The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 29, 1924, Page 5

Friday, February 29, 1924 PENNSYLVANIA MINERS PREPARE FOR CONVENTION’. Demand Ending of All Corrupt Practices (Special to The Daily Worker) PITTSBURGH, Pa., Feb. 27.—That the miners of District 5, United Mine Workers of America, Western Penn- tylvania, particularly the progressive elements, remain undaunted by the reverses met at the hands of the Lewis machine in the Indianapolis convention, is evidenced by the reso- lutions that are being adopted by the local unions in that district. Not only are resolutions asking for con- stitutional changes being adopted, but others, that demand removal of bi abe and elected offcers on the charge of illegal representation at the recent International convention. This is not by any means a new departure on the part of the officials of the miners union to ‘pack conven- tions and ballot boxes at elections, on the contyary it hag been practised for years, but it seemed so impossible that thousands of miners refused to believe that the men, who were sup- posed to be leading them to better things, would stoop to these corrupt- ible depths to retain their control of the union. However, those who did know kept up the fight against this and other illegal means to attain their selfish ends, and are now able to present the irrefutable facts. The resolutions ask removals of the executive officials of District 5 for iMegal representation and voting in some instances and in others for the use of their power to create the pos- sibility and for their tolerance of these illegal, unconstitutional acts, One of the men cited in the resolu- tions as representing a non-existant local union, known as Mickey Noonan, .was provided with creden- tials and ‘went to the convention in spite of the fact that he was known to be working in a scab mine at the time, and is‘ yet as far as is known while the others are officials and relatives. An effort was made at the Indianapolis convention to present this evidence when a delegate named Toohey tried to introduce a motion to challenge the validity of the roll- call vote, but Lewis knowing no doubt, what was intended, refused to grant the privilege of the floor_to this young boy who was atte his first convention. Lewis cannot and will not tolerate such things from experienced veter- ans, let alone submit to the audacity and temerity of a young upstart, as he would brazenly put it. sg thing is sure and that is that the Pitts- burgh radicals thrive on fight and they are determined to keep on until victory*crowns their efforts, . ‘ollowing are ie resolu adopted by Local Union 5693: f Resolution Number One. | WHEREAS, It is a well known fact that William Patton, Vice-President of District United Mine Workers of America, that he voted at the International Conven- tion, sky plue local union No. 4238, located at Godfrey, Pa.; there is no loeal union there and hasn’t been for several years. THEREFORE, Be it of peachmen Vice-President of District (Signed): PRESIDENT. SECRETARY. Resolution Number Two. WHEREAS, It is a well known fact that john O'Leary, provisional Secretary-Treas- if District No. 4, stated in the Inter- Convention that he employed a non- an by the name of Francis Feeney, and paid him $200.00 a month salary, in violation of the Constitution of the U. M. W. of A., THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the above named person John O'Leary be im- peached and the office of International Board member be declared vacant, PRESIDENT. SECRI (Signed) : ETARY. Resolution Number Three. WHEREAS, It has come to our notice thru charges made in the International Conven- tion that International Organizer, William Feepy of District No. 5, U. ppd of A. has P William Patton, No, 5. THE DAILY WORKER Today’s Installment of “ By IURY LIBEDINSKY Published by THE DAILY WORK- R thru special arrangement with B. W. Huebsch, Inc., of New York City. Coyprighted, 1923, by B, W. Huebsch & Co. e 2 * @ (WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE) The Russian Communist Party branch is governing this frontier city and fighting the counter- revolution, Earlier installments tell of the fuel shortage that pre- vents seed grain from being fetched on the railroad. The Party meeting decides to send the Red Army far away for fuel, at the risk of leaving the city open for~ bandits and counter-revolutionists. It also decides to conscript the local bourgeoisie for wood cutting in a near-by park. Varied types of party members are flashed cn the ,sereen: Klimin, the efficient president of the branch, who still finds time to have a sweetheart; Robeiko, the consumptive, whose devotion is killing him; Gcrnuikh, the brilliant youth of 19 on the Cheka; Matusenko, the luxury- loving place-hunter and Stalmak- hov, a practical workingman revo- lutionist. Last issue brings the startling news that Serezha Suri- kov, a chekist had been buried alive by counter-revolutionists, far out on the Steppes. Klimin and Stalmakhov talk of their friend who was too sensitive and tender hearted for the’ stern work of the revolution, In this issue Klimin reads a farewell letter from Suri- kov, written before his canture by the enemy.— (NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY). -° so 8 CHAPTER VII. ry EAR COMRADE KLIMIN, “I am now at the station of N——sk. Glebov has gone off for a cart, it’s four hours already since he went. It’s a little station, and I am entirely alone. I’ve look- ed over the old, even pre-war, ad- vertisements: and notices which do not harmonize with life today, ad+ mired a marvelous poster on the subject of the improvement of transport, and then made my way into the room of the Railway Cheka, and, at the sight of pen and ink, the desire came to me to tell you openly the ideas which wander now in my head and the experiences which are’troubling my soul, Why you, Comrade Klimin, you will bably understand. Re- member how in the Politdep of the N—— Division, you, an old member of the Party, Divisional Chief, tolerantly talked for hours with me when I was a non-party, self-confident lad, whose head was crammed with every sort of intel- ae 4. patiently to my stupid opinions, neatly cut the ground from under them, and pushed me towards Marxism, and ‘patiently told me the alphabet of socialism and the class gle: I joined the Party later, in the regiment, but actually it was your lessons that made me a Communist. And when you went ‘to the Cheka, as soon as the front was liquidated, I went to you to work. And under your leadership I became a true Communist and revolutionary. You, for me, were the ideal of a Communist. It’s for that reason I am writing not to my mother or to other comrades who know and care for me, but to you in particular,‘my Chief, into whose room in working hours t must not go without sending my name in first. “You will get this letter only in ease I am killed. And I have very little doubt that they will kill me. And that is a good thing, because I have nothing more to do in life, I am not a man but only the shell of a man, and my soul is entirely empty. So at least let me die NIST CUI ‘A What Do You Think of ‘A Week” The DAILY WORKER wants to know what its readers, | think of the first serial novel it offers to its readers. We have already published three installments of this gripping story. ‘ Another appears today. What do you think of the story, its. setting, its characters, as far as we have gone? We want our readers to let us know. Write down your views and send them in to the DAILY WORKER, 1640 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IIl. We will publish as many of these letters as we can find space for. Don’t delay. Write today. naked people. It was very quiet; only, far off, we could hear the loud noise of our lorry. “They began to protest. You remember their protests? One of them said that one ought to make a man’s death easy for him; and another that this was mockery, and the old Black Hundred school- master tall, with sloping shoulders and a long grey beard, suddenly began erying, bitterly, like a child, and thru his tears he said that it -was ‘not right’ to do so, and that he had influenza. I knew that he had served the Secret Police, had betrayed his pupils, and been given a decoration for doing so, I knew how profound was his hatred for us, and all the same my own body began to shake with slight trem- ors, just as if I were being made to undress... . And then, too, the quavering voice of Lezhavin said to. you: “‘Comrade Klimin, there’s no need to do that. There’s no need to tease them. What for?’ And there were tears in his voice. “One of the lads cursed him angrily. You said: “But what’s the point of their clothes being destroyed? In their linen and clothes some one may be dressed who is useful to the Re- public. In a minute they will not need the clothes,’ and you added in a low whisper, turning to Lezha- vin: with advantage for Communism. “But, so that you shall under- stand me, I will tell you every- thing in order. “You remembér how last year, after the discovery of a plot thru- out the whole district, we drove out to shoot five White Guards. “Tt was a frosty Winter’s night. With a witches’ moon with a ring round it. Our lorry went fast over the glittering high-road which had been worn smooth by the sledges, Lezhavin was with us. He was nervous, as it was the first time he hdd been at an execution, and he Behaved with unnatural cheer- fulness and talked now with you, now wi me. You. as always, gave him business-like succinct replies, but in your replies there was an intonation scarcely to be felt, ‘Boy, don’t pretend; you are not yourself.’ I replied to him in single words, I did not. want to talk. I was too tired after the day, and was resting in the silence of the blue, slightly frosty night. +. +» Now and then I looked into the body of the lorry, and saw ‘them’ saw the watchful faces of the lads (soldiers), remembered whither we were going. It be- came unpleasant. But after all it was not the first shooting in which I had taken part. “We drove to the Monastery ‘Wood, that crowd of enchanted trees, covered with hoarfrost, like the dreams of a freezing man be- il gaee bry ed Go fore death. In some places the “Then the chRerithed: thnk trees were thinner, and we could | there was a he oak Thy ak see mysterious blue gladés. “We walked by a narrow track to one of these glades. There was an old abandoned quarry there, full of snow ir winter-time, but seeming, none the less, a deep, dark blue pit. “On the way there all silent. “They behaved well and awaited death quietly. I somehow did not ask myelf the question, of what they were thinking for the last time, these people who no longer seemed to have any part in any- ‘thing. I had already acce | everything in advance, when I asked you. to let me come and work in) the Cheka. I knew beforehand all that would be; revolting mo- ments when one was aiming into a defenceless bunch of people. But all that would be over so quickly, and after the resounding volley, that makes the birch trees nearby shed their snowy dust, five human bodies would fall deep, deep, into the darkness of the quarry, and we should drive home again and listen once more to the magical Winter silence. 3 “But something happened that I had not expec . You said to them in a low voice: “‘Undress, citizens!’ “They looked at each other. One took off his short fur coat, The others followed his example. “No, Undress altogether,’ you said, and added, as if for our in- formation, ‘We shall shoot them naked,’ “The lads were waiey § silent, and in their silence one felt that down on tree stumps, pulled off their boots and trousers, got out of their underclothes. The bodies of those who were in the transpa- rent shadow of the trees seemed greenish yellow, like bodies seen thru the transparent water of a lake. The moonlight made the bodies of the others bluish white. . +. Ah, how silent, how incom- rehensible it all was, as if in a terrible, never to be repeated dream, in some sort of frozen nightmare. “I had. often. walked. in. that. place in the summer. I knew well the old pine with the divided trunk by. which we were standing. knew each branch of it.. I recog- nized the big axe-cuts on the lower part of the trunk. “I had loved that pine tree, but it seemed to me strangely alien and hostile. A mother is alien and hostile like that in those terrible moments when you see her in a LS Siwy aloof, pitiless, quietly indifferent to you, to your out- stretched hands, to your prayers for help. The sight of those people undressing in the forest brought suddenly before my eyes a picture of people bathing on the bank of a lake on a hot sunny day. It was a strange association, but I felt that my ideas were getting con- fused, and it was wel] that the re- sounding volley broke the spell at a blow, “You remember me before that shooting? I took part with en- thusiasm in all the work of the Cheka, and was proud of taking part in it. I light-heartedly signed were they agreed with you, and under- stood you, and were ready to shoot my conclusions on the protocols of evidence and without the slight- comfort from his only friend. One evening, his back all bloody A Week” est tremor myself carried out death sentences. And all that be- cause I knew for certain, yes and I know it still, that this was a bloody road, but the only road out of the horror that ruled over the lives of people in this world. I was sorty for people, and suffered from their sufferings, but knew that only thru the death of the enemies of the Revolution was pos- sible the road to Communism, Wherefore I was so merciless. I had re-embodied my great pity as a great hatred. And I think that that is what every Communist does, “The time will come, and I hope it will come soon, when this great human pity will make the life of man on earth most beautiful. Then the suffering of one near to him will wound a man painfully, People will treat with extreme care an- other’s organism, that beautiful human body, built like yours or mine, which like them suffers and is hurt. It will be so. But, just now, that pitifulness must be turn- ed into hate. And, up to that shoot- ing, I was able ‘to do that. “But now, it is just as if the blood of those naked White Guards has splashed my soul. They stick in my memory, undressing in the light of the moon, their trembling naked bodies, the rattle of the shots and their groans.... Those terrible groans that sourided from the quarry! The groans of a body beside itself, dying! You may call this softness but, you know, when they took their clothes off, I sud- denly very, very clearly imagined that it was I who was undressing, that it was my body that the frost was laying hold of, that the bul- lets were threading thru my own bones and muscles, that it was I. who was groaning with terrible rending groans. “{ was no longer able to write death sentences. . . . You cross-ex- amine, you look yourself into those living eyes, see those hands, follow the play of wrinkles over the face, never for a moment forget that you are enemies, but all the same you think, surely not my hand will send this organism to death? “The boundary of hatred, for me, is crossed. .. . But I do not want to leave the Cheka, because I think the work of a Chekist the most revolutionary, and the most neces- sary at the present time. “So let death come rather... . And, when I suffer before death . «+ I shall certainly be thinking of the fact that have myself hurt and shot, “But perhaps this is indeed weakness! Perhaps in the work that lies béfore me, I shall harden myself, and*again be stoical and firm. Let this mission be my ordeal. § is a test and an ordeal, as in all of us the attraction of the past is strong. “As for us, the young Commun- ists, there is no question about it. Few have even their heads out, for the majority of the old world surges over their heads, darkens sight and hearing and muddles their brains. Wherefore one has always to watch oneself. Has not one left the right road? Is one not mixing things up? Is one not becoming Philistine? And I do not want to become a tearful, Tol- stoyan intellectual. . So let there be an ordeal of physical suf- fering, of hard nervous work, per- haps of death. From that work I shall either return reborn and strengthened, or not retuxp at all. “But I shall know that if I, growing weak, have dropped out of the ranks, men such as you, the root and trunk of the Party, re- main, and that the struggle will go on, and that Communism will be thruout the world. “Live and work well. “S. SURIKOV.” (Tg be continued Saturday.) nor And so it happened. The moon and his face swollen, Benjamin came| was a small white sickle in the sky, home. The overseer had been’'in. aj the. great trees tossed weird black bad temper, had beaten the little boy| shadows on the earth, all was deathly with a whip and hit him in the face| quiet, only once in a while the leaves LoseControl of Farm Loan Board (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—Senate hearings on the protest against con- firming four nominees to the Farm Loan ‘Board have disclosed that Judge Charles W. Lobdell, former commissioner of the Board, and now its fiscal agent at $25,000 a year, is virtually in control of this billion dellar farm banking system, while \the farmer members have been tricked out of their power to domi- nate its policy. Charges of irregularities in thé action of the Board have been made by R. L, Coker, formerly renewing appraiser for the Board. He is a nephew of the late President Har- ding, but that fact did not save him jfiem disntisap! wien he objected to the Lobdell prograt: Coker testified that the lowering jof the interést rate to farmers had | been blocked, in the farm loan sys- |tem, by a raise of $200,000 in sala- ries and by concentration of power in the hands of the Board, which has denied to member associations of borrowers the essential facts re- quired to protect their interests. Telegrams from President Gates of the Federation of National Farm Loan Associations confirm this view; he declared to the committee that the Board has become completely au- tocratic, and that the profits, instead of being returned to the farmers annually as contemplated by the law of 1917, have been unduly held up; also, that politicians have been load- ed upon the system. The joker whereby co-operative control was repealed, was hidden in the Agricultural Credits Act of March, 1923, which established 12 intermediate banks. Since change, salaries of pregidents and ti other officcers of the twelve land banks have been raised about 50 per cent, and Lobdeil’s job and salary B.” have been created. Lobdell makes contracts with a syndicate of east- ern bankers for the exclusive hand- ling of $250,000,009 of bonds an- nually, under conditions of contract that remain secret. Japanese Stoolpigeons Page Five |. W. W. ELECTS TOM DOYLE AND J, P. THOMPSON Old Fashioned G. E. B. Ceases to Exist Tom Doyle and James P. Thomp- son are the two chief executives of the Industrial Workers of the World for the ensuing term, having just been elected secretary-treasurer and assistant secretary at a referendum. Doyle was secretary of the Agri- cultural Workers’ Industrial Union during the 1922 season when the migratory harvest workers had their best union year since the war. Thompson Got 20 Years. Thompson is a veteran organizer and speaker of many years standing, taking a prominent part in the Law- rence strike and lumber and copper struggles of the organization. Dur- the war Judge Landis rewarded him with a 20-year term from which the amnesty act freed him last Decem- ber. Both Thompson and Doyle are fresh from California where they have been fighting the syndicalism act that has sent a hundred of their fellow members to San Quentin and Folsom penitentiaries. The latest victim is Tom Connors, Doyle’s per- sonal friend and the chairman of his organization committee when he was executive of the agricultural workers. The office of assistant secretary to which Thompson has been elected was created at this election. Old-Fashioned G. E. B. Ceases. An important change in organiza- ion administration was put thru at the same time. The old-fashioned General Executive Board or “G. E. with its members elected by the members at large will no longer ex- ist. The new general administration will be composed of the chairman of the organization committees of the several industrial unions. Joe Fisher is elected General Organizer, a new post. Keep Close Watch on |New York Labor Radicals Since Quake (By The Federated Press) YOKOHAMA, Japan, Feb. 28.— Since the earthquake every working class advocate in Japan has been un- Unions Boost Funds for German Relief (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW YORK CITY.—The campaign der the closest surveillance by the|Wwhich is being conducted by the In- police and military; a clear indica-| ternational Workers Aid for relief of tion that the authorities are anti the military caste. est difficulty in restraining their fol- for a wholesale massacre of the masses. lowers, but a popular outburst at| contributi “weed be the sigtial | i starving German workers is being pating an outburst of popular indig-| Supported by the labor unions of New nation against the government and| York City. Contributions are being received daily at the local office, 208 Labor leaders have had the great-|E. 12th Street. The list of organizations that have e cr ) 1S Bakers Local No. 1 of the A. F. W., which Every vantage point is oc-|¢ontributed $1,400. Local No. 164 of the A. F. W. cupied by the police and military| .P2*$t sop ced is raising $2,000. District with machine guns at their immedi- ate disposal. At the present time the working people of f plo are suffering untold agonies, and it is impossible to say just how long they can be held in check, for they are evincing a keen | desire to turn on their oppressors. In fact, the Japanese militarists are sitting on a seething voleano of discontent, besides which, once it Council of Brooklyn Painters do- nated $25. Painters Local No, 25 contributed $150 and will raise $500, thra subscription lists. Independent Butchers Union No. 174 is raising $1,000 and has to date sent in $400. United Carpenters and Joiners of Americs Local No. 2090, $50. United Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 2725, $4: Cloak and Bi International Ladies’ Garment Local No. 25, $15. Waterproof Garment Workers Local Ne. 24, bursts, the horrors of the earthquake | $10. will appear insignificant, cant and Confectionery Workers Union, In Japan there are today two sec- tions of the public only—those who support the militarists, d those who demand justice for populace. tween the opposing factions is clear and acute. Sausage Kills Three. STERLING, Colo. Feb. Three persons are dead, three are be- lieved dying and eight others are ill of botulism, the result of eating poi- 28,—| ies, Brewers Union No. 2, $5. Coopers International jon No. 2, Bonnaz Embroidery Union Local Ni t uffering |**Fiu, wagon Drivers, Chauffeurs and Help- The line of cleavage be-| ers Local No. 584, $15. Glass Bevelers, Mirror Workers and Cut- ters, $15. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of Amer- fea, Locals 162 and 80, $25. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of Amer- Local 2, $5. Architectural Iron, Bronze and Structaral Workers Union, $10. Window Cleaners Protgttive Unien, Local soned sausage at the home of Tony Notario, Ita! voice growled, “A fine morsel, just ligator looked distrustfully at the right for breakfast!” dog. Benjamin screamed aloud and the dog came running quickly to hi Tho he was himself a little frighte: he whispered to Benjamin, “That i: You surely know, wise and mighty animal, that the rich people are merciless to tHe poor, as tho they were the wildest beasts. That is be- with his fist. rustled sleepily. Benjamin ‘and the lligator. Step back 1 ; {cause there is no more greedy animal le ly and gently licked | o! ut, and went toward the ¢ mn bavacttinaes oe ky Leg won “I can’t stand it any|river. All night they wandered wabrewes hase tie ctte wee weg and . but above Fad ap fale Hesiod oud dempeorsies’ tone Wie tee By Herminia Zur Mublen. words, “Don’t cry, little friend, E|kind to me. Dog, dear, dog, what|for a safe hiding place, for the short] mighty lord me po foBang ieee ge pind for a rich man. He was torn away trict officials, President Fagan and Secretary (Synopsis: Benjamin, a little | will take care of you and guard you. | ‘hall I do?” legs of little jamin had not car- fiesing from. evil peo Rigby from his parents, and beaten until the Hargest have used their power and tolerated} colored slave who lived on’ a | And some day we will go to search} “Run away,” replied the dog. ried him very far, and there was still) (0+ you with sy om rsbnaegett Se blood flowed. I advised him to run priors By py er ae they know southern plantation in the days | for your parents.” “Where to? They will catch me|the danger that the servants of the/ 9.04 he ry rey + er away. And now we beg that you these votes the Rank and File of the paying) of slavery, had lost his mother and | Benjamin was so astonished at |and beat me again.” rich man might trace him and cap- pe pa aa y Poe help us, for any moment the seryants dined thd seh sondeet"Wele orm S| loge hin father to another’ slave |‘ "Hat Restopped crying, WW nett eine hard ne ee ee ne ing iat-|Ma,gigeate, mouth Into friendly tare ny ile fend can * le log was running res' A fal TREAS,sthe two local unions, OWner in a game of cards. This |jixe « human “he ping “We must go north,” said he at/lessly back inn Yortls to find a safe|grin, and replied politely, “You are| The alligator shook his pointed head pial HE located e otrone, Allegheny pm sie o ura a pam in The dog shook his shaggy head. ie “There people better ove place, epg reve oes a bey bene of|a clever Scapa I ve ,truly more thoughtfully and said: “People are ag epee Michael ba 4 wor! is only frie: a fey, hen the rich le act like are here, y do not want the/the river, letting his urning | mighty than people, and,” he agreed Ite at Biackonviges Alloeheny mgr] little grey dog that he had saved. | wig ‘beasts against. the p People, Negroes to be slaves. We must run| feet hang in the water, Suddenly|thotfully, “neither are we as bad as cred payor bs _altentor pao Tee tional from, Harmar, from drowning. we animals must help . When asd there.” he was terribly frightened and drew|they. But this creature that sat with | WUld torment a little alligator, neith- 4 eecnner by Fagen or spe ae a human being is very unhappy and| “I don’t know the way,” complain-|his feet back hastily, A large pointed|his feet hanging in the water is also |¢t do we know the difference between ee acres, as San eee ania BAR went home crying,| forsaken, he understands our lan. |¢d Benamin, head thrust itself thru the water, a/a human being. Then why is he run-|rich and poor, and still it is said that to _yote. ‘ afraid of the dark, holding the | guage and knows that we wish him “1 will lead you. Morning and night,| gigantic mouth opened, showing two!ning away from his brothers?” And|we are evil animals.” Fis) te © pty My shed Lisle foe his ay bmp rie am well, i have not f got n, ie when everybody is asleep, we willjrows of dreadful teeth, and a deepthe shiny, greenish eyes of the al- (To be continued to-morrow) ; pad forgotte by : ———————— toe fo Benjaty, that, you sered my te | (UNCLE WIGGILY'S TRICKS A LAUGH FOR THE CHILDREN the straw, sleep, I will watch over you.” A little comforted, the little boy obeyed, and the dog sat down near him, guarding him all night, licking Benjamin’s han: t es NEW YORK READERS, ATTENTION! / THE SEVENTH FE age pl other Brilliant Greek Ball and C evesie tes a ead ree a oncert him to ca: water from the river New York Workers Party, Greek Branch })|',%,petvy pote, and, made him Will be held on MARCH 5, 1924, at CENTRAL OPERA | vorst was yet to come, “One day - » ° HOUSE, 205 E. 67th St., New York man ‘peaeed, by the, bud 0 MARIKA PALAISTI, Celebrated Moscow Soprano strong. boy,” he said. “ite can work ‘Tickets, $1.00, sold at 845 W. 89th St., and Box Office Ulin’ ermne pists jhe vould craw!