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Minnesota Clay Men Urge Legislation Favorable to Building and Drainage
Northwestern Clay Association Holds Annual Meeting at Minneapolis, February 20 and 21
Slim attendance did not mar the success of the Northwestern Clay Association convention, held at the West Hotel in Minneapolis, on Thursday and Friday, February 20 and 21. Although only twenty-five men registered at the sessions there was plenty of interest in the meeting and everyone felt that he got something worth while out of it. As a matter of fact, the small attendance proved an advantage in many ways. There were more opportunities for interchange of thought and the sessions resolved themselves into round-table discussions, which were highly interesting as well as very instructive.
Since the past year was one of little activity the officers’ reports and the reading of the minutes was dispensed with. President R. H. Smith, of the association, then gave a short talk on the conditions of the past year, and showed the need of getting together this year to help each other out in meeting the many new and perplexing situations that are now exhibiting themselves in the clay industry. Following the appointment of committees on resolutions, nominations and auditing and a short address on association work by F. L. Steinhoff, associate editor of Brick and Clay Record, the assembly listened to a talk, in the real sense of the word, by F. J. Pollay, of the United States Department of Labor. Mr. Pollay’s speech was quite informal and dealt on economic conditions in this country at the present time and their effect on the future. He showed the need for building of new school houses, since he said that most of America’s ills could be traced back to a lack of proper education and environment. He also pointed out the need of a resumption of all building to absorb the surplus labor and soldiers discharged from military camps. A Government survey, according to Mr. Pollay, has disclosed the fact that our home building program has lagged during the war to the extent that 1,000,000 homes for working-men are now needed in all parts of the country.
After finishing the main features of his talk he spent a considerable length of time in answering questions which were brought up by the different men present. These questions revealed some peculiar conditions which exist in the field of labor and showed the need of a careful handling of the situation. The talk given by Mr. Pollay, together with the discussions which followed it, lasted three hours, which is a good indication that a great deal of interest was displayed at this session.
VAUDEVILLE SHOW FOLLOWS BANQUET
In the evening a splendid dinner was served at the banquet in one of the rooms of the West Hotel. After the tasty food had been promptly stored away, Mr. Rosengrant, of the Colburn Brick & Tile Co., gave a short talk on his experiences with the army building construction department and he referred especially to work done in connection with the shipbuilding program at Hog Island.
Since there was not much time left after the banquet to hear many speeches, these were dispensed with in order to be on hand for the opening of the show at the Orpheum Theater, where seats had been reserved for all and a splendid vaudeville bill was enjoyed.
At 10:00 o’clock the next morning everyone was again on deck when the gavel sounded to call the meeting to order. At this session was given the report of the various committees. The nominating committee recommended the following officers for the year 1919: President, F. B. Martin, of Minneapolis; vice-president, C. K. Willard, of Heron Lake, Minn.; secretary-treasurer, H. W. Linder, of Minneapolis. The board of directors named for the coming year were C. J. Swanson, of Minneapolis; G. A. Welch, of Minneapolis; Jacob Voelker, of Winona, Minn.; W. A. Ochs, of Springfield, Minn., and V. F. Kreycik, of West Concord, Minn. The association passed on these recommendations and they will be in effect from now on.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE MAKES REPORT
All of the resolutions drawn up by the committee were then read and adopted. They are as follows:
Resolved, by the Northwestern Clay Association, that we earnestly endorse the steps being taken by the Government officials in seeking to get industry back into activity after the interruptions caused by the war, and we pledge our efforts to aid the work in every way.
Resolved, That we urge upon the legislature of the state of Minnesota, to give such changes of laws governing building and loan associations as may enable them to finance a greater number of home projects, while preserving the safety which should surround banking institutions.
Resolved, That we extend congratulations to Mayor Ole Hansen, of the city of Seattle, Wash., for his sterling Americanism.
Resolved, That we favor the early return of the railroads to private operation, under such control as will guard against a renewal of the abuses of the past.
Resolved, That we favor the spirit of the League of Nations, as calculated to work for universal and lasting peace.
Resolved, That the thanks of this association be extended to Mr. Pollay for his able and enlightening talk.
Resolved, That the thanks of the association are extended to the officers of the association for the work which they did during the past year, under the disheartening conditions which prevailed.
Resolved, That the thanks of the association be extended to the management of the West Hotel for courtesies extended during our convention, and to the speakers and others who have contributed to our program.
Resolved, That we urge the railroad commission to correct the discrimination against brick in making the recent
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increase of freight rates out of proportion to other commodities.
Resolved, We urge the Minnesota legislature take action for a comprehensive campaign for drainage construction for the best good of all.
URGES COMMON BRICK MAKERS TO JOIN ASSOCIATION
An enlightening talk upon the formation, purpose and plans of the Common Brick Manufacturers’ Association of America was then given by C. J. Weber, of Chicago, who represented the above association at the meeting. A discussion which followed this talk opened up a number of suggestions of work which might be undertaken by the Common Brick Manufacturers’ Association, that would be of untold value to all common brick makers. The result of the discussion was that a number of the men signed applications for admittance to the association, for they were convinced that the organization could do that work which they realized was necessary but which could not be done by individual effort. When the aims of this organization became clear to them they knew that they could not afford to keep out of it.
After the above discussion the meeting was adjourned until afternoon, when a joint meeting was held with the Minneapolis Builders’ Exchange and the Minneapolis Real Estate Board at the Builders’ Exchange Building, where F. J. Pollay addressed the assembly.
Those who attended the meeting of the Northwestern Clay Association are:
N. L. Meir, La Crosse, Wis.
R. G. Meir, La Crosse, Wis.
C. J. Weber, Chicago, Ill.
L. Haigh, Beuyrus, Ohio
Rufus P. Morton, Princeton, Minn.
R. H. Smith, Minneapolis, Minn.
George Madsen, Hutchinson, Minn.
J. J. Meehler, Chicago.
J. J. Jones, Minneapolis, Minn.
V. F. Kreycik, West Concord, Minn.
Ole Arnegard, Hillsboro, N. D.
B. F. Pay, Mankato, Minn.
E. B. Hanson, Fertile, Minn.
Jacob Voelker, Winona, Minn.
C. H. Millard, Heron Lake, Minn.
H. W. Ahrens, Okubeme, Minn.
M. C. Madsen, Hutchinson, Minn.
Henry Hess, St. Cloud, Minn.
H. M. Farnham, Princeton, Minn.
G. A. Welch, Minneapolis, Minn.
R. H. Smith, Minneapolis, Minn.
H. W. Linder, Minneapolis, Minn.
Adolph Schraeder, Shakopee, Minn.
F. L. Steinhoff, Chicago, Ill.
Source:
Brick and Clay Record
Volume 54, Number 5, March 11, 1919
Kenfield-Leach Company, Chicago, IL