The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 28, 1924, Page 3

aM a PMR AMR TELEGRAPHERS DODGE JUNE 17TH AND JULY FOURTH “Nonpartisan” ‘Attitude in Politics Taken By J. A. HAMILTON. (Special to “The Young Worker’). CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 27,—The Order of Railroad Telegraphers (0, R. T.) closed its tri-ennial convention here after a two-weeks’ session. The old officers, E. J. Manion, president, and L. R. Ross, secretary-treasurer, were re-elected.. The next convention will convene in 1927 in St. Louis, the headquarters city. The convention endorsed the How- ell-Barkley Bill, now under considera- tion by congress as a substitute for the Esch-Cummins Act, supported by the sixteen standard railroad unions, asa far more equitable measure than the present law. It was voted to sub- scribe for the entire membership of 67,000 to “Labor,” the weekly, pub- lished in Washingtén by the railroad unions. The policy of non-partisan political action was endorsed but no definite actions proposed, either as to repre- sentation at June 17th or July 4th, or as to supporting any presidential candidate. Amalgamation did not come up for discussion. Demands for wages and conditions do not come before the conventions but are taken care of by the various “System Divi- sions” or organizations of the. tele- graphers on each railroad system, The Telegraphers’ Union claims to have practically 100 per cent of the railroad telegraphers organized in the United States and Canada. There was a delegate from Newfoundland, and one from the Panama Canal Zone. The so-called “North Pole Division” has been organized to include the telegraphers on the Alaskan Railroad. The eight-hour day, six-day week, and time and one-half for overtime, have been secured. The telephone has been widely introduced as an auxiliary to the telegraph in controlling the movement of trains, but it is said that the telegraph is the main re- Mance, being less subject to bad weather, and allowing the transmis- sion of orders with less opportunity of error. Telephone operation is pro- vided for in the union schedules, The telegraphers have at St. Louis, one of the Labor Banks, which has deposits of over five millions and re- sources of over six millions, The union does not supply insurance, but has a mutual benefit department which pays only death benefits to a maximum of $1,000. One of the chief general grievances of the men is against the Railroad Labor Board, be- cause of its custom of settling dis- putes in favor of the companies. The telegraphers are not organized in local unions but according to the railroad system for which they work. There is a local division with a local chairman to correspond with the sec- tion of the railroad under charge of a superintendent. For each railroad system there is a system division, with a general system secretary-treas- urer, to whom are sent the dues of the members on this system. The whole organization is known as the “Grand Division.” The supreme agency between conventions is the board of directors, which does not in- clude the resident officers, whose duties are therefore more confined to administrative work than in dictator- ships, such as the miners’ union, The 655 delegates at the convention were elected by referendum of the mem- bers of the various system divisions; for example, the Pennsylvania Sys- tem Division sent 41 delegates. The basis of representation was approxi- mately one delegate to 100 members. Milwaukee Readers, Attention! MONSTER MASS PROTEST DEMONSTRATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 8 P.M. —AT— West Side Turner Hall 304 Fourth Street Against the passage of the laws directed against the foreign born work- ers, and the selective immigra- tion bills now before a confer- ence committee of the United States congress. — Thomas O'Flaherty WORLD PROTESTS UNJUST DEATH SENTENCE ON SPANISH WORKERS’ REVOLUTIONARY ARTIST—ACHER MADRID, Spain, May 27.—Telegrams and cablegrams from all over the world are pouring in demanding that the-Spanish government release Juan Bautista Acher, known affectionately by the working masses as “El Poeta” or “Shum,” the name he uses on his cartoons. Acher has been sentenced to death for crimes in which he had no part and his execution is expected at any time. No definite date was ever set by the authorities. Not only do working class organizations of all countries protest the unjust imprisonment of “Shum” but prominent citi- zens have added their voices for' the poet-and-artist’s release. One of the most noted lawyers have an inborn contempt for author- ity and government. Mass demon- Strations occur whenever 4 petty of- attractive in binding of contrasting material, or of Spain, Eduardo Barrio Har- ran y Bero, has spoken against the decision of the courts in “Shum’s” case. “Shum” is a thoro revolutionist first of all and an artist. His philosophy is more Communistic than anything. His poems and drawings are all direct- ed against the oppressing master class. Many of his caricatures have appeared in the Anarcho-Syndicalist paper, “Solidarida Obrera,” of Barce- lona. Bomb Wounds Artist “Shum” was sentenced to death two years ago for alleged murder in con- nection with the bombing of a factory. Acher insists that he is innocent. He says that he was visiting some girls in a sweat shop when a bomb was exploded in which many were hurt and in which Acher himself lost both hands. The artist has to draw with @ pencil ‘held between his stumps and chin. When brought to trial, Acher was sentenced on the basis of , “second offence,” altho he had never been convicted for the previous bombing incident which occurred in a private home. The Supreme Court reaffirmed the decision in spite of the opinions of prominent jurists that. the trial was a tragic farce. Communist Leaders In Prison. Most of the leaders of the Com- munist movement: in Spain have been incarcerated in the various dreadful old bastiles under the Directory which prevails in the country now. Juan An- drade, Corredora Alta 17, 3rd. Acha, Prison Modele de Madrid, America for literature to be sent the ly sent. The Directory places a government censor at every public meeting. The government representative can raise his voice against the proceedings of the meeting but he cannot break it up with clubs as the police do in America, Formerly anyone could say whatever he pleased in Spain except about the King and the army. The new military dictatorship is attempt- ing strict censorship of speech and press. thing not licensed by law. Peasants Scorn Government The Spanish workers and peasants A DAINTY TEA APRON 4719. Embroidered voile or Swiss, organdy, lawn or percale could be used for this model. It will also be or alpaca with has sent requests to all party publications in Communists with him in prisén. All the old Central Executive Committee of Spain’s Communist Party are now in the vile prisons and the new com- mittee uses the publications regular- ficial usurps too much power to him- self. The workers invariably scorn police officers and take the side of the offender being nabbed by the officer. Spanish workers labor long, whe- ther in the flelds or in the factories or on the docks. They are not im- bued with the “manana” (tomorrow) spirit which has so long been mouth- ed as the characteristic of all Span- ish people. The put-it-off people are the middle class bourgeoisie and the upper classes. The peasants particul- arly work long hours and find no “manana” of rest because modern agricultural methods have not been in- troduced. The soil, is tilled in the same old way it has been scratched thru the centuries under the glaring sun of the south. There are 6,000,000 agricultural laborers, 1,500,000 industrial workers, 160,000 miners, 140,000 fishermen; 3,700,000 tradesmen and office work- ers in Spain. The proportion of work- ers organized in unions has never been great. At their height the Sin- dicato Unico organizations claimed 1,000,000 members. The Catholic church has about the same member- ship, it declares, in its unions of agri- cultural workers. Barcelona Strongly Syndicalist The Sindicato Unico is not a single organization but rather a principle of “industrial unionism” which was used sympathy. and printing plants. this city. in organizing various industries. The syndicalist unions are autonomous but act with one another in spontaneous The syndicalist unions retain their hold in Barcelona in the great textile Cotton from the southern United States comes in great quantities to these Barcelona mills for th manufacturers and practically all the printing for Spain is done in Much machinery is man- THE DAILY WORKE WAR VET OFFICIALLY DEAD, VERY MUCH ALIVE; MAKES DOCTORS THINK NIBRARA, Neb., May 27.—Physl- clans representing the United States Veterans Bureau today examined the remains of a world war veteran, buried as Arthur Frazier, in an ef- fort to solve a puzzle created by the return of the real Arthur Frazier, an Indian. Until the identity of the remains is cleared up the real Frazier will remain on the veterans’ bureau list as “killed in action.” The body buried as that of Fra- zier was brought from the trenches in France in 1918. It was interred here’and the local American Legion post was named the Arthur Frazier Post. Some time ago a young man ar- rived at the lower Brule Indian Res- ervation ir here. He said he was Arthur Frazier and is now living there with his parents. The young man is suffering from shell shock. a single session of the Spanish Par- lament. The Socialists are strongest among the miners of Asturias, who are al- Most perrennially striking. The rail- way workers and building trades workers also incline towards Social- ism. But the northern coal miners of Asturias, the Wales of Spain, are the backbone of the organization. (The crown prince of Spain is Prince of Asturias.) Communists Gaining In Rio Tinto, the biggest copper mines of the country, the union used to be 100 per cent strong but British control broke the power of the organ- ized workers. Bilbao is still under Socialfst influence among the metal workers. It was in this city that Professor Unamuno of Salamanca University now exiled in the Canary Islands, used to edit a Socialist Paper. Trotzky visited Spain in 1916 and expressed hope that the backwardness of the Spanish proletariat would help towards a real workers’ revolution but so far the Communists have not made as much headway as might have been ‘expected, due largely to the Directory established last year. There is growing sympathy for the Communist program now in spite of the fact that the Communist leaders are clapped into prison as fast as they are discovered. The demand for Morality is about the only OUR DAILY PATTERNS white, is here shown, model for gingham, rubberized cloth, Communist literature has greatly in- creased altho the local party papers have been suppressed again and again. STEEL INDUSTRY HAS HIT BOTTOM SAY MAGNATES Congress Interferes With Their Business ufactured in Barcelona, which is one of the most modern cities of the coun- try. The population of the city and its surrounding manufacturing town suburbs is about 700,000. Strikes Affected Politics The 3,000,000 Catalonians are close sympathizers with the syndicdlist unions and support the strikes which occur in Barcelona. The syndicalis direct action tactics have caused ser- ious crises in politics at times. The Socialists control the Central Union of Workers which has formed a “Labor Party”. No more than seven Socialist deputies have ever been in NEW YORK, May 27.—Steel execu- tives, here to attend the meeting of the American Iron and Steel Institute, said today that the steel industry was dragging bottom, but that slight signs of betterment appeared. Passage of the bonus bill and other legislation were attributed by the leaders as having a bad effect upon business. “The Bethlehem Steel Corporation is operating at about 50 per cent. We have touchéd bottom,” President Grace of the company, said. “My company is operating at about 50 per cent. The situation is as low as it can get and business is bound to be better. I look for an improve- ment after the national conventions and the adjournment of congress,” President Campbell of the Youngs- town Sheet and Tube Company, said. “Things are not as bad as made out in some quarters,” officials of the Jones and Laughlin Company pointed out. “Business probably will turn for the better. It always has. I do not expect the change immediately.” CMiirman Huston of the Lukens Steel Company said legislation was to blame for the poor business, but was convinced better business would be witnessed by mid-summ Every|new subscriber increases the influence of the DAILY WORKER. A SIMPLE “EASY TO MAKE” APRON STYLE. Figured percale in blue and This is a good 4276, GOTHAM BUILDERS IN NEW ATTACK ON PLASTERERS Try To Get Them On Conspiracy Charge (By The Federated Press.) NEW YORK, May 27.—Is a labor union illegal when it is strong enough to enforce its rights? This is the is- sue in the second legal fight which 36 New York plasterers are about to wage against conspiracy indictments. The first trial a year ago ended in a jury disagreement. Among the in- dicted men are President Michael J. Colleran, Palsterers’ Local 60, and other executive board members of the union.. The case is to be tried soon before the state supreme court judge, Jeremiah Mahoney. The indictment is based on the con- tention that the union with an alleged 100 per cent organization forces its demands upon employers which con- stitutes a conspiracy. The union takes the position that the men indicted committed none of the alleged of- fenses for personal profit but solely upon the sanction of the union mem- bership and for the rights of the union membership. The defense is expected to forward certain employ- ers as witnesses to’ show that their business did not suffer during the pe- riod of alleged conspiracy. A handicap has been placed on the defense by the court in allowing the prosecution to pick a special jury panel. The panel. consists of business men, and includes no member of a trade union nor person known to be friendly to labor. Samuel Untermyer, a clever millionaire lawyer, who failed to get the union in the last trial, is again prosecuting the case. MARINE UNIONS STRIKE TO SET DESERTERS FREE Crew Wouldn’t Sail In Sinking Ship By W. FRANCIS AHERN. SYDNEY, New South Wales, May 27.—A fine spirit of working class soli- darity is shown in connection with the steamer Port Lyttleton which is laid up in Sydney harbor awaiting repairs. Last January, the steamer struck a rock and temporary repairs were carried out. The captain ordered the vessel to sea but some of the crew refused to sail, fearing she would go down with them. They were arrested for desertion. When the vessel got to Sydney, in a badly leaking condition, the 14 mari- time unions comprising the transport workers’ group of the Sydney Labor council refused to sanction the repairs unless the charges against the men were withdrawn. The owners refused whereupon the vessel was declared “black.” For three months the agents have tried in every way to get repairs but dock after dock has refused to do the work, as the dock-employes have noti- fied their employers that any attempt to have the job done while the vessel is “black” will cause a general strike. An attempt to take the vessel to New Zealand to have her docked there has also failed. The vessel is still laid up at Sydney and a crew is kept busy pumping to prevent it from sinking. Iron Workers Strike When Boss Fires Foes of Overtime SYDNEY, N. 8S. W., May 27.—About 700 iron workers are on strike at the ironworks near Sydney, owing to the management dismissing two workers who refused to work overtime on Sundays, The men’s reason was that there were fellow workers out of em- linen, crepe or sateen, ployment and they didn’t think it right to earn overtime while others were starving. The men refuse to re- sume until the two men are rein- stated and overtime is given to men out of employment. UNCLE WIGGLY’S TRICKS Labor Leaders Wage War Over Carcass Of Cleveland Meet (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, May '7.—LaFol- lette will be nominated by the Con- ference for Political Action, at Cleve- land, on July 4th, regardless of whether McAdoo has been named as the democratic presidential candidate, in the opinion of LaFollette men in the union movement. Rejection of McAdoo will be urged on railroad labor men upon the ground that, in preparing himself financially for the presidential race, he undertook to serve the oil interests in imposing an imperialist policy upon Mexico. He agreed for a contingent fee of $1,000,- 000 to seek to nullify the fruits of the Mexican revolution, embodied in Ar- ticle 27 of the Mexican constitution, under which Mexico claims title to the oil deposits. There is new discussion of the pos- sibility that Warren S. Stone of the Locomotive Engineers will be named for the Vice-presidency with LaFol- lette. LARKIN MAKES SECOND RAID ON LIBERTY HALL Locks Out Transport Union Chiefs DUBLIN, May ‘Liberty Hall, the historic building in which the Easter Week rebellion, under the leadership of James Connolly, was planned, was temporarily occu- pied by Free State troops following the action of James Larkin and his followers in seizing the premises and ousting the officials of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, whose headquarters are locat- ed there. Larkin is reported to have collected dues from members of the union who came to pay their subscriptions. As an aftermath to the arrests the port of Dublin was idle; the men be- ing more interested in the factional struggle between Larkin and his for- mer associates than in going to work. (This is the second time the of- fices of the Irish Transport and Gen- eral Workers’ Union have been seized by James Larkin since his return to Ireland from America, after an ab- sence of eight and one-half years. His first attack on the headquarters resulted in a crop of injunctions and long litigation. Larkin was defeated in the courts. The executive expelled him as general secretary of the I. T. and G. T. W. U. The fight between Larkin and the union executive prom- ises to destroy what was once one of the most powerful and militant labor organizations in Europe. It has grown in membership from approximately 5,000 when Larkin left Ireland in 1914, to 100,000. ‘How To Do It’ Worries Labor Gov’t Forced To Pay Workless Workers LONDON, England, May 27.—Ex- perts’ reports prepared for the labor government, indicate that the unem- ployed army will not be reduced be- low 800,000 during the next four years. To meet this situation the govern- ment is worrying its young head off. If they must hand out unemployment doles for 800,000 persons, they are wondering where the money will come from. Last winter over one hundred million pounds were spent for unem- ployment relief. Indications are that this amount™will have to continue to be spent during the next two years. The government intends increasing the number receiving “out of work doles” by paying unemployed girls and boys from 14 years old up. The opponents of the labor govern- ment are accusing them of trying to bribe the voters with the unemploy- ment relief. DETROIT.—Edward McKenna, 27, fell to the ground from a six story window of an office building, de- manded a cigarette shortly after his landing and protested vigorously when police took him to the hospital. He bruised a hand trying to grab sothething on his way down. Page Three OIL STRIKERS IN '" CONFLICT WITH ' BRITISH TRUST Mexican Workers Fight Royal Dutch Shell (Special to The Dally Worker) MEXICO CITY, May 27. — The strike of the 2,000 oil workers against the Mexican Eagle Oil Company is still going strong. The strike is en- tering its third month and ha’ tied up refining at the Tampico plant of the British-owned concern. The Hagle is a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell Company organized under Mex- ican law. Negotiations between the workers and the representatives of the men were broken off when the oil com- pany refusd to permit a representa- tive of the Mexican Federation of La- bor to sit in on the conferences. The oil company sprung the usual bunk about being willing to deal directly with the men but not wanting to have anything to do with outside unions, The Mexican government is anxious to settle the strike as the taxes they collect from the Eagle have been cut from 2,500,000 pesos to 500,000 pesos. The Eagle is filling its orders for the ~ South American market, which it practically controls, by buying from American concerns. Fight Workers’ Committee. The strike began when the compa- ny refused to grant the demands of the workers that the company should not fire any workers without the con- sent of a workers’ committee, The company replied that they would not stand for any interference with the running of their business. Later they backed down enough to go into conference with the workers only to withdraw when the workers wanted a representative of the Mexi- can Federation of Labor to sit in with them. The workers expect the com- pany to recede from its pig headed stand almost any day. “Die-Hard” New York Theatre Managers Play Judicial Farce (By The Federated Press} = NEW YORK, May 27.—A tempo- rary injunction has been. granted to the die-hard group of the Producing Managers’ Association, restraining the Actors’ Equity Association and the Managers’ Protective Association from carrying out the recently signed 10-year contract. The latter orgdniza- tion which controls more than 75 per cent of the theatrical productions had agreed with the union, an American Federation of Labor organization with about 10,000 members, that all casts be 80 per cent Equity. Both the man- agers’ organization and the union, as well as individual producers are named in the injunction. This is regarded as a death bed gesture on the part of the anti-union producers, who now control but 11 Broadway productions. It is pointed out that they have secured an injunc- tion ten days before the expiration of the Equity contract in order to be able to sign with the union without closing their theaters June 1, provid- ed they are not able to get @ perma- nent injunction. Figures Show That Unemployment Is err Rapidly Increasing WASHINGTON.—Out of every 100 workers who applied for jobs during March, 28 found no jobs open, But 40 more out of each 100 were unsuit- ed to jobs that were open, according to reports from the state and muni- cipal employment agencies received by the U. S. department of labor from 39 states. This marks a temporary improvement as compared with the winter months but shows a condition much worse than any month of 1923 prior to December. During May and June, 1923, the first months for which combined statistics from the various states are available, there were more jobs offered than workers available, Late reports of curtailed activity in many industries make it possible that returns for April and May of this year will be less favorable than those for March. A LAUGH FOR THE CHILDREN Hi in organdy with a plaited frill at the free edges. The Pattern is cut in one size: Medium. It will require 1% yard of 86 inch material, cut lengthwise. If cut crosswise 1% yard is required. Pattern mailed to any address on receipt of 12c in silver or stamps. Address: The Dally Worker, 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill. Send 12c in silver or stamps for our UP-TO-DATE SPRING & SUMMER 1924 BOOK OF FASHIONS, Editor of Irish People and other Prominent The Pattern is cut in 4 sizes: Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. A Medium size requires 2% yards of 36 inch material, Pattern mailed to apv address on receipt of 12c in silver or stamps. Ad- |. dress: The DAILY WORKER, 1113 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Il. Send 12c in silver or stamps for our UP-TO-DATE SPRING & SUMMER 1924 BOOK OF FASHIONS, le nat a y representing trade unions, political parties and fraternal organizations, Door open 7:30—Admission free Auspices: Milwaukee Council for the Protection of Foreign Born Workers. er