The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 30, 1925, Page 5

STARVATION, SLAVERY, SPEED-UP, SPY SYSTEM, WAGE CUTS AND THE BLACKLIST-IN PASSAIC MILLS By LOUIS ARTICLE 1: | PASSAIC, N. J.,.Oct, 28—A few. months ago the textile barons decided to make a country-wide wage cutting offensive. The attack started in the New England stat of wage reductions traveled from east to wet textile trade have now come to a crossroad where they have to choose, either to fight against wage reductions, or¢—————-—-—- to surrender and allow more present and future wage cuts, The Passaic Situation, The Botany Worsted Mills and Gar- field Worsted Mills under the control of the Botany Consolidated Mills, en- forced a ten percent wage reduction starting October 5, 1925. The 25 per- cent overtime bonus was reduced to 10 percent, With this order the wages of 6,200 workers were cut down, In the mills of this corporation the usual week is 48 hours, but at present the average {s only 28 hours a week. Before the wage reduction the new employes received 45 cents an hour and the old employes received 50-52 cents per hour, which meant a very “big wage.” The Pitkin Worsted Company on Oct. 10 announced a 10 percent wage reduction for 300, workers. The Passaic Spinning Company also reduced the wages of 1,200 workers 10 percent. Gera’s Bright Trick. The Gera Mills lays off its old em- ployes who worked for 45-48 cents per hour and then takes them back to work for 88 cents per hour. Be- sides this, the company makes such changes in its shift system, by which only the profits of the company are increased and the exploitation of the workers is intensified. The following companies, Forstman & Huffman, New Jersey Worsted Spinning Co, and Samuel Hird & Sons for the time be- ing deny their preparations for the same wage reductions. But the signs undoubtedly show that the wage reduction will be car- ried out in every mill, but not at one time, for the reason that the united action of the Passaic knitters would be that much ‘harder. Starvation Campaign. This series of wage cutting was preceeded by a starvation campaign in the fullest sense of the word. One company after another reduced its work, so that the army of those out of work should scare those yet at work. One mill after another started the parttime work system and without exception the time and earning of the workers was reduced to onehalf of thelr regular earnings. Thus the wagé reduction of the Pas- saic mills was prepared by the tex- tile ‘barotis that’ the workers being frightened and fearing to lose their daily bread should submit themselves, without revolting ‘to this attack. Espionage System, Slavery. Many remember*yet the revelation of the espionage system enforced in the textile industry made by Miss J. W. Wise. Miss Wise «writes in the April 6, 1925, issue of the New York Times: “Passaic and- other Jersey mill owners blacklist tle workers.” If one who looks like a worker gets off. the railroad iat the Passaic sta- tion with a*hand bag in his hand he is followed by the spies of the tex- tile barons. These spies often wedge themselves into the homes of the workers and report to their masters. I found many families where the women worked from 7 o'clock in the evening till 5 o'clock in the morning peeree es KOVESS. | and since then the waves The toiling slaves of the and the man from 5 o'clock in the morning till 7 o'clock at night. If somebody is thought suspicious in one of the mills he cannot get any moré work in any of the mills in Passaic. ‘The central office of the textile bar- ons, the Woolen Council, is at the same time the centre of the black- Mating, This’ situation remained after the above revelation was made, only the bosses became mor careful and as @ result some of thé textile barons formally dropped out from the Woolen Council. gh Child Stavery. In the Pas#aic knitting factories, 15-year-old children work in the “good days,” that means in the time of long working hours for 8-10 ‘dollars, and now for 4-5 dollars’ week. Distress, wage reduction, espionage system, slave conditions—no wonder that the Passaic knittefs feel that the measure is filled.” Rebellion Brewing. | The Passaic knitter is no longer that humble slavé who can quietly endure everything as in the past years after the union was broken. To- day he is dissatisfied and he will not keep this a secret. He revolts and THE DAFLY WORKER OF WEST, SAYS QUEZON MANILA, Oct. 28—Manuel Que- zon, president of the Philippine senate in discussing a Chinese im- migration bill being considered by that body today, urged the elimina- tion of anything antagonistic to the friendship of China, “The treat- ment being accorded the Chinese by western peoples is offensive to us,” Quezon said, “We, too, are orient- als.” Legion Bill Demands Universal Draft for Next Natl. Emergency WASHINGTON,—Universal draft of the man-power and material resources and industrial organizations of the United Sti , in time of national emergency, is proposed in a bill which the American legion, thru its national legislative committee, announces it will offer in congress in December. “The bill gives to the president the authority to take the necessary steps to stabilize prices of comnfodities,” the legion says. “It will draft into the service of the United States all persons between the age of 21 and 30 or such other limits as may be fixed, without exception on account of in- dustrial occupation, and will proclaim the material resources and industrial organizations of the country under government control during the period of the emergency. “During the last session of con- gress such a bill was introduced in the begins to realize that he can not lose anything but his chains. s The Passaic knitters have learned that they have to organize them- Selves, But how should they organ; ize? This question we will answer in our next article, this being the first article of a series on conditions in the Passaic mills. Put a copy of the | DATLY WORKER in your pocket; when you go to your union ‘meeting. house by Rep, Royal Johnson of So. Dakota and in the senate by Sen. Capper of Kansas. These bills will be again introduced and every effort made to secure their enactment into law.” Debt Settlement Wrecked LONDON, Oct. 28.—The tentative Anglo-French debt settlement plan has been wrecked by the fall of the Painleve cabinet, according. to official opinion here. It is not.believed that the status of the Locarno pacts will be affected. GENERAL LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT TEN PER CENT BELOW 1923; BUT TWO PER:CENT OVER A YEAR AG ‘By LELAND OLDs (Federated Prese Employment gains between Augui work for upwards of 75,000 factory workers in New Yor! Pennsylvania, according to-reports from the s' these states employ over a quarter of reports indicate the usual fall’ revival, Industrial Editor) st and September meant a return to ‘ik, New Jersey and le labor departments. As all factory ‘workers in the counrty the The reports, however, ‘show the general level of employment in these states fully 10 per'cent beloW average employment in 1923. lot & Germans View Calmly French Cabinet Fall sor ss) BERLIN, Oct, 28,—German’ foreign policy will undergo no revision’ as a result of Painleve’s resignation, the German press agreed today:” lief seemed consistent ‘with “Paris advices, which reflected thé pinion there, that Aristide Briand Woulll con- tinue as foreign minister. +e Collapse of the franc and*Caéfllaux’s failure to conclude an Aniérican' debt settlement were the causés*séen by the German newspapers for Painle- ve's resignation, OUK DAILY PATTERNS Fully a quarter million workers who had employment in the factories of these states two years ago are not on the payrolls to- day. j Not So Much As Last Year, New York reports a gain of 2 per 2ent in the number of factory workers in September compared with August. The gain between August and Sep- tember a year ago amounted to 4 per cent, but according to the state labor commissioner, industry was then pull- ing out of a worse depression, He notes that this September the. level of employment is also 2 per cent over @ year ago, Pennsylvania reports a gain of 1.3 per cent in factory employment be- tween August and September. In this state the improvement compared with @ year ago amounts to more than 5 per cent. In New Jersey the gain over August was 5.5 per cent and 4.5 Pla 3°KO UPERINTENDENT WILLIAM Mc- ANDREW has drawn up a new salary schedulé for teachers which he has presetitéd to the board of educa- tion, " The schedule has not as yet been adopted by the school board because of the greater financial burden it would place on its already depleted treasury. Consequently deductions were formed and stories began to cir-| culate that the schedule calls for an| increage in teachers’ salaries. In that| role it is being exploited by McAn- drew and his whole retinue of boost- ers from ‘the Chicago Tribune, the mouthpiece of big business, to the civic clubs with their representatives of big busiriess, the very same busi- ness interests’ which imported Mc- Andrew to ‘Chi¢ago to do their bidding | on the school board. The hypocritical arguments adyan- ced by MeAndrew and echoed by this group ig that teachers’ salaries must be raised to meet the higher cost of living. McAndrew takeg on the role of champion sof the teachers’ cause. McAndrew;'who has robbed the teach- ers of their“céuncils, who has denied them theetight to receive notices of their federation meetings, who has burdened them with rules that harrass them at every turn, dons the cloak of teachers’ ‘benefactor and goes forth begging for more humane. ¢onsidera- tion of the teachers’ needs. Will He Get Away With It? Already’ McAndrew has succeeded in causing the division in the teach- ers ranks which he is working for, and the principals take the position of boosting the schedule disregarding entirely the fact that by this move they are placing themselves on record’ of favoring ‘a cut in wages for the large bulk of teachers. He has used them to work upon the mayor of Chi- cago and upon various organizations, getting them to write letters and to make personal. calls to talk up the schedule, z Stony :Told by Figures. The figures of this schedule are giv- en in fulldm the latest number of the Teachers’ Bulletin and they carry an entirely different message to the 266 Elementary Pincipals F Lower Group promises of fatter envelopes at the end of each month, the teachers will a cut in wages. These figures show until the seventh year of teaching when there are recommendations for an increase. In other words the sion to be given to another, For this system will be affected. For instance the size of classes will be inereased even more than those who are to be favored with an increase. These econ- omieg will help increase the salaries of a small aristocracy of the staff, thus creating a division of interests. There are 11,334 teachers in the Chicago schools. Out of this group there are 8,602 elementary ‘teachers, 266 elementary principals, and 2,466 high school teachers, If the proposed McAndrew. schedule is adopted by the "| board of. education it means thatthe large bulk of teachers will have their wages docked and in many cases,a very serious cut in wages as will be seen from only a glance at the tables teachers of Chicago. Instead of the rer cent over a year ago. But thescapparent gains in these states compared with last year indi- sate steadier employment rather than more employment. More employment in the- summer and early fall has been secured at; theicost of employment in the winter:, This appears in the fol- lowing figures showing average em- ployment in the first nine. months of 1924 and 1925. expressed.as a percent- age of the, ayerage number employed in 19825 cner a First 9 months Percent of 1923 Employmént°In “1924 1925 New York® 91.6 89.9 New Jersey *“ 89.3 85.8 Pennsylvania 90,2 86.7 So far in 1928 employment has aver- ged nearly’ 2° per cent below 1924 in New York, “4 per cent below 1924 in New Jerséy“and 4 per cent below in Pennsylvania!” The level is 10 per cent below 1923 in New York, 14.2 per cent below iii New Jersey and 13.3 | per cent below in Pennsylvania. | Meanwhile’ ‘Wages stay up with em- | at present’bé réduced but that foreign | ployers asserting that they must not | competition must be met with effi- | ciency and + more efficiency. As efficiency ns among other things reductions ip ‘Wage costs thru getting production with fewer employes, a re- ; turn to anything like boom employ- ment is remote. The danger is that a slowing up of the overdone building boom will bring another period of seri- ous unemployment and wage defla- tion. RUSS POLITICAL PRISONERS UNDER ‘CZARIST RULE PROTEST AGAINST HORTHY PERSECUTION OF RAKOSI MOSCOW, October 28.—The association of former political prisoners consisting of Bolsheviks, mensheviks and social reVolutiénaries who fought against czarism, held a protest meeting against the white terror in Hungary. The Moscow branch of the association has 1,620 members, who total 10,063 years of hard labor in sentences received from czarist courts. This branch inch material. Cut in 4 years. A 10 year size reqires 4% yards of 36 inch material. Price 12c. 5244. CHILD'S PLAY SUIT. Cut in 4 sizes: 2, 3, 4 and 5 years. A 4 year size requires 2% yards of 36 inch material. Price 12c. Cut in 7 sizes: 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 inches bust measure, A 38 inch size requires 4% yards of 40 inch mateairl with % yard of con- trasting for trimming as illustrated. Price, 12c. 4933. LADIES’ COAT, Cut in 7 sizes; 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 inches bust measure. ,A 40): inch size requires 3% yards of 64 Price 12c, de} lew York tap hl WASHION BOOK NOTICE! fend lac In silver or) stamps for out’ up-to-date Fall and Winter, 1926.26, Book 0: Fasiio showing color plates eiKns of taining | o ‘. i nd chit 0 20 ot ene wari 1 valuable bint i fe sold thru: the H ORKER pat! partment are fur- nished a N ttern has adopted the following resolution: “We have in our ranks veterans of the Paris Commune, the ‘Narodni Volya’ and the ‘Semlia and Volya.’ Many of us do not belong to the Rus- sian Communist Party. Despite the differences of opinion amongst us we point unanimously to the experience of all revolutionary struggles, that if the sword of reaction falls upon the leaders of the revolutionary parties, then the whole people is struck. We therefore raise our voices {n protest against the white terror in the bour- geois countries, against the Horthy bandits who intend to place Rakosi, Weinberger and the other Hungarian comrades before an extraordinary court. We appeal to all workers and peasants and honest persons of all shades of political opinion, to thrust aside their differences and undertake everything possible to save the lives of Rakosi and his comrades. “Hands off Rakosi and the other ungarian revolutionaries! ‘Fight for the freedom of the strug- gling workers!” What’ do you earn? What are con- litions* in’your shop? How do you live? Write a story for The DAILY WORKER, Fotigieatian tistribute The DAILY wo! Mitchell’s Attorney Demands General Be Excluded from Jury WASHINGTON, Oct., 28.—The de- fense of Col. Mitchell, who went on trial here before a military court on a charge of “conduct prejudicial to military diciplipe” struck the first blow by challenging the right of Brig. General Albert J, Bowley, command- ant at Fort Bragg, N. C., to sit upon his “jury of generals.” The challenge was made by Rep. Frank Reid, civilian counsel for Mit- chell, who declared Gen, Bowley had shown prejudice to the flying colonel in @ speech made before the Amer- ican legion meeting at Greenville, S C,, on Oct, 20, 1925. If you wait to thoroughly un- derstand Confmunistr—study it. SS rca To Help Givil War Victims. MOSCOW,—(Tass)—Oct., 28.—The people's commigsariat of agriculture has applied to.the council.of people's commissaries as! it to create a which we reprint at the end of this ‘ 12,102 Members of ELEMENTARY TEACHERS be greeted. with the direct opposite, | that the various divisions of teachers | will be given a direct cut in wages} money will be taken from one divi-| increase other changes in the school} and that change will affect all teach: | ers, those receiving a cut in wages | h School Teachers LOSSES TO TEACHERS OF LOWER GROUP IN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SALARY SCHEDULE IS ADOPTED article, The Chicago Teachers’ Federation has gone'on record as being opposed to‘this ‘salary schedule. Their protest should, however, carry with it defin- | ite recommendations for an increase in: wages; which would include all the | LOWER Cumu- lative - Year of Poposed Schedule Schedule $2000 2100 2200 2450 2700 $2000 4100 6300 8750 11450 JUNIOR HIGH SC LOWER Cumu- lative Salary $1800 3700 Year of Poposed Schedule Schedule $1800. 1900 2000 2200 2400 7900 10300 | | Present Salary Schedule $2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 Present Schedule $1800 2000 5700 2 2400 2550 Page Five Wage Cut for Teachers in’ Chicago 8,602 Elementary Teachers Comparative Size of the Three Main Groups of Teachers in the Chicago Schools Comprising 11,334 of the Total the Education department. IF THE PROPOSED ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS Lower Group i Sumuc Cums Sums] VSM proposed Glonilative “Wrestht! lative lative, iain acheuuie Gsheauie. Salary schedule Salary) Gain’ Loss| Schedule Schedule Salary Schedule, Salary Gain \ Loss 1 $1500 $1500 $1500 $1500 0 0). 2 $4000 $4000 $3000. $3000 $1000 0 2 1550 3050 1625 0 $75) .2 4250 8250 3200 6200 2050 0 3 1600 1750 0 225) 3 4500 3460 9600 3150 @ 4 1800 1875 0 300). 4 4750 3600 13200 4300 0 5 2000 2000 0 300] 5 5000 3800 17000 ©5500 0 teachers so that they would be able to meet the increased cost of living. And this recommendation should also carry a demand for decrease in the size of classrooms to enable the teach- ers to give more attention to the chil- dren individually, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS—GENERAL CERTIFICATE GROUP Cumu- Cumu- lative lative Salary Gain Cumu- lative Loss $2000 0 0 4200 0 6600 0 9200 0 12000 0 $100 300 450 550 HOOL TEACHERS GROUP Cumu- Cumu- lative tative Salary Gain $1800 0 3800 0 6000 0 8400 0 10950 0 Cumu- lative Loss 0 $100 300 500 650 2200 By CARL HAESSLER ( CHICAGO, Oct, 28.—(FP)=“ft’s fo outright under certain Chicago citcuim tried by the courts. It will be.net you to death under these circumstances, the police and he is convicted: displayed on bright purple and gold jewelers will “pay the sum of $1,000 in cash to any peace officer or to any employe or agent of any jeWeler }in Cook county, Ill, who shall kill any person robbing or attempting to rob said jeweler, provided, however, that such killing shall be necéssary and justified under the laws of, the | State and take place while said peace officer or employe or agent of said jeweler is resisting the robbery. of said jeweler’s store or stock of mer- chandise or effecting the arrest of such robber or is attempting to pre- vent the escape of such robber.” The designation jeweler includes jewelry, clock, watch and silverware manufacturers, wholesalers and retail- ers, and diamond importers and deal- ers in Cook county, Only $250 Reward Alive. At the same time, the poster con- tinues, “a cash reward of $250 will be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone participatng in a robbery with a gun, or attempted robbery with a gun of any regular established jeweler in Cook county.” 4 In each case not only robbery but “attempted” robbery will whip a vi- sion of $1,000 before the excited eyes of underpaid jewelry clerks who will feel authorized to use their guns in crowded stores, not only against rob- bers, but against people whom they consider as would-be robbers attempt- ing to escape. The, temptation to save life and catch the supposed robber will be just one-fourth as strong. The same is true of the police or deputies who will get only $250 for possibly risking their lives in making arrests but will get $1,000 for risking the lives of the public or of possibly innocent sus- pects. * The friend of the workers is the enemy of the bosses! -$1:25 Durptlex, ‘overs special fund to'help the, population which suffered during the civil war, ap — Ti TA HS GENTLE JEWELERS’. REWARD FOR DEAD ROBBERS.A SUBSIDY GIVEN TO POLICE FOR USELESS MURDER | $1,000°Reward If Dead. The circumstances are laid down by the Chicago Jewelers’ Assn. and Federated Press Editor). ur times more profitable to kill a man stances than to have him arrested and $1,000 to choke or club or shoot a man It will net you only $250 if you inform posters. The posters promise that the Labor Commissariat Shortens Workday of | All State Servants MOSCOW,—(Tass)—Oct., 28—The | people’s commissariat of labor and national inspection issued a new de- cree fixing the working day for all ‘Servants of menial work in the state offices at six and a half hours a day with an internal of half an hour for | dinner. Build the DAILY WORKER with subs. is now in se: THE CONGRESS IS ON! The American Negro Labor Congress LONDON POLICE MAKE & DISCOVERY; COMMUNISTS OVERTHROW CAPITALISM! LONDON, Oct. 28. ‘Our task is to expose the real capitalist class nature. of. the state, to undermine the state.and its authority, and to eventually overthrow it." This sta- tement from a Communist circular was réad in Bow Street court today as evidence against the twelve Com- munists Who are on trial, charged with ‘attempting to incite to sedi- tien. The police offered a consider- able amount of similar evidence. Course in English, Workers’ School 2 Nights a Week Now NEW Y¥ORK, Oct. 28.—Due to the general demand on the part of stu- dents registered for the elementary English course at the Workers’ School will be given two nights a week in- stead of one as previously arranged for. The fee will therefore be raised from $2.50 to $4.00. The instructor will be Comrade Ella G. Wolfe. ssion at the RUSSIA TODAY Metropolitan Community Center, 3118 Giles Avenue, near East 31st Street. Business session in the day, nightly mass meetings. Different program each night. Come and hear the best speakers of both races of the American Labor Movement. Elaborate musical program, To close, the event, a Grand International Ball and Program Saturday evening, B o'clock, October 31, Admission to dance, 36 cents, all else free. Lovett Fort-Whiteman, National Organizer, H. V. Phillips, National Secretary. Official Report of the British Trade Union Del- egation to Soviet Russia. DAILY WORKER $1.75 BLISHING COMPANY Cloth Bound 119 W. WASHINGTON BLVD. Chicago = ILL, 3 a0 en rte re