Copper Commando – vol. 2, no. 23

VOL.

II

JULY 7, 1944

C1S121101£

No. 23

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WITH the invasion at full blast, readers of Copper Commando may like to see these four pictures which were taken d.uring a U. S. Army Air Forces raid on the submarine> pens and re~air facilities at Toulon recently.

These four-motor

0'

bombers dumped hundreds tons of high explosives on the Nazi-held harbor within five minutes.

(These pictures were taken in less than three hund'red seconds, and the man who operated the camera was Major Cordon Sarre, New York City, who was a combat mission.)

photographer

on this

J

, M~JOR SARRE flew over Toulon -exactly twenty-five years after he had visited the city while in charge of the first American Red (:ross -cection en route from Paris to Milan during the last war. Now an intelligence officer at Flying Fortress Headquarters, he served with the French, Italian an.d American armies in World War I. These pictures show . the actual bomb run from the approach to the target to the final turn-off.

Just remember that this operation took only five minutes.

I

THE picture at the top.of the page shows t.he U. S. Army Air Forces Flying Fortresses approaching the southern coast of France before beginning their bomb run over the Nazi submarine pens. The second picture shows the bomb bay door

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opening on the B-17. The plane wm s~n be directly over the target. Bomb away! In the third picture, the first bomb to drop on Toulon is on its way, and in the pioture at the left you see the smoke arise from the direct hit on Toulon.

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JULY 7, 1944

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COPPER COMMANDO VOL. II

NO. 23

JULY 7, 1944

This bomber is on ifs way to repay Nazi Germany tenfold for the assaults of the Luftwaffe.

It is one of many thousands that are shattering the Nazi empire •

...

COPPER COMMANDO is the official newspaper of the Victory Labor-Management Production Committees of the Anaconda Copper M'ining Company and its Union .Representatives at Butte, Anaconda, Great Falls and East Helena, Montana. It is issued every two weeks. • •• COPPER COMMANDO, is headed by a joint committee' from Labor: and Management, its policies are shaped by both sides and are dictated by neither. • • • COPPER COMMANDO wa~ established at the recommendation of the War· Department with the concurrence of the War Production Board. Its editors are Bob N~wcomb and Marg Sammons; its safety editor is John L Boardman; its chief photographer is AI Gusdorf; its staff photographer is Les Bishop. • • Its Editorial Board consists of: Denis McCarthy, CIO; John F. Bird, AFL;' Ed Renouard, ACM', from Butte; Dan Byrne, CIO; Joe Marick, AFL; C. A. Lemmon, ACM, from Anaconda; Jack Clark, CIO; Herb Donaldson, AFL, and E. S. Bardwell, ACM, from _Great Falls.••• COPPER COMMANDO is mailed to the home of every employee of ACM in "he four locations-if you are ftOt receiving your copy, advise COPPER COMMANDO at 112 Hamilton Street, Butte, or better ..still, drop in and tell us. This is Vol. 2, No. 23.

In This Issue' F·R0 NT COVER _ .__'__ , __.. "'" The Fifth War Bond Drive is on the last stretch. all should be willing to dig a little deeper.

_ , _- )' With the invasion at full blast, w.

MISSION OVER TOULON __. .

Here is a photographic record of five minutes over Toulon. among the best to come out of the war.

__-_; _ _.._ 2 These pictures are rated -

BIRTHDAY PARTY = 4 Butte's Labor-Management Committee is two years old, so the labor boys threw C\ party for members of management.

Here's the picture story.

PEOPLE & PLACES................................•........ ~ __ __ ,The mail we like the most is the letters from the boys in service. from more of you fellows when you get a chance to write.

a We'd like to hear.

'AWARDS AT ANACONDA _ __•.......................... _ ~ Prize-winning suggestions submitted by Anaconda men were recently applauded b~ Herbert Heasley, Chief of the Non-Ferrous Metals Section of War Production Drive Division.

• MACHINE SHOP lQ One of the vital cogs in the copper-production machine is' the Machine Shop at Great Falls. This is the first of a series of articles on this important operation.

KIDS' N IGHT OUT. __ __ 1~ The Sports Committee of the Butte Mine rs' Union recently sponsored a party fo~ Butte's young skaters. This is the picture story of another helpful activity of t~ Miners' Union.

Charlie BIKk; labor'. chairman, does the honors with the baked ham.

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LABOR-MANAGEMENT Holds a

BIRTHDAY PARTY At the enClof two years, ,the Victory Labor-Management mittee at Butte staged a meeting an d party, with Jnanagement.

First committee to be ff;)rmed in ",eta's industry, the Butte unit is recogni%ed as one try. Here's a picture story of who wa s there, what rlone.

Production Com labor acting as hosts to the entire non-ferrous of the best in the counwas said and what was 4

ON the occasion of its second anniversary, the Butte Labor-Management Committee took stock of its accomplishments at a meeting well attended by members of both management and labor, and later adjourned to the Miners' Union Hall, where labor entertained members of management.

Letters Are Exchanged The decision to mark the second birthday of the Committee originated with Charlie Black, veteran chief of the . Labor Section of the Committee.

Charlie was aided in the program's planning by a committee of four-Hubie Benjamin I . of the Ironworkers (AFU, John Cavanaugh of the Stationary Engineers (CIO).

Jimmy Cusick of the Machinists (AFU and Curly McLeod, recording secretary of the Butte Miners' Union (CIO).

The labor committee made elaborate plans not only for the meeting but for the party which followed, at which moving pictures from the Navy Department and the War Department were shown ..

The bi II for refreshments was footed by the labor boys themselves, who dug down into their pants and contributed to a fund to entertain management.

Officials of the Anaconda Company mingled with representatives of the unions.

The delegation from management included D. M. Kelly, R. H. Glover, F. A. Linforth,' H. J. Rahilly, and other management members of the Commi ttee.

Present also was W. B. Daly, ex-general manager, who has recently returned from Hollywood for the summer.

A feature of the meeting, which preceded the party, was the reading of an invi tation sent by the labor committee to executives of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company 路in New York.

The invitation was sent to C. F. Kelley, chairman of the Board; J. R. Hobbins, Company president, and W. H. Hoover, vice presicent and genera! counsel. Black's invitation read in 'part, "We are all Butte people and we believe in this community and in this industry.

We think that if we can sit down with you management men in a time of war and solve problems, we should be able to sit down in peace times and talk sensibly to each other .. , . One thing we realize is this: The one way to solve problems between employer and employee is to meet and thresh out the problems in as friendly a manner as possible ...

Now, with the invasion under way, there seems to be a greater need for teamwork between us than there ever was before.

Labor ...bas arranged an interesting and varied program, and we will look forward to having you with us."

Although pressure of important work in New York prevented any of the three from coming, the replies to labor's invitation were most pleasantly received.

Mr. Kelley, replying by wire, said in part, "I Wish to express my deep appreciation of your invitation and to assure you of my best wishes. . . I have followed with keen interest the reports of proceedings of the Labor-Management Committee in Butte and have been grati-

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Bill Daly says hello.

Part of the group which gath~red for the business meeting.

fied by the spirit shown and its accomplishments.

I hope the contact thus made may be continued in the future, as both management and labor wi II profi t from mutual 'understanding and sympathy. " President Hobbins replied that he was ..extremely interested and appreciative of the sentiments which you express and your concept of the present and potential value of the Labor-Management Committee ... The Committee has made a very great contribution to the production effort, and in view of the critical demand for copper, it has thus made a great contribution to the war effort ...

I believe also that the meetings have been of incalculable value in establishing better understanding and relationships between the men and management, and I am definitely in accord with your statement that the best manner of solving problems between employer and employees is to meet and thresh out such problems in a friendly and practical manner."

Mr. Hoover, expressing regret that he was not able to attend, wrote "to assure you of my sincere interest in the success of this co-operative effort from its very incepfion and of my hope and belief that the Committee has a proper place. in solving the problems of production for war and thereafter the problems of peacetime production, which may be just as . " serious.

D. M. Kelly, as permanent management chairman for the Committee, responded as spokesman for the local management and paid high tribute to the Committee and its accomplishments.

He pointed out that fhe Committee had earned its place as one of the outstanding committees of the country and urged it to continue its good work in backing JULY 7, 1944

up the men at the fighting fronts.

"Labor .has _dug in its pockets to entertain management tonight," Mr. Kelly concluded.

"Management wants to entertain you fellows in turn.

So set a date and make it soon." The management affair for labor will be held in the near future .

W. B. Daly, called upon to say a few words, remarked that he had watched with interest the operations of the Committee from the beginning and felt certain that it would continue to maintain its high standard.

Similar viewpoints, were voiced by Messrs. Glover, Linforth and Rahilly.

Cur1y McLeod speaks up.

Dan Kelly h.,asa few words.

Brief remarks were made by Hubie Benjamin for the AFL, Curly McLeod for the Butte Miners' Union; and John Bird, also AFL. 路Among those who cited the accomplishments and responsibilities of the Committee from the floor were Henry Young for the Engineers, John Crawford, president of the SiIver Bow.' Trades and Labor Council; John O'Neill and John Boardman of the Company, and others.

Following the meeting, management and labor men gathered at the Butte Miners' Union, where labor acted as hosts to management.

The first war film ,was "Battle of the Beaches," a Navy release mirroring the progress of naval warfare.

The second picture was .. Battle of Russia," a documentary film showing the Russian war machine in action. Refreshments were served following the films and the labor and management men mingled far into the evening.

A review of the accomplishments of the Butte Committee in the two years of its existence clearly shows that many milestones have been passed. Observers feel that the committee has been respon-

Roy Clover takes the floor.

Jphn Bird reads the mail.

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Hal Rahilly reviews the year.

At the Miners' Union, the boys squared away their refreshments.

Henry Young makes a point.

sible to a great extent for building a war consciousness in the community.

Not only has the importance of copper in the war effort been driven home to the worker and his family, but it has been emphasized to residents of the community as well. The Publicity Sub-Committee, which is responsible for the placing of posters and other literature, has accomplished a great deal in this direction.

Arthur Linforth explains suggestions.

The Committee has eased many production problems through the fact that members of labor and management have met and tackled them together.

After many months of disappointing effort, the Committee was able to obtain Terre

Haute boots for the miners.

For many months there has been a great shortage of time-pieces throughout .the country, but the Committee was able to arrange for a quantity of watches through the War Production Boardthey were not new time-pieces, but they were the best to be obtained at the time.

The Committee for several weeks has been working on the matter of alarm clocks, although the shortage is nationwide. The Committee is also busy on the matter of obtaining priorities for' work clothes and tools.

Transportation difficulties have been ironed out to a large extent by the Comand Stan Babcock put it away.

...

Charlie Black speaks for labor.

Bill McMahon points the way•

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JULY 7, 1944 I

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mittee so that jobs on time, mittee tackled anti-freeze for to arrange for into Butte.

workers could get to their and last wi~ter the Comthe matter of obtaining workers' cars and was able a quantity to be shipped

Credit goes to the. sub-committee on rationing, which expanded into the Meat For Copper Production Drive, which was headed by a labor-management man. It is prevailing sentiment that the smashing drive this committee- put forth against Washington agencies played its part in the easing of meat points.

The Suggestion Sub-Committee and the Absenteeism Sub-Committee have made gains. The Committee has been helpful in attemptin,g to ease the drains on manpower through the pointing out to government agencies the urgent necessity of keeping copper workers within the industry. The Committee has given substantial aid to War Bond drives . • Within the past year, the Committee has been directly responsible for the presentation of two great shows in Butte-the Army War Show held last summer in cooperation with the War Department and the War Production Boa rd¡ and the Awards Ceremonies held later, which were conducted in collaboration with the Copper Division of WPB, at which time the contribution of copper workers to the war program was officially recognized by the United States government.

Bill Daly :).nd Dan Kelly, center,

a minute

to visit.

,

The tribute paid to copper workers resulted from asuggestion which occurred . within the Labor-Management Committee itself, At that time a number of young employees. frozen in their jobs, were subject to humiliation because of their failure to be in uniform. The situation was serious and the Committee took the matter up directly with the chief of the Copper Division of the War Production Board. As a result, awards were made to all copper workers who had e worked a certain number of shifts in the six-months period previous.

The War Production Board sent representatives to Butte; a parade was staged and a very suscessful dance followed the ceremonies at Columbia Gardens.

1--abor and management

chin;

McCarthy,

Oaas,

Hogan

and

Reese.

!1tM~--

The Labor - Management Committee program was launched in Washington a little over two years ago by Donald M. Nelson, head of the War Production Board, at the specific request of President Roosevelt, who urged labor and management to work together to help win the war. Today there are nearly 5.000 such committees in the country, -and they are widely credited with having encouraged the amazing war production record of American industry.

The Anaconda Copper Mining Company and the unions were invited at that time to form committees at the various Montana properties of the Company, and this was done. There are four Anaconda committees in Montana -in addition to the one at Butte. units are functioning at Anaconda, Great Falls and East Helena.

JULY 7, 1944

get

Labor di,s /

in:

Strike.

Hills. Lacey, Birmingham,

.7.

Young, Casey.

I

People .~

coppermen:

"I know you all would like to get more news from me, but censorship doesn't permit it.

However, I can tell you that I was in the Cape Gloucester campaign. Am still hale and hearty, and always anxious to hear from home. It'll be a long time before I see the States agairi, so don't forget, I keep thinking- of you boys, and how swell it would be to be among you again."

"I can just imagine you'll be

A Mother Writes

Marine Speaks CHIEF Chemist Gutchell of the Anaconda Reduction Works has passed along to us this interesting letter from Pfc. Stanley Salomonson, who is a former smelterman now with the• Marines. We thought you would like to read this letter: "Ahoy, you landlubbers and

NO THANKS The Victory Labor-Management Committees of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and the unions have passed their second milestone.

They we,re ~he first to be formed in the whole non-ferrous metals industry and, without bragging too much about it, they are conceded on all sides to be among the best.

When Donald M. Nelson, head of the War Production Board, followed the recommendation of President Roosevelt that I.bor and management get together to win the production battle on the home front, the Anaconda Company committees were the first to respond.

During that two years' interval, there has been a certain amount of locking of horns, which could be expected.

But, on the whole, both labor and management were progressive enough and intelligent enough to put aside differences of opinion and pull together to do a job on the Axis.

Who are these men who represent management and labor in on the Victory Labor-Management Production Committee? So far as management is concerned, they are men chosen from various departments of the Anaconda Company. So far as labor is concerned, they are the choices of organised labor. For more than two years these representatives have sat down in a pretty satisfactory spirit of harmony, to iron out difficulties and keep the production wheels moving. In Butte; for example, for a time the union men appeared on union time, just as the management men appeared on management time.

Then, by common consent, they decided to meet in the evening instead of the afternoon so that each man who sits on this committee today does so without being pa~d for it except in. terms of satisfaction he gets out of doing'a good job.

We aren't going to stop here to sum up the things that the Victory LaborManagement Committees have done to aid the cause of the war program-anybody who has followed Copper Commando for two years is pretty well aware of what they are. Nobody will deny that a whole lot more could have been done, but both groups have their feet on the fourth rung of the .ladder and are moving up. Some day the time will arrive when both management and labor the nation over can meet in friendly harmony.

When that time comes, everybody who "as anything to do with American industry will be better off.

much surprised to get a letter

Âť:

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PFC.

,SALOMON SON

from your former employee and hard - to - get - along - with co - worker. Having forgotten to write a line now and then, it srtuck me like a hammer blow when I opened a package from horne and in it were the December 24th and January 7th copies of the Copper Commando. What a splendid paper! Boy, what a feeling I got when I saw you fellows in the Lab and in the Research Dept.

You can never imagine how I poured over each picture and sentence. After being without reading material and necessities for long stretches at a time, I felt as though I was home once more, everything so neat and clean and everyone on the job.

I lost no time in letting the other fellows in the squad know. who each person was, what he was doi ng, how I used to work there, etc. It's so easy to tell what you've done, who you've worked with, your troubles and joys, but when it comes in pictures and print, you feel as though you're among those things again. I heartily thank and congratulate the Victory Labor- Management Production Committees for editing and publishing such a splendid newspaper.

I'd like very much if you'd send me copies. It's a great morale builder after being on the go most of the time.

"I know you'll post this in the weighing room, for it is..to all of you. Keep up the good work, fellows, and we'll keep on chasing those who are losing face every day.

ONE of the many, many letters which come to us that impressed us a great deal arrived here from Mrs. H. H. Foreman who lives in Spokane. We are quoting her letter because we thought it would please you as much as it did us: "Dear Editors: , "Some time ago a friend of ours gave us a copy of the Copper Commando for March 31,.

1944. In it mention was made of my son, Howard C. Foreman. now a corporal in the United States Marine Corps. Do you have an extra copy so that I can send one to Howard? This one I want .to keep for his scrap book if I can-I suppose you know he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.

"I just can't find words to express our appreciation of your commendation of himand I am very sure that it gives him a real inspiration to know that he has the .. Mines' ....back of him, for I know of no group of people in the world whose -espect and friendship he would rather have than these men in Butte that he worked with and for.

Places Another friend of.ours in the War Department has bee n transferred to the Office of Strategic Services. This man, whom we hate to see go, is lames D. Hart, formerly research director of the Bureau of Public Relations of the War . Department in Washington, We labor and management editors of Copper Commando have leaned on Jim heavily since we first started publishing two years ago. Wherever Iim goes, and whatever he does, he will do a bang-up job of it.

Call Him Charlie WE got' nosing into safety records the other day and dug up what we think is a champion.

He is Charles Brunell, a motorman at the Mountain Con, who started work in Butte March 5, 1913. During the past thirtyone years he has served a total of twenty-four years, three months and twenty-five days, and during this long interval there is no record of accidental injury nor of infraction of safety rules. Charlie has worked in the Badger, Tramway, Leonard machine shop, West Gray Rock, Alice, Bell, East Colusa, Silver Bow, Elm Orlu, Original, Anselmo and Mountain Con. In the thirty-one years he has had twenty-five different jobs, of which eight were due to transfers because his min e suspended operation.

Charlie has been a motorman

"I know it gave me a thri II just to read that copy of your oaper, and it will certainly mean a lot more to him. I think you have found the true meaning of 'morale':'

Two Friends WE have had a great many :::ompliments paid to our special issue devoted to the invasion which came out two weeks ago.

A.t this time we thought you'd be interested to know that this hard-boi led pictorial material was provided by a gal in the War DepartmenT by the name of Virginia Drayer. Ginny, as we here in the office know her, has been with the Employee Publication Section of the Bureau of Public .Relations of the.

War Department since before Pearl Harbor, and she has a remarkable grasp of the entire war picture. She has been a loyal and dependable friend of Copper Commando a-n d we would like to say "Thanks" to Ginny publicly. We wish that all the readers of Copper Commando might know her and know how efficient and capable she is.

)

CHARLIE

BRU'NELL

most of the time. He lives with his wife in a comfortable little house on W est Daly street where we visited him. The Bruoells have three sons-one is with the Army in England, another was given a temporary discharge after being wounded, and the third works at the General Office of the Anaconda Company. Charlie drove a horse underground in the old days, but he thinks the motor is here to stay.

If there's a better safety record in camp. let's hear about it.

Michael

J.

Kelly receives award

,

Heasley greets Joseph Antonich

AWARDS AT ANACONDA T HE Victory

Labor-Management P!"oduction Committee at the Anaconda Smelter recently acted as host to Herbert Heasley, chief of the Non-Ferrous Metals Section of the War Production Drive Division, Washington, D. C. Heasley made a special trip to the Smelter to make Suggestion Awards irr person or:'behalf of the War Production Board.

In a brief speech which followed the ceremonies, Heasley compl imented the Smelter committee for its outstanding contributions to labor-management harmony. He pointed out that the success of any Labor-Management committee de-

pends entirely upon the good faith of both sides; it is not possible, the Division Chief pointed out, for a committee to accomplish desired objectives if either side lent only half-hearted support to the effort.

A large committee audience attended.

More than 5,000 Labor-Management Committee are in existence in the United States, Heasley pointed out, and while not all are active still great strides are being made in many plants where committees are in existence. The Division chief praised the Anaconda Company management and the heads of organized labor in Montana for pulling together so ably.

•

WPB Division Chief hails Brown

Heasley,

with Barnard and McLean

JULY 7, 1944

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MACHINE

SHOP ONE

of the operations in which the folks at the Great Falls Reduction Works take the greatest pride. is the Machine Shop. This busy establishment is going along, doing its fine share in backing up the metal producers at the Reduction Works.

We stopped in there a short time ago to see this interesting operation at close hand and to get a good view of the many different operations which the boys in the shop perform. There doesn't seem to be anything that they haven't been able to turn out-they haven't been stuck yet, in the words of Pete McCallum, who started there in 1917. Pete worked as an apprentice and stayed on the job, and today is foreman of the shop.

As you roam around, you see some familiar faces in the shop--two that came quickly to mind were AI Rossberg, the veteran fighter who once beat Dixie LaHood in a fight at Great Falls; another is Roy MacRea, whom we identified quickly as the father of those two charming little twins whose picture we took at the Clinic some months ago. Still another is Henry Robertson, one of the. plant's old-timers

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JULY 7, 1944

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and a man who is known for his philosophy and ready wit.

That's a picture at the top of the opposite page taken from one end of the Machine Shop - you get the idea pretty clearly that it is a large place--not only that, it's as.clean and neat as any machine shop you'd want to see. The boys themselves take pride in keeping the place looking right and they realiie that in a shop of this kind neatness and orderliness are essenial to safe working.

In the picture below that of the Machine Shop we find A. Grasseschi, drilling extra heavy steel flanges for use on boi 1ers, while in the picture to the right on this page we find Paul Bucko in the tool room taking care of Lawrence Tinejli, who is standing outside the cage selecting a drill-this is a common sight, of course, in the Machine Shop.

We knew you would want to meet the boys face to face, so let's identify the group in the picture above. In the back row, left to right, are: Paul Tinelli, Roy MacRae, George Severson, Earl Jensen, Robert Shaffer; in the second row, left to right, are Bill McGorrin, John Ogrin, Ed Meyers, John Ogle, Lawrence Tinelli and A. Grasseschi; in the first roW are Pete McCaHum, foreman; T. Hatfield, superintendent; Paul Bucko, Peter Petrini, Willard Haefer, Henry Robertson, AI Rossberg and Walter Williamson.

JULY 7, 1944

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KIDS~ NiGHT

OUT Trophy winners pose with Mrs: Fisher and President William Mason (center) as part of colorful ceremonies

MONTANA State Speed Skating trophies, skating medals and certificates were presented to the winners at a party given recently at the Butte Miners' Union Hall. The activity, which is sponsored by the Sports Committee of the Butte Miners' Union, gives recognition to the talents of these youngsters who have set skating records. ' William Mason, president of the Butte Miners' Union and member of the Butt'e Skating Club, presented all trophies, medals and certificates to the winners.

Among several present were Ann Fisher, who was unanimously elected president of the Club for the fifth term; William Pickthall, secretary, and Bert Rodda, Sr., treasurer.

Other guests present included Oscar Hills of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers; John McLeod, recording secretary of the Butte Miners' Union, and Dave Reese, secretary-treasurer of the Miners' Union and a Club member.

The Montana State Speed championship races are held under the auspices of the Butte Skating Club, under the regulations of the Amateur Skating Union of .the United States. Trophies are donated each year by A. E. H. Clarke of the Hoiland Rink. The certificates are furnished by the Club and the Butte Miners' Union. sponsors of the party.

A group of the youngsters await their awards Treasurer Dave Reese and family

{above};

Winners of certificates face the camera with their awards. giving of the certificates

The moving pictures

The girls gathered early in the meeting hall at the Butte Miners' awards and the party that followed ....

(below)

Secretary-

More of the youngsters (above); Mason and Mrs. Fisher.

preceded

Union, eagerly awaiting

at right, below, Billy Pickthall,

AWARD

WINNERS

included:

the

their

William

Jack

Kleme, Agnes Jean Cromrich, Emmett Fogarty, Jean Ann Fisher, Tommy Pennaluna, Beth Hubber, Dan McKinnon, Frank Crebenc, S h i r ley Pennaluna,' Mickey Evans, lone Kranit%, Donald DeBorde, Jewell Ann Cromley, John Matson, Jim Harris, Donald Tierney, Mary Chloe Stears, Jim McCaughey, June Evans, Arthur Harris, Wilbur Rodda, Fred Cirard, Walter .McKinnon and Melvin Fisher.

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