The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 12, 1925, Page 3

os CONSPIRACY T0 CUT MINE WAGE IS DISCLOSED Capitalists in Plot to Break Union By LELAND OLDs, (Federated Press Industrial Editor) Coal operators believe the final Stage In the 2year conspiracy to Starve union miners into submission about reached. According to the Chi- cago Journal of Commerce, large coal buyers “have been advised by the operators to hold off buying pending @ wage adjustment in the coal in- dustry of. Illinois and Indiana.” “A wage adjustment in the coal in- dustry” says the Journal, “has become more than a hope in the minds of the operators. The state of Wisconsin has Postponed until June 2 the calling for bids on coal in view of the anticipated reduction in wages. Certain industrial buyers are not in the market for the same reason, Operators said consump- tion was ahead of production and that rapid bying can be expected after a settlement of the wage question”, Birth of Conspiracy. This shows the operators actually encouraging stagnation in the market. They are tightening the screws in the conspiracy which was first exposed by The Federated Press June 12, 1923. ‘The Federated Press then showed that as far back at April 1923 E. L. Greever, general counsei for the nonunion ope- rator associations of West Virginia, secured a resolution from the National Metal Trades Assn. practically indor- sing the suggestion that member con- cerns buy coal only from openshop mines. A similar resolution was passed by the National Assn. of Manufacturers June 7, 1923, after an address by ex- Gov. Cornwell of West Virginia. These resolutions meant a boycott of union mined coal. Government Commision and Operators Joint Move Occasional evidences of the con- spiracy have come to light since. Ope- rators who signed the Jacksonville pact, Black Diamond has admitted, ex- pected it to force a suspension at union mines. : The railroads with the connivance of the interstate commerce commis- sion added to the depression in union fields by new rail construction and rate charges enabling non-union mines im Kentucky and West Virginia to drive out Illinois and Indiana coal in the northwest. Mellon Covers Up Tracks. Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mel- lon and his brother don’t want their positions as political bosses in Penn: sylvania disturbed by the fight their huge coal trust is waging against the miners. So they have withdrawn from active officeholding in the Pittsburgh Coal Co. by placing a dummy (W. C, Warden) in place of R. B. Mellon as chairman of the board. Says Black Diamond: “The reason given is the fact that the Mellon in- terests have entered local and state politics and are said to be in the as- cendency, Being in politics, it is ar- gued that a fight with organized labor would not be advisable as it would lose considerable votes.” A generation ago Andrew Carnegie pulled the same stunt for a slightly different reason. He was a preacher of peace and conciliation but also a steel baron, So when the bitter Home- stead strike loomed he retired to Eu- rope leaving Henry Frick to do the dirty work. As an advocate of peace he kept his skirts clear of the bloody brutality that marked the suppression of the workers. Long Time Idle. OSWEGO, N. Y.—Carmen in New York Central railroad shops are to return to work May 1 after six months’ idleness. ELECTRIC TRUST MONOPOLIZED THE RADIO BY SPYING ON SMALL FIRMS THE DAILY WORKER COMMERCE BOARD AND BUYING UP ALL RAW MATERIAL|JSED\BY ROADS (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW YORK, May 10.—Industrial spies operate not only against labor unions, but against one company in the interest of another, the injunction suit of the De Forest Radio Co. against the Radio Corporation of America and its parent General Blectric clearly shows. The De Forest concern, one of the few “independent” radio firms, is fighting the Radio Corporation which is the radio trust branch of the already existing trust in which General Elec- tric, Westinghouse Hlectric, American Telegraph and Telephone Co, and Western Electric, related thru inter- locking directorates, participate. Monopolized Material. The injunction proceedings in New Jersey chancery court charge Radio Corporation of America and General Electric with buying up the Electron Relay company of Toledo, Ohio, which manufactured filament wire essen- tial to radio manufacturing. The purchase of the filament wire concern cut off De Forest from its necessary supplies. Furthermore, the suit is backed by affidavits from a former employe of General Hlectric who had previously and is now again working for De Forest. Charles F. Bowlby relates in de- tail how he discovered the secret of- fice of the Radio Corporation at 25 Beaver St., New York, where special investigators for the corporation re- ported the results of their espionage upon De Forest processes of manu- facturé and volume of business, etc. Sent Spieg Into Smaller Firm. Other affidavits show how Radio Corporation investigators worked as stenographers in De Forest offices to secure valuable papers of the com- pany. Meanwhile Owen D. Young, lately in the public press for his part in the Dawes’ plan administration, is busily denying the charges of Samuel Untermeyer, attorney, who worked with the Lockwood investigating com- mittee which showed up General Electric, Young’s company, as under domination of J. P. Morgan & Co, (Directorates of the banking house and electric manufacturing company do interlock.) Young is indignant that Untermey- er suggests that the U. S. department of justice was influenced not to pros- ecute General Electric for a monopoly on electric light bulbs. “Yellow Peril” a _ Fake, Report Shows WASHINGTON, May 10.—During the past 16 years the net increase of foreign-born Japanese in the conti- nental United States due to immigra- tion has been 10,959, or an average of 685 a year, according to a statement by the committee on American-Jap- anese relations. The census of 1920 showed a total of 111,010 Japanese, both native and foreign-born, in Cali- fornia and the rest of the United States; in California alone the num- ber was 71,952, or 2 per cent of the population of the state. Japanese own 74,769 acres of land in California, out of a total of 11, 389,894 acres of cultivated lands. The statement sets forth that Japan permits all foreigners to take per- petual leases of land, and that by a law which becomes effective on Dec. 1, 1925, Japan surrenders all claim to the allegiance of Japanese who have become citizens abroad. Cut Political Prisoners’ Mail SAN QUENTIN, Cal., May 10.—Un- der the new prison regime at San Quentin the right of political prison- ers eOnvicted under the California criminal syndicalism law is further restricted by cutting off most of the letters coming from their defense or- ganization. The California branch of the Gen- eral Defense Committee, box 574, San |. Francisco, urges that protests be sent to the San Quentin warden so that this and other rights may be restored. Get a sub for the DAILY WORKER from your shopmate and you will make another mem- ber for your branch. THT LCCC _ The Theory and Practice . of LENINISM By |. STALIN. A brilliant exposition of Communist the- ory and practice in the period of Capitalist Imperialism—during which our great teach- er, Lenin, lived and led. No book recently issued can be of more value or importance to the worker who would learn of Communism. This book by the secretary of the Russian Communist Party, who has been a constant and intimate co-worker of Lenin, is not only an extremely timely work, but also one that is destined surely to become one of the classios of Communist literature. 128 Pages—35 cents. “4118 W. Washington Blvd, THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO. - Chicago, Iilinois Steel Trust Joins Meat Trust Control of Big Universities CHICAGO, May 10.—While the open, shop meat packers put the University of Chicago ynder further obligation by creating research scholarships un- der its auspices, the open shop steel trust renews its friendship for North- western university thru chairman El- bert H. Gary of the U. 8. Steel cor- poration. The costly library building on the methodist college’s down town camp- us will be financed by Gary, who will permit his name to be given to the structure. Three years ago, Gary per- mitted the university board of trus- tees, of which he has been a mem- ber for almost a score of years, to vote him an honorary degree. Another Movie in the Pittsburgh District PITTSBURGH, Pa., May 10.—In ad: dition to the six showings already heled in the Pittsburgh district with- in the last ten days there will be an- other show on Saturday, May 16, at the new Croatian Hall, West Browns- ville, Pa. The show begins at 7 p, m. and tickets are 50 cents. The program includeg “Polikushka,” a feature film made in Russia by the Moscow Art Theater, with Ivan Mosk- vin in the title role. On the program also are a two-reel Russian slapstick comedy, “Soldier Ivan’s Miracle,” and a news reel giving scenes from the life of Nicolai Lenin. In this district this program was received with even greater favor than the latest film from Russia, “The Beauty and the Bolshevik.” ‘The same program will be run at the Eagle Theater, Livingston, Ill., on May 26. \%Any labor organizations which have not:yet run all of the films prepared by the International Workers’ Aid, 19 §. Lincoln St:, Chicago, Ill., should get in touch with that organization at onge. There are features which make up an entire evening’s educational dhé entertainment program, as well ag‘short films that will round out and furnish a special attraction at meet- ings, ‘picnics, ete. U.S. Fascisti Meet Against Reds. WASHINGTON, May 10.— (FP) — David Jayne Hill, former ambassador to,Germany and now chief rival to Dawes as a reactionary, presided at a.luncheon meeting of the “Natl. Assn. for Constitutional Government,” in Washington, summoned to consider thé “menace of radicalism.” When Hill read to the assembled fascisti a letter from Archibald Hop- kins, an aged local promoter of Red- seare thrills, demanding that anarch- ists and “militant” socialists be de- ported, a row began. It lasted sev- eral hours, and disclosed that many of the members were afraid of the conse- quences to themselves of any drastic measures toward radicals. Hill gave the impression that he supported Hopkins in wanting all rad- ical thinkers shipped out of the cduntry. Union in New Office. NEW YORK. — The International Pocket Book Workers’ Union is now installed in new offices at 11 West 18th street, New York City, occupy- ing three lofts, much more space than the old office afforded, Cal’s Boomlet Dies in Massachusetts BOSTON.—A drop of about one- half per cent in employment in Massa- chusetts factories from February to March shows that Coolidge’s little boom is collapsing in his home state. The state department of labor shows employment more than seven per cent below the 1922 average and three and one-half per cent below March, 1924. Average weekly wages remained at $24.17, Hight establishments report wage cuts. The boot and shoe industry is par- ticularly dull with 29 per cent fewer workers than in 1922. This marks a reduction of over 15 per cent from March, 1924.. Other industries show- ing a heavy drop from a year ago are men’s clothing 20 per cent, women’s clothing seven and one-half per cent, electrical manufacture eight per cent, foundries and machine shops nearly 18 per cent. The report shows that 38.6 per cent of the workers covered were employed in factories operating part time. In six of the 39 industries a majority of the employes were on part time. SICK AND DEATH BENEFIT SOCIETIES Frauen-Kranken-Unterstuetzun| Fortschritt La oie Meets every Srd Thursday, wi I, 2040 W. TO LOWER WAGES Governm’t Forces Down Workers Standard By LELAND OLps. (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) The futility of workers trusting in a government arbitration board, un- less they can back their plea for just- ice with the economic power of strong independent organizations, is reveal- ed in the wage statistics of the inter- state commerce commission. These show that in Jauary the rail- roads paid 200,000 unskilled mainte- nance of way workers at the rate of $2.79 for an eight-hour day, represent- ing a cut of about a quarter in the wage rate established by the U. S. rail labor board in 1920. Authorize, Lowest Wages. With 280 werking days in a year these men make a total of about $780, The board is plainly authorizing the railroads to pay the lowest market rate for labor. Wages of 10 occupations selected from the clerical, station and mainte- nance forces show cuts below the board’s 1920 decision ranging from seven to 39.2 per cent. Here are the figures: . dan, Jan. Pot. Rail wages for hrs. 1921 1925 cut Clerks .... wore $5.12 $4.76 7.0 Telegraphers 499 7.8 Signalmen ... 5.92 9.7 Baggage ‘handlers 3.41 19.8 Callers, loaders, etc. 3.99 13.4 Freight handlers 3.49 15.8 Bldg. mechanics 4.90 14.7 Section foremen . 533 4.58 14.0 Section & track labor 3.68 2.79 24.0 Crossing flagmen, etc. 3.22 1.96 39.2 Need Organization. Such a range of decreases cannot be justified by any statistics compiled to determine wages which are just and reasonable. Cost of living data which appears: to justify a seven per cent cut in the well organized branch- es can hardly serve the board in also authorizing a 39 per cent cut in unor- ganized. The period of surplus common labor following the war gave employers an opportunity to reduce workers in this group to their beggarly pre-war stat- us. Lack of organizations outside the railroad industry, precluded serious re- sistance. And the labor board simply followed the rates of the labor mar- ket. :i Executive Council of A. F. of Meets with Anti-Communist Aides WASHINGTON, D. C., May 10.—Ses- sions of the executive council of the American Federation of Labor began May 5, with most of the eleven mem- bers present. James Duncan of the Granite Cutters, first vice-president, the only contemporary of Gompers still in the council, resigned from that body immediately upon its failure to elect him as the successor of the late president, in December. His resigna- tion was not acted upon at the Miami meeting in February, but it appears likely that his successor will be chosen at this meeting. William English Walling, former anti-Communist adviser to Mr. Gomp- ers, and Peter Brady, New York anti- socialist leader, were in attendance on the opening day, with’ Flynn of Boston, representative of the News Writers of that city. Cal Favorable to Rail Merg WASHINGTON, D. C., May 10.—The combining of the Erie, Pere Mar- quette, Hocking Valley, Nickel Plate and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads into the railroad trust by O. P. and M. J. Van Sweringen, was approved by Richard F, Grant, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, who testified before the interstate commerce commission, In view of Coolidge’s recent declara- tion that he would allow the trusts to do as they please without govern- mental interference, the rail merger is expected to be approved. Must Pay to Work. NEW YORK.—Cattle boats used to pay men to go over the Atlantic tend- ing the animals but now an enter- prising labor agent is offering Brit- ishers, Hollanders and Swedes a ride back to their native lands as cattle valets for a fee of $20, a Scotch work- who applied at the 129 Greenwich street, New York address in answer to an ad relates. chy Help Actors’ Equity More. NEW YORK.—To help pay Actors’ Equity moving bill Vivian and Rosetta Duncan gave a special matinee per- formance of their show, Topsy and Eva, in New York. Equity is now at 45 W. 47th street, New York city, in its own home, Dispute Over Polish Corridor. BERLIN.—Germahy takes dipo- matic: steps to oo joint control of transit and Hines thru the Polish corridor, * Commons Rejects Labor Amendment. LONDON.—Tho | of commons rejected the labor ent to can- cel duties on and motor- ayoles. whioh effootive July 1. ae mnaineeenammmmaiin dia aaaee Page Thres Dt sent there must be first subjected to ja medical examination, because a sick person would live here hardly longer than two months. Makes Cripples. This prison is destined for long term prisoners. Its purpose is to make human beings into cripples in a safe and gradual manner: Sixty per cent of all prisoners are suffering from consumption. How the prison- ers are “nursed” here can be seen from a statement of the prison doctor: “For 30 hopelessly ill prisoners only two jugs of milk are provided in 24 hours. Food is given in such quanti- ties which are just sufficient to die gradually, If these conditions are not changed, I will ask for my dismissal.” Reds Tortured. The death rate in prison is formid- able. Since 1920 to March 1924 over 500 prisoners have died. In 1928 alone 190 prisoners died. But never theless the number of prisoners does not decrease. The cells of the dead prisoners are immediately filled with new revolutionists. The prison ad- ministration gives no’ advantages to the political prisoners and treats them worse than the common crimin- als, They are often put into the pun- ishment cells and exposed to hunger and maltreatment. Often they must do terribly hard labor and are tor- tured in all possible ways. Not Permitted*to Wash. The walls of the prison are wet. In the cells there is nothing except the mattresses covered with vermin. The cells are not heated. The prisoners receive no soap. Water is given only for drinking, but not for washing. The underwear falls in pieces on the bodies of the prisoners. Continuously hungry, in cold and wet cells, in dirt and stinking air, in eternal darkness—thus live the politi- cal prisoners in the prison of the “Holy Cross.” Their complaints, cries and demands, their groans and shouts are heard by nobody, nobody hears the death rattling of a human being buried alove. Foreign Delegates of Women’s Council Congratulate Negroes By LAURENCE TODD, (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) WASHINGTON, May 10.—Two hun- dred of the best Negro singers among this musically gifted people publicly walket out of the great auditorium in the national capital, just as they were announced to furnish the main part of a program of “American” music for a concret given by the Internation- al Council of Women. They struck be- cause the members of their race who had purchased tickets to the concert given in honor of the foreign visitors had been segregated on one side of the hall. Miss Hallie Q. Brown, of Wilber- force university, Xenia, O., who had been preparing for the negro singers’ part in the program for more than a year, at the request of the Inter- national Council of Women, now in quinquennial session in Washington, explained the walkout as a protest at public humiliation of her race before the whole world. She had had a writ- ten guaranty from Mrs. Philip North Moore, president of the American branch of the Council, that no segre- gation or discrimination would be per- mitted. Mrs, Moore failed to make good her pledge. Miss Brown took the platform and stated the facts. Foreign delegates showed their sympathy, some of them hissing the management and others going to congratulate the negro musi cians on their courage. Hampton Institute choir was one of the units in the chorus which refused to accept humilation. Chief Justice Taft, chiarman of the trustees of Hampton Institute, was asked for ad- vice but refused to give any, saying that he know nothing of the circum- stances. Negro delegates in the Coun- cil kept their seats among the white delegates. The 5th Congress of the Communist International In this abridged historical re- port is the substance of the pro- ceedings— Of the meetings of the leading world Communist body held June 17 to July 8 at Moscow— much as possible of Giving elivered in their the speec! original form, Important material Is here contained for those who would learn of the latest world Com- munist developments. 294 Pages—70 cents. WARSAW, May 10.—(I. R. A.)—The prison of the “Holy Cross.” is the name of the prison situated 36 versts from the town of Kelzy. on a high mountain, surrounded by huge walls and often veiled by mist, this old prison is called with justification a “grave for the living.” To be sent “under the Holy Cross” means slow but certain death. The eénditions are 80 unbearable that even the Polish government was com- pelled to decide that everyone who is¢#—- POLISH FASCISTS TORTURE REDS IN “HOLY CROSS” PRISON WHERE ONLY HOPE FOR RELEASE IS GRAVE This Built Our Readers’ Views | Red Legislator in Action. To the DAILY WORKER:—It may interest the readers of the DAILY WORKER, to know the difference be- tween a Communist legislator and the common “progressives.” From what.I can gather, the following took place in the North Dakota legisla- ture: A bill came before the house, which would disfranchise the non-property owner from voting on any bond issue for schools or otherwise. After the argument on this bill had gone to some length between the reactionaries and the so-called pro- gressives, Comrade Miller, Commun- ist member of the house, never wish- ing to waste time with long argu- ments, addressed the speaker of the house, and declared: “It is quite natural that after the business interests of this state and nation in general, have fleeced the working people out of all the wealth they have produced, why then should they not disfranchise these same workers in as much as they have no property? “Why should the wealthy be bur- dened with the expense of educating the poor? “Is not this a government of Ameri- can ideals, and fine individualism where the individual has the right to get the earth on a piece of paper and stick it in his vest pocket, and then tell the workers to get off the earth? “Yes, it is quite natural, that a bill of this kind should be introduced in this house at this time, and that it should get the support of the hench- men of Wall Street- “The henchmen of the czar put such laws over on the Russian people in the days before the reign of the Bol- sheviki. Now if I was sure that a law of this kind would sweep czarism from this country, I would vote for it. “But, I find that the laws in our statute books have created a condi- tiono where we find that 85 per cent of the people of these United States do not own a dollar's worth of wealth, the fact is two per cent own 65 per cent of the wealth, not only that the two per cent have loaned 35 billiono dollars to foreign countries.” Some day this Wall Street gang will ask your Uncle Samuel to get a loan of your sons, to collect this 35 bil- lion from these foreign speculators. In the midst of Comrade Miller’s talk a reactionary asked the speaker of the house to make Miller get on the subject, Miller said, “The subject is too deep for you.” The speaker said, “We all get off the subject so go ahead, Miller.” The bill was killed. Every other day Miller had a tilt like the above. —Andrew Omholt, Williston, N. Dak. Protest of Workers Forced Lead Poison Gas Off the Market NEW YORK, May 10.— Organized labor can take some credit to itself for the ending of the menace of te- traothyl lead gasoline which the Ethyl Gasoline Co. is withdrawing from the market pending the outcome of the U. S, surgeon general’s conference on May 20 in Washington. When five workers engaged in mak- ing the deadly gasoline died of acute lead poisoning, organized labor pro- tested against its menufacture and sale until its safety was estbalished. The bureau of mines report approv- ed of the product but its report has been attacked by noted authorities and with the conclusion of Columbia University’s investigation, anticipated to be unfavorable, the leaded gasoline is now off the market temporarily and no longer menaces the garage and filling station workers as well as the public breathing lead fumes in exhaust gases. 4 OFFICIALS OF A. F, OF L. SNUB NEGRO WORKERS Request for Commission Merely Acknowledged (Special to The Dally’ Worker) ‘NEW YORK, May 10. — “Merely a formal acknowledgement from the American Federation of Labor” is re- ported by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on its proposal that the A. F, of L., the railway brotherhoods, the N. A. A. C, P. and any other bodies agreed upon form an international labor com- mission. The 15th annual report of the asso- ciation reprints the text of the com- munication to the A. F. of L, sent from the 1924 convention of the ne- tional association. The growing ho- stility leading to crisis between the workers of the black and white races in America is outlined. Ask Admitance to Unions. “Intelligent Negroes know full well that a blow at organized labor is a blow at all labor; that black labor to- day profits by the blood and sweat of labor leaders in the past who have fought oppression and monopoly by organization,” the communication to the A. F. of L. relates. It says that Negroes are coming into skilled and semi-skilled jobs. mostly as “scabs” because the policy of many unions not to admit Negro workers which has led to a ce ion of black workers’ efforts to get into them when they felt their strength outside. Fight Race Discrimination. The N. A. A. C, P. reports that 476 appeals for legal aid were dealt with during 1924 by the application of two tests: “First, does the case involve discrimination and unjustice because of race or color? Second, will entry (of the N. A. A. C. P.) into the case serve to establish a precedent that will favorably affect the rights of col- ored people as a whole?” A review of important decisions is given. Full statements of residential segregation fights in Washington, D. C., and other cities are given. The progress of the Dyer Anti-lynch- ing bill in congress and occounts of the 16 lynchings of 1924 are included and the story of the anti-lynching campaign in England during the meet- ing of the American Bar Association is retold. Considerable interest is re- ported in Britain as a result of the publicity given the association's sand- wich men on London streets. “For the Sake of Humanity” GENEVA, Switzerland, May 10.—Al- tho American representative to the export of arms conference, Theodore Burton of Ohio, proposed “for the sake of humahity,” to limit the export- ation of poisonous war gases, Burton did not object to the use of these ghastly instruments of death by the home armies. Subscribe for the DAILY WORKER! Dr.S. ZIMMERMAN EN Ry oS DENTIST | DBL N CALIFORNIA AVE Phone, ARMITAGE: 7466 MY NEW LOCATION Special Prices to Workers ESTABLISHED 12 YEARS. My Examination Is Fri My Prices Are My Work Is Guaranteed Extracting Specialist DELAY MEANS DECAY PITTSBURGH, PA. To those who work hard for thelr money, | will save 50 per cent on all their dental work, DR. RASNICK DENTIST q 645 Smithfield Street. TLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLC Leninism vs. Trotskyism by G. Zinovieu, I. Stalin and L, Kamenev Three world known figures of the Communist movement con- tribute in this single volume on an important discussion, making it a book of permanent value, A rare and exhaustive treat. ment of a subject that will lead to a thoro Communist under. standing. A valuable book for the work. er’s library—and a gulde to.Com- munist action, * 76 Pages—20 cente,