(from the Tool & Die Institute’s Golden Anniversary Commemorative Booklet published in 1975)
1936–1945
“…activity and involvement began to flourish once again”
1936 unfurled new response in many Americans. The public began shaking off the dust of the Depression and was getting out and doing things. More people attended athletic events in 1936 than ever before. Movies enjoyed their most prosperous year since the depression. Activity and involvement began to flourish in Americans once again.
Involvement was the keyword in our organization as well. Even during the lull of the depression, the Institute tackled the problems of the day. Now, with the opening of another decade for STDMSI, came a fresh look at the future.
For the next three years Karl Harig would fill the elected office of the President of the Institute. His experience in the industry coupled with the interest of the membership would provide the Association with the proper working attitude.
During the late thirties, the Institute saw the expansion of its estimating and design courses to two classes to accommodate the 100 students that enrolled. This growth in participation of these studies sparked the development of a complete curriculum for apprentice training in tool, die and mold making. A severe shortage of manpower at that time helped stimulate the push for such a training program.
As if the shortage of skilled craftsmen was not bad enough, a second wave of the Depression hit in late ’37, causing new fears in those who had just begun recovering from 1929. However, the Institute continued to function. One of its major endeavors at their time was the fighting of the Machine Shop Ordinance. Just as our members were stabilizing themselves from the effects of the recession, the City of Chicago levied this new tax. The bill grouped all related metalworking shops into the classification of “Machine Shop” and taxed them accordingly.
The Institute went to bat for its members by attempting to secure some form of revision in this Ordinance. Members refused to pay the fees until such time when the City Council would grant a re-hearing. The new hearing was granted, and the membership voiced their reason for why the law was unfair. After several days of head-on confrontation, the Ordinance was upheld; however, the loss was not as great as it first appeared. More so, the Institute was able to show its “colors” for its members and prove to many that STDMSI was eager and supportive of its members under all circumstances.
The 1930’s closed on an upswing for many. Science had discovered the Rh factor in blood. American ladies for the first time could purchase nylon stockings and people were humming the tunes from the Broadway hit musical “Du Barry Was A Lady.” Although the Thirties created challenges that seemed at time insurmountable, they were the years that showed the true strength of our Association.
Perhaps one of the busiest periods of time for this Association was during World War II. It was during the early Forties that there was much change within the Institute as well as the industry and the world.
Local district of STDMSI lost interest in the national organization after NRA was dissolved and signs of a stable economy were beginning to show. Business began picking up, partially due to the outbreak of the war in Europe and therefore, the need for a national group became obscured by the prosperity being experienced locally. Our name was even changed in 1943 to the Tool & Die Institute (T& DI) and we were once again an independent local trade Association.
The United States retained its self-sufficient and non-involvement attitude at the onset of the European conflicts with Nazism. Yet, as Hitler raked his way through Poland and headed towards France, a growing concern developed among American officials. Then on December 7, 1941, our side-line seat was pulled out from under us by the Japanese Air Force and “Remember Pearl Harbor” was the cry heard throughout America.
To meet the demands of war, industry as well as American people felt the tugs of many restraints being applied. The national speed limit was reduced to 35 mph; gasoline curfews were enforced; rationing of rubber, sugar, canned goods, meats, fats, and cheese occurred; and government controls on industry were levied. All industries had to gear themselves to the war effort and the only civilian work allowed was for the manufacturing of consumer necessities. This change-over created a booming business environment for the tooling industry. It also spirited many companies into T&DI membership. Firms found it extremely difficult to meet the production demands and keep abreast with all the new regulations and restrictions. However, the war brought with it as many problems as it did benefits to the Association. Perhaps the biggest difficult T&DI had to face during this time was the “Draft.”
The tooling industry had always been plagued with a shortage of skilled manpower and now with Selective Service, the situation began to worsen. Over 20% of the work force in our industry at that time was in the draftable age bracket. Col. Oliver G. Wyman said “…Industry would have to tighten its belt and be prepared to release even the most highly skilled.” To combat the draft, the Institute approached the problem from several directions.
To begin its efforts, the Association established an informational relationship with Colonel Armstrong, Director of Selective Service in Illinois. With his help T& DI opened up a communication channel with the local draft boards. This open line enabled the Institute’s members to make individual requests for occupational deferments for their men. This first attempt to stop the conscription of Tool & Die Makers was a steppingstone for getting our story told.
Our next approach was to contact George Huebner, publisher of The Tool & Die Journal in Cleveland. He agreed to promote banning the draft for skilled workers in his magazine. The Institute did not stop there with its efforts. Many letters protesting this practice paraded forth from the Institute as well and appeared in major area newspapers and magazines. This fight against the conscription of tool and die makers was intensified when 50 of the Institute’s members with jigs and fixtures in hand, marched on the Selective Service Board Headquarters in Chicago. The purpose of this demonstration was to show the value of the craftsmen by displaying some of the work they did for the advancement of the war effort. Also, trips were made to Washington to make direct appeals to Federal officials of the Selective Service. In some cases, the efforts of T& DI to stop the Draft were merely “delay tactics” in hope of keeping the men at their jobs longer.
Although the Draft absorbed a great deal of the Institute’s attention, it was not the only concern. Since one of the basic tenets of the Association was to provide better communications among tooling firms, the institute started a weekly News Bulletin under the direction of George W. Rockwood, Executive Secretary. He piloted this service for 20 years into a mainstream of continued communication through the Association. Special items were written also, to expand the awareness of our industry. Stuart Sinclair and William White, Jr. wrote a booklet entitled “The Tool & Die Industry Comes of Age” which was published jointly by the T& DI and the National Tool and Die Manufacturers Association (NTDMA founded in 1943).*
(*Later changed to the National Tool, Die & Precision Machining Association NTDPMA.)
Two other problem areas that the Institute focused on during WWII were “labor pirating” and the sales tax laws. Labor pirating consisted of the practice of enticing a valuable skilled worker to quit one company and go to work for another. Although this practice never reached epidemic proportion it did create commotion among many members of T&DI. A freeze was passed to help curb this practice by making it financially unprofitable to change jobs. This law and the fact that the members remained objective and respected each other, reduced the intimidation of this problem. On the other hand, the tax issue presented a different situation.
A ruling was passed down in the mid-forties concerning the Illinois State Sales Tax that posed some potentially severe difficulties for the Institute members. A new amendment to the law stated that our industry had to pay the Retailer Occupational Tax. The tooling trade had always taken the position that it was a special-order business and not subject to this tax. However, with this new ruling, T&DI hired a lawyer and proceeded to fight the bill. Not only was the ruling defeated in the Superior Court, but our work in this area proved to be a big boost in membership procurement.