The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 12, 1924, Page 2

Page Two TYPO STRIKERS DEFY HEARST’S SCAB CAMPAIGN Union Resisting Drive} to De-Unionize Coast (Special to The Daily Worker) SEATTLE, Wash., June 11.— War which William Randolph Hearst has declared on the typographical union in the com- posing rooms of his Seattle Post-Intelligencer is seen by union men as the commence- ment of a great open shop drive in the publishing industries of the northwest. Letters are streaming out from the office of the non-union publishers’ association here urg- ing all publishers to follow the P-I example and break with the typographical union and its sister unions in the industry. L. A. Times Their Model, The non-union publishers are hold- ing up the infamous Los Angeles Times—open shop sheet—as an object of emulation for Washington and Ore- gon employers. A . Officers of the typographical’ organ- ization and the stereotypers and mail- ers’ union are taking up the chalienge. They declare that no Los Angeles Times will be permitted in the north- west and point to the open shop or- gan’s many conspiracies against the labor movement, among which is the McNamara case. Another Labor-Hating Times. The labor hating Seattle Times owned by the Blethen family is watch- ing the fight keenly. The Seattle Times has long wished to practice the open shop policy which it has so long preached. The men on an evening paper in Seattle which Hearst desires to take over are also vitally concerned. The printers’ walkout was forced by the company when it broke with the policy of its sister sheets in Seattle and arbitrarily len@thened the working hours from seven to seven and a half, besides taking away union safeguards. Wouldn’t Work With Scabs. Lockout of stereotypers and mailers followed when these union men re- fused to work with the 19 scabs that the Hearst bosses succeeded in get- ting. Pressmen, afraid of their strike, breaking international president Geo. Berry, stayed, on the job. Among-.the grievances listed by Typographical Union, Local No. 202, are the following: Lengthened Working Hours. 1. Lengthening the seven-hour day, in effect here for years, to seven and a half hours. 2. Modification of the seniority rule for employing “extra” men. 3. Hiring and firing to be conduct- ed solely by the foreman, taking away all safeguards gained by dec- ades of effort by the union to pro- tect its members. 4, Extension of the 1923 scale of wages. 5. Allowing the printing of sec- tions of Seattle papers in other cities. The last named grievance relates to the publishing of the American Week- ly section of the Sunday Post-Intel- Iigencer in San Francisco. There has been no strike on the Post-Intelligencer since 1902. The old Management learned a lesson in a two-hour fight then. Tied Up in General Strike. Early in 1919 the plant was tied up during the great Seattle general strike. Tho the typographical union did not strike, publication was stopped for the duration of the general strike by the walkout of the stereotypers. Late in 1919 the old pre-Hearst man- agement averted a strike by spectac- ularly yielding to the local typograph- ical chapel in an incident that made history in the printing trades. It was at the time of the great open shop drive in the shipyards and other industries and the first big jailings un- der the syndicalism law. Organized la bor was protesting. The printers'them- selves were aroused. One day the “P-I” workers got orders to set a big advertisement, signed by the Associat- ed Industries, and assailing the labor movement. Printed Attack On Boss. But not only did the union printers refuse to set the open shop advertise- ment but they drew up a militant dec- Jaration which they compelled the management to publish in its place. This display union declaration de- nounced the open shop ideas of the ted Industries and the “P-I" striking terms, declaring that they —the union printers—were tired of braiding the rope to hang themselves with, And they will not let their new boss Hearst hang them now. Fighting Barbarian Customs. BUCHARA, June 11.—The C. E, C. of Buchara, is fighting the old bar- barian customs that still exist in some localities. It was- decided to add a new paragraph to the criminal laws punishing with ten years in jail J in the small towns and villages of enforced marriage. To pay “kalym” to parents of a bride, and to marry ‘women under age, are also prohibited. THE POOR FISH THROWS HAT IN RING FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENCY By THE POOR FISH. (Special to The Daily Worker) ONVENTION HALL, Cleveland, June 11.—I arrived rather late and as all the seats were taken In the section assigned to reporters, 1 did not know how to get on the inside until somebody suggested that I declare myself a candidate ‘for vice-president. Since then | have been the object of much at- tention, particularly from the fe- male portion of the convention, which is rather numerous if not otherwise easy to look at. Not having done anybody in par- ticular any harm, it is assumed there will be no opposition to my candidacy from the delegates. In fact, they are all laughing at me, for being such an easy mark. But | had to do something to get the news for the DAILY WORKER. Bob Minor tells me that It is pos- sible Coolidge might not stand for me as he has already a big fish scandal on his hands. He said something about Alaska salmon and Hoover giving this country’s fish away, but | thought it was just one of Bob’s fish stories and didn’t pay any attention to it. Several delegates who knew | was in the race were importuning me for a drink when Andy Mellon suddenly arose and walked toward the platform. The whole conven- tion immediately arose as if by magic and simulta y clapped and made a move toward the secre- thought they were going to nomi- nate him for the vice-presidency against his will, he having such a plous face, but Bob Minor whis- pered to me that Andy owns sev- eral distilleries. When they found he had nothing on the hip the crowd turned around disappointed like and came in my direction. |! escaped by hiding be- hind a fellow that fooks like Fatty Arbuckle. He had several badges and is strong for Coolidge. Tee convention reminds every- body of a funeral. There is much smoking and drinking. If they were not looking for a vice-presi- dent the delegates might be ar- rested on vagrancy charges. Bar- num used to claim he had the big- gest one-man show on earth, but it had nothing on this. “Keep Cool and Keep Coolidge,” is the slogan around here. Most of the delegates have no difficulty in keeping cool. There are a few fel- lows like Senator Lodge who ap- pear rather inwardly excited when- ever his name is mentioned. To hide his feelings Lodge applauds. Sometimes he bits his cane. Rather reckless for a New Englander. A deputation from Coolidge’s home town is here with a consign- ment of canes. They are named after the president and are very narrow. Nobody wants to take them, fearing there might be an Ethiopian in the wood. It’s funny how nobody wants to take the vice-presidency. All the logical candidates say “Cal” is too damn healthy. If he took a drink now and then there might be a chance. | wonder what will | have to do in case | am elected! it looks bad for “Cal” and myself if we are nominated. Neither one of us could be c id spellbinde: A prohibition agent just asked me for a drink. He must have known | was running. “You've got to see Andy Mellon,” | told him. “But that scoundrel, Means, may be snooping around,” he said. “Gee, | have an awful headache. Myself and Wayne Wheeler were on a ter- rible tear last night. The stuff was awful.” He staggered away. ‘ Harry Daugherty had some crabs for supper last night and is laid up today. Some say he had political crabs, but whatever they were he is pretty sick. * convention seems to have tary of the treasury. Some people PULLMAN GOLD the*sleeping sickness. REJECTS V. P. (Continued from page 1.) one point they think they are supposed to have an opinion on —who shall be nominated for vice-president? But Lowden’s sulking may have more .to it than the motive of re- venge. It may be that the powers be- hind the convention have refused to ensure Lowden the nomination, and that Lowden refuses to be somebody else’s stalking horse. As for knowledge of what is going on behind the doors of William M./} Butler and C. Bascomb Slemp in the Hotel Cleveland, the delegates are as ignorant as they would be if back in their home towns. This may be one reason why hun- dreds of delegates, and perhaps thou- sands of visitors are getting up-and yawning and leaving the hall in the midst of the priceless oratory. “The biggest frost that ever hap- pened by way of a political conven- tion,” is the common verdict. Old newspapermen sit in groups with puzzled faces. “It is the first time in the history of the Republican party,” said one hard-boiled reporter who has attended every Republican convention in twenty years, in an awed voice. Everybody knew what he meant. “My God! Is the Republican party dying?” asked another. While the convention is in session, groups of four to six men with badges get up and stroll out of the hall. These “rovers” are found later THE DAILY WORKER COOLIDGE VETO ANGERS CHICAGO POSTAL WORKERS Expect Many Votes for Farmer-Labor Party Coolidge’s veto of the bill for higher postal wages reused keen protest at a meeting of the Chicago Post Office Clerks’ union. Conversation of union members after the session indicated that many votes will”be cast for a Farmer-Labor party that will give at- tention to their interests. Mrs. Mary V. Halas, president of the National Women’s Auxiliary of the National Federation of Post Office Clerks, scored the president’s ruth- less action, “Tt is necessary for families to go without necessities,” said Mrs. Halas, telling of the poverty of the govern- ment employes. “Children have to be taken from school and are often de- prived of medical attention.” Sol Cogen, president of the Chicago local, also attacked the injustice of the veto. Warm resolutions were passed by the assembled workers protesting against the veto. Copies will be sent to the American Federation of Post Office Clerks to be brot before con- |gress for the purpose of forcing the |measure thru, over a veto, at the next session of congress. in the day and night, knocking about in the hotel hallways, blundering into the wrong rooms on unsteady legs, their breaths heavy with whisky. One of the first-class hotels was the scene of a row early Tuesday, when six men in a drunken stupor tried to break into a room they mistook for their own. But “Mark Hanna” Butler is sitting tight. Never béfore have the secrets of an inner ring been kept more water- tight, nor the dictatorship of an inner ring been more complete. The discrediting of Senator Lodge, who is so thoroly excluded from ev- erything that people are exchanging the gag: “Is Lodge in town?” “Well, he just barely is—he’s in the suburbs,” is taken to mean that “Business is getting rid of the political middle- man,” and is running its own affairs without paying toll to the peculfari- ties of smali political careerists. In this light it does not look as tho But- ler and Slemp will take on Kenyon or any “radical” with even more in- dividual peculiarities, as vice-presi- dential candidate. Another current interpretation of the side-tracking of Lodge is that means a historic conflict) between the executive and the legislative branches of government which will bring the “end of the great senator period” and the concentration of power in the hands of the executive. Certainly, as far as the Republican party is concerned, we have seen the end of the great-convention period. Many Seats Empty. Thousands of empty seats in the convention hall remain unoccupied, but no one is admitted without a ticket. The streets are roped off and the unfavored public kept at a dis- tance across the street from the en- trance. A group of unemployed men, several hundreds in number, in rather desperate-looking condition, leans on these ropes all day long, occasionally uttering sarcastic remarks and jeers im a half-suppressed tone when the well-dressed celebrities pass. There is much solace eR, adi comment and com- WESTERN ELECTRIC EXPOSED (Continued from from page 1.) me not to repeat it to any of the men, that the efficiency department and the cost reduction department are still on the job. “Every June we have a cost reduction period, and every Septem- ber we have a readjustment periods Stock said. Stock then proceeded to reveal some of the secrets of how the West- ern Electric managment keeps the employes in absolute submission by keeping its “efficiency experts” busy firing men, reducing wages and speed- ing up the help. “The cost reduction period is still going on,” Stock said, “altho the employes don’t know it, and you mustn't let it out. Those two men over there are efficiency men working in this department (the detailed in- spection department). Speeds Women, Saves $60,000. “The section I am in charge of was considered as perfect as any depart- ment in the Western Electric plant. Production was considered about as high as it could be pushed, and cost of production was considered proportion- ately low. But I was put in charge of this section five weeks ago. “In just five weeks I have saved the company sixty thousand dollars in this department.” I asked Stock how he manged to comptete such a work of genius, try- ing to look as admiring and as an- gelic as possible. We were sitting at a desk, which overlooked the room at which 126 girls and women were inspecting “jacks.” As we talked these women, with a monotonous, me- chanical swishing noise, which hummed thru the room, were swiftly picking up the tiny “jacks,” turning them over for inspection, and deposit- ing them in pans at their right. Stock had explained to me that this work was “mainly visual.” I noticed that many of the women wore glasses with thick lenses. Tells How He Did It. “When I was made head of this sec- tion five weeks ago there were 125 people here. Now there are 75;” Stock said emphatically. “That saved the company thirty thousand dollars.” “T have instituted quicker methods of work for the employes,” he an- swered, and then launched into a lec- ture on psychology. “You have prob- ably studied some economi¢s and psy- chology in college, and you know how these things work. I would edvise you to make your main job the inno- vation of new methods. Don't be afraid to make the girls work a new way. Even if they are old employes and have worked at the'’same job for ten years they have probably fallen into a rut. You must get the girls under you out of the rut, Keep them working faster by eliminating motions and giving them shorter methods of} work,” Speeder Is “Nice Boy.” Stock was the type that a flapper would probably term a “nice boy.” He wore a bow tie, had a firm hand clasp, and wore a perpetual set smile. His blond haly was slicked back in a pompadour over the top of his head, I was probably the first man who had been turned over to Stock to be imbued with the Western Electric loy- alty bunk. He was obviously a little nervous as he talked, Stock overdid it a little, becoming too frank, He ‘as too much of a human being and too little of the stern executive. He did not take advantage of his supe- rior position to “put me in my if I had the feeling that if our pos! were reversed I could do a better job myself. Stock came to a stop and did not seem to know what else to say, so I asked him how it happened that I was hired if he had already laid off 50 men. Breaking in a Speeder. “We are trying something abso- lutely new with you,” Stock answered “I don't know whether or not I'm sup- posed to tell you, but this has never been tried before in the inspection department, You are to hang around with me in this department for two weeks. I will show you over the plant, and you can go around and talk to the different bosses. “In two weeks I can teach you a lot about the processes of the inspection department, and then you can go up- stairs to the coil inspection depart- ment. The coil inspection is the most important in the department, and you will have about a hundred girls under you. The “Wage Incentive.” “None of these girls work piece work now,” Stock declared. “Every- thing in the inspection department is on a day-work basis. But it will have to come to the piece work system. If not exactly the piece work system, then at least, it will have to be on the piece work sy#em. The WAGE IN- CENTIVE is one of the strongest forces governing society. It will get to a point where the only way to fur- ther increase production is to give bonuses for greater production.” Four Girls to One Man, Four girls and women work in the Western Electric plant to every one man. In the next article I will tell about the wages received by these girls, their hours, and will give some of the remarks made by the bosses about the girls under them, SS rr emer omnes ee he TEACHERS ATTACK TAX DODGERS (Continued from page 1.) same issue, when she brought over $600,000 a year into the treasury of the board of educa- tion by insisting upon fair tax collection. Teachers Can Hear About It. The board of education is at last ex- plaining to the city teachers what it proposes to do with the schools in putting the junior high system into operation here. ‘After months of in- quiry as to what the board’s purposes were, the teachers are being given an opportunity to hear what has been de- cided. Altho they may ask questions for further information, no change in the board’s plans can now be effected. Dr. Lyman spoke at the Herzl school, Douglas Park Blvd. and Lawn- dale Ave., yesterday, and will speak at ten more schooJs in different parts of ghe city. The series of lectures will be printed and distributed to the teachers, the board says, to “form a basis for the selection of the studies in the new schools.” The teachers in the federation are not taken in by this phrase, however, and expect the board and Superintendent McAndrew to be just as dictatorial in the establish- ment of curricula as they have Deen in adopting the junior high system itself. Class Distinctions Strengthened. The teachers have been skeptical of the junior high plan chiefly because of the board's secretiveness in put- ting it over. Now the repeated an- swer that the board’s speaker gives is that the mistakes of other cities which have taken up the junior high plan will not be repeated. The chief objections offered by or- ganized labor and also by teachers’ councils to the junior high plan are that it tends to make class distinctions (capitalist vs. working class) between children more marked, forces children into trades at too early an age, and serves as an easy route for industrial lords to recruit cheap and trained labor. Workers’ Schools Chosen. The fact that the board of educa- tion has chosen the schools in which it will first start junior highs in the poorer districts, where the population is largely working class, only empha- sizes the charges against the plan, according to the Teachers’ federation. One of the schools chosen is the For- estville, in the heart of the South Side Negro section, and another is in the Polish neighborhood. Not one of the schools chosen for the junior highs is in the “better class” districts where children of wealthier parents attend. In other cities where the ju- nior high system is in force the cur- ricula has been very largely voca- tional and industrial. To Expose Local Graft. The tax fight plans of the Teachers’ federation are not completed yet. The organization is collecting funds to wage the war to a successful con- clusion. The federation has sufficient evidence, however, to make its de- mands effective as soon as it can properly present the facts. Practice of city offitials who use their office to secure their own en- richment probably will be exposed. For instance, if one of the higher tax officials is also a director of an insur- ance company, one of the teachers said, he can say to some supposedly big taxpayer: “Insure with me and we'll fix things up all right for you in the office,” and the taxpayer is let off with a ridiculous assessment. Mil- lions of dollars of taxes are never paid, according to the teacher, and so the board of education can always plead short funds when the teachers ask for a raise or for new buildings. plaint about this among convention attaches. Delegates uneasily comment that there is only one day more to do busi- ness, for it is a general and deep con- viction that some catastrophe would attend the candidacy of anyone nomi- nated on Friday the 13th. These best citizens are nothing if not fundamen- talists. “Why doesn’t somebody put some pep into this thing?” asked one. “Be- cause everybody with any pep in him has quit. the Republican party,” an- swered an old political shark. “The pep is out west. It didn’t come.” “Does LaFollette expect to reform this bunch?” exclaims a man. “What did his delegation come here for?” No answer, Kenyon is Heard From. Now and then the name of Kenyon is muttered by delegates, who com- ment on the happy rythum of the words: “Coolidge and Kenyon.” There is, or was, a theory that the Mr. But- ler, the new “Mark Hanna” of the Republican party, would put Kenyon on the ticket “to catch some of the ‘Wild West’ vote.” But each day’s developments make this seem more and more like a dream. After the gauntlet was thrown down by Burton in the keynote speech of yesterday, it is the accepted opinion that the policy of the convention will be “no concessions to the radicals.” Under the influence of Burton’s baiting of the insurgents in yesterday's session the mimics among the federal office- holders, who make probably the bulk of the visitors’ gallery, several times raised the cry, ‘Throw out the radicals!” This note was developed almost into hysteria dur- ing the committee sessions yester- day afternoon, when the LaFolletteites were hissed and jeered in wildest tumult when they presented their trust-busting platform. Actually the word “Bolshevik” is be- coming current in the hall, being ap- plied to the “radical” bloc of meek reformers in congress. It is freely pre- dicted that a furor against “Bolshe- vism’—in the Republican party!— may be raised as an‘ answer to La- Follette’s platform proposals, and the convention swept off its gouty feet for the first time. Negroes Look Forlorn. A forlorn group of Negro delegates here, apparently touched with the “new spirit’—or at least the faint re- flection of that spirit—which cropped up among returned Negro ex-soldiers after the war, is playing with the idea that the Republican convention might pass a platform proposal with teeth in it which, translated into law, might enable effective action against lynching. This proposal is privately sneéred at by the high powers as be- ing merely one of the many “nut” resolution measures with which sen- sible men are always bothered at conventions. However, it may not be flatly turned down, but may only have the teeth drawn and be pasted as a harmless gesture. The Ku Klux Klan has fixed up regular headquarters in a house on Euclid Avenue, where the Imperial Wizard, Hiram W. Evans, with Walter Bossert, Grand Dragon of Indiana, and Bilton Blrood, a minor function: ary, are conducting a vigorous and ap- parently successful campaign against the antiKlan platform-plank which the New York delegation has brough‘ in, This town, in sore need of joker to kill the tedium of a sick conven tion,, indulges in the remark that a‘ the next Klan “konklave” all the mise ing bed-sheets of the Hotel Statle will show up. MACHINISTS OF DISTRICT 73 FOR ST, PAUL MEET Resolution Endorses June 17 Convention By ANDREW OVERGAARD. (Special to The Daily Worker) MILWAUKEE, June 11.—The dele- gates to District No. 73 convention today endorsed the June 17th conven- tion by adopting a resolution intro- duced by. Delegate Theodore. Reise, from Local 38 of Mitchell, S. Dakota. The resolution was adopted unani- mously after the committee brought in a favorable report and the dele- gate from S. Dakota had pointed out the need of labor organizing its own party and showed how the north- western states has taught the rank and file of the railroad workers a lesson. They have found out that the old. parties will serve as strike-break- ing instruments when in power. The convention was addressed by William Hannon, member of the Gen- eral Executive Board, who stressed the need of again organizing the mén on the railroads and urged the dele- gates to see to it that each local send delegates to the machinists’ conven- tion in Detroit on September 15th. Considerable time was taken up with discussion of seniority rights, which seemed to be like a Chinese puzzle and caused a lot of confusion. The convention, recognizing the need of a better organization for all unions in the Railway Employes’ De- partment, voted for a special tax of 10¢ per member in order to help take care of organizing the weaker crafts. The machinists on this road are prac- tically 100 per cent organized and thus recognized in practice the slogan, “an injury to one is an injury to all.” The convention will probably last all week, The resolution on the Labor Party stated: “Be is resolved that we, the delegates of District No. 73, hereby pledge our allegiance to the Farmer- Labor party and send greetings to the convention to be held in St. Paul, June 17th, assuring it of our support.” The DAILY WORKER sent an inspectors. duction at the lowest possible cost. superior had to say about th to keep the workers subdue . arsday, June 12, 1924 PRESIDENT OF FRANCE FORCED FROM OFFICE Hands In Resignation to Cabinet PARIS, June 11.—Alexander Millerand, who became presi- dent of the Republic of France September 1920, handed his re- signation to a meeting of cabi- net ministers today—beaten by votes of deputies of the left who won over Millerand’s supporters in the recent national pe tions. Millerand’s passing marks the climax of One of the stormiest periods in modern French polit- ical history. His downfall was due to opposition to his own efforts to make the presi- dency the active leadership of the country. Millerand formed the bloc national, which kept M. Poincare in power. The radicals defeated the bloc national at the polls and de- manded Millerand’s head. Millerand will publish “an explana- tory message to the nation” this aft- ernoon. Resignation of the president fol- lowed the action of the senate and We Investigate the Western tric plant, to determine by working as an employe of the company ex- actly what the conditions are in this non-union shop. The DAILY WORKER reporter was given a job as a “straw boss,” — to work in the process inspection department in charge of 100 girl For two weeks he was to go over the plant, talk to the dif- ferent bosses, and jearn the various Some of the bosses revealed to the DAILY WORKER reporter se- crets which the men will find it enlightening to know. Electric company gives consideration to only one thing—increased pro- The DAILY WORKER reporter in this issue, in the first of a series of articles on the results of his investigations, tells what his immediate employes. He will tell in later articles the difference drawn between the “aristocracy of labor," the tools and straw bosses used by the company | ind the robot workers, who are here given” an insight into how they are being duped. He will explain the complicated job of selling his labor power to the Western Electric company, and throw light on the promotion, efficiency, speed-up, lay-off, wage-reducing methods by which Western Hlectrie , is managed, | chamber yesterday. The chamber was in an uproar when Renaud Jean, Communist dep- uty, outlining the Communist attitude toward Millerand, said: “Of all the renegades and traitors, the one you are going to execute (meaning the action to force Miller- and to resign) is the most miserable.” He added that the Communists would “associate themselves with the execution,” because Millerand fought against Soviet Russia by aiding Po- land. Deputies of the right slammed their desk covers and tried to drown out Jean’s words. Finally he was forced to halt, and Deputy Fabry tried to re- ply, his words being drowned out by Communists singing “The Interna- tional.” LONDON POWER HOUSE WORKERS TIE UP SUBWAYS Labor Fakers Scabbing as Usual LONDON, June 11.— Several hun- dred employes of the subway returned to work, tho the power house work- ers are still out. The subway lines are almost completely disorganized for lack of power. The strike has played havoc with the Rritich Empire Exposition at Wembly, which is a white elephant on the hands of its members. The strikers are declared outlaws by the reactionary trade union lead- ers. But the masses are gradually deserting the fake leaders and ignor- ing their threats of excommunication. The National Union of Railwaymen of which J. H. Thomas was président is fighting the strike. he Ministry of Labor looks on the strike as illegal and refuses to bring any pressure to bear on the companies. It, however, rescinded its earlier decision to run the railways for the companies. This, it feared, would mean the beginning of the end for the so-called labor gov- ernment. The electrical workers’ union and the vehicle builders have officially rec- ognized the strike. The capitalist pa- pers continue to brand the strike com- mittee as Communist inspired, but this kind of talk hurts the Commun- ist Party least, as the workers are realizing the Communists are the only political element that is seriously in earnest ih conducting the fight for better conditions, more wages and eventual freedom from capitalist ex- ploitation. lectric investigator Into the Western Elec: il and general inspection jobs. The Western