The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 4, 1924, Page 2

Page Two “GOD TO BLAME FOR CAVE-IN,” SAY MILFORD “INVESTIGATORS, ” “BUT WE CANT FIND HIM” CROSBY, Minn., Dec. 3.—Smoldering indignation all up and down the Mesaba iron range is the reaction of the iron miners to the report of the white-washing “investigation’’. committee appointed by the reactionary governor of Minnesota, Preus, to report upon the mine disaster of Feb. 5, when 41 miners were killed by a cave-in of the Milford mine here. The committee, of course, whitewash, considering that it Duluth, Edward Smith of Eve-+——~ leth, Dwight E. Woodbridge of Duluth, J. Wilbur Van Evera of Crosby, and R. R. Bailey of Vir- ginia, Minnesota. ‘These are a choice lot of “good fel lows” who were guatanteed to do the tight thing by the company. Not one of the committee are working miners Not one is a member of the Metal Mine Workers’ Industrial Union. Hold Company Blameless. This accounts for the “report” of the committee which is the most brazen piece of evasion that éver saw print. Only by indirection does the committee imply that the disaster was chargeable to slack inspection and rank carelessness of the miners’ lives by the mining company. This is evi- denced by the four recommendations that there be better inspection hereaf- ter. Altho this implies that the disaster could have been avoided by better in- spection and more care for safety, the report proceeds with the blatant state- ment that “No blame can be attached to the mining company.” This is reit- erated time and again thruout the re- port. Committee Blames God. Altho there aré“no “unknown” or “supernatural” factors in mining engi- neering, and ordinary engineering skill should have perceived both the danger and a way to forestall it, anc in spite of the testimony that the com pany engineer, Captain Mvan Crellin whose “war service” was supposed tc fit him for any job, was incompetent the committee has the brass to insist and reinsist that “the company was not to blame.” Unable to blame the miners or the company, the committee in searching for an explanation that would account for the disaster, found that God did it. After asserting the rather remarkable fact that the cave-in did not occur be fore it did, the committee’ goes on to say that the “silent partner” of. the company, God, was responsible. “But some power,” says the report. “decreed that this arch should break thru in the middie of the afternoon when all of the men were peacefully working in their places.” Having fixed the lability upon God, who, like the federal government can- not be sued for damages without his consent, the committee makes all ac- tion by the miners’ dependents against God, impossible by saying that his whereabouts are unknown to the committee, in the following words: “Your committee is unable to find any person or agency upon whose ne- glect or carelessness the responsibil- ity for this accident can be placed.” In other words, God is to blame, but we cannot find him. Speed Up Collection Of Funds for the Silk Strikers in Paterson Twenty-seven dollars for the Pat- erson silk workers now on strike were turned in by Comrade Sonkin. This is the second colléction he has taken in his shop. The other amounted to some $25 00. Hight dollars and fifty-five cents were turned in for this purpose for 4 comrade from another shup. Other shops and comrades should take up collections among their friends to assist the silk workers in their strike. Donation lists can be sécured in Room 307, 164 W. Wash- ington St. Contributions sent to this address will be immediately forward- od to the strike committee. was expected to do litjle but consisted ‘of Bill McHwan of COHEN FAILS TO MAKE GOOD IN HIS ATTACK ON BOLSHEVIK RULE (Special to The Dally Worker) OAKLAND, Cal., Dec. 3.— Chal- lenged to debate the issue of Soviet R ja in public, and to prove to. an audience that his constant attacks on the Bolshevik government have a basis of fact, A. Cohen, who tries to lead the I. W. W. into pacifism, got cold feet and failed to appear at a hall at which a debate had been arranged for him. Cohen has appeared almost every week at the open forum of the Workers Party, and has attacked Soviet Russia from every angie. Finally a member of the Workers Party got the use of.a hall, and Comrade Ella Reeve Bloor, who has been holding rousing street meet- 'y, offer to meet e. Cohen never show. Mahoney Joins in Attack on Communists In Minnesota F.-L. P. (Continued from page 1) fact that the representative of the party was unseated but rather the trend of development of the move- ment, Mahoney in his speech after the motion was carried stated that the farmer-labor fe: ion In Min- nesota was essentially a non-parti- san organization, that it was an or- ganization having Who goal aside from its immediate aim for social reform. In conversation after the meeting he repudiated all the progressive idea: Previously held and even went 80 fai as to condemn the ‘workers’ and peas ants’ government of Russia. He fur ther stated that at the state conven- tion to be held in the near-fuure that the federation would have to take steps to rid itself of the “troublesome” left wing. He had no word of. criti- cism for LaFollette and his support: ers who destroyed the unity of the farmer-labor movement in Minnesota, nor did he criticise the men of the type of Drake who openly defended the capitalist system in the farmer-la bor movement. The federation was brot into existence in Minnesota by the left wing, its plan of organization was drafted by the Communists who were largely instrumental in building {t up. Our party devoted months of effort and a considerable sum of money -in popularizing the idea of tarmierlabor unity on the basis of a class party. Along came LaFollette with his pro- gram of destroying all class organiza- tions, in Minnesota he first tried to destroy, he failed. He then tried a more successful move, he played on the desire of the leadership for respec tability and influence, in this he won. They sent out a letter to all local un ions lining up with Gompers, Johns ton, and Spreckles in support of La- Follette. The farmer-labor federation was “a good child,” it became a part of the LaFollette movement’ whose leaders cared nothing for the name as long as it became the Minnesota seo- tion of the C, P. P. A. in reality. At the last meeting Mahoney, Cram er, Wiggins, Drake and their follow ers broke with what sentiment re- mained of a class movement. They laid the basis for a further retreat to the petty bourgeois group led nation ally by the O, P. P. A. MONSTER MEETING TOMORROW IN NEW YORK TO PROTEST AGAINST WHOLESALE ARREST OF COMMUNISTS NEW YORK, Dec. $—The ‘bawes plan and’ the wholesale arrests of Communists in Germany will be the subject of a joint mass meeting to be held by the Workers Party and the International Workers’ Aid, Friday evening at the Labor Temple, 243 E. 84th street, The wholesale arrests of the members of the Communist Party in Ger- many are taking place on the e of the elections in order to intimidate the workers and to insure the success of ¢#—————$——$_—________ the Dawes’ plan. Reichstag Deputies Arrested. The reichstag government of Ebert and Geeckt have stopped at nothing to terrorize the workers. They have arrested reivhstag deputies. The mo- ment the reichstag was dissolved and the immunity granted to deputies litt- ed, the government immediately out- lawed the Communist reichstag depu- tos in order to prevent their oppost- tion to the Dawes’ plan in the elec tion campaign, The capitalists of fear the rising tide of re- volt against the new will be placed upon the the imperialists, That is for the raids, mass trials and whole- sale arrests. All Workers Must Protest. The workers of European countries have come to the assistance of our German fellow workers, They realize that the Dawes’ plan means not only long hours and lower wages for the German workers but for the workers of all countri Amter to Speak, In addition to Comrades Lore, Git- low, Epstein, and Weinstone, Israel Amter, who has just returned trom a two-year trip thru Burope and has PROSPECTIVE JURORS WILL BE QUESTIONED ON KLAN AFFILIATIONS OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 24.—The conviction of Alex Johnson, Negro, on a charge of stealing livestock, was sét aside by the appeals court today on the grounds that Johnson's attorney had not been permitted to question jurors relative to their. klan affiliations, The ruling sets a precedent allow- ing Jews, catholics and Negroes to determine the opinion prospective jurors trying them hold of thé Ku Klux Klan. The case will be retried. ‘OUTLAW? STRIKE LOSES CHARTERS FOR MINE UNIONS * * Anthracite Diggers Are Betrayed (Special to The Daily Worker) SCRANTON, Pa., Dec. 3.—The char :s have been revoked of the eleven . M. W. of A. locals engaging in 16 Strike called by the grievance com uttee at Pittston, representing 11,- 00 anthracite miners who are now outlaw” strikers because they insisi wn the Pennsylvania Coal. company ceeping its agreement to settle griev- ances as provided. This treacherous blow to the min- ers and help to the company is an act of John L. Lewis, International Presi- dent, acting thru the temporary dis- irict president, George Isaacs, now iilling the place of Rinaldo Cappellini, who is in Mexico on a pleasant junket trip at the cost of the Mexican govern- ment and the anthracite miners. Czar Lewis Sends a Wire. On Saturday the grievance commit- tee met at Pittston to discuss the situ- ation, and while in session, listened to che telegram from Lewis to D. W. Davis, who was designated by Lewis ‘o represent him in the district. The wire said that Léwis had instructed acting district president, George Isaacs, to revoke the charters of all iocals which did not return to work by Monday, December 1. Davis him- self was afraid to attend and the wire was read by Anthony Figlocks, inter- national organizer. “Please see that proper notification .s given affected membership that for- ‘eiture of charters will take place on Monday if strike is still on,” said the telegram of Lewis. He did not give any “instructions” to the district of- ficers to take action to enforce the agreement against the company on tho matter of settlement of griev- ances. Miners Threaten Their Officials. The grievance ‘committee respond- ed by voting to ignore the district officials and Lewis as well, and to run all officials out of the committee's meetings if they dared show their Judas faces there again. This action was taken Saturday, and adjournment was taken until Wednesday. Expulsion of Radicals Scored at T. U. E. L. Meet (Continued from Page 1.) spearhead of American imperialism in Mexico and Sotth America and its handmaiden in bringing the world un- der the rule of Wall Street. “The Portland convention,” de- clared Dunne, “demonstrated to the capitalists that the A. F. of L. was the deadly foe of radicalism, and the most loyal ally of capitalism against the soviet government.” Dunne declared that the A, F. of L. officialdom had neither the driving ‘orce nor the inspiration to organize -he American workers. The El Paso convention ignored the question of or- ganization of the unorganized, unein- ployment and kindred subjects. It went out of its way to endorse a larger navy, the military training camps and proved itself the labor lieutenani ot American capitalism in its worla drive for profits and power. Comrade Tom Bell, local secretary of the T. U, E. L., who presided, spok briefly on the campaign to insure Th: DAILY WORKER for 1925. Comrade: Mrs. Bittelman and Kitty Harri: went thru the audience with the neat ly decorated policies which wer turned out in the DAILY WORKER printing plant. . Plan Big Meeting For Max Salzman At Dowell, Illinois Arrangements are being made for @ well attended meeting in Dowell IL, when Max Salzman, organizer of the Young Workers’ League arrives The meeting will be held in the Rex Theater, Dowell, Ill, at 2 p. m,, Sun day, Dec. 7. Salzman is an excellent speaker and ig meeting with success in his tou wherever he goes. His subject wil) be, “Unemployment and the Young Miner.” The chaotic condition of the min- ing industry has had its effect on the Young Workers’ League in the south Tillinois district and Salzman’s triy will solidity the entire district of the by | first-hand knowledge of conditions in|young miners into the ranks of the the reason | Germany, will also speak. league, THE DAILY WORKE ACCIDENTS IN INDUSTRY ARE NOT RECORDED Conflicting Figures Has Davis Up in the Air (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Deo, 3.—It is not known how many thou- sands of industrial workers in the United States were killed this year thru industrial acci- dent, James J. Davis, secretary of labor, declared in his annual report made public this morn- ing. “So far as | can find out,” said Secretary Davis, “and I have spent some time in study- ing the matter, we do not know what we are doing or where we are going in the Way of pre- venting industrial disease.” “Poor” Davis is So Puzzled. “We do not realize that no human veing on the face of the earth today can tell within thousands how man American workers were killed in in dustry last year,” Davis added. “1 aave seen estimates by our very besi authorities which fix the number of fatalities annually in industrial acci- dents at 12,500, 25,000 and 35,000—a range of more than 20,000. “The experts of the bureau of labor statistics have estimated these fatali- ties at about 21,000. We say that such information as we have indicates that there are 2,453,418 industrial ac: cidents annually. These figures are ‘ruly appalling. But in the end they are estimates based on limited statisti- cal data. We want facts.” The sec- retary of labor did not add the well- known fact that many of the large em- ployers, such as the Standard Oil company and the United States steel corporation surpress the facts of the numerous accidents and fatalities to their employes, in many cases failing to even make public an accurate list of those killed. Who's Prosperity? “The American people are entitled to know exactly what price they pay in human life and limb for our indus- trial prosperity,” is Davis’ conclusion. Davis praises the strike breaking “conciliation commission” of his de- partment. “First of all, the aim of the iepartment of labor thru the concilia- tion service is to prevent striftes and tockouts,” the seeretary$¥9 labor as- serts, “to stop trade disputes before they reach the point where an open break occurs.” Trade unionists know that the com- missioners of con¢iliation of the partment of labor work at all times on the side of the employers, settling strikes whenever possible by inducing strikers to go back to work at the employers’ term. This was done in the Pullman strike, and attempted in the garment strike in Chicago by com- missioner of conciliation Marshman, who has recently been trying to get the machinists of the Flow-Meters shop to go back to work on the boss- es’ terms. Highty-one “anarchists and violators of wartime legislation,” were deport- ed during the year ending June 30, 1924, according to Davis. Two “an- archists” were denied admission to the United States because of political beliefs in the same period. Hand of Morgan is Seen in Brazil in Blow at Japan (Continued from page 1) in suppressing labor troubles and im- prisoning the Communists, An American Colony. All told that are at least $200,000,- 000 of American capital invested in Brazil, mostly in the coffee produc- ng industry, which is so under con- rol of Americans that they have near- -Y succeeded in getting complete auto- \oiay for their coffee raising district a San Paulo. American army officers are training he Brazilian army. That the American secretary of la- or, Davis, is now visiting Brasil with he American “mission,” gives rise » the belief that he has demanded bis affront to Japan, and that the travil government has granted the emand, From reports originating in Japan, it seems that Japanese impe- vislism ig fully alive to the meaning of the Brazilian government's action, and has stated thru its foreign office ‘hot “ths presents itself in a decided- \y serious aspect to the Japanese na- ton.” Garment Labor Considers Agreements NEW YORK, Deo. 3.—Upon the re- turn of International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union officials from the A. F. of L. convention negotiations for a new agreement to replace the one ex- piring Dec, 31 will begin with Associa- tion of Dress Manufacturers, Inc., and wholesale representing jobbers ih elation, Inc, These associations, the Wholesale representing jobbers in New York and the Association of Dress Manufacturers and contractors, have already begun to formulate the pasis on Which they will meet union representatives, pp Open Forum, Sunday R sh Capitalism Wastes Many Billions While “Economy Cal” Saves Few Nickels By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. Tova, Strikobreaker Coolidge is heralded as an apostle of “economy”. Editorials are written, cartoons are drawn, news stories are turned out by the yard, paragraphers take up the refrain—the president is making his trip to Chicago in a “regular train,” not a “special,” at a saving of $1,750. Presidents are supposed to travel in private cars on land. The president has a private yacht when he goes on the wa- ter. But we are told that Coolidge, on his Chicago trip, de- cided to dispense with the private car and special train habit “solely by considerations of economy.” * * * * Figure it out for yourself. Cal did it with his little pencil. A private car rents at $90 per day. In addition 25 fares must be purchased. That would make the Chicago trip cost $2,250. On a regular train the return trip would call for an ex- penditure of $500. Take the regular train and the nation is “saved” $1,750. The kept press slavers so much over this in+ cident that it no doubt has hypnotized itself into hearing millions of unemployed already jingling loose change in their pockets. * * * * But it just happened that in the hours that “Cautious Cal” was preparing to leave Washington, the president’s bud- get estimates were released for publication. Nearly a billion dollars ($865,000,000) in interest alone is to be paid on the public debt during the coming year. This debt was piled up by the capitalist wars of American imperi- alism. The start that was made with the Spanish-American war in 1898 when American imperialism seized Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phillipines reached its greatest fruition in the participation of the United States in the recent world war. The wastes of past wars are only equalled in the wastes to be found in the preparations for new capitalist wars. Two thirds of another million are to be spent next year for the army and navy; $347,153,594 for the war department, and $313,207,257 for the navy department. Thus the capitalist masters sqaunder the wealth produced by the workers to perpetuate their own social system, while their little puppet at Washington saves a few hundred dollars on a trip to Chi- cago. . * * ° This is “Economy” Coolidge, who was known as “The Principal” in the successful looting of the nation’s oil re- serves. The Teapot Dome scandal has been only equalled by the revelations now being brought out in the Chicago trial of Colonel Charles R. Forbes, recent head of the Veterans’ Bureau. Forbes joined with big capitalists to burgle appro- priations made for the care of disabled soldiers. But the wastes in government, where Cal Coolidge’s savings of $1,750 is but a fly speck in the whole ocean of capitalist political muck, find their counterpart on an even larger scale, in the wastes of industry. Under the boasted capitalist system, engineers tell us, after thoro investigation, that the average manufacturing plant in the United States nly 50 percent pean com- pared with the best production units. They charge that in the building and textile manufacturing industries, the average is about 67 per cent efficient; in the printing trades and the men’s clothing industry, 50 per cent; in the boot and shoe industry, 33 per cent; while in the metal industry the standard of efficiency drops to 25 per cent. These engineers set forth that at least 10 hours per week per man are thrown away on energy-wasting and time-wasting work resulting from. lack of shop methods, while an additional two or three hours per man per week are wasted in unnecessary work, * * . During the day that Coolidge saves his $1,750 the wastage under capitalist management in the clothing in- dustry alone is estimated at three-quarters of a million dol- lars. But this wastage is not only for one day, but for every working day in the year. But the forces of capitalism are not concerned so much about the $1,750 that Coolidge saves; altho Arthur Brisbane, One of the highest priced “ladies” of America’s kept journal- ism, may gloat over it. It costs more than that to fire one shot from the big gun of one of Morgan’s warships at target practice. The whole propoganda Lae ig the alleged Coolidge “economy” is intended to increase the faith of the masses of workers and poor farmers in the capitalist dictatorship at Washington, the instrument of the biggest exploiters in oppressing them. The masses must be led to believe that Coolidge is watching over their pennies, day and night. Eve time that a discontented worker or poor farmer looks at his last piece of silver money he must read the slogan, “In. Coolidges We Trust” instead of “In God We Trust”. Coolidge must appear as their benefactor. And Coolidge is held up as the custodian of all the ideals of American capitalism. * * * * That sort of lying propaganda, brat mg put over during the recent election campaign, helped win the victory at the polls for Wall Street. But the biggest capitalist criminals must feel uneasy on their thrones when they force their White House clown, in Washington, to continue his antics. Once the faith of the masses in the capitalist state is lost, the whole capitalist social structure will tumble in a heap. When the workers and poor farmers discover the inefficiency and rottenness of the brutal system of oppression that is trying by every conceivable means to keep them in submission, they will rise and destroy it. In that hour Cool- idge will really be sent back to a Vermont farm to pitch about the only useful service he will be able to render a order where the workers and poor farmers are supreme. * Only under Communism will there be real economy and real efficiency in the co-operative effort of all producers to build the world’s first civilization worth while, Lenin Meeting in Philadelphia HILADELPHIA Young Workers League, Workers Party Branches and friendly organizations take notice! - The Philadelphia City Central Committee of the Workers Party has arranged to hold the Lenin Memorial Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p. my in the Lulu Temple. Please arrange ho meetings or affaire on that date, Philadelphia City Central Committee, > Thursday, December 4, 1924 | RUSSIAN LABOR CHEERS BRITISH PACT FOR UNITY | Tillett, Bromley, Pur- | cell Meet Soviet Unions MOSCOW (By Mail.)—The sixth All Russian Trades Union Congress was opened here to-~ day with a gala session. There were present 853 delegates, re- presenting 6,500,000 workers. Specially enthusiasti¢ recep- tions were given to the speech- es delivered by the British fra- ternal delegates, Messrs. Pur- cell, Bromley, and Ben Tillett. In his speech Comrade Tomsky | extended greetings to the British de legation, amid rounds of applause, and the singing of the “International” fol- lowed. Comradé Tomsky emphasized the fact that there were great differences between the Soviet trade unions and the Amsterdam International. Never- theless, the interests of the working class demanded a united front of the trade union movement, and the work. ers of the most important countries were moving towards this goal. Zinoviev Cheered. HEN In the name of the Soviet Union, President Kalinin greeted the assemb- ly, laying stress upon the vastly improv- ed material conditions of the workers under the Soviets, and then Zinoviev rose, to speak on behalf of the Hxecu- tive Committee of the Russian Com. _ ‘|munist Party. He was received with immense en- thusiasm. He spoke with vigor of the new ¢6fa of reaction which was dawning upon the world. “Our battle-cry,” he declared, “must —— be: ‘Workers! shoulder to shoulder || against world-wide reaction!’” There followed greetings from the French trade unions, and then Pur. || cell, amid terrific applause, rose asthe first of the British speakers. Since he had visited Russia in | 1920, said Purcell, wonderful changes | and improvements in the conditions of the workers had taken place. Refer- ting to the great achtevements of the Russian workers, he declared, “May we live to see changes like this in England!” British Elections. The British elections, said Pur- cell, proved that the eyes of the Brit- ish workers were directed towards So- viet Russia. After the defeat at the polls, the British working class would be found welded more firmly together than before. Unity must be achieved at an inter- national conference, without unneces- sary formula and without any prelim- inary conditions. The Soviet trade unions must not be allowed to remain outside the ranks of the trade union international. ; Bromley followed. After describ- ing the present state of the trade union and political labor move- ments in Britain, he declared: “We are striving for the same end as the Russian trade unions—namely, the / control of the means of production.” Finally, Ben Tillet, who spoke of Lenin as the greatest leader of the working class, whose name was hon- ored by the British workers. The workers of the world were watching with the greatest attention the fight of the working class in Soviet Rus- sia, he declared, and finally called for union in the fight against capitalism. ne Blane John Bull’s Sins on French (By The Federated Press) MELBOURNE, Australia—The out vageous treatment of native women in the New Hebrides islands (South Pacific Ocean) particulars of which have been told in Federated Press dis- patches, was discussed at the annual conference of the national council of women of Australia, : Among the. allegations made by speakers were that native women were bought and sold as slaves, that natives were being governed under conditions that no decent people would tolerate, that there was enfor prostitution, and that natives tortured for minor offences. It, was asserted that as the govern: of the islands was under the ; of the French, the British were un: able to do . “af TECHNICAL AID SOCIETY ARRANGES FAREWELL T0 A “RED RAY” GROUP Another group of the agricultural commune “Red Ray” of the Chica- 90 Society for Technical Aid to ia will leave for Odessa well will be given to them at the fifth anniversary celebration of the Chicago Soclety for Technical Ald, Saturday night, Deo. 6, at School, 1902 W. Division