The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 10, 1925, Page 2

——$—$$$< . PURCELL APPEAL IN CHICAGO = FOR WORLD TRADE UNION UNITY — GETS ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE Chicago workers assembled in the Wicker Park and North Side Turner halls, enthusiastically greeted Albert A. Purcell, | fraternal delegate of the British Trade Union Congress to the) American Federation of Labor convention at Atlantic City and) head of 22,000,000 trades union workers affiliated with the Inter- national Federation of Trade Unions, as he urged the unity of all | workers in the struggle against international capitalism. Both meetings were held under the auspices of a local Purcell | Trade Union Committee whose members were interested in the moyement now on foot to unite the workers of all lands into one | Pree lar ASAE EATEN A FG ts international trade union body Morton L. Johnson, of the Electri- eal Workers’ Union, acted as chair- man at Wicker Park Hall, Louis Look, chairman of District No. 8 (Chicago) International Associa- tion of Machinists, was chairman at the North Side Turner Hall gathering. Unanimous approval greeted a motion from the floor to make the Purcell meeting committee a perm manent body for the promotion of international trade union unity, Similar committees are being set up in the other cities visited by Pur cell. After a few introductory words, he introduced Purcell as the speaker of the evening. Shows Labor Divided. Purcell began by stating that he was proud of this opportunity to speak before the workers of Chicago in behalf of world trade union unity. He then began to vividly por- tray the disorganized condition which the workers of the world are in at the present moment. The Versailles treaty, Purcell said, hag not only split nations geographic- ally, but it has also split the labor unions, Where there had been pow- erful unions once today the trade unions were split into small language groups and there was little of union organization in many centers. He then pointed out the great need for unity in France where three unions exist, in Poland with three, in Ger- many with three, in Italy where the unions had been split and partially destroyed by the fascisti, and in Hol- land the home of the International Federation of Trade Unions, here there were six unions and over 139,- 000 workers in unions that were not affiliated with any national or inter- national union. Discusses Immigration. After he had shown the need for og in these nations he dwelt on e effect that immigration laws pass- éd in the United States had on the French workers. He stated that 2,- 000,000 workers, who would have gone to America, mostly from Poland and Italy, have gone to different industrial sections of France and there they have lowered the conditions of the French trade unionists. These work- ers were unorganized and a great task lay before the international workers’ organizations to organize these work- ers. He then described the conditions “of the miners of India, who are fore- ed to work 36 hours in one stretch and of women who often give birth to children while they are in the mines and of little children of eight and nine years of age working these hours. The men were receiving but one shilling and 10 pence and the wo- men 1 shilling and 2 pence per day. The coal mined under these condi- tions was competing in the interna- tional market with that mined in America and Europe. He proved that not only is this true of the mining industry but it is equal- ly true of the cotton industry as well. Cheap labor in the colonies is more and more displacing that of the high- ly developed industrial nations and GOOD Wm. F. Dunne, editor of The DAILY WORK- ER, goes to the | anthracite coal fields next week ‘to stay for two weeks, About Wednes- day, Nov. 11, daily stories a rd) DUNNE * 4 gressive Miners’ Committee. For Daily Worker Readers will appear analyzing the situa- tion in this scene of bitter struggle, bringing to workers the conditions existing there, supplementing the series of ar- ticles now running written by Alex Reid, secretary of the Pro- that the betterment of these condi- tions was not only the duty of the workers in India and China and the other colonial territories, but that it was the duty of the international working class. Big Army of Unemployed. In his speech, he brot out that in England at the present time there were at least, 2,000,000 workers un- employed, of which 1,500,000 were drawing unemployment benefits from the government, commonly “doles” by the capitalist press which was the most insulting term that the | capitalist tlass could invent to libel the working class, he declared. He | showed that these workers were en-| titled to the benefits they received for | they had paid the entire sum that was now being used by the government to pay them. He showed that the gov- ernment quota had come out of their | pockets in taxation and that the em- Ployers’ quota had come out of the! products they had produced. He denounced the campaign of vil-| lification which the capitalist press | has entered into against the unem-| ployed workers of England terming them paupers, etc., forgetting that | there was an army of 250,000 of the | most highly skilled workers produc- ed in England regularly unemployed, | due to the economic condition of | Great Britain. | He then spoke of the steps being | taken to bring the 6,000,000 workers | of Russia into a closer union with the workers of all other lands. He show- ed that in Russia the trade unions Tun all the economic institutions of the country and that they are a part called | Albert A. Purcell HAIRMAN British Trades Union Congress. Member of Parliament since 1923; chairman and member ‘ of Bureau of International Federation of Trade Unions; parliamentary secretary to National Fur- nishing Trades Ass’n.; chair. man National Gouneit'or ke’ | bor Colleges. Born 1872, London, Fa- |] ther a French 1 polisher. Prim. school; ‘self-edu- cated. Formerly a French polisher, Joined trade union 1889. General secretary Amalgamated French Polishers, 1900-10, which combined with Furnishing Trades Ass’n. Or- ganizer for new organization, 1910- 18; conducted furniture workers’ strikes in England and northern Ireland, 1897-1923; negotiated work- ing conditions in almost every fur niture manufacturing center since 1900. President Manchester and Salford Trades Council, 1922-23. Member General Council of British || Trades Union Congress, 1919-24. |] Member labor delegation to Rus- sia, 1920-24, Parliamentary Commit- tee, 1919-21, Labor member Munici- pal Town Council, 1904-10. Member Labor Party. ACA, Purcell From “American Labor Who's Who.” | DATES GIVEN PURCELL ON TOUR THRU THE U. S. | AND CANADIAN CITIES The trade union committee ar- ranging the Purcell tour has announ- ced the following dates for his speeches in several cities of the United States and Canada: Cleveland, Ohio, Nov, 10, at 8 p. m., at the Engineers’ Auditorium, corner Ontario and St. Clair. Toronto, Canada, Nov. 11, at 8 p. m, at Central Labor Union, Montreal, Canada, Nov. 13, at 8 p. m, at Central Labor Union. | New York City, Nov. 17, evening, at the New Star Casino. ATTEND PURGELL MEETINGS, SAYS GAP UNION HEAD (Continued from page 1) thus revealing that grasping greed is their only real aim in the “open shop’ campaign. In the face of these aggressive at- tacks of capital, labor must unite its ranks both nationally and interna- tionally to protect its positions and make possible the further improve- emnt of its conditions; not to speak of gaining an ever inoreasing control in industry. . A. A, Purcell, the ghosen spokesman of the British Trade Union Congress brings here a ringing message from our fellow workers in Great Britain for the world unity of labor. I was privileged to hear his appeal delivered at the forty-fourth annual convention of the American Federation of Labor, and it struck me as if it! was forged |by the century-long experience of the British labor movement. I do not know of any better way of promoting ‘the great cause of the world unity of ‘abor than by bringing the appeal and message of Brother A. A. Purcell and ‘he British Trade Union Congress which he represents, to every working man and woman of this country. I do not think there is a working man gr woman here who can afford to miss the opportunity to listen to and bene- fit by Brother Purcell’s great and con- vineing appeal on behalf of labor unity. There are signs indicating that the working people in every industrial country are beginning to Tealize how indispensable the unity of labor is. The splendid victory of the British miners which was gained as a result | of the united support of the entire labor movement of Great Britain and the International Federation of Min- ers was a striking example of what can be accomplished by the unity of labor in the field of ecoriomic action. The splendid victory just gained by the working people of Germany dur- ing the recent elections in Berlin, is another striking examp) f what can be accomplished by unity of labor within the fleld of political action. of the directives as well as the pe] * OF ANTHRACITE ductive forces of the nation, | Purcell declared that it was no con- cern of the British Workers, that are now trying to bring the Russian work- ers and the International Federation of Tradé Unions closer together, as to the political opinions held by the Rus- sian workers, but what concerned them was that the Russians had suc- ceeded in organizing 6,000,000 work- ers and that it was necessary to have these unionists in the international drive against internationally organiz- ed capitalism. He showed that with this tremendous power behind them they could much more easily organize the workers of India, China and other colonial possessions to wring from the capitalist class better working and living conditions. He urged the American Federation of Labor to rdopt the attitude of the British workers and to push unity of all workers in order to more effectively carry on the struggle against capital- ist encroachments. aA eeerera Another Hearst Merger. SYRACUSE, N. Y., Nov. 8— Pur- chase of the Syracuse Journal, one of the oldest newspapers in the state, by William Rudolph Hearst, was an- nounced here today. The Journal will be consolidated with the Syracuse Telegram, which Mr. Hearst establish- ed in Syracuse three years ago, and the combined papers will appear to- day as the Journal-Telegram. Want the Russian Workers, | | NEWS! Order a bundle for two weeks 2 cents a copy 3Y2 cents Saturday Enclosed ot LOP ssssssesneee copies of The DAILY WORK- ER to be sent every day for two weeks to: The strike now in progress; living conditions; the trade unions; the betrayals of the workers by the officialdom; the police and the courts, Street... This picture of the struggles of miners, written by an outstand- ing writer of the American rev- olutionary movement, should re- ceive the widest distribution. | (Continued from page 1) \is inereasing today with leaps and bounds. 4 Death List Growing Yearly. | Last year 538 men were killed in |the anthracite mines. This year the |rate is a great deal higher, and if the {mines had continued to work and | killed men for the remaining five |months of the year as they did the | first, seven months there would have | beenmswell over 600 more slaughtered. | The figures* prove conclusively that |the flésh and blood sacrificed by the | miners is but an insignificant item to the coal barons, and such instances must not interfere in the daily grind hot profit, even when ground out of |the lives of the murdered miners. | An Army of Cripples. | In 1928 there were 29,172 men in- |jured in the anthracite hell holes, many of whom would have been bet- ter to have been killed outright. Hun- dreds of them as a result of their ac- cident are totally incapicitated and doomed to a life of torture, a burden to themselves, their heartbroken wives and families. Hundreds of those undergruund wage slaves every year have their backs broken, are blinded, or inter- nally injured in a manner that leaves them totally helpless. In 1924, 30,241 men were injured. Picture this army of toilers, 30,000 strong being carried home to their loved ones on improvised stretchers, torn, crushed, and bleeding and you will readily understand the degree of suffeing in the human butcher shops. One-Fifth Killed or Hurt Yearly. Nearly one-fifth of the total number of men employed in the collieries each year are victims of the industry and killed or injured. But what does that terrible toll of death and suffering mean to the ghouls of finance who are waxing fat on the life blood of those tortured slaves. To bring this condition as force- fully as possible to the reader we will examine the official figures. Five hun- dred men killed per year means that every day the mines operate, two men die and they are carried home to two widows and their little orphaned chil- dren amidst scenes of sufferig, and anguish that no pen can describe. In an attempt to hide the degree of this suffering at this time the coal op- gratons thruout the anthracite region are pointing out that compensation benefits are paid the widows and or- phans. Compensation benefits! Filthy lucre in exchange for the life of the father and breadwinner, and what a compensation it is! A Benefit, Or a Sentence? The great state of Pennsylvania de- crees that twelve dollars per week be paid the widow to raise her family. Twelve dollars per week to pay rent, feed, clothe, and educate the children, mentioning nothing of fuel, sickness, doctor bills and taxes. Twelve dollars per week means death to all their hopes and aspira- tions, and dooms the victims to @ life of suffering and starvation, . eee ae ~ HUMAN BUTCHER SHOPS IN MINES:: REGION KILL AND CRIPPLE 30,000 MINERS YEARLY In 1924, 30,000 non-fatal accidents were reported. For evevy man killed there were sixty juted in the hell holes. Over are killed and injured per day. every man killed there is another tptally incapac- itated—will never again, be able to do any able bodied toil. into the hos- pitals situated in the heart of the an- thracite region when the mines are in operation, and you will find a con- dition beyond imaginatiéif. You will see victims by the dozen 4h untold ag- ony. 7 i : Like a Battlefield. Men with their eyes) blown out by coal shots at the working place in the mine, their heads and bodies pow- der burned and the flegh taken off to the bone, others gas burned with the skin completely ripped ’%rom their bodies. Others who oy Mbeen caught in falls have their legs jor arms ampu- tated while the suffering of those with internal injuries is beyond descrip- tion. In commenting on this awful car- nage, John L. Lewis in @ speech at Hazelton, in the Altomont Hotel, Au- gust 25, 1925, said “they paid the price. If some had to die, they died like men, If some had to be injured, they took the chance. In return for all that, they ask the anthracite op- erators, and they ask the public of our country for proper consideration and the payment of a wage that will jus- tify them in dying.” Killed Like Rats—Without a Chance. Here is the Lewis value of life, the price of dying. Toilers who did ng. die like men, but were killed like rais without a fightng chance, Blown and burned by shots and. gas, or buried by thousands of tons, of treacherous roof, and to compensate them for that, they ask for consideration and an in- creased wage scale, And what is that particular demand? Ready to Die for 50 Cents. They are demanding a considera- tion of ten per cent, increase in wages. Approximately fifty cents per day. No one knows better, than Lewis that the demand is pitiably inadequate and ridiculous. ff Fifty cents per day to workers whose wage is far the average standard of living, and to men whose life and Mmbs are ¢ontinuously in Jeopardy. Such a demand is an in- sult to the workers’ intelligence, “Small as this demand is, the an- thracite barons are seeking to have it arbitrated, Seeking to arbitrate the price for which over 500 men shall give up their lives, or how much a man may earn before his back is bro- ken of his Mmbs amputated, how much he may secure to his loved ones before his eyes are shot out, or the flesh ripped off his bones. The mine workers must never arbi- trate this battle, small as their .de- mands may be. Spurn arbitration as you would a poisonous reptile. We have been the victims of arbitration awards ey and not A a we ever been the benefisiaries of capital- EE) Lewis Fails to Reply to the Open Letter Sent Him by the Progressive Miners By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. Backes President Coolidge, writing his message for the session of congress that convenes next month, declares he will have nothing to say demanding action in the anthra- cite coal strike situation. No recommendations are needed, he says. we That means that Washington like Wall Street is satisfied with developments in the Pennsylvania strike field. * * On the one hand: The miners’ funds are running low. The bitter cold of winter is already here. Hunger and misery spread suffering. New York City, the New England states and other anthracite consuming districts, are beginning to freeze, especially the workers who were unable to put in an advance supply. PP that results in demands for the ending of the strike. Time presses against the strikers. ° ” e * On the other hand: The price of the dwindling anthracite stocks on hand mounts higher. This means greater profits for the mine owners and their agents, the wholesalers and retailers of anthracite. The profit press is on the side of the coal barons and helps place the blame for the continuance of the strike on the miners. Time is on the side of the coal profiteers- * * . * Since the “Strikebreaker” Coolidge administration is the ally of the mine barons, it therefore joins in the waiting game. It does nothing. All that can be done for the mine owners has been done. ‘ The militancy of the coal miners has been neutralized to some extent thru capitalist influence over their leaders, especially the miners’ president, John L. Lewis, who refuses “to fight the government.” n Jails are ready awaitingMleft wing spokesmen who urge a class fight by the mine wofkers against their exploiters. The local police departfhent, the county sheriff's office, the state militia, the infamous Pennsylvania “Cossacks,” the federal troops, all rest on their arms waiting the moment that they may be needed to crush the least display of active dis- content on the part of the strikers and their sympathizers. There are laws galore upon the statute books to keep the coal miners in submission. These are ready for use. But when laws stand in the way of the mine owners’ profits, like the anti-smoke ordinances of NeW York and other cities, these are sot aside and made inoperative. Coolidge doesn’t neet to act. ; . * * * The coal barons stand ready. to smash the strike at any cost. The mine workers cannot afford to waste one ounce of strength in the struggle for their victory. President Lewis has not yet answered the open letter of the Progressive Min- ers’ Committee that walks " “We demand, Mr. Lewis, that you call out the maintenance men and make it a real strike to force the Bosses to yield to our demands. “We are against any compromise which doesn’t give us the thing that is most important to us, better wages, so that we can give our families a better standard of life. ab “We urge that you and the executive board take immediate steps to create a’strike relief fund and pay strike relief. We have got to have this support to win this strike, and WE ARE DETERMINED TO WIN.” “Ask the 25 million workers of this country to come to our aid, Mr. Lewis, by sending out a general appeal for strike relief funds. “We ask you, Mr. Lewis, to demand of the railroad unions that they refuse to haul coal while the strike lasts.” President Lewis has not ahswered those demands ex- cept, of course, to make new attacks on the left wing of the miners’ union. Thus he plays into the hands of the mine owners, The mine workers call upon Mr. Lewis to help them win the strike. But with his help, or without it, they will win. LABOR THRONES PARTICIPATE IN NOV. 7 MEETNGS (Continued from page 1) security pact which has been drawn up by the capitalist nations as a new weapon to be used in their war against the Soviets of Russia, which have resisted the blockades, and the invasions of the capitalist class and to prepare ourselves for these new at tacks that the capitalists would mak on the workers’ an@ peasants’ gov- instead of rotting, has grown a head, feet, a body and has become a giant in itself.” In referring to capitalism in Ger- many, he said: “The Dawes’ plan js still alive, But Germany is dead. The Daw is an electrical injection that makes the dead body of Germany quiver every once in a while making it ap- pear that it has life.” He then pictured the financial bank- ruptcy of France and the attempt of the Painleve cabinet to stabilize the f ic. “Financial bankruptcy must be fol- lowed by political bankruptcy,” he de- clared, and characterized France as the feet of capitalism afflicted with r ataxia. ~ “But the victory of the Russian re- volution was but the winning of one battle in the world revolution and on this day it is up to us to consider what we the workers of America, can do to serve the best interests of the workers of Soviet Russia and of the workers of the world. “The condition of victory of the Russian revolution was a Bolshevik Party; the condition of victory of the American workers will be a Bolshe- vik Party. ‘ Prepare for Our Task. “On this day we should not only celebrate the victories already achiev- ed, but we should investigate how well we are prepared to do our duty; to not only insure the existence of Soviet power in Russia, but to extend of the capitalist class say the downfall of Soviet pow- er was only a matter of minutes. “The capitalist prophets thot that the workers were fools and that by continually predicting the downfall and suggesting the weakness of the Soviet power, it would cause them to Ere up hope and abandon the strug- gle. “We have found that even many friends of Soviet Russia have given up hope and began to believe that capitalism is firmly intrenched,” He then decried the tendency as represented by Lore in America, Fros- sard in France and the recent rene- gades of the Communist movement in England who believe that capital- ism is more firmly entrenched than ever. Capitalism Growing Weaker, “Ig capitalism really the giant that it was before the war?” asked Be- dacht, and then went on to show that tho American capitalism had become stronger, international capitalism had become weaker, é “From the body of ‘international capitalism an arm has been cut off, Successful De: The “our greatest -instrument is DAILY WORKER; “It {8 easy ‘to, get a lot of enthusi- asm over the celebration of the vic- tories of the Russan workers, but we must not forget ‘that these victories had to be paid for’ in sacrifices. It is up to us to show our appreciation of these sacrifices by strengthening our own organization so that we can bet- ter lead the American proletariat to yletory.” The speaker to follow Max Bedacht was Herbert Zam, national secretary ft the Young Workers’ League, who called the security pact signed at Lo- carno an attempt on the part of capi- talism to rehabilitate itself. He pointed out that the weakest link in the chain of capitalism is no longer central Europe where capital- ism was first introduced, but that it has moved to the colonial possession of Syria, Morocco, China, where re- volts against imperialist domination have broken out, He then reviewed the history of the formation of the Communist Interna- tional and spoke at length on the part that Karl Liebknecht had played in the organization of the youth against militarism, He showed that the fight started by Liebknecht has been taken up by many others, mentioning Crouch and Trumbull as two of those in this country who are fighting the imperialist policies of their masters. He urged the workers to organize and to struggle for the establishing of a Communist society in America. Sing Revolutionary So Following the talk by Herbert Zam, the Ukrainian workers’ chorus, in the colorful costumes of: their native land, sang a number of revolutionary songs. Max Shachtman, who followed the Ukrainian chorus, called upon all to make sacrifices, just as the Russian workers had done in the struggle urging the assembled workers to con- tribute to The DAILY WORKER. A collection was then taken up. Earl Browder, director of the re- search department, followed Max Shachtman, Come to Rejoloe. “We wonder how it can be that peo- ple come here and stay very late at night and listen to poor speakers. There must be a reason. You don't come here to hear the speaker at all. You come here to demonstrate.” *” He showed how the Russian revolu- tion stopped the imperialist world war and lifted Russia out of the mosaic of imperialism and showed the workers how to organize. He showed ‘that the greatest achievement of the Russian revolution, Was the organization of the Communist International for the organisation of which the capitalist class will never forgive the workers. He called upén the assembled workers to stand by the Communist International and thus Dledgé their alliance to the workers of Soviet Russia, » f * (Special to The Daily Werte DETROIT, Mich., Nov. 8~Workers turned out in great numbers here to join the ceilebration of the eighth an- niversary of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Many nationalities were represented at the gatherng, which hae oa at Finnish Hall. « . Louis Engdahl, editor of The DAILY, WORKER, was the fb Pn speaker, showing how the Boyshevik revolution, the basis of the world Pro- letarian struggle for power, had changed from the defensive during its first years to an offensive struggle against international capitalism, Bd- gar Owens, district organizer, was chairman, Barney Mass spoke for the Young Workers’ League. Alfred Goetz made the appeal for DAILY WORKER subscriptions, The Finn- ish band and the: Ukrainian, Finnish and other choruses furnished the musical program, with a program of gymnastics being given by a group of Finnish children, The program ended plan| With an address by a Finnish speaker and a playlet in Finnish, Altho an admisison was charged and in spite of the fact that many “subs” and much literature was disposed of, nevertheless, the audience also con- tributed $151.58 tho The DAILY WORKER collection. Fred Merrick Goes to Trial Nov. 30th At Pittsburgh, Pa. (Continued trom page 1) drew Mellon, secretary of the treas ury and prohfbition enforcement chief who ig also a heavy owner of distil- leries; Elbert Gary, one of the chief owners of Pittsburgh, tho he lives in New York City, and the big coal oper- ators. As Merrick and his associates were active in fighting for the work- ers, exploited by those capitalist bar- ons, they were slated for the prison and the charge of distributing a leaf- let, was as good as any other to hold ane cap capitalists of Pittsburgh give thelr right eyes to get Pred Mer rich behind the bars. They railroad- ed him once before and want to do it rege Shed have ae a lot of time money build - bound “frame-up”, ean thing on their side, except the work- ers. They have mone: crnment. 'Y, and the goy- @ battle line, in this in all cases of its kind: Trea Men rick and his comrades, the class conscious the masters of coal ed by all the They have every- ck