The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 17, 1925, Page 3

| } LEWIS BETRAYS MINERS” DEMAND FOR NATIONALIZATION: IGNORES THE DEMAND FOR A LABOR PARTY The following is the last of o series of articles by Alex Reid, secre tary of the Progressive Miners’ Committee, telling of the strike of the anthracite miners and the relation of their struggle to the class strug: gle as a whole. The present article is a telling indictment of the admin- istration of John L. Lewis, whose very words are used to illustrate his treachery, Reid, a miner for 29 years and thoroly acquainted with the subject, handles it in the most able manner, e ° ° e By ALEX REID Seoretary Progressive Miners’ Committee. ARTICLE XIl. We come now to the progressive miners’ demand for national- ization of mines with workers’ control. It is only a matter of five years ago, that the miners in their international convention indorsed the membership’s demand for nationalization of mines with workers’ control, and elected a committee to gather data in connection with the same, and to prepare a bill to be introduced in congress, for nationalization of the mines and further pledgeds—— themselves to launch a drive thruout the country for support. No one at that convention will ever forget the scene of wild enhusiasm, as John L, Lewis, then acting vice- president, in Hayes’ place, supported by Bill Green, Frank Farrington, and the delegates unanimously, thundered forth to the expectant coal diggers that: “We declare for the natlonalliza- tion and democratic management of all the coal mines In the United States.” The scene at that time in the con- vention was inspiring. John Lewis ‘was playing to the gallery. He knew the miners were fighting for nation- alization, and the demonstration for that program was unmistakable and unanimous, Contrast that statement with Lewis’ position now on nationaliza- téon, as shown in his book recently pablished, entitled The Miners’ Fight for American Standards. “We propose to allow natural eoo- nomic laws free play In the produc- tion and distribution of coal. Real eooperation between the men and ownership can be attained all the more 80 because, they have a com- mon Interest of resisting the on- slaughts of the irresponsible ele- mente which dominate the industry In regions where labor Is virtually enslaved.” Repudiation of nationalization is now the policy of the Lewis machine. The progressive miners demand na- tionalization of mines, and in the present anthracite strike made it a part of their program. They, the pro- gressive miners, have received the most bitter opposition from the Lewis machine, a part of which went so far as to go into the capitalist courts in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and aid in the railroading of progressive miners to prison. 3 Whom Do You Mean? We ask Lewis, who are those ele- ments that dominate the industry and have virtually enslaved us? And who are those with whom we have a com- mon interest? Any man of average intelligence knows the miners are enslaved thru- out the whole of the country, and the enslaving force is the same every- where—the coal owners of the nation. The minets are in a state of semi- starvation thruout America, union and non-union fields alike and no man ts. more responsible for this situa- tion than Lewis himself with his lass collaboration machine. A common interest. With whom have we a common interest? Such bunk as virtually enslaved miners having a common interest with the millionaire mine owners is ridiculous. This common interest-class colla- boration policy of Lewis’ has resulted in the wrecking of the union and de- creasing the miners’ wages thruout America, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Wash- ington, Colorado, Wyoming, all the states in the southwest, and most of them in the east are today working under decreases direct or indirect as @ result of this “common interest” policy. A Common’ Enslavement. ‘When this policy was breaking up the union and further reducing the vir- tually enslaved miners, John L. Lewis stood by and refused to call a nation- al strike and protect the enslaved, thereby aiding the common interests in the enslavement. Nationalization of the miners is a partial solution for the situation in the mining industry of this country determined |. SCRANTON BUSINESSMEN HOT AFTER ANTHRACITE ‘PEACE’—AND PROFITS SCRANTON, Pa. Nov. 15.—Altho efforts of Governor Pinchot to bring about a conference between the two factions in the anthracite coal strike have apparently not yet met with immediate success, business men In the hard coal regions today con- tinued to work for peace between the miners and operators, A committee was Instructed to do all in their power to end the strike following a meeting here of thirty representatives of business men. The strike has seriously affected business In the anthracite region, according to merchants, and will go a long way towards rem- edying the evils which we have enu- merated here, The present strike is not dealing with fundamental causes, and its settlement will settle practic- ally nothing. Private Ownership’s Result. The same conditions will prevail af- ter its settlement, and continue as long a8 the mines are privately own- ed and operated for private interests. Other strikes of the same character. j will follow, with the same suffering, chaos, starvation and despair, The progressive miners will con- tinue to fight for nationalization with workers’ control, and will continue to fight the Lewises until victory is achiéved. The miners at that convention, and at many more since and before that convention, where they discussed na- tionaljzation of the mines, pointed out the fact that nationalization was a political question, and that it was nec- essary for them to use their power to establish a political party in the fur- therance of nationalization. Officials Opposed Labor Party. Accordingly, the miners have intro- duced resolutions at practically all their conventions endorsing, and de- manding the formation of a labor party, and instructing their officials to work for that party. The officials of the union instead of working for a labor party, have never lost an» opportunity to work against it, and in the last election we saw John L. Lewis, acting as campaign committeeman for Coolidge on the re- publican party, while Farrington worked for the republican party in Illinois, and Green for the Wall Street candidate, Davis, on the democratic ticket. Cappellini Turns His Coat. The progressive miners have con- tinuously worked for a labor party, and in the last tri-district convention were successful in having a resolu- tion adopted indorsing the labor party. However, we find Cappellini president of District 1, of the United Mine Workers in Scranton, a few days ago at a meeting of the so-called constitutional educational league re- pudiating a labor party and all in connection with it. The mine workers will continue to fight for a labor party, composed of labor unions and like organizations of workers, on a program of immediate concrete demands, and will eventually j- march to victory in spite of all the republicans, democrats, Gregns, Lew- ises, Farringtons, and jaily in Amer- ica. "FAGE TRIAL FOR\ MURDER DEC, 1 Hostile Judge Busick to Try Case CHICAGO—(FP)—The General De- fense committee reports that Blackie Ford, the Wheatland hop fields organ- izer, will have to stand trial before the bitterest anti. W. W. judge in California. Ford was rearrested on leaving Folsom prison on parole after serving over 10 years of a life sen- tence for murder though he had no share in the slaying of mob leaders who carried police commissions and MUSSOLINI RELEASES FASCIST CRIMINALS UNDER GUISE OF AMNESTY FOR JAILED WORKERS ROMB, Nov. 15,—The recent splurge in the American and Huropean press about the release of 15,000 prisoners from Italian jails, which was heralded by many of the “liberals” as a change of heart of the fascist dictator, Musso- nt, and an end to the fascist reprisalg an the workers, is given the lle by the following facts and figures gathered by the Italian section of the Inter- national Red Aid; In the whole of Italy the following oners only 1,606 were workers, who sentenced workers wore released; In Piemonte, 79; Lombardia, 160; Veneto, 83; Ven, Giu),, 10; Ven, Trid., 15; Liguria, 131; Emilia, 150; Tosea- na, 840; Marche, 73; Umbria, 47; La- * 80 had been put to prison under some protext because of their opposition to the fascist dictatorship, All the others shot into a meeting of the strikers with their wives and children. He will be now tried for the killing of the second of the two attackers. The judge who was to have jurisdiction disqualified himself by publicly say- ing that Ford should have been hang- ed. Gov. Richardson then appointed Judge Busick of Sacramento who has distinguished himself by an injunction making it contempt of court to be- long to the I. W. W. in California. The trial is set for Dec. 1. Hebrew Printers Get a Record Wage Scale NEW YORK—(FP)— Two weeks vacation with pay and wage increases feature the gains by the newspaper branch of Hebrew-American Typo- graphical Union 83, affiliated with the International Typographical Union. The wage increases are spread over five years, with a dollar now, and an annual increase of $1.50 a week for the four years thereafter, bringing the weekly rate finally to $72. Hours remain six for day work and four and a half for nights. The Heb- rew-American printers wave shorter work days than any printers in Amer- ica. They have jurisdiction over the New York Jewish papers composing rooms. Even Proportional Representation Is Little Aid to S. P. CLEVELAND—(FP)—Proportional representation failed to prove the open sesame to the city council so far as Cleveland’s progressive labor candidates were concerned, Five pro- gressives failed to get any nearer the council than under the old system. In Dayton Willard Barringer, Social- ist, received 3,033 votes for council, but failing of election, Thomas Devine, Toledo Socialist, placed third in the mayoralty contest. Child Labor Laws Passed. WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 15— Chile and the Irish Free State have ratified several of the child labor draft conventions of the international labor conference the U. S. department of labor, children’s bureau, reports, Chile {# the first Latin-American country to ratify, The conventions provide, among other things, that no ohild under 14 shall enter industry and that no child under 18 shall do indus. trial work at night, i THE DAPLY WORKE The upper scene shows how French Imperialism Ie exerting her “civilizing” force on ancient Damascus. rulns are the remains of buildings that were Inthe Moslem section. Senegalese troops behind a street barricade-eet up by the French to harass the natives that still remain in the city. /\SYRIAN COMMUNIST PARTY GREETS DICK FORD WILL || V AMERICAN NEGRO LABOR CONGRESS Among the many communications Labor Congress, which recently held i in Damascus, which was recently the troops on the Moslem section of the ¢ brutally murdered: + “To the American Negro Labor Con- gress, Chicago. “Dear Comrades: “The Communist Party of sends you fraternal greetings. “The Syrian workers who are now conducting an unequal struggle against rapacious imperialism’ feel more than the necessity “of a united front of ‘all workers of the world without distinction of color or of race. “Your congress, which will lay the basis for a world organization of tens and hundreds of thousands of Negro workers’ will play a great historic role in the emancipation movement of all the workers from capitalist ex- ploitation. “For the emancipation of the col- ial slaves from the yoke of imper- ism and capitalism! “Long live the united front of the workers of all colors! “Long live the Peasants’ Interna, ional (Krestintern) the world organ- { zation of the peasants for emancipa- | tion! Syria “Central Committee of the Communist Party of Syria.” West New York Policé F Arrest Strike Pickets WEST NEW YORK, Noy. 15,—In connection with the strike fn the Hill crest Silk Mills of West New York ¢ number of arrests have been made re cently in spite of the fact that the strike proceedings have been peaceful thruout. A Yesterday two pickets were arrested and Judge Miles issued a statement saying that no picketing could .be al- lowed anywhere near the plant. A. Weisbord, the organizer of the united front committee of textile workers, was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct, From these facts jit seems that the textile bosses of | West New York are using consider- jable pressure in order to defeat the strikers. ‘ News has come to this office that strikebreakers are being hired for mu- nificent wages and with all. sorts of attractions offered them in order to move them to West New York. Only Organization of Labor Can Aid Bakers NEW YORK—(FP)—“Investigation and congressional action will not help the bakery workers any in their fight for better conditions. Only a thorough organization of the bread trust fac- tories and a powerful union will bring betterment to the bakery workers,” says the Free Voice, of the Amalga- mated Food Workers*union. A minimum wage of $380 per week for the lowest paid workers in bake- ries is demanded in New York and New Jersey. Proportionate wages for more skilled wor! and strict ob- servance of the 8-hour day are other demands, Ay ——r —— Your neighborwilt appreciate the favor—give him this copy of the DAILY WORKDR, j the following from the Communist Party of Syria, which R FRENCH “CIVILIZATION” IN DAMASCUS. MARSHAL PETAIN CITES AMERICAN MERCENARIES FOR “DILIGENT SERVICE’ (Special te The Daily Worker) RABAT, Morocco, Nov. 15—Mar- shal Petain clted the American mer cenarles In Morocco massacring the Riffians, who are fighting the Imper- lalist domination of France for thelr “bravery” and “dilligent perform- ance of duty.” “The airmen,” Marshal Petain wrote, “dally executed difficult and hazardous missions. In six weeks they executed more than 360 er rands of this nature and dropped more than forty tons of projectiles.” SEAMEN'S LAW TARGET OF THE These The lower picture shows a French officer and of greeting that the American Negro its sessions in Chicago, received was its headquarters scene of a savage assault of French ity where thousands of Syrians were U. S. Sailors Proved They Also Resented Jailing of Workers By ART SHIELDS. NEW YORK—(FP)—The stone walls. that enclose Moonéy - and. Bil- lings, Sacco and Vanzetti, Rangel and Cline, Ford and Suhr and a host of western wobblies had a chilling effect on the reception Australia gave the American fleet, s Ben Bright, an active spirit in the Australian Sea- men’s union, now visiting New York, Bright was in Sydney when the fleet came and he says the Trades and La- bor assembly’s refusal to participate in any of the greetings and gala af- fairs to the Visiting battleship men —because of Uncle Sam’s jailings of union labor—had the effect of a huge chunk of ice. So much so that several sailors got up on union platforms and pleaded that they likewise resented the persecution of labor in their home nd. It was hard on the sailors but hard oo on Australian Babbitry when worker daughters stepped away from boys in blue on the dancing floor. So newspapers came out plainly with ap- peals for dancing partners for the sailors and they let it be understood between the lines that they were not particular as to the kind of girls,— the main thing was the sex. But it wasn’t much of. a success, Adding force to the movement and yerhaps furnishing the major reason with the more conservative sections of labor was the general resentment against the warlike gesture involved in the sending of the fleet. Australian Seamen Stand Firm Against the Pound Wage Cut SYDNEY, Australia — (FP) — Al- though every effort has been made by the shipowners to get crews for the idle British vessels in Australian ports, the ships still remain idle, Only in isolated cases are men going back to work, and those resuming are more than counter-balanced by the crews of other vessels going on strike. Only a mere handful of men have resumed work since the strike started about two months ago, and the total now out on strike number over 6,000. Though no settlement of the dis- pute has been reached, it is under- stood that business interests in Aus- tralia are willing to find enough mo- ney to meet the demands of the sea- men for the journey back to Britain so that the vessels can be taken away from Australia. The men are not likely to accept this offer unless they get @ guarantee there will be no vic- timisation when they reach Britain. St. Lows Tailors Steadily Winning ST, LOUIS—(FP)—The strike of St, Louis union tallors for the 44-hour week {8 approaching victory, The strike originally fivolved 500 workers, Settlements havé'réduced the number SHIP OWNERS Don’t Want It, Even If Ineffective WASHINGTON—(FP)—Repeal of all the essential clauses of the La- Follette seamen’s act except the one removing the threat of imprisonment when in a safe harbor, is proposed by the organized shipowners of the Unit- ed States and endorsed by the U. 8S. chamber of commerce, who will hold a joint conference in Washington Nov. 16-17 to frame a bill. Andrew Furuseth, president Intl. Seamen’s, Union of America and author of the seamen’s act, describes the coming conference as one de- signed to destroy the American mer- chant marine in order to build up the British merchant marine. This, he adds, has been the object partially attained by the U. S. shipping board under admiral Palmer and his prede- cessors. Among the chief points which the shipowners would repeal are: Require- ment that 65 percent of the deck crew be skilled seamen; that the crew un- derstand the language in which the or- ders are given by the officers; that payment of wages, amounting to half the sum due, shall be made by the master to the seamen on demand in any safe port (thereby enabling the seamen to quit the vessel); that fire- men shall not be compelled to go on deck in wintry weather on the great lakes to work, that crews shall not be taken out on the great lakes after the close of safe navigation. Shoe Manufacturers Assail Workers’ Union NEW YORK, Noy, 15.—The Ameri- can Shoe Workers’ Protective Union, including many shoe workers of many of the largest shops of the city, is fac- ing a severe struggle with the shoe bosses, The argument between the union and the shoe manufacturers’ board of trade expired on November 1. In- stead of making demands for better wages and better conditions for the workers, the leaders of the union al- lowed the manufacturers to take the offensive. The manufacturers pro- ceeded to demand the right of “hire and fire,” the right to select employ- es of their own choosing during slack periods, the elimination of certain legal holidays from the old agreement and the right to interfere in the or- ganizational matters of the union. The leaders of the American union put for- ward a’meek demand for a return to the old conditions, but the shoe work- ers would not tolerate such weakness. They demanded the immediate repu- diation of the manufacturers’ “terms and all insisted upon their own de- mands, A sentiment the trade for the amalgamation of the is spreading thruout the protective union, for a 15 per cent increase in wages thruout the trade; for full pay for all holidays; for non-interference by the manufacturers in the internal affairs of the union. The shoe workers are fully aroused and are determined to secure their demands. If you want to thoroughly un- derstand Communism—study it. Page: Three SOVIET RUSSIA'S EXPERTS G0 10 STUDY INDUSTRY Delegates W i IL Visit Various Countries (Special to The Dally Worker) MOSCOW, Nov. 15.—Soviet Russia Is preparing to send a commission re- presenting the vorlous state manu- factaring trusts to Germany, France, Czecho-Slovakia, Great Britain, Can- ada and the United States to study Industrial development In those coun- tries and make arrangements for pur ofiases of machinery by Soviet Rus sla, The commissions will leave Soviet Russia the moment their passports are granted by the various countries where they intend to visit, The dele gations total between 150 to 200 ew perts, the largest ever sent by Russia, who have had long years of experb ence in the lines of manufacture they intend to study. Doubt is raised as to whether @ de legation will be able to visit the United States since the refusal of Secretary of State Kellogg to permit the scientist, Abraham Joffe, to enter the United States at the request of the Rockefeller institute, To Inspect Planta, ~"!" "7? Instead of buying machinery from specifications this extensive tour hag been proposed in order to inspect Plants in operation to get ideas as ta the latest foreign methods of manw faqture. Oil, rubber, steel, cotton, food, sugar, wool, coal, electricity and metallurgy industries, “The commission is anxious to visit the United States, not only for the purpose of discussing possible terms for purchasing equipment but to ob tain new ideas from personal study of the manufacturing plants,” said a member of the delegation. “Russia fs now in a position where virtually all the industrial establishments are worn out and must be re-equipped entirely. This task, which is stupendous, has just been undertaken by the govern- ment. Need New Machines. “With new machinery of the latest types we want to remodel the plants and erect new ones embodying the lat- ést methods of manufacture used in the countries we purpose visiting. These methods and the machinery will be used in Russia for many years. Consequently the work of the com- mission means more than merely plac- ing orders which are large in them- selves. It commits the government to continued purchases for at least ten years. Importance of Credit, “We realize the reluctance of Ameri- can manufacturers to extend credits. However, the giving of a certain am- ount of credit now means the instal- lation of the manufacturers’ machin- ery and continued orders in the future whenever the machines are worn out, in whole or in part, or additional ma- chines are needed, American manu- facturers should also realize that while American banks refuse to ex- tend them credit to do business in Russia, the same American banks ex- tend credit to German banks, which in turn finance German manufactur- ers doing business on a long-term credit basis here.” Consolidation of the Railroads Is Demanded SACRAMENTO, Cal., Noy. 15.— En- forced consolidation of all railroads in the United States into one system “ander such supervision and control of the interstate commerce commis- sion as that body now exercises over the several lines,” was requested in a resolution before the annual conven- tion of the National Grange here. The resolution was introduced by A. 8. Goss, master of the Washington State Grange, who declared that “com- petition no.longer governs the making of rates or establishing of service.” POLISH SECRET POLICE BRUTALLY ~’ RAID WORKERS’ SECTION IN VILNA VILNA, Nov. 15.—The working class quarters were surrounded by the military and 600 workers were arrested in the mass arrests in Vilna. The majority of the prisoners consists of Jewish and White Russian workers, The Polish secret police declare that the arrested men are members of the Communist Party of west White Russia, in actual fact, however, many of the arrested are members of the Jewish association “Poale Zion” and still others are absolutely partyless. The¢———————-——_________ Jewish co-operatives were literally According to the latest reports in plundered. Many Jewish and White!}the neghborhood of Vilna mass ar- Russian teachers and weiters, includ-|regts have taken place amongst the ing many who have absolutely nothing} peasantry also. In the district of to do with Communism, amongst | Maloberestovitz alone over 80 peas- the arrested. The prisoners have been/ants have been arrested. Several badly mishandled. schools in Vilna and the neighborhood Arrest Trade Unionists. have been closed down as the teachers are under arrest. ( In Grodno, all the leading trade Government Provocations. unionists have been arrested. The) From the district of Aunines comes Jewish members of parliament have}, report that the police agents have raised the matter in parliament and) heen provoking the peasantry by call: have demanded an immediate legal) ing for the formation of guerilla inquiry into the happenings, bands, after which all who fall in any All the ‘Vilna newspapers which ae Fig fe Sor che provocation are pul od news 6 ve |and brutally maltreated in the: American union and — ee tag ‘nw