The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 26, 1925, Page 3

| “a am MANY “LOONEY GAS” VICTIMS ARE INSANE, DIE IN STRAITJACKETS— DU PONTS SURPRESSED ALL NEWS NEW YORK CITY, June 24.—Following the disclosure that at least eight persons were killed of tetraethy! lead poisoning in the du Pont plant at Deep Water, new details are disclosed which reveal that the du Pont company surpressed news of the deaths and spirited insane workers to hospitals maintained by the du Ponts. The du Pont company owns the newspapers of Wilmington, Del., and news of injuries from the deadly poison were kept out of the papers. There were 300 injured at the du Pont plant at Deep Water, most of whom were made insane by the “looney gas’. Highty per cent of all workers at the tetraethyl man- ufacturing plant became hor- ribly ill, That,.others died of the poison, the cause. of whose deaths were not re- cored, is indicated by the facts re- garding the.case of John Domesse, a Plamber, who died on September 11, at Dalaware hospital, Wilmington, after working at the plant. Altho Domesse’s death was recorded as “typhoid,” Dr..Lowrenoe J. Rigney, who treated him admitted that the patient had tetraethyl lead poisoning, “which did not help him much,” he added. . Records “Disappear” The death certicate of Domesse was signed by Dr. John Russo, of the hospital staff. It was claimed at the Deleware hospital that “no records of the symptoms of Domesse’s case can be found.” Harry A. Zanes, who contracted the poisoning on Sept. 9, 1923, was sent to the emergency hospital owned by the du Ponts on their powder works, six miles from Wilmington. He suf- fered horrible nightmares, could not eat or sleep, and on Sept. 19 because violently insane. After three months, Zanes was sent back to work in the plant and on Sep- tember of last year was again poison- ed, for the third time, “The last time he didn’t know he was working with lead,” Mrs. Zanes declared. Dies In Straitjacket The death of Frank W. Durr, who expired in a straitjacket on Sept. 23, 1923, violently insane, illustrates to what lengths the du Pont company ‘went to escape publicity of the deaths. There was no story about Durr’s death in the Penn’s Grove paper, his home, at which he died, altho the Penn's Grove Record displayed a half column account on the first page two days afterward of the death by electricity of Otto J. Barkdull. ~ Barkdull had .worked for the com- pany for twenty five years, since he was twelve years old. Kept from Papers Thomas C. Summerill, editor of the paper, said, “They surpress things at the plant. Whatever we print we pick up from the workmen.” All the men who died were classi- fied in the death certificates as “dye- workers,” altho that was not their work. The du Pont company made arran- gements with the Salem Memorial Hospital, to which the du Ponts give annual contributions, to care for the poisoned workers from the Deep Wa- ter plant. These cases have been the hospital's chief source of revenue. An executive of the “dye works” is on the hospital’s board of directors. All the men who died were under treat- ment at this hospital. The du Ponts supplied male “nurses” to restrain the violently insane workers. “Cancer 6f Stomach” At the hospital it was reported that Frank Hanley, 23 years old, who died there on August 12, 1924, had died of “cancer of the stomach,” but it later leaked out that he had been killed of the tetraethyl lead poisoning. When asked if any inquest would be held over the death of Robert Hunt- DEATH LIST OF THOSE KILLED IN DU PONT’S POISON LEAD FACTORY The following is a list of those who are known to have died in the Deep Water plant of the du Pont company where tetraethy! lead was manufactured for high power gaso- line. The du Ponts own one-third, 7,000,000 sharés, of the General Motors company, a Morgan concern, which together with the standard Oil company had founded the Ethyl Gasoline corporation to sell the poi- son gas. Others are thot to have been killed by the gas, as the du Ponts went to great lengths to suppress the news of the deaths. Eighty per cent of all those working at the du Pont plant went insane from the tetraethyl lead poisoning. The death list follows: Sept 21, 1923—Frank W. Durr, 37 years old, died at Penns Grove, N. J. in straitjacket; attended by Dr. Raymond B. Jarratt. July 30, 1924—Joseph Cianci, 24 years old, died at Salem (N. J.) Me- morial Hospital; attended by Dr. Harry W. Lee. Aug. 12, 1924—Frank Hanley, 23 years old, received at Salem Hos- pital with gastric ulcer and under- went operation, but went i subsequently from tetraetyl poisoning; attended by Dr. Church, Oct. 20, 1924—Sim Jones, 47 years old, negro janitor at plant; died in Salem Hospital; attended by Dr. Lee. Feb. 18, 1925—Frederick W. De- Fiebre, 21 years old, died at Salem Hospital; attended by Dr. Lee. Feb. 16, 1925—Robert F. ginger, 35 years old, died at Cum- berland County Hospital for the Insane at Bridgeton, N. J.; attended by Dr. E. C. Lyon. Feb. 28, 1925—Loring M. Boody, 52 years old, carpenter; died at Carney’s Point, N. J.; attended by Dr. Lee. Mar. 27, 1925—James Connell, 40 years old, millwright, died at home In Wilmington, Del.; attended by Dr. James A. Draper. singer, who was violently insane pre- vious to his death, Dr. Lyon, who at- tended him, said, “No, it was not an accident but an occupational disease, and there is no occasion to call in the coroner.” Spirit Victim Away. When Harry Baker, who was taken to the Salem hospital after the poison made him insane, jumped from his window and tried to escape, the incident became public. Baker was immediately spirited away to a priv- ate sanitarium at Gladwyn, Pa., where he is still under treatment. Your neighbor would like to read this issue of the DAILY WORKER. Be neighborly—give it to him! WRI NRE E Re ol date AS RAC ASLLIS "BR aaa Mie oe Rae aR ees. < SN Reiter Pensa He WEP Seren? Sa “Hunt-* WORKERS’ AID 10 GIVE PLAY BY JOHN LASSEN, WANT 250 VOLUNTEERS (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW YORK, June 24.—The Inter- national Workers’ Aid and the La- bor Defense Council have arranged an outing together with a perform: ance of a pageant, which will take place on August 23, at Pleasant Bay Park. The pageant “Victory” was written by Comrade John Las- sen, the well-known Hungarian writer, and depicts the victorious struggle of the workers. This pageant will require the co- operation of about 250 comrades for the mass scenes and 15 com- rades for the main parts. Rehears- is will begin at once—and the com- rades must respond. The first re- hearsal will take place at 35 E. 2nd THE DAILY WORKER WORKER URGES UNITED FRONT IN SHOP STRUGGLES Relates Daily Grind in Morey Company Plant (This article is the first of a series that I will send weekly to the DAILY WORKER. These articles will deal exciusively with the workers employ- ed in Morey Company and conditions under which they earn their daily bread.) 2 ASTORIA, L. I., June 24.—Morey company employs from 40 to 50 men, most of whom are ex-socialists, ex-I. W. W., ex-social revolutionaries, ex- monarchists and all ex-members and ex-leaders of some political activity. Ave., entrance on 2nd St., on Fri- day, June 26, at 8 p.m. This pag- eant will be a grand affair and will be a new step in the production of proletarian plays in this country. Do not forget the date and the place. SOVIET PROGRAM IN OIL INDUSTRY IS CARRIED OUT Plans Made to Increase Big Production MOSCOW, —(By Mail).—The total amout of the exploitation and the re- alization of ofl and oil products on the home, as well as on the foreign, markets for the first six months of the current working year, October-March is as follows: 3,301,333 tons of oil were produced which is 48 per cent of the annual plan. The naphta-fuel amounted to 1,731,- 667 tons—44 per cent of the annual plan. On the home market, there were sold 114,500 tons of oil, on the foreign market—103,167 tons, forming 17 per cent of the annual exportation. 457,167 tons of oil products have been real- ized on the home market and 375,835 on the foreign market, or 47 per cent of the year’s plan of oil products ex- portation. In the second half year, it is expected to produce 3,840,333 tons of ofl. The exploitation of oil-fuel will probably amount to 1,977,167 tons; 421,834 tons of the latter quantity are tor'sale on the foreign market, form- ‘ng 71 per cent of the oil-export plan. Inthe second half year, 316,166 tons of oil products will be realized on the: home market, and 624,266 tons on the foreign market, making 77 per cent of the total exportation plan. In the beginning of the year 1925- 26, the stock of oil fuel will probably be about 1,921,000 tons, or somewhat lower than the tentative program, whilst the sale of naphta fuel will, to all appearances, exceed the quantity obtained by 250,000 tons. For the same reason, the stock of oil prod- ucts will be somewhat lower than provided for in the program. In the year 1925-26, it is proposed to obtain 7,355,000 tons of ofl. This quantity may be even increased by 832,350 tons, if the number of pit holes is larger. The Naphta Syndicate is taking urgent measures, at pres- ent, for developing the boring. Soviet Films in Orient. MOSCOW.— The Russo-Oriental chamber of commerce proposes to or- ganize an industrial exhibition in Harbin, in which the Soviet film in- dustry will be represented, about 55 Soviet released films are to be sent. The main object of this exhibition of Soviet films is to take up relations with the Japanese and Chinese film hiring firms, which up to this day have been supplied with films by American production only. But at present outside of the daily routine of eat, work and sleep, they do little. The result: Conditions in this shop are worse than I have seen them anywhere. 3 How They Work. Hours ofjtabor daily are 8 and 45 minutes. , Starting at 7:45, we work continuously -until 12. Then comes lunch. They eat their dry lunch in 30 minutes/ The shop tools, machin- ery and surroundings are so dirty and the washing facilities are so poor that much of this 30 minutes is wasted in washing up. »For instance there is one sink with six faucets for all the men. The water comes in so slowly that it is a disgrace for the firm to be so cheap. That half-hour lunch time does not leave a breath of space in which workers could get together to discuss shop matters or any other matters. Boss Keeps Constant Watch. Then from 12:30 to 5 the grind is continued with Mr. Himoff, the boss, keeping close watch of all of them What he misses—a few of his loyal “slaves” some of them working for as little as 63 cents an hour, report to him. (In this first article I will not give their names, hoping they will become real men. But if they do not change, Iwill not hesitate to expose them in my next article.) The grind is kept until 5 p. m., which is unjust because no time is allowed for washing up and so much must be wasted due to the washing facilities I have already described. In case of injuries received on the job there is iodine and dirty band- ages, which is kept in a tool crib where dirt and grease are plentiful and workers, who at times injure themselves, risk getting blood poison. The system employed in this shop makes every order a “tush order” and as soon as orders are Completed there is alull _in'work and the men are layed off. Sometimes they are not | sent for when the next order comes in—that is the way our boss gets rid of the “undesirable” workers. Rush One Day; Nothing Next. Relations among the workers are to @ great extent/unfriendly on account of political differences. However, they should realize that without unity our boss will) keep on getting richer and we will keep on being driven—in ignorance. Let us for the present put aside po- litical differences, and begin working together to improve our shop condi- tions. It will give us a chance to un- derstand our struggle and also solidi- fy us for the’ future when the work- ing class will rule and there will be no privileged few. Greetings to all workers in the Morey Company plant. Let us stand for unity of all workers in our plant. Your Shop Correspondent. Ban on Canadian Banknotes. MOSCOW—In connection with the recent discovery of a factory in Mon- treal, Canada, issuing considerable quantities of forged banknotes, the State Bank of the U. S. S. R. has or- dered its agencies and branches ‘to M. Perlstein, Mgr. F. J. Chaloupka, Sec'y Treas. a. Kreindler, Business Agent a — * LOcALs Cloak and Suit Tailors, No. 26 Skirt and Dress Makers, No. 27 Women Garment Makers, No. 29 Ladies’ Garment Pressers, No. 37 Ladies’ Garment Cutters, No. 42 ‘Sample and Ladies’ Tailors, No. 94 Raincoat Makers, No. 111 Mr. Geo. Wishnak, "Freiheit" 47 Chrystie St. ° New York City. My dear Wishnak: tend, to print. exis Industry on @ higher living. in Jemuary. to write af and will give them a winds and it seem developments. in having these articl driffting with no phlicy wont 5 that they may not se to ma&e our members see things a ey ni boy mrely feel it because it is in their bones, because after all, they are the. ones who are suffering. \ Drop a few lines. JOINT BOARD Letter Exposing Perlstein’s Duplicity OPPIcE TELEPHONES Maly ste CENTRAL Geos Badies Garment Workers Union Shrqt eee AF. OF LL. LL. G. WU. ~ an BXECUTIVE OFFICES: 1024-26 WALNUT AVENUB CLEVELAND, o. December 7, 1922 ible not to make the impression that you favor me. atecdidey ik is ecoerdingigy to my opinion, essential that the cloake makers should begin to talk about the differences of opinion which about the entire situation. Sooner or later I will have to come out in the open, although in many cases I did, but that was not far enough for at least the in- alize what is really to be done to telligent members to re oe ee ciraes verre plane and ass’ We expect to have @ meeting of the General Something may develop at ered pga 8 OW we iities aiaea abe res the Freiheit under the present Oircumatances, that that would not help the cause; om the con= trary, that would give them a where the issues invo The printed. good chance for a go lved will be substituted bp ” chance to be triuphant.. =< sending you @ corrected copy of the statement you in- ass Peek ic over again and pleaee try to be ae careful At the “my, the better Executive Board If not, I intent trouble ging od come-bask at me rechte and lincke” who eA The trade is in @ terrible plight ont oveny sezoen Sond vatiey ms of the workers improved, realizes w Cieitae tte Ga oa with no destination, but driffting with tHa am the only ome to make that necessary move + present, but The most important question for me now is to decide how the move should be made whereby it should bring the desired results. In the meantime print the statement ani let us ese further PFraternally yours Wh. tude, WI tr, (Continued from page 1) fended the left program in the unions. They Know Him. The “Freiheit” at that time was already wise to Perlstein, however, and did not print the article, it know- ing that the article was “favoring” the left wing only just to the degree Perlstein thought necessary to curry favor with the cloakmakers. Also, in the article Perlstein tried to attack Schlessinger for the latter's opposition to standards of production, which Perlstein had advocated and installed in Cleveland. Perlstein de- fended the standards of production, no space. Peristein Wanted a Split. But there was still another reason PERLSTEIN LETTER EXPOSES HIM AS INTRIGUER FOR SELFISH END IN 1922 WHEN HE SOUGHT SPLIT and for such things the “Freiheit” had | not publish Perlstein's article. It knew Perlstein. It knew that to at- tain his end, to become president of the cloakmakers, he was then plan- ning to split the western office from the I. L. G. W. and make of it a sep- arate union. The “Freiheit” knew Perlstein and did not print his article in 1922. By reading Perlstein's letter, print- ed with this article in today’s DAILY WORKER, the Perlstein of 1922 can be compared with the Perlstein of 1925. “What did he mean by the let- ter? Let him explain to the mem- bership.” So demands the left wing. | In the letter he covers up his plan for splitting the I. L. G. W. with sane- tifled words about accomplishing |something for the cloakmakers. But suspend all operations with Canadian | why the “Freiheit” the fighting paper | what do those words mean in the let- banknotes. The Case of Dominick Venturat 1 Rea in the whirlpool of events, has “ been. the case of Dominick Ven- * turato. ‘The frame-ups workers who » ‘have been active in the interests of ‘their class have not all been brought ~ to Hight. Mooney and Billings, Sacco and Vanzetti, and the cases of count- ‘less otliers are well known to the workers of this country. x o The case of Dominick Venturato was Just a bit different. Ventufato is one _ of the,many valiant fighters for the working class, who is a prisoner in the hands of the enemy. He was ar- rested and charged with murder in greatest strikes that this country has ever known. ‘Venturato, was a militant member of the United Mine Workers of Amer- ica. His record of activity was one that any worker could be proud of. At the time of -his arrest he was for 3 years the President of Local 3953, of the United Mine Workers of America at Ooo, Ohio. NE of his duties as president was to settle the grievances of the men in his local. His determined stand for the rights of the men won him the hatred of the mine owners. A man ~ with a record like that of Dominick “Venturato was a danger to the coal “operators, so Venturato had to be “done away with. " - -Venturato, to-day is serving a life sentence on the Ohio State Peniten- tiary—a price which he 1s paying for his loyalty to the workers. John I. Major, part owner of a scab mine at Lafferty, Ohio was killed on the morning of June 27, 1922, Shortly after this, Venturato, Agosti, and 11 others among whom were Robert Farmer at that time Vice President of Sub-District 6 of District of the Un- ited Mine Workers of America were arrested and charged with murder, HIO is the birth place of the United Mine Workers. It is natural that when the men were out on strike that they would urge the men in the scab mines not to work until the strike was settled. The miners use every peace- ful means to have these men strike with them. The answer of the com- panies was to import an army of gun- men who did everything in their pow- er to terrorize the union miners, Men who wanted to go to their homes had to get passes from the company. While walking to their homes these gang- sters and gunmen thrust their revoly- ers in the faces of the strikers, at- tempting to intimidate them. The miners grew indignant and reported their grievances to’ their officials who called a meeting of the men of all the miners locals to be held at the miners Hall at New Lafferty, Ohio. At meeting the men were going te cuss the situation = OMINICK VENTURATO was at the meeting early. He heard that Ro- bert Farmer was coming to the meet- ing and he got into a car driven by a miner and met Farmer more than two miles from the hall, He saw Farmer talking to a number of men in autos. Farmer was asking them not to work in the scab mines under armed gun- men. Seeing that Farmer was busy, Venturato turned around and went back to the meeting. It was necessary for any one going to the scab mine to pass the Miners Hall. A large crowd had gathered there, awaiting the opening of the meeting. As the machines carrying John I. Major and his party came up, the men who were striking asked them not to scab on them. They-told them not to take their bread and but- ter away, that their children w starving and that if they would not go to work the strike would be over in a very short time. As they were talking someone fired @ shot and John I, Major passed out of existence. Besides, a number of others who were going to work in the scab mine wounded. DN ATURALLE as the shots were fired every one scattered, among them Dominick Venturato. He left in an automobile, which he would not have been nagy to reach #0 soon if he 6 ‘When Venturato's case came to trial chief witness against him was a 17 year old boy named Stanley Kubiack, who it is reported now enlisted in the marines shortly after the trials were over. Kubiack Was a miner for 18 months. At that time he had been released from the Boys’ Industrial School at Lancaster, Ohio, where he had been sent for stealing money. He is sup- posed to havé been released on parole, Kubiack was arrested on July 8, 1922, 11 days after the shooting took place. He was questioned in the office of the Prosecuting Attorney. Here he stated he had no Wledge of the affair, After he insisted on this, he was taken on the third floor of the jail and kept there alone for two days until he “decided” to tell the “truth.” An in- dication of the extent to which he was scared into testifying against Ventur- ato can be seen from the following testimony of Kublack given at the trial. 7 A epcey is another thing I want to say that I was locked up over there by myself and I was so scared and everything, and begin to cry so I thought I might as well tell the story While Kublack was in jail he was Viaited by his stepfather, Mike Ku- oO of the Jewish workers in America, did | te ‘Not to make the impression that P. S.Encoléeed you will also find a statement given by Schlesinger to the Cleveland Plein Dealer. you favor me”? He Came Out in the Open. What did Perlstetn mean when he | said, “Sooner or later, I will have to }come out in the open”? What were |the “further developments” which he was then seeking? The left wing and the “Freiheit” | knew even then what Perlstein meant | by the intrigue, the sign of those who | seek personal advance at the sake of | the mowement. So the left wing avoid- ed him vag if he were a pestilence. ‘The Peristein Fiop. As soon as he found this out, as soon as he saw the left wing would | not allow itself to be used by him, he switched around and began to in+ | trigue from the other side. He gave | up the split plan and sought to in- gtatiate himself with the machine. He joined with them and began attack- ing the left wing. In that way he’ hopes to become chief of the Inter! jnational Ladies’ Garment Workers, Then he can double cross the other fakers who are today fighting with him against the revolt of the betray- ed rank and file membership, j biack and a friend of his family, Mike Ogesick. Ogesick, on the witness stand testified that Young Kubiack told him the following:— “That if he did not say that Ventur- ato did the shooting he would be sent to penintentiary.” Anyone could readilly see that this boy had been threatened and that he was forced to make these statements against Venturato. UBIACK in his testimony said that Venturato showed him a gun and aid it would do the work. He then said he began running away, but pec- uliary enough he began runnig toward the miners meeting. He then testified that he saw Venturato shoot first in the air and then into one of the ma- hii It is peculiar also that out of the entire crowd all those Kubiack could recognize was Venturato and Dominick Arsena, in spite of the fact that he lived there long enough to know every miner present. The testimony of this terrorized child was refuted by three women wit- nesses, who lived on farms near the scene of the shooting. They all agreed that the man who did the shooting had on a dark cap and coat. Domin- ick Venturato at the time had on a light shirt and a panama hat. SIDES, Daniel McNoble testified that he met Venturato the morn- ae . sacs him toward the meeting and were taken to New Lafferty by an auto driven by Joe Walchi, and that they never saw young Kubiack that day. At another time Kubiack testified that Venturato was a few feet behind the first auto, while three other wit- esses testified that Venturato was about 250 feet from any of the ma- chines. ND it was on this kind of testimo- ny that Dominick Venturato, mili- tant proletarian fighter, was railroad- ed to prison for the rest of his life. So for his loyalty and devotion to the working class, for his support of mili- tant policies in his union, for his lead- ership of his fellow workers in strikes, Dominick Venturato, must pay the price that so many militant workers have paid before. Besides Dominick Venturato two other workers were tried, Dan Agosti and Robert Farmer. Agosti, who like Venturato is an Italian was at first tried before a jury which disagreed The second time he was tried he was found guilty and likewise sentenced for life. Farmer Was later tried and acquited. After this the cases against all the others were dropped. It might be mentioned that Farmer is an Amer- foan and that the prosecution was not able to raise the cry of foreigner against him as they did against Ven- turato and Agosti, .. By Max Salzman T the present time, Venturato along remains in prison, Agosti having, been pardoned, when it was claimed he was sick. One of the cond! of the pardon is that he return to) Italy. But Dominick Venturato is still in jail. It should be remembered that the men who were first arrested were charged with joint conspiracy. Not one of them were individually charged with the shooting. And yet Venturato alone remains fn prison, It might also be interesting to. that Mrs. Major, the widow of the de- ceased individual has recently sued the United Mine Workers for $250,000 and the judge ruled the case out of court, thereby showing that the charge ;of conspiracy was completely, jm founded. oy b, ipoiag Dominick Venturato alone mains in jail is no mystery to” militant workers of this country. The case of Dominick Venturato is not case of the United Mine Worl alone. It is a case of the entire ing class, and the whole Ame! working class must take up his gle. fe Comrades and fellow ork Dominick Venturato is rotting his away in the state penitentiary at Go. lumbus, Ohio. We must free hij A storm of protest must be raised will force the capitalists into this militant fighter, ere | - ere ee a