The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 20, 1924, Page 3

Tuesday, May 20, 1924 t it MASSACHUSETTS |“ FARMER-LABOR GALE SENT OUT State Convention June First In Boston tions. les, workers’ lassachusetts. in the state of Massachusetts which will be represented at the June 17 convention at St. Paul, Minn., to adopt a state platform and to nominate a full ticket for the state elections in November, 1924. “United action of Massachusetts in- dustrial workers and farmers is the need of the hour. “Fraternaly yours, “Machinists, No. 694, Worcester. “Journeymen Tailors, Local 12, Bos- ton. “Amalgamated Shoe Workers, Lo- cal 1, Chelsea. “Amalgamated Shoe Workers, Lo- cal 43, Lynn. ’“Brewery Workmen, No. 14, Boston. Branch 715, “Workmen's Circle, Brockton. “Workmen’s Circle, Roxbury. “A. K. Birch, Business Agent, Nor- wood Builditig Trades*oCuncil, “James E. O'Malley, National Exec- utive Board, U. L. W. L U. of America. penters’ District Council, folk county.” and Frank Deluca, Court street, Boston, Mass. employers. cent wage increase, nus based on profits. } A large tul DENTIST Rendering Expert Dental Service Poca BOSTON, May 19.—Massachusetts has fallen in line with the whole se- ries of states which are organizing state Farmer-Labor parties in support j of the June 17 Farmer-Labor conven- tion. The call for the Massachusetts convention, to be held on June 1 in Boston, has just been issued in the mame of a number of local trade unions and labor fraternal organiza- The call for the Massachusetts con- vention, as other state calls, pledges support to the June 17 convention, The call is to all labor unions, central labor councils, workers’ political par- co-operative associa- ions and fraternal organizations and farmers’ organizations in the state of It reads in part: Call for State and National Action. “The forces of farnier and labor in the state of Massachusetts are at present without any political expres- sion of their own. They must be unit- ed to be represented effectively at the June 17 convention. This is the only hope for success in the Novem- ber elections. “For this purpose the undersigned organizations and trade unionists hereby issue a call for a state Farm- er-Labor. convention to be held at Franklin Union hall, 41 Berkeley street, Boston, Mass, on June 1, 1924, at 10 a, m. “The basis of representation shall be one delegate for a membership of less than 200, and two delegates for a membership of 200 or over. “The purpose of the June 1 con- vention is to create an organization ‘ 7 4 i J, =) Branch 718, “August Osterholm, Secretary, Car- The committee of arrangements is composed of T. J. Conroy, chairman, 50 Benefit street, Worcester, Mass., secretary, 148 Chinese Streetcar Demands. SHANGHAI.—Chinese operators of tramways have organized a union and are placing their demands before their They are asking a 30 per overtime pay, eight hour day, full pay during sick- ness, company responsibility for ac- cidents and payment of a yearly bo- Improve Your Property Damaged Buildings Restored LOANS TO IMPROVE New Floors, Fronts, Shelving _MID-CITY CARPENTER SHOP | 608 S, Irving Ave. Seeley PITALISTS DISCOVERNEW WAY — OF SEPARATING FARMER FROM HIS LAND, SAYS WISCONSIN PROFESSOR By LELAND OLDS (Federated Press Industrial Editor) Confiscation of the farmers’ lands by taxation is revealed as a probability of the near future by Richard T. Ely, of the Uni- versity of Wisconsin, in an address before the Tri-State Develop- ment Congress. This shows a new route by which the farmer is being made tributary to the industrial state. Figures gathered by the U. S. bureau of agricultural econ- omics, he said, show that if tax tendencies continue the time will come when the whole annual*, net return of, America’s farm lands will be absorbed in tax payments. Statistical charts were used to show that in Ohio and Kansas the upcurv- ing line representing tax increases is gaining so rapidly on the line repres- enting the increase in land values that it will not take long for the lines to cross. When they cross. the govern- ment by Taking the entire income of the land will have taken the value of the land. Ely pointed out that this tendency had been accelerated during the last three years because farm lands had been falling sharply while taxes con- tinued to increase. If, he said, land values are absorbed by the state the utilizers of land are tenants and if the drift continues land owners will become state tenants. oe 8 Government figures refute recent statements by bankers that the cost of farm labor and its low efficiency are important contributing causes to the plight of the farmers. In spite of the steady rise in the wages of farm labor since 1921 they stand today only 53 per cent above the prewar level. And for these increased wages the worker is giving increased efficiency. Ac- cording to the official figures there has been an increase of 18 per cent in productive capacity of labor on the farm since the war began. The long hours put in on the farms must also be considered in any at- tempt to appraise farm wages. Ac- cording to the report of the National Bureau of Economic Research on em- ployment, hours and earnings in the U. S,, the average farm laborer works over 55 hours a week in winter and 60 hours in summer. In northern states the average week in summer meant 62 to 66 hours of work. For this the average monthly wage without board was $46.91 or with board $33.18. In other words the exorbitant wages re- ferred to among others by the federal reserve agent of the Minneapolis dis- trict meant something like 18 cents an hour without board or 13 cents an hour with board. ‘The cause of the farmer's difficulties is not to be found in the meager wages of labor but in the increasing tribute in the form of rent, mortgage interest, distribution charges and taxes to sup- port capitalism and its governing bu- reaucracy. PREACHER MAY {HUGHES STAND SUE REDS FOR | ON CHINA R. R. BUM BUSINESS) BACKS BUTCHERS Says They Put Jesus Back 19,000 Bucks By A. L. CARPENTER. LYNN, Mass., May 19.—Radicals in the shoe unions of Lynn have done $19,000 damage to the business of Chester J. Underhill in the past four years. Underhill’s business is run- ning a church in this shoe center and he is urging a business revival on all other ministers, priests and rabbis in the city by “a roundup and driving out of the radicals, bolsheviks, mem- bers of the I. W. W. and thugs” from the unions and the town. ‘In announcing. his $19,000 loss to his church he blamed the radicals for bringing unemployment to the shoe business. Government figures about the situation shows that the onward sweep of.the machine process has something to do with the unemploy- ment in Lynn. In 1909, the value of the products was $34,620,874, and the number of workers employed 14,595; in year 1923, the value of the products was, $20,000,000, while the number of persons employed was 5,500, In oth- er words, in 1909, each man produced to the value of $2,372, while in the past year, 1923, each produced $3,636. This is a net gain per man of 65 per cent. Wages have not followed the paces set by the manufacturers in their struggle for profits, which is the an- swer to a large part of the unemploy- ment, according to union officials in this district. Underhill said, “There is a deliber- ate attempt being made to destroy the shoe industry in Lynn. Not only the shoe industry, but to destroy all in- dustry in Lynn. The General Electric Co, has been wise enough to shut its gates against all attempts to disor- ganize its plant.” By “disorganize” Underhill means “ynionize” the General Electric plant. . Japan Works Against Russia in China. TOKIO, May 19.—Japan is trying to bring under her influence all of Northern Manchuria, enina, and is es- pecially trying to gain control of the Chinese Hastérn Railway, which be- longs to the Soviet Union of Russia. Japan consistently scores Peking gov- ernment officials and supports the Chi- nese reactionaries who broke up the diplomatic negotiations between China and Russia, Japan hopes to force greater con- cessions for herself from Soviet Rus- sia by her policy. Her own position ig not strong and requires the hands of France and the United States to direct its short-sighted ambition. Exile Resolution Upsets Authors. NEW YORK, May 19.—A resolution condemning the exiling of Miguel Unamuno, former professor of Sala- mana university, Spain, was intro- duced by Hendrik Van Loon at the annual gathering of the P. HB. N. so- ciety, and nearly upset the non-polit- ieal equilibrium of the international authors’ organization. Unamuno is exiled to the Canary islands and is not permitted to leave, altho several South American countries have invit- ed residence. He was sent to the because of his criticisms of Spanish government and the church. Half Million In Oil, BAKERSFIELD, Cal., May 19.—The refinery plant of the Richfield Oil com- pany here was burned today with a loss estimated at $600,000, Mi v Opposes Returning It To Soviet Russia (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, May 19.—Secretary of State Hughes says that his inter- vention at Peking, in the form of a warning against handing back the Chinese Eastern Railroad to Soviet Russia except under conditions to be first approved by the Powers, is in strict accordance with the resolutions adopted by the Washington Confer- ence of two years ago. The official records of that confer- ence, which assumed to “settle” the problems of the Far Edst without the participation and against the protest of Russia, show that the Chinese spoke vigorously, but helplessly, against these resolutions. The con- ference, acting for the American, Jap- anese, French and British bankers and militarists, were compelling China to leave this railroad in the hands of Russian reactionaries of the butcher type. Wellington Koo, now foreign minister at Peking, declared that Gen. Horvath, as director of the rail- road under Allied auspices, had declar- ed himself dictator of the whole ter- ritory thru which the railroad ran, and had violated Chinese sovereignty at will. Yet the powers, unanimously, adopt- ed on Feb. 4, 1922, resolutions declar- ing for better policing of the road, and added this “reservation.” “The powers, other than China, in agreeing to the resolution regarding the Chinese Eastern Railway, reserve the right to insist hereafter upon the responsibility of China for the per- formance of the obligations toward the foreign stockholders, bondholders and creditors of the Chinese Eastern Rail- way Company which the powers deem to result from the contracts under which the rialroad was built and the action of China thereunder and the obligation which they deem to be in the nature of a trust resulting from the exercise of power by the Chinese government over the possession and administration of the railroad.” The Chinese Eastern, built by a ¢om- pany which was in fact the imperial Russian government, is a direct line southeastward across Manchuria, thru Harbin, to Vladivostok. China wants to improve commerce by letting the Trans-Siberian road use it again. Hughes says the foreign stockholders and bondholders’ interests—especially those of Russian—must be first guar- anteed, on terms which may please him, Mexican Oil Revolt Was Purpose of Fall; Shown in Doheny Loan (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, May 19.—An at- tempt was made in the Daugherty in- vestigation to show that the $100,000 loaned to Albert B. Fall by BE. L. Do- heny, lessee of naval oil reserve No. 1 was used to finance an oil revolution in Mexico. < Examining Warren H. Grimes, de- partment of justice attorney, Senator Wheeler demanded to know if the de- partment’s files did not +show that “the alleged ofl bribe of a cabinet of- ficer went to buy arms for a revolu- tion in Mexico,” THE DAILY WORKER PERSHING WILL TALK BLOOD ON SEPT, TWELVE Trying To Pep Robots For Next War (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, D. C., May 19.— Regimentation of the American robots for the war which will be the next step in the development of American imperialism is the purpose of the pre- paredness demonstration arranged for Sept. 12 by the military aristocracy of the United States, headed by Gen- eral Pershing. The date was selected as being the anniversary of the slaughter of St. Mihiel; it is hoped that this memory will revive the war hysteria so painstakingly created six years ago by the capitalist press and the schools. That military strategists of the ar- my have worked on the plan for the new national defense system since the moment the last war ended is ad- mitted by Pershing. The far-reaching nature of imperialist hopes was reveal- ed by the black-jacker when he said: “The demonsffation will . certainly have a most beneficial effect on na- tional sentiment, thru which we hope to establish this system as a per- manent policy.” Hushingly Pershing admits his ef- ficiency as a servant of capitalist in- terests. “Nobody sat on the lid longer or harder than I did during the war under very adverse circumstances,” he says. “Only those near me could really appreciate it.” British Columbia Workers In United Front For Elections By SYDNEY WARREN (Staff Correspondent of the Fed. Press) VANCOUVER, B. C.—British Co- lumbia workéfs will close their ranks for a united political front in the com- ing elections thruout this province. Delegates from 35 organizations, in- cluding the carpenters, street railway- men, switchmen and engineers, as well as delegates from the Federated Labor Party and the Communist Party of Canada, decided to form a British Columbia section of the Canadian La- bor party. The meeting April 29 calied a for- mal convention for May 29 and adopt- ed provisionally the constitution of the Ontario section of the Canadian Labor party. The organization will be form- ed as a loose federation of the labor groups of this province along the lines of the British Labor party. W. H. Cottrell, chairman British Columbia provincial committee of the Trades Congress of Canada is presi- dent and Frank Hunt, buisness agent Steam and Operating Engineers is secretary-treasurer of the new party. The convention invited the Alberta section of the Canadian Labor party to send fraternal delegates. Farmers Get Corns Chasing Vanishing $; Now Pretty Sick (By The Federated Press) A farmer’s dollar is today worth only 74c when compared with the dollar big business gets for its pro- ducts. Of course this does not mean that the farmer actually gets a differ- ent kind of greenback when he sells his bushel of grain or fattened porker. It’s just the department of agricul- ture’s way of sliowing how much more the farmer has been deflated than the industrial world. The average price of farm products has fallen so much nearer the pre-war level than has the average price of the goods and serv- ices furnished the farm by organized business that the farmer can get only three-quarters as much in exchange for his product as he did before the war. And at that there has been a small gain compared with last year when the department reported the farm dollar worth only 70c, At the lowest point in the farmer's deflation his dollar was worth only 67c wHen compared with the dollar of organized industry. The fact that during the 3 years since that time the farmer’s dollar has gained only 10 per cent contradicts the prop- aganda which emphasizes the farm- er’s alleged recovery. Russia Does Well With Persia. MOSCOW, May 19.—The Russo-Per- sian commerce has lately increased by 50 per cent, according to Mr. Shumiat- zky, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Union of 8. S. R. at Teheran. A number of mixed Russo-Persian com- panies have been established in Per- sia, the share of soviet capital there- in aggregating some 7 million gold rubles. The Russo-Persian Bank has been rapidly developing: its activities and has opened branches in a num- ber of Persian towns during the last few months. The chervonetz (10 gold- ruble bank note) is quoted higher in Persia than the pound sterling and even the American dollar. McNary-Haugen Bill. WASHINGTON, May 19.—The Me- Nary-Haugen farm relief bill will be taken up by the house on May 20, under a special rule reported by the Duncan McDonald Is (Continued From Page 1.) labor parties now already form- ed in working for a unified polit- ical expression of the workers and farmers on a national scale, thru the June 17th convention if possible. Recognize Russia—8-Hour Day. Resolutions were passed demanding unqualified recognition of Soviet Russia, declaring for nationalization of the mines, declaring for a universal eight-hour day, for a revision of the state compensation laws, for the re- lease of all class war prisoners, for the granting of absolute equality to the negroes, advocating organization of the unorganized workers by the launching” of an organization drive, relief of the unemployed, elimination of landlordism among the farmers and other farm relief. Delegates represented the Amalga- mated Clothing Workers’ unions, the food workers, carpenters, electrical workers, boilermakers, office workers, retail clerks, farmers’ organizations, and United Mine Workers of America. There were three delegates represent- ing the workers’ party, one delegate from the negro tenants’ league, dele- gates from the Workmen’s Circle, and three from Lithuanian fraternal or- ganizations. Many of the miners who are in Peoria attending the miners’ convention, visited the Labor Party convention. The miners had the larg- est representation at the convention. Illinois Labor Ticket. The state ticket, nominated to run at the coming election, Is in part as follows: Governor—Duncan McDonald, for- mer president Illinois Federation of Labor, editor of the Illinois Indus- trial Reveiw. Lieut. Governor—Martin L. John- son, electrical workers’ union, Chi- cago. United States Senator—J. Louis Engdahl, editor of the DAILY WORKER. Congressman at Large—R. E. Beatty, U. M. W. of A., West Frank- fort, "11. The state ticket will be complet- ed with the co-operation of organ- izations which are expected to affili- ate later. State Executive Committee. The state executive committee of the Illinois Labor Party elected today is E. M. Hewlett, from West Frank- fort, mine workers; Ed. Johnson, mine worker from Christopher; Shirt Ironers Win Cold Victory From New York Bosses NEW YORK, May 19.—The Shirt Ironers’ Union, Local No, 280, held a conference last week with the bosses’ association of the Columbia Heights section, to renew their agreement. The outlook is that the association of the bosses of this section will peace- fully accept the new agreement of the workers. The Shirt Ironers’ Union had sec- tion meetings all over the city. The workers turned out in great numbers and with enthusiasm greeted the new agreement and pledged to do every- thing possible to put same into effect. Especially was the Hast Side section meeting well attended, the result of which will undoubtedly be 100 per cent organization in this section. A general meeting held last Satur- day, the report of the Strike Commit- tee was received and the membership voted to stand solidly by their de- mands. Methodists Fight On Pacifism; Bible Institute Anti-War Only the sister of an American Le- gion leader opposed the resolution passed by the students and faculty of Garrett Biblical Institute of North- western University, approving the ex- treme anti-war attitude taken by a committee of the Methodist general conference at Springfield, Ma: The girl saw a yellow cloud of Japanese hovering on the horizon and chal- lenged the 124 other voters to “pray them away.” Rev. W. R. Wedderspoon of Chicago, is leading an attack on the anti-war group in the Springfield conference and will try to have the church sup- port wars of self-defense or “in the cause of humanity” (like the last one?), Emigrants. To Russia Must Communicate With Canada Office WASHINGTON, May 19.—All ques- tions regarding the rights of Soviet citizenship and entry within the boundaries of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics from persons in the United States afd Canada must be addressed to the official agent of the U. 8. S. R. at 212 Drummond street, Montreal, Canada, according to a statement issued by Agent Yasikoff at Montreal and forwarded to the Rus- sian Information Bureau here. It appears that hogus representa- tives of Russia and Ukraine have been issuing false visas and other docu- ments of entry, in this country and Canada, to persons wishing to enter the territories under the Union gov- ernment, Page Three Named For Governor Henry Corbishley, mine worker from Ziegl Martin L. Johnson, Chic 5 Illinois; Joe Grant, carpenter from Peoria, Ill; Arne Swabeck, painter, Chicago; Duncan McDonald, mine worker of Springfield, M. P. Morriss railroad railway clerk, of Joliet; J. Burman, carpenter, Waukegan. The platform and rules, as finally adopted by the convention is given below. The platform committee re- ported that there was a thoro dis- cussion of some points in the program but in the final form here given the approval was unanimous. Text of Labor Platform. This is the purpose of the Labor Party of Illinois. It calls upon all workers and farmers and their organ- izations in the state to unite together to put the following platform into ef- fect, the realization of which our can- didates are pledged to fight for: 1. Public ownership of public utili- ties, natural resources, industries and all social means of communica- tion and transportation, with steadi- ly increasing contro! of the manage- ment by the workers and farmers thru their economic, political and co-operative organizations. 2. Government Banking. 3. Enactment of a law providing for a maximum workday of eight hours of labor in all industries, with further provision of adjusting the hours of work so as to afford employment to all workers. 4. Enactment of a law prohibiting the employment in Industry of chil- dren under the age of 16. 5. Enactment of a law providing for adequate insurance for all indus- trial and rural workers in case of sickness, accident and deaths, and for the compensation during unem- ployment at regular union wages for all city and rural workers. Funds for same to be secured thru the tax- ation of all excess profits, inherited wealth and unearned income. 6. Unqualified and complete aboll- tion of the power to issue injunc- tions in labor disputes and other ju- dicial abuses. 7. Restoration of civil rights as guaranteed by the Constitution. 8. Compulsory education for all up to the age of 16, with better school facilities and prohibition of the platoon system of education. 9. Equal wages for equal work for all workers, regardless of race, col- or, creed, nationality or sex. 10. Abolition of the contract sys- tem on Road Building and all Pub- lic Works. Construction to be un- dertaken directly by the state, (on- ly union labor to be employed), at union rate of wages and under un- jon conditions of labor. 11. A moratorium for all working farmers on their farm debts for a period of five years. 12. immediate steps to curb the gambling in grain, (by doing away with the right to trade in “Futures” on the Chicago Board of Trade and other Grain Exchanges.) 13. Elimination of tandlordism and tenantry and securing of the land to the users of the land. Howat Addresses Convention. Alexander Howat addressed the Illi- nois Labor Party convention as fol- lows: “I want you to understand that I am with you in this fight,” said Ho- wat. “The workers must understand that the time is gone by when they can be satisfied with a few crumbs dropped from the rich man’s table. They must all get together in a solid labor party of their own. Then, in- stead of accepting a few crumbs that the old party politicians care to throw them, they can demand their rights as the producers of all wealth.” “I want it understood here and now,” Howat emphasized, “that it is time the workers cleaned house in many places, and got rid of those ele- ments which are catering to the rich men and the employers. This applies particularly to the American Federa- tion of Labor conventions.” Over $300 cash was pledged by the various delegates in attendance, in- cluding a donation of $100 from Dis- trict 8, of the Workers’ Party..: BAPTISTS ASKED TO SWALLOW A BIG MOUTHFUL '| Virgin Birth Theory On Spiritual Menu ATLANTA, Ga., May 19.—A resolu- tion, which will bring into the open the fundamentalist-modernist dispute, was introduced in the southern Bap- tist convention today, by Dr. C. P. Stealey, editor of the Baptist Messen- ger, Oklahoma City The resolution proposed that “trus- tees, officers and members of facul- ties of institutions owned, fostered or supported by the southern Baptist convention be required to sign a state- ment of belief,” confirming to eight points of the fundamentalist doctrines. The resolution would requtre an ab- solute acceptance of the b literal meaning of the script. These eight points include the bible, the unity and equality of the three persons of the godhead, the literal ac- ceptance of the creation story as ac- counted in the book of Genesis, the Virgin birth of Christ, the atonement of sin only thru belief in Christ, the new creation or rebirth in Christ, the actual bodily resurrection and return of Christ from the grave and the spiri- tual conception of the word church, and Strained Relations Between Poland And Ukraine Grow Worse MOSCOW, May. 19.—The arbitrary and oppressive action of the Polish authorities in the frontier regions near Ukraine are creating an ever more serious situation there. Refugees from Eastern Galicia report that hatred is growing among Ukrainian circles there against everything Polish. All the Ukrainian papers and printing of- fices have been closed, and Polish prisong are filled with Ukrainian edi- tors, journalists, teachers and stu- dents, workers and peasants. The Uk- rainian parties have been dissolved. Recently police made a number of |searches, wrying to uncover the Ukrain- ian delegation, due to leave for Lon- don, where they wish to consult with Mr. MacDonald’s Government and ex- plain the real conditions prevailing in the Polish border areas. Polish opposition papers are publish- ing appeals for the relief of former Petlura men and officers, who are in a terrible plight in Poland. Part of this “army” have been enlisted by the French Enlisting Bureau and sent to work in Africa, where they are perish- ing from the. bed,eclimate and. fever wesc Brickworkers In Chicago District Sign New Scale Average earnings of $60 a week for three years more are guaranteed to skilled piece workers and a minimum wage of 80c an hour to the lowest paid brick and clayworkers in the Chicago district by the new agree- ment signed by the union and em- ployers effective since May 1. The United Brick and Clay workers is an industrial union covering every man from the clay digger to the truck- er who unloads the bricks and clay products from the railroad freight car onto the motortruck for delivery to the scene of building operations. “The Chicago district council which signed the agreement is_100 per cent organ- ized,” says Secretary William Roulo. “Our district goes north as far as Deerfield, east to Hammond, south to Mankeno and west to the city limits, with 2600 members.” The three year contract stabilizes the higher paid unionists and gives the lowest paid an increase of 2c to 4c an hour. The 48-hour week is re- cognized thruout by the employers, who will pay time and a half for over- time. A few points about working con- ditions will go to arbitration. Grand Concert Including utevttevevcecneagt scavenge vnsnceyceesencvacansecoeeegacireuieeesociesitaceinccn SAN FRANCISCO READERS, ATTENTION! FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SUFFERING CHILDREN of Germany CALIFORNIA HALL, Saturday,May 24, 8 P.M. Under the auspices of the Committee for International Workers’ Aid ADMISSION 50 CENTS Bazaar and Ball Polk and Turk Streets Hat Check