The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 13, 1924, Page 5

January 13, 1924 THE DAALY WORKER o=—_------s ¥ Hearty Congratulations for “Our Daily.” Wishes of productive accomplishments. | DR. M, BAUMSTEIN DENTIST 2756 W. Division Street Cor. California Avenue Telephone Armitage 7670 CHICAGO hiatal iieccpeybaesieiiciaaciep ies, CITY HALL PHARMACY 100 N. La Salle St. Telephone Main 2807 CHICAGO Amalgamation, New Leadership: Needed to Check the Growing Demoralization of Rail Unions By KARL PRETSHOLD. Because the railroad workers unions outside the four Brotherhoods have failed to maintain wages and working conditions at. the level the. workers demand and because of the failure of the “outlaw” shopmen’s strike of 1922 the unions involyed are steadily losing members and strength. On some roads there is not a vestige or organization left. who still belon; The men to the unions ‘are indifferent to the fate of the unions and lack faith in the present leadership of them. Most of the men see little hope for the future. Those are the facts gatheret! in talking to dozens of railroad workers employed on railroads centering in Chicago, America’s greatest railroad terminal, Gets Rank and File View , In order to find out what the rank and file of railroad workers thought about their prospects for 1924, and if it was true that the unions were los- ing members as a result of the shop- mens “outlaw” strike of 1922 I hunt- ed up railroad workers and tried to talk with them about conditions both in the transportation industry. and the unions. With the aid of a railroad shop worker I was introduced into the meeting place of workers from one of the lines that had signed an agree- ment with the union and avoided a strike, “Yes, it’s true that the unions in- volved in the ‘outlaw’ strike are pret- ty well shot to pieces. All sorts of reasons for that I guess. I suppose that when a strike is lost members usually drop out. Nothing can_be done about it that I ean see. Wait till things change and call another strike and then organize.” Members Lose Interest “What's the good of a union if it has no power? I pay my dues but that’s all. I’ve lost interest.” “Union? Union hell, its gone.” “We got an agreement from our]: road this time. But next time it will be a different story.” This is typical of the comment in this group of workers. Playing cards and smoking they would say a few words and relapse into silence. They were indifferent to their union and its fate. They were agreed that things had gone to the dogs but would not ixy to tell why. On the point of causes they seemed vague. “All sorts of reasons” was the usual answer to the question: “Why?” Turning to Industrial Unionism These men agreed that workers dropping out of the old railroad unions did not join other unions. Further west there were a few who joined , industrial organizations. Sev- eral said the I. W. W. was gaining in some sections. They were willing that I should use what they had to say but would not give their names. “Print it, but no names, remember.” Afraid that I had gotten into the gathering place of a group of mal- Coal At $2.50 a Ton SYDNEY, N. 8. W.—A_ coal mine owned and operated by the New South Wales state govern- ment, situated at Lithgow, pro- duces coal at $2.50 per ton .as against $5.40 per ton charged by private coal mine owners. The government makes the same allowances for interest on capital, depreciation on plant, machinery, etc., and all other charges as made by private owners. _ In addition the government pays its miners a full week’s holiday annually on full pay, as well as further payment to all workers while idle because of accidents at their work, Yet despite this addi- tional expenditure, the goveynment owned mine sells its coal at a price less than half that charged by the private mine owners. cards. He was a typical keen intel- ligent railroad worker. “Is it true that the railway unions are losing members and strength?” “Tt certainly is. Here in Chicago before the shopmen’s strike there were fourteen lodges of the I. A. of M., today there are four.” “What is the reason?” “The unions are unable to maintain wages and conditions. Men join unions to get benefits, wages, hours and working conditions and when the unions fail to get or keep those bene- fits the members cease to take an in- terest in the unions and drop out.” His answers were direct and to the -|point and delivered without any hesi- tation. It was plain he had thought about the problem. { Blamed Poor Leadership “The cause for the failure of the shopmen’s strike could be summed up under the head of poor leadership. When the injunction was issued, in- stead of the officers of the unions de- fying it they laid down. And before that the Clerks and Maintainence of Way unions promised to come out with the shopmen in a Solid body. They failed. In some places they came out and ih some places they didn’t. bership of 2 Machinists as a whole. The fact mat in its working out it kills. the seniority rights of some workers doesn’t help to make it | popular.” “How far has this dissatisfaction | with the union officers affected the} membership figures?” “Almost half of the locals on the struck roads west of Chicago have | gone. Many of them have turned in their charters, oth are hanging on with so few member®S that they are} unable to get a quorum to hold a meeting. Boilermakers, Carmen, and Blacksmiths are particularly hard hit. But the men are not scabbing to the! extent the union offici: charge.” ~| “What is the remedy? “Amalgamate!” iis Amalgamation Is Urged “Unless the leaders of the shop crafts come out with a program for amalgamation they will find that they have nothing left to lead.” After talking to Jensen I met Edward Hoskins, President of the American Federation of Railroad Workers, “How bad is the situation among! the railroad unions,” I asked. “Every- body I have talked to seems to think it is bad.” “It is. Darn bad. The shopmen’s strike is killing the craft unions.” “Are the men who are. dropping out | of the old unions joining different | unions?” “For the most part they are not.) Some are. We are continually sign-| ing up men who are discouraged with the old unions. Ours is a democratic industrial union.” Brotherhoods Face Struggle “For twenty years we have been preaching industrial unionism. We don’t expect to make any huge gains in membership due to the present falling off of membership in the other unions,” “The workers are _ indifferent. Nothing seems to be able to stir them. They have lost faith in leaders and do not seem ready to take things into their own hands.” “The Brotherhoods are facing the prospect of the same sort of thing. The Engineers and Firemen have discovered in their negotations with the New York Central that there is a concerted moye on the part of the| railroads. to deny all the demands of the men. They are facing a fight. Time alone can tell if they are going to be able to withstand the pressure.”’ | Amalgamation means strength! PLAN WORLD WIDE PUBLICITY An international farmers’ news ser- vice has just been established by the! International Farmers’ Conference re- cently held in Moscow and attended by} farmers’ delegates from all parts of) the world. William H. Green, of the; Progressive Party of Nebraska, was} elected to the presidium of the execu- tive council; the other American dele- gates: being Harold M. Ware of the} United Farmers’ Educational League, W. H. Walker, of the Non-Partisan| Lea; jless than 32 prominent leaders of the DEMAND FREEDOM FOR 114 WORKERS HELD BY STATES United Front to Free! Class War Prisoners By HARRISON GEORGE Although the long fight for the*re- | lease of Espionage Act prisonérs by | the fede government has been| crowned with success because Pr | dent Coolidge regarded the rele: of . W. W. from Leavenworth as | pol lly expedient to captuve lib-} eral support in the next election, this | fact leaves in bold relief the vicious persecution suffered by workers un- der state laws. Sha Many Politicals Held There are 114 political prisoners held by the state governments who are political prisoners by every de- finition of the term, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Most of them are members of the I. W. W. which has 97 of its members in Cali- fornia prisons as victims of the law against “criminal syndicalists.” The Communists have four men in Pen- nsylvania prisons under the “liberal” adm ration of Pinchot, and no Workers Party are yet in danger of ten years imprisonment under the “criminal syndicalist” law of Michi- gan. Senator Borah, who raised his voice for release of the federal poli- tical prisoners will, it is understood, be asked how he can longer keep silent on the persecution of workers in his own state of Idaho, where four men are serving ten years as “crim- inal syndicalists’ merely for mem- bership in a radical labor union. Efforts are being made by the Gen- eral Defense Committee of the I, W. W. to intensify publicity for the eight men who were victimized by the Lumber Trust and the American Legion when they defended their hall at Centralia, Wash., from a fourth attack upon it by henchmen of the Weyerhauser interests masquerading ag patriots on Armistice Day of 1919. These eight loggers were sentenced to terms of.25 to 40 years after rank intimidation of their jury by armed Legionaries gnd state troops. Six jurors have sworn since that thpir verdict was unfair and made by them under duress.A group of A, F. of L. men, cal’ed a “labor jury” heard the case tried and reported to the Seattle and Tacoma Labor Councils that the eight men were innocent, yet they are still in Walla Walla prison. Unions Fight Injunction The state of California, disgraced contents who were not typical of the tons a phe a ee i 8 ee ee the continued imprisonment of birth. Other lists will be fo lists will be found in future issues | Cn. eC Ne, Hingis. — MONESSEN, PA | John Nyysanen } | Mrs. and Mr. Lammi Gus Kolstrom A. J. Murphy Oskar Okkonen Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Savo | Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Savo | Mr. and Mrs. Pulkinen | Mr, and Mrs. Leino | Mr. and Mrs. Kauppila Mr. and Mrs. Setala Waino Makela Uno Ellonen Hilma Karanen Eva Malm Eino Tusa Mr. and Mrs. Lahti Mr. and Mrs. Banta Mr. and Mrs. Kuos- monen Alberd Efranson Mr. and Mrs. Venteliin Mr. and Mrs. Korpi Myr. and Mrs. Kangan Werner Antila Mr. and Mrs. Moksen Mr. and Mrs. Heikila Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Valkil . Mr. and Mrs. Kallio Mr. and Mrs. L. Maki Mr. and Mrs. Niemi ISHPEMING, MICH. Finnish Socialist Local Chas. H. Koivu Nestor Sankelo Andrew Wesa J. Lehtimaki Adi Dyster John Hagel | “THE DAILY WORKER” \ From coast to coast, from. the lakes to the gulf, the Birthday Greetings have been pouring in to of workers, everywhere, have ma Daily ” 25 cents, 50 cents, $1 and up, and here are their names, the s of those who have joined in greeting “The Daily” on the day Send in your list to “The Daily Worker”, 1640 N. Halsted St., Chicago, esha present Spirit of the railroad work- hg assy ari git aot awhenee ers 2 Went lv the thuauce os a suUp “At the present time the members of the yniane awa cava at the + Nam a ae — GREETINGS from Czechoslovak Marxian Federation , Amalgamation means strength! oe to comment on either of another line where the unions had recently called off the strike. When the men began to come out after work I went up to one and asked him: “How’s the union in this shop since the strike?” “T don’t know. when the strike was called off.” \ “Why?” “J don’t want to talk. I suppose | you are a reporter. Well I won’t talk) to you.” And off he walked. Thought Unions Would Come Back ‘The second man I spoke to had! been secretary of a machinists’ local. “We pes up a good fight and we are not licked yet. You'll see the) railroad workers come back strong.” Yes, he said it was true the unions were losing members. Quite a few but most of them would come back. : He understood that in some districts | as many as half the men had dropped out of the unions, Lodges had dis- banded and turned in their charters. “But you’ve got to remember this, the union is the only thing that) I quit the union stands between the worker and the| % conditions of thirty or forty years} ago. When the men realize that, then, they will come back to the unions.” He refused to give his name but) suggested that I go and see Peter Jensen, a machinist working in a railway shop and President of Lodge 492 of the. International Association of Machinists. The other workers to whom I talked at this shop were indifferent and ~ e strike or the union, : Jensen Had Program I hunted Finally met officials fot)cailing off Strikes With- Grange. out consulting them, ‘The strike on the Burlington was called off over the protest of the strikers, On the Santa Fe, the Southern Pacific, Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, Chi-) cago and Great Northern, the Nickle \Plate Consolidated Lines and many others the strikes have been called off within the last six months.” “The efficiency plan of President Johnson of the I. A. of M. in force on the B. & O. is not at all popular either on that line or with the mem- Friend Gmwith: af tha Danneulvania Get unity thru the Labor Party! medals for bravery): that trimming.” Soldier: “That's not*trimming. . . . Those are decorations I got France. I got the trimming siu my return.” The Land for the Users! State (To retarned psd Cpl of the I. W. W.. Witnesses appearing You look like « Xmas tree with all MOLY, -aYauUSy: LACAN war suvWE WO DE perjured, has also to its shame the vindictive persecution of migratory laborers who do the seasonal work of thet state and who are members for their defense’ are themselves ar- rested and tried and a Sacramento judge has issued an unheard of in- unction making it contempt of court \to belong to the I, W. W. — This jmay be used as a precedent against jother unions and a campaign is be- ing made by all labor organizations | to defeat the measure, known as the up Jensen. him in a bacbershop where he and other railroad workers were playing A Miners’ Convention Forecast | Busick injunction. While the I. W. W. has the bulk of all state prisoners, the Communists of the Workers Party have the sec-) ond largest group and recently made an offer to the I. W. W. to unite upon the specific program of a campaign for all working class prisoners con- vieted in labor cases. While no re- ply has been received the work of unifying such action is going on locally and 1924 promises to see a vigorous attack on reactionary per- secution of workers. For Recognition of Soviet Russia! Negotiate With Soviet MOSCOW.—The Synod, head organ of the Russian Orthodox Church, is negotiating with the Soviet Govern- ment anent the conclusion of an agreement regarding the use of for- eign property of the Orthodox church, situated abroad, on the same condi- tions as prevail for church property within the boundaries of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. JUGO-SLAV BRANCH NO. 7 WORKERS PARTY _ ORIENT, ILLINOIS) Greets THE DAILY WORKER and Pledges the Full Support of Its Members to Make the Militant Labor Press Grow and increase in Power and Influence. | Mooney and, Billings after all testi- Chas. Back | Cams Themen ty . Naik Lapua Sam Siltanen John Matkala Urho Kahila Aug. Laine CLIFFSIDE, N.J. Paul Kropurtier H. Pelutik EDGEWATER, N.J. S. Satzuk W. Wolchik GREENWOOD, N. Fred Wentzel S. Peterson Victor Anderson H. Berglund Emil Olson Edith Carlson Molly Siegel R. Leibich L. Abramson H. A. Maki Wm. J. Wick Wm. F. McNamee Abe Lerner T. Roloygriv S. Kozlovich WEST FRANKFORT, ILL. Frank Pergras Frank Bucik Frank Kalan Johan Skerbec Joseph Oven Tony Kovarick John Kasvek Jerry Cherbaway CHILDRESS, TEXAS Sanuel Ticer MAYNARD, MASS. S.S. J. Osasto K. Lahti Emma Pietila Sino Raidin Oiva Kanfas John Heikkinen Maras Lehtinen Paul Jurvelin Kusti Maki Martha Rasanen John J. Raine Ina Orasman Hugo Lehtinen Page Five Ee | Birthday Greetings to “The Daily Worker”. Thousands de their Birthday Gifts to “The und in other columns. Additional of “The Daily”. It isn’t too late! ee ee a SS 9 E. West Wm. Ahroba M. U. Aho Emil Lehtinen Selma Marjanaki Emil Erickson Frank Sivonen Kalle Kautoo William Girttia Frank Mark Lempi Holt J. F. Koskela Werner Lane Hjalmar Wainio John Huhlamaki Anselm Lahti Paul Lyra Fred Mattson K. Jauhiainen P. Marjamaki Wanio Mikkala Paul Ryomanen Henry Kauffine G. Siipola Matti Aho Lauri Pckkala t Jalo Wisitalo ij John Saine Paul Metsafuro O. F. Groudahl John Tulkkinen John Syrjanen Paul Kivikoski Hugo Mark Herman Onnela Waino Orasman Lempi Orasman John Maki PORTLAND, OREGON R. J. Jackson Otto Newman Robt. Bruner » H. McGillvralf N. Turngren G. J. Lavallee George Kowaluk E. Wardahl ~ James Howell W. B. Frere A. Friend N. H. Robinson B. 'Worall For Success Louis Berry ZEIGLER, ILL. M. Pukis K. Brazeika A. Washer Wm. Beatash J. Bernotas L. Lakeviaus Louis Lasky A. Matulavicius RICHMOND, VA. Thos. H. Stone Thos. H. Stone, Jr. R. G. Beggs N. P. Snead SOUTH BEND, IND, Andrew Michalik John Polishuk Catherine Polishuk” Marie Polishuk G. Mayr J. Hededus O. Lukas Joe Obormay J. Habodin Jim Laucky A. Shukntz Nick Garbacs M. Archutich A. 'Wlasowich L. Kozachuk CROMONA, KY, P. Yanjich ij M. M. Mioc W. K. Ambrozia J. P. Gudelj Frank Peer S. Krolo D. Propadalo M. E. Nevistich M. Mamich Geo. Zetz M. Ognjan T. Bulich