The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 10, 1925, Page 3

SECTION 0 ALESKAS FOR “PRESIDENT OF DISTRIGT ONE Progressives Want No Conciliators SCRANTON, Pa.—The Progressive miners’ demand for the abolition of the conciliation board in District No. 1 of the United Mine workers of Am- erica, has been furnished with an ad- ditional sample ‘of the “impartiality.” “justnéss,” and “fairness” of this body when the “impartial” umpire, Charles P. Neill handed down a decision de- nying the right to the union to limit the number of cars of coal a miner should be pérmitted to load during one day. The glaring “impartiality” of this decision is in’ conformity with the Past acts of this board and is one of the chief reasons for the seething dis- content that is almost constanly ex- pressing itself in the many outlaw strikes in the anthracite fields. These Two are Enough. The anthracite miners have just two grievances against the concilia- tion board; one is that it takes tne board many months, and sometimes years, to decide on a case, and the second is, that the vast majority of the important decisions are made against the miners, and this latest atrocity is a typical example contain- ing both earmarks of the conciliation board. It is well over a year since this mat- ter was ‘laid before the board when Local Union No. 400 passed a decision prohibiting any member from loading more than three cars during the eight hours of work. Ms The decision of the unfon was a first step towards bringing uniformity of wages in the mines and preventing of the pace-setting methods used by the boss’s favorites who are always given favorable places in the mines and whose earnings are used as an argument for wage reduction. Rinaldo Cappellini, whese record of betrayals surpasses even that of the eonciliation board of which he is an ardent supporter, will have a hard time explaining away this decision. Zaleskas Against Cappellini. The miners of District 1 will have an ample opportunity of repudiating Cappellini and the conciliaton board during the coming election for presi- dent, vice-president and the secretary- treasurer, by supporting the progres- sive candidates, headed by the rank and file miner, Bernard Zaleskas, who is running for president on a progres- sive platform which demands the abol- ition of the conciliation board, estab- lishment of the minimum wage, direct settlement of grievances between the union and the operators within 30 days, abolition of topping, a six-hour day, five-day week, and a Lumber of ether demands that will solve the many burning grievances and prob- lems facing the anthracite miners to- day. Electrical Union Agrees with Boss Not to Organize NEW YORK, March 8.— “Out of consideration of the interest of the public which stand above the intér- ests of both the employers and the employes,” the officials of the Elec- trical Workers’ Unions ‘in this city have just entered into an agreement with the New Edison, company not to attempt to unionize the company’s power house employes, “lest organ- ized employes might resort to strikes in putting forth and enforcing various demands upon the company and thus deprive the public of electric “cur rent.” , ‘The attitude 6f the workers to this shameful bel and bondage at this time could not be learned. The company, of course, in its mer- icless exploitation of the workers will readily put forth any sham and pro- tense, such as the public's interests, in order to beguile them, and the labor fakers readily co-operate with the company in delivering the rank aad file to the capitalists for this ex ploitation. Subscribe. for the WORKER! DAILY For Communist Clarity— Ti THE DAILY WORKER National Committee of the Trade Union Educational Léague has issued the. following statement against the “open shop” drive on the coal miners’ union, and calling for a united front of the workers against the unity of the capitalists: + 8 TO THE RANK AND FILE OF THE WORKERS IN THE COAL IN- DUSTRY: NCE again the coal miners are called upofi to bear the brunt of a new “open shop” offensive. This time under a more difficult and try- ing situation than in 1922, Not only have the miners to face the powerful coal barons of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kansas, who have the whole-hearted support of the coal op- erators of Illinois and Indiana, and the financial interests of Wall Street and the Coolidge government, but they have to meet the situation with a leadership that is the most reac- tionary and corrupt in the American labor movement, The signatures to the Jacksonville agreement were scarcely dry when the coal operators began breaking it, while, on the other hand, the miners were severely criticized and punished by their officials every time they at- tempted to compel the mine owners to abide by the agreement. The Trade Union Educational League pointed out, at the time of the signing of the Jacksonville agreement, that this was the last act of a long line of treachery committed by John L. Lewis, having for its purpose the de- struction of the United Mine Work- ers of America as a militant fighting LAUNDRY DRIVERS WIN RECOGNITION FOR THE UNION Strike Brings Increase in Wages BROOKLYN, N. Y., March 8,—The prolonged fight put up by the Laundry Chauffeurs’ and Drivers’ Union ‘in Brownsville, during which ‘the bosses have slugged and beaten the strikers and nearly killed the president, Wil Ham Berman, has resulted in the cap- itulation of the laundry association and in the breaking of the backbone of the opposition. 6 Out of the 14 laundries, that: were inyolved 11 have signed the agree- ment to the increased wage and: the recognition of the union. The drivers are now paid $23 a week in straight wages and 15 per cent of the wet and 10 per cent of the flat wash. While this increase is not all that was asked for the drivers claim that the recognition of the union which is! the big element in the settlement makes up for much. This gives the union a chance to strengthen itself during the year and be able to get what it asks for next time. The 11 laundries that have signed up are the largest ones and the others will not be able to operate until they make peace with the union. Those still on the warpath are the Blake, Clovelen and Erasmus. ‘It was the boss of these who led the assault on Berman who is still in a weak con- dition and unable to return to work, the doctors are still undecided as to the final outcome of his condition. The trial of his assailant was postponed for two weeks. Jimmy Lynch, Too, Doesn’t Want Any Labor Party Now INDIANAPOLIS.—Officials of the bor unions which recently declarec James M.. Lynch, president of the Typographical Union has declared. The Union was a par- tidipant in the first of the confer ences for progressive political action out of which grew the LaFollette pres- idential candidacy. Leninism or Trotskyism By. Gregory Zinoviev, I. Stalin and L, Kameney. 20 CENTS A COPY a Order from the Daily Worker Literature Dept. organization. ‘HE signing of the Jacksonville agreement was to purposely tie the hands of the miners while giving free scope to the coal barons for the un- dermining of the morale of the organ- ization and preparing a condition more favorable than in 1922 for an “open shop” drive. The operators now think the opportune time has ar- rived. So, they have openly scrapped the agreement and are now prepar- ing to complete the work of destroy- ing the miners’ union. In this they are being ably assisted by the Lewis- Farrington bureaucratic administra- tion, which, instead of fighting the enemies of labor, is waging a relent- less war upon the Communists, the T. U. E. L., and the Progressive Min- ers’ Committee, which represent the forces within the miners’ union that have fought the hardest in the inter- ests of the miners and against the in- terests of the operators and _ their capitalist government. John L. Lewis’ expulsion policy, which has resulted in the expelling of some of the best fighters in the union because they stood for the class struggle instead of for class col- laboration, dovetails in with the “op- en shop” policy of the employers and has encouraged them to launch their attack at this time. The coal miners are the best group of organized workers in America. In spite of their corrupt leaders, they are the very heart of and stand as an example and incentive to the rest of the organized workers. If their union can be destroyed or badly demoraliz- ed or weakened, the rest of the unions will fall an easy prey to the assaults of the employing class, who are now TRADE UNI Militant Call to the Coal Miners watching this impending struggle with the keenest interest. HE TRADE UNION EDUCATION. AL LEAGUE pledges its fullest support to the miners, It points out the necessity of waging the fight up- on the basis ofthe class struggle and on a national scale, and urges the miners to immediately form a united front with the railroad unions, and to support the program of the Progres- sive Miners’ Committee. The attack upon the miners is an attack upon the entire labor movement, and the only way to successfully combat this offensive is to call upon the whole la- bor movement to join in the fight. Today it is the miners and textile workers, to morrow the railroad work- ers, etc., just as it was in 1921-22. It) is a general attack upon the living standards of the American working class. This attack upon the miners has two significant angles. It is directed against the most powerful union in America, because the arrogant brutal capitalist class of this country feels that, with the election of Coolidge and Dawes, it is strong enuf to attack la- bor at its strongest point and with one fell swoop destroy the labor move- ment or reduce it to a low level of re- sistance. Secondly, the Dawes plan, which is international in scope and ‘tirected against the working class of the capitalist world, (Russia being the only country not affected), demands the reduction of the miners’ standard of living to the level of that of the German miners. The Trade Union Educationa) League calls upon the miners to meet the stituation by forming committees of action in each mine; that these pit or shop committees be the center around which the struggle of the min- ers is organized. Those committees are complimentary and not antagonis- tic to the union. They do not take the place of but strengthen and build up the union by drawing the member- ship closer and into the activities of the union and the fight. GOOD example of the effective. ness of these committees and how they can lead and organize the membership for the offensive was shown by the Grievance Committees —which are shop or pit committees— in the anthracite coal fields around Wilkes Barre. There they were able to rally the miners for a strong fight against wage cuts and violations of the working agreement. So powerful did they become that they compelled the Lewis administration to return the charters to the local unions, which had been revoked because of their go- ing on strike. Shop or pit committees develop the fighting qualities of the workers. It gives them a better understanding of the struggle, and is the best, quickest, and surest means of getting unity of action and of holding, strengthening, and broadening the strike front. Shop or pit committees, composed of actual workers, are closer to the line of battle. They are directly re- sponsible to.the membership. They understand the situation, will fight and carry it to a successful conclus- ion, where the officialdom, whose in- terests are not directly involved, would be willing to compromise and accept defeat, The Trade Union Educational League calls upon the coal miners to fight against the efforts of those poli- | The Aim of the Bosses | those who work and sweat under of the workers, by the workers corner of this country wi Fore ‘We want the wor to reflect the iife of he. wide labor reflec: e @ oO we wide WRITE TO US. T “Yellow” Drivers Get $20 a Week To The DAILY WORKER:— I am International Typographical Union are| writing this article to prove that the in entire accord with the sixteen la-| Yellow (Scab) Cab Co. is a deliberate liar when it tells job-hunters in the opposition to continued efforts for the |dally papers that the “average pay is formation of a third, or labor party,|$35 per week.” The writer has recent- ly worked for this company and can truthfully say that the average pay is $20 per week for a 6-day week. Week- y tips will amount to about $10 per veek; but out of this the driver must pay about $4.50 for gasoline, thus leav- ing about $25 as earnings. If tire chains are lost or stolen, (as is very often the case) the driver must pay $3 a piece out of his own money. The day-men work from 6.30 A. M. until 4 P. M., but an additional hour is al- ways consumed in checking in and turning in the day's receipts. The night men work from 4 p. m. until 1 and 2 P, M. and often later, Thus a 10 hour day is the rule with 11 and 12 hours not uncommon. The $35 per week pay that the Yellow Co, speaks of applies only, to about 5 per cent of their drivers, These ate men who have been with the company for years, have a single shift car and receive dividends on their hard earned stocks. As to conditions under which these 5,000 mén work,—well, most of their time is spent on the street where th arn ~ ic ere and farm: his new de ment “HOW will agers, as often as there will be sufficient letters from our readers about Note:—This paper is printed for the hefpebie ? Poor farmers and ie pr it system of si It is a paper ety. ers. We want to reach every exploited for private gai for all over the country to read the t more interesting and be able better masses, WE WA OUR READERS WE AND WORK" the life and working conditions under which our masses struj » Try to make the letters interesting bringing out facts which may not known to meee in other sections the country, Try to make them short and to the in oe 8 @ ver, when in the garages, they are usually sworn at and bullied about by garge czars. If anyone doubts this story, they can have it verified by any yellow driver, providing of course the driver is dis- posed to take you into his confidence, A Well Wishing Reader. Patronize our advertisers. Australian Labor May Boycott U. S. Fleet in Summer (Special to the Daily Worker) MELBOURNE, Australia, March 8, —The Australian section of the In- dustrial Workers of the World is meeting with some sympathetic re- sponse in its effort to persuade the Australian labor unions to put a strike boycott on the United States fleet when it visits the island continent next summer. The left wing of the un- jons approve the demonstration, while the officials are mostly opposed. The action may be taken as a poll- tical demonstration against the con- tinued imprisonment of members of the I, W. W. in California, and a la- bor delegation may previous to the visit of the fleet, all upon the Amer ican consul to iitlke a formal pro- . enjoy some measure of freedom, How. test, MARINE WORKERS’ ENDS WITH SUCCESS; CENSURE OFFICIALS FOR OBSTRUCTION (Special to The Daily Ww. NEW ORLEANS, La., March 5-—(By Mail.)—The first international conference of marine transport workers of the western hemisphere adjourned yesterday after conclusion of what may be known as the most successful, even if initial effort, to bring real unity into the ranks of this shamefully dis- organized oppressed group of workers. Censure Former Officials For Obstruction. Taking note of the fact that the International Propaganda Committee of the Red International of Labor Unions had extended an invitation to the Marine Transport Workers’ Industrial Union 610 of the I. W. W., to attend a conference at Berlin of all revolu- tionary transport workers’ unions of the world on Feb. 25, the conference passed a vote of censure on the for- mer executive of M. T. W. 610, for withholding and concealing from ‘the membership this invitation. This obstructive tactic of the for- mer Officials of the M. T. W. 510 had been subject to much criticism since, it became known by publication of the letter of invitation by the Red In- ternational Affiliation Committee, and by @ communication to the confer- ence from the Pan-American Anti-Im- perialist League, that a world confer- ence of the same nature and for the same purpose was imeeting in Ber- lin almost at the same time. The M. T. W. officials had neither answered the invitation, nor allowed news of its existence to reach the member- ship. This obstruction to unity it was which drew the vote of censure. Opposes |. W. W. Attacks on Other Revolutionary Movements. The conference took a sympathetic and constructive attitude when it ac- cepted a resolution opposing adverse criticism in I. W. W. papers of any movement having revolutionary ideals. This is considered a sharp rebuke for the officials of anarcho- syndicalist tendency who have been leading the organization in the direc- tion of the anarchist international which goes by the mame of the In- ternational Workingmen’s Associa- tion. The most significant organic re- sults of the conference, was the ap- proval of free and interchangeable membership among all marine unions of the western hemisphere whose pre- ambles or constitutions are based up- on the revolutionary class struggle of the proletariat for emancipation. All members in good standing in any country are to be accorded all privi- leges as members of the unions in the country where they happen to be. Next Annual Meeting in Havana, This strong organic bond between existing unions was made stronger by setting a date for the second an- nual conference of marine unions of the western hemisphere to convene at Havana, Cuba, on January 15, 1926. The international strike, which was much discussed, and watch is to af- fect Latin America as well as North America, is left in the hands of a com- mittee composed of McRae, Canfield and Harney, all I. W. W. who are to draw up strike demands and details. Resolutions adopted also covered an educational campaign against drunk- enness, narcotics and race prejudice, while the shipping crimps came in ‘for condemnation, as an enemy of fea- men, Get,a sub—make another Com- munist} x \ ) ON EDUCATIONAL LEAGUE - age Three ticians within the union who urge co- operation with the bosses. The pres ent situation means struggle not class collaboration. The coal miners must watch very carefully every move made by the coal operators and to| keep a watchful eye on their own leaders. It urges the miners to support the} campaign now being conducted for world trade union unity as the best means of combatting the Dawes plan, and to assist the Red International of Labor Unions in its effort to bring the unions of the world into one solidified organization. 'HE TRADE UNION EDUCATION AL LEAGUE points out to the coal miners that only the rank and file, with class struggle understand-| ing and revolutionary discipline, can offset the treachery of the capitalist apologists within the union and de. feat the coal operators in their at- tempt to put the coal fields upon an “open shop” basis. Fight against the “open shop.” 100 per cent organized industry. Organize shop committees. Fight against wage cuts, for a wage increase and the 30-hour week. A fighting alliance with the rail- road workers. For the nationalization mines, to be admin ers’ union, Unemployment Insurance to be taken out of the profits of the indus- try and administered by a committee of miners. A united front of the workers against the united front of the cap- italists. A of the ered by the min- National Committee of the Trade Union Educational League. CONFERENCE ir) BONUS LIKE THE B. & 0. PLAN, IS TRICK OF BOSSES An increase in 1924 of more than $2,500,000 in the excessive 1923 profits was what stockholders of the South- ern Railway got in return for a petty efficiency bonuS included in agree- ments signed last year with the op- erating brotherhoods. The employes affected got about $34 apiece or a to- tal of perhaps $400,000, less than one- sixth of the cash gain of the owners. The employe bonus was only 1% per cent of the annual pay. The stockholder bonus for doing nothing amounted to over 20 per cent more in their annual profit. The Southern bonus plan belongs with the B. & O. shop co-operatiion scheme for getting increased profits or the owners with as little as possi- ble to the employes in exchange. It was incorporated into 3 year agree- taents giving the 4 operating brother- hoods a 5 per cent increase in rates of pay and the dispatchers from 6 per cent to 10 per cent. But the bonus was to be paid only if the ra- tio of certain transportation expenses including these wages was kept as low as 1923. The men were to be induced to pay their own wage in- crease in efficiency which would re- sult in loss of jobs to many. The test ratio in 1923 was 21.4 per cent of the gross receipts of the road. The 1924 figure will be close to 20.3 per cent. The ratio of all transportation expenses was reduced from 36.3 per cent to 35.1 per cent, an unusual achievement in view of the 1924 slump in traffic and revenue. The nature of the economies is shown thus. Fuel consumption per 1,000 gross ton miles fell from 199 to 178 Ibs. Toward the end of the year it was running as low as 172 lbs., @ reduction of over 13 per cent. Two cars were added to the average freight train enabling the road to transport more tons per train, that is, per crew. The average train speed was increased from 11.9 to 12.5 miles per hour. Train hours were reduced 8 per cent while net ton miles de- \clined only 1.7 per cent, The Southern’s gross revenue fell from $150,487,985 in 1923 to $142,486,- 574 in 1924. But net income increased from $28,128,137 to $30,442,720 and the profit remaining to common stockhold- ers increased from $12,136,998 to $14, 769,140. The 1924 profit amounted to a return of 12.3 per cent, a record higher than even the most prosperous war yoars, SOCIALISTS TRY TO PUT DAMPER ON BAKERY FIGHT Try to Hamstring Real Organization Campaign (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW YORK, March 8.—Bankrupt in ideas and staggering in the bread- line of reaction, the socialists, led by Araham Shiplacoff, urged, as the only way to working class emancipation that the slaves in the bakery indus: tries start a campaign to induce the population of the city of New York to buy bread in bakeries, groceries | and delicatessen joints who carry the union label, in speeches and resolu- tions made at the conference of Bak- ers and United Hebrew Trades held here Sunday The conference was an evident at tempt to widen the breach between the bakers of the American Federa- tion of Labor and the Amalgamated Food Workers who are making every effort to effect unity in spite of the reactionary bureaucracy that has kept up a fight between the two organiza- tions for over ten years. At a meeting of the Amalgamated Food Workers held recently at Coop er Union, it was decided to inaugurate a campaign of organization and seek co-operation with the Bakers’ Union in an effort to unite in the fight against the bosses and line up the rank and file in the entire bakery and food industries for harmony and con- certed action among the workers. Called a Counter-Move. This effort of the Amalgamated Food Workers was deeply resented by the reactionaries and the meeting of last Sunday was held for the purpose of counteracting the good start that had been made toward an understand- ing between the different organtza- tions. There were 315 delegates from 146 organizations present, representing branches of the Workmen’s Circle, the socialist party and women’s organiz- ations. The socialists were in control and speeches were made by Viadek and Rogoff of the Forward, Hugh Frayne of the A. F. of L. bureaucracy, Pach- odsky of the capitalist Morning Jour- nal and Shiplacoff of the socialists. Timid Socialists Aghast A resolutions committee brought in a report advising all who eat bread to buy from grocers, bakers and deli- catessen stores that had bread with the union label. The timid, but in comparison flaming revolutionary, Pachodsky, of the capitalist Morning Journal, moved to amend that the populace be invited to a strike against the grocers, bakers and delicatessen joints that handled scab bread, but was sat on heavily by the socialists for his Moscow imported ideas and his suggestion of this bloody revolu- tion method. The total lack of any suggestion in the resolution for organization and demand for better wages and condi- tions inspired a minority report from part of the resolutions committee, which report called for real unity and a campaign of organization and amal- gamation of all the bakers and food workers. This minority report was eyed over by the strong heads of the conference and was not allowed to be read. Shiplacoff Becomes Hysterical. Whereupon Shiplacoff launched in- to a spasm of hysterical denunciation of all progressives telling his hearers to “clean out all the rats and mice at the back to stab the or something else which’ he did not make sufficiently clear to be fully grasped by the rank and file who seemed to be unable to relish the classification as “rats and mice.” And as a resulf there was a mighty Toar and a ditto noise that came pret- ty nearly calling upon “pussy” fo shut up. But after some five minutes of celebration by the “rats and mice” as he had baptized the rank and file, he went on attacking especially the Jewish Freiheit for its policy of unity of all the workers. Then the conference went home, the socialists of New York, almost a bak- ers’ dozen of them, triumphantty re solved to emanctpate the working class of the world by purchasing bread at grocers, bakers and delicatessen stores where the union label is fayor- ed, Pachodsky the capitalist editor slinking away, like a guilty LaFollet- te republican, for having suggested his aforesaid revolutionary plan of ac- ton. Coal Production and Employment Falls Off in Ruhr ESSEN, Germany, March 8.— The Ruhr valley coal procuction has fall en off as a result of decreaced orders, November production figures were 365,000 tons daily, Decembor 370,000 daily, but in February, it fell to 344. 000. A considerable number of the underpaid miners have had their lives made still more miserable by being thrown into the growing unempleyed army