Whelan now Asst. Superintendent at Diamond Glass Company, Anacortes Glass Company branch organized

PRESIDENT HAYES' ANNUAL REPORT

Many Important Points Are Covered in the

Resume of Conditions Made by the Chief

Executive of the Glass Bottle Blowers'

Association — Clear and Logical Presentation

of Facts for the Consideration of

Solons at Marion

The opening remarks in President Hayes' annual message to the delegates to the thirty-seventh annual convention at Marion pertains chiefly to the discussion of the general labor problem and include a clear exposition of wage conferences, the benefit of the latter being pointed out in a manner which shows that he has given the proposition careful study. The value of organization and harmonious relations is also noted. Social and economic conditions are discussed in scholarly style and deductions are than that will be beneficial to the trade as a whole. The situation at Marion is noted and the workers are highly complimented for putting their shoulders to the wheel in the matter of putting the hustling little city in the front rank with reference to the organization movement. The great problems affecting organized labor throughout the country are referred to and discussed intelligently by President Hayes, who submits an army of facts calculated to make men think. Referring to the Glass Bottle Blowers' Association he says in part:

"While we are passing through a crisis I am glad to say that in the matter of employment and brighter prospects for the future, we have occasion to feel more hopeful concerning the welfare of our trade than at any time during the past few years, and if we take up the work before us in the spirit of concord and harmony our minds will be clearer and stronger to meet the many perplexing problems confronting us.

"It is a source of pleasure to us to find that midst the changes going on in our trade the work of organization continues. We have made some substantial gains during the season just closed, the following Branches have been organized:

"Branch No. 39, Lockport, N. Y.; 79, Barnesville, O.; 80, Wichita Falls, Tex.; 86, Cameron, W. Va.; 96, Clarksburg, W. Va.; 136, Anacortes, Wash.; 104, Cedar Grove, W. Va.; 127, California, Pa.; 130, Sand Springs, Okla.; 133, Hillsboro, Ill."

Next follows a detailed statement regarding the wage settlement made in the various departments last year, which embodies a clear and concise review setting forth the manufacture of bottles by the various processes, and particularly the position of the industry with reference to the automatic machine and the disposal of ware by manufacturers using that process. The reasons for making the blownware settlement on the basis in vogue during the past season are set forth in a thoroughly logical, lucid and businesslike manner. The various stipulations of the settlement are numerated by the G. B. B. A. chief executive and the result of the conference is shown in the fact that 800 more men were put to work than during the blast of 1911 - 1912. An extract from this portion of President Hayes' report follows:

"A number of blownware furnaces were built and started and prospects for the blower are now brighter than at any time during the past six years. This is due principally to bringing the cost of production of the blownware bottle closer to that made on the automatic.

"It is also important to note that in spite of the encroachments of the automatic machine and the contention of recent years, we have an association intact, well disciplined, capable of making a national wage agreement with manufacturers and faithfully carrying it out; and it is through the strength of our association that we are able to make is easier for a large number of journeymen to secure places, and by arranging wage scales for each department of the bottle trade we have removed all obstructions in the way of their development and prevented conflict and reckless competition among them."

Next follows in detail the circular concerning the conference can scale provisions., this circular having been issued last year by President Hayes, Vice President Voll and members of the executive board. The various lines of bottles and list prices are given, together with notations concerning the action taken at the conference on hand machine ware, wide and narrow mouth.

President Hayes then refers to the resignation of P. E. Whelan, former executive board member, now assistant superintendent of the Diamond Glass Co., Montreal, Can., and pays him a high tribute, the following being an excerpt: "As a member of the executive board Bro. Whelan made and enviable record by his conscientious performance of duty and our association has lost the services and advice of a thorough-going trades unionist. Still I believe this organization will always retain the friendship of "Paddy," as he was familiarly known to so many of us, and our well wishes go with him in his new position."

The appointment of J. L. Lennox, of Montreal, to succeed Whelan is next mentioned and the prediction is made that he will prove a worthy successor.

The question of automatic machinery is next covered in a thorough manner and some excellent points are set forth by President Hayes, whose report demonstrated that he is thoroughly alive to the situation. He discusses the problem from a business standpoint and gives some important figures and statistics relative to the installation of machines.

On the consummation of the Peace Agreement with the Flints the Bottle Blowers' executive head is quoted as follows:

"The jurisdiction of an organization over all bottlemakers was a part of our policy and is now established. This makes it possible to regulate wages by one association, thereby avoiding conflict and infringement of one department over the work or rights of another. This also brought a unity of interests to bottlemakers and it affords us pleasure to say that our controversy with the Flint Glass Workers' Union over the matter of jurisdiction has been happily adjusted."

On wide mouth machinery employing skilled labor President Hayes states: "Despite the rapid changes and vast improvements continually going on in bottlemaking machinery there is a steady growth in the number of wide-mouth machines installed. Last year 33 factories were reported at the Olean convention with 170 machines of this type. Today there are 37 factories operating 201 machines — several Branches not reporting."

Mention is next made of narrow-mouth machine introduction, one and two man machines of various types. New inventions are noted and it is states that 96 United and O'Neill machines are now in operation employing 487 journeymen, more than 50 percent of whom were formerly blowers.

The matter of stock or co-operative companies is next taken up in some detail and the problem is discussed in a manner that will enable the delegates to handle the proposition in an intelligent, result-getting manner.

Affairs pertaining to the preliminary blownware and machine conference tank and covered pot, are next discussed and the action taken is set forth for the enlightenment of the delegates.

Considerable space is devoted to the apprentice question and the various important phases of legislation are pointed out.

Standard capacity legislation is also referred to at some length and a considerable amount of valuable information is given concerning this proposition.

Next reference is made to the organization work carried on during the past year by the association, and the results secured are enumerated by President Hayes, showing that the various officers of the organization have been on the alert and that all developments in the trade are closely noted.

The resignation of Jas. Beegan, of San Francisco, Cal., and the appointment of Frank O'Neill to succeed him as local representative, is referred to. Beegan resigned on account of ill health, after performing his duties capably and efficiently for a number of years. President Hayes' report also noted that O'Neill has already been of great service to the organization.

One questions of unemployed the following extract id made:

"In answer to circular of June 18, 1913, there were 609 men reported idle, 18 Branches not reporting. Most Branches reported that nearly all of these men got considerable time working spare. Compared with the number reported last season at this time, 1,410, it shows that there are fewer men idle by 801 than a year ago."

According to information received from Branch secretaries stocks of blownware are as follows: Forty Branches report light stocks; 14 heavy; 17 normal and 8 no stocks at all. In the hand machine ware department five Branches report heavy stocks and 26 light or normal. In nearly every instance heavy stocks of automatic ware is reported.