The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 2, 1924, Page 3

ea aX Monday, June 2, 1924 VICTORIOUS RANK AND FILE MINERS WILL HOLD GAINS Determined to Bring Back Powers to Union (Special to The Dally Worker) By THOMAS MYERSCOUGH. PEORIA, Tl, June 1.— Altho the convention of District 12, U. M. W. of A., ended its sessions here last night, many miners’ delegates are still view- ing the sights in the convention city. This because there is nothing to command a hurried return home, for the mines are nearly all closed down. This subject was brought to the at- tention of the convention repeatedly, most forcibly when an attempt was made to secure some measure of re- lief for the hungry children. “Shut- down” seemed to be a password among the delegates, with no section of the state being an exception to the rule. The causes were many and varied, ac- cording to the stated reasons, with “Failure to meet the pay roll” holding its own for honors. Farrington Had No Remedy. Yet on every occasion that a rank nothing of a remedial nature was done or even advocated—in fact, the frankest kind of confessions of bank- ruptcy were made by Farrington in his report and in his numerous “back to the wall” fights with the delegates. In this he was not alone, for Lewis, Murray and Green, as well as many of the other speakers who wrought the sweat from the delegates with their pitable stories of inability to remedy the existing conditions. This is bad indeed when men whose duty it is to look after the welfare of the workers, do and say as these men did. Couldn't Down Rank and File. Yet on eevry occasion that a rank and filer took the floor to point to a way out the’machine got busy and prevented discussion. On each occa- sion they would be branded as men bent on venting their feelings against Farrington, but in spite of this opposi- tion the men from the picks displayed an unsurmountable courage and pro- ceeded with their denunciation of the system and all who supported it. Additional elective officers provided for by the convention are: Three al- ternate auditors, two special account- ants and two legislative committee- men, all to be chosen at district elec- tions, and nine legal investigators to be elected by the districts they repre- sent. The 1926 convention will be held at Peoria. “Picks” Fighting Quality. The experience of the January in- ternational convention taught the del- egates that they would have to fight for everything that they expected to gain, and this they did with a ven- geance. On the question of the ap- pointive power the men from the picks displayed their real fighting quality, Farrington had to subject himself to a second drubbing on this question when he asked the delegates to disregard the instructions of their local unions and vote to give him the right to “select” (the new word for appoint) the men who make up the staff of legal investigators, Delegates Jubilant. The sessions came to an end with the delegates feeling secure in their victory. As they prepare to depart for their homes they are predicting the end of tyranny in the miners’ union. They are going away predict- ing that before long the organization will be made stronger than ever and that with such influences the U. M, W. of A. will march on to greater accom- plishments from which will accrue greater benefits for its vast and faith- ful army who are now denied the things they need so badly. Workers Work Fewer Days. LONDON, Eng., June 1—From Jan- uary 1 to March 31, 1924, over 2,000,- 000 working days were lost, as com- pared with 1,200,000 for the same pe- riod of the year 1923, LISTEN! JEWISH DAILY Society for Technical (Lyons, DANCING TICKETS IN ADVANCE 350 Grand Picnic and Open Air Concert Given by Sunday, June 8, 1924 at STICKNEY PARK GROVE Come out for a day of enjoyment in the fresh air together with the revolutionary WORKERS OF ALL NATIONALITIES! SINGING , Music To be obtained at the following places: “Fretheit” Office, 1145 Blue Island Ave.; Ceshinsky’s Book Store, 2720 W. Division St.; Cheskt’s ‘ ; Restaurant, 8124 W, Roosevelt Rd. —— DIRECTIONS: Take any car to 22nd street, take 22nd St. car to end of line; take Lyons car to Harlem Ave. TH E DAILY WORKER Throwing It Back Into The Teeth of LaFollette By JOSEPH MANLEY, Secretary Federated Farmer-Labor Party. The “threatening” letter by Sena- tor LaFollette, in which he “threat- ens” private monopoly and bitterly denounces the Communists, is no surprise to those of us whose mem- ory reaches back to the days of 1912 and of 1917. a LaFollette owes much of his present popularity not alone to his record previous to, but more espe- cially during the world war when with his sham pacifism he made capital out of the real anti-war senti- ment that existed. And he is still living on his undeserved laurels. ‘When the present crisis, much more serious than the one that formerly faced the Republican party in 1912, endangers internal co- hesion, LaFollette, in’ view of his latest statement, is liable to repeat his role of 1912 and stay on the inside of the old reactionary ma- chine thereby saving it again from destruction. He has for years posed as'a progressive Republican fight- ing against the old guard and many have felt that his careful and “pro- gressive” criticism has helped to keep many workers and farmers chained to the old Republican jug- gernaut, whose adherents would oth- erwise long ago have given up the hopeless fight and cast in their lot with the growing num- ber of real progressives and mili- tants who even® before the Tea- pot Dome Republican exposure said that the Republican party was hopeless. In this latest statement by LaFollette his old uncertainty and vacillation again come to the surface by his refusal to positively state that he will be even run as an independent presidential candidate. His only positive language is the bitter words against the Commun- ists for daring to participate in the Farmer-Labor movement. Following the panic of 1907 and the tremendous strides made by the trusts in consolidating their strength much discontent arose in the presi- dential campaign of 1912, when trust busting was the common slogan. In that contest at the primaries three Republican candidates’ made the race: Taft, Roosevelt and LaFol- lette. In Wisconsin and North Dakota LaFollette won the nomina- tion. The Republican voters of North Dakota gave a majority of 15,000 to LaFollette. A total of 50,000 votes were cast and the real contest was between Roosevelt, the “trust buster,” and LaFollette, the “trust regulator.” Taft succeeded in getting only 2,000 votes. And on the eve of the 1912 Repub- lican national convention LaFallette said: “The Republican party is fac- ing a crisis in its history. The rank and file of the party, organized to restore human rights and preserve free institutions, will tolerate no further temporizing with existing conditions.... For twenty years I have pursued an uncompromising course whose goal was liberty and equality; an even chance for every man, woman and child—the right to buy; the right to sell our labor and the products of our labor in a free, open American market... I do not now abandon that course, and today as well as at the Chicago conven: tion, and always I shall struggle for those practical reforms which as I see it, will achieve social’ justice and human welfare.” The language in the foregoing statement clearly shows LaFol- lette’s middle class ideology, and his program which he introduced with a flourish at the subse- quent ‘convention was filled with HARD TIMES FOR WORKERS IN CAL COOLIDGE’S HOME STATE AS LABOR STATISTICIAN SHOWS Wage earners in Massachusetts are up against a loss in wages of $10,000,000 a month due to the severe industrial depression in that state. According to figures for April by the Massachusetts labor de- partment total wage payments have fallen fully 15 per cent below g — year ago. At this rate the loss in purchasing power of Massachu- setts workers over a year will amount to nearly $120,000,000. A continued change for the worse was shown in the April report. As compared with March the number of workers on factory payrolls fell 4.8 per cent and average weekly earnings 1.6 per cent. This brings the average wage down to $23.42 a week, only 19 cents above the average of April 1923. And 16 per cent fewer workers are receiving this meager wage. This means that without allowing for growth of population there are ap- proximately 114,000 workers idle in this state who had jobs a year ago. The cotton mill population is sub- sisting on 30 per cent less in wages than.a year ago. There are 25 per cent fewer workers employed and weekly wages are 7 per cent below last April. The boot and shoe indus- try reports the same condition with a quarter of the workers idle and aver- ‘age wages down 7 per cent. Manufacturers of rubber goods, in- cluding footwear, tires, etc., employ- ed 25 per cent fewer workers and paid 5 per cent lower wages than in April 1923. Their total wages have fallen 28 per cent. The electrical industry employed 23 per cent fewer workers and paid 26 per cent less in wages. Foundries and machine shops had 14% per cent fewer workers with total payrolls reduced 17 per cent. The woolen industry reported 12 per cent fewer employes and 15 per cent less in wage disbursements. Only the printing trades and the paper in- dustry report above the average. Both report fewer employes but in- creased per capita earnings. Only 350 out of the 869 establish- ments reporting to the department LISTEN! “FREIHEIT” and Aid to Soviet Russia Illinois) RACES GAMES AT THE GATES 600 were operating full time and full cap- acity during April. This means that 60 per cent of Massachusetts industry was operating at less than capacity. The department says: “Normal oper- ating schedules were the exception and in only 10 of the 36 industries did the number of establishments operat- ing normally exceed the number operating below normal. Curtail- ‘ments were especially marked in the boot and shoe, in all the textile in- dustries, in confectionery; foundry products, leather, machine tools and the manufacture of textile machin- ery.” Workers Hungry And In Oebt If the burden could be equally dis- tributed over the entire working class of the state each family accustomed to receiving the average wage would have to cut its monthly budget by $15. The $100 a month average was far from adequate. But the burden will not bé equally distributed. Some fam- ilies, tens of thousand of them, have lost the support ‘of their chief bread- winner. ‘They are going hungry on what other members can pick up and running in debt at that. Other. tens of thousands are getting only a third or a half of the usual low wage. You will find such families in the textile centers, the boot and shoe towns and to an increasing extent around the metal establishments, Sammy Licks Boots of Capitalist Parties Before Conventions (By The Federated Press) “WASHINGTON, June 1.—Fayor- able consideration by the Democratic and Republican national conventions of the candidacies of labor men of “outstanding type,” is asked by Presi- dent Gompers, on behalf of the exe- cutive council of the A. F. of L., in a statement made public here, The only labor candidates thus far seriously mentioned for the old party tickets are George L. Berry for the Democratic vice-presidential job and John L. Lewis for the Republican vice-presidential place. Lewis has not made any move in his own behalf, so far as known, but Berry has gathered hundreds of endorsements thruout the country. the same kind of stuff. It met with short shrift and was tabled by the old guard in control. The hard boiled attitude of the old guard led to the bolt by Roosevelt, His program tho not any more ad- vanced than that of LaFollette, at least, was backed up with all kinds of bluster and positive statements, which if confused, were nevertheless framed in radical language and con- sequently ‘made a wide appeal. Roosevelt conducted a spectacular campaign as the nominee ‘of the Progressive party, rolled up a vote of four millions, while LaFollette remained “regular” within the Re- publican party cheek by jowl with the old guard he so often denounced. ‘The progressive movement went to smash because of its weak and meaningless program. But even that meaningless movement was too “ra- dical” for LaFollette. The hue and cry by the kept press against LaFollette gained its height in 1917. He made a speech before the Nonpartisan League, at St. Paul on Sept. 20, 1917. The Associated Press in reporting the speech quoted him as having said: “We have no grievances” (against Ger- many). This sentence was published in all capitalist paper thruout che country, leading to much indignation on the part of Chambers of Com- merce and other capitalist organiza- tions. Resolutions were passed de- manding the expulsion of LaFollette from the senate. But he was quick to disprove the Associated Press story, his claim being that he said: “We “had serious grievances” (against Germany). The Associated Press retracted their first report and LaFollette was freed from the charge of “disloyalty.” And com- menting upon the A. P. “retraction” LaFollette’s paper said: “The fight Senator LaFollette was making was for a fairer system of taxation to ° support the war. It is fortunate for the public that President Wilson has renewed that fight which has be- come largely submerged thru the efforts of wealth to escape just tax- ation.” This last is the heart of LaFollette’s program, not alone for the conduct of the war but of indus- try and business. LaFollette has always been noted for flamboyant language and ex- travagant claims. At home in Wis- consin in 1918, he wrote an article under the caption of “Democracy at Home,” in which he appeals to the voters on the basis of past political struggles, and says: “We won on every issue. The government of Wisconsin was reconstructed and given back to the people.” To those of us who know Wiscon- sin this is plain unadulterated bunk. Even in “Sociblist” Milwaukee, the writer fared ill trying to unionize the slaves who work for the various Wisconsin bridge companies on the Walter Drew-steel trust-open shop plan for these many long years. Labor unionism comparatively speaking had little strength in La- Follette’s own baliwick, even in the past before recent persecution and today most of the trusts are “oper- ating freely” in Wisconsin. LaFollette’s present program, re- cently issued, is filled with the same old empty criticism of the trusts and their interference with the “free opinion of America’s democratic institutions.” His whole program is an ineffectual wail. For, instance, he recites in detail many grievances of the farmers and suggests not a single constructive measure for these some exploited farmers. In his latest letter he certainly lines up with strange company. He may in the past have been able to survive in the popular eye as a progressive while still remaining a MASS MEETINGS SPEED STRIKE OF FOOD WORKERS : : Injunctions Can’t Stop A : . Organization Drive The report of the strike committee in charge of the strike of the Greek restaurant workers, connected with the Amalgamated Food Workers’ Un- ion of Chicago, was unanimously ac- cepted at the general meeting of the Food Workers Wed- nesday night. The strike committee was Sulpowered t>-go ahead with its strenuous and so far successful cam- paign to get every Greek restaurant in the ‘city organized. The mass meeting, held last night at 722 Blue Island avenue, was packed with Greek restaurant workers as well as many who wanted to learn about the true conditions of the strike. Esther Lowell, of the editorial staff of the DAILY WORKER, was one of the speakers. Miss Lowell told of the help the DAILY WORKER had given in the Pullman and Garment ‘Workers’ strikes. She declared that the issuance of 170 injunctions against the strikers arid other restaurants was just one step in the battle of the organized workers against the civil and national government as it is now administered. She said the courts of the land have been turned into clubs which the bosses use to beat down the workers. Organization Drive Successful. “albert H. Stewart, secretary of the Food Workers, declared, “This is the only strike I know of where injunc- tions have been issued before the men have not yet come out on strike. At least 150 of the injunctions, our law- yers tell us, would be dismissed at once by even a judge prejudiced against the Bosses. We could make the restaurant owners association ap- pear ridiculous in court. At present we are concentrating on the organiza- tion drive. The issuance of the in- junctions, coupled with the sale of the special “Food Workers’ strike edi- tion of the DAILY WORKER,” by DAIL¥ WORKER agents, has put the Greek restaurant bosses on the de- fensive. There is now no way they ‘can stop the complete organization of the Greek restaurant workers into our union.” Stewart told his audience that the national orgatlization of Food Work- ers in New York has promised to aid the Chicago strikers, both financially and morally. ‘ LIBERTIES UNION TELLS STONE TO STOP FEDERAL LABOR SPYING (By Federated Press) NEW YORK, June 1.—Following its demand for a senatorial investiga- tion of the bureau of investigation, Department of Justice, the American Civil Liberties union in a letter to Attorney-General Harlan F. Stone offers to co-operate in reorganizing the bureau. Material reduction in the annual Sppropriation of $2,250,000, asked by the bureau, has also been demanded by the Liberties union. Intimidation, fraud and other unlawful activities in “maintaining a nation- wide. system of espionage on radical and labor organizations and individuals connected with these movements,” are charges against the bureau in a memorandum accompanying the Liberties union offer. The memorandum attention to “one activity of the bureau of investigation—the investi- gation of passports for the state department—which seems to be predicated upon the system df political espionage which the bureau has developed,” adding that this is an “improper function for the bureau and at the state department is competent to make whatever investigationg are necessary.” membership } leader of the Republican party. But his present attempt to shirk the responsibility that goes with a gen- uine popular progressive—of becom- ing the popular leader of the g est and most basic political revolt that America has yet witnessed, is a betrayal even of that mild tho high-sounding progressivism of which he claims to be the champion, LaFollette on the contrary now denounces the very men who have | gone forth not against mere threats, but actual savage persecution by the government that LaFollette in his vascillating wail admits is controlled by the “money power.” In the name of the Federated Farmer-Labor party to which LaFol- lette refers, we throw his false words back in his teeth, We do stand for and propose political ac- tion in this crisis that faces the workers and farmers of America. We are attempting to unite the workers and farmers on the basis of com- mon economic issues. We have succeeded beyond the reach of La- Follette or his Washington ad- mirers. The June 17 convention is not called to form a party based upon the philosophy or political ambi- tions of any single individual. It arises from the economic chaos and migery that oppresses the working and farming masses. {ts program will be a real foundation on which to build a class Farmer-l.abor party that will serve the rank and file rather than the political expediency of some presidential candidate who is more anxious to win tuan help the struggling masses to found an or- ganization that will hasten the day when we shall have in America the only remedy for the increasing misery—a workers’ and farmers’ government. GERMAN RAID ON RUSS INSPIRED BY INDUSTRIALISTS; RELATIONS WARMER BERLIN, Germany, June 1—The sudden change of expression on the face of German officialdom in its dealings with Russia following the turn to the left in the French elections is proof that the energetic raid of the German Police on the quarters of the Russian commercial mission was an act of courtesy to Allied industrialists hoping to restore capitalism in Russia; and that the general coolness of the German government toward the Soviets is meant as a smoke screen for the tremendous growth of Communism in Germany. Encouraged by the Dawes report, tiie Socialist government of German; was willing to take its place beside the labor-baiting anti-Bolshevik gov- ernments of western capitalist na- tions. Since French recognition of Soviet Russia has loomed up as a prob- ability of the near future, there has been a marked difference in the tone of Russian-German negotiations. Within a few months the United States may find Itself alone in its des- tructive, attitude, facing a solid front of important countries friendly to Soviet Russia. American capitalists are holding out for payment by the Russian workers of debts contracted by the czar. Muscle Shoals Won’t Go to Flivver King This Senate Session (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, June. 1.—Persuad- ed that no disposal of Muscle Shoals can be made at this session, the sen- ate Committee on agriculture has vot- ed, 11 to 4, to report favorably the Norris plan for government opera- tion of the huge hydro-electric power at that place. Keyes, Republican, and Smith, Harrison and Heflin, Demo- crats, opposed the Norris bill, while Ralston and Caraway voted “present.” Some of the Republicans who sup- ported the government ownership measure as @ means of beating the which places a premium on reaction, MELLON HELD UPBOOTLEGGERS FOR 6.0.P, DEFICIT MeansExposes Secretary as Big Thief WASHINGTON, June 1—Gaston B. Means, in his “farewell appearance” before the senate Daugherty investi- gating committee, today said Jess Smith gave him documents “showing that Secretary Mellon had gone into an arrangement with Red Sheldon, a New York boptlegger, to give Sheldon liquor permits, for which he was to pay a part of the Republican national committee deficit.” Fj Means said he heard that Fred Upham, treasurer of the Republican national committee, and Senator Bur- sum, New Mexico, were parties to the “deal.” Mellon told Captain Scaife, justice department investigator, Means said, that Bursum was responsible for the arrangement with Sheldon, but Bur- sum later said he had merely sent Sheldon to Mellon with the offer, ac- cording to Means. Means, who is going to New York to stand trial for conspiracy to de- Page Three NEGROES SEE KKK, SHADOW ON REPUBLICANS Don’s Brag About Your Granddads, They Say, (By The Federated Press) NEW YORK, June 1—Relation of |the Negro voters to the Republican |party and Ku Klux Klan control of | both old parties in different states are among the questions which will arise | at the fifteenth annual conference, Na- |tional Association for the Advance- ment of Colored People, Philadelphia, June 26 to July 1. Representative Theodore B. Burton, Republican key- noter at Cleveland, will speak for the party of Daugherty-Denby-Fall, and Senator David I. Walsh of Massachu- setts for the Democrats. Oswald |Garrison Villard, Florence Kelley, Moorfield Storey and John Haynes Holmes are some of the liberal speake ers, Thé association is sending out a lst of don’ts for white campaign orators addressing colored voters, drawn up by the editor of the Wichita Protest: “Don’t put too much stress on the remarkable progress we have made ‘within the past 60 years; we know all about it. We are also further aware jthat, with all our progress, we have jnot yet arrived at the place where we are accorded a man’s chance in Ame» ican life. “Don’t tell us that you know we are all Republicans and are going to vote the straight Republican ticket. There is a chance for you to be mistaken. You might mention how you stand on the question of human rights, net how your grandfather stood.” Standpat Senators Sabotaging Action On Railroad Bill (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, June 1.—Sevem old guard Republicans and Under wood are boycotting the meetings of the Senate interstate commerce com» mittee, thereby preventing the secur ing of a vote on the Howell-Barkley railroad labor bill, which has been re ported by a subcommittee with many amendments. Cummins attends the meetings and opposes the amendment designed to enable the president to prevent a long-drawn-out rail strike. It authorizes the president to name a receiver for the struck road, this re ceiver to be independent of the em- ploy or ownership of the stock of the company. Rail labor spokesmen are doubtful of the effect of the plan, but useful to labor. In case any railroad labor bill should be enacted at this session— which igs now considered unlikely— Coolidge will veto it, in the opinion of Senator Dill. He favors early adjourn ment ‘or that reason. Senator Wheel- er thinks Congress should stay here and fight it out. Business Sharks Avoiding Publicity Thru New Court A dual court system, fostered by the Illinois chamber of commerce, is spreading rapidly thru Illinois bush jness circles, It is called commerotal jarbitration and consists in taking |business disputes out of the hands of the legally constituted courts and set- \tling them by private justice thru an jarbitrator, He has power to issue {subpoenas and file his finding in a court with the legal effect of a court | judgment. “The plan eliminates publicity,” the chamber points out, “which some times is not only undesirable, but is very destructive. It is also cheaper Ford bid for Muscle Shoals are not (fraud the government in liquor deals, |4nd more businesslike and permits public-ownership advocates, but Nor- ris counts on public sentiment, rapid- ly changing toward enthusiasm for publicly owned super-power, to hold them in line next year. Tenants Need Not Pay Rent Increases While Holding Apt. NEW YORK, June 1.—A tenant who remains in an apartment after the expiration of a lease and refuses to pay an unreasonable increase in rent, does not have to pay the in- crease under the emergency rpnt laws according to the decision given in the Court of Appeals. The test case was raised by Mrs. Madeline Stern, against the Equitable Trust Company, executor for the de- ceased tenant Joseph Rosenthal. Ro- senthal refused to vacate Mrs. Stern’s apartment and also to pay the in- creased rent for the eight months that he remained. In the decision the court stated that the primary, but not only purpose of the Emergency Rent Laws was to prevent wholesale evictions of tenants willing to pay reasonable rent, but not exorbitant rates. senegal Jobs or Husbands? YUMA, Ariz.—Married Women will not be employed in the Yuma high school, A committee of women called on the board, voicing the opposition of residents of the city and valley to discrimination against married wom- en and asking that its recent order be rescinded, The board retused. reviewed his whole career with the department of justice, told new tales of petty official corruption, intrigue and graft and laid the blame for fail- ure of prqhibition enforcement on the “big interests.” New Jersey Counties Prepare for State Farm-Labor Assembly NEWARK, N. J. June 1.—The workers in the state of New Jersey have decided to follow the example of the workers of other states and are now preparing for a staté convention for the formation of a state Farmer- Labor party. The second conference of the Fed- erated Farmer-Labor party will be held on June 2nd, at the Labor Ly- coum at 704 S. 14th Street, Newark, N. J. Hudson county will hold its con- ference on June 5th at Stuyvasant Casino, 154 Palisade Avenue, Union Hill, N. J. The Elizabeth county conference will be held at the Polish National Hall, 113 First Street, Elizabeth, N. J, No date has as yet been set for the conference in Passaic county. After these county conferences have been held the state convention of New Jersey will be held on June 14th, at 8 p. m., at the Labor Lyceum, 704 8. 14th Street, Newark, N. J. Credentials have already been sent to all trade unions, fraternal organ- izations, co-operatives and local poli- tical groups thruout the entire state of New Jersey. business to be operated unaffected by the dispute.” Diphtheria Grows. SPRINGFIELD, Ill, June 1—Dip- theria is on the increase in the state, according to the weekly report made by the state department of public health, issued by Dr. I. D. Rawlings, HELP! HELP! A Big Bear is attacking a little stinging Bee! Come to the rescue! A small booklet (the Bee), just 225 pages “ M Communism and © sti: Christianism By Bishop W. M. Brown. is on trial before a court of well-fed Bishops (the Bears) of the Protestant Episcopal Church, at Cleveland, Ohio, for telling the truth; for stinging the germs of truth into the hide of superstition and ignorance, represented by the Bishops, the trial court. Send us $1.00 for 10 of booklet and sell them for the regular price, to others and help the bee repel the attack of bears. Let the world know what bishops are worrying about. INGLE COPY 25 CENTS. Literature Department, WORKERS PARTY OF AMERICA 1118 W. WASHINGTON CHICAGO, ILL, ge " Au prolabor senators believe it will be A