The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 7, 1924, Page 1

L 3 THE DAILY WORKER RAISES THE STANDARD FOR A WORKERS AND FARMERS’ GOVERNMENT Vol. Il. No. 93. SUBSCRIPTION RATES THE DAILY WORKER. Entered as Second-class matter September 21, 1923, at the Post Office at Chicago, Illinois under the Act of March 3, 1879. MONDAY, JULY 7, 1924 In Chicago, by mail, $8.00 per year. Outside Chicago, by mail, $6.00 per year. eB» *” Published Dauy excepc Sunuay by PUBLISHING CO., 1113 W. Washington Blvd., PHis DAILY \ Workers! Farmers! Demand: The Labor Party Amalgamation Organization of Unorganized The Land for the Users The Industries for the Workers Protection of the Foreign-Born Recognition of Soviet Russia WORKER . Chicaga, ml. Price 3 Cents CLEVELAND BACKS OLD PARTIES LaF ollette Sidetracks Break with | Railroad Chiefs Dictators at Cleveland | | By Cc. E. RUTHENBERG (Staff Writer, Daily Worker.) CLEVELAND, July 6.—The great gathering of progressives who were expected to meet at Cleveland did not materialize. The report of the credentials committee showed 631 delegates present. Later additions raised this to about 650. As in the case of previous con- ventions of the Conference for Progressive Political Action, the railroad unions furnished the great- est number of delegates and domi- nated the situation. Out of the to- tal of 631 first reported there were 262 delegates from railroad unions and 67 from tocal and_ state branches of the C. P. P. A., which is but another way of writing railroad unions, gi\ing this group a total of 339 delegates. The firemen led in the number of delegates, having 7 in the conven- tion. The engineers had 28 and the machinists came next with 27. Other groups were: Boilermakers, 7; blacksmiths, 19; carmen, 11; clerks, 27; conductors, 13; dispatch- ers, 11; electricians, 7; firemen and oilers, 3; maintenance of way, 22; sheet metal workers, 3; signalmen, 3; switchmen, 3; telegraphers, 3, and trainmen, 3. There weré 17 other international and national labor organizations represented, including the painters, papermakers, pocketbook makers, pressmen, seamen, journeymen tai- lors, commercial telegraphers, up- holsterers, Amalgamated Clothing Workers, International Ladies’ Gar- ment Workers, fur workers, jewelry workers, lathers, meat cutters and metal polishers. Only one miner sat in the convention, being a repre. sentative of District No. 2. Eight state federations of labor sent delegates and 46 central bodies and 19 co-operative groups. “Committee of 48” and Socialists. “The Committee of 48” came in strong with 38 delegates from that practically non-existent ‘organiza- tion. There were only 17 delegats calling themselves Farmer-Labor, mostly from the defunct Fitzpatrick party and the non-existent New York State Farmer-Labor party. The Socialist party had 31 dele- gates, sending delegates from 19 state organizations, which it would probably be very hard to find. Besides these there were 17 mis- cellaneous freak political groups represented. The American Labor party had two delegates. Most surprising of all, there came to the convention three delegates representing the national organiza- tion of the Socialist-Labor party, and they sat thru the convention and accepted LaFollette and his program without a word of protest, in spite of their many loud protes- tations of revolutionary virtue. From LaFollette to the Socialist- Labor party is the line-up, with only one party to the left not included— the Workers (Communist) party, leaving the way clear to it to raise the slogan of revolutionary work- ing class action against LaFollette- ism. International Harvester Co. Double Robber RUSSIAN FAMINE STORIES UNTRUE, SAY SOVIET LEADERS IN MOSCOW By W. H. CHAMBERLIN, (Special to The Daily Worker) MOSCOW, July 6.—Reports of widespread starvation in Russia, appearing in American and other foreign press organs, are unwarranted, according to both President Rykov, Lenin’s successor, and Smirnov, commissar for agri- U. $. FARMERS AND WORKERS IN HARVESTER GRIP Morgan-Gary Among Monopoly’s Lords ARTICLE 1. The International Harvester company, one of America’s big- gest trusts, and linked to the other trusts which dominate the country’s industries and finances, has a deathlike grip on the farmers of the world. While it pays the lowest wages to its thirty-five thousand employes, the International Harvester company, controlling the entire agricultural machinery output, has boosted the price on all farm implemerts. The Harvester trust was formed in 1902, with the co- operation of Elbert H. Gary, head of the steel trust and of J. P. Morgan, in control of the na- tion’s capital. Morgan’s part- ner George Perkins, combined the McCormick Harvester com- pany, the Deering Harvester Works, the Plano Manufactur- ing company, and the Warder, Bushnell and Glessner farm machinery company.- Morgan bought the Mliwaukee Harvester company for three million dol- lars and added it to the trust. Fired Workers, Boosted Prices. Testimony before congressional committees which have continually been “investigating the unfair prac- tices of the trust since its existence,” show that “notwithstanding the de- creased cost of production, estimated at 30 per cent on each machine, the decreased cost of selling machines and the laying off of 12,000 men, the International Harvester company have advanced prices on all classes of agricultural machinery 25 per cent during the first ten years of its ex- istence.” “This Combine Control Freight Rates on Land and Sea,” the Testimony Continues “There is not one independent harvester concern in the country in a| Bi position to compete with this gigant- je monopoly. The so-called Independ- ent Harvester company, in which farmers invested money, was part and parcel of the International Harvester company.” “Thru contracts with manufactur- (Continued on page 3.) culture, Smirnov attributes blame for the partial or complete crop failures in the lower Volga and North Caucasian regions to insufficient snow fall, followed by a period of intense spring heat, and Is to withstand the drought. also to the inability of imported Amer- These seeds, shipped from America to soon after the disastrous famine of 1921, are now jarded as wholly unsuitable to cultivation in arid districts. A vital part of the Russian govern- ments’ relief program envisages the introduction of drought-proof seeds. The government iso intends immediately to transport grain to the affected areas, thus safeguarding the peasants supply of cattle and providing seeds for next year’s planting. The Moscow authorities further contemplate the construction of reservoirs, artesian wells and other water-conserving agencies as effective drought-fighting measures, BAKU WORKERS STAGE SINCLAIR PLAY WITH SILK-HATTED “DICK” PASADENA, Calif., Julf¥ 6—Upton Sinclair has received from Albert Rhys Williams, author of “Through the Russian Revolution,” who is trav- eling in ‘the Caucasus, a letter stat- ing: “Last night I saw a dramatization of your novel, ‘100 per cent,’ put on the stage at Tiflis by the Baku Work- ers Theatrical Company, touring the Caucasus. You would die laughing; your labor spy, Peter Gudge, stalk- ing about the stage in a silk hat and talking Russian, while the crowd of two thousand roared applause.” Workers Shout for ‘Fall of Fasajsti,--- Ousting of N Mussolini Nearly a thousand workers of Chi- cago, the majority of them Italians, joined in a great international protest meeting Thursday night, in the West Side Auditorium to voice their indig- nation at the blood-and-iron rule of fascism and Mussolini. in Italy and to condemn the last desperate act, the murder of Giacomo Matteotti, Socialist deputy. Antonio Presi, editor of “Il Lavor- atore,” Italian Communist daily news- paper, presided at the meeting. J. Louis Engdahl, editor of the DAILY WORKER, Max Salzman, of the Young Workérs League, Mat. Goreta, of the Jugo-Slav federation, Alvaro illo and Enea Sormenti of the Italian federatjon were the chief speakers. The audience applauded and cheered enthusiastically the cries of “Down with Fascism!” “Down with Mussolini!” and “Long Live Mat- teottt!” were shouted and when the graft And violence of Fascist offipials was exposed again. 700,000 BRITISH BUILDING TRADES - WORKERS GIVE MACDONALD A STRIKE jecial to fae s LONDON, England, July 6-0 Dail; yriter) * 700,800. build ing trades workers were called out on strike yesterday Sishus ise their employers refused to grant the Increase in wages which the building trades unions had demanded. This Is another “black pearl” in the necklace of strikes which the workers of Great Britain are making, perhaps as a noose, around the neck of the “Labor” ier, Ramsay MacDonald and his socialistic “protect-the-bosses” govern- BOB'S MIDDLE CLASS FRIENDS SIGH FOR "76 Hope to Turn the Clock Back to 18th Century By C. E. RUTHENBERG. Staff Writer, DAILY WORKER. CLEVELAND, July 6.—Gen- eral Coxey, of Coxey’s army fame, is quoted as having said of'the Conference for Progress- ive Political convention, after being refused a seat as a dele- gate, “This is not a labor con- vention; it is a banker's conven- tion.” Tt .was not, quite that, but neither was id a labor conven- tion. There were plenty of labor leaders—the “fat boys” as “Bill” Dunne calls them—and even some of the rank and file, among the six hundred delegates, but they didn’t talk in the language of the working class, nor was there any militant spirit of ex- ploited workers and farmers in this convention. : Back, Way Back to '76, \ One hears* many finely rounded phrases; there was niuch reading of the Declaration \of Independence—the galleries confused things a little by applauding stormily the sentence about altering or abolishing the gov- ernment—of the constitution, and the speeches of Abraham Lincoln. There were emblems with the motto “'76" and a broom attached. There was great talk of restoring democracy and returning’to the government of the “fathers. The convention seemed to be look- ing backward for guidance and rest- ing its hopes on restoring something which it thinks has been. In this there is the key to what the conven- tion stood for.’ It represented those groups in society which always look backward. Not militant, fighting work- ers who wrestle with and try to solve the problems of modern capitalist so- ciety, but liberals, professional men, (Continued on page 3) pre, BUNTE TOILERS MEET TONIGHT; URGE REMEDIES Candy Factory Workers Seeking Relief By BARNEY MASS. A mass meeting of all Bunte Candy Factory workers, Monday evening, July 7, (tonight) will wind up the campaign of the Young Workers League at the Bunte Candy factory. The meet- ing will be held at the Workers Lyceum, 2733 Hirsch Boulevard, at 8 p.m. Barney Mass, Max Salzman and others will put the position of the Young Workers League before the young work- ers of Buntes. There has been a big demand for “The Young Worker” during the whole week despite the fact (Continued on page 3.) SIGMAN SENDS POLICE AGAINST ANGRY WORKERS Betrayed ‘iattbors Stormed Union Office (Special to the DAILY WORKER) NEW YORK, July 6.—More than a thousand cloakmakers invaded the of- fices of the International Ladies’ Gar- ment Workers Union at 3 West 16th street here, in a spontaneous demon- stration of protest against the accept- ance of Governor Al Smith’s Commis- sion report. The union officials had indicated that they would give in to the award; which is a rejection of every vital de- mand made by the cloakmakers. By an overwhelming vote, the workers had decided to strike early in June, but the officials dallied along and final- ly submitted their demands to the Governor’s Commission without a struggle. The inevitable outcome of this policy of timidity and retreat was the judgment against the union. Demands were presented by the workers participating in the demon- stration against the Sigman-Perlstein- Feinberg combination of officials that mass meetings of the cloakmakers should be called to discuss the agree- ment before it is concluded. Feeling among the workers is very bitter against the officials, who have, they , betrayed them to the employers. The gathering adopted a resolution declaring for a strike to enforce the original demands, Fearing that the hot indignation of the cloakmakers gatheréd at the head- quarters would resu)t in personal vio- lence to himself, Sigman, president of the I. L. G. W. U,, called for the po- lice, who broke up the meeting ‘and HILLQUIT LAUDS SENATOR AS HE FORGETS DEBS C.P.P.A. Thanks Police for “Protection” By C. E. RUTHENBERG. (Staff Writer, Daily Worker) CLEVELAND, July 6.—The Conference for Progressive Po- litical Action swallowed all of the conditions laid down by Sen- ator Robert M. LaFollette, en- ‘dorsed him as a candidate for president on an “independent” program and accepted the La Follette republican Wisconsin platform. This action was taken by ac- ceptance of the report of the re- solutions committee, which was submitted by E. J. Manion, of the Telegraphers’ Union, and seconded by Morris Hillquit, for the Socialist Party. The Ego Program. The report of the committee pro- vided: 1. That the candidacy of Robert M. LaFollette for president upon the platform submitted by him be en- dorsed. 2. That the National Committee of the C. P. P. A. in co-operation with the LaFollette for President Committee (LaFollette’s own organ- ization) seiect the candidate for vice-president. 3. That the present National Com- mittee of the C. P. P. A. be contin- ued in office with power to enlarge itself. 4. That the National Committee be charged with securing the elec- tion of friendly candidates on other tickets for senator, representative in congress, etc. 5. That the National Committee meet November 29, and call a con- vention for January, 1925, to pass upon the question of forming a per- manent political party. Chairman William H. Johnson asked that the report be adopted by acclam- ation. The Wisconsin Socialist dele- gation however, protested and asked that the endorsement of Larollette be separated from the rest of the reso- tution. This was denied and despite the eloquent plea for the report, made by Morris Hillquit, about fifty votes, mostly socialist, were cast against the resolution. Hillquit Ignores Debs. In making his seconding speech, Morris Hillquit praised LaFollette as the man who had rendered the great- est services-to the labor movement of this country. “No man has stood more unflinch- ingly for labor in this country,” he argued, evidently forgetting Eugene V. Debs, who has five times been the Socialist standard bearer, and who went to Allanta prison during .ue war while LaFoWette remained in the sen- ate, silent about the war. Delegates Get Only Chance. The only chance which the 600 dele- gates who sat on the floor of the con- vention got to make a speech or even a motion, came after the Platform Committee had submitted a re-draft of the LaFollette Wisconsin republi- can platform for endorsement. A dele- gate asked what had become of his resolution against the annual mobili- (Continued on page 3.) MEMBERSHIP MEETING JULY 8 TO HEAR OUR PARTY WORK PROGRAM Comrades Wm. Z. Foster and C. E. Ruthenberg will address the Chicago Workers Party and Y. W. L. membership om Tuesday even- Ing July 8, 1924, 8 p. m. at Imperial Hall, 2409 N. Halsted St. Their subject will be, “Our Immediate Program of Party Work” which will cover the Labor Party Cam- paign, Daily Worker Campaign, Unemployment Campaign and Edu- cational work of the Party. All Party and League members are instructed to attend this meet- Ing to become fully familiar with the Party program of action. Admission will be by card only. all Forward! To Not “Back fo 1776!” Street Labor’s Rule! A STATEMENT BY THE WORKERS PARTY OF AMERICA ON THE CONVENTION OF THE CONFERENCE FOR PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTION. HIS convention calls itself “progressive,” but in an eco- nomic sense it is the most reactionary political conven- tion held this year. The real struggle in this country today is between two militant groups—the great capitalists who dominate the eco- nomic life of the country and the workers who produce the wealth in the industries. The capitalists have a clear pro- gram, expressed by the republican and democratic parties— the monopolization of production for their profit. Against this there must be a clear-cut workers’ program for the socialization of industry. Between these two programs there is no tenable middle-ground. This convention stands for an impossible middle pro- gram. LaFollette’s statement is a platform for another trust- busting campaign. LaFollette and the leaders of this con- vention think they can turn the hands of economic progress backward. They represent the class viewpoint of the group between the capitalists and the industrial workers. They are the hesitating group of small businessmen, and professional men who refuse to recognize the inevitability of the concen- tration of industry, with confused masses of industrial work- ers and farmers who are as yet unwilling to take up the struggle against the capitalist system, tagging along with them. This social group never knows what it wants, except that paradise was in the past. altho it uses supposed progressive phrases. It never stands for progress, Its program in this convention is back to 1776—in a world which in its eco- nomic development has made its great advance since 1776. To this bewildered group Senator LaFollette, who wants to restore democracy in government, hands down a platform and a decision that he will run as the candidate of no party but as an “independent progressive.” The convention must-swaliow it. The king has spoken. The Workers Party will not support this backward. facing movement. The workers and farmers of this country have nothing to hope from it. political party and rely upon They must organize their own their organized strength, not upon the ukases of an individual—even tho he be Robert,M. LaFollette. Mr. LaFollette says he is against class government. We now have all the forms of democracy and the result is the dictatorship of .the capitalists. would not change this. Mr. LaFollette’s program The Workers Party stands for a class government—a government of workers and farmers—because all history shows that progress comes only thru the determined strug- gles of social classes, which establish their own class gov- ernment. The future belongs to the workers and farmers. It is only thru the use of their class strength that capitalist ex- ploitation and domination of the government will be abol- ished. The Workers Party is dedicated to that struggle and to win that struggle it will fight against the attempt of Robert M. LaFollette to lead the workers—backward to '76. WORKERS PARTY OF AMERICA, William Z. Foster, Chairman. C. E. Ruthenberg, Executive Secretary. DREADED WORDS “LEFT WING” PUTS FEAR INTO SOCIALIST CONVENTION By ROBERT MINOR, (Special to The Daily Worker) CLEVELAND, July 6.—Within one hour after the opening of the national convention of the socialist party here today, the dread words, “Left Wing,” rang thru the hall. By humorous irony of history it is Julius Gerber who today angrily shouted at the chairman, “The left wing ought to count for something,” while demanding that Chairman Daniel Hoan, mayor of Mil- waukee, recognize other than the Hillquit faction. The issue was precipitated by a motion of Cameron King, of California, for the election of an extraordinary committee “to formulate the relations of this convention to the conference#—————————_______________, for progressive political action.” The motion having passed, there was a wild scramble of all well known leaders to get on this committee to handle what everybody admits is the only real business before the conven- tion. “Everything,” declared George H. Goebel, “will hinge on this report and what action we take on it.” On motion of William Karlin, of New York, the report of this committee will be given precedence over all other business as soon as ready. On objection of Hill- quit, signed ballots were ruled out of order and voting will be secret. Delegates do not hesitate to express privately their rancor over the famous speech by Hillquit at the conference for progressive political action con- vention in which, it is accused, he abdicated the old position of the so- cialist party. But the new “left wing” need not be taken too seriously, as its leaders indicate that all will end with a few hectic words and the swallowing of all that Hillquit yesterday committed the party to. The line-up against Hillquit appears to be Cameron King, who vigorously refuses to be called a left winger; Julius Gerber, Judge Panken and W. R. Snow, of Mlinois. King says the two main points of objection to Hillquit’s program arise from the failure of the C. P. P. A. to nominate a vice presidential candidate and the failure to form a labor party. He thinks the later point can be over- looked, but the failure to nominate a running mate for LaFollette is harder to swallow. There is a rumor that the “left” may insist on the socialist party nominat- ing James Maurer, of Pennsylvania, as vice-presidential candidate to run with LaFollette. Panken is believed to be, set on re- fusing to accept the Hillquit deal until the C. P, P. A. makes good on its shadowy promise to form a party in January, 1925. Snow's position is that “the whole thing is too much like sign- ing a blank check,” while Gerber scowls and speaks frankly of “the lett wing.” The first division showed 105 dele- gates voting, only fifteen states ag such being represented. Practically all delegates came as delegates to the C. P. P. A. and are the old-time lead- ers with hardly a new fac among hem. ‘ i ie ae wee