The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 9, 1925, Page 2

Page Two RUTHENBERG IN JAIL FOR THE WORKING CLASS No Legal Basis Involved Says Ferguson The imprisonment of C. E. Ruthenberg, national executive secretary of the Workers (Com- munist) Party, solely because of his association with the Com- munists, was branded as ridi- | culous by tsaac E. Ferguson, attorney for Ruthenberg, in a statement to the DAILY WORKER. If the decision of the Michigan | court is allowed to stand, Fer- guson told the DAILY WORK- ER,. it “practically takes away all meaning from the constitu-| tional guarantees of free speech and the right of assemblage.” “The idea of Ruthenberg being in| prison because of his association with! the Communists is utterly ridiculous,’ said Ferguson. “The Communist Party was condemned in Ruthenberg’: trial because it is supposed to have threatened the United States govern ment. But the United States govern ment has done nothing to prevent the Communists from disseminating their ideas since the deportations under At- torney General Palmer in 1920, “The United States government knows all ‘bout the doctrines of the Communists. Its agents have been able to read, in the five years since 1920, the principles expressed openly by the Communists in their literature and in their press. “And the government has made no move to show that the expression of principles by the Communists is a criminal menace,” Ferguson continu. ed “If there were any reality in the charge against Ruthenberg,it is ridicu- lous to think that the government would tolerate the recent presidential campaign conducted by the Commun- ists, where they stated the principles, for which Ruthenberg is in jail, hun- dreds of times in every city in the country. Gesture Against Communism. “The courts are using the Ruthen- berg case to make a gesture against doctrines, but there is no real accusa- tion against him according to the normal standards of criminal law. The judges and jury conducting the case all deem it necessary to show that they do not like the principles of Communism. f “This particular decision of the Michigan court, if it stands unrevers- ed, practically takes away all meaning from the constitutional guarantees of free speech and the right of assembl. age. Attorney General Andrew Dough- erty of Michigan, has filed a motion, prepared by Assistant Attorney Gen- eral O. L. Smith, with the Michigan supreme court at Lansing, asking the court to confirm the previous judg- ment that all questions have been set- tled. This moticn will be acted upon by the Michigan court on Jan. 15, finally disposing of the case as far ar the Michigan courts are concerned The case will then be appealed to the United States supreme court. Rally Labor for Defense. Meanwhile Ruthenberg is held pris. oner in one of the worst hell holes in the country—Jackson Prison, at Jack- son, Michigan. The Labor Defense Council and the militant section of the Working class have rallied to the de- fense\ of Ruthenberg and the other Commanists who are facing prison solely bepause they demand the over- throw of\the capitalist system of ex- ploitation of the workers, and that the abolition of the profit system be re. placed by the rule of the working class. “Thousands of dollars are needed immediately for the Ruthenberg ap- peal to the U. S. supreme court, for the Minor trial and those that will follow,” George Maurer, of the Labor Defense Council, told the DAILY WORKER. “The facts must be spread broadcast, so that all workers and their organizations will know that their cause is the cause of these Work- ers (Communist) Party defendants and will unite in a mass protest and demand their freedom.” The Trade Union Edueationa’ League has issued a call to all trade unionists to come to the defense of these militant leaders of the working class—the Michigan Communist de- fendants. The local Chicago organization of the Workers (Communist) . Party already has well under way the fight to release the militant champions of the working class who are faced with prison terms. “One of the big demands of the ald- ermanic election campaign of the Workers Party in Chicago is the free. dom of all class war prisoners,” Martin Abern, Chicago secretary of the Workers Party told the DAILY WORKER, “especially in view of the imprisonment of Comrade Ruthenberg, and the impending trial of Comrade Minor and other leading Communists. From now on the most important task of the Workers Party is the defense of the Communists imprisoned under the Michigan anti-syndicalist laws.” io THE DAILY WORKER LET US SHOW THE FIGHTING COAL MINERS THAT WE ARE WITH THEM In Tuesday’s issue of the DAILY secretary of the } miners who participated in the famous Twenty-five of these fighting wor! thirteen others in for the same cause for daring to fight for their interests. WORKER an article by Pat Toohey, ners’ Defense Committee, stated the case of the fighting “March of the Miners” in 1922. ‘kers have just been pardoned while have still to remain behind the bars The DAILY WORKER is a paper of the fighting proletariat—and the Workers’ Monthly is their magazine; + so we have placed on our sub-list every one of the fighting miners re- maining in jail. But the DAILY WORKER is as poor as the poor worker, and subs are a heavy expense. Will you pay for one of these? They have been placed on the sub-list each for a six months’ sub for the DAILY WORKER ($3.50) and for a six months’ sub for the Workers’ Monthly ($1.25). Send in your remittance and we will tell the fighter you choose that you have con- tributed the favor. But be sure to tell us you are paying for a certain pris- oner or the DAILY WORKER or Workers’ Monthly if you have a pre- ference. ss Read what Pat Toohey has to say about it: Jan. 4, 1925. | “Dear Comrades:—I enclose here the names of the remaining miners at Moundsville penitentiary for their part in the march of the miners on he Cliftonville mine in 1922, at which 2 riot took place and the sheriff and eight union miners were killed. They repeatedly have requested of me the DAILY WORKER and the Workers’ Monthly, but we are about in as bad a fix financially as they are. “T send you their names to see if you would put them on the mailing list. This list supersedes the list I sent you some time ago, as the men have been pardoned, as these will be also, WAGES ARE LOW, CONDITIONS BAD ON BRITISHISLES Workers Expect Attack on Hours Next LONDON, Jan. 8— A levelling up and standardizing of the wages of 650,000 British railway workers is pro- posed by the National Union of Rail- waymen. Among the rates are the fol- lowing given in equivalent U. S. mon- ey: engineers, $3.80 a day; firemen, $2.96 a day; machinists, $18 to $18.95 a week; signal operators, $14.20 to $21.02; freight and baggage handlers minimum, $14.20 a week. It is pro- posed to change the basic mileage day of enginemen from 440 to 120 miles for surface men and 100 miles for un- derground mea, no man to work more than 840 miles a week, Wages in all British coal mining dis- tricts with one exception are down to the minimum and at least 10 per cent of the mine workers are unemployed. Coal mine owners have started an agt- tation.in favor of a rn to the long- er working day as ns of reduc- as soon as the progressives can or- ganize their forces to make a fight in this direction. ~ “Teddy Arinski, Frank Bodo, Charles Ciallella, John Kaminski, Angelo Mar- ione, Dan Machusak, Andy Rohar, Pete Radokovitch, Joseph Regis, John Stegmack, Joseph Tracz, Joseph Wal- lace, 818 Jefferson Ave., Moundsyville, W. Va. “If you are unable to comply with my request, please inform me. The Avella section from where most of the prisoners are from, is a section controlled by the pro-Lewis tools of this district, and if the radicals put up a fight for these men, our party will greatly benefit greatly, by having an opportunity to penetrate hitherto untouched territory. “With best wishes, I am, “Fraternally yours, “Pat H. Toohey, “Sec’y Miners’ Defense Com.” SGABHERDER SUES COMPANY FOR Kis BLOOD MONEY Gets Doublecross When Strike is Broken NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 8.— Edward Thompson, strikebreaker boss, has ing costs. Employers and employers’ journals generally admit that British wages are as low as they can be without provoking the unious to fierce revolt, Trade ufiion circles fecl that the next attack of employcrs will be against working hours. Forbes Ignorant of Graft in His Bureau, Is His New Defense Charles Forbes, when head of the United States veterans’ bureau, “was not interested” in hospital building, Col. E. E. Walton, chief of the con- struction service of the war depart- ment testified in Forbes’ defense. Forbes is on trial in federal court here charged with illegally letting the contracts, according to Walton. “After he induced the war depart ment to take over the opening of bids and the letting of contracts, - Col. Forbes said he cared only to inspect the plans, and let the department turn over the completed hospitals to him as rapidly as possible,” said Wal- ton. The new defense of Forbes pic tures him as a naive executive who did not know what was going on un- der him and who was not interested in eliminating graft and corruption in the veterans’ bureau. Program for filed suit against the Texas Transport and Terminal Co. for $17,420, which he alleges he would have been en- titled to had he not been discharged. Thompson was engaged as general su- perintendent in New Orleans over the strikebreaking longshoremen during 1924, and was told by officials that the job was his for life. His salary was to be $55 a week and wl the overtime necessary. William Harris, his assist- W. P. Aldermen Is Adopted (Continued from page 1) a Soviet Republic, a workers’ farmers’ government. ** We call upon all labor unions and working class organizations which and aut, also files suit for $14,000 on the same grounds. While the strike was in its zenith these men drew the wage agreed up- on; but when the union was licked, they were gradually let out. The transportation company is Say- ing nothing, but engaging the best le- gal talent. Fishermen Win Strike. (Special to The Daily Worker) PARIS, France, Jan. 8.—The strik- ing fishermen and cannery workers of Douarnenez won an increase ir wages of 25 centimes an hour, after a strike of six weeks, which was led by ‘Communists. During the strike the Communist mayor was suspended by the government for leading a Parade. THREAD TRUST CUTS WAGES 10 PER GENT OF 7,000 WORKERS WILLIMANTIC, Conn., Jan. 8— Announcement was made at the plant of the American Thread com- many here today that the wages of its operatives will be reduced 10 per cent, effective January 12, The reduction will be general in all plants. Thirty-five hundred opera tives will be affected here and 7,000 in the entire The Tri Union Educational League has called upon all workers thruout the textile industry to resist militantly the concerted drive against their wages being cut in all branches of the industry. Strikes expected all over New Eng- Build the DAILY WORKER! are in agreement with the imme- diate demands set forth in our pro- gram to establish a united front with the Workers (Communist) Party in the fight for their realization, thru Support of the aldermanic candi- i dates listed below: Ae 3rd WARD—E. L. Doty. 11th WARD—Victor Zokaitis, 22nd WARD—L, Cejka. 24th WARD—H, Epstein. 28th WARD—N. Dozenberg. 32nd WARD—Peter M. Lucas. 33rd WARD—J, L. Engdahl. 34th WARD—Harry Brooker, 44th WARD—J. W. Johnstone, An energetic campaign will be made to bring the program and candidates of the Workers (Communist Party be- fore the workers of Chicago despite the fact that the election is being run On a non-partisan basis. The entire city organization of the Workers Par- ty is responding wholeheartedly to this election campaign, and it is ex- pected that by the time this election is closed, the workers of Chicago will be well acquainted with the Workers Party and what it stands for, as well as with its daily fighting organ, the DAILY WORKER. Ku Klux Preacher __ Reported Shot Dies Of Natural Causes DANVILLE, Il, Jan, 8.—Rey, Wil- liam @. Williams, preacher for the ku klux klan, who collapsed last Novem- ber while delivering a klan speech at Benton, Ill, died today at the hospital of the national soldiers’ home. When Williams collapsed in Novem- ber, the klansmen charged that he had been shot by anti.klansmen, and it was not until Williams’ death that it was revealed that William: was suffering not from wounds but from tubercular meningitis, web WILL NOT HELP YOU’ cOOLIDGE TELLS FARMERS Hoover casises Aid to Large Employers (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Jan. 8— President Coolidge expressed his “profound sympathy” with the struggles of the farmers but told them that they would have to “do the lions share of the work in making their co-opera- tive movements effective them- selves,” in a speech before the National Council of Farmers’ Co-operative Marketing asso- ciations. Former Governor Frank Lowden of Illinois, who is posing as a farmer, altho he and his wife, formerty Flor- ence Pullman, own a large ‘siiare o the stock-in the Pullman Paiace Vai company, is a member of the nationa executive committee of this associa tion. The Pullman car works were recently put on a ten-hour day, fol- lowing a wage reduction. Coolidge pointed to the United States Steel corporation, whose aver age wage is 44 cents an hour, as a “great co-operative industry built out of small beginnings.” In telling the farmers thax they must work out their ow: satvation, Coolidge intimated that ue wiii op- pose the Norbeck-Burtness ang the McNary-Haugen bills, designed to al- low government relief for the farm- ers. “We want combination preach- ed as a principle,” Coolidge said at- ter referring lovingly to tne steel trust, in which he owns a substantia} block of stock. Herbert Hoover, also speaking be- fore the National Council of tne Farm- ers’ Co-operatives, which represents the rich farmers, advocated the devel- opment of assemblies for the elimina- tion of waste. Hoover is practically turning the department of commerce over to the large employers and the rtch farm- ers. Hoover is using the resources of his bureau to acquire data on how the industries can cut down expens- es. Hoover announced that “Millions of dollars could be saved the people of this country thru application of measures to eliminate waste m com- merce and industry.” Hoover, how- fever, large emptoyers, for they ton tose who wilt get more lown the running expenses of big in- dustries. . Hoover announced that “Represent- atives of railway dining cars met In Chicago today to standardize their equipment, and 36 other stancardiza- tion meetings involving many manu- facturing industries will be held dur- ing the next few months.” The campaign to bring the capital- ists larger profits is being carrted on by Hoover with government money. Bosses Take Fight Against Engravers’ Union Into Courts (Special to the Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.—The Inter- national Photo-Engravers’ Union is be- ing pounced upon by the federal trade commission because of its endeavor to bring all shops up to the standard union rate, In.a petition filed in the federal dis- trict court of St. Louis, the commis. sion charges that the Photo-Engray- ers’ Union is trying to help the em- ployes, organized as the American As- soeiation of Photo_Engravers, to main. in a combination in restraint of trade, by calling strikes on all shops where the prices fixed by the employ ers’ combine are not enforced. They charge that under “clause 10” of the contract between the interna: tional and local unions and the em Ployers, the unions agreed to. allow their members to work only in shops where the management is affiliated in good standing with the employer’: combine, The commission seeks to get the court to enforce a subpeono upon Local 10 of the Photo-Engravers to produce its union minutes for cer tain occasions when the commission believes the union was maintaining the prices for job work. Cappellini Is Denounced As Union Betrayer (Continued from page 1) district. They contend that the Lewis investigating committee had failed in its purpose in that it had failed to wo to the root of the difficulties ex- isting between district officials and the rank and file of the union. Strike May Spread. The Hudson Coal company griev- ance committee meeting in Scranton Saturday, gave President Cappelini one more week to settle the present grievances, In his failure to do this they will meet again probably to de clare a strike, The Hudson miners allege tha: President Cappelini has not kept hii pledges to adjust their grievances an. has failed even to take them up witi. the proper T the impression that progress has taken a great leap for- ward. Capitalist editors always like to get women into the news. And pictures! Especially when they can be touched year. era is really dawning. * * loyal to their class interests. the leg: Massacre.” orders from Moscow. rule that dominates the state buildings in both states. the capitalist class were and landlords will be hel classes continues as before. seven-da’ scratched. rrofits because of his campaign to cut} Women of the Capitalist Class in Public Office Loyal to Class Interests By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL, up to make them look attractive. women executives and legislators will be improved on to the utmost, in the weeks to come, to spice the dry news that comes out of state capitols with the beginning of each new The misinformed will be led to conclude that a new of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co. * * * ODAY, the yellow press exploits the fact that a few women have been elected to public office. It tries to leave So the exploits of the * * The granting of the suffrage to women, and the elec- tion of women to public office, does not even touch the roots of capitalism. The women of the capitalist class remain The women of labor are still held in the chains that bind their class to the profit system. Woman suffrage does not change the class relation. The class strug.!o goes on the same as ever. In C:lcrado women were in the state legislature when alized cossacks of the state mili burned to death the men, women and children of the coal fields in what is now known in labor history as “The Ludlow But the Colorado legislature has never been denounced as “Bolshevik,” or condemned for getting its” The men and women, in Colorado's lawmaking body, have always been loyal to the Rockefeller a shot down and thru the established czardom * Capitalism shows no fear over the fact that Mrs. Miriam A. Ferguson is governor of Texas, or because Mrs, Nellie Taylor Ross is the executive head of Wyoming. Wall Street knows that its flag will continue to ly over the capitol Children will be exploited in the cotton fields, and in industry thruout Texas, just as in the days when men of fovernors, as close as ever to the face of the landless farmer, both black and white. The fist of the bankers The war of the In Wyoming, Mrs. Ross may be governor, but the life of the miner will be just as bitter. The 12-hour day and the week will continue in the oil fields owned by Rockefeller. The social order that gave the Teapot (Wyo- ming) Dome scandal to the nation will not even get The same is true everywhere, in all the state legislatures, where the women of the capitalist class have been elected. For instance, four women sit in the Illinois legislature, but they raise no challenge to the Illinois Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation, or the Chambers of Commerce. They are all of the same breed. * * Suffrage for women will until the Communist women not take on a new meaning of the working class begin entering the parliaments of capitalism in this country, as in other nations. Not until a Ruth Fischer, or a Clara Zetkin, in this country as in Germany, joins with the Communist men of her class, in congress, or in the state yarn ova will the voice of a woman legislator be heard on t It is to be hoped that that time is not far class struggle. distant. e labor side of the STRIKE AGAINST. |Maay, Cities to CONDITIONS ALSO PROTECTS WAGES If Union Loses Control, Wages Follow (By The Federated Press) PITTSTON, Pa., Jan. 8—The un- official strike of 12,000 Pennsylvania- Hillside miners in the hard coal fields comes out of long standing disputes over working conditions and not from any demand for a change in the wage scale before the agreement runs out But the fight to protect working con. ditions is really a fight to protect wages, the miners say. Under the piece work system worse working con- ditions mean worse wages. Few unions in the country have such pratical control over the details of the job as does the United Mine Workers where it is well organized. The present fight—the strikers say— is to retain this control. They are seeking to prevent the company from laying off men at will, from keeping tonnage miners at unproductive work at which they cannot make regular wages, from forcing the men to pay the same price for inferior power, and from other actions which have the same general effect, of reducing the earning power of the men. A list of the grievances, mine by mine, has been prepared by the gen eral grievance committee of the ten striking locals. A summary is given below. The committee says the strike was forced because the company re- fused to consent to adjustment thru the regular adjustment machinery and the committee charges the district president with failure to take proper action. Beauty Parlor Union Urged. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan, 8.— Plans to unionize 50,000 beauty parlor sirls will be among things considered st the meeting of the general execu- ive board of the Journeymén Barbers’ uternational Union, whish meets here today, a i The Daily Worker (Continued on Page 2.) WORKER jubilee and ball in the evening, at the New Star Casino, 107 St. and Park Ave. The combined celebration ‘will be held under the aus- pices of the Workers Party and the Young Workers’ League. Thirty. seven and one-half per cent of the proceeds of the New York commemo- ration meetings will be donated to the DAILY WORKER. “These two great events,” declares Charles Krumbein, New York district organizer of the Workers Party, “the Liebknecht memorial which is the oc- casion for the revolutionary workers and the working class youth in partic- ular, to review the condition of our movement and survey the tasks for the future—and the DAILY WORKER Jubilee, will be clebrated from 2 p. m. till midnight. They will no doubt bring forth a stronger determination to carry on the battle that Karl Lieb knecht and Rosa Luxemburg so bravely fought.” In Jamestown, N. Y., Franklin P. Brill will lecture on “Karl Lieb- knecht, World Revolutionist,” in Odd- fellows Hall, Main and Fourth Sts., Sunday, Jan, 11, at 3 p. m. Tickets will cost only 15 cents, The Los Angeles Workers Party or- ganization, under the leadership of the English Branch, will hold a “First Birthday Party” Tuesday evening, Jan. 18, at 8 p. m., in Brooklyn Hall, corner Brooklyn and Soto Sts, Com- rades of all nationalities will meet ix Los Angeles that night, and will make afinaldrive for insurance policies to make sure that the second birthday party of the DAILY WORKER shows even more gains for the Communist movement than the first anniversary. New Reichstag Head. ' BERLIN, Jan. 8.—Dr. Paul Loebe, a soclal-democrat and former presi- dent of the German reichstag, was elected president of the new reichstag today by a vote of 231 to 182, cast for the next highest candidate “Polikushka” is coming to Gertner’s Independent Theater, Jan. tna HPs pose reves itginetdiad ae 6 Friday, January 9, 1925 LAW AND ORDER TALK AT STRIKE BREAKERS’ MEAL Coolidge Makes Love to High-Hat Millionaires (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.— Judge Elbert Gary, head of the United States Stee! corporation, who allowed his trust to break every law on the calendar in the 1919 steel strike, presented a resolution to President Coolidge yesterday acking for “law en- forcement.” President Coolidge always throws his doors open to the steel trust head. Gary is 4 handy man when it comes to supplying money ‘to run a presi- dential caaipaign, and besides, Cool- idge owns a fat block of stock in the United States Steel corporation. Gary ate breakfast with the presi- dent yesterday, and acted as chair- man of a delegation of high hatted millionaires, including John D. Rocke- feller, Jr., S. S. Kresge, and other men of big business. They were members of a “committee of one thousand,” seeking to enforce the prohibition laws, and they commended Coolidge for not getting drunk while on duty in the interests of big business. Gary “commended President Coolidge for his personal conscientious obedience to the provisions of the eighteenth amendment.” Rockefeller must have laughed up his sleeve when talking to Coolidge about law enforcement, if he remem- bered the Colorado coal strike, when his company, the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, hired thugs to mur- der the strikers, and evicted scores of families from their homes. And Gary must have had a good laugh at the expense of the gullible workers, if he recalled that during the 1919 strike, gunmen in the em- ploy of the United States Steel cor- poration brutally _ murdered Fanny Sellins, and that all meetings were prohibited in all of the steel towns. Strikers were arrested by the hun- dred, many were killed, and the state constabulary of Pennsylvania was called in by Gary to ride down strik- ers—all for no other cause than that — they wanted the eight-hour day and | a living wage. j Indeed, it was a select company of | strikebreakers, that sat down at the White House breakfast table yester- | day, with arch-strikebreaker Coolidge, | breaker of the Boston police strike, | leading the discussion on “law en-_ forcement.” | POSTAL WORKERS | TO KEEP UP PAY INCREASE FIGHT Cal’s Veto Is Sustained by Only One Vote « Altho disappointment was in the air at the meeting of 300 members of the Railway Mail Association in the Hotel Sherman, because the senate. failed to override Coolidge’s veto of the bill increasing postal employes’ salaries, they determined that the fight would continue. “We feel this especially because ‘we felt sure of victory,” said Ellis Miller, president of the association. “We be- lieve firmly in‘our cause and have not given up. We have great hopes of an increase in the not distant future. The fact that only one vote was needed to give us the necessary two-thirds vote shows our fight has not been without results. ' “We believe that the public is with us and wants us to attain money enough to live on—not merely exist. We want to be able to edu our children and to live in happin and comfort.” The vote on the bill to increase th pay of the postal workers was 55 29, but as only 28 votes against th the bill were required to prevent i passage over the veto of Coolidge b; a two-thirds vote, Coolidge’s veto sustained and the bill will not ' a law. ig ' Coolidge pulled every wire he coul: to stave off the passage of the bill. b: @ two-thirds vote. He made promises’ threatened patronage, pulled “ex? posures” of graft, and submitted sev? eral substitute bills. Senator Borah: who at one time posed as a progres! sive, voted with Coolidge. This cam: as no surprise, as Borah worked hard as any other Coolidge senato: to prevent the postal workets fron securing their raise, Unsafe Crossing Kills, BETHLEHEM, Pa., Jan, school children were killed and seriously injured here today at unsafe railroad crossing when a t