The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 18, 1925, Page 3

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THE cae WORKER oa Page Three ae SECTION OF THE TRADE UNION EDUCATIONAL LEAGUE | EASTERN DISTRICT STRIKING KNIT GOODS WORKERS _ STICKING TIGHT Demand Decent Condi- , tions and More Pay NEW YORK CITY, Feb. 16.—Knit goods workers on the Wildman, Tomp- kins, Springneedle and other circular machines here haye gone out on strike demanding the recognition of the un- jen, 44-hour week and $55 minimum wage. The entire working force on these machines are enthusiastic in their ht and the young element is lend- ing spirit and determination to the strike, Job Conditions Bad. The present working conditions are considered unendurable, the workers being compelled to labor 60 hours a week and over, the night shifts being 12 hours with no time for lunch and forced to attend seven and eight machines which leaves them without even a breathing spell for necessary moments of leave. The present wages are $30 which the union cannot tolerate any longer. The demands include that four in- stead of seven and eight machines shall be the limit for each worker. Arrest Pickets. | Nine, pickets were arrested yester- day near the Crystal mills, 60 Broad- way, Brooklyn, but the union is tak- ing steps to increase its activities in- stead of slacking up on account of the Police interference. The strike is conducted by the In- ternational Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and the United Textile Work- ers. Local 55 is affiliated with both the I. L. G. W. U. and is also paying per capita dues to the Textile Union, as there are workers in both organ- izations. Headquarters are maintained at 105 Montrose Ave., Brooklyn. New York Metal Workers’ Section The T. U. E. L. section of the metal workers want a drive for organization in that trade and will have a meeting February 21, at 4 p. m. at the Hungar- jan Home, 350 Hast 81st St., New York City. It is the plan to discuss at the gath- éring the initiation of an organiza- tional drive and it.is the intention to thrash the matter out fully so as to make a flying start, Every metal worker in the city and vicinity is in- vited to be on hand. Meets Saturday Expelled I. L. G. W. U. Members Offer Aid In Philly Strike The influence of the Trade Union Educational League, in spite of the wholesale expulsions in the I. L. G. W. U., is growing every day. The members realize that for the adminis- tration to talk about putting on an or- ganizational drive while at the same time keeping out of the organization men and women who were the life and spirit of the organization is impos- sible. The expelled militants simply re- fuse to stay expelled. Their interest in the developing of the union into an organ for the class struggle is just as keen outside as it was inside. The following letter shows a militant de- termination that is bound to be vic- torious: “Abe Goldin, Secy., Joint Board Cloak Makers’ Union, I. L. G. W. U, “Dear Sir and Brother: “In view of the stoppage declared by the Cloak Makers’ Joint Board of Philadelphia to organize the non-un- ion shops and improve the conditions in the cloak makers trade, “We, the expelled members of the Cloak Makers’ Union are addressing this communication to the Cloak Makers’ Joint Board of Philadelphia, which we helped to establish and de- velop. “In the past, strikes and stoppages conducted by the J. B. of the Cloak Makers’ Union, we who are now ex- pelled, always took an active, respon- sible and leading part in all efforts to improve the working conditions, wag- es and to strengthen the union in our trade. “Our record in those activities will demonstrate our regard for the wel- fare of the union and the improve- ment of the working conditions in the trade. This, record is a record of self-sacrifice and militant action that always won victories for the union. @ Cloak Makers’ Union which | We look upon as our union is again facing a stoppage with the bosses, it ig again facing conditions which must be combatted with all the forces and energy that the workers in the union can bring together. “During this period of struggle with the bosses; we, the expelled members of the Cloak Makers’ Union appeal to you in the interest of our union to im- mediately reinstate us as regular members of the organization so that we can join you on your picket lines and important committees and to- gether fight the battles to strengthen our union. ; “Fraternally Yours, Expelled mem- bers of the Cloak Makers’ Union.” Red Revel Masquerade Ball, 37 South Ashland Avenue SEAMEN’S UNION DESERTS ITS MEN SERVING LONG PRISON TERMS FOR ACTIVITIES DURING 1921 STRIKE The Prison Comfort Club conducted by Cora Myers performs the little job of writing to class war prisoners asking them for their stories and incidentally for the date of their birthday. Then on their birthdays these prisoners receive a box containing goodies, sometimes books and a card, During holiday seasons Miss Myers send out an appeal to workers to send little ¢———————_—______—_- gifts to class war prisoners. The let- ters always create an interesting story about the history of the individ- ual class war prisoners. Taken in Class War Battle, Two letters were received recently by the Prison Comfort Club from the state prison of Thomaston, Me. They were sent to the DAILY WORKER and we publish one in part and a quotation from the, other, because bod relate the case of five union men, embers of the International Sea- men’s Union. These workers have been thrown into jail while defending their “union during the Seamen’s strike in 1921, They tell the follow- ing story: “The strike in which we were in- volved occurred in Portland, Me., in 1921. In that strike we boarded a schooner manned by strikebreakers lying at one of the wharves in Port- land. Unfortunately for us, one of them was killed and seven seamen were sent to state prison, sentenced from three to eleven years. I am do- ing six years, © Union Forgets Them. “In the three and a half years we've been locked up, we've had practically no help from our union, In the last two years they have not even writ- ten us a line or sent us anything, not even our paper, the Seamen's Jour- nal. This is another case of A. F, of L, moral support for those doing time and a Rolls-Royce for the offi- cials for their daily rides on Riverside Drive. © R “I have been locked up so long that I hardly know when my birthday oc- curs, It used to come round on the 11th of May—now I feel like changing it to an earlier date. “With best wishes, Ts Re | Rundquiat.” 1, W. W, Pleads For Them, Another letter from a class war j Besomeeres mieambNE OF'Ghio Sy We We et ee fers to these seamen in the following little description: “There are five lads here doing long terms for manslaughter growing out of the 1921 Seamen's strike. They are members of the International Sea- men’s Union, but seem to be getting no support or encouragement from their union, They are fine fellows and I think they should be entitled to prison comfort. Their names are: Peter Clausen, Niels Rundquist, Tom Hardy, Peter Dirks and Dan Fallon.” Tells T. U. E. L. of School Book Graft Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 9. 1925, Dear Comrade: I have a new neighbor who comes from Missouri, He has three children of school age and one baby. They brought with them about $30 worth of school books thinking that in America we have the same schooling every- where, But, lo and behold, they can- not be used here in Florida. So this poor devil, a former farmer who los! everything in Missouri and who just enough money to bring his fami- ly here, and who is now working for $3.00 a day, has to spend, about the same sum to get other school books in order to satisfy the greed of the book trust. He sold his Missouri school books for a song, which undoubtedly will be sold to another sucker in Mis- souri, And so the skin game goes on, So you see that the system not only miseducates our children, but each dis- trict has to have different books so that the book trust can increase its profits and the school boards their necessary graft, One more slave has been awakened, Fraternally yours, * 4 Has-Boen Farmer. Buffalo League Does Good Work; and That’s No Buffalo, Either The following items just received from Comrade Sullivan, Workers Party organizer at Buffalo, N. Y., shows that the Buffalo district is put- ting itself on the map again in the in- dustrial work. He advises that an anti-synicalist resolution, which condemns the state syndicalist laws in general and is in behalf of the Michigan Communist cases in particular, was passed by the Hod Carriers and Building Laborers’ Local Union of Buffalo, A conference to prepare for a Sac- co-Vanzetti protest meeting will be held right away. The Utica, N. Y. Trades Assembly passed a resolution condemning the deportation of Schedel, whom you will remember, was deported from the United States, and when he learned of the dreadful conditions his family were having to contend with behind him in America, took a chance and returned to this country to do what he could to help them, He had not been home a day until the authorities re-arrested him and ordered him de- ported again. Sometime in March, the local gen- eral group of the T. U. E. L. in Buf- falo will give an entertainment for the benefit of the T. U. E. L., the re- turns from which will assist material- ly in financing the work of the T. U. E. L. both nationally and locally. The Brewery Workers’ locals and the Street Car Men of Utica, N. Y., have pledged their support to the tex- tile strikers in their fight against wage cuts. United Front for Textile Workers Stirs New England In every city and town of the New England textile region where the Workers Party and the Trade Union Educational League have adherents or sympathizers a militant movement is arising in response to the call put out by these organizations to textile work ers to force the little and impotent craft unions to join their fotces in a great wide-spread united front against the wage cuts, to include also the great mass of unorganized workers. News of the textile strikes and the rising united front movement is given in the news columns of the DAILY WORKER every day. That the T. U. E. L. proposal of the united front of all unions against all bosses is rous- ing the rank and file of these unions and agitating the masses of unor- ganized workers, is most evident from the fact that the labor fakers are co- operating with the mill owners and the capitalist newspapers to oppose the united front. Meanwhile sporadic strikes take place everywhere. The DAILY WORKER correspond- ent reports that a letter of McMahon, president of the United Textile Work- ers’ Union of the A. F. of L., attack- ing the Workers Party and the T. U. E. L. was given to and used by the mill owners’ newspapers. Laundry Bosses Back Down After Assault Stirs Striking Workers BROOKLYN, Feb. 16—With the arrest of William Dorfman, president of the laundry bosses association, who lead the attack on William Berman, president of the Laundry Chauffeurs and Drivers Union 810, the bosses of the laundries are weakening and the Hinsdale and several other laundries have signed up with the union. Berman is still in Kings county hospital and Dorfman is out on $5,000 bail. While the bosses are using every means to break the strike the work- ors have picked up new determina- don since the murderous assault on Berman and the rank and file are determined that nothing shall stop them now in the fight for the recogni- tion of the union and renewal of con- tract, Program of T all times and in all its cam. paigns and publications, the league shall emphasize the revolution ary aims of the left wing. It shall carry on a ceaseless warfare against the bourgeois, ideology and organiza tions. It shall seek to destroy the workers’ faith,in the capitalist sys- tem and to turn,their eyes towards the establishment, of a Communist society thru the dictatorship of the proletar- iat. Wages, Hours and Working Oonditions. The league shall carry on an inten- sive campaign for the shortening ot the labor hours, increasing of wages improving of working conditions, and it shall stimulate the workers, both organized and@unorganized to conduct an effective Struggle against exploit ation. The léague must raise the slo gan, “No reduction in wages and nc lengthening of the working day!” Organize the Unorganized. “Organize the unorganized” is no a temporary slogan that may be cast aside when ifidustrial depression set in, It must be continued constantly in good times and bad, until the mass. es are organized. The campaign: should take the following genera’ forms: (1) To stimulate the A. F, of L unions to take in the unorganized; (2 To build the present independent mass unions; (3) To support the form. ation of new unions wherever prac- tical, by utilizing the Workers Party shop nuclei, local branches of the league, shop committees, and such other connections as can be made use jof. Not one. of these methods shall b« used to the exclusion of the others, All must be employed as expediency dictates. Every means must be given \in the organization of the agricultura |laborers. Independent Politica! Action. The political and economic strug: gle of the working class is inseparable The league recognizes the futility of carrying, on \the’ trade union work merely for itself, The chief aim of all its efforts shall be the building of the revolutionary mass political organiza- tion of the working class, the Worker: Party. To this end, all the struggles of the workers shall be directed int: political channels, and all the cam paigns of the league for the united front, -amalgéaration, “etc.,” etc:, shal be utilized to strengthen the member ship and leadérship of the Worker: Party. Unemployment. The league shall take an active part in the work of organizing the unem ployed into national and local coun cils, and othef necessary formations Wherever possible, these bodies shal) work in closé co.operation with th« trade unions. The league shall stir uy the unions ¢verywhere to interest themselves in the question of unem- ployment. These councils shall de. mand that the employers and the gov- ernment shall provide work and funds amounting to full maintenance of the workers. They shall also demand tha the unions themselves share their Amalgamation. The amalgamation campaign is not a temporary one, It is always a live logan. The campaign for amalgama- tion must be continued relentlessly until the various craft unions are con solidated into industrial unions. The United Front. The T. U. EB. L, shall pursue the Policy of the united front. It shal’ seek to unite all the workers for rev Iron Workers Strike ’ Against Open Shop The Structural Iron Workers on 23 of the big construction jobs of New tors. up construction; as other trades will be prevented from working. NEW YORK BAKERS TO UNIT AGAINST BOSSES, ME ING FOR UNITY SATURDAY, FEB. 28 . 4 A United Front mass meeting of the New York ranged by the Bakers’ Section of the T. U. B. L. for Si at 2 P. M. in Cooper Union, New York City. The ex in the baking trades will be presented at the meeting , February 28th, a view to harmoh- izing various elements among the bakers’ unions and ameliorating general conditions. Several good speakers have been secured to address the Affairs in the baking industry, termed them deplorable, Some bak- ers are partly organized in the A. F. of L. and in independent unions. These unions are scuabbling among themselves, internally, and with one another, This is a harsh handicap in helping get outside workers into the unions and prevents them from joining a un- ion ag they feel they would have little to gain in organizations so bitterly op- posed to one another in their trade. It is feltrthat the great number of un- organized workers among the bakers will remain outside the unions until harmony is established among the dif- ferent factions and between the unions’ themselves, the T.U.EL. olutionary action The united front ceived as an aim in itself, but as ; means to win the masses away from the reactionary petty-bourgeois lead. ers and to unite them upon the basi of a revolutionary program of action, Exposure of Bureaucracy. The league shall make a special point of exposing the corruption of the trade union leaders. Recognition of Soviet Russia. To carry on a campaign for full com- mercial and diplomatic recognition of Soviet Russia by the United States. Negro Workers. The league shall demand that the Negroes be given the same social, poli- tical, and iridustrial rights as whites. Injunctions, The league shall lead the fight against the injunction by arousing the workers and trade union movement ir general to mass violation of the in junction. along class ‘lines. shall not be con- Expuisions. The league shall continue its pres: ent policy in the case of expulsion from the trade unions. Wherever th expelled workers are few in number they shall be kept in the local leaguer and in close connection with the Na- tional Industrial Committees. Bu when they are great in number, they shall be formed into unions of the ex- pelled. These expelled members shay endeavor to fight ther way back into the old organizations. International Affiliations. The league shall intensify its cam paign for the affiliation of the trad unions to the R. I. L. U.—Red Inter national of Labor Unions. The league |must point out the fallacy of the pres- {ent policy of isolation, on the part oi |the American unions, and seek to \bring the American workers into clos. jer relationship with the worker® o other countries. For this purpose, res olutions on the question of affiliatior to the R. I. L. U. shall be presented a all trade union conventions. Shop Committees. The league shall carry on an active propaganda in favor of the organiza jtion of shop committees in the indus | tries generally. These shop commit jtees shall be elected by all employer \of a given industrial establishment, ir jrespectiye of age, sex, color, national ity, skill, organized or unorganized etc. The shop committees shall voice the demands, of the workers and forn the basis for a common struggl: against capitalism. The league shal strive to reorganize the old unions in to industrial unions upon the basis o the shop committees. Workers Control, The league shall put forth the slo gan of “The Workers’ Control of In dustry.” The campaign for the estab lishment of shop committees shall b« accompanied by a propaganda for workers’ control. The shop commit: tees, working under the direction o: the unions, shall aim to break th« power of the employers in industry The shop committees shall aim to rev. olutionize the masses and to turn their trade unions into fighting working clas: organizations. They shall strive tc give the workers the necessary indus trial and political education and or ganization to carry them, in co-opera tion with the revolutionary politica) organization, victoriously thru thc final struggle against the bourgeoisi« for the overthrow of the capitalist system and the establishment of ¢ Communist society. New York Structural, |Hammond, Indiana, Machinists’ Lodge Supports Defense At the last regular meeting of York City are on strike against the Lincoln Lodge No. 209, I, A. of M., of open shop of the employing contrac- | #ammond, Ind., they went on record Reports show about 2,000 men |##ainst criminal-syndicalist laws in are out, and continued strike will tie |Seneral and the Michigan syndicalist law in particular, We publish the “Resolves” of the long resolution con- demning the unjust sentencing of Comrade Ruthenberg and the attempt being made to railroad Wm. Z. Foster, W. F. Dunne and the 29 other well known fighters in the ranks of labor. The “Resolves” are as follows: — “RESOLVED, That we protest kers has been ar-|#s@inst and condemn the action of the supreme court of Michigan, record status of conditions | ourselves as in support of the Labor Defense Council in’ its case and cal) upon all labor bodies and working bakers. | elas; dies to take th . among the unions are not at all to the Se gh coy rion lose gr credit of the unions or the working class in that indus That we petition the governor of the try. Indeed many have | state of Michigan to pargon the de- Efforts at the meeting will be made fendant in event the supreme court to seek some tentative basis upon which the unions can begin to settle sustains the conviction, it being our view that such actions on the part of the federal supreme court would be jf pal 0 weenie MEME oe mone a nullification of the constitution in as members the workers who are not | the interest of instruments of capital- members. “9 ist suppression of the workers; and, It will be showm what great changes | pe it further are taking place fim the baking tndus- try; the small jbakery is being dis- “RESOLVED, That ‘copies of this placed by larger; chain concerns op-| resolution be sent to the governor of erating on a Gity-wide basis, this|the state of Michigan ‘and the labor broadening into a country-wide scope, press.” while these themselves are developing into national trusts, already begin- ning,to take the|baking industry as a whole into ite Oapecious maw. When you buy, get an “Ad” for the DAILY WORKER, } ll CENTRAL DISTRICT CHICAGO NEEDLE TRADES T.U.E. L. HAS PRACTICAL PROGRAM OF WORK At the general meeting of the Chicago needle trades section of the T. U. E. L. held on Sunday, Feb. 15 besides electing an executive committee the following program of work was drawn up: PROGRAM OF WORK FOR NEEDLE TRADES GROUP, Militant work within trade unions for the purpose of gaining leadership of the organized masses and utilizing the organizations as instruments for the proletarian revolution. In the needle trades unions our tasks are the same as in other unions and our methods must correspond with the actual conditions prevailing. Our fight for leadership of these organ- ized workers will necessarily lead to a struggle with the present bureau- eracy which controls the unions. Our policy is, no compromise with the bureaucracy which promotes class col- laboration, openly or secretly, Our fight for leadership must be extended to every local union and every shop, based on the general left wing issues of the T, U, EB. L., such as, militant struggle against the bosses, organ- ization of the unorganized, amalgama- tion of all needle trades unions, in- dependent class political action, relief for and organization of the unem- ployed, struggle against wage cuts, organization of shop committees, etc. as well as on the specific left wing issues of each trade. Generally, we must participate in all elections, in lo- cal unions and shops, bringing forward the left wing program and endeavor- ing to deepen and broaden the strug- gle against capitalism, Methods of Propagar.da. It should be our method to use all the means available to carry on this work, such as publicity thru specially written articles and statements, leaf- lets, bulletins and direct propaganda in unions and shops. TRADE ISSUES. Amalgamated Clothing Workers. Militant policies to build and strengthen union as against class col- laboration. Direct negotiations with the bosses by the workers thru their elected com- mittees. Struggle against wage cuts in all forms, such as re-adjustments, etc. Week work as against piece work with minimum scale and maximum production. No suspensions by the manufactur- ers without charges and trials. Maintenance of the unemployed at the expense of the bosses, funds to be administered by the union. Criticism and struggle against pre- sent unemployment benefit scheme as altogether inadequate to meet the growing unemployment. Establishment of shop committees as the basic units of the organization. International Ladies’ Garment Workers. ° Struggle against present official- dom, exposure of disorganization of union by policy of expulsion. Organization of the trade based upon militant struggle against the bosses, with program of real union- ism. Struggle for reinstatement of ex- pelled members, in complete co-opera- tion with national struggle, Read This, Then Do Something .. About Like It Southern Illinois is the scene of the most outrageous acts committed by the ku klux klan against organized la- bor, as Post would say, “There's a reason” and that reason is the strong left wing movement that is develop- ing in the coal fields of that section of the country. In spite of unemploy- ment the progressive miners fully realize the need of financing the T. U. E, L. and pushing the distribution of the league literature. Read this letter and then take the matter up in your next league meeting for ac- tion there. f West Frankfort, Ill., Feb. 12, 1925. Trade Union Educational League, 1113 Washington Blvd. Chicago, Ill. Dear Comrades:— Enclosed find money order for $45.00, $30.00 is a donation to help,to carry on the work of the T. U. E. L. This amount we made on a dance given here on Janu- ary 31, The other $15.00 is for 24 more sets of books to be sent us at rate of 60 cents per set. Dunne’s speech, Third World Con- gress (R. I, L, U.), The World’s Trade Union Movement, The Railroaders’ Next Step and Amalgamation. Also send 15 copies of the resolu- tions and decisions of the Fifth Con- gress of the Third International, Send us bill for same. Are There Some More Like Hanna, Wyoming? Comrade John Kive sends in a check for $25.00, a donation from the Work- ers Party branch of Hanna, Wyoming. He says: “We have not organized a local general group of the T, U. EB. L. there yet, but we send this money to help carry on the good work.” The comrades in Hanna are very active in the U, M. W. of A. They form part of the progressive miners’ move- ment that rolled up 66,000 votes for the T, U. B. L. candidates in the re- cent miners’ election, . Responsibility for organizational work and finances to be shifted from the officials to the membership with ratification of appointed organizers by the membership. Maintenance of the unemployed at the expense of the bosses, funds to be controlled by the union, division of work with guarantee for each member to make a living. Abolition of practice pursued by officials of ruling prospective candi- dates off the ballot. Establishment of shop committees as the basic units of the organization, The above will also apply in general to the Journeymen Tailors, Capmakers and Millinery Unions. Another proposition that was ac. cepted is that all those needle trades workers who have received dividends on the stock that they hold in the Russian-American Industrial corpora- tion should donate them for the pur- pose of purchasing small machine parts to be sent to the Russian cloth- ing factories as gifts from the Amer- ican clothing workers. An appeal to all clothing trades workers will be made to have workers who are not shareholders in the R. A. I, C. to do- nate a sum equal to the sums given by the shareholders to aid this plan of giving further aid to the Russian clothing factories, A campaign to make a success of this project will be started in the near future. CONVENTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL UNIONS IN 1925 Left Wing Must Note These Dates The T. U. E. L. groups will take no- tice of the following list of conven- tions which take place during 1925, Each group in their respective indus- try should prepare for these conven- tions by supporting the nomination and election of left wing candidates who stand openly on the program of the T. U. EB. L. Each local industrial group should report regularly to their respective national committees of prospective delegates, Where there are no national com- mittees, these groups should report direct to the national office of the T. UBL Conventions of International Unions, 1925. March 9, Kansas City, Mo., Order of Sleeping Car Conductors. March 10-16, International Brother- hood of Papermakers. April 7-19, Pittsburgh, Pa. Amal- gamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers of North America. May 1-10, New York City, Cloth, Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers’ In- ternational Union. May 4-14, Kansas City, Mo., Hotel Baltimore, Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Hand- lers, Express and Station Employes. May 11-16, Niagara Falls, N. Y¥., American Federation of Musicians. May 15-16, New York City, McAl- pine Hotel, American Wire Weavers’ Protective Association, (Executive Board Meeting). July 6-13, Baltimore, Md., Glass Bot- ‘tle Blowers’ Association. July 6-13, International hood of Bookbinders. July 20-27, Washington, D. C., In- ternational Plate Printers and Die Stampers’ Union. August 10-15, Kalamazoo, Mich., In« ternational Typographical Union. August 10-17, Montreal, Canada, In- ternational Longshoremen’s Associa- tion. August, 10-17, Montreal, Canada, Ho- tel and Restaurant Employes’ Inter- national Alliance. August 17, Seattle, Washington, In- ternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. August 17-19, Cleveland, Ohio, In- ternational Photo-Engravers’ Union, September 7-12, Kansas City, Mo., National Federation of Post Office Clerks. September 7-12, Boston, Mass., Na- tional Federation of Federal Em- ployes. September 7-12, Detroit, Mich., Na~ tional Association of Letter Carriers, September 14-21, Commercial Tele- sraphers’ Union of America, September 14-24, United Brother- hood of Maintenance of Way Em- ployes. Brother- Oct. 5-19, Seattle, Wash., Interna- tional Brotherhood of ‘Teams! Chauffeurs and helpers, t ' i

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