The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 31, 1924, Page 3

January 31, 1924 a en meme nse 45,000 LOSE {°° PENNSY JOBS SINCE JULY December Saw 26, 185 Laid|im Off Work More than 45,000 employes of the Pennsylvania railroad have been laid off since July when there were 250,312 on the carriers’ pay rolls. The greatest reduction in any one month came in Decem- ber when 26,185 were laid off. Since Dec. 15, 7,360 have been turned out to look for a job at a time when there are consid- erably more applicants than jobs. The layoffs in December have hit shop employes par- ticularly hard meaning a reduction of more than 25 per cent in shop operations, The present payroll of 205,017 is below that of a year ago when the road employed 229,831 workers in all departments. Reduction in the num- ber of employes is explained by the management on the ground that traf- fic has steadily declined since the middle of 1923. But there are good grounds for: believing that the shop layoffs have been heavier than war- ranted by reduced business, for the road’s percentage of bad order freight cars has risen from 3.9% in July to 5.4% in November, the latest month for which reports are available, The Pennsylvania has also allowed ‘its locomtives to get so out of repair as to endanger the lives of engine crews and passengers, Within the month east bound express ‘trains have been delayed for hours because interstate commerce commission in- spectors condemned as unsafe loco- motives about to pull the trains over divisions in the Indiana region. The inspectors ordered 60 engines out of service at Fort Wayne alone., All of which shows the extent to which an anti-labor management is willing to let its equipmept run down in or- der to add to the winter unemploy- ment. Such figures indicate the insecur- ity of job which will characterize em- ployment so Jong as absentee owners are considered as having more rights than the men who actually make rail- road operation possible. And in the railroad industry the Pennsylvania, which has talked loudest about the desirability of getting back to the old “family” relationship between \- ployes and management, makes earliest and most drastic reductions in force. The right of a man to his job has evidently not been tackled by Atter- bury’s company union. Parliamentarians in Germany Grieve Under Fascist Rule (By The. Federated Press) BERLIN.—The worm is turning even in the reichstag. The abnor- mal condition of government by mili- tary edict is getting on the nerves of the parliamentarians who so glib- ly woted away their powers by the state-of-emergency law and who now find that even the person of a member of the reichstag, and of 2 former cabinet minister at that, is not sacred to a military com- mander, The occasion for a protest by an important committee of the reich- stag—that having to do with fixing the order of business of the house— was furnished by the refusal of the military commander in’ Munster to permit. Wilhelm Sollman, Socialist deputy and minister of the interior, in the Stresemann cabinet, to address a voters’ meeting soon after he had left the cabinet. The action of the military excited considerable com- ment at the time, but apparently nothing more was done about it. Now the question has ¢ome in the committee on rules and business of the house, and unanimously the members agreed that Sollman a perfect right to speak and that the state emergency law gives the military no right to prohibit voters’ m 8. The c ittee further decided unanimously to express the opinion to President Ebert and thru him to the minister of defense that the de> cree establishing martial law gives no right to an; to put a gen- eral ban on political meetings, Se Oe in the Soerng. A SCANDINAVIAN BRANCH will hold a BUNCO PARTY To-Night at FOLKETS HUS, ~ THE DAILY WORKER Page Three ily Worker’s Exposes Cause Closing jof One School Firetrap; Dangers Lurking In Many Others The DAILY WORKER'S expose of the perils of the school firetraps that house working class children has resulted in the closing of one build- ing—St. Clement’s School at 2524 Orchard street—just closed by Mayor Dever, other departments, of the com- bustible buildings in factory neigh- borhoods. The school is closed as “unsafe” at the very moment the board of education is assuring the public that there is “no cause for alarm.” Only forty pupils were in the class rooms at St. Clements parochial school when fire inspectors visited it and found fire hazards so great that they ordered the classes dismissed. Nothing has been done to close pub- lie schools which are as bad as St. Glement’s, altho in some of them hundreds of children attend. As an example ef what some schools can be the DAILY WORKER publishes today a description of two schools. One school is in a working elass neighborhood and the other is in the “swell” Wilson Avenue district, | For the “Best People” The Stewart school is located at Kenmore avenue near Broadway in the heart of the Wilson Avenue dis- trict. Its building is a large four- story brick, erected in 1906 just as the Wilson Avenue district was be- coming a “choice residential sec- tion.” The building stands in the center of a large lot, permitting light to come in from all sides. The win- dows are large three-section affairs which are excellent for ventilation as well as light. The assembly room is a large place with a stage, opera chairs and a baleony. It seats over 400, There are bath rooms which are light and airy. The gymnasium is well equipped. There are rooms for manual training, cooking, science and other special classes, all with equip- ment of the best. There is also a room and equipment for a sewing class. The toilet facilities are of the best and most modern sort. In the basement there is a large, clean play’ room for the pupils to use on cold and rainy days. The basement in this school is well lighted by win- dows that cover nearly half the wall. The stairways and halls are fire- proof, light and wide. The class- rooms are also large and fireproof. The {nfluence of the fine equipment and light, airy building can be seen on the children and their teachers. They seem to take more interest in their studies and look brighter and more alive than.the cbildren. who attefid school in old dilapidated build- ings. Fine Sprinkler System. There is a sprinkler system in the Stewart school. In every room and all parts of the halls, there are outlets which would turn on water if even the smallest fire started. There are 32 rooms with 1,725 seats and about the same number of pupils in the school, There are 43 teachers including those who teach special classes. The entire building equipment and the attitude of the teachers is an example of what a public school can be, For the Workers The Newberry school at Willow and Orchard streets is in a work- ing class district. The original building was erected in 1858 and an addition made in 1895. The light in the Newberry school is wretched. Artificial light is nec- essary much of the day. The venti- lation is bad. The assembly room is sometimes used as a class room and has only the ordinary loose chairs. The fire department has re- ee. said that loose chairs in assembly halls are unsafe and are likely to lead to and cause panic in case of fire, The gymnasium is an ordinary class room with little pa naa | The manual esa 3 and cooking classes are poorly equipped. The toilet facilities are of the most had (Tasers sort. The boys’ toilet is lamp, ly ventilated and lighted. The y-room in the basement is also used as a lunch room by some of the children and is far from clean. In the Newberry school the stair- ways are of easily combustible wood and winding, narrow and unsafe look- ing. The class rooms are small, No Sprinkler System. There is no ler sys' {there w: This action is calculated to allay public impatience at the whitewash- investigation which the board of education is conducting, with the aid DUNNING ASYLUM CALLED FIRETRAP BY CORONER'S JURY The coroner’s jury of six “prom- inent citizens” that investigated the fire in the Dunning Asylum for the Insane, a state institution, where 18 persons were burned to death recently, found that “the chief cause of the tragedy was the physical condition of the buildings that burned.” The buildings, t verdict sald, were frame and with- out fireproofing and the floors and stairs were of flimsy worn wood that burned easily. Will ‘ take the San of a coroner’s jury to arouse people of Chicago to a realization of the danger their children are facing in public school buildings as unsafe as the buildings that burned at the Dunning asylum with the loss of 18 lives? fire escape of the type that is even more dangerous in school buildings than no fire escape at all. The entire building and its equip- men and sanitary arrangements are glaring examples of the public schools in a working class neighbor- RIVER GETS LAD BARRED OUT OF CROWDED SCHOOL Youngster Victim of Vicious System While the police were preparing to dynamite the river in an attempt to recover the body of Sidney Sherman, 6 years old, who was drowned while playing on the ice in the ps he riv- er, near Lawrence ave. and Argyle St., his mother stood by and cried hysterically. {If Sammy could have been in school he would not have drowned. We tried to send him but Tuesday Sammy Sherman and two playmates went m home to play- They wandered to the river and play- ed on the banks. Sammy, older and bolder than the other two, ventured out on the ice. The ice broke and before help could be called he had dis- appeared, Efforts of police to locate his body had failed up to a late hour yesterday afternoon, Hundreds Turned Away. Sammy’s parents had sent their son to the Hibbard school 3244 Ainslie St. last September, but he was re- fused admittance because there was not enough room. Hundreds of other young children have been turned away from the Hibbard school be- cause of lack of room. Sammy Sherman’s death and the crowded condition of the Hibbard school was blamed on the board of education authorities by Chester C, Dodge, principal of the Hibbard school last night. “The business department of the school board thinks of nothing but how they can save a few pennies,” he said. “In two years our high schoo] at- tendance has increasgd from 700 to 1,400. The capacity of the school is only 1,440, and yet we have 2,100 elementary pupils besides the 1,400 high school students. There are as many children waiting for a chance to get into kindergarten as there are now in classes. Promises Broke. 3 “I'm tired. I'm sick. All day I have been at the board rooms plead- ing for more space, more room, weetarpemared cide give us an be ready two months » at the latest. But nothing has done. When we returned in is dead.” found things as we had left ata te June. lg tedjy, I have The ‘Repeat (vp Kiwanis Club and the Parent-Teach- ers’ organization have pleaded. But nothing > Hea done. There are as many ren on our waiting list as there are in kindergarten classes,” Daniel Put business manager of not true. Washington, D. C., Home of Teapot Scandal, Revealed As Social Sewer to the DAILY WORKER) from the blamed the suicide of his be: thaterng ber goal pete ok cigar. area WASHINGTS .—-Washington’s lively social set today was sting of the second bitter indictment hurled First, W. P. G. Harding, former head. of the Federal gasping at it in 24 hours. Reserve Boa: COMPANY SLEW 33 MINERS, SAYS CORONER'S JURY Illinois Horror Laid to Crerar-Clinch Door (Special to The Daily Worker) JOHNSTON CITY, Il.—The Crerar-Clinch Coal company is direct- ly responsible for the deaths of the 83 coal diggers slain in the terrific gag explosion last Friday, at is the verdict of the coroner’s jury which has been hearing evidence in the casc ‘the verdict corroborates the correspondent of The DAILY WORKER who told of reports of neglect of safety precautions by the mining company, Danger signs had heen removed from the places where the explosion eccurred, the jury discovered, The explosion was caused by a “squeeze” anda fall of coal in an old working. Witnesses testified the company ignored the hazards which lay in the eld workings that so often are ac- cumulating places of the deadly gas. With the extracting of all the readi- ly mined coal from the workings the company officials lost all interest in them and occupied themselves only in exploitation of other workings, in- stead of regarding the abandoned entries and workings as sourees of | danger against which the miners | must be protected. Intense indignation is felt in Wil- liamson county. The expose of the company’s criminal carelessness has aroused more bitterness than any- thing since the attempt of the em- vleying interests to hang the miners | at Herrin, only a few miles away. “Lhirty-three lives have been snuffed out just because the company didn’t care enough about the men’s safety to spend the pittance neces- Sary to safeguard them,” said a union miner. “If this is not murder I would like to know what is.” The spell of the tragedy _ still! hangs over the community for ngar- ly everyone was connected in ‘one way or another with the dead. Now| the survivors find that their dear ones were sacrificed on the altar of | the greed and indifference of the) mine operators. Arthur Ransome Tells How Lenin’s | Widow Sang Dirge) In a dispatch which throbs with | the emotion he himself felt, Arthur | Ransome, famous British journalist, tells a Now York newspaper of the | spell cast over the immense multitude at. Lenin’s ‘funeral when Comrade Krupskayn, Lenin's widow, led_the singing’ of” the revoliitionary funeral dirge. She had just finished telling in clear, quiet tones, of the yeais of Lenin’s life as a leader in workmen’s revolutionary circles and the in- spiration of his love for all men and women who worked. “Her voice faded and faltered, One felt the concentration of will with which she controlled it. She spoke to the end before turning from the tribune, “The orchestra played a revolu- tionary dirge. It ceased and there was a moment’s silence. Then her voice began and the whole of that immense congregation sang the ‘words of the dirge. Tears ran down People’s faces as they sang, and long after the song was over there were epee swaying where they stood, linded with tears.’ Worker Commits ofan * Suicide in Cell; ope Victim of Poverty (By The Federated Press) OAKLAND, Calif.—For fifty years Samuel O’Donnel of Oakland had been honest and upright. He had worked hard for his wife and five children, but illness caught him and finally the little family was down to one meal a day, with often‘t (et all for the while the” sick father looked in vain for work. He had been buying the humble home, and $1,200 was paid on it, with the furniture nearly paid for as well. But he could Pay No more, and the mortgage was threatening to fore- close so that they would lose all. O'Donnel did a desperate thing. He set fire to the house to get the insurance. The oil-soaked rags were nts, discovered and he was arrested on a of arson, Two weeks later he ‘essed the whole pathetic tale. fea officials had recommend- probation. But the disgrace and shame were too much for O’Don- nel. The other night he sent for the assistant district attorney. “I can’t stand it much lo; ” he sobbed. The next morning guard found him dead in his cell, “Natural causes,” said the coroner. “Grief,” said jials. “Poverty,” says the truth, U. S. Recognizes Greek Fascisti Rule of Venizelos ATHENS, Jan, 80.—Premier Veni- zelos of Greece been taken ill lunged, American charge Gamairs today re- sumed cot iplomatic’ contact bys the Venizelos . rom re recognition 6 e Seiad States, announced yes' Ruathenberg Tells of Councils ' Formed to Fight Davis’ Peonage and Coolidge Registration Plans So pressing is the danger to the millions of America’s for- eign-born workers from laws now before congress and from the ill feeling being engendered against them in American news- papers that the Workers Party organization of a movement for resistance. In an interview with the DAILY WORKER, C. E. Ruthen- berg, executive secretary of the party, told of the progress being made in the formation of Councils for the protection of foreign-born workers. These councils are made up from séparate national organiza~- tions in each city and have the backing of local labor move- ments. First Council Organized! Organization of the first council has just been achieved in Boston where eight national organizations are represented and two Workers Party organ- izations. “If Boston had such an organiza- tion during the time of deportations’ | delirium four years ago, more effec-' tive resistance could have been made to Palmer’s excesses. The Deer Island horrors, where one man was driven to suicide and others insane and hundreds were penned together under the worst disease-breeding con- ditions, are grim reminders of the necessity of the foreign born work- ers banding together, with the sup- port of the rest of the class conscious workers. Danger Is Pressing “The danger is immediate. Many radical workers are facing deporta- tion because they dared to think in- dependently and to organize for a better society. “President Coolidge has recom- mended the registration of all foreign | born workers, This means the ticket- ing of millions of men and women like criminals. If proposals of cer- tain congressmen go thru they will be fingerprinted and mugged as in penitentiaries. “Secretary of Labor Davis, backed U. §. OWNED SHIP HELL HOLE, SAYS SAILOR Horror Tales Told by Student Who Shipped (By The Federated Press) SAN FRANCISCO, — Carrying tales of horrors committed on the crew of the United States shipping board vessel West Islip (Capt, L. Safstron of San Francisco, com- mander), Russell Seymour, a law student at the University of Califor- nia who shipped on the West Islip for experience, has returned to San Franciseo and preferred charges be- fore the shipping board and the U. S. district attorney, Seymour claims the men were beaten with belaying pins by officers, that one sailor was stabbed with a screw driver by an intoxicated en- gineer, that men were served meat infested with maggots and when they protested were placed in irons on the open deck to be at- tacked by swarms of flies. All this, he states, occurred between here and Newcastle, Australia. There the men attempted to go on shore to complain to the local police. They were referred to the American con- sul, Romeyn Wormouth. Unable to find him, they came back to the ship, and there were prevented by officers with guns from going ashore again. Wormouth finally came on and Seymour states he saw the con- sul receive a gift from Captain Saf- stron. Wormouth insulted the men and refused to aid them. Safstron then discharged the whole crew and left them penniless in Newcastle, where the consul declined any help in securing food or shelter, and left them to shift for themge}ves as best they could. Amalgamation Talk at Cleveland. CLEVELAND.—“Why we must amalgamate our craft unions into industrial unions” will be the sub- ject of an open mass meeting which the English Collinwood branch of the Workers Party beg Lg ced Sunday, at 8 p. m., at Gunn E, 152nd St, and Aspinwall. John Loucks will speak and the chairman will be Anton Wehouch, who is the chairman of the federated shop crafts here, Sir Arthur worl hat ble reporte: ere in re quarters thet Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian pte menyens! on in the great war and at present principal of McGill University, Mon- treal, will be appointed nadian. ambassador at Washington, SCOTT NEARIN Rockford, Ill. 1.0. G. T. Hall, . 1015 Third Avenue. is devoting much energy to the by the big employers, wants a “selec- tive” immigration law under which | workers can be brought here under jcontract to work in certain indus- tries. Radicals and other “undesir- ables” would be barred. The others be “selected” to break strikes during emergencies.” The Workers’ Party secretary has | made an exhaustive study of the }legislation now before congressional committees which qvould take away still more rights from the foreign born workers but he was more in- terested in talking with the repre- sentative of the DAILY WORKER on this occasion in outlining the plan | of organization of the council for the |protection of these workers. | Tells How Councils Are Formed These councils, Ruthenberg ex- plained, are formed in a practicable manner by using the national units which already exist and combining them for the purposes of solidarity and action. All the labor unions, fraternal and singing societies of a single language are brought together into language |eouncils for each language. All the | language councils are then combined into a Council for the Protection of the Foreign Born Workers. A national committee, represent- ling all the local councils, will be or- ‘ganized at a national congress, after the movement has been extended | further. “This is an issue that concerns American union men, no matter whether they are foreign born or not,” said Ruthenberg with emphasis. “The foreign born/ workers are being united for the prétection of all labor. ‘We urge all of them to unite with the labor union of their craft or. industry if they have not already done so and to work for the labor party idea.” LEGION VOWS © DEATH TO FREE | SPEECH FIGHTERS. abet jand liberal movement CROWDS HONORING LENIN WILL FILL GREAT N. Y, HALL Meetings in Many Cities Mourn for Leader (Special to The Daily Werker) NEW YORK.—Madison Square Garden, the largest meeting place in New York City, will be filled to over- flowing next Monday evening, man- agers of the Lenin Memorial say. Nothing has so stirred the hearts of New Yorkers this winter as death of the great proletarian leader. labor organization and radical city vast in the will be represented in the audience, The New York Times, marveling at the sincere sorrow felt in Russia says the explanation must lie im some essential difference between the Russian and American people. If the editor of the Times visits the Garden next Monday evening he will see the masses of this country assembled in honor of their departed Russian com- rade. C. E. Ruthenberg and William Z. Foster, representing the movement for which Lenin gave his life, will be among the speakers who will tell of the achievements of their leader and the tvork that lies before his follow- ers. Moving pictures of the life of . Lenm will be shown and the Russian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Modest Altschuler, will render a musical program worthy of the @o- casion. | Tickets ara being sold at all party headquarters and by scores of volun- teer agents. Admission is 25 and 50 cents, Meetings In Many Cities Other Lenin meetings will be held as follows: Washington, D. C., Pythian Temple, Friday, Feb. 1, 8 p. m. Ben Gitlow, speaker. Philadelphia, Musical Fund Hall, 8th and Locust street, Saturday evening, Feb. 2. The following speakers will address the meeting: Ludwig Lore, Editor Volkszeitung; W. W. Weinstone, Eastern District Organizer of the F. S. R. Sehachno Epstein will in Russian, and M. Olgin, Philadelphia manager of the Freiheit, will be chairman. A large Russian Orchestra will supply appropriate music. Minneapolis, Richmond Halls, Sun- day, Feb. 3, at 2 p. m., with James P. Cannon, W. S. Wiggins, assistant ie Promise to Shoot! ir cesatia ee iarosndhasprairs ise (Special to The Daily Worker) WILKESBARRE, Pa. — Speakers from the American Civil Liberties’ Union will be butchered by members of the American Legion when they test the right of free speech in Wil- kesbarre, Feb. 10, if members of the local post of the American Legion earry out their hysterical threats to shoot down anyone taking the plat- form at a free speech meeting with- out their consent. The Legion men, under the orders of national Vice-Commander Healy, broke up the Lenin Memorial meet- ing three days ago and say the next man who attempts to speak at a radical meeting will be pumped full of lead. These threats were made at a conference between the mayor and members of the Workers. Party, which the Legion attended. == Mayor Hart wires the Liberties’ Union that he will use the Legion- aires to break up any meeting the union tries to stage. White Guard Defied The Liberties’ Union has sent an urgent message to Governor Pinchot demanding that he give adequate protection on Feb, 10 and has also served notice on Hart that the meet- ing will be held in spite of his threats of violence. It is considered likely that the Legion, which has practically taken over the police power of the city, may go further than merely breaking up the meeting and will comgnit acts oF bloodshed and violence as at Cen- tralia, Washington. The speakers who will defy the murder threats of the Legion are Arthur Garfield Hayes, Wall street attorney and liberal who is a veteran of free 5 h fights in Pennsylvania; s of the Fellowship of ion and Hai M. Winitz- Winitzky was hurled from the speakers’ platform at the Lenin Memorial meeting which the Legion broke up. Town Excited Ashindrprniey is " ai id a Be excitement ners declare organ Pinchot enforces civil liberty his goose is cooked with the workers who put him into power as & protest against abuses by state cossacks under his predecessors, Hayes went into the closed town of Vintondale, Cambria county, dur- ing the 1922 strike and was arrested by local coal and iron police, later turning around and having his assail- ants arrested, ky. Defense Minneapolis, Minn. Courthouse Assembly Hall. Speakers on Feb. 10 ‘tury Libedinsky. county attorney; Norman H. Tallen- tire, speaking, and H. D. Kramer, editor of the Minneapolis Labor Re- view, presiding. St. Paul, Labor T; , Sunday, Feb Sat Bp mi. James ©. Canon and Norman H. Tallentire, 5 B Detroit, Arena Gardens, 5810 Woodward ave., Sunday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. Speakers: Dennis Batt C. E. Ruthenberg. The Ukranian and Russian choir will sing the Russian revolutionary funeral mayh. Warren, Ohio, Hippodrome, Sun- day, Feb. 3, 7 p. m. Speakers in English, South Siavish, Polish and Finnish. : FO pogges args M. A. C. Hall, est Federal street, Sunda: Feb. 3, 8 p. m. Max wil speak in English followed by speak- in English followed by » ers in Jewish, Slavish and dengue: Springfield, Mass., Feb. 8,8 p.m Connecticut Meetings Bridgeport, Conn. Ca: Hall, Sunday, Feb. 3, at 3 p. m. Ansonia, Conn., City Hall, Sunday,, Feb. 3, at 3 p. m. Hartford, Conn., Sunday, Feb, 8, at 8 p. m. Conn., Hermanson New Haven, Hall, Feb. 6, at 8 Pp. m. Stamford, Conn., Feb. 7, at 8 Pp. m. Pardon Granted Fellow Who Tried to Grab Bergdoll (Special to The Daily Worker) , WASHINGTON. — Germany has yielded to unofficial American preé- sure and will free Lieutenant Grif fis and his colleagues who were cap- tured in a kidnapping attack on Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, the draft avoider, it has been learned, Some time ago Griffis sent a teat” ful letter to a Chicago newspaper, asking for money to spend on his pardon plea and pleading his patri- otism without a trace of mi a He was serving a 21 months’ sen- tence in Mosebach, Baden. The capturing of Bergdol} has been one of the objectives and ex- cuses for existence of the American Legion. Reports that the Philadelphian has been exfoving huge scoops of beer and the of light opera have been like fiery poison to the patriotic spirits in the ex-officers’ organization, t Watch the “Daily Worker” for first installment of “A Week,” # great epic of the Russian f by the brilliant young Russian It will start ‘a On: Tour for the Labor Council, to Speak at Pittsburgh, Pa. Cor. Federal and Ohio its, |