My Visit to Indiana, William P. Clark article, Muncie used to boast of locals 2, 23, 91 & 115 and Branch 12, all that is left is Branch 12

My Visit to Indiana

By

WILLIAM P. CLARKE

President

IN my article in the June issue readers were informed that the writer had planned to be in Dunkirk, Indiana, to attend the regular meeting of Local Union No. 107 on Saturday, June 7th. My engagement was kept and the meeting was conducted in the regular way. That is, in harmony with my request, all of the business was transacted previous to my address. This enabled any member who found it necessary to depart at the conclusion of the meeting, or at any time during my address.

Excutive H. H. Harshman is the capable president of the local union. In presenting me to the gathering he was more than gracious in his praise for the efforts that have been mine in the interest of our organization and the success that may be credited therto. In fact, his remarks were instrumental in causing me to devote upwards of thirty minutes to a discussion of subjects that I had not intended referring to during my discourse.

For the reason already stated, the regular business of the meeting having been completed by 3:30, each member in attendance privileged to depart if he felt disposed to do so, my address continued for practically two hours during which time no one left the hall. Was fearful that my length discourse had proven tiresome but the great number who came to me expressing regret that I did not take additional time was an assurance that our Dunkirk members were exceedingly interested in the message that it was my privilege to bring to them. Shortly after the meeting was over I departed for Muncie which is eleven miles away/ About 8:30 that evening I was stopped on the street by a member of Local Union No. 107 who expressed satisfaction in having been in attendance at the meeting. I suggested that my talk had been dragged out too long but he replied by saying, ''I would have been willing to have remained two hours longer to listen to what you had to say."

During the meeting I interested myself in looking over the audience and studying the countenances of those in attendance as well as closely observing the manner in which the officers of the local union conducted the business. The impression gained was that this local union has very capable officers and their business was dispatched in a manner that was exceedingly edifying. Many faces appeared familiar to me, some of which I have not had the pleasure of seeing for many years. Chris Braun, whom I knew very well during the strenuous days at Alton, Illinois, in the fall of 1903 and again in 1905, which was previous to the "Peace Agreement," deceived me. He has grown stout and better looking. Ora Fall was another that I have not met in several years and this was likewise true of Robert Kemple and numerous others who came to greet me.

Twenty-Nine Years of Service

There is one man in Local Union No. 107, however, who deserves special mention. I refer to their painstaking Finanical Secretary, Larry E. Swearingen, who has served in his present position for twenty-nine consecutive years and the manner in which he has conducted the duties of his office convinces me that as "Larry" grows older he grows better. This long period of service is a wonderful demonstration of his fidelity to the principals upon which our organization is built. May he live to serve many more years with additional credit to himself and honor to the organization.

There were many others whom I met while at Dunkirk who expressed their happiness because of my visit, and it was exceedingly refreshing to me to be privileged to visit that city and there in the presence of so many of our brothers to be honored by their undivided attention for a period of two hours, during which time it was my aim and my desire to bring to their attention many of the pressing problems confronting men who toil. In fact, the courtesy and consideration shown me in every locality that I have visited this year has encouraged me so that it will be my desire to put forth additional effort to visit other localities.

Paying My Respects

While at Dunkirk I deemed it proper to pay my respects to the memory of James M. O'Neill by calling on his widow. Mrs. O'Neill was raised in Bellaire, as was her husband, and practically every member of the family, on each side of the house, was connected in some manner or another with the flint glass industry. Her only brother, the late John M. Gregory, rendered long and valuable service to the members of Local Union No. 10 at Moundsville, W. Va. I found Mrs. O'Neill in very good spirits and she was pleased that I would pay her a visit. When departing her home she presented me with a keepsake which was the personal property of her husband and which I shall ever treasure along with many other gifts cherished by me. My thoughts are that the many friends of Mrs. O'Neill will be pleased to learn that she is in good health.

The Rubrecht Shrine

In one of the most conspicuous spots in the residential section of Dunkirk stands the monument erected by the American Flint Glass Workers' Union to the memory of its first Corresponding Secretary, B. E. Rubrecht, who died in that city May 23, 1922. It was quite natural that I should visit this shrine. As I stood and gazed on that beautiful piece of art, both in reverence and in meditation, there were recalled to me the noble deeds which Brother Rubrecht performed more than fifty years ago and which prompted the erection of the monument as a testimony to his high standing and his many sacrifices in the early days of our institution. It was my honor to have known this pioneer member for many years and never did I confer with him but what I departed his presence more determined to carry on the work that he and other pioneer members began more than a half century ago. When I cast my critical eye upon his monument, its design, inscription, location and the general surroundings, I could not help but marvel at the completeness of it all. In it I could visualize the work of our Assistant Secretary, Harry H. Cook, to whom I assigned that task some six years ago. It was Brother Cook who worked out practically all of the details and the results are characteristic of his skill and taste. But in passing I must not overlook the generous work done by Local Union No. 107 and the citizens of Dunkirk who contributed part of the cash as well as the ground upon which this monument stands. One and all are entitled to a credit richly deserved. There stands a monument that should inspire other men to strive to help uplift their fellowmen.

My Old Stamping Ground

As indicated at a previous point in this article, I journeyed from Dunkirk to Muncie. Muncie, as most of our readers know, was my old stamping ground. My labor in that city was in the interest and defense of the trade union movement. Serving as secretary of Local Union No. 2 of the American Flint Glass Workers' Union and treasurer of the Muncie Trades and Labor Assembly, brought me and my work to the attention of the members of the trade union movement, all of which eventually lead me into my present position. This carries me back more than thirty-one years, having accepted employment in Muncie, January 11, 1899 where I remained until July, 1903, when chosen national assistant secretary.

Muncie once boasted of having Local Unions No. 2, 23, 91 and 115 all composed of men employed in the flint glass industry. In addition to this Branch No. 12 of the Glass Bottle Blowers' Association and several organizations of the window glass trade were then active in Muncie. All of these local organizations, in the march of progress, have fallen by the wayside except Branch No. 12.

What Former Members Are Doing

When it was learned that I was in the city, several former members came to my sister's home to visit with me. It is a study worth while to try to follow the great changes that have taken place and the positions now occupied by men who were formerly skilled in the glass trade and who once occupied prominent positions in the counsels of their respective local organizations. The present chief of police of Muncie, Frank Benington, gathered for me. Martin Joyce, who served with me as an officer of Local Union No. 2 and as an executive officer as well as a delegate to several conventions, is now employed by the Nickel Plate Railroad. Ollie Barth, who was a prominent worker and a member of Local Union No. 23, is now engaged in a foundry. He suffered the loss of part of his forefinger just a few days before my visit to Muncie. Robert Brady, who operated the press opposite me at Muncie, along with George Brass, who at one time gathered for me, are now in the trading business and are known as Brass and Brady Contracting Company." The are generally engaged in wrecking old buildings and erecting new ones of the character which still are useful ornaments on the rear of some of the lots in the poorer part of the city. They are in competition with Chick Sales, but "Chick" calls such buildings "music boxes."

At the Graves of My Dear Ones

Muncie has ever been near and dear to me. There rests all that is mortal of my venerable father, my affectionate mother and my dear brother. To their graves I journeyed. Here my mind traveled back over the years that have elapsed. Pages of history seemed to unfold before me. Incident after incident was recalled. Frequently I have been urged to do two things — complete the history of The American Flint Glass Workers' from 1910 to date, as well as write my autobiography. It is very doubtful that time will ever permit me to do either, but had I been engaged in either task on my recent visit to the old "gas belt,' there passed before my mind a vast amount of history that would at least prove interesting. Pressing problems took the place of historical incidents in my reflections but not until I fell upon my knees to thank God for the many blessings showered upon me through the instrumentality of fond and loving parents, brothers and sisters, as well as beseeching Him on high to give rest to the immortal souls of those called to their eternal reward.

The Future

But our thoughts are now on the approaching Toronto convention. We must live in the present. Conditions are too serious to pause now to delve too deep into limes and things which will not aid us in our struggle for a better day.

Happy will I be to meet and greet those who will assemble at Toronto. Their work is timely and their responsibility great. I hope that my desire to aid as well as my years of experience will be of assistance to those into whose hands the welfare of our organization will be entrusted on June 30 — the Delegates to the Toronto convention.

Another Absolute Failure

In another part of this issue appears a easterly argument presented to the United States Senate by William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor, and in the interest of labor. My advice is that each reader of our journal study that document.

The mail just brings to me a bulletin from President Green from which I quote thus: "The officers and members of the American Federation of Labor are deeply disappointed over the action of the House Judiciary Committee in voting to refer Senator Wagner's Employment Agency Bill to a subcommittee. We construe such action as an expression of hostility and opposition to this proposed measure. Reference of this measure to a subcommittee will obviously delay favorable consideration and action at the present session of Congress.

''We are also disappointed over the action of the same House Judiciary Committee upon the bill providing for lone range planning of public works in order to deal more effectively with the problem of unemployment. The amendments which the committee made to this bill are highly objectionable to labor and will, in our judgment, weaken the bill and render it almost ineffective.

"It is amazing, indeed, that the Congress of the United States, meeting at a time when the nation is suffering from the effects of a long continued period of unemployment, would fail, under such circumstances to do something constructive which in effect would be a partial remedy for the distressing situation. Congress is not even making a legislative gesture toward the problem of unemployment If the Wagner Unemployment bills fail, as it now appears they will fail, no single piece of legislation can be referred to as being considered and acted upon by the present, session of Congress relating to the problem of unemployment. This is especially tragic when we take into consideration the fact that Congress has been in session for almost one year during a period of unemployment that has been serious in its effects and widespread in its application.

A Justifiable Charge

"The officers and members of the American Federation of Labor charge the present Congress as being an absolute failure so far as dealing constructively with the problem of unemployment."