The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 3, 1925, Page 2

Ba EN % * Py eet ene Aa Page Two ~~ awe = INTERNATIONAL || DEFENSE PLANS LOCAL MEETINGS National Committee Has First Session The national committee of the Inter- national Labor Defense has held its first meeting. The committee, com- posed of 37 members, most of whom were present, and upon which are prominent individuals in the labor, liberal and radical movements, was elected last Sunday at the national labor defense conference, attended by delegates from workers’ organizations in all parts of the country. The International Labor Defense was founded by the conference to serve as a non-partisan defense or- ganization for all class-war prisoners and workers persecuted for their act ivities in the labor movement. The national committee, elected unani- mously, met to draft a schedule of work and to elect officers. Exeoutive Elected An Executive committee of eleven that is to directly supervise the work of the osganization was elected by the national committee, as follows: Andrew T. McNamara, E. C. Went- worth, Fred Mann, Henry Corbishly, Rose Karsner, C, EB. Ruthenberg, Geor- ge Maurer, James P. Cannon, John Edenstrom, Harrison George, Benja- min Gitlow. The national officers are, Andrew T. McNamara, chairman, E. C. Wentworth, vice-chairman and James P. Cannon, secretary. Local Conferenoes It was decided to start immediately with the work of building the Inter- national Labor Defense which is to be composed of individual memberships and collective labor affiliations. This will be done by holding local conferences thruout the country. James Cannon moved that in view of the great success of the mass meeting that followed the conference on Sun- day, that mass meetings be held in conjunction with the local confer- ences. : To Help Centralia Victims Plans for immediate labor defense operations were discussed by the com- mittee. Fred Mann proposed that the International Labor Defense raise a special fund to cooperate in a camp- aign for the release of the I. W. W. prisoners in Walla Walla penitentiary in Washington who were “railroaded” te prison in the famous Centralia trials. J The International Labor Defense will assist all elements interested in their release with wide-spread agita- tion, publicity, demonstrations and, if possible, legal action. Serious Condition in W. Virginia Henry Corbishly, representing coal miners of Southern Illinois asked that action be taken in behalf of the strik- ing coal miners of West Virginia. He Pointed out that one miner had al- ready been sentenced to ten years in prison under an anti-picketing law and that injunctions had been served on over a hundred others. The seriousness of the struggle to unionize the West Virginia coal fields, Corbishly said, demands the imme- diate atteation and service of the In- ternational Labor Defense, The secretary, James P. Cannon, Was instructed to investigate the mat- ter and arrange for the participation of the Internaional Labor Defense in the defense work necessary in West Virginia. RECOVER MORE BODIES IN CAL, QUAKE RUINS SANTA BARBARA, July 1.—Téday for the first time it was definitely be- lieved the toll of dead would not ex- ceed a score. Thirteen persons known dead, five additional missing and believed killed and 41 injured made up the casualty list resulting from the earthquake. Tremors have entirely ceased and no shocks of any strength have been felt for 24 hours. The property damage was regarded by many investigators as possibly greater than previously estimated. It May reach the fearful figure of $35,000,000 altho city officials of Savta Barbara declared they hoped it would come under the $10,000,000 mark, The dead include Merced Leon a Mexican laborer, and Patrick Shea, @ gardener. Discovery of R. M. Litchfield’s body in the street under an automobile Was made after hundreds had passed! within a few feet. Litchfield was an Associated Oil Company employe. Would Escape Life's Conflict. IOWA CITY, Ia, July 1—Glenn Frank, president of the University of Wisconsin, said in an address here before the commonwealth conference that “The scientific mind at its best 4s sublimely indifferent to such catch ‘words as conservatism, liberalism, or He said political con- ould be kept out of the (Continued from page 1) the textile workers in their struggle it was up to the A, F. T. O. to take the lead in amalgamating the inde- pendent textile unions. This latter view was accepted. As a result the strongest and most strategically situa- ted of all the independent textile unions in the filed will take the lead in amalgamation of the independent unions, Federated Body Weak The Federated Textile Unions of America was created to bring about unity of action among the many inde- pendent unions of textile workers. Unions of lace workers, Brussel wea- vers, hosiery workers, carpet workers, silk workers and spinpers participated in the organization of the federation in 1921. The object of the federation was mutual aid among the independent unions in organizing the unorganized and during strikes. Practically the fe- deration acted as a committee for col- lecting funds for aid to strikers. Since its organization the unions which composed it have shrunk until at the present time the A. F. T. O. constitutes about nine-tenths of the entire federation. The delegaes were unanimously of the opinion that the situation was intolerable since the fe- deration had outlived its usefullness as a weapon in their struggle against the manufacturers. For Real Amalgamation The record of the A. F, T. 0. on the question of amalgamation is quite clear. Negotiations with the United Textile Workers of America, the A. F. of L. union, were carried on with a view toward amalgamating the two largest unions in the textile industry. These negotiations broke down owing to the impossible demands made by the U. T. W. officialdom. Their conception of amalgamation was that the A. F. T,.O. was to be swallowed up and that the reaction- ary officialdom of the U. T. W. was to boss the “amalgamated” union. Such an “amalgamation” would have simp- ly destroyed the A. F. T. O. and given McMahon, president of the U. T. W., futher opportunities to betray more textile workers. In spite of the break down of the negotiations the A. F. T. O. went on record for amalgamation on principle and the executive was instructed to utilize whatever opportunities pre- Textile Labor Seeks Amalgamation sented themselves for'a real amalga- mation of the textile unions. The resolution adopted by the con- vention on this question instructs the executive to seek to bring about an early conference with representatives of the groups now composing the Fe- derated Textile Unions with a view to creating an amalgamation of all groups into one national textile union of textile workers in one parent body. Next Year’s Officers Elected The officers elected for the coming year are as follows: President, James Tansey of Fall River, Mass., who was unanimously re-elected. First vice president, Abra- ham Binns of New Bedford, Mass., who was also unanimously elected. Second vice president, William Mc- Namara of Fall River, Mass. Third vice president, John B. Benoit, Taft- ville, Conn. Secretary, William 2. G. Batty, New Bedford. ‘Treasurer, William Harwood, Fall River, Mass., Auditors, James Howarth, Fall Riv- er, Mass., Thomas Bolton, New Bed- ford, and John Singleton, also of New Bedford. Executive council—-Manual Silva, New Bedford, Mass., Thomas Good win, Fall River, Mass., Thomas Lomax, Fall River, Mass. Peter Robitaille, Baltic, Conn., Ernest Jones, New Bedford, Mass., Richard Thomp- son, New Bedford, Mass., Henry P, Pechie, Plainfield, Conn., Edward J. Sweeney, Fall River, Mass., John Un- sworth, Taftville, Conn., and Josephat Grenier, Biddeford, A Bold Step The policy adopted by the conven- tion is significant in view of the Savage wage cutting campaign of the manufacturers, the introduction of the multiple machine system and the speed up system, the unorganized state of the workers, and the exist- ence of many rival unions. The amal- gamation of the independent unions will be the first step toward a general amalgamation of the textile unions. The American Federation of Textile operatives has boldly struck out on the path which will lead the textile workers towards greater efficiency in their struggles against the manufac- turers, sre Note:—Earlier story will be found on Page Four. DAILY WORKER, LOANED BY INJURED WAR VETERAN, GETS UNDER SKIN wet Ny OF “LIBERAL” PROFESSOR’S WIFE ee By DISABLED (Worker Correspondent), MENDHAM, N. J., July 1—This story shows what a subscriber of the DAILY WORKER has to fear, even from the lower middle class,, As a dis-| tying up $30,000,000 worth of building abled war worker, living on a sum that any org&mized worker would dis-| Programs and are busily trying to get dain, I have to live in the country where rents are cheap, and fresh air is plentiful, In this vicinity lives a so-called pro- fessor from the middle west who pro- fesses liberal ideas. He asked me for copies of the DAILY WORKER, and I was glad to lend these copies, as this is a nest of reactionaries and klansmen, and ideas are anathema to any of these people. What was my surprise the other | U. S. Imperialism Asks (Continued from page 1) bid for China’s friendship in her hint yesterday to make war on England. The basis for the conference will be the resolution adopted in Wash- ington which fixed the attitude of the imperialist powers towards China as follows: Terms of Washington Conference. 1. To respect the sovereignty, the independence and the territorial and administrative integrity of China; 2. To provide the fullest and most unembarrassed opportunity to China to develop and maintain for herself an effective and stable government. 8. To use their influence for the purpose of effectually establishing and maintaining the principle of equal op- portunity for the commerce and in- dustry of all nations thruout the ter- ritory of China, and 4. To refrain from taking advan- tage of conditions in China in order to seek special rights or privileges which would abridge the rights of subjects or citizens of friendly states and from countenancing action inimi- o— a night, to be attacked by the wife of this faker, she told me in insulting terms, “not to lend pernicious litera- ture to her husband!” As if he were a moron, as perhaps he is. Lam trying to get government aid and this woman might report me to the Legion! As I am in bad health, this weighs on my mind. “Helping Hand” cal to the security of such states. A Commission to Postpone and “Investigate.” As to extra-territoriality, the Wash- ington conference agreed to establish a commission to inquire into the pres- ent practice of extra-territorial juris- prudence in China and into the laws and the judicial system and the meth- ods of judicial administration of China, with a view to reporting to the governments of the several pow- ers “their finding of fact in regard to these matters, and their recom- mendations as to such means as they may find suitable to improve the ex- isting conditions of the administra- tion of justice in China, and to assist and further the efforts of the Chinese government to effect such legislation and judicial reform as would warrant the several powers in relinquishing, either progressively or otherwise, their respective rights to extra-terri- toriality.” The disputed question of the main- tenance of armed troops of foreign na- tions in China also is expected to be taken up in the proposed conference. Fairy Tales for Workers’ Children By HERMINIA ZUR MUHLEN. Translated by Ida Dailes, Stories that will make your children proud of being in the ranks of the working class. 75 Duroflex Cover With color plates and cover designs by LYDIA GIBSON. THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO, 1118 W. Washington Blvd. Chicago, IIlinols ® THE DAILY WORKER ‘ARREST 52 ST. C0, STRIKERS ‘Mother’ Bloor to Speak at Union “By ELLA REEVE BLOOR (Special to The Dally Worker.) ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 1.—The eight hundred strikers of the Curlee Cloth- ing company, one of the largest in the middie west, have been waging a strong fight for union conditions. Wholesale arrests and bitter persecu- tlon have marked the struggle of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers’ mem- bers. Fifty-two strikers were arrested yesterday. Painters’ local Union No. 115, which has a large membership, voted to urge all members to help these brave strikers ir every possible way to gain union conditions. Other unions are co-operating. As I helped to organize the first union here of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, I will probably address the strikers before leaving St, Louis Thursday morning, I arrived here one day ahead of my schedule, today. Will see you all in Chicago Saturday. 25,000 BUILDING TRADES WORKERS THREATEN STRIKE Boston Building Labor- ers Get Support BOSTON, Mass. July 1.— The United Building Trades Council, con- trolling all the building unions in Boston except the Painters and Car- penters, have voted for a strike as a result of the refusal of the building contractors to even arbitrate the de- mand of 5,000 striking building labor- ers for.an increase of Wages. The Painters and Carpenters, tho not con- trolled by the council,have also voted to strike in co-operation. The contractors thot that the Build- ing Laborers would not get the sup- port of the other bujlding trades unions, so they became quite cocky about their argument vith the 5,000 laborers, =! " et Now the whole bunch jof contractors are frightened at the pect of at least 25,000 building Secretary of Labor’'Davis to save them from the unions’ general strike. Secretary Davis is dus’ to pass thru Boston to see Coolidge’ at Swamp- scott and the unions have agreed to hold up the strike until the bosses can get Davis to intervene in their behalf. Davis’ U. S. concililator C. G. Wood, who has an unsavory record of attempted strikebreaking is now in charge of the government agenc- ies to prevent a strike, but will hand the mess to Secretary® Davis when the latter gets to Boston. The adjustment board of the Build- ing Trades Council is waiting for the government to set some proposal be- fore them. BALOWINITES IN ALL NIGHT FIGHT PASS ‘PENSION’ Fake Scheme Opposed by the Laborites LONDON, July 1—Dawn and ad- journment of the house of commons came simultaneously today after an all-night attack of the laborites on the government's measures for workers’ relief, The laborites assault won only one amendment to winston Churchill’s pensions scheme, It was the only con- cession the government made to the laborites. The long debate got on the nerves of many members especially those of the impulsive Lady Astor. A Neil MacLean, a laborite, declared the government’s allowance for or- phans was “insufficient to maintain a cat.” Lady Astor, who was half asleep, jumped up and to the consternation of MacLean, shouted, as she pointed an accusing finger at him, “You called me a cat just now.” “No, I did not,” replied the sur- prised MacLean, “I am the only one present,” she shrilled, Amid laughter which shook the house of commons, Lady Astor be- came fully awake, orem The city council appropriated $3,- 415,656 at its last session, and will ad- Journ next Wednesday for the sum- mer. The appropriation included $20,000 for lawyers fees. The council refused to instruct the building com- mittee to recommend change in the building code to allow the use of hol- low tile, rs ee | | | nti Wages-Dividends Not Enough by Far to Still Unrest of the Workers By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. | ‘ODAY, the boss class in fearful that the workers are not taking its charity seriously. “LOOK!” say the exploiters, an eastern corporation has just disributed $3,000,000 among » its employes. Another distribution of a million cash was made among 8,000 employes, while a third distribution was made of another million among 2,200 employes. Such out- bursts of fake asia stipe occur intermittently, and the robber press is always quick to give each recurring instance considerable publicity. It is supposed to be good content- ment salve for the restless wage slave, * * * * One financial writer frankly confesses that the object of profit sharing and wages-dividends is to make the workers “contented and thus prevent unrest and strikes.” He offers this as a great discovery. Yet it is a fact that Communists have always pointed out. This employers’ fear that the workers are not contented, that great strikes may break out at any moment, that organ- ization drives may be forced by the rank and file upon lag- othe labor officials, is also at the bottom of many other sops eing planned for the workers, like the old age pension schemes being studied by capitalism's experts. * * 8 @ Working class unrest is not greatly affected, let alone appeased, by the distribution of wages-dividends. Take the case of “The Fair,” the big State Street department store in Chicago, fiendish exploiter of youth labor, that recently dis- tributed a large sum among its underpaid employes. First, not a cent went to any ba that had not been with the firm for at least five years. This immediately elimi. nated the great mass of workers, bcs and girls just out of school, employed at meager wages, who must be on the look- out for “something better” as they are thrown upon their resources; when they can no longer depend upon partial sup- port at home. Second, “the reward,” therefore, goes to a selected few, the slave drivers, the superintendents, the managers, the floor walkers, the heads of departments, who must be satis- fied with their station, and proud of it, as they wield the lash of oppression over the youth labor assigned to their none too tender mercies. * * ° * Yet one of capitalism's experts is compelled to admit that the wages-dividends distributed by employers as pacifiers of unrest do not average more than $30 of $40 per year, which it is admitted is “not enough to accomplish any notable purpose. Especially among the so-called radicals in a factory, such a distribution: must remain without effect.” The sop of a few dollars, not even enough for a short vacation’s expenses, especially arouses the resentment of the workers as they view the colossal dividends distributed by the corporations employing them, Take Montgomery, Ward & Co., which runs parallel to “The Fair” in the employment of youth labor. It reports that.“‘June sales were the largest for that month in the company’s history. The total was ‘ $14,430,960, an increase of 19.66 per cent over May and also a gain of 10.67 per cent over June, 1924.” ‘ For the month of May the major railroads report a net operating income of $73,800,000 compared with $60,595,197 Sst PROGRESSIVES AT COAL MEET Delegates Bored by Speech of Lewis (Continued from page 1) forced to work at the wash tub and in other ways to eke out a miserable pittance of an existence, under cir cumstances which have resulted many. times in their physical break: down. May Mark Decline of Reaction. It is realized here the splendid pro. gram of the progressive miners will meet some opposition from the Lewis- Capellini gang, because a victory for the progressive policies will prove the political decline of the reaction: aries. The demands for unemployment re- lief and minimum wage with yearly contracts, have enthused the dele- gates here, and not one delegate is heard to express himself against them; in fact the progressive policy has caused panic in the breasts of Lewis and Cappellini, and it is not too much to say that if the program had been published a month earlier, many local unions would have had different representation in the con- vention, which would have assured complete victory for the progressive in May 1924, a big increase, in spite of the poverty wails of the transportation interests, and their demands for wage cuts all along the line. The earnings reported by the Standard Oil Trust and other great trusts are higher than ever. * * Even the dullest worker * . cannot help but become ac- quainted with these facts. Beside the colossal profits of the great corporations the wages- employers are hardly visible. dividends distributed by a few The robber employer safeguards his plunder. He doles os the smallest amount he must to the worker in w: s labor awakens more and more to this fact, the pe struggle sharpens, “All the Proletarian Dictatorship, sion that can satisfy the w the final conflict draws nearer, when ower!” must shift from the capitalist dictatorship to There is no capitalist conces- orkers in the last, victorious struggle for power that heralds the Communist dawn. BUSINESS AGENT SLUGS MEMBER OF BARBERS’ UNION Robert Spanuth Beaten by Jim Rose The reactionary machine of the Barbers’ Union Local 548 has opened its campaign of violence against the membership which will ultimately ex- pose it as unworthy of any trust, po- sition or connection with the mem- bership of the union. On Monday a member of Local 548, Robert Spanuth, who is not a mem- ber of the progressive group, but who is merely an honest union man de- voted to the interests of the wage workers in the trade, visited the Lo- cal’s office at 166 West Washington street to pay his dues. A Rose “By Any Other Name.” While there on that errand, he was approached by Jim Rose, a business agent and one of the reactionary machine, who tried to provoke Span- uth by starting an argument with him about the contest in the local between the reactionaries and progressives. As Rose had, accompanying him, at his heels a big slugger of the hired gangster type, and as Rose’s whole desire to pick a fight was apparent, Spanuth remained silent, refusing to be provoked into an argument. Union Official Beats Up Member, Notwithstanding Spanuth’s peace- able attitude—or perhaps because of it—Rose and his hired slugger seized Spanuth and, taking him by force out of thé union office into the hallway beat him savagely until he lapsed into uriéonsciousness, While he Wiis” unconscious Rose and the othersligger went away. sos \ | Spanuth dragged himself out of the building, to seek aid, as he was bleed- ing from several terrible blows on the head and had lost seven teeth. Oppose Terrorism by Machine. The members of Local 548 who have seen Spanuth are fired with in dignation over the assault, many who are not members of the progressive group asserting their determination to see that the reactionary clique in control of the union will not continue to terrorize the union membership with such methods, Members of the progressive group are pointing out to the membership the fact that such tactics by the re- actionaries prove that they are the enemies of control by the rank and file of members, whose forces are getting so strong that the machine is seriously concerned over their being kicked out of office and hence is resorting to violence to save them- selves. Pledge to Keep Up Fight. Members generally are heard con- demning the cowardly assault upon an honest and loyal member by the official gangsters and their hired sluggers, and there are many pledg- ing that they will not cease until such brutal cowards are driven out of control and out of the union. U. 8. Buys Prague Palace. PRAGUE, July 1. — The United States government has bought the old palace of Prince Schoenborn for $170,000 for use as a legation. The palace is the most ancient and noted estate of the Czech nobility. Air Mail to New York, NEW YORK, July 1.—-Overnight air mail serveie between New York and Chicago was to become a reality to- night. ‘Two planes will leave simultaneous- ly from Hadley Field, near New Brunswick, N, J., and from Chicago, policy. sr @ SCRANTON, Pa., July 1.—A slight ripple was caused in the tri-district convention of the anthracite coal miners belonging to the United Mine Workers of America, which Is taking place when delegates to the new local instituted by President Rinaldo Cappellini at Edwardsville were seat- ed instead the local headed by Ed- munds, The vote in favor of seating Cap- pellini’s new local delegates was 230 for and 110 against, showing consider- able progressive strength. At the conclusion of the speech of John L, Lewis, on Tuesday, the dele- gates, evidently feeling the need of re- ereation after the ordeal of listening to their president, adjourned unttl to- day and attended the ball game. Lewis’ speech was of the usual kind. He talked mainly against militant ac- tion ifr part of the miners to bet- ter thfr conditions. In the place of a figMt for better wages, Lewis’ ad- vocated a fight for the check off. The local papers were filled with eulogies of the speech, but many of the miners did not care much for it. e LL.6.W. TRIAL CONTINUES; 5 MORE ARRESTED Battle with Sle ggers Rages Around Shops NEW YORK CITY, July 1—The battle against treacherous reaction in the International Ladies Garment Workers Union continues, with the Whole membership opposing with mind and body the machine which would defeat the control of the union by the membership and turn the workers over to the mercy of the manufacturers. The “trial” of the officials of Local 2 was finished, such as it was, and after summing it up Local Nine’s sus- Pended officials will be questioned. At the trial Monday five members of Local 2 were brot before the For- ward's inquisitional gang headed by Feinberg who is, strange to say, their accuser as well as their judge. Deny Olgin Chance to Appear. Louis Hyman, counsel for the de- fense, in an effort to introduce testi- mony of Moissaye J. Olgin, May Day speaker whom the machine allege said “We must break the Interna. tional with a hammer”—demanded that Olgin be permitted to appear and testify. But the “trial committee” re- fused. The proceedings are held secretly, the defendants asking for admission of the press and membership, the machine refusing. In and around the shops where the agents of the machine gather with sluggers of the Forward’s crew to try to take off the job some of the best union men and women because the machine cannot control them, there were demonstrations and in all five pickets were arrested. Arrest Five, Fine Two, Among them were Ida Rosen, Fan nie Frudenberg, Lonis Rosenthal, Bessie Singer and William Hockman, The police acted in full concert with the machine’s gang of sluggers, picking up the workers who were pointed out by the Sigmanites. Frudenberg and Rosenthal were fined $5, Hockman was discharged and the others given suspended sentences, Dever aks City Walkout. Mayor Dever induced the city en- gineers to abandon their three-day protest strike for an increase in wages, and most of them are back at work, The salary raise asked, how: ever, has not yat bean granted, SHOW STRENGTH