The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 28, 1926, Page 5

Page WORKER CORRESPONDENTS BY JANUARY 13 1927 SOVIET SHIPS BETTER THAN THE BRITISH Seamen Tells How He Found This Out By A Seafaring Wage Slave. I have heard very much about So- viet Russia and have listened to many speeches and read both sides of the story, now having the opportunity to visit the country, I suppose that I am in a position to come to some conclusion, and make a slight com- parison, During our stay we were duly enter- tained by the international seamens’ clubs, and’ made many excursions to factories; clubs, and Russian ships which were interesting and educa- tional to us, giving us an idea of what is going on, I must say that in regards to the conditions on the Russian ships, and@-ours, there is absolutely no com- parison, ‘and the laugh is certainly on us ‘British seafarers and no doubt. it would interest the Rusian seafarers to know some of the conditions under which we exist. : British Seamen{s Conditions. Able seamen receive the sum of six pence an hour and less for a 31 day month, working in two watches, re- ceiving no overtime for extra hours which come very frequent, this makes a total of 84 hours per week. The fire- men are supposed to work 8 hours a day, seven days a week and receive for this, the sum of six shillings and four pence a day, in three watches, with no pay for overtime, and in case of sickness which often happens, they must do the work without anything extra. The stewards work not less than fifteen hours a day for the sum of eight pounds, five shillings a month, also no pay for overtime. Now, regarding the general living conditions it makes me blush with shame to think that our great fighting race ‘was so slavish and subservient to take them “lying down” while the shipowners live in luxury. Our living quarters are so vile and primitive, that you can cut the air in the morn- ing, after a night’s rest. The food ig more fit for pigs than for human beings, with no baths or decent sanita- ty facilities. It is indeed very plain to me, since I have visited the U. S. S. R. the rea- son why the Russian workers are holding with all their might the con- ditions ‘they have got thru the revolu- tion, in spite of all the organized oppo- sition of the capitalist class. I am well satisfied with my visit, for it has shown me the real conditions under which the Russian workers really exist, and seeing is believing. Worker Loses Life to Save Company’s Cash By a Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK, Jan, 26—The crime wave is still on in this city. The worker and not the bosses is the loser. Joseph Mullarky, a clerk em- ployed by the open shop Great Atlan- tic & Pacific Tea Co., paid with -his life while trying to protect the money of the company. Your pen must be stronger than the hired pen of the boss. Amalgamated Member in Chicago Sees Need of Struggle Against Hillman (Continued from page 1). for three days, Since we all work piece work the boss loses nothing when a worker does not come in, But when that particular brother came to work on the third day, the section foreman came up to him as soon a he sat down to work, and ordered him in a regular czarist fashion, to look up the foreman, because the foreman wanted to see him, The operator told him that he was working piece work and could not afford to go look- ing for the foreman. If the foreman wants to see him he can come to his machine and tell him what he wants. The result was that that brother was immediately fired. Years ago we used to fight such bru- talities by stopping the whole section from work and making such a skunk like our foreman Mendelsohn under- stand that he can’t get away with such stuff, But lately we have learn- od to our sorrow, that when we in our section have tried that method, the boss with the help of “our” union hag succeeded in beating us, It is true that the writer, R, Katz, pointed out those evils, but what can we do? I know that you will say, go to the meeting and join the Commun- ists and the Trade Union Educational League. But what have you people accomplished with your Trade Union Educational League? You have mado some people martyrs, I know in our shop William Savonoysky had lost his job because he fought against such things In the shop, and in the unton, and now his wife and children are Starving and we are worse off than hetore) Aes ie The following books will be offe: FIRST PRIZE—‘“Flying Osip,” stories of New Russia. This Week’s Prizes! red for this week’s contributions: Eleven short stories written since the revolution, presenting the work of the most significant of the new Russian writers, SECOND PRIZE—“Whither England?” by Leon Trotsky. A bril- liant analysis of the factors which threaten England’s economic supremacy, and a shattering proph omic and political decline, THIRD PRIZE—“Russia Today,” the official report of the British trade union delegation on social and economic conditions In Soviet Russia, including the special report on the famous “Zinoviev” letter which was responsible for the downfall of the MacDonald government. “LENIN: WAS THERE EVER A MAN SO INSTINCTIVELY LOVED?” (By a Worker Correspondent) “I never would have’*expected to find you here” was’ the greeting with which workers of ‘the’ shops greeted one another at the: Leni» memorial meeting that filled thée:@oliseum in Chicago. OwIG ‘In one corner of the’ buftding a Ger- man wood carver was’ télliig his Ital- jan ‘shopmate how’ “shfprised and pleased’ he was to ’fifid’ him there, while in another part of the hall a bond of common interest was being sworn by two stockyards workers who were overjoyed to find that each had come. Dressmakers and millinery workers were confiding to each other in the dressing rooms and around the hall that they had always bee anx- ious to approach each other on the subject of working class solidarity and congratulating each other that the time had come when they could work together for the cause of the’ workers, “Of course, I am not yet a member of the part,y” confided a pretty young girl in a red silk smock. I read The DAILY WORKER when it-is brot into our shop. the Worker Correspondents’ page. So tonight I decided to come to this meeting. I never thot I would see so many people here. Do you know the entire street car I came in was packed with people coming to the © meeting. And when I got here I met so many girls from our shop!” Epoch Making Meeting. Those conversations “heard in all parts. of the hall. show us low effec- tive the few months’ of propaganda in the shops has been and how superior our new form of organization on the shop nuclei basis is to the old one, For the first time in the history of the Workers (Communist) Party of Chicago has such a tremendous fol- lowing of sympathizers rallied to one of our meetings. It was an epoch making meeting of the. . Chicago Workers (Communist) Party. Altho the meeting was called for eight at seven already workers..began. to fill the seats in the hall. By,eight every one of the 7,000 to 8,000. seats were filled and workers were standing around the hall and up in the balcon- ies. The spirit of the meeting thrilled every one present from the little Pioneer to the old and hardened revo- lutionist. Nationalities. and races were melted into one: Americans, Europeans, Chinese, Mexicans, Ne- groes—all were welded together in the common bond of working class solid- arity. High Spots of Meeting. There were many high spots in the So what shall we do? Make some more victims and get nothing? I was always a sympathizer of the “Lefts” but I am a married man with two chil- dren and I don’t want to play the mar- tyr. I always warned Lavonoysky of the same thing, because the only thing Savonovsky had accomplished is that Levin (Sam Leyin, manager of the Chicago Joint Board (A. C. W.) is riding the automobile, and he is walking the streets unable to get @ job. 7 To conclude, your describing the conditions may be true, but your method of doing away with such con- ditions don’t work, as proven in the last three years of futile effort in our union. Unless you will work out dif- ferent methods, the boss will rule with the help of our officials unchal- lenged, and you will knock your head against an iron wall.—M. Nedlig, me, Our Reply. AB cage Brother Nedlig: Letters such as yours show that in the ranks of the Amalgamated there is go- ing on a process of questioning and doubting of the fitness of the present administration to lead the union in the present situation in which the standard of living of every worker in the men’s clothing section of the clothing industry is menaced by wage cuts under the guise of “readjust- ents,” speed-up systems that throw ore workers on the scrap heap, and unemployment that not only starves many workers but also intimidates those who are working with fear of mor their vy our example of the mistreatment ‘&@ worker in your shop shows very I especially like to read! cy of England’s approaching econ- meeting. One was the unfurling of a tremendous canvas on which was painted the head of. Lenin by the American revolutionary artist, Fred Ellis. This canvas which hung from the front. balcony and extended all the way down to the stage was a fitting background for the stage on which sat workers representing many nations and races. Another high spot was the entire audience rising and as one voice, filling the hall with the inspir- ing strains of the International. Still another was when a group of Pio- neers, little colored and white boys and girls, presented a beautiful silk banner to Robert Minor, the speaker, to send to Moscow to bedeck the Lenin mausoleum, while in one part of the hall all the Pioneers with red kerchiefs about their necks stood holding large red stars high above their heads. Still another was the | |HILLMAN TAKEN symbolic dance given by 24 Checho Slovak young men and women depict- ing workers first divided and fighting each other and then awakened to the realization that they belong together, joining hands in a common cause. But the biggest, the most impressive and the most inspiring note of the eve- ning was struck when the new Lenin motion picture depicting Soviet Rus- sia in mourning for their great leader was flashed on the screen. The tre- mendous audience that packed the hall sat motionless. . Their emotions rose into air, then descending again hovered over their heads filling the at- mosphere with what can only be de- | scribed as the SPIRIT OF LENIN. When the screen flashed the question; “Was there ever a man so instinct ively loved by all the working class?” the audience at the Coliseum was the answer. . Drive to Unionize Philadelphia Garment Workers Is Started (By a Workers Correspondent) PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 26 — The Shirtmakers’ Union of Philadelphia has opened a campaign to organize all cutters, pressers, and operators in the shirt industry. A committee of 100 has volunteered to distribute cir- culars announcing that it is the aim of the union to secure a 44-hour week, an increase in wages, and collective bargaining. Four general organizers have been assigned by the Amalga- mated Clothing Workers to conduct thtis campaign. Offices and meeting rooms have been opened at 1013 Arch treet. clearly the advantage that the bosses are taking of the situation, That such things can happen show that the union is weak in the shops. What happened to this warker can, and will, happen to other workers as this is a fine method of destroying the union control of the shops and scaring the workers into submission to the bosses, In spite of the fact that you see the necessity of fighting against these evils you doubt the correctness of the left wing policy, because that policy makes “martyrs” out of some militant workers, This is the wrong way to look at the question as we will show, The Real Issue, The officialdom of the Amalgamated has become just as much agents of the bosses as it is possible for them to become, Their function is not to fight for the interests of the workers but to control the workers for the benefit of the bosses. This is shown in many instances. From readjust- ments to the “agreement” made with “Golden Rule” Nash there has been a steady process of turning the union into an agency of the bosses, In terms of living standards this means less food, clothing and shelter for the workers. Consequently the membership of the Amalgamated is faced with the problem: Either rid the union of the Hillman administration who are agents of the, bosses, or submit to their rule and, accept a reduced stand- ard of living and the speed-up sys- tem. .The union cannot fight the bosses unless the leadership accepts 4 policy of; struggle and conducts the union on that basis, . To get union onto the basis of TO TASK BY AN A, G, W. MEMBER By A Member of the A. C. W. A. (Worker Correspondent.) Sidney Hillman, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, sum- marized the activity of the Amalga- mated for the year of 1925, telling us about the strike and struggle in the} International Tailoring and J. L. Tay- lor company but he did not tell us of the rea] agreement that was sign- ed with the company. Brother Hill- man did fot find it necessary to tell the members of Local No. 39 of the agreement that was signed with Mr. Nash in Cincinnati. Brother Hillman didn't tell, ws of how many “readjust- ments” were made during the year of 1925 and “hOw many “demands” of the bosses. were granted nor of his masterpiece —the unemployment in- surance. — at has happened to this masterpiece of Brother Hillman? He did not say “a single word about his “wonderful” ‘plan. In his speéth he was too busy en- tertaining his followers, telling them fairy tales about the New York situ-! ation. He learned the methods of aj cheap vaudeville actor and tried to tickle the public to make them laugh. Brother Hillman, these speeches that you are delivering all over the country prove your bankruptcy as a labor leader. Left Wing Forces Issue. There are two sides to every story. The sentiment and talk after the meeting the “hoylem” is not the “roriem” iymore—the masses are not a sn jan anymore. The rank and file begin to understand that there is “dmething wrong in Den- mark. And''you, Brother Hillman, proved yotit' guilty conscience by tak- ing the flodr again after Brother Schneid was'thru and you talked an- other thirty minutes and said noth- ing. One ‘¥éply you gave to Brother Schneid was that you believed in one joint board for New York City a long time ago. ,Jf you really did, why didn’t yougsay so a long time ago? It took the left wing to force the is- sue and bring it about, and now you are co! jut and trying to tell the Sie that you “were al- ways in favor of it.” Brother Sehneid was right when he said thet we want tolerance in our organization;and not only do we want tolerance in the organization and per- mit difference of opinion but we should also welcome new suggestions and interchange of opinions in order to keep our organization alive. What was your reply? You'stated in your reply ito Brother Schneid that you were also for tolerance and inter- change of opinion. So dear Brother| Hillman, let us take an inventory of! 1925 and 888 what you have accom- plished. oD) | Slugging in Chicago. | What happened in the year of 1925] in our organization? In Chicago, Brother Herschler was beaten up and blinded. Another brother had his arm broken. Another dozen brothers and sisters are still under doctor’s care. All these brothers and sisters were victimized because they have expressed their difference of iopin- fon. Some of our brothers and sis- ters were deprived of their member- ship in this organization for the crime | month for the GIRLS ARE LAID OFF AT MONTGOMERY WARD; OTHERS SLAVE HARDER By a Worker Correspondent. OAKLAND, Cal. Jan, 26.—Ten minutes before quitting time the boss comes around and whispers in the ear of his employes: “You are requested to take a leave of absence as we expect to receive less busi- ness than usual and shall not have enough work to keep every one busy.” Within the last month about 300 or more employes were laid off from the Oakland Montgomery Ward & Co. Yet the sales for the month of December were $22,789.009. This amount is greater than any preced- ing December. Expenses deducted, financial statement shows, leaves about $6,836,702.70 clear profit per. bosses, while the amount paid out to employes (is about $100,800 per month. What. chance has the employe who be comes il!? | was ill for a few days and remained at home. My pay. roll for the week was $2.65, but) my, doctor bill was $20. After the layoffs a notice was Passed around the exchange depart- ment, saying: “Girls, you must: put out at least 70 adjustments instead of 50. You know there are not so many of you now.” A similar notice was passed around in every depart- ment. was responsible for that? Is that the tolerance that you preach? Is that the kind of free speech you be- lieve in? Be so kind and ask Brothers Kaufman and Sigman how workers regard this kind of free speech. 7 You said that The DAILY WORK- give light to the workers. were, families for the occasion. the strike was yet in progress. of workers rent the air. LEST WE FORGET - - By a Worker Correspondent. MASS, Michigan, Jan. 26.—‘Lest we forget” the numerous strikes that are ever welding together the class war prisoners and helping to Every worker thruout America should recall the great tragedy that was staged at Calumet, Mich., where many workers lost their lives. Around the year of 1914, the copper country workers were on strike. Scabs were imported by the company—and yellow, In addition government troops were called. On the night of Christmas the Italian strikers gathered with their Small children played around in the hall and babies nestled in their mothers’ arms, slimy scabs they Even the men were sociable tho Then just as the meeting was in full swing, a cry of FIRE! FIRE! rang thru the hall. trampled under foot and crushed to death; the groans and the screams But the death of these workers was not only due to the scramble of the panic stricken but chiefly to the slugging of the yellow scabs and the government troops. Many died, babies were started. erican Negro Labor Congress I was transferred to a different job to do wringing which brings in at least 10 dollars less per week. Just before the congress took place a cut in wages of 10 per cent was declared and soon after the half day rest on Saturday was cut off. I ex- pressed dissatisfaction with this cut in wages. Stool-pigeons were quick to report this to the boss, and he appar- ently instructed his agents to pick a fight with me so that I could be fired “for cause.” I made every effort pos- ER, the Freiheit and the left wing were scab agencies. Then let us ad- vise you to ask the rank and file of the Furriers’ Union and of the Inter- national Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union what they think about it. Ask them if the left wing and their sup- porters are scab agencies? I hope that in the near future you will find out what the rank and file of the Amalgamated thinks about you and your tactics. Regards to your future awakening! Brakeman Is Killed on Lackawanna Road (By a Worker Correspondent.) NEW YORK, Jan, 26—William_ Y. Warren, who worked as a brakeman for the Lackawanna Railroad com- pany, while working on top of one of the freight trains—the trains were being coupled, fell fo the ground and died of the injuries, His body was removed to Higgin’s morgue. At the same time Marcus Anderson, a conductor for the Lehigh Railroad died at Perth Amboy from expostire during a severe storm that hit Perth Amboy. sible to avoid a fight, Later a sign appeared on the time clock that the working hours have been changed again; that from now on the working hours would be as follows: Monday to Wednesday from 7:30 to 6:45, Thursday off; Friday again from 7:30 to 6:45 and Saturday until the work is finished. Any one not working according to schedule will be paid according to the “actual time they work.” In the past workers have been paid for holidays and overtime. This new rule would cut this out, and those who have not worked during the holi- day would receive pay for four and a half days. The workers asked ques- hardest—and we got month is over! of expressing their opinions. Who @ class struggle policy is the task of the left wing. To do this it is neces- sary to fight'the administration at every turn:.i/This leads the adminis- tration to expel opposition elements so that they; can continue to betray the workerg,, Naturally in this strug- gle many workers will suffer thru un- employment and slugging. But the issue 1s oné which makes these sacri- fices of comparatively little impor- tance so long as the tasks of winning the membership for struggle against the bosses proceeds. And the admin- istration can only succeed in this pol- icy so long athe left wing is not sup- ported by the rank and file. Battles in Other Unions, In this respect the experiences of the left wing in the other needle unions is of importance. In the Fur riers’ Union, President Kaufman car- ried on a vicious campaign of terror. Ben Gold, manager of the New York board of the union, was nearly killed by the sluggers. But did this prevent the defeat of Kaufman at the recent convention? Not at all. The left wing continued its work and succeeded be- cause their policy is the only one that enables the membership to defend themselves against the attacks of the bosses. The task of. the left wing is not yet completed in the Furriers’ Union, but the bulk of the member. ship follows the left wing and the cor- rupt Raufmanmachine is thoroly dis- credited, ait In the struggle in the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, Sig- man used evély foul method he could against the left wing. But he was defeated in the great New York strug- le, and will/eventually be driven, from the union, In the Amalgamated the struggle is more difficult. For many years Hill- man and company gave lip service tu the class struggle, and even at timc posed as being revolutionary. This is now gone, and co-operation with the bosses has taken its place. Slugging and terrorism is the order of the day because Hillman knows that his pol- fey is against the interests of the membership. He is desperately try- ing to drive the left wing out of the union, Victory Only by Struggle. If the terror and expulsion policy of the administration is so great then the left wing wil adopt measures to meet this situation. The policy of the left wing is correct as is shown by the fact that at the last G. E. B. meeting the Hillman gang had to take a small step in the direction of having on- joint board in New York as the left has been demanding. In New-York the mass meetings of the members show that the days of Hillman are numbered. In Chicago it is necessary to gather all the militants of the rank and file together to combat the Levin machine, The left wing program fits the needs of the membership.. That is why the slugging and expulsions of the left wing take place. The duty of all members of the Amalgamated who want to fight tor the interests of the workers is to sup- port the Amalgamated Action Com- mittee and the T. U. EB. L, in spite of the sacrificed “it entails. Only thru struggle can {hé workers protect themselves against the bosses and their agents’ iif"the unions, THE DAILY WORKER. worker. AFTER YEARS OF SLAVERY FOR BOSS, FIRED BECAUSE HE JOINED AMERICAN NEGRO LABOR CONGRESS By a Worker Correspondent, PITTSBURGH, Pa., Jan. 26:—For two and a half years I have been slaving at the Keystone branch of the United Laundry company, thing was alright, until a movement for the American Negro Labor Congress and every- Persecution Begins, I was one of the first to become interested in this movement, and soon began to notice a change towards me on the part of the bosses, working as a washer all the time.+— pAfter I°began taking part in the Am-| I was tions, but were afraid to speak to the boss, I was the only one who dared to say anything to Miss Martin, the timekeeper and stenographer. The boss soon told me that I was the cause of all the dissatisfaction in the shop. He put the entire blame on me and not on his cut in wages! Search Locker, My locker ‘was ransacked and a copy of the Negro Champion discover- ed. The stools began to ask me ques- tions and were looking for a fight. The boss came up and without any further investigation informed me that I was fired. This after I have been on the job for more than two and half years and was doing more work than I really had to according to the pay I was receiving. The worst of it is that the rest of the men and women in the shop, most- ly colored, stood by without realizing that the fight against me was also the fight against them and had no cour- age or conscience enough to tell the boss what they think of him and of the working conditions under which they are compelled to work. Why a worker correspondent? Why not? Is there nothing of interest hap- Pening around you? - Write it up and send it int! 2000 The first thousand is by far the it! One thousand more workers are reading The Daily Worker in January than in December. Now two thousand new sub- scribers is the goal before the It's a big job but it can be done. And we can do it if we get your help comrade, brother, fellow- Today The Daily Worker is a stronger and bigger fighter for the working class. How big it will be after next week depends on YOU— Depends on what YOU will do in LENIN Fr Fe Thousand Mw In Chicago: Per year . Six months DAILY WORKER, 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill. Enclosed §. Name: Street: ot DRIVE site to THE DAILY WORKER Sign the Dotted Line! Outside of Chicago: ° Per year Six months for @ ......0« month subscription to put over THE LENIN DRIVE, State ss ciscesiic