The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 28, 1924, Page 1

THE DAILY WORKER RAISES THE STANDARD FOR A WORKERS’ AND FARMERS’ GOVERNMENT Vol. II. No. 61. Farrington Loses Fight to S 21 STATES IN| LINE FOR ST. PAUL, JUNE 17 Class Party. Drive Is Growing Daily (Special to The Daily Worker) ST. PAUL, Minn., May 27.— Interest in the June 17th Farm- er-Labor convention to be held in this city continues to grow according to the information given out by the National Ar- rangements Committee. Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and North Dakota have decided to follow the example set by the farmers and workers of South Dakota in organizing automo- bile parades to bring their dele- gates to St. Paul. Credentials have now been re- ceived from twenty-one states. Every mail is bringing them in. Indications are that several thousand accredited delegates, as well as thousands of visitors, will flock to St. Paul for the con- vention. Place for Campers. The Hotel and Restaurant Owners’ Association is making special plans to co-operate with the local committee in accommodating the delegates. The Commissioner of Parks has assured the committee that the tourist camp will be at the disposal of.‘bose dele- gates who come with cars and bring their camping equipment with them, and that if it becomes evident that more space is necessary that his d: partment will help to secure it. Hundreds of local upions have writ- ten in expressing regrets that they were unable to finance the sending of a delegate, but stated that their lo- cal had unanimously endorsed the St. Paul convention and the formation of a new party this year. Many of these locals have reported that they were taking an active part in building city or state parties pledged to support of @-great new national party of work- ers and exploited farmers. Must Have Firm Foundation. A great national convention at St. Paul would be a splendid thing from an agitational point of view, but un+ less this convention was supported by state and local organizations thru- out the United States, it would not be able to accomplish a great deal in carrying on the struggle of the work- ers and farmers politically. The effect of such a convention, if not followed by concrete organiza- tional work would soon disappear. The significance about the June 17th convention is not only that it is arousing a nation-wide interest and that delegates are being selected to attend this convention from all parts of the country, but that in many states organizations are being formed to serve as the permanent foundation for the national organization which will be formed at St. Paul. At the outset, the June 17th con- vention had the support of five state parties that had already been thru the fire of several political campaigns and has polled votes that had definitely (Continued on Page 2.) MOTHER WANTS BABY BACK; CAN'T PROVE CHILD IS HER OWN ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 27.—Wheth- er Fannie Lockwood, 18-year-old un- wed mother, is to be given a found- ling of six months as her own child, taken away from her five months ago, will rest with cire@it judge Er- win Ossing. Fannie’s habeas corpus proceed- ings were resumed today. The girl was to attempt again to prove the blue-eyed boy, which she failed to identify positively last week, was her love child, Th Poepping, handsome opera si » confessed taking a child from her and leaving it on the steps of St. Joseph's orphanage. The children’s board is opposing Fan- nle’s suit to recover the child, claim- ing that she is unable to identify it as hers. SUBSCRIPTION RATES THE DAILY WORKER. Entered as Second-class matter September 21, 1923, at the Post Office at Chicago, Illinois under the Act of Marc! WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1924 TROOPS GUARD NEW In Chicago, by mail, 8.00 per year. Outside Chicago, by mail, $6.00 per year. cee, 290 The La Follette Illusion By C. E. RUTHENBERG. The position taken by Senator Robert LaFollette is relation to the growing revolt against Wall Street domination of the gov- ernment is‘one of the worst failures to grasp an opportunity which has appeared in the recent history of this country. _The more open use of the governmental power by the big capitalist group to increase their profits has developed a move- ment of protest among both the small business interests, which LaFollette represeht, and among the industrial workers and farmers. The Teapot Dome exposures of bribery and corruption to secure control of the wealth of the country for the big capi- talist group—bribery and corruption which reached into the cabinet itself—created a dramatic situation in which millions of those who opposed the domination of the government by Wall Street, could have been rallied for a struggle against the Big Capitalists. This was LaFollette’s opportunity to break with the Republi- can Party, which he so well knows is the instrument thru which the Big Capitalists put through their plans. A clarion call from LaFollette for a new party would have shaken the old parties to their foundation. But LaFollette remained ‘silent. Despite the fact that the man to whom great numbers of voters looked to lead the fight against domination of the govern- ment by special privilege said nothing, while the character of that government was being’ demonstrated to millions of voters in the spotlight of Teapot Dome, the movement away from the two old parties grew both among the elements LaFollette represents and among the industrial workers and exploited farmers. Because LaFollette in the past had made some attacks upon Big Business, this movement still looked to him to take the lead thru becoming its presidential nominee. But LaFollette is still pussy-footing. He still refuses to lead. The only thing that has come from LaFollette is the su; ion of his friends that he will run as an independent candidate and graciously allow everybody who feels that way to support him in the election campaign. If LaFol ‘lan goes thei their will “"9 Farmar; a. +ste+- ibOt Party rep' ben re ig the interests of the indus- trial workers and poorer farmers, there will not be even a “Third Party” made up of that economic group which LaFollette and his foilowers in the house and senate represent. There will be just LaFollette running for the presidency with a heterogeneous Republican, Democratic, Progressive and some Farmer-Labor support. It is a nice plan for LaFollette. But where do the farmers and exploited workers who want a political party which repre- sents their interests and fights their battles come in? If LaFollette is defeated, as he is likely to be, that will end the whole business. Nothing will remain, for according to LaFollette’s plan everything will depend upon him personally. If LaFollette by some miracle should be elected president, what then? He will be elected as an independent. He will have the right to go his own way. There is no Farmer-Labor program which he will be bound by. His program is the Wisconsin Repub- lican program. There is nothing in it which means anything to the workers and poorer farmers. It will help little business against Big Business somewhat, but their is nothing to it which will help the industrial workers and farmers to get something more of what they produce so that they can improve their stand- ard of living. The LaFollette program would make Big Business be good in relation to little business, but there is nothing in it which challenges the right of little and big business to rob the industrial workers and farmers of their product. LaFollette as a leader of a party of farmers and workers is an illusion. He might be the leader of a party of little business but his recent actions raises a doubt as to whether he can lead any kind of a party. His failure in the Teapot Dome exposure, his stand on the presidential nomination, his inoccuous Wisconsin Republican program, which he insists is the only program he will run on, his. pussy-footing with the two old parties, raise the question whether it is not time for the workers and farmers to get rid of their illusions about LaFollette. LaFollette has been hailed as the probable nominee of the June 17th Convention. The Workers has ry said that it was opposed to the nomination of LaFollette. The question which is before the masses of workers and farmers who are supporting the Farmer-Labor Party movement, is whether LaFollette has not sufficiently demonstrated his unfitness to be the nominee of this movement, so that it will be. possible to nominate a real Farmer-Labor candidate at St. Paul—a candi- date who is for a class party of farmers and workers and who stands on a platform which represents the class interests of the farmers and workers. . : The nomination of a Farmer-Labor candidate at St. Paul and the adoption of a platform which .in every line and pa raph makes clear the interests of the exploited farmers and Fidustrial workers—that would make the Paul Convention a historic milestone in the struggl of the producers of this country against their exploiters. That is a goal for which every supporter of the class Farmer-Labor movement should strive. FIRE IN PHILANTHROPIST MILLS’ SLEEPING PENS KILLS 6 WORKERS . NEWARK, N. J., May 27.—Six nameless, homeless wanderers burned to death today when fire roared thru the dormitories of the Mills hotel here, imperiling lives of 200 sleeping men. The hotel, where men find lodging for a few pennies, burned like match ‘wood and many inmates fled naked down fire escapes as the flames gained headway. The six who lost their lives were burned beyond recognition. © ILLINOIS MINE CZAR'S COME- “PIE IN THE SKY” — NO “PEACE ON EARTH” FOR FUNDAMENTALIST MILWAUKEE, Wis. May 27.— Denouncing modernists as material- ists who seek, to destroy the funda- mentals of religious faith, Rev. John Roach Straton, New York, leader of h 3, 1879, Published Daily except Sunday by THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO., 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Il. REICHSTAG ave Plumtree|COMMUNISTS JEER VON Workers! Farmers! Demand: The Labor Party Amalgamation Organization of Unorganized The Land for the Users The Industries for the Workers Protection of the Foreign-Born Recognition of Soviet Russia Price 3 Cents TIRPITZ ASKING “WHERE ARE YOUR SUBMARINES?" (Special to The Daily Worker) BACK FAILS Can’t Appoint Legal “Investigators” (Special to The Daily Worker) PEORIA, til, May 27.—A roll call vote of 496 to 443, by official count, this avternoon, defeated President Farrington’s. effort to regain ap- pointive power over legal investi- gators. The investigators must be elected by the rank and file of Dis- trict 12 of the United Mine Workers of America. *-*e* * PEORIA, Ili., May 27.—Frank Farrington's revolt against the Illinois Mine Workers’ decision to strip him. of the power to hand out jobs to his faithful henchmen came to a head today when the roll call vote was taken on the administration's amendment exempting the legal department from the rank and file mandate. Unofficial count of the roll call vote shows 495 against Farring- ton and 435 for on this exemp- tion provision. This means that legal investigators as well as organizers, must be elected by the rank and file of the miners’ union.~ The official count has not yet been given out, but there is little like- hand thetm< has, seo ww Wat seme Atte dey awOu Seoas COM be put thru. i Wanted To Keep Some Plums. Farrington’s attempt to keep some plums still hanging from his patron- age tree provoked a bitter fight. The machine thot they could put their plan thru because some of the dele- gates were not clear as to the im- portance of the exemption of the le- gal department from the conyvention’s decision. Delegate Tom Parry, of Divernon, put the issue before hfs fellow min- ers when he stiowed how Farrington used his legal “investigators” for po- litical purposes. Act As Sluggers. He began to tell how these legal investigators, paid out of the union treasury, were used as sluggers to beat up members of a rarfk and file committee that came from Belléville to Springfield in 1919, to plead for a higher rate of wages. They were get- ting ‘only $5.00 a day. The sluggers were “legal” department appointees of Farrington. Parry’s shot hurt and Farrington ruled him out of order. Fifty to sixty delegates were on their feet demand- ing the right to speak, but the chair- man allowed none of them to speak. Cold-bloodedly, Farrington then in- formed Parry that the committeemen never would have been beaten up had they stayed home in Belleville. ‘Shut Off Debate. Debate on this vital issue was shut the fundamentalists of the Baptist church, declared that modernism within the Baptist church is an off- spring of German militarism and German rationalism, in an address before the Baptist Bible Union of North America. The Bible Union, composed of members known as “In- surgent Conservatives,” is preparing to carry the battle against modern- ism to the floor of the Northern Baptist convention tomorrow. Dr. Straton declared that the re- ligion of revelation at home has been discarded to a great extent for a religion of “mere humanitarian- ism” with an over emphasis upon reform and social and economic bet- terment. TAYLOR MAKES POOR WITNESS BEFORE FOELL 50 Workers Impatient at Many Delays In order to get their cases ove with and be able to geturn to their work, 49 garment workers pleaded. guilty to contempt of court before “Dennie” Sullivar vesterday and were ma ” ry aerate ater ne nea nae impatient at the delays that had been forced on them for more than two weeks and, knowing they would only face further delays if they insisted on a trial,.decided to plead guilty to the contempt charges. The knowledge that they could not hope tq get any sort of justice at the hands of Sullivan, and that their “trial” would only be a farce when it occurred, helped the workers to de- cide to plead guilty. Most of the workers had jobs and were anxious to get out of court in order to return to their work. While pronouncing sentence “Den- nie” sat on the bench and delivered a lot of blah at the strikers. The strik- ers looked at “Dennie” and wished he would hurry up his speech so they could get out of his hands once and for all. Taylor's Story Canned. Judge Foell fined David Krause, a striker, $100 for contempt. Dudley , Taylor was prosecuting him. The | Whole case against Krause seemed to jbe that he had been fined by Sullivan ifor contempt before. Taylor, swore }himself as a witness and told a wild |tale about Krause’s beating up of a scab. The tale was so evidently ap- ple sauce that Judge Foell ordered it struck from the record. But just the same Foell slapped a fine of $100 on Krause. The fact that Dudley has not been having the easy success that first met his efforts to send strikers to jail is telling on him. He looks worried and off by the district president after his]is always out of patience. Labor men own speech urging the convention to}who have known Taylor for years de- reverse its previous decision. During|clare that he never shows emotion. his own talk, Farrington viciously |But lately he has begun to show the assailed John Hindmarsh, one of the strain of defeat. For it is defeat for leaders of the rank and file move-jhim if he is unable to send workers ment. to jail. Yesterday he looked like the Crying out that he had never seen|victim of an unsuccessful monkey such a well organized opposition at |sland operation. While making out any convention, Farrington attacked |the order which when signed by the the militants for coming to Peoria |judge would release Krause till after with the intention of destroying his|@n appeal in the case had been taken machine. Would Mean Complete Defeat. Loss of the appointive power, Far- he trembled violently. Foell Gets Rough. It is evident that Judge Foell is in- rington admitted, would mean his |creasing the severity of his sentences BERLIN, May 27.—The new German Reichstag opened to- day, with files of armed troops guarding all the entrances and approaches. The Communists were searched for arms. Great masses of workers thronged the streets and cheered the Com- munists who arrived in a body. It was the most heterogenous collection of legislators that ever gathered in Berlin. Among the most notorious of the war scoundrels were General Eric Von Ludendorff, who fled to Sweden in disguise after the signing of the armistice and Admiral Voy Tirpitz, the blundering naval chief who was responsible for the complete defeat, He urged the dele-|a8 the busy season in the women’s gates to vote against their instruc- dress industry draws near, in an ef- tions. fort to stop picketing. So far he has Amazement reigned in the conven-|0t worked his courage up to the tion when tellers announced that the|Point of handing out stiff jail sen- amendment to the committee's report, |tences to the strike: as Sullivan allowing legal investigators to be ap- but he is as severe as he thinks pointed, had carried by a 291 to 215 |he can be. vote. Cries for a roll call vote came pea lads sab oy SAN FRANCISCO. — The Sheet Thirty Minutes of Turmoil. Metal Workers’ union charges local For thirty minutes there was tur-|contractors with violation of fire or- moil while Farrington used all his|dinances thru substituting cheaper trickery to prevent the roll gall, but} materials than the law requires. Low he was compelled to yield to the con-|gauge iron casing in chimneys, omis- vention rules, which require a roll call} sion of asbestos lining in sheet metal if demanded by 125 delegates, lined garages, and placing of asbestos The roll call vote was taken with ajonly at the ed, (where it would majority of 60 against Farrington on|show) are among the violations the unofficial count. charged. Union Shows Up Fire Frauds. submarine campaign. The aged revolutionist Clara Zetkin was prominent in the Communist ranks. Communists Jeer Kaiserite. The session opened amidst turbulent scenes. ist deputies jeered when Ad- miral Von Tirpitz called the roll. “Where are your submarines?” they shouted at the whiskered Kaiserite. “Mass murderer!” was the cry hurled at Von Ludendorff as he ap- peared dressed in civilian clothes. Before the genéral took his seat in the Reichstag he went to the bar and had a couple of stiff whiskies to bol- ster up his morale. Fascisti Wear Iron Crosses. The nationalist deputies and Fas- cisti wore war ribbons and iron crosses. President Ebert commissioned Chancellor Marx of the Centrum (Catholic) party to form a new cabi- net, replacing that which resigned last night. Marx is a Catholic and fa- vors the Dawes plan, Besides losing in numbers, the so- cialist party has also lost whatever “steam” it possessed. There is hard- ly a squak out of its leading mem- bers, They are understood to be ready to support any party that prom- ises to retain the capitalist system in Germany. The “Vorwaerts,” official organ of the socialists, has come out with a big headline calling for the support’ of the Dawes plan. The presence of Ludendorf and Von Tirpitz in the Reichstag is not ex- pected to add to the serenity of the sessions. Many of the Fascisti are accustomed to posing as “bold, bad men” who like a scrap and don’t par- ticularly care where they fight. Ludendorf is the recognized leader of the Hitlerites. The Communists have, however, in the person of the Hamburg sailor, Thomas Wendelin, a powerful scrapper who is only too willing to form the thin edge of the wedge should the Communists find it necessary to supplement their argu- ments to defend themselves against the Fascisti with other arguments than words. Should Marx accept the invitation to form a government, he is expected (Continued on Page 2.) DEMOCRATS LEAVE PROGRESSIVES IN LEGISLATIVE LURCH WASHINGTON, May 27.—Prog- ressives who have swung the de- cisive votes to the democrats in every partisan tilt on important I lation to date found themselves deserted by their allies today. Not only will the democrats vote with republicans to endorse the compromise tax bill, which contains the democratic income tax rates by virtue of progressive support, but minority leaders will aid the repub- Neans in getting adjournment by June 7th. The progressives thus find them- selves with their ambitious pro- im of farm relief and railroad legislation shunted into the back- ground, The Commun- & LEGION FAILS TO HELP SLAYER OF HUNGRY WORKER Daily .Worker Stabe Scared Him? An attack of cold feet kept Law- rence Packwood, American Legion- naire defending Dewey Norman, slay- er of John Bajur, the starving work- ingman who tried to keep himself alive by taking a few rotten potatoes, from appearing at the coroner’s in- quest over Bajur’s body yesterday “ing. The yellow, weazened face of the super-patriot was missing from the Racine Ave. police station. Tough Job Twisting Truth. Whether Packwood feared to take responsibility for delaying the case until a frameup could be managed, or whether the presence of a DAILY WORKER was too much for him, is not known. Norman, however, was left unaided in his attempt to show how a bullet fired to the ground can pierce the back and right lung of a man fifty feet away. Widow Poverty Stricken. In one corner of the bare room Bajur’s wife, worn with long days and longer nights of sorrow, and with the even more terrible strain of trying to keep together the little family whose only support has been taken away, waited nervously until the inquest should be over. Near her was a small brown sack, half filled with rotting potatoes, which, Norman claims, Ba- jur was trying to steal from the yards of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. To defend this bit of private prop- erty a workingman has been killed and a family made destitute. “You killa my countryman, you killa my countryman,” was the bitter, constantly repeated exclamation of a friend of the dead man. Norman’s case will be continued in the Desplaines St. court on June 6. ; Cents An Hour Gained By Chicago Union Machinists CHICAGO, May 27.—Over 2000 union machinists in the Chicago area are enjoying an increase of 2c an hour by agreement of the International As- sociation of Machinists district with the employers, retroactive to May 1, The new rate is 95¢c an hour. A con- siderable number more will get the raise after some shops that wanted to cut wages 10°per cent sign up. An important change in working condi- tions makes the union district office the exclusive agency for hiring men. With present unemployment this in- sures that union men will get first shot at available jobs. No Daily Worker Saturday; Saturday Magazine Friday Owing to the fact that Friday, May 30th, is a holiday, Memorial Day, recognized as such by the printing trades, there will be no Saturday issue of the DAILY WORKER this week. The regular Saturday Magazine Section will same size as usual, in Friday's issue. appear, the Make your arrange- ments now with your newsstand dealer to see that yo your Friday's issue of the DAILY WORKER. ie ct) a