The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 16, 1925, Page 3

ul aan senate smnnn cee easter! RAILROAD WAGES OFF $7,000,000 IN FEBRUARY Government Figures Prove Reduction By LELAND OLDS. Railway employes received $7,000,- 000 less in wages in February, 1925, than in February, 1924, according to the interstate commerce commission. This resulted from a reduction of 27,- 923 in number employed and of about $2 in the average monthly wage. Over 40 per cent of this reduction in wages came out of the pockets of the train and engine service employes whose monthly total fell 5 per cent from $61,712,680 in February, 1924, to $58,807,428 this year. The railroads carried on their payrolls 11,334 fewer train and engine men in 1925. The average monthly pay in this group fell from $184 to $181. More detailed study of the figures shows that while total straight-time compensation of train and engine ser- vice employes fell 3 per cent the re- duction in overtime and arbitrary pay amounted to 11 per cent. Apparently the railroads are taking advantage of the changes in rules in recently nego- tiated agreements. The average wages of various class- es in Feb., 1924 and 1925 follow: Rail Workers 1924—Feb.—1925 Passenger Brakemen ... $151 $154 Conductors 228 Engineers 244 Firemen .... 183 Freight Brakemen ... 158 Conductors 212 Engineers ... 241 Firemen ... 171 163 Freight service employes were the chief sufferers from any changes in traffic or in operating conditions com- pared with a year ago. For the railroad industry as a whole the average wage was $130 in Feb., 1925, compared with $132 in Feb., 1924. The range of wages for able bodied male labor was from $66 to about $250 a month. These include 169,388 section laborers at $66; 38,- 810 extra-gang laborers at $69; 61,- 411 common shop laborers at $75; 46,479 shop and engine house workers at $88; 38,450 freight handlers at $86; 119,482 skilled trades helpers at $100; 86,389 freight carmen at $131; 63,149 machinists at $144; 6,800 skilled elec- trical workers at $150; 8,404 signal- men at $145; 133,452 class B clerks at $122; 26,269 telegraphers and tower- men at $131; 5,413 dispatchers at $251. These monthly wage statistics re- iterate monotonously the fact that, the wage structuré in the railroad fn- dustry rests on a minimum inadequate to let the worker meet the demands of life. For the, entire month of Feb-,| ruary a quarter of a million men re- ceived less than $75 each. Such a minimum depresses wages all along the line, Blacklist Working on the Lumberjacks Who Hit Seattle Skidroad SEATTLE—(FP)—The blacklist of the lumber companies of the Pacific northwest is in full operation. Men who have been working in the woods for years are denied a job because they have incurred the enmity of the employers’ association. After an applicant for work pays a dollar in one of the many Seattle em- ployment offices, an agent of the lum- ber combine looks him over. If the applicant’s answers are not in accord- ance with the servility demanded, the ment. it is creating. lation of 43,000,000. These include at present 2,100,000 war pensioners, 900,- 000 old age pensioners, 1,250,000 un- employed and 1,500,000 paupers. Philip Snowden, finance minister in the former MacDonald Labor govern- ment, says the budget, “shorn of the scheme of widows’ pensions, would really is—the worst rich man’s bud- get.” Sugarcoated by the pension pro- posals the government has handed about $165,000,000 of the $175,000,000 tax reduction to income and super- tax payers. The burdens of the work- ers will be increased. oe * The pension proposals are advanced as compulsory insurance covering practically the entire wage-earning population. A widow will receive $2.50 a week for life with an addition- al $1.25 for the youngest child and 75¢ for each additional child until the youngest child reaches 14% years. Old age pensions will begin at 65 and workers over 70 will receive pensions without question as to other means of support. Workers and employers are to contribute equally to support these pensions beginning at 8c. per man and 4c per woman per week and increasing at 10-year intervals to 14c. per man and 7c. per woman in 1956 when the scheme will be fully effect- ive. All persons whose incomes do not exceed roughly $25 a week must contribute. Ramsay MacDonald and Pethick Lawrence for Labor attack the con- tributory feature as a direct burden on industry which ought to be placed on wealth. They say it will mean an increased cost of production forcing either a decrease in wages or an in- crease in prices. Jack Jones, known for spicy interruptions when conserv- atives have the floor, wants to know why those who work must contribute to their pensions while generals, ad- mirals and all in-high authority get theirs ‘without paying. He says the scheme will double the weekly con- tribution the casual laborer must make out of his scant earnings, eae The budget will also increase the workers’ cost of living through the new protective duties theoretically imposed to protect struggling indus- tries. This pretense appears a joke when manufacturers of artificial silk are found among the protected. This is practically a monopoly in England. Courtauld is the biggest unit in the combine. This concern made $18,850,- 000 profit in 1924 on $58,200,000 cap- ital, or more than 32 per cent. But the capital has been increased from $12,150,000 to $58,200,000 by stock dividends so that the 1924 pro- fit means about 155 per cent on the original investment. In 1924 cash dividends were at the rate of 20 per cent (96 per cent on the real invest- ment), and in addition a 62% per cent dividend in 5 per cent preferred stock was distributed. American Buildings by Speculators Are Shoddily Constructed NEW YORK—(FP)—Shoddy build- ings are the rule in America, it was brought out at the sessions of the American Construction Council. Nine- fee is refunded and he cannot work despite the law making it illegal for employers to combine to prevent work- men from securing employment. The party grows large— All runs gaily, When subs are coming To “Our Daily.” ty per cent of the building in the United States if done by speculators and done badly, said Walter Stabler, controller Metropolitan Insurance Co. Houses are difficult to heat and have to be rebuilt in 10 or 12 years, he de- clared. GET A SUB AND GIV= ONE! SINGING JAIL + BIRDS By. UptoneSinol. Your local DAILY WORKER agent has these bs two books. A four act drama by a splendid writer and of the best of American propagandists, 15 CENTS. BARS AND SHADOWS By Rgiph Chaplin. one You can also get them by mail direct from Poems written in Leaven- worth penitentiary where the author was committed during the war as a mem- ber of the I. W. W, $1.00, 1113 W. Washington Bivd., CHICAGO, ILL. e have appeared to everybody what it | (sam oatanetsie st SRBC NaRR OME aE PNGB I SR NETO ENGLAND FORCES WORKERS TO PAY FOR PENSIONS FROM LOW WAGE; GENERALS GET IT FREE (By The Federated Press) LONDON, Eng., May 14.—The decay of capitalism in England is re- flected in the national budget submitted by the conservative Baldwin govern- Workers’ pensions are regarded no longer as socialistic but as neces- sary provision by state capitalism for the increasing number of dependents The widow’s pension proposal coupled with the extension of old age pen- sions will probably increase the number receiving money or maintenance | from the state to 6,500,000 in a popu- + crooner Mr ee THE DAILY WORKER PENNSYLVANIA LABOR | PARTY HAS HOT FIGHT | | OVER UNITED FRONT HARRISBURG, Pa., May 14.—The convention of the Pennsylvania la- bor party decided to organize thru- out the state, basing the organiza- tion on the trade unions, wome: organizations, and the working cla: political parties. Comrade Otis led the fight for the admission of all working class poll- tical parties. The Workers (Com- munist) Party was broadly dis- cussed at the convention, and its united front policy was taken up. There are ten. planks in the platform, The government owner- ship of the basic Industries, under democratic control was approved after strong opposition, A fight was made for the trade union control of the party. A state executive committee of eleven was elected, including Stoers, who was elected by three votes. LUMBER BARONS APPEAL $50,000 MURDER, JUDGM'NT Expect to Beat Widow in Higher Court By J. W. LEIGH NEW ORLEANS.—(FP)—A verdict | for $50,000 is being appealed by the | Great Southern Lumber Co, of Boga- lusa and five citizens of that town. It was returned in federal court in favor of Mrs, L, E. Williams, widow of Lem Williams, labor man killed at Boga- lusa in November 1919. Lem Williams operated a garage.and was president | of the trades coyncil which was sup- porting the mill workers in union-| izing, a policy opposed by the lumber company. When;white workers were displaced by Negroes there followed partial organization of the colored men. A party of men came to Wil- liams’ garage and Williams and two others were killed and two wounded. Williams’ widow charged her husband was murdered by agents of the Great Southern Lumber '€o. It was further enna eens ame cae amen Page Three BY NOVA SCOTIA (Special to The HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, May 14.— All industries that the minister of public utilities, are included in its scope dispute agree, Labor fakers attended the public ing, at its premature birth. Fakers Gather At The Feast William Best, a dominion lobbyist for the International railway run- ning trades, urged carefulness that | this bastard legislation be safely delivered. When asked by an astute | enemy politician, what else the gov- ernment could do when concilliation boards failed, he was stumped flat as all fakers are. J. R. Stewart afl insurance agent holding a card in a International run- ning trades organization in Nova Scotia stated, “It must be a good thing because both employer and em- ploye were against it.” Pat Healey, for the Halifax Trades and Labor Council pointed out that it charged that the Whistle on the com- pany’s plant was used to assemble the mob to kill her husband. Eighteen Japanese Drown. TOKIO, May 14— Eighteen were drowned and seven’ missing when the 200-ton fishing vessel Fudo Maru overturned in a ‘typhoon off Oshima Island, southwest ‘from the Bay of Tokio, according to reports here to- day. MUDDLED FARM BUREAU OFFICIALS STILL DREAM OF AID FROM CAL— PREACH PEACE, RELIEF FIGHT LAGS DES MOINES, Iowa, May 14.—An export corporation to handle surplus agricultural products, financed by the federal government, but controlled by | a united farm organization, was the feature of a “farm relief program” offered the midwestern agricultural conference in session here by a sub-committee of nine'today. Appointment of an agricultural com- mission composed of farmers to be selected by farm organizations was urged. The sub-committee program will be considered by the conference this afternoon. i “The committee purified itself of factionalism which in the past has been an obstacle to agricultural re- lief,” Chairman Hirtz said. The conference was attended by hundreds of delegates of farm bureaus, farmer unions, granges, and other agricultural organizations from Minnesota, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Colorado, Iiiinots, Indiana, Gkiahoma, Missouri and Iowa. Big Per Cent of All Workers Concentrated in Few Great Plants NEW YORK, May 14.—Thirty-two per cent of the workers are employed in 1 per cent of the country’s 196,267 industrial plants, the national indus- trial conference board, connected with the National Civic Federation, states. The 1 per cent represents the plants employing over 500 workers each. Only one-tenth of this 1 per cent em- ploy over 1,000 workers each, but this makes one-fifth of all workers em- ployed. Most industrial establish- ments are under corporate control and this tendency is increasing, the board states. The board’s studies do not show how many workers are employed un- der the same financial control as each plant having a separate manager was counted as a unit. Seek New Teapot Indictment. WASHINGTON, May 14.—B. C. Fin- ney, assistant secretary of interior, testified today before the grand jury investigating the naval oil reserve leases. Government oil counsel, Atiee Pom- erene and Owen J. Roberts, are cover- ing practically the identical grounds they followed when conspiracy and bribery indictments were obtained against ex-Secretary of Interior Al- bert B. Fall, Harry F. Sinclair, Ed- ward L, Doheney, and Edward L. Doheny, Jr. The first indictments were dismissed on technical grounds. Witnesses summoned for tomorrow include: Amas L. Leaty, New York, president of the Texas Oil Co.; John Cc. Shaffer, Evanston, Ill, newspaper publisher; Samuel Brown, New York, assistant secretary of the Central Trust Co.; H. G, Henderson, New York branch of the Dominion Bank of Canada, and James McGrath, New York banker. j New Jersey Labor Fakers Go Strong for Collaboration NEWARK, May 14.—(FP)— ‘The Labor Co-operative National Bank of Newark is to open itg doors for business as a national bank on June 27, 1925. At the New Jersey Federa- tion of Labor office it is announced that the Burnhardt Bldg. has been purchased for the bank, President Arthur A, Quinn, New Jersey Federation of Labor, is presi- dent of the bank and other trade union officials are officers of the new Remember: All These Political Prisoners in the Month of June Birthdays in June of political pris- oners confined in* American prisons are announced by¥'the Workers Nation- al Prison Comfort’ Club, 2923 Chest- nut St., Milwaukée, as follows: AT SAN QUENTIN PRISON, Cal.: June 3, Bo J n, No, 38364; June 16, John Burns, 4 54; June 25, Geo. Ryan, 355567. AT REPRESA, Cal., Folsom Prison: June 16, Heyman O. Suhr, 9266; June 22, Louis Allen, 12026. AT BOX A, Thomaston Me: 17, Tom Harty. AT BLUE RIDGE STATE FARM, Hobby, Tex.: June 19, Pedro Paroles. AT SENIOR FARM, Dewalt, Bra- zoria, Co., Tex.: June 30, Jesus Gon- zales, 36458; June 30, Leonardo Vas- quez. 7 Cora Meyer, iBecretary, invites friends and sympathizers to send birthday cards .to these victims. Books and publications must be sent direct from the publishers. June Capitalist Press in War Over Sensation Hunting; Trib Wins Responding to the plaints of the Chicago Tribune, the circuit, criminal and superior courts in Chicago are banning the taking. of photographs in courtrooms. They are also forbiding the use of typewriters and radio and telephone instruments. The keen competition between the Trib and the Hearst papers for the best pictures and the quickest service has so far left the Trib a step or two in the rear. So it,roared editorially for the suppression, of a news field in which it was not holding its own. Andrew R. Sherjff, chairman Chi- cago Bar Assn. committee on rela- tions of the press to judicial proceed- ings, admits that the Tribune is re- sponsible for the .new prohibition. “That editorial wag the backbone of the whole movement,” Sheriff says of the Trib complaint, No Interference Yet. WASHINGTON, -May 13.—(FP).— Thus far, the state department has not seen fit to interfere with the re- lations between Mexico and Japan as set down in the treaty of amnesty and commercial relations recently signed and ratified,,,Under the terms of this treaty Mexico raises no bar- rier to the coming of Japanese citi- zens to Mexico as laborers and set- tlers on the land. It is pointed out by Latin-Amert- cans, however, that the reason why Mexico has made such a treaty, on terms of non-discrimination, is that neer work as must be done in Mexico, and hence no large number of immi- grants is likely. fornia, and her are not swayed by antiJapanese agitation. —_—_—_—_——. Give ite this ot heaiatiy worth be sure to wee him the next day to his subscription, — AT M SETTS STATE PRISON, itctehi, Mass. (Bridge- water Asylum; meo Vanzetti. Japanese do not like to do such plo- is not Oall-| properly cared for, the West Frank- would put workers in jail but be un- constitutional when it was invoked against the employers. Joe Wallace for the Communist Party showed that the act wasn’t to stop strikes but to hamstring the strikers by jailing the leaders. And that the act made the supreme court where British Empire Steel repres- entatives hold the majority dic- tator of wages and working condi- tions, as well as of the fate of those who opposed it. | He showed that there was nothing | to prevent the employer concerned being put on the arbitration commis- | sion; that there was no provision, against them accepting gifts or sub- sequent graft from the owning class, | jand nothing to prevent any paper or | person urging the employers not to} accept an award, while a worker | would be jailed for so doing. He also made it clear that any or-| ganizer who urged better conditions for the workers would be liable to im- prisonment. So that while Jack Mac- Donald and Malcolm Bruce of the} Communist Party took the.jury route to freedom the last time they were | arrested, next time wouldn't have a| chance. In addition to fighting the measure before the legislature, and putting iron into the opposition of the Trades and Labor Council, the Communist | Party has been instrumental in sum- | moning delegates of all trades unions to deal with this and related matters. Expose Parliament From Within The benefit of having «class con- scious working class, even in the bosses’ parliament was demonstrated | | when the three men elected by the | | workers of Cape Breton county, fought jits many clauses, pointing out the | | clauses intended to be used to skim | the cream of the labor movement and | place the leading spirits in the ranks of labor behind prison bars. | Nova Scotia now has the distinction | of having the most vicious Jaw in its |statutes of any English speaking | country, and at the same time not one labor law that can be said to have) | been enacted in the interest of the | workers, such as 8-hour day, minimum wage for women etc, The following observations of a capitalist paper after its enactment | serves to show the work it is in- tended to do: A Capitalist View “When this tribunal shall have de- cided a wage dispute, it will be illegal for the McLachlans and the rest of that class to incite the workmen to go on strike, on the other hand the employers will have to obey also. “What did the labor party do to help him, (Armstrong) what did they do towards peace and good understand- ing? They hounded and badgered him. ‘They sent him long abusive telegrams marked ‘collect’, Yet the internation- al leaders of their union said in a I speech in this city that Mr, Arm- strong had acted like a statesman.”— Halifax Mornin@ Chronicle May 9. When John L. Lewis, while in Nova Scotia in connection with the pres- ent lockout of the miners of District 26 United Mine Workers of America, stated that “Armstrong, premier of the province, had done all possible to bring about an amicable settlement” he stated what every class conscious workers in the district know to be a lie. Mill Operation at Fall River, Mass., Falls Off Again FALL RIVER, Mass.—(FP)—An- other curtailment of mill operations in Fall River puts cotton workers back where they were before the recent temporary revival, Unemployment is handicapping the organization cam- paign of the United Textile Workers Union. Mills are cutting production, Would Transform Tornado Relief. WEST FRANKFORT, Ill.—Tornado victims in southern Illinois are being fort relief committee of the Interna- fought for positions at its first wash-+ “INDUSTRIAL COURT” LAW PASSED GOVERNMENT TO KILL FIGTING MINERS’ UNION Daily Worker) -The provincial government of Nova Scotia in their corporation house of assembly at Halifax put one of the | second-hand laws of the state of Kansas on the statute of the province May 6, “the Kansas industrial court act of compulsory arbitration.” public works and mines decrees are e and such others as both parties to a hearings of the act in swarms and TALK STARTLES A. F. OF L. FAKERS British Union Leader Wants “Emancipation” WASHINGTON, May 14.—(FP)—~ Copies of the labor day (May Day) message of A. B. Swales, chairman of the British Trade Union Congress, who was a fraternal delegate at the El Paso convention last November, have reached A. F. of L. headquar- ters. They show that Swales’ first summons is for all workers to “re- affirm their determination to use every means within their power to es- tablish the most complete working class unity.” He declares that all signs point to- ward new wars, more ghastly than the last. Hours of labor are being length- |ened by the masters of European in- dustry in defiance of the Washington (eight-hours) convention. “We have passed from savagedom to serfdom, from serfdom to wage- dom,” he says, “and we must be de- termined to go forward and not flinch and industrial emancipation. Long live the international working class movement!” Conductors Crawfish from LaFollette at Minneapolis Meeting MINNEAPOLIS,—(FP)— The 700 delegates to the 38th convention of the Order of Railroad Conductors, in session at Minneapolis, represents 59,011 members in good standing and assets of over $5,000,000, according to General Secretary E. P. Curtis’ re- port. This compares with 58,570 members at the 1922 Cleveland convention. The number of locals, or divisions, in- creased from 576 to 583. The order traces its beginning to a union of Illinois Central conductors formed in 1868. President L. E. Sheppard has held office since the 1919 convention at St. Louis. Though very active in the La- Follette presidential campaign of 1924 Sheppard agrees with the legislative committee of the order in its recom- form a national labor party be aban- doned as “impracticable so far as its effectiveness in the cause of labor is concerned.” Why Not Notch Their Ears or Brand Them? THREE RIVERS, Que.—All the workingmen of Three Rivers and Cap de la Madeleine will have to wear a badge to show they paid their license fee to the city. The order is directed | against workers from other cities em- | ployed here. Ship Disaster Averted. MONTREAL, May 14—By careful and skilful navigation a possible repe- tition of the steamship Titanic disas- ter was averted by Captain Peel of the jliner Aurania, when an iceberg loom- ed up thru the fog. Captain Peel ordered reverse on the engines and avoided a collision with the big iceberg. Get A Sub And Give One! containing stories from our League of Russia, by John Executive Committee of the tional. the vores the workin; aper is more an improved international news service and interesting ar- ticles world. RA ttonal Workers’ Aid reports. It urges that food be shipped to the unem- ployed starving miners in the district who did not have the good fortune to be storm victims and so are unable to get food or supplies | $1.50 A Year THE YOUNG WORKER 1113 W. Washington Blvd. SWALES’ MAY DAY in the struggle to secure full economic | mendation that the commitment to} EVERY WEEK Worker contains all the news of most interest to g class youth, and since it has become a weekly interesting than ever before, with more news, KLUXER MOVED TO SAVE WEALTH AFTER ARREST Charged with Rape and Murder, Transfers Home INDIANAPOLIS, May 14-—A deed transferring the spacious home of D. C. Stephenson, former K, K. K. lead- and employer, under indictment |for murder in connection with the death of Miss Madge Oberholtzer, to Ira M. Holmes, attorney recently re- |tained by Stephenson to defend him, | Was on file in the county clerk’s office |here today. lee Although the transfer of the pro- perty has just become publicly known, the deal was consummated April 7 last, according to the deed. The con- ideration, Holmes said was $20,000 |of which $15,000 is represented by @ | mortgage held by the Marion County State Bank and due on September 7, 1929, The property transfer was made four days after Stephenson together with Earl Klinck and Harl Gentry was arrested on grand jury indict- memts charging assault and battery with intent to kill and came before Miss Oberholtzer died on April 14. Galligan’s Return to Anti-Klan Herrm Displeases Small SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 14—@herift |George Galligan’s self-directed return to power in Williamson county did not cause a ripple today in the aswal Placidity of the state capital. At least, there were no surface in- dications that the “exiled” officer had invoked the wrath of the state admin- listration by “violating his agreement |to stay away from Williamson” until his return was approved by Governor Small. Attorney General Oscar Caristrom, however, let it become known shortly after Galligan’s recent conference with Governor Small, that he would oppose Galligan’s return and that the |governor had not granted him leave to go back. Galligan, central figure in Wilitam- son county’s “klan wars” which were climaxed when S. Glenn Young, klan \raider, and Ora Thomas, deputy sher- |iff shot each other to death, agreed with the klan controlled board of county supervisors to “vacate” his office and stay out of the county. The recent anti-kKlan victory at the polls, giving Williamson a new board of supervisors and an anti-klan mayor and chief of police in Herrin, seat of factional striffe, was believed to have influenced Galligan’s return. Grain Gamblers Who Boosted Wheat Price Whitewashed by Cal WASHINGTON, D. O., May 14—The |department of agriculture’s investiga- tion into the alleged manipulation of {the Chicago wheat market by a group of millionaire operators has not thus tar shown sufficient evidence to war- rant seeking of criminal indictments, it was claimed today by the govern- ment. The inquiry has been under way-for nearly a week. It was called “to de- ‘termine whether there was wrong do- ling thru violation of the grain futures act of 1922.” 1 % es] Reporter Finds Out About “Dem: in West Vi CLEVELAND. — Welcomed Fairmont, W. Va., by a huge searchlight played on his auto from neighboring hill and by @ curt query from the chief of police, jou from and what you the correspondent of a Cleveland paper thanked his stars that he not a union organizer, and then pro» ceeded to investigate the coal strike, A Special Issue of the Young Worker delegates just returned from Moscow and a feature article on the Young Communist Williamson, member of the Young Communist Interna- + cae Bab ti 4) 4 hl y leaders in the Communist movement thruout the TES 85c. Six Months Chicago, Ill, ] i |