Want to win some money and
help promote safety in your Com
pany?
Remember November 30 is the
closing date of the Safety Slogan
Contest. Get entry blanks at the
Personnel Office or from your de
partment overseer or second hand.
Tir«$ton«
GASTONIA
The Firestone Company is one of
America’s 50 top corporations
whose common stock shares are
most widely held in the portfolios
of the nation’s 175 investment com
panies, says the 1954 edition of In
vestment Companies.
VOLUME III
GASTONIA, N. C., NOVEMBER 24, 1954
NO. 18
. . To All Who Are Willing To Work, To Think, And To Dare,
The American Way Brings Rich Rewards.”
Firestone Cites Prosperity Of
America; Declares Youth
Has Great Opportunity
The youth of America has greater opportunities than
ever before in various fields of human endeavor, Harvey S.
Firestone, Jr., told the Florida State Chamber of Commerce,
meeting in Miami, November 16.
Speaking to the Chamber’s 38th annual convention on
“The American Way,” the Chairman of The Firestone Tire &
Rubber Company observed that the word “opportunity” has
^0 equivalent in some languages.
“To people living under totali-O
tarianism, however, this omission
is not serious,” he said. “They have
little need for such a word. But it
is a priceless word in the vocabu
lary of an American, and it will be
come increasingly meaningful as
time goes on.”
Free Enterprise Aids Prosperity
The United States has become
the most prosperous, the most
powerful and the most successful
Nation on earth,” the Akron execu
tive declared. This is due in part
to the creation in this country of
an economic system based on com
petitive free enterprise, he said.
Under this economic system, Mr.
(Continued on Page 4)
Plant Will Take
Holiday Nov. 25
The entire Plant, warehouse
and general office will close on
Thursday, November 25, in ob
servance of Thanksgiving Day,
announcement has been made
from the office of General Man
ager Harold Mercer.
Operations will stop at 11
p. m., Wednesday, November 24,
and will resume at 11 p. m.,
Thursday, November 25.
Employees Contributed $9,982.75
In Community Fund Drive
Personnel of Firestone Textiles, Gastonia, contributed a grand total of $9,982.75 to
the employee’s Community Fund for 1955, conducted in conjunction with the Greater Gas
tonia United Fund campaign, announcement was made from the office of General Super
intendent Nelson Kessell, chairman of the drive this year.
Plant officials were encouraged
by the response to the solicitation
effort which was conducted Oc
tober 28 through November 5.
Chairman Kessell was pleased with
the outcome of the campaign, and
said, “Our employees are convinc
ed that the once-a-year drive for
funds is the most practical way
to get a very worthwhile job done
in supporting the various deserv
ing agencies and charities.”
General Manager Harold Mer
cer registering satisfaction over
results of the plant-wide campaign,
stated: “The generous response of
Firestone Textiles indicates that
the united way of giving has been
permanently accepted by our em
ployees, as a way of doing a suc
cessful job for these most worthy
causes.”
Altogether there were seventeen
agencies which received contribu
tions from Firestone workers. Re
ceiving the greatest amount was
the March of Dimes. The Ameri-9
can Cancer Society was designated
to receive the second highest con
tribution, with the Heart Fund,
third highest.
Other contributions were desi
gnated for the following agencies
and charities: Children’s Home
Society, Gaston County Big Bro
thers, Florence Crittenden Home,
Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, Red
SEE PICTURES PAGE 3
Shield Boys’ Club, American Red
Cross, United Defense Fund (U.
S. O.), Gaston County Life Saving
and First Aid Crew, Celebral Palsy
Association, Gaston County Tuber
culosis Association, Boy Scouts,
Optimist Club, and Radio Free
Europe.
In the collection of funds, giving
was placed on a voluntary basis.
(Continued on Page 4)
Comptroller Requests
Reports On Change Of
Dependency Status
If your dependency status has
changed since January 1, 1954, it is
necessary that you transmit such
change to the Payroll Department
without delay. In this request for
up-to-date records on employees
of Firestone Textiles, Comptroller
E. J. Mechem explains that the
information sought is of vital
necessity for the purpose of re
porting to state income tax au
thorities.
“In the past we have circulariz
ed our employees about once a year
for the confirmation of their de
pendency status for tax report
ing,” said Mr. Mechem. “We be
lieve that this vital matter may be
adequately handled this year
through the plant newspaper.”
This drawing, prepared especially for Firestone News, depicts the spirit of the first Thanksgiving in America. Edward Winslow, leader in
the Plymouth Colony, wrote to one of his friends in England late in 1621: “Our harvest being got in, our Governor sent four men on fowling, that
^^0 We might, after a special manner, rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors. Some ninety people entertained and feasted for
days. By the goodness of God we are so free from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”