The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 9, 1925, Page 3

5 + a> » eut of one-half. 14 fi i SOUTHERN FRONT WEAKEST SECTOR OF U. S. WORKERS Labor Disorganized and Living Standard Low By LELAND OLDS (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) A vast population forced by caste to adjust Itself to an extremely low standard of living Is revealed by the United States bureau of agricultural economics In a report on the cost of living among colored farm families in the south. The report shows that when the cost of living of the average white farm family in the same regions was $1,437, colorecdfamilies were aver- aging only $612 a year. Here is maintained a reservoir of cheap labor that employers are in- creasingly drawing on to undermine white labor standards. Steel workers feel it whenever they attempt to or- ganize. Coal miners know it thru the competition of the unorganized south- ern mine fields. Northern textile work- ers are feeling it indirectly in their inability to maintain standards and compete with southern mills paying much lower wages. Study Covers Three States The study covers colored and white farm families in Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas during the year 1919. The families fell into 3 groups, owners, tenants and croppers. The last group are farmers that take a share of the crop in return for their work. The cost of living for colored fami- Mes owning their farms was found to average $682 for the year, contrasting with $1,635 for white families in the same class. For colored farm tenants the ,cost was $673 and fcr white ten~ ants $1,378. Croppers’ living costs averaged $536 for colored families and $947 for white. The bureau shows the average ex- penditures of colored and white fami- lies as follows: Average Family Colored White exp. for 1919 Farmers Farmers Food $327 $632 Clothing 107 255 Rent 41 140 Furnishings 5 29 Health 25 67 Advancement 28 84 Personal 9 17 Insurance 14 a7 ~ Miscellaneous 56 176 Total $612 $1,437 The national industrial conference board, an open shop employer organ- ization, determined the minimum cost of living for a textile worker's family at this time to be $1,386 and, on a slightly more liberal standard, $1,658. The food item alone in the minimum textile budget was $601. Expenditures for food by the south- ern farm families averaged as low as $284 for colored croppers compared with $500 for white croppers. As these expenditures include not only pur- chased food but the market value of all food produced on the farm for home consumption it is apparent that the colored families are dangerously restricted in the important item of diet. At that they were spending more than half their entire budget for food. The bureau's figures show the con- trast between the living standards of actual families. But they imply an issue which labor cannot dodge—the inevitable sapping of higher living standards of the worker by the lower. Pick Leahy as Wheeler Prosecutor. WASHINGTON, June 7.— W. EB. Leahy, who was special prosecutor in the Nicky Arnstein case, has been employed by Attorney Gen. Sargent to assist in the prosecution of Senator Wheeler in Washington. leven other lawyers have been trying to convict LaFollette’s recent running- mate. | NATIONAL DEMOCRAT “A MYSTERY” WASHINGTON, June 7.—Mystery deepens and thickens around the Na- tlonal Democrat, weekly organ of the Demooratlo national committee, pub- lished In Washington by a recent “lockout” for the ku klux klan, and edited by Oscar Underwood's late campalgn publicity man: . Oscar Is antl-ktan. Elrod, the newspaper man, sent here from Indiana when Stevenson was running the klan and the republican machine In that state two years ago, Is publishing the National Democrat. He says he has cut off his klan connec- tlon. Last summer he was klan scout at the republican and democratic national conventions. klanish weekly Is printed. The Democrat Is printed at the same shop where a Before Elrod took hold, Col. Winfleld Jones, a veteran republican publicity man and presse correspondent for G. O. P. papers, controlled the National Democrat for a time. ITALIAN BAKERS MAKE PROGRESS IN BROOKLYN, N.Y. Wages Are Determined by Volume of Work NEW YORK—(FP) — The Italian bakery workers of Brooklyn, Local 12, Amalgamated Food Workers’ Union, are following the successful example of their brothers in Newark and are gaining better conditions, including an average $5 weekly wage increase, Wages are now determined by the volume of work performed: first hand gets $37 and second hand $32 for a weekly production of 4,000 loaves fig- ured at 14 batches. If more batches are required for the same number of loaves $1 a batch extra must be paid, For 5,000 loaves in 19 batches, first baker gets $45 and second, $40. For 6,000 loaves from 19 batches first bak- er gets $50, second $45. Above 6,000 loaves first baker is paid 70 cents and second 60 cents per hundred loaves. For setting sponge 60 cents, if worker is called from home, or 25 cents if he is in the shop. Six days constitute the week’s work and work must be done without inter- ruption during the day. The closed shop is to be enforced and the union bread label used. A new employing bakers’ association has already agreed to the union demands. The fight of the Amalgamated Food Workers’ Bakery Local No, 3 against Bohack bakeries continues. The chain store concern failed to get an injunction restraining the union from its organization work. The New York Hotel and Restau- rant Workers’ branch of the Amal- gamated Food Workers is conducting a vigorous organization campaign. TO EXPLOIT THE SOVIET COPPER AND GOLD FIELD MOSCOW, —(By Mail)—An import- ant contract was concluded yesterday when Piatakoff, president of the Su- preme Concessions Committee, in be- half of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and Messrs. Brown and Gwinn, representatives of the Lena Gold Fields company, signed a pre- liminary agreement providing for the exploitation by the company of the Lena gold enterprises, the Altai red metal and the Uran copper and iron ores in the Syssersk and Rejinsk re- gions. The contract grants a three months’ term for the ratification of the preli- minary agreement by* the company, whereafter the Soviet government has another month for ratification. The terms are fifty year for the Ural and thirty for the Lena concession. Push Italian-Soviet Trade MOSCOW, —(By Mail)—Odessa re- ports that a representative of the union of Italian farmers’ co-operative societies, Mr. Trimarchi, has arrived there to negotiate the organization of a mixed company for trading withthe Union of Soviet Republics. SPRINGFIELD BOARD OF COMMERCE PAID EXPENSES CONVENTION, SPRINGFIELD, Ill, June 5.—The annual convention of the Disabled Vet- OF EX-SOLDIERS BUT NOT ENOUGH erand Association was wondering today how and why it had come to Spring- field. shehnielaincs Thomas L, Fekete, Jr., of East St, Louis, member of the Miinois legislature, charged on the floor of the house that Springfield “was not fulfilling her promises to the veterans after sending representatives —_—t of the chamber of commerce person- Strike Against Unit System. BRIDGEPORT, Conn., June 7.— Weavers of Salt's Textile Manufac- turing Co. are striking against the introduction of the unit system of productioon in the plant. The work- ers assert that their work has been irregular enough already and the new system has proven equal to a wage The company manu- factures velvets and plushes, employ- ing 700 workers, | Moses Defies Dawes’ Scheme, WASHINGTON-—(F'P)—Sen. Moses, president pro tem of the senate, again gave warning of o fight to a finish against Vice-President Dawes’ pro- posal of a gag rule for the senate, when Moses addressed a law school graduating class in the capital, . ally to invite various posts to the capital city.” He specifically cited a visit al-leged to have been made to the Peoria Post, in which “ a representative of the Springfield chamber of commerce Promised a great entertainment for the convention.” C. B, Jenks, manager of the local chamber, declared his organization knew nothing of the convention until Commander Trabank, of the Spring- fleld Post, came to him for financial assistance. Even Trabank, he said, did not know who invited the veter- ans. Jenks said he had advanced what pecuniary assistance the chamber of commerce could give and that he was “very glad” the veterans. had come it the entertainment munist! GERMANY HOUSING WORKERS IN THE WORST HOVELS Families in Rooms and Even Piano Boxes (By The Federated Press) BERLIN, June 56,—Finding living quarters for her people is one of the most serious questions confronting the German nation. Practically every large city tells the same story of thousands living in attics or cellars; often several families in one room. The same applies in the villages. Everywhere young couples who desire to marry cannot do so because there is no place for them to live. Some are fortunate enuogh to rent a garden plot from the city and erect a piano- box shack but these are few, compara- tively speaking. During the war years there was no building and since, with the treaty of Versailles and the inflation period, the little that has been done is a drop ina bucket. Private capital found riclier pickings in industrial enterprises and the funds of savings societies and co- operatives have been largely swept away. The government has been too busy looking out for the big employers and speculators to pay attention to the people. So they crowd in on each other, until the laws of health and de- cency have been thrown to the winds. , The housing department of Berlin reports that while 258,175 dwellings were required in 1924 only 25,769 were available. Plans call for the construc. tion'’in 1925 of 10,000 new dwellings, the-city aiding private and co-opera- tive capital and in most cases owing the!Jocation. To meet the demand thene! should be at least 250,000 new dwellings but this is out of the ques- tion. ,I saw one of these new apart- ment blocks of 300 dwellings. Each apartment contains two rooms and a kitchen with common bathroom for séveral apartments. The rent will be $15 per month with 20 per cent addi- tional for water, gas, light and taxes. Withthe average workers’ wage about $24 @ month only a small percentage can\take advantage of the new accom- modations. The high rental is ex- plained probably by the high cost of building material, since labor is cheap and ‘the site belongs to the city. In- terest rates for money run from 8 to 10 per cent. Tn all municipalities dwellings are rationed according to the list of appli- cants. People in better circumstances in apartments are limited in the num- ber of rooms they may use, but.this does not reach the owners of man- sions and the very wealthy. Rents are limited to a 76 per cent increase over pre-war. In Leipsic registrants will have to wait four and five years. In the meantime they are fortunate to get a furnished room from $10 to $12 a month, with linen, light, gas and heat extra. In Dresden only 300 apartments were found last year as against calls for 15,000. San Francisco Cooks and Waiters Stage a Neat Little Strike SAN FRANCISCO, June 7—The en- tire staff of waiters at the fashionable St. Francis hotel, 100 strong, walked out for 24 hours because their union agent was discharged. Guests had to line up at the kitchen and wait on themselves. The waiters - returned next day when the discharged man was reinstated. The Cooks’ Union has a new agree- ment with the St. Francis and the Palace, San Francisco's two most ex- clusive hotels. It provides for a min- imum wage of $80 instead of $25 for cook’s helpers, and $55 instead of $45 for cooks. The average wage increase is $4 a week, The agreement improves working conditions, runs for two years and provides for monthly conferences between the employers and the union. Coast Guards Quit Service. NEW YORK, June 7.—A number of coast guardsmen employed on Staton Island are planning to leave the ser- vice at the end of their enlistment, charging that they have not had enough shore leave during the drive against rum runners, After 21 days at sea, they claim, they had only 48 hours shore leave. They say that their lives are too much in danger from firing by machine guns on rum ships. Officials are whispering that the men have been won over to the bootleggers, where conditions may not be better but returns are greater. The men deny this, th, oben THE DAILY WORKER WORKERS PARTY AIDS GARPENTERS STRIKE IN OHIO Resolution Supports Liverpool Walkout (Special to The Dally Worker) EAST LIVERPPOOL, Ohio, June 7. —The Hast Liverpool branch of the Workers, (Communist) Party has sent the following resolution to the strik- ing carpenters’ local here, this week: WHERBAS, The employers of Am- erica, thru a legalized profit system; and also because of an absurd and chaotic method of production and dis- tribution, aré now depriving the work- ers of an average of five-sixths of the wealth which they produce, thus leay- ing them only one-sixth of the result of their labor, upon which to maintain themselves and their families, and Explolted and Robbed WHERBAS, The said profit system results in a waste of life on the part of the workers, who by its means are exploited and robbed, and WHEREAS, The said profit system is unjust. Even tho legalized, fost- ering misery, crime and war, and the said waste of life is deplorable, and Solidarity of Workers WHEREAS, Any attempt on the part of the »workers to better their condition, and to obtain for themsel- ves a larger part of the product of their labor should be upheld and en- couraged; and WHEREAS, Solidarity of feeling and action, and efforts on the part of all workers to present a united front to their employers, and exploit- ers is not only admirable, but a vital and pressing necessity, if the workers are to win their fight for economic freedom, therefore Indorse the Strike BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the English branch of East Liverpool, O., steel sub-district of District 6, Work- ers Party of America, fully approve of the course taken by the Carpenters’ Union of East Liverpool in their pres- ent strike, to obtain for themselves a living wage; and that we hereby pledge to them our comradely sup- port, influence, and allegiance as Communists, confidently expecting the day to come when all men shall be workers together for the common good living in peace and happiness, without prejudice, without fear, and without exploitation. (Signer) Mary Waters Sec’y, City Central Committee Fear Mexican Treaty Raises Bars Against Spokesmen of Labor WASHINGTON,—(FP)—Mystery in official quarters concerning the terms of the frontier-regulation treaty which was discussed in the joint meeting of Mexican and. American government officials at El Paso, May 15-25, has raised suspicions that a new scheme of secret espionage upon persons mov- ing to and from Mexico is involved in the plan proposed by the Washington spokesmen. The proposed treaty, which will not be made public until the senate foreign relations committee shall have looked it over in the event that the Mexican government accepts it, will cover immigration, smuggling of narcotics, liquor, merchandize and aliens, and disputes concerning fish- eries and diplomatic procedure. In the American delegation were L. C. Andrews, assistant secretary of the treasury; H. S. Creighton, customs agent in San Francisco, W. R. Vallan- ce, assistant solicitor of the state de- partment; L. G. Nutt, chief of the narcotics division; F. J. Henning, former assistant secretary of labor; H. R, Gamble, federal attorney, and Consuls Merrill and Dye. The joint report has still to be written up as a treaty and signed by the two gov- ernments’ foreign offices before it goes to the respective senates for ap- proval. If there is in the proposed treaty a scheme of espionage that will serve to keep labor’s spokesmen from cros- sing the border, or which leads to their being “tagged” for their indus- trial views, that clause will be fought in the American senate and in the Mexican congress. Machinery to Put Typists on List of the Unemployed NEW YORK June 7—The photo- stat machine, or photographic method of reproducing records, will put an end to typists’ copying of records, Annie Mathews, registrar of New York county, announces after an investiga- tion, Application to the board of esti- mate for immediate purchase of a photostat machine is being made. Miss Mathows estimates that $500,000 will be saved by general use of the machine in place of hand typ- i The rate for copies of docu- ments is now 16 cents per 100 words. The register of New York paid $54,000 last year for recording work, Print paper on which photographic records would not fade had to be guar- anteed before photostat could suc- ceed, says Migs (Mathews. She claims that the recording offices of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago's county, are using photostat, eee aee EE Distribute a bundle every of Tune 15 to ' ‘ 4 ts Nanas mane GREED OF COAL BARONS CAUSES ~ UNEMPLOYMENT, WASTE AND ALL MISERY IN BLACK DIAMOND FIELDS By LELAND OLDS (Federated Presse Industrial Editor) The social waste accompanying development of basic industry for private profit instead of public service is revealed in a study of the Illinois coal situa- tion by U. 8. Commissioner of Labor Statistics Hthelbert Stewart. He shows tuat 84 Illinois mines employing 49,206 workers 300 days a year could produce 7,000,000 tons more coal than was actually produced by 338 mines employing 95,499 miners an average of 149 days. Stewart's analysis is based on statistics of the Illinois department of mines for the year ended June 30, 1924. He says the bituminous coal situa- tion in Illinois may be taken as a fair picture of the industry as a whole. Waste By Boss “This means,” he says, “that 254 of the 338 principal mines in the state represent an unnecessary expenditure of money so far as the capital in- vested in the mines themselves is concerned; that they simply prevent the adequate number of mines from producing an adequate amount of coal on @ reasonably efficient basis; that the railroads must distribute cars to 254 unnecessary mines in a single state. It means that the industry wastes not only the money actually invested but the time and energy of the officials and clerical help that must be on hand the year round even when not pro- ducing unnecessary coal.” The average number of employes, number of days worked per employ, average daily production per employe and number of men necessary to secure the same production on a 300-day basis for the 338 mines, classified accord- ing to tonnage, was: Number Average Tons per Employes MMlinois actually days man-day required on Mines producing employed worked produced 300-day bas. Under 10,000 tons 834 46 2.9 127 10,000 to 24,999 2,437 74 3.5 603 25,000 to 49,999 4,054 85 3.6 1,147 50,000 to 99,999 10,690 98 4.0 3,502 100,000 to 149,999 9,268 129 48 3,991 150,000 to 199,999 5,081 152 5.0 2,574 200,000 to 249,999 7,267 160 4.5 3,642 250,000 to 299,999 6,662 147 4.6 3,269 300,000 to 399,999 12,802 150 5.1 6,409 400,000 to 499,999 8,813 175 49 5,152 500,000 to 599,999 9,773 159 5.6 5,171 600,000 to 699,999 3,042 216 49 2,186 700,000 to 799,999 5,020 200 5.1 3,417 800,000 to 899,999 3,635 198 6.0 2,394 900,000 and over 6,021 189 5.5 3,786 The 84 mines producing 300,000 or more tons in the year ended June 30, 1924, employed more than half of all the miners and produced nearly two- thirds of the 70,328,322 tons of coal. Operated steadily on a 300-day basis they would have produced 77,743,800 tons in the year. BOSS IS HARDBOILED FIGHTING WORKERS BUT AN EASY MARK FOR HIS FELLOW SKINFLINTS By CARL HAESSLER (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) He may be hardboiled and flintshelled toward the worker but he’s P. T. Barnum’s own easy mark when it comes to extending credit to the confi- dence men in his own line. So he is putting up $2,000,000 td protect himself against the pirates and buzzards of his own kind. He has pomied up $108,500 in Chicago alone. “He” is the collective American business man and finanaler. He has gathered together one million from his clan in 12 American ciffes and put it at the disposal of the National Association of Credit men. The credit men will employ superdetectives, will Bay District of organize card index files of credit San Francisco, Cal., criminals and patiently teagh the shrewd American business ma) how Sia Picnics on June 21 to take care of his purse whera the SAN JOSE, Cal., June 7.— Local armor is soft and full of blowholes. Another million will be raised outs¥le San Jose, Workers Party, will give a picnic Sunday, June 21, at Congress the 12 cities already touched, The American institute of account- ants, the premier society in its field Springs, near San Jose, (a mile or/in the country, estimates that $160,- so from Saratoga). This is a beau-| 000,000 to $400,000,000 is lost annually tiful and well-known park. The Eng-|py reason of credit frauds, lish Local at Palo Alto and the South | prom the investigations of the in- Slav local at Mountain View will par- stitute it seems that while the Am ticipate, also the Mexican local at sedi . Redwood City, without doubt. Com- rades with automobiles from the rican employer has to be virtually blasted or dynamited into giving his workers ‘aise of a cent or two an whole Bay District gee ye hour, this same skinflint will extend to the gun wales with their friends | simost unlimited credit ta the first and drive over. Persons arriving in % greengoods man posing as a fellow automobiles are charged 26 cents for| a: oioiter who comes along. entering the park. Admission is free It -ton’ i to those who patronize the electric isn’t even necessary to come cars from San Jose or elsewhere. Speech making or other program along. The institute cites instances where unknowns have ordered large features have not been promised, but doubtless there will be some sur- consignments of goods by wire or prises in this line, If the Young credit and have obtained the stuff, only to sell it and skipp before the Workers League of San Francisco and Oakland should decide to attend with their international chorus and other musical and dramatic features there will be entertainment for all. And who knows but District Organ- izer Tom Lewis and other party spell binde+s may not decide to attend. We are making no promises, but why not? Let's all go! Com er Santa Cruz and Felton. That’s a beautiful drive. Come up Watsonville and Morgan Hill and towns down that way. Get acquainted with San Joi Come down San Francisco, Cotati, Santa Rosa, Napa, Richmond, Ber- keley, Oakland, Alameda, Hayward, Niles. It's not so impossible. If you have no auto, just hike. Many machines have room for one more, even on Sunday, Mother Bloor is hik- ing somewhere in the sultry east. Keep her company. We'll tell them we had the time of our lives. Let's show them how a little publicity in the DAILY WORKER will get out a crowd. Distribute a bundle everyday during ‘Week? Relief Money Still Needed; Fianish Send $21.59 Thru League The Finnish Federation of the Workers Party, in answer to the call of the T, U, B, L, published in the DAILY WORKBR, for ald for the Nova Scotia miners, sent in @ contrt- bution of $21.69 to the Strike Fund of the Nove Scotia miners, — ‘ collector could make an appearance. But the boob business man, and they are all boobs in the credit line, need not worry. The hundreds of mil- lions lost in credit frauds each year are, as the American institute of ac- countants points out, “ultimately borne by the consuming public.” So are the $2,000,000 raised by the boobs to fight their fellow commercial ban- dits, Roger Baldwin Michael Gold T. J. O'Flaherty Jim Waters Robert L. Wolf Gregory Zinoviev William Z. Foster Earl R. Browder Articles Book Reviews $2.00 A YEAR 1113 W. Washington Bivd, The Workers Monthly Anise (Anna Louise Strong) Tom Bell G, Silzer, and others in Stories AND OTHER FEATURES 26 CENTS A COPY THE WORKERS MONTHLY, LABOR FAKERS QUARREL OVER UNION CONTROL Local President Asks Brindell Be Jailed (Special to The Daily Worker) — 4 NEW YORK, June 7.—An affidavit by Charles Johnson, present president: of Local 1456, Dock and Pier Carpen ters’ union, sent by Samuel Unter» meyer to the New York state parole board formally charges Robert FP. Brindell, former president of the union, with violation of the terms of his parole in seeking to regain his hold on New York building activities, Johnson relates how Brindell at tempted to persuade Johnston into ac- cepting Brindell’s dictation and tells subsequent threats to use “strong arm methods” when Johnson refused the offer to make money by following Brindell’s methods. Johnson states that Brindell received $2,000 from @ contractor for ending a strike sincs his release from Great Meadow Prison after serving three years, nine months of a five to ten year sentence for ex- tortion. The attorney with the Lockwood investigating committee which in- quired into building trades acttvities in New York in 1920, repeats hig re- quest that the parole board hold an inquiry-and compel attendance of wit- nesses to prove charges against Brin- dell that he is violating the terms of his parole. Johnson says Brindell failed t@ re gain control of his union but formed a social club rival and that Brindell’s son William is receiving $75 @ week from the Sandhogs’ union for mego- tiations. Brindell promised Johnson $25 weekly salary increase and said that he (Brindell) was reputed to have made $2,000,000 out of the labor moye ment, Johnson states, Yellow Cab Driver Victimized by Boss for Talking Union NEW YORK,—Driver Gilmore. Se- niority No. 618450 demerits. Agitating. Discharged. That is what the open shop Yellow Taxi corporation had to announce to its drivers on the blackboard im all the garages today. What was driver Gilmore agitating about? Driver Gilmore was agitating for the right to organize a union 80 he and his fellow workers in the job, could get more wages, the abolition of the sweating and commission system, respect from the hands-of thelr ex ploiters and for the hope of a better future. Yellow Taxi drivers, wake up! The only way to get better wages and bet- ter conditions is to organize, Once you are organized you could tell your boss Mr. McGuire to go to hell, Onee you are organized you need not fear of having your name on the board for agitating for better conditions, and the club of discharge is no longer used to intimidate you. Taxi drivers, take as an example drivers in Boston, Chicago, St, Louis and in your own city who are organe ized. They saw the need of organiza fion and they fought hard and bitter fox their rights—the result was % str@ng and powerful union, w Taxi drivers you need a union. Why wait? Organize and fight! and you will be rewarded the same ag, your camrades in other cities, ii LZ ‘ei Strike Against Wage Cut, ; NORWALK, Conn., June %— Fif-| teen hat finishers employed by Fy Berg & Co., are striking against a wage cut, The firm recently absorby ed Pope Hat Co. of Norwalk and ree moved its plant from Orange, N, J., to become non-union. The workers pros, test the cut of 20 cents per dozen from the $2.40 rate for finishing GET IT! The June Issue of WORKERS MONTHLY Now On Sale Manual Gomez J. W. Johnstone Max Shachtman Maurice Becker Lydia Gibson red Ellis Juanite Preval Hay Bales Cartoons International Review $1.26 SIX MONTHS