The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 8, 1925, Page 2

“ee, Page Two ‘ ™% “ COAL OPERATORS REVISE PLANS TO FIGHT UNION Conference Is Postponed Indefinitely CLEVELAND, March 6.—The coal pperaors’ conference, originally sched- uled for today and postponed until Maroh 17, was finally postponed inde- finitely, after preliminary conferences between advance agents of the scale committees of the central competitive fields. It is reported here that the confer: ence was frowned on by the Coolidge administration which does not want to give out the impression that the big business moguls can kick up their heels just as soon as his inaugural speech was delivered. Coolidge and his backers want to move slowly until the time for drastic action comes. The secretary of the Pittsburgh operators’ association declared that he aid not know why the conference was postponed. Phil. H. Penna, secretary of the Indiana operators’ association and recognized strategist of the coal barons, is said to have suggested that the best plan to adopt would be to fol- low the. example of the Kansas oper- ators and shut down the mines on the ground that they cannot be operated ata profit. In fact the coal barons are floing this on a wide scale and getting away with it. Great Fighters. Tt is not unlikely that the operators hesitated to throw down the gauntlet to the members of the United Mine Workers of America who, despite their treacherous leadership, are the greatest fighters in the American in- dustrial battlefield. The vote of 66,000 counted for the Communist opponent of John L. Lewis in the recent elec- tions also struck terror into the hearts of the operators. They know that this army of militants can fight, know how to fight and are only too willing to fight the common enemy. The struggle of the operators to smash the union and break down the present wage scale is not off. It is only postponed. In the meantime with the connivance of John L. Lewis the task of sapping the foundations from under the miners’ union is go- Ing on. Give your shopmate this copy of the DAILY WORKER—but be sure to see him the next day to get his subscription. No. 7 Is Here! The latest issue of “The Communist International” has arrived. The official organ of the Executive Committee of the o.1L ts 25 CENTS A COPY. SUBSCRIPTION: $2.50 A Year — $1.25 Six Months Sole Agent The Daily Worker 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill. Re-opened CHESKIS CHESKIS RESTAURANT 3124 W. Roosevelt Road CLEVELAND, OHIO. Co-operate with THE GO-OPERATORS COMPANY Dealers in Groceries, Fruits and Vegetables 1195 E. 71st Randolph 7059 Owned and controlled by your fellow workingmen Madison Pharmacy INC, BETTER DRUGS Light Luncheon Served 1154 Madison Street, Corner Ann OPEN DAY AND NIGHT Four Phones Chicago RED INTERNATIONAL JOINS WITH RUSSIAN MINERS’ UNION IN CASH AID TO DORTMUND MINE VICTIMS MOSCOW, February 20th, (By Mail) The bureau of the Executive of the Red International of Labor Unions addressed to the German miners the following appeal: “The Hxecutive-was deeply moved by the terrible disaster which befell the German miners of the pit ‘Stein’ through the fire damp explosion. The. responsibility for these new victims falls upon the greedy mine owners, who suck the last drop of blood out of the mine workers, and upon the social democratic leaders who are’kept by speculators and profiteers, as well as upon the bureacrats of German trade unions who betrayed the seven-hour-shift. “A repetition of similar catastrophes can only be avoided by an unflinching struggle for the seven-hour-day and by creating a united front against the coal and iron magnates. The Executive sends ten thousand roubles for the families of the victims, no matter whether they belonged to an organisation or not.” The Russian Miners’ Union sends to their German colleagues the fol- lowing appeal: “The Russian mine workers have heard with indignation and sorrow of the terrible catastrophe that occur- red near Dortmund and to which over 130 of our brethren, after awful suf- ferings, have fallen victims, The capitalist press writes glibly of its sympathy with the sufferers. This hypocrisy is alway made use of by the mine magnates whenever prole- rarians have been sacrificed. ; “The responsibility for the cata- strophe falls upon the capitalists, their economic system, and the eight- able attitude of the social democratic, hour-day below surface. “Responsible is also the abomin- reformist and Christian leaders of the miners, who, for the benefit of the owners, are sending you to destruction. Down with them! “The miners of the USSR call upon you to fight on. At the same time we send you from the funds collected by the miners of USSR. ten thousand roubles for the support of the fam- ilies, irrespective of trade union ten- dencies.” CUT WAGES AND FIRE 40,000 ON MEX. RAILWAYS Calles Nationalizes Men to Break Union (Special to the Daily Worker) MEXICO CITY, March 6—Further Mexican workers in carrying out the Mexican workers in carying out the De la Huerta-Lamont agreement and the sale of the resources of Mexico to Wall Street by President Calles, is seen in the report that the goven- ment is immediately to proceed to hand over the present government national railways to private stock- holders. To favor these banker stockholders as much as possible, a campaign o/ wage cutting and wholesale discharg- es is being carried out, so that the private company will get the road: given to them with the union crushed and the wages as low as possible. - wage cut is being made of from’25 to 50 per cent. Must Swear Loyalty Another outrageous act is that of the government, before it turns over the lines, requiring all employes who receive $150 (Mexican) or more per month, to take an oath to suppor’ the government and the laws of thr country or be discharged. This is aimed to weed out agitators who are not be wise enough to take the oath with tongue in cheek. Workers who get less than $150 per month cynic- ally ask if they are expected to rebel before the end of the month. Fully 40,000 employes will be discharged from their jobs. Martial Law Over Rall Workers This campaign of Calles against the railway workers began a few days ago, after much talk and some pre- paration, by a decree signed by Cal- les, nationalizing the railway workers. In practice this means putting the workers under martial law, and this was quite frankly announced to be done in order to “cope with possible labor trouble following the wage cut: and the wholesale discharge of work- ers.” Normal Unemployment “A Pleasing Fact” to the U. S. Government WASHINGTON, March 6.—Introduc- ing the latest industrial employment information bulletin, showing the de- gree of Joblessness-in all parts of the United States, Mraneis 1. Jones, direc- tor general of the U. 8. employment service says: “Bxisting condtions are normal. Al- tho considerable unemployment exists in some sections, it Is a pleasing fact |. that much of it can we accounted for by the seasonal curtailments which accurted during January in many lines.” By this it appears that Director Jones sees nothing wrong with “nor- mal”, unemployment, and 1s much pleased because he can explain that it is customary to throw large number ot men on the job market, with no takers, in mid-winter CARPENTERS ARE FIGHTING ORGY OF EXPULSIONS General Secretary Makes Lame Explanation NEW YORK, March 6.—The rebel- Yon against the dictatorship of Gen- eral President Hutcheson of the Car- penters’ Union is becoming so strong that the reactionary bureaucrats have finally decided to explain the reason for the orgy of expulsions which the “czar” has recently inaugurated. In a letter to the New York district council, Frank Duffy, general secre- tary, admitted that several New York locals had written in, asking for in formation concerning the expulsion of William Reynolds, president of Local 2140 of Detroit, without trial or hear- ing. Hitting Straw Men. Duffy delivered a tirade against the I. W. W. and the One Big Union, twe organizations that are not giving the reactionary officials the slightest trou- ble, for the good reason that the pol: icy of both organizations is to give the old trade unions the absent treat ment. The O. B. U. is now nothin: but a glorified gambling casino an does not function outside of Winni peg, Canada. Duffy knows this if he knows anything. Fighting on the Inside. The fakers have used the One Big Union bugaboos against those who were fighting the bureaucrats wher: they were most vulnerable on the in side of the unions. me Trade Unio: Educational League, declared Duffy in the letter to the New York district council, is a dual organiza tiom and when it was learned that ‘Reynolds was a member of that or- ganization, the G. EB. B. simply ex- pelled him. That was the explana- tion. Duffy also referred to the Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia expul- sions. The first was a local case, af- fecting only Local 181, Chicago. The Los Angeles carpenters were expelled because they were members of the T. U. E. L. Burgess of Philadelphia, because he “issued scurrilous and de- famatory literature” against the gen- eral president. That the fakers are compelled to some out and defend their actions is proof that the fight of the militants led by the Trade Union Educational League is winning. Five Killed at Crossing LAFAYETTE, Ind., March 6.—Five persons were killed and one perhaps fatally hurt at Williamsport, 25 miles south of here today when an auto- mobile in which they were riding was struck by a switch train on the wa bash railroad. Housing Crisis In Norway OLSO, Norway, Mar. 6.—There are more homeless people in Norway, in proportion to population, than any other country in the world. The hous- ing crisis has grown to such an extent that out of 70,000 families, ten thous- and lack dwellings. Russo-Poland Relations Improved VIENNA, Austria, Marcn 6.—Rela- tions between Poland and Soviet Rus- sia further improved when an agree- ment was signed between the two countries not to obstruct the mails. M. Skrszinski signed for Poland end M. Wojkow for Soviet Russia. Normal postal and telegraph communications are expected to be restored by the agreement, Bronx Open Forum NEW YORK, March 6.—On Sunday, March 8th, J. O. Bentall will lecture on “The Vitality of Communism” at the Workers Hall, 1847 Boston Rd., at 8 P. M. Sympathizers and their friends are invited, Tomorrow Afternoon and Evening —t— DOORS OPEN 3 P.M. ue ) | ‘THE DAILWIWORKER WATCHERS TELL HOW HUTCHESON WAS RE-ELECTED Ballots Were Counted by His Own Cronies “Eternal vigilance is the price of re-election.” This is the motto of President William L. Hutcheson of the United Brotherhood of Carpen- ters and Joiners. Having taken this slogan to heart, the “czar” saw to it that no matter how many votes were cast for his opponents he would be elected. Anybody can elect himself provided he can count the votes. Hut- cheson counted. the ballots, and was surprisingly generous to his oppon- ents. He allowed their representa- tives to watch the tabulators at work but did not allow them to count the ballots. In fact, nobody did. How the Watchers Fared. A very interesting story is told by H. BE. Elmore and George Myers, rep- resenting candidates Brown and Mul- cahy, of their experience at Indiana- polis during the time the ballots cast in the election for general officers of the union were being tabulated. On the first going off, Elmore’s cre- dentials were not accepted by Hutche- son, tho the chairman of tne tabulat- ing committee said they were alright. The watchers were subjected to all kinds of indignities and during the month that they watched the tabula- tors at work, they were refused, the ise of chairs to sit on. The tabulat- ng committee opened the envelopes containing the election returns when the representatives of the candidates were not present, As all the members of the tabulating committee were Hut- sheson henchmen, it is quite obvious hat this procedure enabled them to ise their own judgment as to the num- ver of votes cast by a particular loca! inion for the various candidates. Violates Constitution. The watchers also charged that the abulating committee did not count ‘ny ballots as voted on by the mem ership, but only used the ‘report fur- nished by the recording secretary, vhich is not im accord with the con- titution. Section 9, paragrapn one, of ‘he constitution reads: “Any candidate shall have the right 0 be represented without expense to ie United Brotherhood, at the count f votes and have the right to exam- ae any statement, sheet or ballot on quest.” This the watchers were trictly forbidden to do. ‘A protest was lodged with th general secretary against this gonduct. Indiana Mine Blast Caused by Lack of Safety Precautions SULLIVAN, Ind, March 6.— The City coal company’s mine was filled with gas, which caused the explosion resulting in the killing of 51 min- ers, witnesses testified at the coro- ner’s inquest here. A dust explosion followed the gas explosion according to the witnesses. The gas escaped from an old working, and was ignit- ed, the miners testified. Miners said that had proper safety precautions been taken, the explosion could have been prevented. - — Drop Radio Interference Probe. WASHINGTON, March 6.—With the failure in congress of @ $125,000 ap- propriation to investigate radio inter- ference the department of commerce today dropped its plan for this sur- vey, by which it’ was hoped to elimin- ate much of the trouble now confront- ing listeners. Renew Fight on Warren. , WASHINGTON, March 5.—The se. natorial fight over the nomination of Charles Beecher Warren of Michigan as attorney general was rebpened thir afternoon when President Coolidge again asked the senate to contirn. the appointment, Klan Chief Arrested. PEORIA, Ill, March 5.—George R. Wagner, official of the kl klux klan, was arrested here on five warrants charging him with acceptance of money under false pretenses and op- erating a confidence game. Miners Overcome. SPRINGFIELD, 1, March 6.—One hundred coal miners were overcome with black damp in the Peabody mine at Roverton, near here, today, All ex- cept 17 had been removed at noon. Physicians at St, John’s hospital here said there probably would be no fatalities, rat ‘ODAY, and every day, nerves snap or minds go wrong, as exploitation's lash drives armies of harried girls, still in The Phone Trust Takes $100,000,000 in Profits from Unorganized Labor By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL their very early youth, to put thru the nation’s 45,000,000 daily. phone calls. Similarly the men, stringing and repairing the millions of miles of wire, from pole to pole in the open places, or deep down in conduits in the great cities, in win- ter’s cold and summer’s heat, suffer the fate of all unor- ganized workers—the long, life-sapping, murderous condi- tions of labor, wages that provide a bare subsistence. But what a contrast is furnished by the monster em- ployer of these workers—the American Telephone and Tel- egraph Company. It has just totalled its net income for 1924, and it reaches the staggering sum of $91,040,321; nearly a hundred million dollars as one year's profits on its outstanding stock of $917,344,371 or on 11.31 per cent divi- dend. Poverty, wrecked bodies, shattered nervous systems, minds destroyed for the workers; fabulous riches for the stockholders, for the American Telephone and Telegraph Company now feels that its special field of exploitation is so fertile that it plans to increase its capital stock from one bil- lion dollars to one and a half lion dollars, making it the greatest American corporation, if not. the world’s largest monopoly. ‘ This is a brutal picture of unorganized workers, mostly girls, pitted against highly organized capital, that outstrips in the proportions of its pile, the United States Steel and the General Motors Corporations. The phone monopoly has put an individual Bell instru- ment at the disposal of an average of every seven persons, but the main point stressed in its annual report was not how to distribute the $100,000,000 in profits among its wage slaves, thru increased wages or in bettering their conditions, but in advancing a lengthy argument for an upward revision of rates. It is argued that the present dollar is lower in val- ue than the pre-war dollar, when the profit rate was about equal to what it is now. Therefore, in order to make up for the shrinking dollar, the phone trust demands higher rates, in order to take care of its stockholders. No mention is made of the dire straits faced by the worker who must meet the higher dost of living not only with his shrinking dollar, but with his shrinking pay envelope, hit by wage cuts. . * * There have been spontaneous strikes of phone operators in isolated sections of the country. short lived. But these have been Child slavery continues under capitalism, en- dorsed almost unanimously bythe capitalist law making bo- dies in the states, and new armies of oung and healthy girls, 15, 16 and 17 years old, crowd each other at the doors of the phone exchanges, as they do at the cotton mills, the department stores, and elsewhere, seeking employment. The organization of the youth workers is one of the least worries of the American labor movement. This in face of the fact that the few electrical workers organized within the realms of the phone trust have been mostly wiped out. - The phone trust is hungry for new worlds to conquer. On Coolidge’s inauguration day it sent the first inaugurak pictures by wire. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is one of the corporations named in the so-called trial of the alleged radio monopoly before the federal trade commission. But the attorney for the A. T. & T. Co. is none other than John “Wallstreet”? Davis, recent candidate for president on the democratic ticket. It is safe from harm. Large sections of the Gompers’ wing of the American Federation of Labor supported this lawyer, Davis, attorney for the anti-union phone trust, in last fall’s elections. Let the phone workers know that it is the left wing alone that fights such class-collaborating labor leadership. It is not enough that the slaves of the hey must build the right k cide to organize. poe trust de- ind of .organiza- tions; unions that are ready at all times to enter the class fight against. the oppressors of labor. The phone workers need such an organization. They can only get it thru enlist- ing under the banners of the left wing of he ra labor, inspired by the Communist principles that wil ead to final victory not only over the phone trust, but over capitalism itself. 48-Hour Bill Is Used As An Election Bait and Then Voted Down CONCORD, N. H., March 6— The 48-hour work week bill was defeated by the New Hampshire house, 153 votes in favor to 198 against, with 70 members absent. This bill was to affect women and minors in the industries. The only reason advanced for adoption of the bill was that the present {s an oppor- tune time to enact such a law to at- tract skilled labor to New Hampshire. This contention is sheer political hyp- ocrisy since it is a matter that is supposed to aid women and minors only, and among whom there are few if any “skilled” workers in New Hampshire and the prospects for at- tracting “skilled” women and minors nil. ‘This 48-hour bill is a fraud and was concocted by the politicians for use as bait during the recent state elec tions, After obtaining the labor votes some pretence of fulfilling their prom- OF THE FIRST ISSUB OF THE WEEKLY YOUNG WORKER SPEAKERS: T. J. O'FLAHERTY, BARNEY MASS, and JOHN HARVEY. SPLENDID MUSICAL PROGRAM — BANQUET — DANCING 722 BLUE ISLAND AVENUE . COME ON! AN IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE LABOR DEFENSE RED STAR VOLUNTEERS The committee in charge of the March 29th Benefit Entertainment and all “Red Star Volunteers” who have thus far enlisted are to meet today, Saturday, March 7, at 3:30 P, M. at Greek Hall, 722 Blue Ave. Important business, early. ise had to be made, hence the joke of the “48-hour bill.” When the vote was taken, 21 demo- crats voted against it in order to aid the republican opposition to the bill while a goodly portion of the 70 mem- bers were democrats that did not want to commit themselves one way or another. Another bill known as the Fernald bill, to create an industrial court, a la Kansas, was referred to the next le- gislature. CELEBRATIO ; Admission 25 Cents. » Have a Fine Time and Help the Weekly Young Worker! > $C et as ) i ji ih a el el a Ol a nie EEE WORKERS PARTY TO WAR ON OPEN SHOP IN OHIO To Call Unionists Into Conference By ALFRED WAGENKNECHT. CLEVELAND, Ohio, March 6.— There are fifteen million automobiles and trucks in use in the United States. Horses are already extremely old- fashioned. And jackasses would at- tract as much attention as a string of Barnum’s elephants upon any city thoroughfare. The Ohio legislature at Columbus, is, however, still Mving in jackass days. The Ohio senate passed a bill yesterday repealing a law making is a misdemeanor to drive a jackass past a cemetery at a greater speed than six miles an hour. The bill was intro- duced by Senator Geo. Bender of Cleveland, and secured a vote of 24 to 2 amid much horseplay. If at any time within the next few years any worker gets a yearning to see a genuine jack- ass, or a flock of them in action, let him hike to Columbus, But the “Jackass” bill is a red her- ring. While the legislators are bray- ing to detract attention, they are put- ting over a pile of dirt on the workers by devious back-room methods. The best representatives union labor has in Ohio, the most forceful lobbyists, had to speed to Columbus this week co help void the “yellow dog” con- ract. What is the “yellow dog” con- tract? It is a contract forced upon workers by the bosses by which the workers are compelled to agree not to belong to a union as a condition for getting a job—as a condition for living! Manufacturers Lobby. Major Long and Malcolm Jennings are steering the ship of state for the Ohio Manufacturers’ association at Columbus. The Ohio Manufacturers’ association has another name, which is, the American Plan association. The American Plan association loves the “yellow dog” contract and the open shop. These are the gentry who also O. K. the strike breaking state military police bill. Union Leaders Are “Good.” It seems as if union. labor is at- tempting to prove itself “good” at Columbus. Major Long of the manu- facturers’ association fired this at Max Hayes and other labor union lob- byists: “You would not protest if em- ployers refused to hire I. W. W.’ and Communists and I say that there are some organizations masquerading as trade unions that are just as bad.” Major Long knows that workers are workers and that the capitalists will have to keep an eye upon all of them if capitalism is going to have fair sledding. Shall Labor Beg and Lose? On the other hand, the labor union lobbyists at Columbuz veem to believe that they can pick sweet grapes for workers in the enemy’s vineyard They have not yet learned that all of labor, the Communists; the I. W. W., the trade unions, all workers’ organiza- tions must enter into a mighty united front and fight the offensive of capi- tal every inch of the way if labor is to be victorious. Shall labor fight and win, or shall labor beg and lose? Will the “yellow dog” contract live and deceminate the ranks of organized labor? Will labor learn that Columbus is» an en- emy camp, that it is the seat of the bosses’ .boot-lickers? These are the questions which trade unionts in Ohio will have to face and answer. The Workers Party intends to call the trade unions into conference so that the solution will result in a militant uncompromising struggle against all open shoppers. Discuse Insect Problems. LAFAYETTE, Ind., March 6.—Two of the most important insect prob- lems facing the middle west, the Mext- can bean beetle and the Huropean corn borer were discussed today at the conference of mologists from middle western universities in session at Purdue university, “CULTURE IN RUSSIA” NEXT WORKERS’ SCHOOL LECTURE BY OLIN NEW YORK, March 6—M J. Olgin will lecture on “Cultural Activities Among the Masses In Soviet Russia,” next Tuesday, March 10, 8 p. m., at the new headquarters of the Workers’ School, 108 East 14th street. Comrade Olgin will deal with the cultural Institutions established by the Soviet government, with Its ef- forts to raise the cultural level of the proletariat and make them class conscious. He will describe the Circles of Marxism, the party schools and universities, the general character of the press. He will tell about the cultural activities in the factories, one of the most Important . phases of the educational work of the workers’ and peasants’ Repub- lic, Comrades will find this lecture highly Interesting and instructive, and should not miss it. Remember the date—Tuesday, March 10, at 108 /