The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 6, 1925, Page 2

i Page Two ‘ r MANY HUNDRED CITY EMPLOYES TO LOSE JOBS Wage Appropriations Are Cut by Aldermen Holding of the city’s annual appro- | priation bill within the anticipated | revenue of approximately $46,500,000, which the finance committee has started out to do, will be at the sacri- | fice of several hundred jobs of per-| sons now on the city pay roll, it was announced by the chairman today. The committee planned to resume its sessions directly after today’s regu- lar meeting of the city council, and start into the home stretch, which is expected to be reached by Jan. 20 or before. Bill Slated to Pass by Feb. 1. The council session was expected to be short, the purpose of the meet- ing being merely to authorize expendi- tures of the city for January in order that the departments may go ahead functioning legally until the budget is r ed. In the last few years such action has been necessary for both | February and March as well as Janu-| ary, but it is hoped that the appro- priation bill will have been passed by Feb. 1 this year. Salary Raises Increase Budget. The appropriation of $1,700,000 made last year for raising salaries al- most exclusively in the police and fire departments makes it necessary for the anticipated retrenchment this year in various other departments. The salary increases in 1924 applied only to the last three months of the year, but in 1925 the entire $1,700,000 must be met and it is pointed out that there can be no cutting of activities in the police and fire sectors. The finance committee is cutting off no jobs as such, but there will be no appropriations for materials with which to work in several sections of the public works department, which is naturally expected to result in cer- tain classes of employes being laid off. While this is expected to hit hardest in the department of public works, Ald. Woodhull states that cut- ting down of expenditures in several other departments will be obligatory. ANOTHER GOAL MINER LESS OF CZAR LEWIS’ 200,000 “SURPLUS” (Spdcial to The Daily Worker) HARRISBURG, III., Jan. 5.—Wal- smernree ter “Hafdsome” Elisworth, age 35, a coal miner, was electrocuted here today, half an hour after he had gone to work as machine runner In the Ogara mine, No. 12. f As John L. Lewis has declared that there are 200,000 miners too many, Elisworth’s death leaves the surplus at 199,999. Before the three- year contract expires, Lewis’ pro- gram of forcing these “surplus” miners out of the industry, may be effected by the operators ignoring safety laws. Ten Splendid CARTOONS By. ART YOUNG ADOLPH DEHN WM. CROPPER FRED ELLIS HAY BALES Are only a part of the very best issue that has yet appeared— the January number of The Workers Monthly THE DAILY WORKER |NO WAGE CUTS MADE IN READING, PA., TEXTILE MILLS; BOTTOM ALREADY REACHED By ART SHIELDS. (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) READING, Pa., Jan. 5.—New Year's day is not witnessing any wage cuts in the large silk and hosiery mills of Reading because these mills already have the long hours and the high speed system which give them a commer- cial advantage over their Paterson and New England competitors. Four to six looms are operated by each silk weaver—contrasted with the two-loom system the Paterson workers are mai the 10-hour day prevails. intaining by aggressive unionism—and Since the Paterson strike last summer the huge Vanity Fair mills, covering a long city block in Reading work the full 54-hours permitted by+ Pennsylvania law and the sky is the limit for men. Only straight time pre- vails for overtime. Organization Benefits. The advantages of organization and the disadvantages of the open shop are glaringly illustrated. Building trades workers and printers, both strongly organized, have the 44-hour week and union wages. Shop crafts workers for the Reading railroad maintain the eight-hour day. Some minor reforms are treasured by steel workers, organized in three locals of the Amalgamated Association of Iron Steel and Tin Workers, tho shop con- trol is lacking. The rest of the city’s | workers, for the most part, have to accept whatever the ‘boss decrees, No Textile Unions, In the Vanity Fair mills there is no unionism, tho the United Textile workers and the Amalgamated Textile workers have made organization ef- forts. The Nolde & Horst Stocking have been working overtime. Women factory; the Berkshire Knitting mills and smaller concerns, employing a total of thousands of knit goods work- ers are without the vestige of organ- ization. An organizer of the Ameri- can Federation of Full Fashioned Hosiery Workers, spent a year in Reading, making a determined at- tempt to build up a union but was not able to get results. The Reading workers are Americans, of old Penn- sylvania Dutch stock. Might Be Worse. Compared with some other towns in eastern Pennsylvania, however, Reading unionism is to the fore. Its well organized building trades and printing workers make a strong con- trast te the open shopism of Bethle- hem, for example, where Charles M. Schwab has crushed out unionism. Even in the steel industry the con- trast is noticeable between the three locals of the Amalgamated in Read- ing and the lack of unionism in the three steel mills in Bethlehem. tenement acc AS WE SEE IT—By T. J. 0’Flaherty SE (Continued from page 1) Labor. Isn’t that the doodle.bug’s nippers? se O other delegate had the temerity to second Diehl’s suggestion that the Communists be expelled, but Vic- tor Koehler disposed of his military pipe dream very effectively by the single exclamation of “Bunk.” Hav- ing cleared the air he then proceeded to state that tho he was not a Com- munist, he knew from his experience with Communists—mentioning Jack Johnstone in particular—that they stood up for fundamental issues and he stood with them and would do so in the future when he thought they were right. It was not the Commun- ists who were tending to disrupt the labor movement he declared but those, | like Diehl, who would expel them. * 2» ND this is a very significant fact, that should be carefully noted. It was very obvious that no matter how many of the delegates disagreed with the Communists on the ultimate goal of the Workers Party and the methods by which that goal could best be realized, they nevertheless knew that the policies advocated and fought for by Swabeck, Johnstone, Overgaard and the other active Communists in! the labor movement were very vital issues in the lives of the working class, while those were the very is. sues that the fakers were either ignor- ing or actively fighting against. And if the Communists fight for the in- terests of the workers and the reac- tionaries fight-against those interests, who is the honest union man going to support, regardless of how much brimstone and ‘smoke the fakers hur) around in order to becloud the issue? The question answers itself. “ee TEHL’S suggestion to expel the Communists evoked no enthust- asm and Edward Nockels, secretary of the federation, realizing that a “boner” was pulled, gut and tried to belittle the Communists. He said they should be left alone. Was Diehl’s suggestion after the fashion of Noah sending out the raven from the ark to look for evidence of an abate. ment of the flood? In this case the raven was testing the sentiment of the members for the expulsion of the Communists, but instead of bringing back an olive leaf he got a bunch of raspberries. see ELEGATH SCHUSSLER, referred pointedly to the christian gentle- men at the head of the federation ONLY ONE RED WAY TO ACT! There is only one RED WAY to act. And that is to enter EVERY party campaign a hundred percent and with that pugnacious spirit which every Communist must have. For we are fighters. We are militant or we are noth- ing. Today we want you to fight with us to overcome the things that stand in the way of the safety and progress of the DAILY WORKER. The way to fight this battle is to sell INSURANCE POLICIDS. The way to tell who are the fighters is by INSURANCE POLICY REMITTANCES. So we have decided to (1 ) Issue a BIG RED SPECIAL EDITION of the DAILY WORKER, upon the first anani- versary of our party organ, on January 13th. (2) In this BIG RED SPECIAL we will feature the PAGE FOR MILITANT BRANCHES. Militant branches are those that ARE RED, those that REMIT FOR POLI- CIES sold. (3) The name of all branches that remit for INSUR- ANCE POLICIES before January 8th, will be printed upon this MILITANT PAGE. If you are a party member you will see to it that your branch is listed in the honor roll. who followed the lowly Nazarene yet raved like maniacs at the presence of Communists in the meeting, tho early christianity was the anthitesis of cap. italism. He inferred that Jesus was lucky he got away with crucifixion Had he lived today in Chicago it is quite likely he would meet a worse fate. John Fitzpatrick then made some forceful if not logical contribu- tion to the discussion. The force was entirely from the lungs and from the gavel. ** 6 E blamed Comrade Swabeck for | injecting his views into the situa- | tion and hazarded the guess that Swa. beck was taking his orders from the | Workers Party and not from Local No. | 194 of the painters. He admitted that the issues raised by Swabeck were fun- damental ones. He could hardly re- strain his anger against the darned Communists who semed to have apen- chant for taking up issues fundamen. tal to the workers. Of course it was quite clear to Fitzpatrick that there was an “ulterior motive” behind all this, some Jesuitical trick to secure the leadership of the masses and no doubt free them from the shackles of capitalism and the fossilized labor misleaders. This was the way these wily reds acted. Had they, as radi. cals formerly used—waste their time in senseless criticism, merely picking on the padded expenses accounts of the labor fakers when they travel from Chicago to Washington let us say— and ignore bigger questions they could be put down as “nuts” and “kickers,” and safely ignored. wwe ITZPATRICK was, to use a favor- ite phrase of his, “in a most un. happy position” and he was getting worse and worse as he proceeded. His oratorical effort was partly a re buke to Delegate Diehl (the raven who got the raspberries) and partly a sug- gestion that the local unions who send Communists as delegates to the federation should see that only safe sano and silent ones be sent in the future. He thought it was a mean trick on Swabeck’s part to bring the Kennedy report up for discussion, and have Fitzpatrick’s anti-militarist ghost stalk in all its nakedness before the delegates. Therefore he turned his guns on Swabeck and after making a personal attack on him refused him the floor on a point of personal priv- ilege before putting the question to a vote. my G & N the whole it was an instructive discussion in the sense that it revealed the entire bankruptcy of thc reactionaries. They were afraid to face the issues raised by the Commun- ists, intellectually, because, as Fitz. patrick admitted, these issues are “fundamental.” Instead they resort to theats of expulsion and charges of “ulterior motive,” ad nauseam. It should not be assumed that because Fitzpatrick and Nockels decided last Sunday that no delegate would be re- fused a seat in the federation because of his political views, that no attempt will be made in the future to deprive them of the right to represent their local unions. There is no doubt but Fitzpatrick and Nockels will be just as willing to do the dirty work for the head fakers of the A. F, of L., in Chi- cago, as the fake radical Cramer was in Minneapolis, That the Commun. ists are using the proper tactics in the unions needs no more convincing proof than the unwitting admission of John Fitzpatrick. Youn tig ha Re RUSSIAN FLEET HELD BY FRANCE TOBE RETURNED Britain Tries Delay Fear- ing Red Navy SOFIA, Bulgaria, Jan. 5, — While allies’ commissions remain in Con- stantinople for the purpose of deter- mining the future status of the Dar- danelles, the Turkish and Roumanian naval staffs are becoming disturbed by the apparition of the Black Sea fleet. Since the close of the world war Russia has possessed no important naval force. But the recent decision of the French government to hand over to the Soviet government the fleet formerly possessed by Gen. Wrangel opens up an entirely new vista. Fleet at Bizerta. This fleet, which is lying at Bizerta, Tunisia, is out of date compared with modern American warships, but is in- comparably superior in size and speed to any other eastern European navy. Its battleships and destroyers would completely dominate the Black Sea, and Roumanian and Bulgarian ports, as well as Constantinople, would not be secure in the event that relations with Ruesia became strained. In Turkey it is believed that Great Britain pointed out to France the diffi- culties and dangers which the return of the fleet to the Moscow govern- ment would create. Therefore, the transfer may be delayed, but it seems doubtful whether the plan of delivery will be prevented ultimately. To Go to Odessa. After the fleet has been thoroly overhauled it probably will proceed to Odessa, where it will make its head- quarters. There is talk to the effect that the eastern European states will summon @ naval conference to discuss this matter. None of them feel inclined or is able to go to the expense of con- structing new war vessels, while none can view with equanimity the pres- ence of a naval force so greatly su- perior to its own On January 17, a conference of the Baltic white guard governments, in- cliding Latvia, Esthonia and binland, will meet at Helsingfors. It, too, is expected to protest to France against returning the vessels to Soviet Russia, only these Baltic states will complain that the fleet will make the Bolshe viks the strongest naval power in the Baltic. When you buy, get an “Ad” for the DAILY WORKER. MUSSOLINI DOES NOT REPLY TO MURDER CHARGE Wants to Resign; Vio- lence Continues ROME, Italy, Jan. 5.—Mussolini, who does not deny the charges of Cesare Rossi that the fascist leader plotted the murder of his chief op- ponents, is anxious to resign, latest reports from Italy declare. Deputy Farinacci, the extreme fascist leader whose differences with Mussolini are growing more acute, has expressed the desire to organize a new govern- ment led by the extreme wing of the fascist party. Mussolini is demoralized. His fascist organ, Popolo D'Italia, in an article today, did not deny the charges of Rossi that Mussolini instigated the murder of the socialist deputy Matte- oti, and murderous attacks on the opposition deputies, Amendola, Misuri and Forni, and the robbing of ex-Pre- mier Nitti’s house in Brianza. The fascisti provincial council of Milan has already resigned, in the face of charges of criminal acts of violence. Drunken fascisti attacked workers on the streets of Milan, who retaliated, killing the fascist Vittorio Agnudter and mortally wounding Gio- vanni Lalerno. Many other cities witnessed fights between the fascisti and workers, many being killed and wounded thruout Italy. Opposition newspapers demand that Mussolini resign, calling for a judicial inquiry into the charges of Rossi. The opposition leaders declare that Mussolini cannot hold an election until the Rossi charges have been sifted. Outgoing Iowa State Treasurer Will Need Len Small’s Good Luck DES MOINES, Ia., Jan, 5.—Follow- ing the closing of several Des Moines banks recently, the Iowa state execu- tive council today passed a resolution to institute suit against W. J. Bur- bank, outgoing @ treasurer, for the recovery of nearly a million dollars of state funds. Burbank, it is alleged, failed to account for funds to R. E. Johnson, the new state treasur- er. It is charged that Burbank did not have adequate securities on his bonds executed by various personal friends and surety rela Tuesday, January 6, 1928. | Some More Camouflage Drops Off the Face of Exploiters’ Kept Press By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. ToDAy: two editorial writers are carrying on a sham battle in the columns of the Tama, lowa, News-Herald. One writes from the republican viewpoint; the other turns out democratic dope. This is the solution offered of the merger of the Herald, republican, and the News, democrat. It is a logical solution. The next step should be to have the two editorial writers work on alternate weeks, It is guaranteed that the readers wouldn't be able to tell the difference be- tween the productions of the two “bought and paid for” scribblers. ” * * * Both the republican and democratic writers, in all their editorials, will support capitalism—the rule of the landlords, the bankers, the grain speculators and the food gamblers. They will seek to justify the continued rule of the buzzards who will fatten off the worker and farmer masses of lowa as long as the republicans and democrats have their say. Formerly the staffs of pen prostitutes on the Tama News and the Tama Herald phy gees under separate tents. Now the demo-republican show is consolidated. Under this latter condition these hired hacks, whose jobs are guaranteed as long as they turn out the right kind of dope, should carry less influence than formerly. The bi-partisanism of the capitalists is better revealed. * * * * In the November elections last fall more than 4,000 workers and poor farmers in lowa cast their ballots for the Communist candidates of the Workers Party. This was good as a starter. It shows that the capitalist game is on the down grade; that there are goodly numbers of exploited in this state who refuse to be fooled and misled ony onger by the capitalists—either big or little. They have learned the real nature of the class enemy of city and land labor. They know, for instance, that their poe champion is the Communist daily—the DAILY WORKER. They have reached that milestone on the road to their liberation, where they realize that the capitalist state must fall in order to pois way for the Communist society. That realization on the part of a growing number of other workers and poor farmers will result in more consolidations of capitalist news- papers of differing shades in lowa, as in every other section of the nation. COURT PUSHES ATTACK ON THE COMMUNISTS (Continued from page 1) What are the principles of the Work- ers (Communist) Party, for belief in which and advocacy of which the state of Michigan acting as the agent of the capitalist class desires to im. prison me? “The Workers (Communist) Party and I as a Communist point to the class character of the present social order and the existing government. I have pointed out the the few capitalists exploit and:take from the masses of workers and farmers the wealth which they produce. I have pointed out that the present government is the supporter and upholder of this system of exploitation. I have argued that the working masses must organ- ize their power under the leadership of the Communists to, establish a workers’ and farmers’ government which will rule in their interests in place of that of the exploiters. I have urged that such a government only could reorganize our social structure to abolish exploitation and oppression and to make industry serve the happi- fess and well-being of those who pro- duce the wealth of this country. “In stating these principles of Com. munis I have stated further that all history shows that no privileged class has surrendered its privileged position without a resort to force to maintain its right to exploit and oppress, and that the ultimate struggle between the workers and capitalists would be a struggle of force. I have not advo- ‘ated any present act of force by the working class. I have made this his- torical forecast that the situation which existing social forces will bring will create a situation in which the class struggle will inevitably develop into a struggle of force, “I have been imprisoned before be- cause I advocated and supported these principles. I shall not change them because the class laws of capitalism imprison me again. because it is my firm belief that the existing social order leads inevitably to such a catas- trophe as the world war, which all but destroyed European civilization. and that if what is good in our civili- zation is to be saved, if mankind is to go forward to a better and finer life, if exploitation, oppression, misery and suffering for the masses is to be ended, that can only be achieved thru a struggle of the workers against the existing capitalist system until thru their organized power they establish a Soviet government and begin the rebuilding of our social order and the creation of & Communist society. To lead that struggle, to carry it forward to victory, that is the task of the Workers (Communist) Party wjth which I am charged with assembly and of which I am proud to be a mem- ber,” 4 Next Sunday Night and Every Sun- day Night, the Open Forum, WATCH DOGS OF PLUNDERBUND WAR ON FRANCE (Continued from page 1) difference between 4% per cent now being paid on liberty bonds, and the one-half of one per cent France sug: gests. This would amount to approxi- mately $150,000,000 a year for years to come. Our Imperial “Observers.” Officials reiterated today that the presence in Paris of Ambasadors Kel- logg, Herrick and Col. James A. Lo- gan does not mean they will debate the debts with the allied finance min- isters, who meet there tomorrow. Kellogg and Logan were sent to Paris “to observe” and safeguard “Ameri. can interests” in the reparations pro- ceedings rather than to discuss war debts. ih ae BRITAIN FIGHTS NOTE LONDON, Jan. 6.—The British ca- binet took under consideration yester- day America’s note which, it is under- stood, states frankly that the United States has a “legal right” for payment of its war claims through the Dawes reparation plan. Note Recelved—But Not Welcomed The note was received by the foreign office today and sent imme- diately to the cabinet. The American note was a reply to the British note of last wednesday, Out of the cabinet meeting was ex- pected to come a definite statement of policy, not only on America’s war claim, but also on the Franco-Amer- ican debt and war debts in general. The specific purpose of the cabinet meeting, it was announced, is to give Chancellor of the Exchequer Churchill final instructions covering his appear- ance at the allied financial conference in Paris this week, | Britain will not, it was said, accept the terms which France has made in informal. memoranda to the United States for payment of the Franco- American debt. These terms specify a ten year moratorium and 90 years to discharge the debt. British Plan to Bolt Paris Meet It appears likely, diplomats com ceded, that the financial conference in Paris will break down. An effort then will be made by Great Britain to bring about an inter-allied debt conference, This conference would take up the question of the participation of the United States in the reparation pay- ments, jtruck in Douglas Park. SETTLEMENT OF COAL STRIKE UP TO ARBITRATION Teamsters Get No Pay Raise Yet (Continued from page 1) which were the only two exemptions made by the union. Chief Collin Aids Coal Dealers. An attempt of the Hedstrom Schenk Coal company to operate coal trucks by means of scabs was frus- trated when the first truckload of coal to leave the yard, was tipped over in an altercation between pick- ets and the strikebreakers. The coal company immediately called on the Police to try to terrorize the strikers. Chief Collins, who has had ill luck in his attempts to clear up the crime ring that infests Chicago, responded with the statement that deliveries of coal by strikebreakers will be “pro- tected” by his force. As usual, the police have been called out to oppose the strikers. Will Use Scabs. The Coal Merchants’ association announced that today, if the strike ie still on, strikebreakers will be used on a large scale. Police rushed to the coal yards of the L. W. Fergu- son Coal Co., and tried to disperse 25 strikers who were protesting at the opening of the gates by the com- pany. The coal companies have been warned by union men that the gates must be kept closed as a‘ safeguard against violence incited by strike- breakers. The union officers were deluged with telephone calls, personal visits and telegrams yesterday, asking to be placed on the exemption list. But the reply was, “No coal unless it is a hospital or an orphan asylum.” A member of the West Park board drove up in a limousine and asked for coal for the conservatory there. He was told to return later. A large laundry company asked for coal, but was re- fused. A dog hospital called up and asked for drivers, and the union offi- cials replied they would take the mat- ter under consideration. The sentiment of those union offi- cials at the headquarters yesterday was that the strike will be over to- day at the latest. Meanwhile, the coal drivers, who, in their sheepskin coats and with their faces stained with coal dust, presented a marked contrast to the coal dealers and their clerical staffs, continued with their unofficial picketing. One driver told the DAILY WORKER how he stopped a coal “I told the driver it is very unhealthy to be driv- ing a coal truck along the streets to- day,” the union driver said. “We are going to keep all coal trucks off the streets.” Helpers Get Low Wages. Another coal truck driver explained that the helpers employed to load and unload the coal receive only $4.00 to $4.50 per day. “These are practical- ly a}l non-union men,” the driver told the DAILY WORKER. “If they had a union card they would get $6.00 a day, and maybe they would stick to their jobs a little longer., They do not be- long to our union.” These are the workers who must load and unload all the coal, according to the demands of the strikers. As it is now the coal truck driver sits side by side with a non-union helper, who would probally be glad to join the coal driy- ers’ union if eligible. While the drivers were out ener- getically picketing, they clung to their faith that the unions original demands will be won even if winning them means a stubborn strike. WE SELL POLIGIES FEVERISHLY, SAYS NEW YORK AGENT By T. R. SULLIVAN, Organizer, District 4, » BUFFALO, N. Y., Jan. 5.—All of the comrades in District No. 4 are in the insurance business on a large scale. The reason is not that we have all become small capitalists, but that we realize very keenly the great services done the party by the DAILY WORKER. It is to con- tinue that service as a greater and more effective means of bringing our Communist program to the masses that we are ail selling insurance feverishly. The DAILY WORKER has ac- complished more than the most op- timistic hoped for, and with the support promised for 1925 will establish our Daily as a real power in the life of the workers in Amer- lca, District No. 4 is wholeheartedly on the job to raise ite full share for the insurance of our Daily for 1925. PITTSBURGH COMMUNISTS VOTE FOR MAJORITY THESIS AND BOOST. DAILY WORKER FUND CAMPAIGN: (Special to The Daily Worker) PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5.—Besides adopting the majority theses by a of fifty-two against thirty-eight the general membership meeting held yesterday also contributed over two hundred dollars for the DAIL’ iM WORKER. A resolution introduced by District Organizer Blankenstein condemnin; factionalism was carried by. a vote of thirty-eight to 28, Y Comrade Merrick’s position on party policy received only four votes,