QUALITY
FIRST
THEN
QUANTITY
Vol. 7; No. 12
FISGAH FOREST, N. C.
NOT
HOW MUCH
BUT
HOW WELL
December, 1945
Pay Increase And Shorter Work Week Announced
Play To Be Given
At January Meeting
Of Five-Year Club
The entertainment committee of
the Five-Year Service club has just
announced that the three-act play,
PETTICOAT FEVER, by Mark
Reed, will be presented at the next
regular meeting January 8th., in
the cafeteria. The play is sched
uled to start at 8 o’clock and is
given in honor of Mr. Straus’ birth
day. All employees are cordially
invited to attend whether or not
they are members of the Five Year
Service club.
PETTICOAT FEVER — an out
standing success on Broadway and
in the summer theatres. “Dascom
J^insmore is the feverish wireless
operator with whom the story
•leals. You come upon him in a
fidgety, sex-starved mood, tossing
himself from chair to davenport
®nd back again, casting miniature
airplanes about the room, taking
?lingshots at a ctwbell and reg
istering frustration with all his
•flight and main. Unkempt and
(careless as to costume, his wild
Oats are behind him, and the fu
ture stretches, heartbreakingly
'vomanless, ahead. You can imag
ine what happens when Ethel Cam
Pion, young, beautiful and charm
iog, descends literally from the
clouds, bringing her fiance, Sir
James Fenton, with her. Their air
plane is smashed beyond repair,
'■ailroads are non-existent, rivers
are frozen over. What is there to
*^0 but radio for assistance and
"'ait for assistance to arrive? It’s
a long time coming, thanks to
^ashing Dascom’s aerial double-
'5'ossing and the unexpected ap-
Pearance of Clara Wilson, one of
Dinsmore’s cast-off fiancees.
How Dascom wins Ethel, how
Clara wins Sir James is the pur
port of the tale, a tale that twists
and turns with more laughs than
—Turn To Page Thirteen
Annual Ecusta Baby
Contest Announced,
$25 Victory Bond
The Echo is conducting a Baby
*^ntest again this year, and the
^mpany will give a $25 Victory
^nd free to the first baby bom to
Ecusta family in 1946.
. The rules of the contest are
®iniple and require only that either
^he father or mother must be an
^nipioyee of the Companies, work-
at the plant here.
All entries must be submitted to
^he office of the Echo on or be
fore January 19th. and a doctor’s
®®rtificate must accompany the en-
which gives the day, hour and
Place of birth.
The winner of the contest will
announced in the January edi
^ioa of the Echo.
For the past six years, our Christmas celebrations
have been clouded by the fear and uncertainty of war.
Throughout those dark years the basic principles of
freedom and security, upon which our country ^is
founded, were constantly threatened. Our recent vic
tory has lifted this cloud from our people and during
this Holy season the doctrine of “peace on earth, good
will toward men” has a greater meaning than ever
before. Adding to our happiness this year is the fact
that many families and friends are united again by
the return of those who were in the Armed Forces
and the assurance that those who are still away in the
service of our country are in no danger and will soon
reitum home.
In deepest gratitude on this peaceful Christmas, we
join together in a silent prayer for the gallant men and
women who have given their lives to help preserve our
way of life. I believe that it is especially appropriate
this victory year for us to re-dedicate ourselves to the
preservation of the freedoms for which they fought
and died.
At this time each year our thoughts also turn to the
future- I unite with you in the hope for a lasting
peace, and a brighter world of decency, good fellow
ship, and opportunity. Your Company, as in the past,
will always do its share in accomplishing these pur
poses. We are constantly planning for the years
ahead. Through the development of new and better
products and the expansion of our facilities, we will
continue to contribute to the advancement of our
community, and to help provide full and happy lives
for all our co-workers.
I sincerely hope that you and your family will en
joy this holiday season. May you have a Very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
HARRY H. STRAUS,
President.
Christmas Parties Are Being Given, All
Employees Get Christmas Checks Again
#
Bingo Party To Be
Given On Dec. 28
The Recreation department is
planning another big bingo party
to be held in the cafeteria on Fri
day, December 28th. There will be
free prizes given and all employ
ees, their husbands and wives, are
cordially invited to participate.
Buses will run from Rosman and
Brevard.
A large crowd attended the
Thanksgiving bingo party and,
since it was so successful, many
requests have been received for an
other one. An even larger crowd
—Turn To Page Five
Program of Christmas Music
And Singing Presented By
Band And Chorus.
Christmas parties are being held
this week in the cafeteria for em
ployees of all three of our Com
panics.
A program of beautiful Christ
mas music and carols by the Ecu
sta band and girls’ chorus under
the direction of John Eversman, is
being featured at each party.
The annual Christmas messages
are being given by President Har
ry H. Straus and General Superin
tendent Raymond F. Bennett.
At the conclusion of each pro
—Turn To Page Five
OMPANIES Wni
RETURN TO 42-
HOUR SCHEDEES
ifteen Per Cent Increase To
Be Given To Hourly
Workers.
On or before February 4, 1946,
the companies will return to a 42-
hour work-week schedule and a
general increase of 15 per cent in
wages will be paid to hourly work*
ers. President Harry H. Straus
stated in his annual Christmas
message to employees.
He also announced that in 1946
the companies will give all hourly
employees with five or more years
of continuous service a two weeks’
vacation.
Mr. Straus’ special message was
as follows:
“You will recall that in the Oc
tober issue of THE ECHO, I «x-
plained to you that our companies
would return to their normal pre-
v;ar schedule as soon as possible.
The war emergency is now over
and we will put into effect the 42-
hour work schedule not later than
February 4, 1946, or sooner if con
ditions permit. At the time that we
do return to the 42-hour schedule,
the companies will give a general
increase in wages of 15% to hour
ly workers.
“It is a pleasure for me to an
nounce this increase and the re
duced working hours to all of you
who have worked so hard and
—^Tum To Page Four
TO GIVE PARTIES
FOR THE CHILDREN
Annual Christmas Parties
For Ecusta Children To
Be Given Saturday.
The Christmas parties for all
Ecusta children will be held in the
company Cafeteria on Saturday af
ternoon, December 22nd., from 1 p.
m. to 8 p. m.
Children of all employees are
cordially invited to attend. Chil
dren of Ecusta men and women
who are still in the service are
especially invited. Several differ
ent parties will be held—each last
ing for one hour. Tickets have been
issued to employees for their chil
dren. Tickets for Ecusta children
whose parents may be in the ser
vice can be obtained at the gate
house.
As has been the custom, Santa
Claus and his helpers will be on
hand to greet the children and to
give each one of them a present.
—Tom To Page Twelve