The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 17, 1925, Page 6

» LGR. 2 Ve? RANE eS AAA Fee mm THE DAILY WORKER THE DAILY WORKER Published by the DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO. 2118 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill, Phone Monroe 4712 SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mail (in Chicage only): By mall (outside of Chicago): $8.00 per year $4.50 six months | $6.00 per year $3.50 six months $2.50 three months $2.00 three months Address all mail and make out checks to THE DAILY WORKER, 1118 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, IIlinols <n $$$ J, LOUIS ENGDAHL WILLIAM F. DUNN® feaeneenerenrne HOS MORITZ J. LOEB.. Business Manager a Wntered ay second-class mail September 21, 1923, at the post-office at Chi cago, Ill, under the act of "March 3, 1879. Advertising rates on application. —=—=— The Tax Fight Against Mellon On the eve of the convening of congress there again arisés the struggle over the question of taxes. Against the proposition of the Coolidge administration, known as the Mellon plan, there is erystal- lizing an alignment of petty-bourgeois democrats from the’ southern states and petty-bourgeois republicans from the middle and far west. It was this identical combination that two years ago defeated the original Mellon tax plan. This recuring over the administra- tion’s tax program reveals the fact that the republican and demo- cratic parties both contain within their ranks elements incapable of being reconciled to their main policy. : Tho there is no petty-bourgeois party the southern democrats, who rallied around the Bryan standard for three decades, and the middle west republicans, who are much closer to the political line of the late LaFollette than, to Coolidge, form a bloe in both houses of congress that openly challenges the designs of big capital when- ever their economic interests are threatened. Obviously a measure in the interest of big capital is the Coo- lidge-Mellon proposal to abolish the federal inheritance tax and at the same time insist upon a “less pronounced reduction” of the normal rate on small incomes. A program that aims to leave intact the great fortunes when their owners die and at the same time place a heavier income tax burden upon the smaller fry. Against this is the demand of the petty-bourgeois combination for perpetuation of the federal inheritance tax and the raising of the exemption on the “little fellows” to $3,000 for single men and $5,000 for married men. So desperate has Secretary of the Treasury Mellon become at this threat to again wreck his tax program that he has already yielded to the limit. In an effort to patch up the struggle within his own party he called into conference Representative Green, of Towa. Mellon’s program demanded a reduction of surtaxes on big incomes from 40 per cent to 15 per cent. Green informed him that such a reduction would defeat the whole program and proposed a reduction to 30 per cent. As a tentative proposition a tax of 20 per cent was accepted. 7 But a compromise on the tax question will not settle the struggle’ ihat is taking place in both old parties, for both of them are in a period of transition. \The democratic party since 1910 has been subservient to finance capital. In the east it is the tool of the House of Morgan; in the south and middle west it is petty bourgeois. The republican party, formerly the party of industrial capital, is rapidly being converted into the political expression of finance-capital. Since its spectacular triumph over Morgan’s League of Nations pro- gram in 1920, it has passed into the control of Morgan at almost the precise tempo that finance-capital has extended its control over _ industry. The great industrial mergers under the aegis of bank eap- ital shattered the economic foundation upon which the republican party formerly stood. But no political party, in a period of transi- tion, is ever able to reconcile all elements to its new policy. The “backward” elements persist for a period of time, determined by objective economic conditions. The democratic party, tho the chasm between its eastern and its middle west and southern sections are deep-going, as an opposition party with little responsibility, will probably present a united oppo- sition. In such an event the combination against the Coolidge- Mellon program will again doom it to defeat. “A Self-Acting Body of Armed Men” Hanford MacNider, the appointee of President Coolidge to the post of assistant secretary of war, is the living personification of the American legion in politics. He is a past commander of this nucleus of the American fas- cisti, having been elected in 1921. He is a banker and his father is a banker. Having been an officer in the Mexican expeditionary force and in the world war, he is that apothesis of American capitalist efficiency-businessman and militarist. The American government is assuming, as Wall Street takes mortgages on one country after another and monopolistic capital- ism at home creates a class of millions dependent upon the whims of a handful of masters, more and more the characteristics described by Engels: The second distinguishing feature is the establishment of a public power which is no longer identical with the population and whidh is organized as an armed force. - Engels was writing of capitalist society in the pre-imperialist period but the developments which he foretold have occurred in in- disputeable form. The war department is a super-government and one has only to read the capitalist press to understand that preparation for wars <> 390 T the end of the first month ‘of the /strike the situation in the Anthra- cite has not changed one iota. The mines are closed. The are idle, The newspapers carry usual line of propaganda. The paid advertisements appear regularly, The mayors have their squabbles with the head of the Anthracite Operators association over the check-off. The other demands of the minérs are com- pletely forgotten. Lewis appears now and then with a weak statement and although he does not “believe” in arbitration he appeared in conference with the Scranton chamber of com- merce to try and make a “settlement.” The same committee met Inglis, the head of the operators’ association the next day. (HE Lewis-Cappellini machine is satisfied. The miners do not know what is transpiring. Ask an average miner what is going on and he can- not tell you. The Communists are in the fight to make it a real strike. Mass meet- ings were called to defend the inte- rests of the strikers and to put forth the program of the Progressive Min- ers’ Committee and explain the aims of the Communists. Meeting after meeting has been stopped, or held without permit, permits being refused for many meetings, halls closed and crowd dispersed at several meetings. Treachery of Cappellini. After our Scranton meeting which was broken up and which resulted in Reid, secretary of the Progressive Miners Committee, and myself going to jail and Zarek and Toohey also being jailed later as a result of this meeting, followed by the conviction of Reid and Toohey on a trump-up charge of vagrancy, the Cappellini gang wrote the following letter to the authorities of Scranton. . é Sept. 28, 1925. Michial J. McHugh, Superintendant of Police, Scranton, Pa. Dear Sir‘ Your action in breaking up the meeting at Washington Hall, Scranton, Penna,, Saturday, Sept. 26, of representatives of the Soviet) movement of Russia ‘whose purpose is to destroy the orderly method of conducting the affairs of the United Mine Workers of America, incite | violence and the destruction of our) great labor movement was faken up) men heir By EARL R. BROWDER pid aes production continued the upward movement noted in August, after a slow but steady de- cline from February to July. Altho- August 1925 was more than 12% above 1924, and registered’ a positive in- crease over July, yet the index figure of the U. S. bureau of census, weight- ed to equalize seasonal changes, con- tinued to register a slight downward movement, production for September will pro- bably show that this has, been over- come. Certainly there is a large gain over the same month of one year ago: Steel Production Production of steel ingots for Sep- tember was 3,492,904 tons, an increase over August of 68,370 tons, and over September of last year of 665,279 tons. The average daily production in Sept- ember was 124,342 tons, as compared with 131,694 tons in August, and with 108,755 in September 1924. FILLED steel orders of the U. S. Steel corporation on Sept. 30th totalled 3,717,297 tons, an increase over Aug&st of 204,494 tons. This was the first gain in unfilled orders since February. Operations were 75% of capacity. First week in October, this had, increased to 80%, according to at a meeting of the jade Exec-} Workers of America.” Course of Economic Development in spment in September The continued upgrade of |- Tron Age of Oct. 8th. October book- ings are expected to show another in- By JOSEPH BRAHDY, HEN the cheering and clamor for of aggression and suppression of the working class at home and abroad are the chief problems with which the best minds of Ameri¢an capitalism are occupied. MacNider fits into this scheme of things beautifully. He is backed by an organization of ex-officers whose privileged position in the American armed forces during the world war merely whetted their appetites for further opportunity to exercise unquestioned authority. The legion is first of all eoncerned with “Americanism” and those who do not know by this that “Americanism” is synonym- ous with labor baiting of all kinds has not learned the ABC of the class struggle in the United States. Said Engels: The above mentioned public force increases with the intensi- fication of class ‘antagonism within the s' and with the growth in size and population of the adjacent s' The day of flabby civilians in important war department posts is over. The appointment of MacNider is an omen which class con- scious workers will read correctly if they view it as preliminary to the enactment of such bloody scenes in the United States as we are reading of in Panama. With Sheriff Peter M. Hoffman of Cook county in jail, the re- publican party in Chicago faces a serious situation. For years this ward heeler was the principal vote getter of that organization in Chicago and served many terms as coroner, previous to his election as sheriff. " tk Albert A. Purcell reached gigan- tié proportions at the: Carnegie Hall meeting arranged last Sunday by the socialist party, Shiplacoff, as a sort of vice-chairman, shouted angrily to the gallery, where the workers were sitting, “We are not interested in what you are saying. We want to hear what Purcell has to say.” Thus to pour cold water on the enthusias- tic reception tendered to Purcell was only one of the many acts of kind- ness. But, of course, *the socialist party was not interested in having the meeting hear what Purcell had To say, so they pushed him thoughtfully to the end of the list of speakers at a wearisome afternoon meeting, and he got the floor at 5:30 p. m., after a number of people had left. ND besides, instead of drawing meeting, they charged fancy prices, and for non-members of the socialist party the prices were especially ad- vanced thru the manipulation of “bonus” tickets; as a consequence, large sections of the house were un- occupied. None of the four Americaifj*social- ists” on thé platform's “about Trade Unionism, Pick Injune- f cogs f ee large masses of workers to the |~ utive Board, held Sept, 28, 1925, and) authoritiés were highly “commended” it was unanimously decided the Executive Board of District 1, Unit- ed Mine Workers of America, go on record commending your action taken in preserving peace and tran- quillty in our great city. We realize that you are impartial in this controversy and your only desire is to promote the peace of the community and we are in hearty accord with you in this policy. We again thank you and com- mend your action, and hope all pub- lic offigfals who have for their duty the enforcement of laws for peace and harmony follow your ‘example. Wishing, your’ continued success, we are, yours truly, RINALDO CAPPELLINI, Pres., District No. 1, U. M. W. of A. ENOCH WILLIAMS, Sec., District No. 1, Aa M. Wes of A. ND why not? These damn Pro- gressives and the Communists are raising hell! They are calling meetings, They are showing the work- ers the ONLY road to victory. No’ Union Meetings. On the other hand what has the Lewis-Cappellini gang done? NOTH- ING! NOTHING! In many instances even the local unions do not meet, because there is no-business during the suspension as’stated by a chair- man of a local union. Why? The corrupt gang of officials know that if meetings are called the rank and file would want to know “what's up.” What would the officials of the un- ion be able to tell the miners at a mass meeting? They would have to come out and explain a situation that is not explanable, without exposing their treachery. Speakers Defy Police. In Plymouth our meeting was brok- en up before the speakers arrived. In Luzerne the hall was closed by the burgess. The comrades spoke from the steps of the building. In Exeter the same thing happened. We took a nearby street corner. Cops inter- fered, but the crowd demanded that the speaker go on—and he went on. T Scranton meeting of Saturday, Sept. 26th, “the representatives of the Soviet movement of Russia” (long live Cappellini, the Mussolini of the Anthracite) were going to “destroy the orderly methods of con- ducting the affairs of the United Mine The Scranton crease.* In index figures, the comparison for August and September of iron and steel production is as follows: August September Pig Iron 1924 74 81 1925 106 107 Steel 1924, 1. 100 1925 122 124 Railroad Traffic. “Loadings of revenue freight for this season of the year continues to be well in excess of any correspond- ing period on record,‘\gays the Amer- ican Railway Association. The fol- lowing figures give comparison for the year to Sept. 26, with the previ- ous year, and weekly totals: Total car loading— 39 weeks up to 1925 1924 Sept. 26 ..... 37,846,925 35,701,943 Week of Sept. 5 1,102,946 921,303 Week of Sept. 12 975,484 1,061,781 Week of Sept. 19 1,098,428 1,076,847 Week of Sept. 26 1,120,645 1,087,954 Gross and net earnings of the rail- * All figures taken from current is- sues of Wall Street Journal, Commer- cial and Financial Chronicle, Federal Reserve Bulletin, Barron’s Weekly, Annalist, U. 8S. Commerce Report, U. S. Survey of Current Business, Bul- letins of American Railway Associa- tion and Bradstreet’s and Dun’s Re- view. ata * ALSERT A, PURCELL 7 . tions, Amalgamattion, Labor Unity, Labor Party, the Workers Party, the Socialist, the Communist, the Amster- dam International, the R. I. L. U,, China India, Egypt, the terror in Es- thonia, Rounaliay Hungary, Poland, about the stru; ex: cept two or 4 terms, none were ie in their “so- ae we AN, for the action taken in PRESERVING “peace” and “tranquility” in the great city of Scranton. The Scranton Arrests. Just what was our “crime”? Bring- ing forth the demands of the miners —of no arbitration, no compromise, the ten per cent increase in wages, the five-day week, six-hour © day and a labor party.. was enough to brand us a “disrupters” of the unio and who might overthrow the govern- ment any minute, if we are not be- hind the bars. So at this meeting appeared a dozen or so plainclothes police. After the meeting was broken up we were taken to the West End police station. After searching us and satisfying them- selves that we had no cannons or red regiments in our hip pockets they were assured that “our” country wag saved from “another revolution.” JN jail our belts were taken away from ust No newspapers were al- lowed us. In came the people of Scranton to see “the horrible Bolshe- viks.” Thank god they were behind the bars, or we would be living in a Soviet America! We were not lonesome in the ver- min-infested cells. Sunday dwindled into Monday and about ten in the morning Reid, Zarek and I were transfered to the city, jail of Scranton. Officials Visit Jail. Here the officials of the United Mine Workers appeared. These great Americans, whose motto is: “never to kick a man when he is down” surely did not live up to their motto, “Will ing lackeys” is the least that could be said about them. After telling us that we will be de- ported or ‘get twenty years on a hard rock pile, they reminded me of a little incident I went thru long, long ago. I was a little kid at the time I hap- pened to run across a funny paper. Not being able to-read myself, dad read the cartoon-story to me. It was a cartoon of a machifie invented by a man in which two boys were put thru a machine and came out old men, “Daddy, Daddy, that is bad about that. man putting. little boys in the machine, isn’t it?” “Yes,” said dad, “some people are bad.” HEN I was told “20 years of the hard rock pile,” I rome to the conclusion that I have reached the stage that I was to go thru the ma- roads for August continued to in- crease over the same month of last year, and also -inereased over July. ‘They were the largest since war times,” says the Commercial and Financial Chronicle. ROSS earnings were $554,559,318, an increase of over 47 million dollars. Net earnings were $166,558,- 666, an increase of almost 32 million dollars over August last year. It will be noted that again the “net” earnings show the greatest gain, even as in previous months. While gross earnings increased by 9.2 ‘per cent, nét earnings gained by 23.7 per cent. Only partly is this explain- ed by increased traffic; to a great ex- tent it is the result of smaller wages and longer hours of labor. For the nine months ending Sep- tember 30, building in the United States totalled five billion dollars, ac- cording to a review of the Indiana Limestone Quarrymen’s Association. “This exceeds any 12month period in history,” says the report. “Moreover, the barometer points to continued broadscale activity during the final quarter of this year: A building total of more than $650,000,000 for the whole nation was attained in Sep- tember. There is every reason to be- lieve that building will continue at practically the same high level for at least another year.” September building was 31% per sent greater than last year, altho slightly less than the previous month Intrigues Against Labor Unity cialist” speeches. They advised, how- ever, the workers to Pid for Thomas for mayor. Thomas made a bad “break, how- ever, when he burst into white heat of indignation against Ambassador Herrick for congratulating the Ameri- can aviators in Morocco, He forgot in his excitement to mention that the French socialists voted deliberately the money with which to buy these aeroplanes. The German socialist Braun was positively amusing. He boasted for half an hour about the “republic” of Germany, and how the monarchy was dead. ‘The proof was the fact that even Hindenburg took the oath of al legiance to the republic. Hindenburg’s oath to the republic is no more a guarantee for it than was Lieb- knecht’s oath to the monarchy; neither of them meant it, nobody -be- lieved either of these “oaths,” and it was a guarantee for no one except an out and out imbecile. HEN Purcell took the floor the workers in the audience receiv- ed him with the singing of the In- ternational (the socialists seem to have forgotten that song.) Purcell’s speech rang with orfe key-note: World tradg union unity, laber unity. He didn’t mention any 8, OF any or- gamigations, but he said that he was Fay owete of the many intrigues Free Speech in the Anthracite chine. They did not tell us why we were arrested. The charges? What were they? We didn’t know what we were held for. There is a sedition act here in this sta‘e. To send a person away for overthrowing a gov- ernment he hasn’t yet overthrown must have a 100% agreement from all the political bosses of the state. The little friction that exists between the city officials and Pinchot was pos- sibly the “bogey” that prevented this charge and so the federal authorities were “sicked” on, us. After being grilled by the Immigra- tion men and tle department of jus- tice we were led back to the cell. This place was not only “buggy” but also “lousy.” Federal Dicks on Job. Asked if I believed in force and vio- lence I told them it’s always the other side that uses that “animal” when we set out to achieve our pur- pose. EDNESDAY morning Mr. Isaac Shorr of the Civil Liberites Union arrived. He was told that the case was in the hands of the federal au- thorities and therefore the only man to see was the United States district attorney. After Mr. Shorr left to see the United States district attorney we were hauled out before, the mag- istrate. The magistrate must have been informed that the “revolution” existed only in his imagination, stuck true to his word when he said, “If the federal authorities will not take care of them I will decide later what is to be done with them.” Are You a Vag? What could we be railroaded on? Ah! Ha! “Vagrancy.” “Have you got a home?” asked. “Yes,” I answered. “What have you to prove it?” “You can call ‘up the landlady,” I answered. “Where do you work?” “I'm on strike now.” “Where did you work before the strike?” . “Bliss Mine, Nanticoke,” “What are you living on?” “I saved a few dollars before the strike.” “What have you to prove thundered the magistrate. be epee I produced a little red bank book (oh, how he likes that col- POSTE Baal ac lis ceskdrt che Acad ed behardnlonan aaah ak NA in which I had $150.00 at one time I was it?” Lumber: produc- Sep- for seasonal causes. tion continued -to increase in tember. f Petroleum. t Production of crude oil declined somewhat, altho continuing above last year. The daily average production for the week of Sept. 19, was 2,131,- 600 barrels; for Sept. 26, 2,107,400 har- rels, and for Oct. 3, 2,096,250 barrels. This compares with the week of Oct. 4, 1924, with a dajly average) of 2,010,- 450 barrels. Retail Trade. “Retail trade is steadily expand- ing.” The sales of mail order hous- es and chain stores continue the same Yate of increase reported last month. Total sales for nine months to Sept. 30, show an increase of 13 per cent over last year for the mail order houses. Chain stores show an in- crease of 14 per cent for the same period. Foreign Trade. Information of foreign trade is al- ways one month late, so that only now we have the figures for August. As expected, they show continned in- cre over Jily. Following is a sum- f latest figures: August 1925 1924 Imports ..$375,000,000 $254,000,000 Exports .. 383,000,000 330,000,000 Eight. Months Ending Aug. 1925 1924 Imports _....$2,764,768,000 $2,382,727,000 Exports 3,084,478,000 2,697,034,000 Coal Company Sues Union Miners for Loss of Business ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 15.— The Western Coal company of Cleve- land js suing the union miners of Steu- benville, Ohio, for damages suffered by the company during a strike which the bosses call an “unanthorized” strike, at the Franklin mine last August. 200 union miners are named in the suit for $6,417 damages. : F that were going on against unity, the~ world over, and also in America, Coming right fresh from the A. F. of L. convention, at a meeting held un-, der the very shadow of the black For- ward, with the slippery Hillquit in the chair, he knew whereof he was speaking when he referred to the many intrigues going on against unity. When he finished his plea for unity, a cloud of leaflets fluttered from the top gallery thru the ‘house, in which the Workers Party reiter- ates its appeal to the 8. P. for unity in the coming election. But, of course, a plea for unity leaves the socialist party cold; they are determined to lead the few.-workers who are still following them, to another bwindling of the socialist vote, to another ex- hibition of division, to another defeat. Build the DAILY WORKER August Valentine “ but dwindled down to $50.00 since the scrike. For this money I worked, like a mule. In the last seven months of work I produced some 4,60C tons of coal. Many a family was kept, or will be kept warm by this coal, This is a nice contribution for the upkeep of society. I wonder how many families and kiddies were kept warm by the hot speeches made by the petriots who are trying to save the country from these horrible “reds”? Not being able to railroad me on that charge, they gavé me twenty minutes to get out of town. Alex Zarek was released unconditionally the following day. Toohey was less fortunate than I. Having a mother to support in Pitts- burgh, he was stuck away in the “jug’” for six, months. The $30.00 in Reid's pocket did not save him from a Hkei sentence. I heard so much about the deporta- tion, that I got the deportation-phoe- bia. The first thing I did when I got into. Wilkes-Barre was to beat it to a barbershop and start proceedings at once to deport all the lice that landed on unwelcome territory. Had they been born there it would be a different matter. For this deporta~ tion” I had to pay $1.75 to the barber. Must Aid Prisoners. N conclusion. 1 want to appeal to all the miners and workers in gen- eral to help the two fighting com- rades. The boys were stuck into the “jug” for challenging the profits of the coal barons, and the soft seats ‘of the labor bureaucracy. Both could today enjoy the liberties that Cappellini and other traitors en- joy, but Toohey and Reid will never go back on the miners, as Cappellini did, Cappellini used radical miners to get into power and then turned right against them as demonstrated in the Indianapolis convention in January, 1924, when ‘he said, “I have dined and I’ve wined with them, but I wish to christ I'd have poisoned them.” How well I remember those words. Toohey and Reid are of a caliber that will stick to the men thru thick and thin, and therefore deserve your support. They feel more confortable in jail with a clear conscience than Cappellini on the outside. Workers of America! Fight to free the inprisoned figthers. Show this system that the real jury, the working class, is waking up. These figures do not include gold, which in the first eight months of 1924, showed an excess of imports of $256,647,000 while in 1925, gold net exports were $141,756,000, making a net addition to the export of values in 1925 by the United States of almost 400 million dollars over 1924, for the first eight months. Summary. Only one pessimistic note is sound- ed in the financial and commercial papers of the American capitalist class. That is a statement made by C. W. Barron, publisher of Barron's Financial Weekly, who said: “Business is too good. It is pros- perity and business expansion that breed the trouble for the future. Business is too good when it tempts large owners of stocks to part with their shares at rising prices and tempts the public to go into debt to buy them.” This statement would seem to be but a general recognition of the in- evitable cycle of capitalist production which must sooner or later call a halt to the phenomenal boom now be- ing experienced in America. But as yet there are no definite economic in- dications that this boom has reached its climax. “Both statistical records and reports from widely separated cities,” says Dun’s Review, “give in- creasing evidence of the ‘upward course of business.” CLEVELAND TO HEAR ENGDAHL SUNDAY ON A. F, OF L. CONVENTION (Special, to The Daily Worker) CLEVELAND, O., Oct, 15.—Every Cleveland worker who wants to get a peep “behind the scenes” of the Atlantic City convention of the Am- erican Federation of Labor must at- tend the mass meeting arranged by the Trade Union Educational League at the Insurance Center Bidg., 1783 Eadt 11th St., Sunday evening, Oct. ( 18, where J, Louis Engdahl, editor of the DAILY WORKER will speak on the American Federation of bor convention. *_e @ . WARREN, Ohio, October 15.— J. Louis Engdahl, editor of the DAILY WORKER, and its corres: pondent at the Atlantic City conven: — tion of the A, F. of L., will speak at the Hippodrome Building, Warren, Ohio, on Sund on the significance of the convention and its meaning to American labor, Peasants to See Movies. MOSCOW, Oct.. 15.7-A picture, en titled “Water in Nature” is now being produced. This film will con- duct propaganda for anti-drought measures among the peasantry, | \ | | ] ‘ he