The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 3, 1925, Page 2

Page Two FORMER STCOL PIGEON IN POSE OF “TIRED RED” Returns and Resumes His Dirty Work By M. A. SKROMNY. The Chicago Herald-Exam- iner is out to beat the “scoop” of the Chicago Daily News in running wild stories about Bol- sheviks. Yesterday’s edition carried a full-page story of a stool-pigeon who is heralded as a “U. S. Sol- dier and University Graduate” who went to Russia as a con- vinced Communist but came back entirely disgusted with the Soviets. Has a Stooipigeon Record. As a matter of fact this “gent” was acting as a stoolpigeon in the United States as far back as the middle of the summer of 1919. At that time the Communist move- ment in the United States was in two groups—the Communist Party and the Communist Labor Party. The stool- pigeon, Morris Gordin, was active about the party headquarters on Blue Island avenue. When Ludwig ©. K. Martens, rep- resentative of the Soviet government in this country, proposed to a group of Chicago comrades to organize a Society of Technical Ald to Soviet Russia, a meeting was called for that purpose. Queer Behavior at Meetings. A representative of the Soviet bureau gave a report on the economic situation in Russia and urged the or- ganization of a society for technical aid. Gordin, who was present, de- manded the floor. He was granted the floor and at once launched itno an attack against Comrade Martens. “Why does Martens appoint spies to organize this society?” he cried. An- other member of the Jewish Douglas Park branch, who was since expelled from the party, supported this attack. The chairman stopped them. They started a discussion, but the great majority of those present became so indignant that they drove the in- truders off the stage. Later on the society was organized. ¥ After the meeting was over some Russian workers who had been drafted into the army, came over to the chair- man of the meeting and, pointing out Gordin, claimed that he was a stool- pigeon, and that while they were in the army at Camp Grant, Gordin ques- tioned them when they refused to serve because they were Russian citizens. The chairman who was at that time a member of the “C. L. P.” at once started an investigation. Gordin claimed that he was acting only as a translator. The whole thing was dismissed as “a factional squab- ble.” The members of the “C. L. P.” were not satisfied and kept aloof from Gordin. Figured in Raids. In January, 1921, at the time of the Palmer raids, Gordin was also arrested but at the Cook county jail party mem- bers were warned to keep away from him Almost all the arrested politicals shunned him. He was soon released. His present “revelations” do not surprise those that knew him. He was not a Communist when he left, as he claims. He was and still is a stool- pigeon. Fire Raging in Three Eastern Chio Coal Mines TORONTO, Ohio, Feb. 1—A fire that has assumed serious proportions is raging in three connected mines of the Toronto Fire Clay company here today. The LaBelle mine rescue crew from Steubenville arrived here to fight the flames but were handicapped by root falls. The Amsterdam mine rescue crew has been ordered to report at the mines, as well as all state mine in- spectors in eastern Ohio. Why Rack Your = Brains Solving Cross Word Puzzles? Aren't the workers crazy enough already? If you have any ideas use them in bringing custom- ers to the Red Revel Ball, Feb. 28, at 37 S. Ashland Avenue PITTSBURGH, PA. To wu hie vag hard for bg money, will eave per cent on "" their dental work. DR. RASNICK DENTIST 645 Gmithfield Street. Chicago Labor Hits Syndicalist Laws (Continued from page 1) several delegates were on their fee at once demanding the floor. Thc chair recognized Delegate Schussler who delivered a telling speech tha was listened to with close attention. Schussler declared that the resolu tion was one of vital importance to the entire labor movement and not the Communists only. He felt that the capitalists were not going to confine the penalties of this law to the Com. munists but that they were designed for the trade union movement also. He appealed to the delegates not to al: low their prejudices or their politica) differences to cloud their better judg- ment, Against Any Recantation. The central body he pointed out had previously gone on record against criminal syndicalism laws, and against the Michigan law in particular, and it would look rather strange for us tc repudiate our former position. Would this mean that we had recanted in our opposition to the criminal syndi calist laws, he asked. Schussler pointed out that the Struc- tural Iron Workers in New York con- demned the syndicalist laws and sup ported a resolution similar to the one proposed here today. The federation would be establishing a very danger- ous precedent if it accepted the recom: mendation of the resolutions commit tee. Delegate John C. Flora, a reaction ary, but a cautious, “sociailist” pol ticlan, then moved as an amendment that the C. F. of L. reaffirm its prev ious attitude on the syndicalist laws He made it quite clear that he war doing this as a matter of political strategy, fearing that the rank an¢ file would bombard the federation wit! resolutions if they repudited their former position. “We cannot afford to let the Com munists make monkeys out of us a: they have done before,” said Dele gate Flora. He was opposed to syndi- calist laws in general but it appears that he is as much opposed to the Communists as the department of jus tice and for the same reasons. A delegate from Painters’ Local No 637, said that the attack on the Com munists was but a prelude to an at tack on the entire labor movement He also asked Fitzpatrick to state the previous attitude of the federal gov ernment towards the syndicalist laws. Fitzpatrick seized this opportunity to deliver a brief tirade against the Communists, referring to them as “soldiers of fortune” and “adventur ers.” He said that the federation wa: World Dawes Plan to Chain All Europe to Wall s Street Rule (Continued from page 1) debt, including the Franco-American debt.” Outlining what is being done, Booth said: Quwen D. Young Again at It. “Owen Young, of New York, Henry M. Robinson of Los Angeles, and most of the other Dawes’ experts, including Pirelli, of Italy, Josiah Stamp of Great Britain and the French experts, are co-operating with the chamber in drawing up the preliminary plan. This draft provides a method of settlement for the international debts. “At a meeting of the directors of the chamber Friday, the draft will be gone over and then referred to the chamber’s economic restoration com- mittee. This committee will meet within the next two weeks. Plan Ready in April. “We hope to have a definite, con- crete plan by April. This plan then will be presented at the chamber’s annual meeting at Brussels in June. “Our plan will have the advantage of being drawn up with regard for economic principles and not influenc- ed by politics.” Finance Minister Clementel of France, will have an active part in drafting the debt plan, Booth said. “I will see M. Clementel frequently,” he continued, “because Clementel was my predecessor as president of the international chamber of commerce. We probably will discuss the subject of international debts as affecting the economic situation of the world.” Everything In its Proper Time for America, Booth was hailed cordially in front page interviews in Paris newspapers, which quoted him as saying America was in no hurry to collect the French debt. “Let's not talk of inter-allied debts now. Americans have no intention of demanding money immediately from your country. Everything in its prop- er time,” the American banker was quoted as saying. “The most important question of the hour is Germany's ability to pay,” the interviews continue. “We should first make Germany pay. Then we'll see.” The morning papers gave promi- nence to Booth's remarks, th OL But the American Gov't. Represents Booth. WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.—Willis H. Booth, president of international chamber of commerce, and vice-presi- dent of the Guaranty Trust company, does not represent the American gov- ernment abroad, and his views anent the French debt are purely his own, and not the administration’s, it was said here today, when attention of government officials was called to his interviews in the Paris pross. EIGHT SWITGHMEN HURT IN COLLISION DUE TO OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT Eight switchmen were Injured, two seriously, in an accident at the switching yard at Clearing, caused by the obsolete method used by the railroads in handling the freight cars, The freight cars which are backed up one side of a hill are sent down the other side by gravity. The ac- cident occurred when a freight, speeding down the hill, collided with a motor speeder which was climbing to the top of the hill. The switchmen. who were riding the cars to put on the brakes when the train neared the foot of the hill, were hurled from the cars by the collision, oposed to the criminal syndicalist laws, and yet his committee took the cowardly position of hiding behind a “receive and file’ recommendation rather than for or against. Must Be S. L. P. Ete. Then a delegate, who must be eithe: a member of the socialist labor party or a reader of that party’s official or gan, delivered an attack on the DAILY WORKER for its statement ox he death of Sam Gompers. He favor od informing the Michigan supreme court that it made a mistake in up holding Ruthenberg’s conviction, be cause it would give Ruthenberg an op portunity to pose as a martyr. His speech was almost word for word ap editorial that appeared recently in the Weekly People on the same question. This reactionary, also felt that the ted eration would be in a bad position by repudiating its former policy. He hated the Communists so thoroly however that he would vote “no” on the amendment against his better judgment. They Closed Debate. A lively discussion appeared to be inevitable but these was too much talk of Communism and the inevitable dele gate moved the previous question Enough reactionaries rose to be counted for this motion. Only the Communist delegates and the genuine progressives voting against. The vote was approximately 80 to close debate and 29 for further disetission. The so-called progressives of the defunc’ farmer-labor party remained sitting The amendment was then put to vote and carried overwhelmingly. x The business manager of the officia! organ of the Chicago Federation o: Labor, reported that his paper was the best weekly in the United States anc proved his point by pointing to his statement. This small weekly costs almost $4,000 a month to run it, de spite the fact that it gets most of itr news from the A. F. of L. press serv: ice free of charge. - Rival Grafters. It was also stated that some other fake labor sheet was competing with the federation paper for graft from business men, holding them up for ad vertising and contributions for a tomb for Sam Gompers. The dele gates did not take any action against the unnamed competitors, thinking perhaps that if a tomb is going to be built for Sam, the business men and not the workers should defray the cost. He served the former much bet- ter than the latter. FORBES STOLE FROM HOSPITALS IS NEW CHARGE The government spent over one million dollars in expenses securing the verdict of “guilty” against Charles Forbes, former head of the U. 8. Veterans’ Bureau, and John W. Thompson, contractor, who conspired with Forbes to defraud the ox-soldiers out of millions of dollars compensation money, Forbes still faces charges brought in an indictment at Baltimore. Forbes is charged with selling three millions dollars worth of hospital supplies to the firm of Thompson and Kolly of Boston for half a million dollars. Forbes sold these great quantities of hospital supplies while the ex-soldiers were suffering in badly equipped hos- pitals for lack of them. He represent- ed the supplies as “used” in order to defraud the government and the ex- soldiers. The trial in Baltimore had been set for this month, but may be postponed at the request of Forbes’ counsel, John W. Crim, spectal prosecutor selected by Coolidge, told the jury in summing up the government's case, “Tt is time to call a halt to skulldug gery and rascality in Washington, 0, the sins that the friends of Warren Harding visited on him,” said Crim almost weeping. “O, that they had atayed away from Washington. O that he might be alive today to tell how he wad pued by his friends.” Crim told how Mortimer, who was in league with Forbes in stealing money from the ex-soldiers, visited Harding in Marion in 1920, “Mortimer moved among fixers and crooked employes of the government,” Orim THE DA! SREAD PRICE UP, FARMS ASK AID, CAL IS SILENT Gamblers’ Millions Paid for by Workers The price of bread went up in Chi- cago yesterday from one to three cents a loaf. Flour continues to in- crease in price, and bread is expected to go still higher as the result of speculation in the wheat market which has boosted May wheat to $2.00 per bushel on the Chicago board of trade. The workers are paying for the mil- lions of dollars in profits reaped by gamblers in wheat. As soon as the smaller bakeries run out of their old stocks of flour, they are advancing the price of bread. While the wheat gamblers were making millions of dollars at the ex pense of the workers thru specula- tion, the farmers, who were forced to sell their wheat crop below the cost of production, were waiting to see what farm relief legislation would be passed by congress. Coolidge Refuses Farm Aid. Public hearing will begin today in the senate and house agricultural committees. The consideration of the recommendations of President Cool- idge’s agricultural commmision is now before these committees. The recommendations were vague and indefinite, and even these recom: mendations, it is known, do not have Coolidge’s support, as he has repeat: edly declared it in violation of hi: campaign pledges that he will oppose jany farme relief legislation. Cal’s Dope is Good. Members of the house and senate declare that the “recommendation of Coolidge’s commission fall short of |\Proposing necessary farm relief.” |Rep. Jones, of Texas, declared that the report is, “one of hazy generalities.” Senator Norris, chairman of the sen- ate committee on agriculture, said that the report “does not go far enough in its recommendations.” Several bille have been introduced providing for various forms of farm relief, but Cool- idge will oppose all these bills, POSTAL WORKERS’ BILL LOST IN HOUSE RED TAPE WASHINGTON, D. ©., Feb. 1—With only 23 days remaining before the present congress is adjourned, likeli- hood that the postal workers will re- ceive salary increases faded. The Moses Dill, increasing the pay of pos- tal employes but also increasing the postal rates, what passed the senate has met opposition in the house. The ways and means committee of the house has challenged the author- ity of the senate to enact legislation increasing postal rates. The com- mittee adopted a resolution to that eifect, and decided to pigeon-hole the senate bill when it reaches the house today. The house postal committee will be asked to bring out a similar bill independent of that passed by the senate, Thus bill to increase the pay of the postal workers which was devoted last year by President Coolidge, appears to heve been lost in the wilderness of congressional red tape. Show City Laws Are Jokes as Firetrap Takes Six Lives (Continned from page 1) Lane arrived the building was alread) an inferno, and the screams of dyin; ‘onants mingled with the roar of th dames. Firemen said the victims’ live were lost from the start, the victim: being trapped on the third and fourt! floor. The twenty-eight working class fam {lies that were Jammed into the tene ment lost all thefr possessions. Make Negro the Goat. Mrs, Beulah Fritz, owner of the fre trap, told the coroner she had bough the building eight years ago. Sh: said she received as high as $11.50 pe: week for the dingy rooms. An at tempt is being made to lay the blame on Noteby Applyeby, the Negro jani- tor, Those who are trying to shiel¢ the city and the landlords who pact the workers {nto this city’s thousands of firetraps are seeking frantically to: a “goat,” and it is belleved they have picked on the Negro. Rumors are alsc being spread that a mysterious “dope fiend” was a tenant in the building and might have caused the blaze There is no dodging the responsibility of the landlord, however, for the de plorable condition of Chicago's tene ments. 4 The city has failed to provide ade quate housing for its workers. LY WORKER Berger’s Socialists Are Worse Off Than the Bat Aesop Wrote About By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL H ‘ODAY, Victor L. Berger, the lone socialist congressman in Washington, gets his picture in the papers. Not that he has wounded capitalism, by any attack made upon it. Berger is not given this attention because of any fear he has aroused in the ranks of the class enemy of labor. His pic- ture is not published as that of a capitalist foe. He is only being rewarded by the kept press for tickling its humorous side, in a speech that he made vb lette “progressives” in the house o to tantalize the LaFol- representatives in con- gress for professing themselves “good republicans.” ._* * & But the funniest slant at Berger’s utterance is that it can be used against Berger himself better than it fits the bed-fel- lows of the socialists in the recent presidential campaign. Representative Frear, one of the LaFollette “republicans” from Wisconsin, who joined the badger senator in the little badger game of fooling the petty bourgeois into believing they were going to have a nice middle class third party, made his speech defending the right of the LaFollette “progres- sives” to play on the private preserves of the republicans. He argued for the right of the LaFollette following to remain in the republican party, when these same LaFollette politicians are supposed to meet in Chicago this month to form a “new party,” so they said. In reply to Frear, Berger came to bat with a bat story as follows: * “Aesop tells a fable of the bat, who In a war between the quadrupeds and the birds, posed as a quadruped or as a bird, according to which side was victorious. But the bat was found out and shunned by both sides ever after, “My colleague from Wisconsin, Mr. Frear, reminds me of that fable and of that bat. Mr. Frear posed as @ great LaFollette man last sum- mer, when the more or less socialistic LaFollette campaign loomed up big on the political horizon. “And tol Mr. Frear has humbly kissed the flag—no, kissed the ele- phant’s tail—and begged for permission to crawl into the hole and pull the hole in after him. “Any man who claims to be a progressive, who claims to stand for re- form, ought to be willing tu pay the pricu. If not, then he Is a weakling. Especially, In this case, the price these gentlemen are asked to pay is 80 insignificant as to be almost ridiculous—the loss of position on com- mittees. The republicans have a right to contro! their own organiza- tions.” *¢ But where does that let Berger off? Berger quit the revo- lutionary struggle for socialism when he decided to remain with the Second (socialist) International and fight the Com- munist International and the Russian revolution. Like the bat, Berger a part of the Second (socialist) International had merely worn the cloak of socialist in the hour of the open struggle wi pene, casting it aside ith capitalism. Instead Berger, with the American socialists, counterparts of the social-democrats in all lands, puts on the cloak of capi- talist reforms, and runs with LaFollette, in the vain hope it will break with the two of all the middle class followin Street parties. Now LaFollette Is going to cheat the social- ists out of even the liberal third party, not to mention a fake labor party. Berger is surely the one who is shunned on the one hand by working class revolutionists and on the other by liberal reformers who find it comfortable to remain in the republican and democratic parties. * * Frear and the rest of thé LaFollette following have this compensation. They at least have a hole to crawl into, as Berger admits. “Nick” Longworth, son-in-law of the late Roosevelt, who controls the house of representative says the LaFollette outfit can come back into Wall Street's G. O. P. any time they pledge themselves to behave. Which they are no doubt, prepared to do as “good republicans.” Berger, on the other hand, hasn’t even a hole to crawl into. He is isolated completely; plays the clown and ma gaining attention only when he funny speeches in congress to provoke a smile from his fellow political agents of Wall Street. Berger is even worse off than the bat. Another fable should be added to the Aesop collection to treat of the special case of Berger’s socialists. A.F, OF L, GALL OFF LONG STRIKE OF R.R, SHOPHEN MOBERLY, Mo., Feb. 1—The rail- road shopmen’s strike two and a hal years old, will end on February 1, according to an official statement given out this morning by F. R. Lee, chairman of the Federated Shop Crafts of the Wabash Railway com pany, with headquarters in Moberly, Lee bases his statement on a letter received from B. M. Jewell, president of the Railway Employes’ Department of the American Federation of Labor, advising him that the executive com- mittee has decided “to terminate the strike.” The letter calling off the strike follows: “As advance information, to be used as you may decide best in the interest of your membership, the executive council has just voted to terminate the strike now in effect on ri roads, excepting one, on February » 1925.” The one road not affected by the order is the Pennsylvania, according to Lee, Communists Rouse French Workers with Higher Pay Demand (Continued from page 1) for more repressive measures against, foreign agitators, socalled. The fact that these workers, chief- ly Italians and Poles, were guilty only of being active in labor organization among their compatriots was suffi- cient ground for thefr expulsion. For- tunately they were not compelled to re-enter their respective “father- lands.” Red Unions Lead Fight. ‘There appears to be nothing to dis- tinguish the Herriot socialist govern. ment from an avowedly capitalist government in dealing with labor problems. The United French Federation of Labor (Communist) comprising about half of the organized workers of France (500,000) is launching a cam- paign for a general increase in wages. ‘The slogan is “20 francs ($1.10) a day for every worker,” ‘The leaders of the movement arc alive to the tendency of the big em ployers to develop a labor aristocra- cy of better-pald workers as in the United States and are beginning tc combat this tendency, BIG CHINESE CONFERENCE OPENS DESPITE SUN YAT SEN’S ILLNESS|. (Special to The Dally Worker) PEKING, Feb. 1—Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Chinese leader, is better today. A bulletin gave his temperature at 101.8 and puse 140. His condition is re- ported weak, but his mind clear. Despite Sun's inability te attend, the will open here tomorrow, ell ~ ‘ Chinese reorganization conference Aud yp Va day & va IRMED KLUNERS THREATEN MORE HERRIN DEATHS ‘Disarm 500 Klansmen,’ Sheriff Tells Small (Special to The Daily Worker) HERRIN, lll., Fob. 1.—Sheriff George Galligan of Williamson county is in thi re today, personally putting before Gov- ernor Len Small his request that the 500 klansmen in Herrin who are armed to the teeth and ready to cause more bloodshed, be immediately disarmed. Galligan has appealed to Small that martial law be declared, stating that Herrin will be torn with strife until the klan is made to disarm, Small Helps Klan. ioverno.' Small has frequently been asked for troops by Williamson coun- ty’s sheriff, and has invariably shown reluctance to supply them. Small re- lied on klan support during his Nov- ember election campaign, and is sa- botaging the efforts of Galligan to bring peace in Herrin. “There are 500 armed klansmen in Herrin,” said Galligan yesterday. “The Police and my forces are powerless. I want 100 soldiers sent here to disarm every klansman in Herrin. Then, may- be, between the police and my men, We can take care of them,” Klan Lawlessness, “I regret to state that some citi- zens seem to think that the prohibi- tion law is the law to be enforced, and some have violated other laws in their zeal to enforce the prohibition law.” In reply to Galligan’s plea for mar- tial law, Small again showed his re- luctance to clean up klan lawlessness, in Herrin by stating he would not declare martial law “unless absolute- ly necessary.” John Smith, garage owner, has been made head of the klan to replace the slain gunman, Gleen Young. Smith immediately tried to start further trouble by threatening to kill Chief of Police Matt Walker. Walker, a former klansman, who became disgusted at the klan’s crimes, discharged one of his constables, Harold Crain, for beat- ing people up who were peaceably walking the streets. Crain was the only klansman on the police force, and he was using his office to beat up and terrorize miners who were against. the klan. Smith Threatens to Shoot. Smith took the side of the discharg- d policeman, and threatened to shoot Walker. Walker swore out a warrant wainst Smith for disturbing the peace. Smith was one of the leaders in the attack on Galligan and his deputy sheriffs last August, in which seven men were killed. Witnesses who were uncovered by the DAILY WORKER reporter covering the shooting, testi- fled at the coroner’s inquest that, they had seen Smith standing over one of the slain deputies with a smoking shotgun in his hand. Smith was in- dicted but has never been brought to trial. Klan Mob Attacks, Speaking of the attack on him by Smith, Walker said, “It would have been suicide for me to draw a gun. I ‘was surrounded by an angry mob of gun toting kiansmen.” Walker and his police force left the klan last August, following the attack of the klansmen on the deputy sheriffs, Students of Take Notice of Change of Class! The class in elementary economics has had its vicissitudes this season, and last Wednesday the class suffered another disappointment when they were unable to get into the class room, Max Lerner, the new instructor, not- ifies all class members that to make certainty doubly assured, the meeting place of the class will herefater be at 722 Blue Island avenue, where all wil) come next Wednesday at eight o'clock The questions will be published, saye Lerner, in tomorrow's paper. Kerr and Company, Robbed, Loses Cash and Keracher’s Watch The firm of Chas, H. Kerr and com- pany, publishers of socialist books, was robbed of about $70 cash on Saturday noon, when two masked men entered nd held up everyone present, taking Nai il iedeuces oa Moissaye J. Olgin sb Ry writs Tomorrow Evening \ Mofssaye J. Olgin, well known author and lecturer, recently re- turned from an intensive tour of Russia, will speak in Boston on Tues- day evening, Feb. 3, at Steinert Hall, 162 Boylston street.