McLaughlin Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

By J. M. Price

Sorry I have no good alibi for not having a letter in the August Magazine. Just old man Neglect got on my back and took a ride. Things look fairly bright out here on the coast. Some of the members have been on a vacation and no doubt will have some good stories for me in the future. I hope so. Bring them along, boys, and I will send them in.

I understand our mould makers are all working steady at this writing. At the Crystalite the blow shops are working good. The press shop has been off. The punch and stem shops will be on a vacation for a few weeks while the company is making some needed repairs. The press shops have been having steady work and the future looks good.

There is a deal on a new company to take over the McLaughlin plant. Will tell you all about it in my next letter.

We have been having some real hot weather.

Chas. Wilson and wife gave the writer, his wife and granddaughter a fine trip in his new Plymouth up to Arrow Head Lake. We all had a fine time. Come again, Charlie.

The meeting of Local Union No. 141, August 10th, as usual, was short in attendance. The regulars were all in their places. I guess nothing can be done to instill the feeling in some of these members that they should attend and help carry the burden. If they get in trouble they sure run ro an officer of the local union, crying for help. Guess I will make up a list of members out here who never come to meetings and send it in to the Magazine. No doubt the local will have to take some drastic action to build up the attendance. Some of you members who are too busy to give a couple of hours each month to the union are going to wake up when you have some heavy fines to pay. The members who are doing the work that you should be helping to do may surprise you.

James McGee paid a visit to our meeting and was given the glad hand. Brother McGee is feeling and looking fine. He is an old Ohio Valley Flint. Come again, Jim.

Lewis Libengood, mould makes at Latchford's, is showing his father, Harry L., the sights. No doubt some of our older members remember Harry as the father of the Libengood system of making glassware. If you look in the price list you will find the moves and wages on this system. Harry at present is making the glass at factory in San Diego fair.

Brother Al Bethel, after 22 years away from the trade, is back making moulds at the Latchford shop. Al says hello to Bill Miller, Bill Simmerman and Roland Bennett. Arme Hartman is also at Latchford's. Some of you South Siders would maybe like to know that Wilkie Bates has retired and is living out here. Two of his sons, Russel and Ralph, are mould makers working at the same place as Brothers Bethel and Hartman. Perry Thrasher and Luther Leslick are still at the Maywood Co. Arch Fleming is making moulds at the Crystalite. Arch has been here about a year and a half. Looks like Sapulpa, Okla., has lost another good man.

While we are all in pretty good health out here, I am sorry to report that Al Yerkeson has been on the sick list for some time. We are all hoping that he will soon regain his health and be able to return to his work. AL is a mould maker and was employed at the Glass Containers' shop when he became ill.

Work condition for our members show a good average and we only hope it will continue. Taken as a whole, I guess we out here are as well off as those in other parts of the country.

We have plenty of labor troubles. It seems as if the employer wants to maintain the big profits by making the worker take less for his labor, and, with the help of some of our big papers, blame all the trouble on the unions. When you mention union they throw up their hands in horror. Yet they have their organization for their benefit. When the working people, who are the backbone of this nation, quit their petty fighting among themselves and present a united front, their conditions in our great country will be what they should be.