The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 29, 1925, Page 2

Page Two SOVIET REDUCE PEASANT TAX 20 MILLION RUBLES Now One Fourth of Pre-War Assessment MOSCOW. May 27.—The central exe- cutive committee of the Council of Peo- ple’s Commissariat of the Soviet Unions has just passed a bill on agri- cultural taxes for 1925-26. In com- parison with 470 million rubles of tax- es of last year, and Instead of 800 mil- lion rubles of taxes projected for this year, the taxes of this year were cut down to 280 million rubles only. Out of this amount 100 million rubles will be devoted to village administration and other needs in villages. An interesting comparison can be made of the taxes of pre-war times with taxes of recent years. In pre- war times all direct and indirect taxes amounted to 10 rubles 87 kopecks per capita. After the revolution, the peas- ants’ taxes per capita have been as follows: 1920-21 10 rubles 30 kopecks 1921-22 ee Sao 1928-24 7 Bin * 1924-25 eS $6:% Tm accordance with the aoove Dill, in 1925-26 the Russian peasant will pay only 2 rubles 77 kopecks, which eq .als % of pre-war taxes. It is even less than %, taking in consideration thet the value of Soviet rible is lower than that of pre-war times. Two Million Dessiatins Seeded in Corn The Council of People’s Commis- sariat of U. S. S. R. has accepted a plan for the increase of the area to be seeded with corn. According to this plan, during the next 3 years the area will be increased to 3% million dessiatins. During 1925-26 the area seeded with corn will amount to 1,- 900,000 dessiatins. In comparison with the last year’s area there will be an increase of 450,000 dessiatins. The Council of People’s Commissariat ‘has also pointed out the necessity of tak- ing steps toward the manufacture of corn food products and by-products. Condition of the Crops. According to the latest bulletins of the department of agriculture, the crops in the central provinces have been greatly benefited by the rain- falls of the last days and there is a noticeable improvement in the win- ter crops. The winter crops in Ukrainia show a considerable im- provement especially in these regions, where the condition of the winter erops are quite satisfactory. Winter and spring crops in north Caucasus are in a very good condition. Reduce Price of Machinery. In connection with the increased production of agricultural machinery and implements by the Soviet fac- tories, beginning May 1, prices on all agricultural machinery and imple- ments will be reduced to pre-war standards. A considerable reduction will also be made in fuel and lubricating oils. Refrigerators for Butter. The work has been started on build. ing refrigerators for butter in differ- ent parts of Siberia. The butter col- lected at these various points will be shipped to a huge main refrigerator to be built in Omsk, where the sup- Plies of butter and other dairy prod- ucts will be stored for export and ‘domestic market. Mine Workers of America, capitalism as exemplified in Dawes plan which has reduced the miners of Germany, Italy, Belgium, Britain and also in America to the verge of slavery. Internatlonal Open Shop Drive. An open shop drive is taking place in all countries to crush the only eco- nomic weapon of the workers—their trade unions—and leave them defense- less and at the mercy of the monopol- istic exploiters. The miners’ wages are being cut, their hours of labor are being length- ened, their working conditions are be- ing destroyed, conditions which have been won after many bloody struggles on the industrial battlefield, to satisfy, the insatiable lust of moneyed para- sites. For World Unity of Labor. Brother miners of the world! In this hour of bitter struggle we greet you! In the name of international trade union unity we call upon you to join in an industrial struggle for sol- idarity and we pledge ourselves to fight on this side of the pond for the realization of One International Union composed of the trade unions of the world for the overthrow of capitalism and the erection of a government by AS WE SEE IT (Continued from last issue.) is bad for him. Only those who are saddled with a slave mind would fol- low their afivice. But when John D. and J. P. are able to get Peter Brady, William Green and others of that ilk to speak for them there is no doubt but the workers are taking their in- structions from their class enemies. When the bosses get scared over the visits of such comparatively mild peo- ple as Purcell and John Weatley, what would happen if Zinoviev or Trotsky had purchased tickets for New York? oes H United States department of agriculture has hit upon the right idea to solve the farmers’ problems if we are to believe a press notice sent out by that department. Let the farmers laugh off their heads! This, is the solution. In reply to a question- naire the farmers almost unanimously asked for a laugh. Low rail rates or better prices for their product did not seem to worry them. What they were after was the loud haw, haw. They are getting it. ese 8 NE picture sent out by the depart- ment that made quite a hit was entitled, “A Tale of Two Bulls.” This is a good idea for mortgage bankers when they come to pack the poor farmer out of his home. An irate farmer is not. pleasant to look at, but a picture of a horny son of toil, turn; ing over his patrimony to the banker accompanied by considerable wiggling of the inevitable chin spinach and a little of Charlie Chaplin’s foot shuf- fling, might get the banker over the unpleasantness and put the farmer in the right mood to face the high road with his pack on his back and his family for a body guard. “Of Practical Political Importance” SAYS V. I. Ulianov (Lenin) the great Communist teacher and leader, on this question PROGRESSIVE MINERS OF U. S. | CALL FOR WORLD UNION UNITY IN MESSAGE TO COAL MINERS A call to hte miners of the world for international trade union unity is being sent out today by the progressive miners committee of the United The call says: Never before in the history of mining has international unity been more desireous or necessary than at present. The coal miners of the world, except Soviet Russia are being ground down under the despotic heel of international the ¢———_-_- and for the workers and peasants, Comrades miners and workers of Russia! Your sacrifices have won you the reward you so richly deserve. The example you have set to the workers of the world is bearing fruit, and in the desperate onslaught against the toilers of the globe is found ample proof that your sacrifies have awak- ened the world proletariat, and the drive for world solidarity is but one of many expression of its awakened conscience. To the British trade union delega- tion to Russia! We salute you. Your fearless, honest, unprejudiced state- ment on your investigations, and your drive for unconditional admission of the Russian trade unions to Amster- dam, in spite of all the brazen lying of the kept press and government agencies, deserve the admiration of the workers of the world. Hands around the world! The day of emancipation ig drawing near. Com. rades, stand ready to march onward in ofe united international, Progressive Miners’ Committee, Alex Reid, National Secretary, 7020 S. Chicago Ave., Chicago, Ii. Coast Jobs Get Scarcer, Timber Mills Shut Down PORTLAND, Ore., May 27.—Along with the usual agricultural layoff after spring planting, comes a further re- duction in timber operations. Cutting Whas been greatly reduced, more mills and camps closed and many night shifts abolished. Operators claim 50 to 76 per cent normal conditions and the 4 to 5-day week prevails, with more lowering of wages and a rumor of entire cessation in the lumber in- dustry. At least the capitalist press here notes a “marked decline” in em- ployment. The serious unemployment in Ore- gon prompts the farmers to offer as low as $25 a month for general work. Spring wages had been $40 to $50 a month, British, French Rift Seen in Differences Over German Note LONDON, May 27—The reply of Aristide Briand, French foreign min- ister, to the note of Austen Chamber- lain, on the German security pact shows that France is anxious to block Germany's participation in the league of nations. France also is reluctant to evacu- ate Cologne, and is opposed to extend- ing Germany’s eastern frontiers. Eng- land takes a different attitude on all these points. Slight Change in Grain Crop, WASHINGTON, D. C., May 27.—A slight decrease in wheat acreage is reported for 21 countries, according to the new estimate received by the United States department of agricul- ture from the international institute of agriculture at Rome. This including the new French esti- mate brings the total of 21 countries reported to date to 127,046,000 acres compared with 129,075,000 acres for the same countries last year, a de- crease of 2,029,000 acres or 1.6 per cent. This represents about two- thirds of the Northern Hemisphere wheat area outside of the Soviet THE DAILY WORKER Union and China, Qil Trust Lawyer Gets Job, in his introduction to THE STATE AND REVOLUTION written in August, 1917. Concluding he states: The question of the relation of a proletarian socialist revolution to the state is therefore not only of practical political importance, but is an urgent need of the day, being concerned with the elucidation for the masses of what they will have to do for their liberation from the yoke of capitalism in the very near future. Further light on how and when this book was written, he gra ives in this well known in December, 1917: afterword, written in Petro+ This ttle book was written in August and September, 1917. I had already drawn up the plan for the next, the seventh chapter, on the experiences of the Russian Rev- olution of 1905 and 1917. But, apart from the title, I had not succeeded in writing a single line of the chapter, being prevented therefrom by a political crisis—the eve of the November Revolution of 1917. Such a hindrance can only be welcomed. However, this final part of the book devoted to the lessons of the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917, will probably have to be put off for a long time. It 1s more pleasant and more useful to live thru the experience of a revolution than to write about it, A new edition of this great book can now be had bound in an attractive, duroflex drawing of the author. cover—with a sympathetic PRICE 25 CENTS. The Daily Worker Publishing Co. 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill. WASHINGTON, D. C., May 27.—Si- las Strawn, whose name as lawyer to prosecute the Teapot Dome conspira- tors was v#thdrawn when his conne tion with the oil trust was revealed, has beery chosen to represent the United States at the conference on Chinese customs. The conference is part of the nine- power treaty for the division of China by the world powers, which must be ratified by France to make it effec- tive, Hoover Boosts Brazilian Trade, WASHINGTON, D, C., May 27.—The United States, again the chief sup- plier of Brazil, exported merchandise to that country in 1924 amounting to approximately $66,000,000, according to a’pamphlet on the economic situa- tion of Brazil just issued by the de- partment of commerce, This export trade shows a growth of $20,000,000 over the figures of 1928. Get a sub for the DAILY WORKER from your shopmate and you will make another mem- ber for your branch, RUSSIAN BUDGET NOW DEFINITE FIGHT DEMANDED BY PROGRESSIVE COAL DIGGERS Urge Attack'on the West ° ee : 2 Virginia Injunction (Continued from page 1) West Virginia would certainly bring every miner of that state into the union in spite of all the injunctions of all the courts. The courts, state and federal, have issued injunctions against Lewis and the U. M. W. of A. to prevent “peace- ful picketing.” This has been done many times, previously, and with the same procedure. We have seen high- priced lawyers engaged to fight the injunction in courtrooms, one decision favoring the miners, then the disco- very of endless technicalities, another injunction, and so on and so on. The Method of Failure. Meanwhile this is going on, the abandonment of “peaceful picketing,” the working of scabs, the renewed pro- duction of coal, the creeping» danger of company unions chartered by the state, the weakening of the fighting spirit of the miners by the long seige of hunger, the long drawn out and sickly policy of the officials and—final- ly, the collapae of the movement. Mass violation of injunctions, led by Lewis—whose duty it is as head of the union to lead or get out—would once and for all end the injunctions in West Virginia. Mass meetings in each locality with progressive miner speakers to solidify the fighting spir- it and lead a militant picketing cam- paign would clinch the victory. From Courts to Picket Line. Tens of thousands of dollars have been wasted in the courts fighting the injunctions, together with wasted, time of the officials. This has crip- pled the campaign—but above all, it has sidetracked the struggle from a place where the miners can win—the picket line—to a place where they can never win—the capitalist courts. This money would much better be used to feed and shelter the destitute women and children of the miners who are being evicted from the homes and who have had all grocery stores closed against them and who suffer danger of slow starvation and actual death. Is It a Plot Against Union? The meek and apologetic policy of the leaders, their hypocritical prayer meetings, their class collaboration with sheriffs and state police, have disgusted the miners, who now ask, “Is this campaign part of an ar- rangement with the coal operators to fool the workers into defeat, to keep the officials in office and to give them an excuse for the tragic lack of or- ganization?” The progressive miners also demand an immediate working alliance with the railroad unions, to aid them in their organization campaign. Not an agreement to pass resolutions of sym- pathy for each other, but a pledge of co-operation where during strikes the railroaders would refuse to haul scab coal and in return would receive simi- lar support when the.railway men are on strike. Pacifism Leads to Defeat. Every miner, even every intelligent worker, knows that West Virginia is under the brutal terror of company gunmen, cossacks, and innumerable spies, that union men who venture alone and unprotected by a miners’ army into the unorganized fields are beaten up and jailed, deported or shot down in cold blood. Under such conditions the miners are actual slaves, and any officials who pretend to organize by prayer meetings and peaceful picketing are either totally ignorant or traitors to the union. Make Labor Leaders Lead No one can doubt the earnest de- sire of the West Virginia miners to organize. But the U. M. W. of A. must give them the chance. It must lead a real militant campaign—call out the miners of the whole country on strike, organize a march into West Virginia under the banner of the union, compel Lewis, Green, Murray, and the tribe of cowards and weak sisters drawing fat salaries to walk at the head of the march as is their duty as labor leaders occupying office, Let this be done and thousands of men would respond to the call for a war on the open shop that would shake the rule of scabdom in West Virginia and thruout the country into ruins, Let this be done and the U. M. W. of A. would regain its power and the miners their wages and jobs. THE PROGRESSIVE MINERS COMMITTEE, f Alex Reid, National Secretary, 7020 8. Chieago Ave. Chicago, Ili Getting a DAILY WORKER sub or two, will make a better Communist of you. WASHINGTON, May 27.—Reports from the Soviet Union commissariat of finance to the Russian Information bureau in Washington show that the stabilization of Soviet currency has permitted the Union of Republics to establish a fixed bu t for the current half year, and to calculate a fixed budget for the year beginning next October. Government revenues for the /past six months were $58,000,000 more than anticipated, and left a ourplus. This surplus ia now being applied to development of industry and agriculture, and to electrification, we ta TRE «tS Acad Stet a EA AEDT, 25 0A EOE TST hc Te DIA RR 08 Ser CE I tI EI OE RR _ SS SS American Labor Must Defeat U.S. Aid to New FARMERS’ CROP || LOSSES REACH MANY MILLIONS Attack on Soviet Rule Cold Wave Took Toll of By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. LOAN: the press of the international bank repeats, what the DAILY WORKER published in detail last week, that the Baltic and Balkan capitalist states are frantically clutching at one another in an effort to develop some sort of compact against their common dread—the Union of Soviet Republics. In its issue of Thursday, May 21st, the DAILY WORKER carried an exposure of this new move of the offspring of the Versailles peace under the heading of: “Militar: Staffs of Border States Meet to Prepare New War Against Soviet Rule.” : It was not until its issue of May 25th, that the Chicago: Daily News, for instance, publishe: a cable from its chief anti-Soviet lie fabricator, F. A. MacKenzie, at Reval, Estho- nia, under the title, “New Move in Baltic Union Against Russia; President Visits Reval and Sees Esthonian Army Parade.” + * This should be enough to stir the workers everywhere to be on their guard against “the new war.” Morgan has just floated a $10,000,00 loan to bulwark terror rule in Fin- land. No wonder the Esthonian white guard government declares a two-day holiday when the Finnish president comes to Reval. The white guards, ages from 16 to 60, drilled to make war on Esthonia's militant workers, are paraded for the approval of Finland’s fascist chief. .But Esthonia, like Latvia, cannot live cut off from the economic life of the Union of Soviet Republi Even the anti-Bolshevik propagandist, MacKenzie, is forced to report that: “Esthonia’s metal trade, once prosperous, has now largely dis- yappeared. Narva’s running only In part. textile mills, capable of employing 15,000 people, The Russians recently offered to buy them. tary parades upon Petersplatz and even the formation of white guards are powerless to fight this economic menace.” % These little buffer states, organized and supported to feed bullets and not bread to the workers, cannot long en- dure unless outside aid is continually ranted them. One of the main sponsors for the anti-Soviet “little entente” is Foreign Minister Benes of Czecho-Slovakia, who acted recently as chairman of the “socialist” sponsored inter- national labor bureau of the League of Nations. The Czechs did their best in the war on Soviet Rule. against the Hungarian Soviet Republic. They marched Now the Czechish foreign minister promises to win the support of the League of Nations, at its fall assembly, for the “little entente,” vassal of French imperialism, for the new war against the Workers’ Republics. This new drive is being ts pep ge launched under a huge smokescreen of propaganda to t ie effect that the Soviet Union is planning to increase its Red Army to several millions for an open attack on its western neighbors. The DAILY WORKER has already exposed this propaganda that calls for a saviour against the “imperialism of Moscow.” In our May 21st issue it was shown: “As for the ‘imperialism of Moscow,’ this is a demagogiec lie which is completely played out. mea This is nothing but a cheap excuse, intended to justify the war plans which are now being openly admitted. res of defense are obviously warlike measures. The As concerns the word ‘defense,’ history has shown that up to now every predatory war has been carried on under the flag of self-defense.” American workers must be aroused to the danger of this new war,—the war against Soviet Rule. It will be the wealth stolen from American workers, in the form of profits, that will be used to finance this war, since capitalist urope is bankrupt. Wage cuts and the 0 rd bynes 3 in the e United States mean more gold to fee: Workers of America must fight this scheme of the international bankers. They must de’ Europe. the war beast in at it. GUDOK, NEWPAPER OF SOVIET R. R. WORKERS, OBSERVES 5th BIRTHDAY By M. A. SKROMNY On May 11, Gudok, the official organ of the Soviet Railwaymen’s Union, celebrated the fifth anniversary of its existence. The issue of May 11, 1925, is full of greetings from all parts of the world, including the United States, The growth of circulation and influence of this paper is remarkable. ee Sey Gudok Born in Battle. The first issue of Gudok as a daily newspaper appeared on May 11, 1920, during the fierce battles of the Russ- ian workers and peasants against the world’s bourgeoisie. It was during the blockade and invasions, at the time of the almost total destruction of the economic life of the country when Gudok was born. The transport of Russia was in a terrible condition. The Soviet govern- ment had no time to reorganize it, everything in the country was being ased for the defense of the revolution. Some of the old officials of the rail- ways made use of this situation and attempted still further to obstruct transportation. They were sabotaging, stealing, destroying. Gudok began an offensive against them. It began to expose them and called upon the workers to do their bit in exposing tae enemies of the revolution, The workers responded. They began to write to Gudok. At first they were hesitating, expecting the editors to be “highbrows,” and not to pay much attention to letters writ- ten by half-illiterate wo . But soon they found out that this was not the case. The utmost attention was paid to these letters. Tho workers began to send in more letters, and the circulation and influence of the raper began to grow. Bill Dunne a‘Correspondent, The circulation of the paper in Oc- tober, 1923, was 95,000 daily, At that time the paper used to receive about 4,000 letters a month. The paper had 825 regular worker-correspondents. In May, 1924, this sroupot correspond- ents has grown to 1,115 and the cir- culation went up to 232,500. At the present time (May, 1925) the paper has 10,000 worker-corre- spondents and the circulation has grown to 260,000. Besides these corre- spondents it has correspondents in all countries including the United States. One of their U. 8, correspondents is Bill Dunne, editor of the DAILY WORKER. In the is: of May 11, 1925, there are greetings from groups of workers’ correspondents from other Russian newspapers as well as from the work- er-correspondents of the Rote Fahnc of Germany, the workor-correspond- ents of France and others, The movement of worker-corre- spondents which started in Russia is spreading rapidly all over the world and has reached by this time also the United States, But so tar Gudok is far ahead of all other newspapers in the world in the space devoted to its worker-cor- respondents, and that is the reason why the workers of Ruksia love it so much, U. 8. To Ford Ships WASHINGTON, D, C., May 27.—T, V. O'Connor, chairman of the shipping board this afternoon left Washington for Detroit to resume negotiations for the purchase by Henry Ford of be- tween 200 and 400 government vessels, The ships are those designated by the board to be scrapped, Before leav- ing, O'Connor announced he would ask ford to convert the vessels into Diesel burners, and put as many as possible into service, _ Much Produce ‘A toll of damaged crops which will Tun into millions was left in the wake of the week-end cold wave, according to statistics complied here today from reports of observers in Michi- gan, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Minne- sota, Iowa, Wisconsin and North Da- kota. The survey is the first comprehens» ive report available since thermome- ters dropped from the nineties tothe freezing point and below, in the face of Arctic blasts from the northwest last Saturday and Sunday. Damages Reported. Van Buren county, Michigan: Frost has wiped out entire fruit crop. Most complete disaster to fruit growers in 15 years. Clinton county, Mich.: Plums total loss. Cherry yield reduced 50 to 90 per cent. Late cherry yield reduced 50 to 75 per cent. Eaton county, Mich.:* Strawberry crop reduced 50 per cent thruout Michigan. Light damage to early garden produce. Whiteside county, Ill: Total loss of allgberry and fruit crops. Twenty- five per cent apples loss. Lowlands oats and barley cut to 50 per cent yield. Harly planted corn cut 50 per cent. Wells county, Ind.: Heavy corn and Sugar beet losses. Total losses in truck garden crops. Greatest Loss in 12 Years, “It is impossible to estimate the loss accurately in dollars,” a state: ment from the foundation issued with the survey reads, “but it can be said conservatively to be the greatest in 12 years. “Prices in such commodities as can- not be replanted in time for seasonal maturity, will be extremely high.” France and Spain : Are Seeking Truce * . in North Africa (Continued from page 1) ference of world powers. At'such a conference Taufflieb pointed out, “Problems cannot be taken up with the United States under conditions favorable to France unless the debt question is first disposed of.” Taut- fleb said France should carry on more active propaganda in America, U. S. Business Got Loans, Former minister of finance Klotz, who served during the close of ghe war, declared that the money borrow- ed by France has been spent in e- rica. “Thru war taxes the Amerf{an treasury has recovered 80 per cent of it,” Klotz said, in a speech here. France and Spain are reported to be offering Krim the right into trade without hinderance by the customs of the territory, now held by both. Krim has so far refused to negotiate unless he is conceded Tetuan. The Rifflans, meanwhile, have at- tacked the French Moroccan front at three vital points, and inflicted severe losses on the French . Severino Case is Postponed to Fall by the Government (Continued from page 1.) fore had not suffered a loss of citizen- ship, the government went a step fur- ther and began the proceedings to cancel his naturalization papers, evi- dently hoping to set a precedent for similar action against all naturalized citizens who become Communists. The case has been pending for some time and the government has sought to secure deposition in various places to aid it in proving Severino’s Commun- ist views. It seems not to have suc- ceeded in securing the testimony it relies upon to make its case. Light is thrown on the proceedings by the fact that Severino was natur- alized in 1915, ten years ago, which was before the Communist Party and the Communist International exist and yet the contention of the gov ment is that he secured his nati tion papers thru fraud becat he since has become a Communist and an active worker in the Workers (Com- ‘miintst) Party, Bill Asks New State SPRINGFIELD, Ill, May 27.—“A new state” in Illinois was requested in @ bill introduced in the senate mo morializing the United States com gress to “divide Illinois into two sep erate states to be known as north Illinois and south Illinois.” the bill was scheduled to go the executive committee. ‘ It was freely admitted the bill, was echoing the disappointment of Chi- cago politicians who, thus far, have failed in their effort at reapportion- ment o fthe state to give the metro- polis a decided increase in the num- ber of its senators and representatives at the expense of the “Downstate.” Fire Sweeps Toledo Building, TOLEDO, 0., May 27—Two persons weer injured and a loss mounting into the hundreds of thousands of dollars will result from a fire which is sweeping the terminal building here afternoon,