The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 12, 1925, Page 2

Page Two THE “DAILY PAINTERS WHIP REACTIONARIES IN LOCAL 300 Expelling Progressives Moved to Referendum (Special to The Dally Worker) SEATTLE, Wash. Nov. 10.—The Seattle Painters’ Local No. 300 once more administered the conservative element in that union a terrific blow, when by a vote om more than four to one it decided to submit for a refer- endum vote of the International the striking out of a clause in the consti- tution adopted in the last convention held at Montreal, This clause, while it is weak and meaningless, nevertheless smacks as being originated in a class collabora- tion paint shop and, moreveor, it has dangerous feature in it, as it tends to divide the membership according to their political opinions, while at the same time it puts a club into the hands of the officlaldom to be used against all progressive elements and all opposition to the official machine, including Communists. Conservatives Caucus For weeks the conservative ~ele- ments in the local union have been busy rallying their forces to defeat the resolution submitted, thinking that by such an accomplishment they would hurt the standing of two prom- inent leaders in the local labor move- ment and in that body. The resolution follows: “WHEREAS, This amendment, if allowed to stand and be put into ef- fect can and will be used to expel any member who is opposed to class collaboration and advocates united and militant action by the workers against the bosses; and Oppose. Persecution “WHEREAS, This amendment makes possible the persecution and expulsion of members who are ‘not only complying with the laws of the union but who also worked tireless- ly for the upbuilding and betterment of the organization for many years merely because of their political opin- ions and affiliations; and “WHEREAS, This amendment not only discriminates against members because of their political views, but it also intimidates members by fear of expulsion so that they dare not ex- presses their convictions on import- ant questions pertaining to the union in contradiction to ideas and wishes of the officialdom, thus creating gag rule; and Officials Disrupt the Union. “WHEREAS, The effect of this amendment when enforced will be to divide our members instead of solidi- fying and uniting us in a common struggle for the better things or life; therefore be it “RESOLVED, That Local Union No. 300 most emphatically disapproves and condemns this amendment be- cause it is contrary to our right of free speech and minority expression; it gives the officialdom a weapon by which they can suppress any one op- posing their rule.” Send for a catalogue of all Com- munist literature. Eleven Delegates of the I. W. W. at 17th Convention (Continued from page 1) overdue, according to the objectors to his being seated, and sufficient to disqualify him under the constitution- al rule that to be eligible as delegate a member must be in continuous good standing for 18 months. To be in con- tinuous good standing, it was pointed out, one must not have allowed his dues to become over sixty days in arrears, In his defense Lamson pointed. to the calendar and its. illustration of the fact that January has 31 days but February had only 28—and as it was not leap year he would not be over sixty days in arrears until after the second of March, the day on which he paid up, had passed into eternal time. Do Wobbly Secretaries Sleep? The debate then turned on whether he had paid his dues before or after midnight on March second, and tho it is unusual for I. W. W. secretaries to do business after midnight, and altho Lamson asked for the floor to put his side of the question, he was ruled out by a vote of six to five, again missing out by a narrow margin. A resolution presented by the small industrial union convention was brot up. It was very brief and contained the following resolve: “, . . that there is no conflict between the principles of proletar- jan revolution and the principles of industrial unionism as set forth by the I. W. W..” A motion not to concurr with this was debated. It appears that in the small industrial union convention a resolution was offered by Alfred Kohn, manager of the I. W. W. print- ing plant which said that: “The |. W. W, is primarily a revo- lutionary organization and only sec- ondarily a labor union.” The resolutions committee, to which Harrison George had been elected by the small industrial union convention, had unanimously propos- ed the substitute of “no conflict” given above. The small industrial union convention had accepted this substitute of its committee almost unanimously Is the 1. W. W. a Political Party? But apprehension existed. Harri- son George being on the committee the words of a resolution handled by it might not mean what they appear- ed to mean. Some of the delegates to the general convention took the point of view that they didn’t mean anything at all. No one appeared to wish to say what they meant. A debate on revolutionary prin- ciples was avoided. The resolution declaring that there “igs no conflict between the principles of proletarian revolution and the principles of in- dustrial unionism as set forth by the {. W. W,” was voted down, indirectly upholding the views of the motion in the small industrial union to which it was a substitute, the effect of which was that the I. W. W. is a political party and not a labor union. No Bank Crash Indictments, CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia. Nov. 10.— No indictments have been returned by the grand jury investigating the failure of the Central City Savings Bank. The jury, which has adjourned, was called by a depositors’ committee considering the advisability of bring- ing civil action agaisnt officers of the bank. Worker’s Memorial Day By PASQUALE RUSSO. It is customary, annually, in the United States to commemorate the soldiers killed on the battlefields of capitalism. As we know these sol- diers died victims of the two children of ignorance, fanaticism and patriot- ism. They died fighting the battles of their exploiters in the vain belief that they were fighting for their coun- try which in truth belongs to the cap- italist class. Knowing these things, workers should not attend services designed to laud those who died in the service of capitalism. To call attention to a greater service to the country it is suggested that we set aside November 11 of each year as a memorial day to commemorate those soldiers of the working class who died in the service of working class freedom. Looking back over the history of the class struggle we find that Nov. 11 is reddened with the blood of mar- tyrs killed in the service of the work- ing class. To dedicate this day to their memory would not only be a tribute to the great work which they did but it would hearten those who remain, Tragic Facts of Nov. 11. On November 11, 1887 four of our noble comrades were murdered in Cook county jail, Chicago. Their names were: August Spies, George Engel, Adolph Fischer and Albert R, Parsons. They fought the McCor mick family interests and as a conse- quence were murdered, true martyrs to the cause of working class emanci- pation. rd In November, about the same time in the month, Joe Hill the famous Wobbly poet was brutally killed in the penitentiary at Salt Lake City, Utah. A bit earlier in the same month five valiant workers were killed by agents of the lumber trust in the state of Washingto.. They gave their lives for the right of free speech and the right to organize the workers. They were Felix Baran, Hugo Gerlot, Gustav Johnson, John Looney, Abra- ham Rabinowitz. This massacre took place in Everett, Washington, Novem- ber 11, 1919. On the evening of the very same day at Centralia, Wash, Wesley Everest, an American logger was lynched by a mob of 100 per cent American ruffians for having valiantly opposed the nefarious designs of the lumber barons, Reminding ourselves of these events }it becomes our duty to commemorate the acts of our valorous comrades who died on the firing line in the war against the despotism of capitalism. Organize! Joe Hill, one of the above mentioned martyrs said; “Don’t mourn for me, but organize!” Advice such as that is valuable, Merely shedding tears will get us nowhere, But we can ‘recall their heroic deeds and give them their measure of due respect by fol- lowing their example in uncompromis- ingly fighting the capitalist class. To carry the class struggle forward; to prepare for the battles of the coming social revolution, this is our task. By emy; by giving blow for blow is a valiant way to commemorate Worker's Memorial Day. presenting a united front to the en-|* NEW MURDERS IN DAMASCUS UNDER FRENCH Battle Raging Outside Stricken City (Special to The Daily Worker) BEIRUT, Syria, Nov. 10—French frightfulness still rages thruout Da- mascus and the territory between that stricken city and Homs, extending even into Aleppo. Another grim chap- iter to the bloody crimes of the French occurred at Damascus on Sunday when three Bedouins were publicly hanged by soldiery in a public square and left suspended in the air for hours while |the crowds milled in the streets read- ing the placards that were attached to each of the bodies warning the pop- ulation that such would be the fate of all who did not submit in silence to the terror. One placard read: “If more French officers are attacked you will hang like clusters of grapes from every public place in Damascus.” Damas- cus is still a city of death and there is no sign of life except the sharp tramp of the feet of soldiery and the occasional fusilade of bullets as now murders are committed against the in- habitants of the city. Battle Raging. This morning there is a battle raging in the section between Damascus and Homs where French cavalry have en- gaged a part of the republican army. French troops have been roaming the country pillaging the farms, stealing and butchering sheep and other live +stock, burning food provision houses and endeavoring in every manner to destroy the rations that might be available for the Syrians and Druses fighting against imperialist aggression. Tanks, cavalry, light and heavy ar- tillery, instruments for hurling liquid fire and poison gas equipment have been sent out of Damascus to meet the rebels and the French boast that they hope within the week to destroy the rebels. Burn Villages. In their campaign of ruthlessness the French are burning villages and murdering men, women and children wholesale, while thruout the whole countryside between Damascus and Homs groups of homeless families are foraging without food and sleeping in the open at night, only to aimlessly wander onward the next day—whither they know not. Efforts are being made by the French to throw a line between Syria and Arabia in order to stop the desert people from swarming to the aid of the rebels. Reinforcements from Morocco are expected to arrive and will be used for that purpose. Rebel forces are mobilizing for a sec- ond attack within the week in an ef- fort to, dislodge the French troops from their base of supplies in Damas- cus. The rebels have destroyed railway bridges in order to prevent the French troops moving over the lines, thereby hampering the activity of the invaders. After cutting the railways Druse tribes- men succeeded in seizing Derat (Deraya, about seven miles south of Damascus) and will try to concentrate forces for an offensive against the southern part of the city where the French are. encamped. Chang Tso-Lin Troops in Mutiny After Lost Battle (Continued from page 1) own bodyguard who trie dto assassin- ate him, while the commander of Chang's fifth division was shot by his troops. Feng to Fight Chang. Major engagements are expected near Peking any day between the amies of Feng Yu-hsiang and the troops of Chang Tso-lin, On every side Chang is being pressed by hostile forces. His troops in mutiny, the sol- diers of Yueh Wei-Chun, governor of Honan province and ally of Wu Pei- fu, together with the troops of Sun Chuan-fang, of Chekiang province, are advancing rapidly after driving Chang’s armies out of Kiangsu prov- ince with a great battle at Huschow, where General Sun has taken control. Panic is spreading among Chang's HAYMARKET “RIOT” MARTYRS’ MEMORIAL MEETING TONIGHT The 38th annual memorial celebra- of the victims of the Haymarket “riot” will be celebrated tonight at,the Prudential Hall, corner North avenue and Halsted St. This memorial celebration is held in honor of August Spies, Albert Parsons, Louls Lingg, George Engel and Adolph Fischer, who were hung on a frame-up charge of throwing a bomb which killed a number’ of policemen during a demonstration at the Haymarket Square. The celebration is being arranged by a number of labor unions, sing- ing and benefit societies that have’ banded together into‘an association to keep alive the memory of those who were victimized during the strike for the 8-hour day which tied up the city of Chicago in 1887. Max Bedacht, Lucy Parsons and a num- ber of others will speak, K. K, K. DEFENSE RESTS CASE; MAY GO TO JURY SOOK Fist Fight Threat Over Perjury Charge (Special to The Daily Worker) NOBLESVILLE, Ind., Nov. 10.— After the prosecution’s charges that the principal witness for the ku klux- ers on trial here for the murder of Madge Oberholtzer was guilty of per- jury the defense at 11:35 this morn- ing suddenly rested its case. Rebuttal testimony will begin by the defense this afternoon and after that will come the final arguments of the attorneys and instructions to the jury by the judge, when the case will go to the jury. This move of the defense will pro- bably result in the conclusion of the case this week. Late yesterday afternoon, near the close of the session a fist fight was narrowly averted when the chief wit- ness for D. C. Stephenson, the out- standing klansman of Indiana and Ohio and his two associates, Earl Klinck and Earl Gentry, was assailed by the prosecution as a perjurer. “You know you came here for the express purpose of committing perjury and every word you have said on the subject is a deliberate lie,” said the prosecutor, ‘ The courtroom was in an uproar as the klansmen became infuriated at this assault upon their cipal wit- ness. The witness challenged the pro- secutor to come out in the yard and fight him. The judge, trying to appear as dignified as it is possible for a Hoosier lawyer to be, reminded the prosecutor and the klan witness that it was not a police court and finally restored order, “See, We're Alright!” Anton C, Polak and falter Zipp- man, United States deputy marshals, who were suspended some weeks ago following their five-hour trip from Chicago to the DeKalb county jail, a distance of fifty miles—with Terry Druggan, were finally discharged from government service by United States Marshal Anderson. Marshal Anderson said while there undoubtedly was an automobile wreck during the trip, other “irregularities” made the action “advisable.” Locate Sunken Barge. SAULTE STE. MARIE, Mich., Nov. 10,—Coast ‘guard crews have located the sunken bulk of the barge Crane in four fathoms of water one mile off of Crisp point, where she floundered as she broke away from the steamer Hettler last Thursday. The Hettler was towing her to port in a heavy gale. ANTHRACITE OPERATORS PILE UP HUGE PROFITS WHILE PLEADING POVERTY AGAINST WAGE DEMANDS (Continued from page 1) vance the opinion that the plan is used as a measure to cover up and de- flate the book earnings of the coal company. Ms . As the Lehigh Coal Co, is one of the largest companies, atid one of the most bitter against the anthracite miners’ demands at this time we will followers at Tsinanfu. Wrap your lunck in a copy of the DAILY WORKER and give it (the DAILY WORKER, not the lunch) to your shop-mate. BROOKLYN, N. give! THE SCANDINAVIA 764 40th Street, BAZAAR anp DANCE Sunday, November 15, from 3 P. M. to 12 FINNISH SOCIALIST HALL, Ticket 50 Cents. Y., ATTENTION! m by N BRANCH W. P. A. Brooklyn, N. Y. expose its profits for a few years back. st The Poor “Bankrupt”, This company reports profits as follows: In 1922, $1,590,000; 1923 $3,- 500,000; in 1924, $2,500,000, and yet this company states it is bankrupt, and cannot pay the ten per cent in- crease asked by their wage slaves, Couple to this amount the padded salaries and expenses of its owner officials and you will have an idea of the enormous amount of money crushed out of the lives of the work- ers by this one company. More Profits. The Lehigh and Wilkes Barre Coal Co. is another concern that is plead- ing poverty, The coal commission found this company earned in 1921 38.2 per cent on its investment, in 1922 it earned 38 per cent and in 1923 HF aii 51.2 per Sent—or $11,678,- ‘This company is enthusiastic for A. F. of L. Officials Fear) for Plight of Capitalist Rulers in Western Europe By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. ALOPAY the American Federation of Labor officialdom joins with the international bankers in Wall Street to demand “partial cancellation of the debts” owed by the European capitalist governments to the United States. This unity of interest is developed in an attack on Senator Borah's demand that the loans be paid, and appears in the name’ of Matthew Woll, vice-president of the A. F. of L., considered a mouth- piece for the executive council. ' * * e e t This outery is nothing if not a guarded confession, per- haps even an unconscious admission, that America’s labor heads fear the workings of the Dawes’ slave plan imposed on Germany, in its effect on American working conditions. It is an indication of the growing dread that a similar plan may be imposed on other European countries, notably France, with similar results. Since capitalist Europe, bankrupt and staggering under its burden of militarism and the cost of new wars, cannot pay the United States in gold, therefore, it must pay in goods, as Germany is trying to pay her late “enemies.” An increase of the already great flood of European goods, coming into the United States, must have its effect on industrial condi- tions in this country, slowing down production and throwing large masses of labor out of work. This will happen in spite of all the capitalist nostrums proposed by Green, Woll & Co. * * * * ° It was this same A. F. of L. officialdom that supported and still supports, the Dawes’ plan, the child of the Versailles peace and the league of nations. It is partially correct to scoff at the remission of taxes resulting from the payment of the war debts because “remis- sion of taxes goes largely to the very wealthy and in consi- derable part to swell the wasteful expenditures of the idle rich.” But one can go farther. Secretary of the Treasury Mellon struggles to see to it that all remission of taxes re- dounds to the immediate benefit of great business, result- ing in greater profits, wealth stolen from labor that is so great in extent that it cannot be entirely squandered by an idle parasite class, but must go forth seeking new fields of investment. This the A. F. of L. experts entirely ignore. No wonder then, that these same A. F. of L. officials, who refuse to join in the world movement for trade union unity, shed their tears over the plight of the ruling capitalist class in Europe as follows: ; “The future prosperity of the debtor nation requires that enough Should be paid to sustain its financial honor and its credit for future commercial borrowings but that no such excegsive sums should be paid as would injure its productive power, its accumulation of capital—and its future ‘ability to pay’ its international debts.” That is what the House of Morgan says. Let the government remit the loans so that new “commercial bor- rowings” can be made from Wall Street's international bank- ers. Not for the benefit of the workers and farmers of west- ern Europe. Only for the strengthening of European capi- talism and its ability to exploit European labor. Remis- sion of debts enhance the position of European profit takers, enabling them to attack their working class at home and carry on wars for the suppression of their colonial serfs. Just as the remission of taxes helps the capitalists in the United States. But the workers are in no way benefited. * * * * __ Labor in this country will learn that lesson in spite of its officialdom. It must know that the Green-Woll-Duncan regime at the head of the A. F. of L. has urged no remission of the czarist debts to the Russian workers and peasants. Instead they have used the repudiation of these debts by the Soviet Republic as an argument inst recognition. Their worry now is that a weakened capitalism'in western Europe will be unable to resist new onslaughts by rebellious workers and farmers. * * * * American labor must develop its solidarity with Eu- ropean labor. It must be prepared for the complete repudia- tion of all debts by European workers come to power. It- must be made to realize that its interests can only be ad- vanced thru courageous and militant class struggle; not thru collaboration with international financiers and great indus- trial overlords. On the bgp of the partial cancellation of war debts the A. F. of L. officials play the game of one section of the capitalist class. Senator Borah champions the cause of a different strata; the smaller industries and the well-to-do farmers, who vainly hope to improve their condi- tion thru the payment of the European debts. The interests of the workers lead them to war against the whole capitalist class against Morgan, Borah, Green, Woll, etc., for the aboli- tion of capitalism. 8G RE ON PORT the coal commission. This small item ot this one company is more than what is necessary to pay the increase asked of all the anthracite workers for one year. ’ ‘ Hundreds of millions of dollars profit per ‘year, millions of dollars of arbitration, demanding that the under- ground slaves give up their demand for 50 cents per day increase to be arbitrated. Last year it earned $7,- 182,000 or 31.5 per cent. In the last two years it declared dividends of $16,292,000 in cash, and in 1924 it de- clared a 200 per cent stock dividend, In January of this year another divi- dend was declared of $3 per share to the bankrupt millionaire coal owners. Good Business, We'll Say, Another “bankrupt” coal company is the Glen Alden. The value of the stock of this company has climbed from 60 in 1920 to 130 in 1924. The income for 1923 was $9,411,000, The coal commission valued this property at $8,909,000, which indicates a 100 per cent earning rate, The Delaware, Lackawana and Western sales agent for this company as pointed out by Gov. Pinchot, av- eraged fifty per cent profit for the last six years, A Small item of $30,000,000, The Hudson Coal Co. is sales agent for the Deleware and Hudson Railroad Co., and is a new company formed to take care of the Hudson coal lands, It was the representatives of this company who refu to explain the small items on their books—three ot them — aggregating $30,220,302,71, to royalties, millions in fancy salaries and padded expenses to the owners are part of the rake-off of those who are pleading bankruptcy. Juggling of figures beyond the imagination of a detective, accountant of financier are their stock in trade, Starving Amid Wealth, The workers in the anthracite are determined to win in spite of all the propaganda on bankruptcy and the new slogan of substitutes taking the place of the hard coal, Every con- ceivable means are being taken to break the morale of the miners, but the progressive miners thruout the anthracite with the other intelligent workers are not fooled by this capi- talist campaign of misrepresentation, and will fight for their meagre demands. The hard coal miners are the poorest paid men in any industry in America considering the nature and hazards of their employment, and produce more wealth than any other group of workers of their size in the country, More wealth is produced in the anthracite mines in one day than gold in Alaska in one year. If you want to thorough . derstand Communism. tate \—study. it, FURRIERS’ LEFT WING BATTLES KAUFMAN GANG Wins Victory as the Convention Starts (Special to The Daily Worker) BOSTON, Mass., Nov, 10.—The left wingers struck a militant note at the opening of the Furriers’ convention by compelling the removal of scab- bing taxi cabs and exposing the Kauf- man machine's attempt to unseat three left wing del by maneu- vers on Gold’s credentials. Hit Scab Checker Cabs, The left wing opened their fight against the bureaucratic Kaufman machine with victory on an issue which symbolizes the fight of the left wing against class collaboration. The convention is being held at the Amer- ican House, 56 Hanover street, where the Checker cabs, now on. strike, maintain a stand. Cabs were being operated by scabs under protection of police headquar ters,. The left wing immediately de- manded that the convention change its headquarters and even move to another city if scab taxi cabs were not removed at once. Kaufman hemmed on the issue and declared it impossible to change, rul- ing all motions on it out of order, But upon ultimatum of Ben Gold of New York joint board, that the New York delegates would not remain in con- vention under the circumstances, Kaufman was compelled to appoint a committee to investigate, adjourning the convention meawhile. The cabs were removed and the convention proceeded after a two hours fight. Kaufman opened with talk of his “successful” work, but his remarks were the joke of the convention be- cause he discussed every place but New York, where eighty per cent of the members are located and where real organization is being done by the left wing Joint Board. The credential committee brot in a majority and minority report. The majority Kaufman machine appointed, moved to seat 70 delegates and unseat three left wingers on the ground that they had not paid up their dues in proper time. This attempt was exposed when right. wing secretary Weiness who charged that dues payments . were lacking in October, declared unwit- tingly thaf the International office did not have the October report of the New York Joint Board. After this admission of the yellow socialist bureaucrat, the machine pro- posed that the Joint Board bring re- ports which will decide the seating of the contested delegates. These will probably be seated as the records of the Joint Board are correct. The machine is resorting to man- euver to pospone discussion on the Ben Gold credential of the Joint Board by declaring they will issue a supplementary C. E. B. report on the question. But the left wing will make a determined fight to have immediate consideration. The line up at this moment is not decided. There are twenty-five out- spoken left wingers who may com- mand support of other anti-machine delegates and make up a slight ma- jority of the convention. The debate on the seating of delegates and Gold’s Joint Board issue will continue to- morrow. Armistice Day Will Enable Coolidge to Get His Picture Taken WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.—Nearly all government activity will cease in Washington for two minutes tomorrow at 11 a. m. in commemoration of Armistice Day, it was decided today at the cabinet meeting. Coolidge will perform the routine of a pilgrinage to the tomb of the unknown soldier to deposit a wreath, in order to make the yokels think dead soldiers are to be envied and emulated by the workers. FEATURE STORIES COMING! Wm. F. Dunne, editor of The DAILY WORKER, is pha in the anthracite coal eld, Within the next day or two, will come from the storiew of conditions aa he stories of co: finds them; solr The strike situation, the union, wag conditions, etc,—anoth eries, that added to the present one now running, by Alex Reid, secretary of the Progres- sive Miners’ Committee, will give a complete pic- ture of one of America’s great industries. A good time to ord bundle and og SUBSCRIBE! \