The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 6, 1924, Page 4

THE DAILY WORKER . February 6, 1924 SOUTH ILLINOIS -|Farmers!Workers! OrganizeYour Party DELEGATES FOR LEWIS RECAL Plan to Keep Up Fight to Reinstate Howat By MAX SHACHTMAN (Special to The Daily Worker) CHRISTOPHER, Ill.—The im- Peachment of John L, Lewis, presi- dent of the United Mine Workers of America and the reinstatement of Alexander Howat into the union by the calling of a special internationa’ convention will soon be the primary issue in the locals of the United Mine Workers, according to state- ments made to me by returned dele- gates to the convention of the union Which has just been adjourned at Indianapolis. Richard Swift, delegate from Local 3613, Valier, Ill, and execu- tive committee member of the Fed- erated Farmer-Labor Party, declared that Lewis had refused to give Howat a hearing to which any ex- pelled member of the union is enti- tled. “The convention was a step for- ward only in the sense that Presi- dent Lewis showed himself up by not allowing the men who had griev- ances to give their views and side of the case to the real pick men, the miners. Especially is this true on the Howat case. I believe that my local will be for this special convention which was the demand of the more than 1,100 delegates who remained after Lewis had ar- bitrarily adjourned the convention.” Milton Cochran, a young delegate from Local 1782, Royalton, Ill, also stated that he was in favor of a special convention. “Howat was not dealt fairly with,” he said, “and I’m for a con- vention to take up his case fairly.” Similar opinions were expressed by delegates Hisaih Winn and A. Parker, both of Valier, Ill, and by. “Baldy” Jim Myrick of Royal- ton, Swift, speaking on the convention action with regard to alowing Lewis to continue with his power of appointing organizers, said: “We had the majority vote on that question against leaving the appointive power to Lewis, but they refused to recognize us as a major- ity. While the roll call was being taken, Savage, district president of Ohio, caucused with his delegates and instructed them to vote with the administration. This was done in the face of the union rule that no convention delegate is to be intim- idated into voting one way or the other on any question. The same thing, however, was done with the ;aelegates from West,-Virrinia, Okla- homa, Maryland, Iowa, istrict One of Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Ken- tucky, Texas, Arkansas and Mis- souri. Oklahoma was divided on the question.” It was the general opinion among the delegates interviewed and the miners of Ziegler, Christopher, West Frankfort and other southern Illi- nois camps, that Illinois would line up solidly for the special interna- tional convention. As Arley Staples, president of the United Mine Workers of America local at Christopher, Ill, assured me, “You can count on Christopher.” “Real Journalism,” ’ Is Commendation for Wilson Story) To THE DAILY WORKER: I wish to give the highest commendation to your masterly handling of the Wood- row Wilson Death Episode, both edi- torjally and in the news columns. This is real American Daily Journal- ism as it should be without fear or favor. I wish to suggest a new Special tment in ‘the “Worker” that ‘will do more to crystallize a sound viewpoint in the minds of your read- ers than all the abstract economic and political philosophy that has ever been written, viz: a daily department headlined, “Capitalist Wreckage,” wherein the real life stories in short outline shall be given of the workers whose careers are ending daily in the Coroner’s Office, Police Stations, Morgue, Jails, Courts, Prosecuting Attorneys office, etc., where the “har- pies of the capitalist press” daily con- te to find “gruesome entertain- ment” for their depraved and per- verted readers who are taught to see nothing more than “news exploita- (Continued from Page 1) tatives of industrial workers and farmers, to state clearly what the farmers and workers would seek to achieve in this convention and the principles which would guide them. Need for Farmer-Labor Party That the city workers and the farmers must organize and enter the political arena thru a_ party which will fight their political strug- gles has become so clear in recent years that it seems almost impos- sible that therevis still a single in- dustrial worker or farmer who does not know that the rotten, corrupt Republican and Democraticic parties will never do anything in their in- terest, Both old parties represent the interests of the big employer, the banks, the marketing organiza- tions—in a word, the capitalists— who are robbing the industrial workers and farmers alike. The two old parties .use the gov- ernment against the industrial work- ers, against the farmers and for the capitalists. When the industrial workers strike for higher wages, the government helps the big employers put down the strike thru injunctions, courts and soldiers. In 1922, the mines and railroad centers were filled with soldiers by the government, to help the coal operators and rail- road owners whip the miners and railroad shopmen, who were strik- ing for a decent standard of living. The government used its railroad board against the railroad workers. It secured the Daugherty injunction, taking from the shopmen every right given them under the consti- tution, cancelling at one stroke of a pen the right to assemble, to speak, to write, to organize and to use their .own money for strike pur- poses. The farmers felt the power of the government during the period of deflation, to such an extent that hundreds of thousands of farmers, yes millions, were driven from the jand and into bankruptcy. The farmers know that all the laws (passed by Congress about the rail- roads, marketing facilities and bank- ing are drawn so as to help the railroads, the grain elevator own- ers and other marketing organiza- tions, and the bankers, but no help comes from the government for the millions of suffering, ba farm- ers and those who are on verge of bankruptcy. The capitglists do not ofily use the government against -the indus- trial workers and farmers.-chey use the government for ‘themselves. Just now they are trying to escape the taxes they must pay on their big incomes and load these taxes on the backs of the workers and farmers thru the Mellon plan. The shocking, shameful exposure of the looting of the country thru bribery wf Republican and Democratic of- fice holders alike, by the big oil in- terests, maed public in the Teapot Dome scandal, show clearly wnat mse the capitalists make of the gov- ernment. Movement for Farmer-Labor Party It is the facts and experiences stated above which have developed the ever-growing movement for a farmer-labor party, thru which the farmers and city workers can fight their political .battles against the capitalistic parties. This movement found its first great nation-wide expression in the July 3d convention of last year, in which the Federated Farmer-Labor Party was organized. Since that time the Federated Farmer-Labor Party has carried on a campaign for even a greater convention and a stronger party for the presidential election this year, There must be a farmer-labor tick- et in the election this year. The farmers*and city workers must nom- inate candidates and adopt a plat- form representing their interests. There must great campaigns against the old parties, against their policies and their candidates, and for the farmers and industrial workers. In the endeavor to achieve this end the Federated Farmer-Labor Party established connections with all the existing farmer-labor parties in an effort to bring them together in one great nation-wide farmer- labor party. When the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party called a con- ference in November, the Federated Farmer-Labor Party immediately responded and entered into an agree- ment with the Farmer-Labor Party of Washington, The Farmer-Labor Party of Montana, the Farmer-La- bor Party of South Dakota, the Com- mittee of 48, the Progressive Party tion” in this daily grind of capital: wreckage.—J. H. Ellis, Associati for the Suppression of Newspaper ‘Abuses, 1521 W. Adams Street, Chi- cago, Illinois. Join the “I want to make THE ‘DAILY WORKER grow” club. SECOND RED REVEL FEB. 16, 8 ASHLAND AUDITORIUM Van Buren and Ashland of Idaho, and the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota, to call the May 30th Convention. The Federated Farmer-Labor Party believes that, in the May 80th Con- vention, the farmers and industrial workers have the opportunity to ‘unite all the units of the farmer- ANNUAL oO’CLOCK Z| Amalgamated 4| York joint board and boards y THE DAILY W labor party movement in one great, nation-wide Farmer-Labor Party. What Kind of Party? What kind of a party is to be organized May 30th? This is an im- portant question for the industrial workers and farmers. We believe that it is our duty to make clear the two forces which wiil struggle for supremacy in the May 30th Con- vention. Not only the workers in the in- dustries and the exploited farmers are discontented with the rule of the capitalists thru the old parties. The small business men, professional men and the rich, well-to-do farm- ers are also dissatisfied with the way the government is used by the big capitalists. Every , industrial worker and exploited farmer must understand that there is a difference between the movement against the old parties the small business men and well-to-do farmers and the movement for a party to repre- sent the interests of the workers and poorer farmers. The Federated Farmer-Labor Party fights in the interest of tne indus- trial workers and the poorer, ex- Ploited farmers. Magnus Johnson, Shipstead, Frazier, prookhart, La Follette, and other so-called progres- sives, répresent the small business I men and well-to-do farmers. The platform of the Federated Farmer- Labor Party stands for the interests of the indutrial workers and poorer- exploited farmers. The measures proposed by the so-called progres- sives are.measures in the interests of the small busines men and well- to-do farmers. Both the progressives who want a Third Party, which will be a small business man’s and well-to-do farm- ers’ party, and the industrial work- ers and poorer, exploited farmers, twill come to the May 30th Con- vention. The Federated Farmer-La- bor Party will stand for the imter- ests of the industrial workers and exploited farmers in the convention. It will carry on a campaign to win the support for the convention by the industrial workers and poorer, exploited farmers, so that the can- didates and platform will represent the interests of this group, and not the small business men and well- to-do farmers. Shall Convention Be Delayed? A proposal has been made by Wm. Mahoney, chairman of the Working People’s Non-Partisan League of Minnesota, after conferences with La Follette, Magnus Johnson, Ship- stead, and others of the progres- sives, that the May 30th Conven- tion’ be postponed until after the old party conventions, The Federated Farmer - Labor Party is unalterably opposed to such a delay, The only reason for such a delay is to give the La Follette, Frazier, Brookhart, Magnus John- ton and Shipstead group an oppor- tunity to see which way the cat will jump in the old party conventions. e industrial workers and ex- ploited farmers have no_ interest in ‘waiting for the old party con- ventions. No matter who is nom- inated in these conventions and what platforms are adopted, the candidates and platforms will be for t'f: cap- italists and against the workers and farmers. If La Follette and other so-called progressives are for the workers, let them prove it by cutting loose from the old parties and aligning themselves with the Farmer-Labor Party NOW. The workers and farm- ers have nothing to gain from back- stairs political deals. The road lies clear before them.—TO ORGANI7E A CLASS FARMER-LABOR PARTY. | ed ‘the Forward to the Class Party. The Federated Farmer-Labor Party | Polish Legation to the United States, calls upon all workers organiza-|has experienced an amazing turn. tions, ers, all organizations of farm- to join in the struggle and exploited farmers. It urges’ that every organization] It was. whispered abroad that So- of workers and¢armers now begin] kolowski’s supply was not entirely the work in support of the May 30th| for home consumption. Convention, and to make that con-| alleged that vention a great gathering of the ex-| gaged in a prosperous avocation to ploited groups who suffer under the] diplomacy. Sokolowski Tule of the big capitalists and their} country under a moist cloud of sus- government, Forward to May 20th and a clas# Rig Farmer-Labor Party! Forward in the struggle which will briyg the Workers and Farmers Government of the United States! . Federated Farmer-Labor Party, JOSEPH MANLEY, National Secretary, Trish Radical Labor Has Mass Meeting in Cleveland Sunday Albert F. Coyle, edifor of the Locomotive Engineers’ Journal, and| Poland. He is stated to have an- Thomas J. O'Flaherty, editor of the| nounced that he will be a total ab- Irish People, and member of the edi-| stainer. torial staff of the DAILY WORKER | self to furthering the prohibition will be the principal speaker at a| movement in Poland, mass meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday evening, Feb. 10, at 8:00 P.|of one quart of the finest Polish The meeting will be held in the}uor to any reader who can Labor Temple, 2536 Euclid Avenue.| this riddle: M. The object will be to bring the Irish workers in Cleveland, in touch with the progressive wing of the labor movement and to organize them so that they may participate actively in the class struggle in this country, Employed Aid Jobless NEW YORK.—Members of the|year, miners of this vil were re- Workers’ 6 ividend . union who are at work will contribute rey mine o bin Pt Clothin; 5% of their weekly ¥\fund for the relief of fellow mem-| was their membership » bers who are out of work. | Officers | the local Workmen's Co-oygrative fs | g\of the union will contribute 10% of| sociation, which runs the Rochdale their salaries to the same purpose. | stores here. : I This decision was reached by the New| Each member received the union. shop-mates read them te subscribe today, IGNORED VITAL JOB QUESTIONS Passed Buck on Car Pushing and Slate By PAT H. TUOHY (Special to The Daily Worker) INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—There was great dissatisfaction among the min- ers’ delegates over the lack of con- sideration given by the administra- tion to job grievances, chief among which are the pushing of mine cars and the payment for removing slate and other “dead work.” These are generally passed over by the scale committee, by referring them back to the districts—as in- ternal grievances. Yet the fact that these job questions are matters of national interest is shown by the resolutions coming. from” practically all districts. of L. greeted the delegates, and Secretary Green read their reports which were referred to the committee of officers re- ports. The reports of the officers consisted mainly in tirades against the radicals, boosts for ‘long term contracts and harmony be- jtween miners and operators. The committee on officers reports eulo- gised the executive officers, About one hour was devoted to a mutual admiration act, ‘The report of the resolutions com- mittee was the most hotly contested any that came before the conven- ion, the one dealing with. Soviet Russia, q ‘Twelve ‘resolutions were received on The pushing of cars by the unions this question from local unions thru- has been an issue in previous con- out the country. The committee sub- ventions and will continue to be so,’ stituted for these a hodge pouge as long as the buck can be passed. which started out by declaring for Tt is a vital isyue that cannot be the principle of self determination, ignored. that the Russian people had a right Miners Permanently Injured ;to determine their own form of gov- From Wyoming, most bitter com-'¢rment provided they pay what the s of. cars, not only as to the danger Tesolution ended with a wail—very to life but because it so frequently likely written by the Socialist Ken- reduces the earning power. Illinois "¢dy—that “self-appointed leaders” District No. 12, voices the same com- Were striking at the foundations of plaint. With the installation of “Ur government” and spreading the large ears, men are unable to handle 88Mme doctrines that helped render them and many men. have been per- impotent. the Socialist Party, ete. manently injured and wages have’ Eighteen resolut ons were submit- been reduced because of it, From ted demanding the formation of a la- numerous other districts we have had ber party. The committee substituted the samé complaint, bayer rg ee bicary admit- The slate issue is a‘sore grievance, ! SiG eer aeerey, idea has From Districts No. 5, and No. 6, Passed the visionary stage and can be especially, come bitter complaints be- o 8 Teamey: put in -dol mg £0 they cause miners must remove slate to soe nat believe in antagonizing the thickness of one foot before receiv- publican’ and Democrat _ parties ing any pay. That is because the sae % payment, on a tonnage basis for coal bya “legitimate” labor parties se ould not be discouraged but it was |loaded, does not make provision for idered ‘ ih ; |this “dead work” which is a necessary Sona se seteie jos dag affiliate the yain- part of the miner’s labor.. This is a °TS. Union with any political organiza- . ‘ tion at this time. The members of crying shame. Many times men are |the miners’ union are granted under tea to work all day for noth- = fonstitution, civil, religious and Not “District Grievances” Lene ety comity did. athe These matters are not merely “dis-|to see abridged. trict grievances” and should not be | We should, however, be ready, the passed over so lightly by the board report continued, to unite our ‘poli- as such. I as a miner have no par- tical strength just as has been done ticular district in which to work. Ijin other fountries, therefore it was |may be working at one time in a dis-| recommended that the executive offi- trict where none of these grievances cers of the United Mine Workers of exist and may lose my job, the mine America be instructed to continue may shut down, and I may be forced | their efforts and co-operate with such LEWIS MACHINE Summary of Coal Miners’ Convention The first of importance was | plaints have come about the pushing © owed to Pierpont Morgan. The | which are their friends. Efforts to | The convention was called to order at 10 o’clock, Jan. 22nd, in Tomlinson Hall, Indianapolis, Ind., John Smith, presi- dent, Indianapolis Central Labor union presiding. tion Counsel Taylor Groniger and Taylor president Indiana F. Corpora- John L. Lewis read this report and announced the names of several committee appointments. Vice President Murray on the nationalization of mines was so severely criticized by John L. Lewis, never opened his mouth in support of real nationalization. The Lewis administration was suc- cessful by a liberal use of red paint in having its action on the Nova Scotia case sustained. The lifting of that district’s autonomy and the | expulsion of its officers was an act ‘of ‘treachery hardly without parallel in the history of organized labor. Referred the question of a cessa- tion of work in case of war to the International Mining Congress for universal action. So far as it lies in the ptewer of the officials of the United Mine Workers this means universal inaction, The convention passed a resolu- tion restricting alien immigration jand a strict enforcement of the laws on the Pacific Coast against the smuggling of aliens, The convention endorsed. the in- dustrial form of organization as op- posed to craft unionism but did not recommend any active steps toward this end merely hoping for its ‘or- derly introduction into other indus- tries of the country under the ban- ner of the American Federation of Labor.” Voted to urge the release of all political prisoners. The committee did not know that there were any still in prison. . The resolutions committee brought jin a resolution denouncing both the Amsterdam and Red Trade Union Internationals, claiming both were critical of the American labor move- jment. The report was adopted. Passed a resolution demanding the repeal of all criminal syndicalist laws. | The convention listened to former president John P. White sing his own | praises. e | Voted to continue the appointive power after a roll call vote. Voted down the recommendation of the Lewis machine to eliminate the clause from the constitution pro- hibiting membership in the union to a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Voted one thousand dollars to the Tom Mooney Defense Fund. An CANADA TO GET RUSSIAN TRADE AS U.S, DELAYS Dominion Is Eager for Soviet Commerce By F. W. GERRISH (Special to The Daily Worker) MONTREAL, Canada.—It has been recently announced that the Soviet Republic Trade Delegation to Can- ada is now in London arranging to sail for Canada. The significance of this is very great as it means that the workers of Russia will ignore the Capitalists of the United States and will concentrate their efforts for placing Russia in the highest possible state of material efficiency in Canada. From the propaganda carried on in the Press, some individuals have the idea that Russia is a wild and woolly wilderness sparsely peopled by. ferocious savages wearing lux- uriant whiskers accompanied by a |corresponding absence of soap. The real fact is that the Soviet Republic represents the one hundred and thirty million peasants and workers organized under a political and econ- omic system that is destined to spread all over the world within a few years. The trade delegation from the Soviet Republic which is supposed to have destroyed the resources of Rus- sia is actually preparing to purchase large quantities of Canadian com- modities for the people of Russia and to pay for them in a way that most of the Capitalist States of the world cannot do. In addition these pur- chases will go a long way towards the alleviation of unemployment in Canada. These facts are well-known to the big business firms in Canada, who will hasten to make friends with the Mammon of unrighteousness but, thru the columns of THE DAILY WORKER, these facts can be made known to a wider circle. Your read- ers in their respective localities have opportunities of spreading this in- formation both for the encourage- ment of their principles and also for the reason of putting the Trade Dele- gation in touch with the greatest |Possible variety of suppliers of the !ecommodities they are buying. ' I would therefore suggest that to go into another district where the | slate issue is a serious matter. Then’ the fact that I am compelled to seek employment where these conditions prevail makes me realize that these co-called “district geisvances” are na- tional problems and that the national | scale committee should be instructed | to handle them as such, other organizations composing the American Federation of Labor, farmers organizations and other un- affiliated organizations “constructive in character” for the purpose ot bringing about a cohesive political movement. The report wound up by recommending the secretary to {send a cablegram to Ramsay Mac- amendment to increase the sum to, THE DAILY WORKER, publish all $2,000 was ruled out of order by | Possible information in advance of Chairman Lewis. poe as to the movements of the Delegates hissed and booed secre-| Trade Delegation, as service in aid of tary of Labor Davis and distributed the Soviet Republic is one of the circulars exposing his anti-labor greatest possible means of helping record. the Communist Cause. In April, Adopted the report of the scale|1918, I was connected with the committee giving power to the rep-!‘‘Beaver” twhich was the first news~ resentatives of the union to secure |paper in Canada, to support the the best possible agreement on the | Soviet Republic. On August 11th, basis of no reductionin wages;-a four dpi treal Labour Temp year contract, the concurrent ter-|I presided over the first public meé! mination of all contracts in thejing in Canada, to protest against Canadian and British assistance to for | goods. a farmer-labor party representing the| resemble the wine cellars of the| interests of the industrial workers} Polish nobility, Row upon row’ of to a special |/taken from their fellow. e executive poeseaing, to one of Jer than in other a How long shall these vital pro- blems be side-tracked as minor in- ternal grievances, merely to escape responsibility and to rid the scale committee of a vexing problem. Make Poland Dry, Says Sokolowski; Had Fine Cellar ‘The Federated Press) Donald congratulating British labor on their success. The committee congratulated the British workers on their success in accomplishing something the miners were not allowed to do by their offi- cials, that is, make a real move to organize a labor party in the U. S. On the question of the national- ization of mines the tommittee in- troduced a substitute which merely urged a continuation of research work. John Brophy, whose report bituminous fields and the submission of any agreement reached with the operators to a referendum vote of the membership for ratification. Elected Thomas Kennedy of Dis- trict 7 and Walter Nesbit District 12, delegates to International Mining Congress. Decided to hold the next conven- fe on third Tuesday in January, 1926. Ended in uproar and disorder when Lewis refused to announce vote on Howat appeal. Poland. To me the moral aspect of the Russian Revolution is and always will be, more than the fluctuating measure of material success it reaches, but at the same time “we should always be ready to broadcast the great material achievements of the workers of Russia, in the face of hardships paralleled in the history of the world. Join the “I want to make THE DAILY WORKER grow” club. (By NEW YORK. — The sad, sad story of how prohibition agents raid- Washington upartment of Dr. V. Sokolowski, secretary of .the Sokolowski was caught with the His apartment was found to | liquor-filled bottles were discovered. It was even Sokolowski was en- left the ‘ion, And now one of his friends, Con- gressman William D, Upshaw, has written Sokolowski a well-meaning letter. Congressman Upshaw ex- presses “his great pleasure” at hav- ing known Sokolowski. One wonders just what stimulated Upshaw to pen this appreciation, Anyway, he re? fers to Sokolowski as a schlenetaes gentleman.” One can fairly hear the high tones emanating from clinking glasses. Upshaw ends his letter with a /God-bless-you” flour- ish, reminiscent of toasts delivered in pro-Volstead Dr. Sokolowski has returned to and for all, thousands for us. everywhere as He intends to devote him-) liq-|% struggles for working class ive |$ them a militant fighter in la What volume of ness must a do before he can afford to become a devout pro- hibition leader? Co-op Pays 16% Dividend KINCAID, Ill.—While the big cor- orations of the country were divid- g their profit plums the first of the [ THe DAILY WORKER, t 16% was not capitalist toll | workers, It Please send me....... the amount of his chases. embers had street sas a great saving by trading at the sto: here operative stores w! pres are Fie 1640 N.. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. _.copies of THE DAILY WORKER. I promise togive I$ them distribution among workers with whom I meet and to attempt to secure sub- scriptions from those to whom I give the paper. | j NAMES wressessseoneesevensenntnnnetneennee Thing When They See It? WE SAY THEY DO AND CITE A RECORD OF A 50 PER CENT 3 INCREASE IN THE DAILY WORKER CIRCULATION DURING 3 THE LAST TWO WEEKS TO PROVE IT. : Cynics and pessimists and renegades excuse their impotency by bewailing the lack ; of intelligence and class-consciousness of American workers. The reception which THE DAILY WORKER has received everywhere it has‘appeared, disproves this conception once There are hundreds of thousands of American workers, rebels at heart, who have been looking for a daily newspaper just like THE DAILY WORKER. How to notify these thousands that THE DAILY WORKER is here, how to make them aware that at last there IS a daily labor paper that supplies all the newspaper needs of the working class is the big problem which THE DAILY WORKER must solve. Those who now read THE DAILY WORKER are the ones who can reach these If every reader of THE DAILY ‘WORKER will make it his business to distribute copies of the paper among the workers he meets, will advertise THE DAILY WORKER the Militant Organ of the Advancing Working Class We would like to offer an award|% the problem will be solved and for every thousand workers now pi articipating in the emancipation there will be TENS OF THOUSANDS, each of bor’s cause, ST sc STREET: For a limited time THE DAILY WORKER will send FREE to anyone making the request, a bundle of sample copies of THE DAILY WORKER for free distribution, USE THE COUPON BELOW IN ORDERING 4 CUTE 8 sincsescietrnsetessoneseteesnreovtpeonibecscvisicebdoessnsoiiis | RMN NID © wbeesbpoplonios wicbscadcsusibedertapices tusiigis: a S ’ LESSEE eR _. so