The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 15, 1924, Page 1

| The DAILY WORKER Raises the Standard for a Workers’ and Farm- ers’ Government SE IT SAaTY. FTER a\ wit’ serv- ices to tt” ft Ameri- ca and treason; ‘ngclass movement, Samu »~ ~ »sident of the American . ‘oO abor, passed away. The lists in the United State: « errand boy, Calvin Coolid, press grief over his death, Well they might. They have lost a valuable ally. His last outstanding act while. alive, was to help carry the victorious banner of Wall Street into Mexico. What the armies of, the American plunderbund could not do, the subtle poison of Gompersism accomplished; the accept- ance of the hegemony of American capitalism by the Mexican labor move- ment, at least that portion of it un- der the domination of Morones, the Gompers of Mexico. *?ef OMPERS died with the harness G of American imperialism on his back. And as in life he was the close ally and loyal aid of the exploiting élass, it is only right that in death he should follow the same policy. His warcass will rest between two of the Yeading figures in the history of Amer- fean capitalism: William Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, The latter was one of the bloodiest scoundrels that ever coined gold out of the flesh and blood of the working class, but he, appreciated the services of the head of the American Federation of Labor and left him a pension. The workers have no reason to mourn the death of Gompers. *“* © ‘HE socialists are now busy taking stock of the profit and loss to what ig left of their party resulting from their immersion in the LaFollette movement. They find nothing on the credit, side except a little publicity for a few leaders like Hillquit and Berger. The latter is by no means happy as the adventure practically wiped out his “socialist” machine in Milwaukee. Hillquit is anxious to form a “third party” in which he will undoubtedly be a leading figure. He has ability of a kind that will prove useful in parliamentary activities. ef UDGE PANKEN, writing in a so- cialist weekly, declares that the de- cision of the socialist. party to sup- ‘port Tare allowing the lat ter to ‘write his own program, was almost fatal to the S. P. Socialists were placed in the position of sup- porting capitalist candidates, he says. Many sb-called radical unions that had never: previously voted for capitalist candidates, threw down the bars and picked out “friends” in th® Gompers style. Instead of voting for Thomas as candidate for governor of New York, many of the needle trades work- ers voted for Al Smith. “Everybody was doing it,” so to speak. a5. Oa, Za fe ‘HE policy of the socialists was branded as opportunistic by Pan- ken. It was worse than tna‘ he said, it was stupidly opportunistic. LaFol- lette got the assistance of the social- ists while he made speecnes denounc- ing socialism. It was with great dif- ficulty that Norman Thomas was al- lowed to speak on the same platform with the “progressives” at sarge mass meetings. In fact the poor socialists were . sacrificed to make a Roman holiday for Hillquit and the ambitious S. P. leaders who expected a big vic- tory for Lasollette and a short cut to Washington. They were disappoint- ed, eee 'HE socialist press sneered at the Workers (Communist) Party whon it ran William Z. Foster for president, the only presidential candidate run- ning on a platform calling for the over- throw of the capitalist system and the organization of society on the basis of the rule of the workers thru Soviets and the dictatorship of the proletariat. They laughed at the com- paratively small number of votes polled by our candidates and the still smaller number counted for us, But the Workers Party gained in strength thru the campaign. The circulation of our daily jumped ahead and the mor- ale of our party was raised. P (Continued on page 2) . L. to Celebrate Inter! nal Karl Liebknecht day will be celebrated by the Young Work- ors’ League of Chicago on January 11, 4926 at @ mass meeting which will be neld in the Northwest Hall corner North and Western avenues. Speakers for the demonstration are Max Shachtman of the National Exe- cutive Committee of the Y. W. L., Al- exander Bittelman of the C. EB. C. of the Workers Party, Peter Herd and a junior speaker The Y. W. L. orches- tra will play. friendly organizations are requested to give support in rallying the p vip class: youth of Chicago to Pe ih! Wy 4 SUBSGRIPTION RATES: 7 300 TRACTION EMPLOYES G0 BACK TO WORK Win Closed Shop and Overtime Pay (Special to The Daily Worker) SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Dec. 14. —The strike of the 350 em- ployes of the Illinois Traction system was reported settled al- tho the vote on the compromise agreement reached. by union officials and traction company (Continued on page 2.) MICHIGAN COURTS’ In Chicago, by mail, $8.00 per year. Outside Chicago, by mail, $6.00 per year. E DAILY Entered as Second-class matter September 21, 1928, at the Post Office at Chicago, Hlinois under the Act of March 3, 1879. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1924 $1,000 PLEDGED BY YOUNGSTOWN COMRADES TO DAILY WORKER DRIVE By ALFRED WAGENKNECHT. (Special to The Daily Worker) YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Dec. 14.— One thousand dollars was pledged to be paid the DAILY WORKER with- in thirty days by the Youngstown branches at a meeting attended by representatives of all Youngstown branches and nearby towns. The’ Workers Party locals in Youngstown, East Youngstown, Warren, Farrell, Leetonia, East Liv- erpool, Newcastle, and Bessemer, which total 308 members, began to- day to make this pledge good. The Workers Party branches here are determined that the DAILY WORK. ER will be an even bigger and stronger working class daily paper in 1925, 3 CAPITALISTS IN MOURNING OVER GOMPERS’ GOING Coolidge, theBreaker of Strikes, in Tribute From the whole capitalist world comes a cry of sorrow at the passing of Gompers. Presi- dent Cal Caglidge, the strike- breaker, ‘in a telegram to Gom- pers’ widow expressed his “great regret” for Gompers be- cause, in his position “as the founder and head of a great GOMPERS AT THE GATES “YES, THIS IS AN OPEN SHOP, COME IN.” RULING IN THE RUTHENBERG CASE PUNISHES IDEAS (Special to The Dally Worker) LANSING, Mich., Dec. 14.—The ‘opinion of the supreme court of Mich- igan, upholding the conviction of C. BE. Ruthenberg, covers some forty-one typewritten pages but it is only on page 39 that Judge Wiest, who wrote the opinion, deals with the main contention of the defense and then fails to meet the main argument of the defense against the position of the trial court. The main contention of the defense was that irrespective of what the Communist Party was, there had been no proof submitted that the Com- munist Party or Ruthenberg had, within the state of Michigan, committed any act which violated the criminal |syndicalist law, and that the mere as- sembling of the convention and Ruth- enberg's “assembling with” the con- vention could not be punished as a crime, Evidently the Michigan court found this a difficult question, for it was only after thirty-eight typewritten pages, most of which consisted of de- nunciations of the Communist Party and the Communist International, that the opinion deals with this question and then glosses it over in the follow- ing terms: “It is also said there has been no overt act by the Communist Party committed within this state, and no showing of intent to commit any in the immediate future, and it is claimed it is without the power of the state to make it a felony to join an assembly formed to teach or ad- vocate criminal syndicalism unless it is shown that activities are car- ried out within the state, This statute does not make criminality dependent upon the commission of crime an overt act. It reaches those who advocate or teach the commis- sion of crime as a means to accomp- lish an end, and those who, by choice, assemble with them. An overt act along the lines of such © advocacy or teaching would consti Thieves’ Fight Over Muscle Shoals Booty ‘Reveals New Scandal (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 14—An editorial in a local paper charges that the Underwood bill for disposing of Muscle Shoals is a “steal,” and : “greater: scandal than Teapot Dome.”| Senator Underwood has declared that the editorial is a “libel” and a “deliberate falsehood.” In language seldom heard on the senate floor Underwood demanded an investigation and the senate judiciary committee will investigate the charges containe¢ in the editorial, well as Under. wood's charge that, “the editorial wae purchased by interests which are now trying to grab the power at Muscle Shoals.” Spanish Troops Withdrawn, MADRID, Dec. 14.—With the with- drawal of the Spanish troops from Chechouan to Ben Karrich yesterday Primo de Rivera prepared to set per. manent lines along the Tetuan front in Morrocco. \ organization, no man has had a wider influence in the shaping of the policy of the wage earn- ers of the nation.” Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes, whose imperialistic policies in foreign affairs were the guide line of Gompers’ efforts in the internation- al labor movement, wired, “I am shocked, for it is the loss of a great figure.” Bosses Express Their Sorrow. John J. Mitchell, president of the Illinois Trust company, director of the Chicago and Alton railroad, the Pitts- way, the Pullman company, the Kan- sas City, Southern railway, the Chase National Bank of New York, the New York Trust company, the Illinois Trust company, the International Harvester company, the Illinois Bell Telephone company, and the Commonwealth Edi- son company, said, “Gompers was as sonservative as a man could be to hold his position. Most of the time he exercised diplomacy. I am sorry to hear he is dead.” “The death of Mr, Gompers is a keen loss to the nation because he represented a conservative element,’ said David R. Forgan, president of the great open shop financial backer, the National City Bank of Chicago. And Fofgan added, “It may be difficult to find some one as good and there is always the dan, of getting some one more radical, Samuel M. Felton, who is interested in a dozen railway corporations, who is now president of the western rail road association, one of the “dollar a year heroes” who received from the secretary of war the dinstinguished service medal “for especially meritor- ious and conspicuous service” as di- rector general of the military rail. ways, remarked that “Gompors’ death is a great ‘Texas, apeared Col- E> 290 GREER. Published daily. except Sunday by THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO., 1113 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Ill Help Insure THE DAILY WORKER for 1925! Price 3 Cents German Socialists Proud | of Aid Given the Kaiser; Cite Hindenburg’s Praise SECRETARY FRANK MORRISON IS THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE TO FILL GOMPERS PLACE TEMPORARILY (Special to The Daily Worker) SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec, 14——Reports are that the temporary presi dent of the American Federation of Labor, who is to be chosen at a meeting of the executive council in Washington in a few days, as provided by the A. F. of L. constitution, will be Frank Morrison, now retary. He will pro- bably fill both positions until the next convention of the federation in Novem- THIRD PARTY WILL SUCCEED SAYS 6.P.P.A. Calling Convention in February (Special to The Daily Worker) ber, 1925. Labor Fakers’ Pulses Bounce. At that convention, there is sure to be great competition for the position of power. Every rat-hole in the fed- eration is full of the sound of scurry ing feet as the great family of labor fakers begins to stir. John L. Lewis czar of the Miners’ Union is mentionec as Gompers’ successor, but he is sup- posedly in line for the job of secretary of the labor department in Coolidge’s cabinet, and may not want the job. Major George W. Berry, the great American Legionnaire, who managed to graft a few hundred thousand dol- lars from the Pressmen’s Union and get away with it by aid of the capital ist courts, is also mentioned. Any- thing may happen. But the mere selection of a new president is not the only question. War looms within the federation from many angles of competing groups which, always having been autonom ous, now feels that they can go in and hog things for their craft, since Gomp- ers who always kept a nice balance |between these ravening jealousies is jout of the way. Did Gompers Die in Mexico? It is reported here that the rumor of Gompers’ death in Mexico was not without some currency. The news originated from a telephone message to the effect that he had died, sent tc Mexico City from a railway employe at San Nicholas, Mexico, when Gomp- ers’ train passed thru that station. After it left that station, the train could not be reached by wire, and it was late in the afternoon before con- nections were established again. COOLIDGE RULE SEEKS HEAVIER GERMAN CLAIMS Big Battle Is on with the British Government (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 14.— The Coolidge government insists that America receives a larger share in the German reparations payments than England wants to allow, in a note sent by Secretary of State Hughes to England. {t was said here that the notes ex- changed by America and Britain “ad- mit of detailed discussion of the issue involved.” No doubt much future wrangling will’ take place as to how far the United States is to share in the money extracted from the life blood of the German workers. The United States also claims one billion gold marks ($250,000,000) as ‘the cost of the army of occupation in Coblenz. The German workers are WASHINGTON, Dec, 14.—That the [expected to pay the upkeep of their burgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago rail-|C. P. P. A., (Conference for Progres- | OPPressors. sive Political Action) which is the} 404+ payments, leading factor in the LaFollette move- ment, feel that an effort to form a new permanent political party will meet | ,avantazes in other directions.” England is now concerned over its and will, it is announc- ed, pay its debts to those countries which “offer the London government Eng- with success, is the expression of the jjanq will drive the hardest bargain C. P. P. A, executive committee, an | yocsinie, expression which they are following try, up with a call for a national conven- tion of the C. P. P. A to meet in Chi- cago on February 21, 1926 A Definite LaFollette Party. This is the date decided upon by the executive committee in their se- cret sessions just ended here. The convention will, it is supposed, settle the matter of launching a definite third party on a permanent basis. The leaders of the executive committee feel confident that such will be done by the convention. The special committee named to ar- range for the convention has begun drafting the call which will be sent to the farm, labor and progressive organ- izations which endorsed the indepen- dent candidacy of LaFollette in the presidential election at Cleveland. Socialist Party Leads Third Party, The special committee is composed of Mrs. Bertha Hale White, secretary of the socialist party; Parley Chris- tensen, the farmer-labor candidate in 1920; Charles McGowan and John A. both in debts due the coun- and debts owed other foreign na- tions. America, however, holds the whip hand thru its domination of the European governments’ finances, Next Sunday Night and Every Sun- day Night, the Open Forum. SOVIET RUSSIA DOES RECORD FUR BUSINESS IN AMERICA THIS YEAR (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW YORK, Dec. 14.—Over six million dollars worth of furs have been imported from Russia during the curre: t year by the Amtorg trad- ing company. A record deal in furs was effected yesterday when the Amtorg company sold $1,000,000 worth of Russian furs to the Eiting- on Schild company. The Amtorg Trading company was organized last April as a merger of Lapp of the Illinois committee; and| the Arcos-Ame , oe + ey DENY THEY LED WORKERS IN WAR STRIKE OF 1918 | Compete with Fascisti . : . in Loyalty to Capitalism (Special to The Daily Worker) BERLIN, Dec. 14.—Ex-Chan- cellor Philipp Scheidemann has told how the entire executive board of the social-democratic party betrayed the workers by voting against support of the striking munitions workers in 1918, and urging the German workers not to disobey the con- scription laws, Scheidemann was replying to attacks of theGerman monarch- ists and nationalists at the libel suit trial of President Ebert, now taking place. Scheidemann denied that he and Ebert led the German workers in the 1918 munitions strike, and declared himself an upholder of the ruling class. Ebert read a letter from Field Mar- shal von Hindenburg, which commend- ed Ebert for his work on behalf of the German bourgeoisie during the war. The nationalists are trying to make Gen. von Winterfeldt the next presi- dent, and are vieing ‘with the social ists for control of the next German cabinet. Ebert is trying to keep the head of his party above water by showing that it is as ruthless against working class movements as the mon: archists or nationalists, ASSASSINATION PLOT AGAINST KRASSIN FAILS Woman Arrested Says She Planned Murder (Special to The Daily Worker) PARIS, Dec. 14.—An attempt to assassinate Leonid Krassin, Soviet Ambassador to France, was frustrated when a Mrs. Marie Dickson, a journalist in the employ of the counter-revo- lutionary emigres in Paris, was arrested by the Paris police de- tailed to watch the Russian embassy. The woman walked past the em- bassy door a dozen times and when challenged by a policeman, she at- tempted to get away. When searched, a loaded revolver was found up her sleeve and she confessed that her in- tention was to murder Krassin, Suppress Plot Story. The assassin would not admit that she was acting under instructions for the czarists. This plot was partially suppressed by the French capitalist press which so luridly portrayed the imaginary “red” plots which existed in the imaginations of the bourgeoisie who are scared to death over Communism and the recognition of Soviet Russia by France, Russian monarchists hoped that Krassin’s credentials would not be ac cepted by the French government owing to the red scare. They were disappointed, however, and Kyassin was received cordially by the presi- dent of the French republic, League Council! Adjourns, ROME, Dec. 14.—The council of the, league of nations has adjourned. Spain's request that tho next couneil meeting be held in Madrid was denied because of the objection of the Swed- ish delegation. A plan for “intellec+ tual. co-operation” with a world cen- ter in Paris was adopted. It was not announced what the “intellectual co- operation” would consist of, Plan One Big Transport Union. SYDNEY, New South Wales—Street car men, carters’ and drivers’ unions in the Australian states are proceed+ ing with a plan to form one big union of transport workers of Australia, —