The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 30, 1925, Page 3

‘ \ “of how the Red International came in- ‘THIS PAGE Is, Devoted to the Activity and Interests of: the Trade Union Educational League * (B08 B) North American Section of the RED INTERNATIONAL OF LABOR UNIONS (R.LL. U.) THE T.U.E.L Represents the Left Wing of the Labor Movement. Its Purpose ts to Strengthen the Labor Unions by Amalgamation of Existing Unions, Organization of the Unorganized, and by Replacing Reactionary and Class Collaboration Policies with a Unified Program for the Transformation of the Unions Into “Organs of Revolutionary Class Struggle for the Overthrowal of Capitalism and the Establishment of a Workers’ and Farm ers’ Government. ° ANSTERDAM REFORMISTS SEEKING ~ TO RE-CONSOLIDATE BY PLAYING AF. OF L AGAINST RUSS UNIONS By GEORGE HARDY. “This general council, having taken note of the correspondence ex- changed With the Russians since February, and having taken note of the discussions that have taken place at the present meeting, reaffirms the decision of February, 1925, and considers no new decision necessary.” So this is the proposal of the Oudegeest clique of reaction- aries of the International Federation of Trade Unions! But, un- fortunately they are a majority of the general council of the in- ternational. It is safe to say, however, that a majority of the world’s workers are in favor of the proposal put forth by the gen- eral council of the British Trades Union Congress, which is as follows: “This general council of the I. F. T. U. declares itself pre- pared to meet representatives of the All-Russian trade union movement in order to discuss the possibility of affiliation with Pe thes i adnan ae the. Russian trade union move- jibe former rvsation was caries | | GHIGAGD. MILITANTS! REMEMBER T. U, E, L, BALL NEW YEAR'S EVE by 14 to 7, But it is safe to say that it was carried not as a result of careful consideration of the needs for unity, or with due regard to the desire of even the affiliated unions paiva’ fol ieee ee Every left-winger in the Chicago favor of an all-inclusive international | labor movement will be present at of trade ynions, and the British dele-|' the Fourth Annual Ball of the gates have a mandate to fight for its} Trade Union Educational League realization. that takes place Thursday evening, Majorities Favor Unity. Dec. 31 and lasts’ until 2 o’clook in The British T. U.C. is almost a{| the Morning New Years Day, at the quarter of the membership of the 1.| !talian Hall, 648 North Clark St. F.T, U. It must also be remembered The entire proceeds of the ball that some trade union centers affiliat-|/ Will be used’ to aid the many left- ed to Amsterdam, who voted against | Wing papers that are now fighting meeting the Russians, are minorities| for a labor party based on the rade unions, recognition of the Soviet Union, world trade union unity and amalgamation and other militant issues. — caer cette revolutionary workers in order to » dn their own countries, such as the placate a body of 2,000,000, because ease in France. The majorities are all in favor of unity, Thus by keep- the former have succeeded in freeing themselves from the tyranny which ing outside the I. F. T. U. unaffiliated unions who hold different views as to the functions of trade unions, they are . isolating and maintaining division in * the working class. Their inconsistency, when they say “unity 1s desirous,” would be tragic|now stalks U. S. A. and other cap- it it was not realized how determined italist countries? .There is no com- these reactionaries are in isolating | parison, numerically, ideologically, or other wise. ‘ And there should be no question of who should be admitted if a prefer- ence is to be shown. The grafting A. F. of L, officialdom has not even advanced far enough to agree on in- Russian workers, The pretend they need unity—but they are always maintaining splits. Split in Name of Unity. The Oudegeest group says “the Russians are not sincere.” They main- tain this anti-socialist attitude in the | dependent working class political ac- same way as the capitalist class. If|tion. They still support capitalist par- the Russians are not sincere, we pro- | ties. They are infants in the working pose that the best way is to meet|class movement. On the other hand, them and test their sincerity. The | tie Russian workers have become fact is the Russians are sincere, and | past-masters in world politics and “Amsterdam” is afraid of their sin-| have developed a diplomacy which cerity. even our British experts cannot ex- plore without dangers to themselves. No Consolidation of Reaction Wanted. It is this wide revolutionary ex- perience both in politics and econo- mics which makes them preferable to the A. F. of L, Not that anyone wishes The right wing are playing the cap- italist game. They are seeking a bal- to keep out the American workers. We need them, because they are impor- ance of power within the internation- tant; but we need them for to com- al. They are anxious to admit the Am- erican Federation of Labor to use it against the ever growing left tenden- cies in the international trade union movement. And they seek to impose conditions on the Russian trade un- ions. ‘They Know the Russians will|Plete a working class fighting front and not to bolster up a policy to aid capitalism in reconstructing itself, and to isolate the revolutionary work- ing class,and neutralize the left-wing, as Oudegeest and Sagsenbach, etc., wish to use them for. “adhere to a strong working class po- We must remember that all Asia licy and will agree to no other, “But the ‘Russians are allies of millions, of is outside the oyeranlnal move- ment, and also millions of workers in the American republics. An un- | othér organized workers. nditional conference*with the Rus- ! R, I, L. U, Always For Unity. | _ ,Oudegeest and his splitters will atry ans, is asking very little indeed. Let the Amsterdammers remember that . to wrest, from the Russian trade un- millions of workers are demanding _fons_a. betrayal of these allies. ‘This is what they mean by their opposition the inclusion of every national centre of labor, irrespective of their to Russian unions belonging to the peRedek. U, Never a word is ‘spoken political beliefs, into one world trade union federation. Any attempt at iso- lating any workers, east or we to existence. They carefully hide the fact that the independent unions out- Side Amsterdam were desirous of forming an ‘international centre, The R, I. L. U. was formed by all unions who disagreed with the class- coliaborationist policy, and this dur- THE DAILY WORKER ~- - Page Thréé |CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT, WAGES AND. HOURS, SHOW METHODS THE BOSSES USE TO EXPLOIT LABOR J By LELAND OLDS, Federated Press. Massachusetts’ factories increased their working forces by one per cent between October and November, according to the report of the state depart- ment of labor. This continues the gradual improvement which began in July. But in spite of the gain, employment in Cal’s state still falls more than seven per cent short of the 1922 average. Wages averaged $24.31 in November compared with $24.58 in October and $23.98 a year ago. The irticrease over last November is entirely due to better wages earned by male workers, their¢————-_________________. average rising from $27.71 in Novem- ber, 1924, to $29.04 this year. Women’s wages declined from $16.63 to $16.22 in the same period, The increase in average weekly wages is explained by figures showing a gain in the amount of full time op- eration. Last November 45% of the workers covered by the report were employed in establishments working only part time. This year the number working part time was 35% of the total. Depression in Boot and Shoe. Boot and shoe workers are still suffering from very serious depres- sion. More than 40% of the workers who had jobs in this industry in 1922 are off the payrolls today. And of those still employed 60% are working part time. The outstanding gains of the year have come to metal saees workers employed in the manufacture of elec- trical apparatus and in foundries and machine shops. Factories making electrical apparatus are employing 27%, more workers than they had on their payrolls a year ago and 12% more than-the average of 1922. Foundries and machine shops have 25% more workers than last Nov. and 24% more than the 1922 average. Practically all the workers in both groups are on full time. ' Textiles Unemployment. The important branches of the tex- tile industry are still depressed with cotton goods employing#13% fewer worke! than in 1922, hostery and knit goods 22% fewer, silk 16% fewer and woolen mill forces reduced. by 7%. About 45% of the textile work- ers of the state are on part time. How Massachusetts cotton mill workers continue to pay the price of their 48-hour week and higher wage rates in reduced employment appears UNION PRA SCAB CONDITIONS Clains “Prosperity” in Non-Union Fields PITTSBURGH, Pa., Dec. 28.—A new dual union aimed at the United Mine Workers was formed here Thursday at a meeting of a few supposed rep- resentatives of miners employed in the Banning, Mansfield, Montour and Midland mines of the Pittsburgh Coal company and several independent companies. W. T. Harris, of Whitsett, Pa, a former president of the West Vir- ginia Federation of Labor, was chos- en president of the new crime against the unity of the coal miners, which is to be known as the Federated Min- ers’ Association, John L, Hoffman of Van Meter, Pa.,’ was elected secre- tary. Both are connected with the Banning mines of the Pittsburgh Coal company. “Union” Praises Non-union Conditions The anti-union nature of the “asso- ciation” may be seen by the manifes- to issued by it, which not only de- clares that all members disavow all future allegiance to the United Mine Workers, but in attacking the un- doubtedly treacherous leadership of John L, Lewis, praise the working conditions in the non-union fields. It says, in part, thet under Lewis’ lead- ership: “Strikes, discontent and poverty are prevalent in nearly every state in which the union exists, while in con- trast to this situation, there is peace, contentment and prosperity in non; union fields.” | The manifesto asserts that no suc! a wage scale as the Jacksonvil! agreement actually exists, and sa; that “practically all mines operatin| under a so-called Jacksonville con- tract deliberately refuse to obey i provisions.” Rationalizing Dualism. The increase of 1,267,000 tons for the week ending December 5, over the same period a year ago, is cited as proof that non-union producers have gone steadily forward, while opera- tions in the union mines of the four competitive bituminous coal states are gaid to be “practically paralyzed due to the arrogant and despotic me- in the November report of the U. 3. department of commerce on cotton spinning activity. With cotton mills throughout the country averaging 96% of single shift capacity we find those in Massachusetts only operat- ing 69% of @apacity. The striking contrast between the average number of hours operated in the north and the south during No- vember is sho’ in the following fig- ures for 6 leadthg cotton manufactur- ing states: Active Spindifl “Hours tm November Per Spindle Massachusetts” 185 hours Rhode Isl 165 New Ham: 148 North Carolina 269 South Carolina 294 Georgia at 282 The 3 northern states with nearly 16,000,000 spindles produced a total of 2,200,000,000 spindle hours of work in the month ‘while the three southern states with just over 14,000,000 spin- dles produced: dven 4.000,000,000 spin- die hours. Cotton mill employment is migrating to the only part of the country where long hours and low pay enable employers to compete with coolie labor abroad, Soviet Russia Raises Wages of All Workers MOSCOW—(FP)— Following the general improvement of the economic situation in Russia, wages are raised 10% to 20% in nearly every branch of industry according to the new col- lective i + a The woodworkers union gets % raise, A 15% raise goes to building workers. Average wages over all trades for tue year 1925-6 are estimated to be 25% higher than 1923-4, and 15% higher than 1924-5, ee PITTSBURGH ane BRITISH RULERS BEGIN ATTACKS ON LEFT WINGERS Drive on’ Communists Paves Way be By A, J. COOK. Sec’y. Miners’ Federation of Gréat Britain, » LONDON, (By Mail.)— During the Dast week we,have had. further evi- dence of the oppressive nature of the British masteri¢lass. Terrorism/is the weapon the con- servative ¥ intend to use to sup- Dress the growing revolt of the work- ers. Communists Active in Miners’ Strike. The Communists are the first to suf- fer because of their united resistance and actiyities, especially during the minens’ . There js no doubt that the Liver- pool conference, with its decisions against the Communist Party, has been greatly responsible for the fe rocity o! the attack made against the left wing movement; and the continuel writing to the capitalist. press by certain so-called labor lead- ers, attacking the left wing movement has definitely the master class. = This is thé" forerunner of attacks on those trade" leaders who are prepared to lead. The resolution passed uninimously by my commi 3 proves conclusively that the miners’ at least are alive to the government's game, Aime “at Workers. The savage ces and the bias- ed trial, together with the speech of the home secretary—“you want a dose of Mussolini”-tinake it clear that no Communist or, wing leader can hope to get jtaliee. The im of the Commun- ists, all well-Known to the militant workers, and espécially to the miners, is avidence of the fear of the ruling class of this coun- try not to suffér from these illusions, as chere are many courageous lead- ens prepared to face all risks in the struggle for emancipation. Trial a Faree, Tie trial, which to my mind was a fares, and the savage sentences have done more to create a class war than LABOR SEES DAWN OF STRUGGLE ON ISLE OF CYPRUS British Rule in Near East Kindles Revolt By ALEX NICOLAIDES. ISLAND OF CYPRUS—(By Mail)— The executive committee of the Lim- assol Workers’ Union has adopted a resolution to hand to the newly elected members of the legislative council a decree regarding the enaction of cer- tain labor laws, viz,, eight-hour work- ing day, disabled workers’ compensa- tion fund (to be raised by heavy taxa- tion of capital), and other provisions. Similar resolutions have been adopt- ed by various peasants’ leagues thru- out the island. To this it is essential to add that the new members of the legislative coun- cil had appeared as candidates with a wide labor program. The 8th anniversary of the Soviet Socialist Republic was celebrated by the Communist Party of Cyprus in a magnificent manner. The offices of the party and the union were hand- somely illuminated, speeches were de- livered upon the historical signifi- cance of the day, after which the In- ternational was sung. On November 21, the offices of the Communist Party at Limassol were raided by the police. The raid was conducted by Chief Inspector Mon- tague and two other minor officers according to instructions received from the central government of Lon- don, All those suspected as the lead- ers of the Communists were arrested but instantly released. The offices of the party and the houses of the Communists were care- fully searched, all correspondence, lit- erature, even the pictures that hung on the walls were confiscated. The labor movement in Cyprus is yet in its infantile stage. The work- ers and peasants who are horribly ex Ploited by the bourgeoisie and their powerful capitalistic church have ju begun to show signs of awakening. The results of the recent elections by which a formerly powerful and a. mighty aristocratic clique was con- demned are due to the labor program and pompous promises given by the bourgeoisie candidates who had de- clared a radical labor policy in favor of the workers and peasants. The Program that secured them success over their’ opponents included: eight- hour working day, disabled workers’ aid fund, ete. The rank and file workers who have not given faith to such declarations ; which were mingled with disgust in |patriotic demagogy, demonstrated | their confidence in the Communist | Party and are making every effort to | organize the workers on the basis of class struggle. The only way to get out of the desperate situation and suc- cess in ameliorating their living con- ditions, can only be achieved thru a good and powerful organization. The workers are convinced that they must not depend on the mercy of their exploiters. Their interests, which are entirely opposed to those of the capitalists, will be served only when they realize that they belong to a class which ig destined to carry out its his- torical mission, that is, the overthrow- ing of capitalism and the establish- ment of the socialist society of the workers and peasants thruout the whole world. Labor Unions Growing in China as the Old Guild System Fails NEW YORK, Dec, 28.—“Gradually. the Chinese laborers have come to realize the superiority of the modern labor union over the antiquated guild system for collective bargaining and organized opposition to economic ex- ploitation,” writes Ta Chen, a profes- sor at the American Fund Indemnity College in Peking. “In Canton alone,” he continues, “about 180 unions comprising 80,000 workers are organized into a general federation of labor, Up to recently, the Federation of Labor Unions of Shanghai had a membership of about 80 prosperous labor organizations of the city. In a general way the union- ization movement is being spread to important commercial and industrial centers of China, and is particularly strong in railway transporation, steam navigation, postal service, telephone and telegraph and the textile indus- tries.” Boston Capmakers Congratulate Ben Gitlow on Release U. M. W. LOCAL TO EXPEL TRAITOR WHO PROPAGATES ‘LUZERNE PLAN’ FOR TEN-YEAR MINE AGREEMENT By N. H. TALLENTIRE, (Special to The Dally Worker) PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—aAt the last meeting of Local No. 2429, U, M. W. of A., the membership of the local union expressed their resentment against the “Luzerne plan” by passing a resolution demanding that John BE. Stavit- ski, a member of Local No. 2489, be expelled from the union for his part in drafting the “plan” and for his work in personally submitting the same to the miners’ scale committee in the name of the “Luzerne county legislators,” ” Stavitski is a member of the state legislature from Nanticoke, one of the busiest coal camps in the hard coal region, a stronghold of the powerful Glen Aiden Coal Company of which Major+ W. W. Inglis, chief spokesman of the operators is chairman, Ten Year Contract. The “Luzerne plan” calls for a ten year contract, arbitration by a com- mittee apointed by President Coolidge, William H. Taft, and others of a si- milar caliber, and immediate resump= tion of work pending arbitration. This plan is even more vicious and danger- ous to the» union than the “Pinchot plan” which calls for a five year con- tract. The mayors of the anthracite towns, acting as cats-paws for the bosses, have been raising heaven and earth, in am endeavor to get the miners’ representatives and the operators in- to conference this week, to consider the merits of these two bosses pro- positions, the “Pinchot plan” and the “Luzerne county plan.” Tri-District Demands Forgotten. The demands of the miners in the tri-district convention are forgotten in this melee. The bosses however main- tain their resolute front, and for the third time have refused to meet the miners in conference to discuss plans for settlement put forward by various “impartial” committees. While the bosses maintain their resolute policy, the miners’ -hang on like bull dogs, maintaining their splendid discipline and solidarity, de- spite the failure of their leaders to adopt a militant policy. The main- tainance men still take care of the bosses mines and the soft coal min- ers continue to dig coal. Still the hard coal miners stick and are slowly awakening to the true nature of this fight. The prompt action of local No, 2439 in.demanding. the expulsion..of the traitor Stavitski, who uses hig union card as a cover to propagate the de- mands of the bosses is evidence of the fact that the miners will demand a more aggressive and militant policy if the strike drags out much longer. Such a policy is: put forward in the thousands of leaflets distributed broadcast by the Progressive Miners’ Committee. These leaflets demand that relief for the miners be provided by the union (not by the: politicans), jemand that the maintainance men be called out of the mines, and de- mand an general strike thruout the industry. With such a program the miners will win. Watch the Saturday Magazine Section for new features every week. This is a good issue to give to your fellow worker. PROGRESSIVE MINERS HAVE FIGHTING PROGRAM FOR UNION COALDIGGERS The Progressive Miners’ Commit- tee urges the miners in the anthra- cite district to work for the follow- ing program Which calls for a 100 per cent withdrawal of the mainten- ance men, a national strike of all soft and hard coal diggers and an alliance with the railroad workers to block the transportation of scab- mined coal in order that the strike of the anthracite miners of Penn- sylvania will be a victory for the union miners. 1. No compromise by arbitration or otherwise on the demands of the Tri-District convention. One agree- ment to cover the whole coal min- ing industry. No government aid. to operators. 2. Full recognition of the union, the wage increase demanded and better working conditions. A min- imum wage not less than full union scale. 3. The six-hour day and the five- day week, with unemployment relief furnished by the state or federal government, disbursement to be made thru the union machinery, 4. Abolition of the conciliation. board. 5. Nationalization of the mines with workers’ control. 6... A 100 per cent strike by with- drawal of the maintenance men, national general strike of all o miners and an alliance with the ri road workers to block scab coal, MAJOR BERRY WANTS A JOB SHOOTING US Our Address, ‘‘Majah,” Is Known to You OMAHA, Nebr. Dec, 28.—Major George L. Berry, of the Pressmen’s Union, broke loose in Omaha with some terroris propaganda in which he announces, with reservation, that any attempt of the Communists to bring about a olution in America will be met with forceful resistance and that the American Federation of Labor will lead the hosts against them, He said that the greatest business or- ganization in America is the A, F, of L, and bragged that the pressmen’s union has $5,000,000 in its treasury. In upholding the present capitalist system he said that “In the stability of business lies the interest of the trade union movement,” and that every union man and woman should aid the employer in getting more profits so that they “may” share im the returns, Wants Job as White Guard, As to happiness, he asserts that Americans enjoy the greatest state of happiness of any people on the face of the earth and that any advocates of public ownership are enemies of this republic, “they are Communists and can lead to nothing else but reyolu- tion which will be ruthlessly put down. Capitalism has built this na- tion and made it what it is and still there are those who would break down this great power and destroy our government and the trade union movement will protect at all times, the old and established institutions of capitalism agai st the Bolshevism of the Communists, and if the Commun- ists could gather even a corporal’s guard to overthrow this government the A. F. of L. would be the leaders im putting them down. “America wi, never,” he said, “accept the impos- sible philosophy of revolution.” “The trade union movement, he went on to say, “stands for profit mak- ing and property. It is quite willing to engage in conferences and grant to employers the right to private owner- ship and a fair return on their in- vestments and the meh are going to sit down in the future and counsel on all things with the boss and haye nothing more to do with strikes and lockouts.” Forgot About the Label. He asserts that the Bolsheviks in the labor movement will all be driven out as they are nothing but a demor- alizing force in the business proceed- ure of the unions and once more he shouted that “the A, F. of L. would lead the forces if the Bolsheviks start anything in America.” This all took Place hefore a union label league meeting; 125 men, women and chil- dren were present. The speaker only mentioned the label onte so intent was he on putting down the Commun- ists, Local 20, Waterproof Garment Workers, Hold Election of Officers By A. WEINGART,. NEW YORK CITY, Dec, 28.—Filec- tions for paid and upfaid officials in Local Union No. 20, Waterproof Gar- ment Workers’ Union of the I. L, G, W. U., were held on Saturday, Dee. 19, Four hundred and twenty mem- bers participated in elections. The re- sults were as follows: For manager: David Gingold, 278 votes; Meyer Polinsky, 133 votes, For. secretary-treasurer: Abraham Weingart, 352 votes; 40 against, For chairman: Sam Saroff, 310 votes; 52 against. 4 For vice-chairman: Gabriel Levitt. For executive board: H. Goldstein, N. Friedman, J. Pasternack, 8. Im- merman, J. Kessler, N. Zolotaroff, I. Feinberg, A. Rubin, J. Simon, L Levy, D. Mason, S. Melamed, I. Klein, SEAMEN DISCHARGE BOOK SYSTEM ” ,| any f my preaching, or the preaching Ey i | {nga period when civil war was rag. |™USt be resented, All should be ad- Joroed of the Unked Mine Workers’) o¢ +4j Communists, for many years to| BOSTON, Mass, Dec. 28—The TO ESTABLISH BLACKLIST PLANS. § ing in Central Europe and Russia, | ™tted on equal terms. officials. pico members of the Cloth Hat, Cap and | But the R, 1. L. U, policy has never Bere “eB Scazhorough decisions | Progressive miners look upon this| ~ my, suppression of free speech, 1i-| Millinery Workers’ —_ International +S ee uit! but ti of the T, U. C, peech, new manifestation of pessimism and dispair on the part of the miners and job seeking or worse on the part of the leaders of the “association” as nearly the same thing as a company union and at best as a new futile and disruptive effort which will cre- ate greater miseries for the miners than the union, stay in it and fight, NEW YORK, Dec, 28.—Seamen in this port are greatly worked up over a bill now in congress providing for the book discharge system, supported by the reactionary International Seamen’s Union of America, which is co-op: ‘ating with the bosses in the further enslavement of the slaves on— y merchant marine, This is the system employed by the English ships and under it, | worker finds life intolerable aboard ship and does not complete the ¢ stead of marking his book “very good,” it is marked, “declined to report where every employe can see it. his book which containg a been to split but to unite the inter- national movement and has sincerely |: advocated this. Amsterdam ought to be glad these elements have been pt together for the purpose of un- ity, as toned Oy Galen 8. Aoe eo ye Bee ont because of their Union Local 7 of Boston, expressed their working class solidarity by ac- cepting at a special meeting of the local a resolution congratulating Comrade Benjamin Gitlow on his re- lease from prison, where it was at- tempted to place him for his loyal defense of the working cla: We hope that he and all other de- fenders of our class be able to continue the fight emancipa- berty of the press, and the right of indiviluals to express their own opin- ions tas created a real revolutionary sentiment with the united object of ‘ion. Stand by our T. U, C. resolution, Back up the ge! 1 council in their endeavours to create international unity. Let us have a world conference of all unions, irrespective of affiliation and a united international. pecially to the part an] show in no ers, to play their master class of this way that slaves, and to t] treacherous policies. of ‘political opinions, Teehin, After that talk with your shop- to tyranny.—Re- | tion of the working i cl igent seaman is opposed to | London Sunday| (Signed) J. Korsul, Chairman, { true to its reactionary character,