Summit County Labor News, 1960-12-30

So Labor May Know Pres.-elect Kennedy's problem In re revitalizing - vitalizing revitalizing the many federal regulatory agencies la strikingly revealed by a court case in which the Federal Power Com Commission - mission Commission was rebuked in scathing terms for what the court intimated was a commission failure to protect the pub public - lic public from extortionate gas prices. The case involved the Hope Natural Gas Oo. and a group of other companies, and the FPC awarded a permanent certificate for New York natural gas sales at prices above 23 cents per thousand cubic feet The Public Serv Service - ice Service Commission of New York challenged the certificate, baaing its objection on curlier Supreme Court decisions In which the FPC had been reversed in similar cases. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Wash Washington, - ington, Washington, D. C., with three judges speak speaking - ing speaking unanimously, bluntly pointed to the most recent of these Supreme Court decisions - the so-called Catoo case. * * * In the 1959 Catco case, Judge George T. Washington wrote for the Circuit Court, the FTC had been specifically warned against issuing permanent cer certificates - tificates certificates for gas at "suspiciously higher" * prices without having in its record a clear finding that the rate was "re "required - quired "required by public convenience and neces necessity." - sity." necessity." The Supreme Court had said in the Catco case, Washington continued, that' allowing initial sales of gas at a high price may lead to a "windfall for the natural gas company with a consequent j squall for the consumers." The process of letting the gas company install the high prices, while the FPC investigates' later whether they are "just and rea reasonable," - sonable," reasonable," means that the review is sub subject - ject subject to "inordinate delays" and is with without - out without the protection to consumers that they can get refunds of money paid if the rates are finally held to be ex extortionate. - tortionate. extortionate. . .^.The Supreme Court pointed, out that approval by the FPC of a hlgher-than hlgher-thanusual - usual hlgher-thanusual rate may result In a "triggering of general price rises" in the area. It said that the FTC has a right to Issue a higher-price certificate but only under conditions so "that the consuming pub public - lic public may be protected while the justness and reasonableness of the price ... Is ' being determined" under procedures that follow. Hie Supreme Court "expressly" stated again, Washington reminded the FPC, that it was "the intention of Congress that natural gas shall be sold ... at the lowest possible reasonable rate con consistent - sistent consistent with the maintenance of ade adequate - quate adequate service in the public interest." - * *

NEW YEAR THOUGHTS -, RUTH TAYLOR Just about now the preparation of New Year editions is under way. Statisticians are busily adding up long columns of figures and proving that while you can't get anything but four out of adding two and two - if you add six and six upside down, you won t get twelve! Commentators are picking what they con consider - sider consider to be the high lights of the news of the past year, and determining the future in the light of the peaks alone. Don't get me wrong. I am in awe and admiration of any one who can add a column of figures and come up with the answer twice. And the ability to dramatize day after day, as the commentators^ do, fascinates me. But somehow New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have a more personal application to me. It is a time to m, one's account with one's self. To weigh the gains and losses in character in the past year* To determine what is our goal for the year to come and to chart a course toward that goaL I do not minimize the importance of the over-all picture. But as I have said so many times in the past - in a land where men are free, thexourse that country takes is but the summation of the desires of its citizens. Its righteousness is the righteous righteousness - ness righteousness of the individual man and woman. Its strength is the strength of the individual. Because we are a people who do not take orders, we are of necessity bound to-keep the laws which we ourselves make. Because we are free to choose, we may not abili or cast the blame for failures on some one else. We have a personal re responsibility - sponsibility responsibility which we cannot and must not shirk. Therefore, this New Year it behooves each one of us to draw up a balance sheet on our own lives, not glossing over the mis mistakes, - takes, mistakes, nor yet playing down the successes. But candidly, cor correctly - rectly correctly and courageously, that from this analysis we may main. our resolves for the New Year. And when we have done this, when we have set our sights for the coming year, let there be no repining, no looking back. Ahead of us we have three hundred and sixty five days to spend. Some will bring happiness - let us enjoy those days to the full Some will bring happiness - we are not children, we can endure the time of our testing. Whatever the New Year brings, let us face it gallantly. It is the way in which we live that counts. It is the spirit in which we live that marks our accomplishment. It is what we are that matters. There is a Resolve of Johnathan Edwards that I have quoted before. I do so again because I think it embodies all New Year Resolutions. RESOLVED: To live with all my might, while I do live! A Happy New Year to you all!

James V. Barbuto, URW nmrhtnnt1 general counsel, made those points as he said the request of Perry Rubber and the Perry Rubber Association (FRA) for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) bargaining representative elec election - tion election has no merit because Local 601 al already - ready already has been selected by the workers to be the bargaining representative, "We have this responsibility and are carrying it put despite the stalling and the obstacles put up by the company and PRA, a self-appointed so-called independent union," Barbuto said. , He charged- that the company's tac tactics - tics tactics are aimed at breaking the union. "The company, during negotiations, has see-sawed, making a proposal one day and withdrawing it the next," he said. Barbuto added: "Our interest now, as It has always been, is to negotiate a contract that is fair and equitable to the workers, all of whom are represented by URW Lo Local - cal Local 601, and the company. "The negotiating committee is pre prepared - pared prepared to meet anytime and at anyplace and we have so informed the company and Federal Mediator Edward O'Brien. "If the company Is sincerely lnter lnter(Continued - (Continued lnter(Continued on Pngs Two) More Strikes In October The number of work stoppages be beginning - ginning beginning in October rose slightly over the September level, but the number of workers involved declined, according to preliminary estimates of the U. S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Approximately 250 stoppages, involv involving - ing involving about 120,000 workers, began dur during - ing during the month. Another 200 stoppages continuing from September involved about 50,000 workers. Total idleness resulting from strikes, unchanged from tile September level, amounted to 1,750,000 man-days, or 0.19 percent of estimated working time, the lowest level for October since 1967. Three strikes involving more than 5,000 workers were in effect during October. AH ended during the month.

At this moment in his opinion, Wash Washington - ington Washington struck out on his own. He said the Circuit Court believed that the Catco decision was intended to tell the FPC that the phrase the "public interest" during a period of rising natural gas prices "demands a real administrative effort to hold back prices." There was nohlng in the record presented in the new Hope case, he declared, that "would Justify the conclusion that the commission has adequately performed this duty." There could scarcely be a stranger Judicial rebuke to a regulatory agency. The court said that the FPC had been ordered previously not to allow rising gas prices without protecting the In Interest - terest Interest of the consumers but once again had failed In Its duty. How did such a situation come about? Mr. Eisenhower repeatedly declined to reappoint FPC members who had shown in earlier decisions that they took the commission's regulatory role seriously. Mr. Kennedy will find that this situa situation - tion situation prevails, in greater or lesser de degree, - gree, degree, in many regulatory agencies and agencies with quasi-judicial powers. Under Mr. Elsenhower their membership has changed, or attempted to change, the ground rules, and they have be become - come become at least partly the creatures of interests they were intended to regulate. Some new legislation may be needed, a thorough congressional inquiry is cer certainly - tainly certainly needed, and some new agency members are needed as the terms of present members expire. CANADA LIVING COST HITS RECORD HIGH Canada's cost-of-living index has .-reached a new high of 129.6 percent of 1949 prices, a gain of two-tenths of 1 percent since October and a rise of a full two points during the past five living costs hi the United States are also at a record Ugh, although the base period does not permit exact compari comparison. - son. comparison. The latest index for the United States was 127.3, baaed on a 1947-49 base period as IM

step* already an under way the nation's to aoiTe le*no following Ida appointment of Wat Watter - ter Watter W. Heller aa chairman of hto Ohm* dl of Ennnwitn Advteorn. Heller, professor of economics at the University of Minnesota, is widely ex experienced - perienced experienced in international fiscal prob problems - lems problems as a top consultant to American and foreign governments. He is a 1988 graduate of Oberlin College. With the announcement of Heller's appointment, it was obvious that Ken Kennedy's - nedy's Kennedy's chief concern is the condition of the nation and that he plans vigorous action immediately after taking office in an effort to cure the growing IDs, which include a solution of the mounting unemployment prob problem. - lem. problem. "I intend that we should return to the spirit as well as the letter ot the employment act at 1948," Kenedy said. "I Intend the economic reports to deal not only with the state of the economy hot with oar goals for eco eco(Oonthmod - (Oonthmod eco(Oonthmod on Page Two) Merger of Rail Union Nears Two of the nation's oldest railroad brotherhoods - the Railroad Trainmen and the Railway Conductors ft Brake Brakemen - have - men - have Brakemen - have reached agreement in prin principle - ciple principle on merger, subject to membership ratification. The Trainmen, with 200,000 mem members, - bers, members, is affiliated with the AFL-CI0. The 26,000-member Conductors' broth brotherhood - erhood brotherhood is unaffiliated. The merged un union - ion union will retain AFL-CIO affinaHnp. Prea. W. P. Kennedy ot the TMte TMtemen - men TMtemen announced approval of the amal amalgamation - gamation amalgamation formula by Ha union's board of directors which met at rhmiand At the same time, Contactors' Pros. 1. A. Paddock reported from Oedsr Rapids, hi, that the OBOB board had also voted approval. Final approval of the merger ««w^ be given by the membership of each union In referenda votes expected to be held early in 1961.

- -- - __ Blame Soviets For Unrest In Africa The Soviet Union in fomenting and financing racialism in Africa directed against whites as part at the Commu Communist - nist Communist campaign to establish its heg hegemony - emony hegemony over the continent, Jay Love Lovestone, - stone, Lovestone, director of publications of the AFL-CIO Dept, of Inti. Affairs, Charged in New York City. Addressing the Italian-Amerlcan La Labor - bor Labor Council, Lovestone said that as the "menace of racialism recedes in the Free World, Moscow is inflaming Africans against whites in the Free World." This is being done through the Com Communist-front - munist-front Communist-front World Federation of Trade Unions, the Inti. Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee, and the World Peace Coun Council, - cil, Council, he declared. Guest of honor at the labor council luncheon waa Ambassador Egidio Or Ortona, - tona, Ortona, permanent representative of Italy to the UN, who said that the Khrush Khrushchev - chev Khrushchev assault upon the UN Was intended to weaken the respect and prestige at the world body among the newly-ad newly-admitted - mitted newly-admitted African countries. "If, however, we resist the Soviet Union's attempts to undermine the or organization," - ganization," organization," he said, "we will find that (Continued on Page Two) AKRON LABOR COUNCIL The nest regular business meet meeting - ing meeting of Akron Labor Council, AFL AFLCIO, - CIO, AFLCIO, la scheduled .to be held In the auditorium of Goodrich Local No. S at 70S South Main Street on Monday night, January 23rd. Hie meeting will be called to order at 8:00 o'clock by L. W. Badabangh. This announcement constitutes the official notification of the meeting to all delegates and other persona desiring to be present. The Executive Board of the Council will hold Its next regulai business meeting In the Wllmei | Tats Memorial Home oa Thurs Thursday - day Thursday evening, January 19th.

* * Rules Fight in House Seen As Likely The rate of progress of much of Pres.-elect John F. Kennedy's "New Frontiers" legislation may be influ influenced - enced influenced greatly on Jan. 3 when the 87th Congress convenes and the House de decides - cides decides on its procedures for the emming two years. It is on this first day that the House may grapple with a problem that has engaged congressional leaders for near nearly - ly nearly a quarter century: the determina determination - tion determination of the role and the authority of the powerful Rules Committee. Under the current procedures, the committee has almost absolute power to kill, delay or water down legislation since virtually every major measure must win majority approval of its dozen members - less than S percent of the full House before the other members have a i*»nw to ms vote on tt. Created originally as a "traffic cop" to speed the orderly flow of legislation from committees to the floor, it has 'been transformed into a "super-com "super-committee," - mittee," "super-committee," holding its Own (Continued on Page Tw*1 Name Kirkland to AFL-CIO Post Lane Kirkland, research and educa education - tion education director for the Operating Engi Engineers, - neers, Engineers, has been appointed executive assistant to the President of the AFL AFLCIO. - CIO. AFLCIO. Kirkland, who was formally assistant director of the AFL-CIO Dept of So Social - cial Social Security, will take over his new duties shortly after the first of the year, AFL-CIO Pros. George Meany said. Kirkland has been with the Operat Operating - ing Operating Engineers since 1968. He is married, has five daughters and makes bis home in Silver Spring, MU

Look magazine, torpedoing Ameri American - can American Medical Association propaganda about "socialized medicine," baa de declared - clared declared that "every independent survey" made of Great Britain's 12-year-old National Health Service has found it to be an "overwhelming" success. Edward M. Korry, Look's European editor, author of a study In depth of the British health care program, de declared - clared declared In an article In the Dec. 20 issue of the magniiim that It was "necessity, not socialism," that brought the health plan Into being after World War n. "The crucial choice the British have made," Kerry wrote, "is to place health oh the list of essential services - Just as we do with education, sanita -