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| ! —— Friday, June 20, 1924 WEST VA, MINERS’ UNION SCUTTLED BY JOHN L, LEWIS Deal with Coal Barons Suspected (Special to The Daily Worker) CHARLESTON, W. Va., June 19.— The charges against Frank Keeney and Fred Mooney, president and sec- retary respectively of district 17, Unit- d Mine Workers of America, in con- ection with the miners’ armed march jin 1921, have been dropped by the state government, which is, of course, equivalent to the mine operators of West Virginia. Similar charges against sub-district president William Blizzard have also been dropped. The indict- ments against hundreds of miners who participated actively in the armed march, it is announced, will be fol- lowed up by the state. Mooney’s Statement. Simultaneously with this report comes a statement from Fred Mooney, district secretary, that John L. Lewis, international president of the United Mine Workers of America, did not gus- pend the autonomy of the district’ but was requested to take it into receiver- ship on receipt of a petition signed by the district officials and the heads of the sub-districts. This has been done, the international having placed one, Percy Tetlow, in charge of the provi- sional organization. These two swift developments in the West Virginia district are regard- ed with suspicion by the rank and file of the organization, especially in view of the strike being carried on in a part of the district and the actions of the ‘West Virginia delegates to the inter- national convention recently held in Indianapolis. At the Indianapolis con- vention, both Blizzard and Mooney were obnoxiously prominent in sup- porting Lewis in the latter's vicious attacks on the progressive delegates, and contributed their dirty bit in cloth- ing the “red” scarecrow for the benefit of the backwoods delegates. Operators Refuse. . A part of the West Virginia istrict is now engaged in a bitter strike, be- gun on April ist, for an agreement with the operators which will bring settlement reached at Jacksonville, Fla. The operators are,politely declin- ‘ing and demand the institution of the 1917 scale of wages. Thousands of other miners are still living in tents and barracks, where they have been driyen since they began their fight for union recognition two years ago. In other parts of the district, where strikes have been won, work is slack, and the miners haye had to contribute hundreds of their hard-earned dollars for the defense of their brother union- ists indicated for participation in the armed march. What's the Deal? The question that the miners are snow asking is: What kind of a deal wag made between Lewis and his -West ‘Virginia supporters, Mooney, eeney and Blizzard, on the one side, ‘and the coal operators, and their kept “government, on the other side, which “has resulted in the turning over of ‘the district to Lewis’ personal em- missary and the sudden dropping of the charges against the three officials? It should be noted that Blizzard, for example, had already been acquitted ‘on charges of murder and treason at ‘two different trials, and was, together with Mooney and Keeney, slated for further prosecution. = These three, after having suc- gumbed to Lewis’ love for personal ‘rule over all districts, are now scot ‘ee by permisison of the coal oper- ators’ government, while hundreds of “ordinary” miners, who rose in wrath to protect with arms, if necessary, their elementary rights, are still under charges and in danger of their lives or their liberty. The questions raised by the miners are waiting for an answer. Send in that Subscription Today. Phone Spaulding 4 _ ASHER B, PORTNOY #2 co. 3 gs 3 and. aati DETROIT, MICH. Mikel Sherman, N. D. Naturopath & Chiropractor When other methods fail try Nature's road to health. Hours: 11 to 4 and 6 to 8 P. M 4863 VAN DYKE AVENUE, betw. Forest and Gratiot A°COOL PLACE ———-—- FOR GOOD EATS Mohawk Restaurant & Lunch Room 836 W. MADISON Dad il (near Green St, where you will get. ara and prompt servite, FRED. SCHWAMB, Prop. JAPANESE CAPITALISTS IMPORT CHEAP CHINESE LABOR, BUT CRY U.S. ACT MAKES LABOR SURPLUS By JACK ARMITAGE. CANTON, April 30.—(By Mail.)—It is increasingly evident that Japanese employers of labor are endeavoring to stir up racial animosity on the immigration question. Anything which might tend to divert the attention of the public from the burning ques- tion of manhood suffrage is particularly welcome. dispute with America, therefore, The quasi- comes as a veritable God-send, especially as the position of The: militarists daily becomes more precarious. A good deal of capital is es made out of the hardship which it is alleged the Japanese worker will suffer from restricted immi- gration. The bulk of the prole- tariat of Nippon are not greatly concerned with the issue, while it is possible that labor leaders might welcome restricted emi- gration to America. Labor Surpius and Its Causes. That there is a surplus of labor in Japan at the present has to be admit- ted, tho this is but the natural out- come of the policy of the last three Japanese Cabinets, For some years prior to the Jap- anese earthquake disaster there was a considerable import of labor into Japan from Korea and, in a lesser de- gree from China. This. policy on the part of Japanese imperialists had a definite atid sinister objective. The influx of Koreans and Chinese was encouraged in spite of the protests of Japanese Labor, and because the Japanese sweaters imagined they had found a supply of cheap labor, which would be an effective weapon against a restive working class. Koreans Learned a Lesson. Since the earthquake many Koreans have repatriated themselves, and they have steadily refused to again leave their own country in spite of the blandishments of Japanese employ- erdom. The outrages on Koreans sub- sequent to the earthquake lost to Jap- anese capitalists some 40,000 laborers. In any criticism which has arisen regarding Korean immigration into Japan, the argument has been ad- vanced that, as Korea was under the “protection” of Japan, the citizens of the former country should have the right of unrestricted: entry into Japan. With the refusal of Koreans to: do and factoty 6wners—who have a very fine alliance—China ‘has been drawn on for a supply of cheap labor. The importation from China has not been confined to unskilled labor. Quite a number of artisans—particularly car- penters—are now being brought from China to Japan. Wholesale importation of labor into Japan, at a time when unemployment is rife, can have but one very obvious intent—the keeping on the bread-line, or rather rice-line of the bulk of Jap- an’s toilers. The Occidental cable prevaricator does not mention this phase of the question when sending “news” to America. The wild threats of Japan- ese imperialists no doubt, are given plenty of prominence, which serves the useful purpose of hoodwinking American workers. Resentful Japanese Press. That section of the Japanese press which panders to the autocracy has been particularly resentful in its com- ment regarding the alleged insult to Japan in the restriction of Japanese immigrants. There has been — and still is—much talk of a boycott of American goods, while some Japanese newspapers have suggested the break- ing off of diplomatic relations. A leaderette in the “Yorodzu” is typical. That newspaper, after voic- ing its impatience at what it asserts is the weak attitude of the Japanese government says: There is every prospect of the anti-Japanese bill being unanimous- ly carried by the American House of Representatives for reasons which are no reasons. In the Sen- ate, too, attempts are being made to slam the door even upon Japanese students. Their consciousness that the Japanese people lack the strength of resistance induces the Americans to carry on their agita- tion with increased vigor. Are the Japanese people going to accept the situation without protest? Why does not the Japanese government file & strong protest? If the Jap- anese people allow things to take their course, their country may be reduced to a state of seclusion such as prevailed before-the restoration. How cah they remain insensitive to this gross persecution? Another article in the same paper is HUNGARIAN RESTAURANT 215 S. Halsted Street WM. hig Tet eh co. MEETING puace FOR THE NEEDLE WORKERS Strictly Home Cooking ‘and Baking ~ eyen more bitter, and Americans are openly accused of the bitterest racial prejudice. The “gross persecution” is rather rich, especially considering the disabilities under which foreign residents labor in Japan. Explanations in Order. While the capitalistic press of Jap- an has been emptying the vials of its wrath upon Americans, certain sec- tions of the United States press has been hardly less bitter in its attacks upon Japan. Fortunately, in neither country has the worker risen to the bait, but the sinister motive underly- ing this deliberate propaganda is quite evident, and the ease with which both sides to the “dispute” have been pla- cated is, to say thé least, most re- markable. Is it possible that another “gentleman’s” understanding has been arrived at? Only time can answer that question; but however indignant the press of Japan may pretend to be on the question of the hardships inflicted upon Japanese workers, the intporta- tion of thousands of underpaid labor- ers into Japan will need to be ex- plained before those protests can be accepted at their face value. All the talk of cause for “grave dis- quiet” may be discounted by the American worker. The Japanese mili- tarists are not now in a position to fight did they so desire, for the Japan- ese worker has indulged in no flag- flapping at the thought of war, even at the behest of a provocative press. “work of Japanese militarists. RUHR MINERS’ STRIKE ENDS IN PARTIAL VICTORY Cneenptats - Sad toe No Compromise By LOUIS P, LOCHNER. Federated Press Staff Correspondent. BERLIN, June 19.—The heroic fight of the coal miners of the Ruhr valley is at an end temporarily. The terms are a compromise to which the lead- ers of the four miners’ federations agreed over the protests of the Com- munists and syndicalists. In both points, hours and wages, they scored partial victories. The operators had tried to force the 8- hour day, underground, and the 10- hour day at the pitheads as a regular thing and for an indefinite period. Seven and One-Half Hours a Day. The workers insisted these hours are only temporary to show Germa- ny’s willingness to live up to her reparations agreements. But the or- iginal award of the department of la- bor, by which this was to continue to April of next year, was unaccept- able and they insisted that the entire extra hours be paid as overtime. The most recent award, which the unions accept, recognizes that a 7- hour day underground and eight hours above ground is to be the standard, and that the extra hours are to con- tinue only until November, 1924, at which time a new agreement is to be made. Get 5 Per Cent More. The unions obtain a general 5 per cent increase in lieu of specific over- time payment. Even the more conservative unions marched shoulder to shoulder with the radical ‘The rank and file were far more | radical than the leadership. ‘There was a willingness to sacrifice that won the respect, even of the opposition. Send in that Subscription Today. Red Men Used by Iron League as Scabs Will Be Deported from U. S. NEW YORK, June 19,—Unable to get enough strikebreakers in this country, the Iron) league, open shop combine which is fighting the iron workers in New York and vicinity, has resorted to Indians from a Canadian reservation near Brantford, Ontario. Three of the Indians have been ar- rested by immigration officers and taken ‘to Ellis. island for deportation, charged with being smuggled across the border. International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Irom Workers officials say the Indians are part of a gang of iron work strike- breakers used in various parts of the country. The union by striking has already won an agreement with most of the large employers granting a wage increase from $10.50 to $12 a THE DAILY WORK POSTAL STRIKE HITS CANADA IF GOVERNMENT REFUSES PAY INCREASE (Special to the Daily Worker.) OTTOWA, Ont., Jume 19.—Officials of the Postal Federation of Canada meet the Dominion cabinet today in a last effort to avert the nation-wide strike of postal workers scheduled for 5 p.m. The government has announced it will not change its position and that if the strike is carried out it will be “at the peril” of the workers. The opposition party in parlia- ment, siding with the workers in their demand for ino ied pay, is- sued a statement today charging the government with a series of mis- takes which threaten a “grave crisis for the industry of all Canada.” MASS MEETING HELD AT BIG ELECTRIC PLANT Thousands of workers employed at the huge Western Electric company Plant at Cicero, Ill, listened’ with eager attention to speakers from the Workers party and the Young Work- ers league, who addressed them yes- terday on the program and activities of the two organizations. The meeting was the first of a se- ties which are to be held regularly in front of the plant to acquaint the workers there with the work of the party and league. Help Yourselves, “The DAILY WORKER, the Work- ers party and the Young Workers league are in this campaign simply because they are workers like your- selves,” declared Max Shachtman, ed- itor of the Young Worker. “And in this campaign to better your condi- tions, to increase your wages, to de- crease your hours, to abolish the frightful speed-up system which leaves a man a wreck in the prime of his life, there is no one going to help you but yourselves. If you wait for some improvement to come out of the sky, or if you expect your bosses to hand iteto-you.on a silver. platter, you're going to wait till doomsday. The only ones that can do anything to better your conditons are your- selves, and the sooner you realize that you, have the strength to do it when you are organized, the sooner you'll be able to start effective improve- ment.” Asked to Join. Barney Mass, recently returned from a tour of the southern Illinois coal fields, where he had great oppor- tunities to come into contact with a well-organized mass of workers, ap- pealed to the men to get into the Workers party and the Young Work- ers league. “The bosses are pretty slick men,” he said. “They are wise enough to try and keep you divided on the is- sues of religion, or age or natfonality. They play up these false divisions in an attempt to prevent you from as- serting your strength. The United Mine Workers of America, one of this country’s strongest unions, is com- posed of over 80 per cent foreign born. You can build your organization and make it just as strong as that of the miners. Thousands of copies of the DAILY WORKER were sold to the men. Copies are being bought regularly on newsstands also. Send in that Subscription Today. Metal Workers Will Picnic in New York This Sun. Rain or No NEW YORK, June 19.—The mon- ster allday picnic and dance, ar- ranged by the joint locals of District No. 1, Amalgamated Metal Workers of America, will be held, rain or shine, next Sunday, June 22, at Astoria Ca- sino (formerly Schuetzen Park), at Broadway and Steinway Ave., Astoria, L. 1 The entertainment committee ex- tends a cordial invitation to all work- ers, especially to all machinists and metal workers, to come with their families and friends and spend a joy- ful day with the organized metal workers of the A. M. W. A. Thoro arrangements have been com- pleted for a great number of all sorts of games, and numerous fine pri will be awarded the lucky winners. There will be baseball, bowling, relay races, tugs-o’-war, etc., for young and old. Rain should not deter our friends from coming, for the picnic can be held under cover in case of rain. So come, rain or shine! This park is easily reached from New York by Queensboro subway, Astoria line, to Broadway, Astoria, also via Astoria ferry at 92nd St. and Wast river, From Brooklyn take B..M. T, subway to Times square and transfer to local to Bridge plaza, Long Island City. Send In that Subscription Today. ER WORKERS GET WORST “GOLDFISH” (Continued from page 1.) government. So when the police get a “red,” they are cruel and brutal with trimmings. As long as the police confine their | “goldfish” tactics to workers and poor devils; the bosses and the politicians don’t worry about it. Hitting heads in quiet times is good training for strike duty. Police “Get Their Bucks.” The workers have heard stories of frame-ups and when arrested have the fear of the police already in them. They would no more think of really making a fuss about being beaten than they would of kicking because someone gives a policeman a drink and a bit of graft every week for per- mission to break the law undisturbed. The fact that the police graft, or as the police in Chicago phrase it, “get their bucks,” develops the idea in their heads that they are above the law. The law is not for the police to enforce or be limited by, but is for the purpose of permitting the po- liceman to make an easy living. A cop who owns a house and car got from the proceeds of breaking the law by taking bribes, cannot be ex- pected to observe the law when he is questioning a suspect. Police Respect Real Crooks. This attitude is well illustrated in the fact that well-known and recog- nized criminals such as bootleggers and beer runners are treated in a very different fashion than are ordinary working stiffs when they are under ar- rest. A working stiff in the clutches of the police is very lucky if he gets off without being beaten up. A boot- legger or beer runner who has paid his share of graft to the police, can pexpect service in return when he is arrested. And he won't be arrested unless the police are compelled to arrest him to avert a scandal. Most crimes are crimes against property. The rich only commit crimes of. passion. Because crimes of passion, murder, assault, etc., are comparatively rare, the rich seldom get arrested. When they are, they are treated better than the poor stiff who stole a few dollars, but not with the consideration that is accorded a regular underworld character who gets along by paying graft to the po- lice. .This is a good example of class consciousness and solidarity. This recalls to fié writer's mind the cases of two young people, a girl who was suspected of being the assist- ant of a “prowler” (burglar) and a boy who shot and killed one police- man and seriously wounded another. Oppressed at Home. The girl had-had a hard time at home. Her step-mother permitted her none of the pleasures that young girls want to have. So the girl, ac- cording to her story, which I heard and believed, tried to avoid trouble at home by assuming harmless dis- guises. She would leave some of her clothes at the homes of friends and even made a couple of home-made wigs to complete her disguise. | The idea was that she wanted to do as she pleased while away from home without the danger of her step- mother's friends running about with stories of having seen her in this TEN THOUSAND THUGS REQUIRED 10 KEEP HORTHY IN EXISTENCE (Special to The Dally Worker) BUDAPEST, June 19.—With one slick stroke of the pen, the black re- actionary regent of Hungary, Ad- miral Horthy, added 2,258 ex-sol- diers to the “Order of Heroe creating them “Knight Heroes,” thus increasing his to the 10,000 wv obliged to take an oath of loyalty to Horthy personally. This bonus was tempt to allay the growing rebel- lion spirit among the workers against the autocratic rule of the re- gent. Send in that Subscription Today. Irate Workmen Oust Fascist Italians in Geneva Conference (Special to The Dally Worker) GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19,— The workmen's group of the Inte national Labor Conference of the League of Nations reaffirmed its de- cision to exclude the Italian workman delegates who are members of the Fascisti. The workmen xcluding the Fascist representatives in protest over the killing of Socialist Deputy Matteoti. Sig. Rossohi of the Italian delega- tion telegraphed to Premier Mussolini to withdraw the entire delegation from the conference unless the Fas- cisti workmen are seated. Mussolini has so much strife on his hands in Rome that he has not yet replied. Send in that Subscription Today. dance hall and that park. Insulted for Hours. Somehow she was found out and the police picked her up. She was accused of helping to “pull prowls,” | or commit burglaries. There was no evidence against her. After being | kept awake for more than 24 hours she was questioned for more than five hours. Altho she was not struck once during that time she was sub- jected to indignities which must have been far worse to hen, The writer and another reporter were present during the entire time she was being questioned. The other reporter took up the questioning after about a half hour. He was more in- terested in getting a story than in establishing her guilt or innocence. His questions were chiefly put to find if she was a virgin or not. The girl wore a long pleated skirt. The reporter, in the presence of the police captain, pulled the girls skirt up to her knees saying he wanted to see if her legs looked innocent. After the questioning the girl was sent to the women’s quarters and held there for a couple of days and then re- leased. Girl Given Bad “Rep.” The police captain got a bit of pub- licity and the reporters got a good story and the girl was compelled to leave home because of the “incident.” The boy who killed the policeman was the son of a bootlegger. The cop was shot during a raid which was be- ing conducted without a search war- rant, and the boy shot when the cop struck his pregnant mother. The lad escaped but was later “turned up” by his lawyer. He was given every consideration by the po- lice while they held him. The raid and the arrest of the boy were both unpleasant jobs to the police. They were compelled to do both but did them without any relish. The boy refised to say a word when questioned about the affair. He was questioned by the police for about five minutes and then sent to a cell and held. During the couple of months he was in jail awaiting trial he was permitted to get food from the outside. Finally when he was tried he. was acquitted. The testimony of the. police in court did not do much damage to the defendant’s case. oe No Chance for ‘Honesty. The moral is that under capitalism, if you're a big crook and keep on the good side of the police you don’t need to observe the law, or if you are ar- rested, you will be treated with con- sideration. Or, don’t be a petty lar- ceny crook, because petty crooks don’t make enough to keep the police sat- isfied. But if you’re a worker, the po- lice won’t bother with you at all un- til they need to “get someone to fasten a “baffling” crime on, and then they may pick you or your fellow worker and try to “goldfish” a “con- fession” out of you. American workers need to lose a lot of their false respect for lawless po- lice and their brutal, entirely extra-le- gal methods. American workers have to learn a lot more about organizing a government for themselves which |man who has been will do away with the capitalists’ thugs, the police. Labor Secretary to Call Conference on Textile Depression (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, June 19,—There are about 120,000 idle workers in the Fall River district as a result of cur- tailed operations in the cotton mills, according to information given out in connection with the conference which Secretary of Labor Davis is expected to call in the next few days. The pur- pose of the conference is to consider Plans for relieving the depressed sit- uation in the textile industry. One of the subjects to be taken up is the question whether tariff changes to keep out the increasing importation of foreign goods would help matters. Reports from Fall River give no signs of improvement. The curtail- ment in that region amounts to about 80 per cent of the mill capacity. There is continued talk of possible wage | reductions but the employers appear hesitant on account of indications that any general cut would meet with stiff resistance on the part of labor. Labor leaders hold that a reduction in WORKERS WRITE APPROVAL UPON GREAT EXPOSE © iElectric Bosias? Thugs Threaten Reporter The DAILY WORKER has been Te- ceiving letters and phone calls com- mending the paper on its exposure of the Western Electric slave-driving system. At the same time, hirélings and hangers on of officials of the com- pany have made threats of violence against the DAILY WORKER report ers, Wednesday evening a man called up the DAILY WORKER editorial rooms and insisted upon being con- nected with Karl Reeve. “Are you the writing all that bunk in the DAILY WORKER about the Western Electric,” this individual asked. “It’s a bunch of lies,” he said. Reeve told the man that he was not afraid to sign his name to the Western Electric stories and asked the speak- er why he was afraid to reveal his identity. Makes Shooting Threat. “You might write me up in the pa- per,” this man answered. “I’m calling from the Western Electric Plant, and I'm an employe of the company, , I think the Western Electric plant is all right.” He then swore violently at the DAILY WORKER reporter. “You better not show your face in sero again, if I'm around,” he said. L shoot you. If I got my hands on you I'd beat you up.” “Something seems to have gotten under your skin, my man,” Reeve said, “You seem to be all excited ‘about something. Why did you take the time and trouble to call us up for if you don’t like our paper,” “I just wanted to talk to the g—d d—m fellow that was writing those lies and tell him what I think of him.” “Oh, I see,” Reeve answered, “You're a loyal: employe—perfectly satisfied with your wages and you think the Western Electric is 0. K. You must be an efficiency expert or a member of the welfare department How long have you been with the company? They ought to reward bes for your loyalty with one of / Titus Bola Mutton aw ere you have worked thirty years for the company.” This man refused to give his name. Reeve invited him to come into the DAILY WORKER office and say a few of the things he said over the phone face to face. The anonymous West- ern Electric booster declined, saying: “If I did come down it would be to set a stick of dynamite under your damn place and blow it to hell.” “Don’t Read Paper,” Say Bosses. Some of the Western Electric work- ers who buy the DAILY WORKER, stuff it under their coats so that the straw bosses won't see the paper that tells the truth. They have been warned that they would be fired if found reading the paper. Do You Know? Why the American Government will spend $330,000,000 for the Army and $110,000,000 for the Navy next year. You don't, eh? Read this pamphlet. Ask the fellow next to you to do the same, Literature agents, book stores, please take notice and send your orders wages is no way out of a depression, An attempt of the Flint mills to re- duce payrolls 25 per cent by ordering each weaver to tend eight instead of six looms resulted in a strike which has been in progress more than two weeks with no prospect of settlement. INE: * Night and Mornin Have Clean, Healthy Eyes, Bernd ba ire, Itch b mea Trri- tated, ison at once. 10 copies to any one address for $1.00, Single copies 15c. Literature Department Workers Party of América Chicago, Ill. 1113 Washington Blvd.