Newspapers / The Charlotte Labor Journal … / Dec. 21, 1950, edition 1 / Page 21
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SEASON’S GREETINGS 6. W. HOWE COMPANY GENERAL MERCHANDISE North Main St. Phone 374 BELMONT, N. C. MERRY CHRISTMAS WALDENSIAN BAKERIES, INC. VALDESE, N. C. John P; Frey, A Pioneer In A. F. of L. Movement (John P. Frey will hold the new title of president emeritus of the AFL Metal Trades depart ment when the annual conven tion begins September 14, 1960, at Houston, Texas. This Is the story): Washington. — On Thursday, May 4. the resignation of John P. Frey as president of the Metal Trades department was received and accepted by the Executive Council of the department, at its meeting in Philadelphia. This resignation was received with great reluctance by the council, but it did not come as any surprise. Mr. Frey had in timated on various occasions his desire to retire from active serv ice in the trade union movement, to be able to devote more time to special aspects of it. John Frey was born on Feb. 24% 1871, in Mankato, Minn. Re versing the general trend of “Ga West Young Man," John went east and on May 10 of 1896 was initiated into the Molders Union No. 6, Worcester. Mass. Those were the days when trade unionism, outside of those who were a part of it was not too popular. On July 1, 1896, John became president of the local union of Molders, and a delegate to the Worcester Central Labor Coun cil. Hia force was sooa recog nized in the Central Labor Un ion. In 1899 he became the dele gate from his local union to the convention of the Massachusetts State Federation of laibor, and at; that time was elected as one ef the vice presidents. In 1903, John was elected as editor of The Molders’ Journal. It was during this editorship that The Molders’ Journal became rec ognized by the entire trade union movement, by economists, and by students of history as heiag a moving force in the progress of the trade union movement and as making a great contribution to the understanding of the philoso phy of the trade union move ment. In addition to the duties as ed itor, John remained as an organ izer, and was in charge of strikes supported by the International Union. He was also one of the negotiators with the Foundry men. Again during this period, the evils of the injunction, the yellow-dog contract and their ef fect upon union organization and the rights of the human being became increasingly apparent. In 1924 John was placed in complete charge of all organizing activities for the International Union. that John Frey’s career and experiences in the trade union itor he was also an author, hav ing written several books which received wide acclaim. His first book was titled, “An American Molder in Europe,” based upon his own experiences gained as a result of a visit to many European countries. His second, published in 1922, was entitled, “The Labor Injunction.” This book played a great part ia making the trade unions of Amer ica aware of the evils of the in junction and aided in the trade union effort to have the Norjris LaGuardia Anti • injunction Bill adopted by the national Congress. It might be added that, for three years, John was a member of the AFL committee of three which worked with the subcommittee of the U. S. Senate committee on judiciary, which drafted the Anti injunction Bill. In 1944, John wrote a book entitled, “Craft Un ions of Ancient and Modern Times,” a history of the trade union movement and the efforts of men to organise to protect their own interests almost since the advent of civilization. John Frey served as a mem ber of the Hoxie committee in 1913 and 1914, which made a study of scientific management and labor. This study exposed i the fallacy and menace of sciaa jtific management then becoming B. J. POWELL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR POWER AND LIGHT WIRING STATESVILLE, N. C. widespread in industry, and fur ther served as material for the study of the Industrial Relations commission. The Government Defense agen cies had indicated intentions to institute scientific management systems in their facilities. It was as a result of the Hoxie commit tee’s study and findings and the resultant testimony before Sen ate and House Committees on La *>r that prohibitive clauses to the use of scientific management pro posals in defense facilites were adopted. These studies clearly demonstrated the menace of the speed-up, stretch-out and other engineering proposals, which made an automaton of the indi vidual, rather than a human 'joe ing. John was chosen on several oc casions to represent either the American Federation of Labor, or the United States o.n missions to Europe. He served as a frater nal delegate to the British Trade Union Congress in 1909. He was secretary of the first labor mis sion, appointed by President Wil son from the United States to Allied countries in 1918. He ac companied President Compere to Europe in 1918 in support of the over-all was effort. He attended the 1921 and 1924 conventions of the Pan-American Federation of Labor, representing the AFL. In 1927 he was a labor advisor to the American Delegation of the International Labor Economic Conference in Geneva Switzer land. . John became recognized as a national figure in the trade un ion movement with his election to the American Federation of Labor convention in 1901; a dele 'ateship to which he was regu larly elected, with two years’ ex ception, through 1949. He served as secretary of the Committee on Resolutions of the AFL conven tion, continually from 1908 through 1924. In 1934 he again became secretary of the Commit tee on Resolutions and served through 1949. Few men in the union movement have made their influence felt in AFL conventions as much as has John Frey. He was a close personal friend and confidante of President Sam Compere for a great many years The city of Norwood, Ohio, where he made his home after leaving Worcester to become part of the international family of the Moldera, honored him by making him president of the Board of Education, in which capacity ha served from 1917 through 1921. Also, during this period of residence in the State of Ohio, he became president of the Ohio State Federtion of Labor from 1924 through 1928. It was during hit term of office as president of the State Federation of Labor that the federation sponsored the Anti-Yellow Dog Contract bill and served aa a pattern for other State Federations of Labor to follow. The Ohio law waa in corporated in its entirety, in the Norris-LaGuardia Anti-injunction bill. He was commissioned a iieu ! tenant colonel in the Specialist Reserve*, If. ;*rAmy, in 1028. He had rendered yeoman service to the armed service* of the country, not only during the pre ceding war, hut in the post-war period. He served for many years as the liaison officer be tween the American Federation of Labor and the War Depart ment of the United States, being appointed to this offiee by the president of the AFL. In 1007 John Frey, in com pany with other leaders of the trade union movement, instituted a program within the American Federation of Labor providing for the formation of the ^Metal Trades department. This organi zation became a reality in 1008, and was officially chartered by the AFL. John Frey served as secretary of that formative ° committee. From that period up to 1927, he served as a delegate from the Molders’ Union to the Metal Trades department conventions. In 1027 he was elected secretary treasurer of the department. In 1934 he ascended to the presi dency of the department. His accomplishments as president of the Metal Trades department have been many and his effect will be permanently felt by the entire trade union movement and the organisations a part of the department. It was during this period that be presented lengthy and de tailed studies to the Senate Sub-' I Don't let the excitement of a Rood •trike make you forget that burn ing match! committee of the Judiciary on Interlocking Corporation Direc torates. Following the recom mendations of this committee, the Pecora Committee was created by the United States Senate, whose findings resulted in the passage by Congress of most necessary regulatory legislation' on monop olies and trusts. For many years John Prey had been calling to the attention of the trade union movement, the Federal government and all with n reach, the infiltration of Com munists into the trade union movement and Federal depart ments. In 1938 he submitted testi mony before congressional com mittees on the infiltration of Communists into the trade union movement and into the various Federal government departments, supporting this testimony with voluminous records and docu ments. He further called to the na tion’s attention the possibilities of Communists occupying key po sitions in the Department of State, and the Army and Navy. President Frey was responsible for many other legislative pro posals. some of which were en acted into law, and others which were rejected. The Frey Amend ment to the National Labor Re lations Act prevented the ques tioning of a trade union contract after such contract had been in existence for three months or more. This legislation saved J» i nxqtftin II11111 HI nl !j 6129 many organizations great sums of money in not having to defend valid contracts in effect. The work of President Frey in being responsible for the Master Shipbuilding and Ship Repair agreements, which brought one agreement more emplo than have ever been covered the United States under agreement, is epoch-making American industrial relations. ri S'# GREETING S' MOORESVILLE IRON WORKS ALUMINUM. BRONZE AND GREY IRON CASTINGS TEXTILE MACHINERY PARTS Phone 49 -P. O. Box 246 MOORESVILLE. N. C. SEASON’S GREETINGS ★ BERNSIDE MILLS, INCORPORATED ★ GASTONIA. N. C, MERRY CHRISTMAS *Z _ c*r- ,, • . _ V. ■i ' Barger Construction Co., Inc. MMMESVIliE, NORTH GJUMUM MERRY CHRISTMAS Clover Spinning Mills, Inc \ Clover, South Carolina
The Charlotte Labor Journal and Dixie Farm News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 21, 1950, edition 1
21
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