McLaughlin Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

By J. M. Price

As this will be my last letter to the magazine I can only hope that you brothers who have taken time to read my news letters have enjoyed them as much as I have in writing them. Here is the news on conditions at this writing as far as I know:

The Mission Glass Company in Burbank that closed last December has been reorganized and I have heard the same story for eight weeks that they will start next week. Well, some of the brothers are hoping that next week comes. Of course there will only be jobs there for a certain few as I understand one of our members here told the manager that he would pick the men for him. How is that for "help your brother?"

The Crystalite at Glendale is working part time. The Technical Glass Company ha d quite a run on water sets for about ten weeks. At one time they had eight punch shops and two jug shops. The order was filled and they laid off all the punch shops. One jug shop was still working the last report I had.

The McLaughlin plant has not been doing much in the way of work for our members. This firm also makes five gallon water bottles. One of the gatherers on this shop is an expelled member of our union. C. Hatton is his name. He was expelled by Fort Smith Local Union No. 92 for scabbing in Poteau, Okla. Our local union here took the matter up with the executive officer of the G. B. B. A. and he informed us that they did not consider the gatherers only as laborers and that it was not necessary to have a card to do this kind of work. Our factory committee took the matter up with the manager. He informed the committee that the man would stay there, but here is the best or worst part. One of our members takes a job gathering with this expelled member. I don't like to be handing out this dirt, but I think the trade should know about these things so that's that.

The Brock Glass Company at Santa Ana is still dividing time. The Forger plant is working now and then. The mould makers at the Southern, Latchfords and Long Beach are still working steady at last reports. Sig Glassen, one of our members employed at the Technical, was bitten by that little bug called love so led one of our fair maidens to the altar and promised to pay her board for the rest of her life. We all wish you luck, Sig.

Lee (Dutch) Brannon and his wife left last week for the east. Nelson Forbes and family have also given up trying to make a living in the glass factories out here and returned east. Hate to see you go Brothers, for you know misery likes company.

Had a letter from J. C. McGee, better known as Jim. He has a chicken and turkey farm at Chowchilla, Calif., Route 1. He says he is feeling fine and getting along O.K. Jim is on our honor roll, one of the old timers that would no doubt like to hear from some of his old buddies. W. Bates, mould maker, is one member whose name did not appear in the list I sent in.

I noticed a little piece in the August magazine about the meanest man, not bad, but how about the fellow that takes the obligation, never goes to meetings, accepts all the good things the organization does for him, tries to undermine his brother workman, knocks the national officers, also the local union officials and a few other things I could mention. Just finished reading the August magazine and there is a lot of good reading therein for anyone who is interested in the welfare of his brother workman. I always enjoy the correspondence from the different local unions and wish that more of them would consider it their duty to have something for our editior each month.

J.C. McKelvey has a great time with his rabbits. Just when they are big enough to fry some one takes them all. Better try raising bears, Mac. I hope the workers in Ohio will remember Mr. Fess and Mr. McCulloch the next time they vote. Well, you brothers back east will soon be putting in the winter coal. Good thing we don't have tat added to our worries out here. Only one way to beat the machine, come to the great southwest, get an acre of ground, a cow, chickens and raise some vegetables. You don't need clothes just a grass skirt. I hope that the rest of 1930 will be better to all of you than that which has passed. Remember man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn. Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and the world laughs at you.