The home of their parents in Muncie was recognized as headquarters of the "flints." Thomas died September 6, 1911. The other brothers are living, John and Cornelius are employed in the glass plant of the General Electric Company at Bridgeville, Pa.; Michael recently severed his connection as superintendent of the Hemingray Glass Company at Muncie and William is the president of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union and President of the American Bank, which bank is owned and controlled by the union.

John was a delegate to the 1898, 1899 and 1919 conventions. He was also a delegate to the special convention held in Pittsburgh in December 1899. In addition he served as an executive member of the machine jar and bottle department.

Standing, Left to Right — Thomas J. and John H. Clarke Seated, Left to Right — Cornelius R., William P. and Michael J. Clarke.

William has been in attendance at the last 26 conventions of our union — Cumberland will make his twenty-seventh. He has been one of our top National Officers for a period of 25 years. His services are so well known to our readers that further reference is unnecessary.

Michael was a delegate to the 1904, 1906 and 1907 conventions. He was a member of the National Auditing Committee from 1902 to 1906, serving as chairman in 1903, 1904 and 1906, and as secretary in 1905. He served as an executive in the Machine Jar and Bottle Department and was the author of the resolution that eventually discontinued the "Committee of a Whole" in our conventions.

Thomas served his local union as factory committeeman and in various other capacities, but always declined to accept election as delegate to various conventions when the honor was within his grasp.

Cornelius was a delegate to the 1903 and 1917 conventions. At the latter convention he had the rare distinction of presenting the name of his blood brother for the office of president of the union.

This is but a brief resume of the activities of the Clarke Brothers in the interest of the union. They have been successful, but their success has not caused them to lessen their interest in the welfare of the organization which they served so long and so well. Having worked in various parts of the United States and Canada, we know they have many friends who join with us in wishing John H. and Michael J. a very pleasant trip to Europe and return, the returning trip being made on the Steamer Montcalm leaving Belfast, Ireland, September 15 and arriving at Montreal, September 22d.

We express the hope that each of you will find time to make notes that will enable you to contribute an article or articles for the pleasure and enlightenment of the readers of the American Flint, who will be glad to read what you may have to relate.