The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 6, 1926, Page 5

BOSS’ FLUNKEY TAKES VACATION | IN THE ORIENT Stone & Webster Gives Lackey Needed Rest By a Worker Correspondent, TACOMA, Wash., Feb. 4. — Little “Billy” Askren used to be a bell hop in a hotel. He was a servile flunkey and all the bosses loved him. As he grew older he studied law and tho he did not learn much—he never forgot he was a flunkey to capitalism. In time he became the district attorney of Pierce County. He sent more men to prison under the criminal syndical- ist law than any other district attor ney in the state of Washington, So capitalists pay him honors." Repay Flunkey. He was elected judge of the superi- or court and from there he was show- ed into the supreme. court. work, but big business, the bar asso- ciation, and the prostitute press put him .in, to, replace a judge who had tried to be just, and was not a mere flunkey. One-half of Askren’s superior court decisions had been reversed by the state supreme court. There were only twelve ‘more incompetent judges in the staté than Askren. But none were better flunkeys. Only ‘one paper in the state was impolite enough to méntion Askren’s record as superior court judge of 60% failure. The rest kept a discreet silence, Takes Vacation in Orient. Now Askren is on a vacation. He has gone to the orient to help organize new temples of the shriners. He travels with Supreme Potentate Scott Z, Henderson, who was. a director of Stone and Webster but resigned to become vice-president of the Tennant Steel Casting Co.. a scab firm in Ta- coma. Tennant, the president of the firm, is a candidate for mayor of Ta- coma. The question of Stone and Web- ster’s srteet car franchise in Tacoma must be settled soon. So far, Stone and Webster, the power trust, have blocked efforts of Tacoma and Seattle municipal electric plants to sell power outside the city limits. May Need “Billy” Later. Some day the legislature may allow them to do so and then it will be necessary to use the supreme court to block the attempt. That is why “Billy” Askren needs a vacation. The more you'll write the better you'll like it. PRISONERS LOCKED IN CELLS WHILE FLAMES COVER PRISON WALLS By ROMA, Worker Cezrespondent. MOUNDSVILLE, W. Va., Feb. 4 —Screams of the prisoners could be heard above th; ‘roar and din of the flames and the-shouts of firemen and excited onlookers, yet Warden Smith stated there was no excite- + ‘'ment at all among the inmates who were kept locked in their cells when the fire broke out in a part of the state penitentiary. The fire commenced at 11 o’clock at night. It was a_ spectacular bisge, accompanied by a brisk wind ang heavy snow, and the flames leaped. high above the prison walls. It was conquered around 3:00 a. m., it being necessary to use both the prison and the city fire trucks to put it.out. The loss is estimated at $20,000, Why’a worker correspondent? Why not? Is there nothing of interest hap- pening around you? Write it up and send it in! Worker. ene ee Why? | / HOW? All these questions on the ' subject of proletarian jours nalism are answered in this booklet. au 5 It is the first, most essen- tial instruction to workers on how to develop a new phase of proletarian actiy- ity. ‘ Get a copy—read it— Pi writ a - 10¢ fy, No, 4 in the ae Red Library 7 ‘he Daily Worker Pubs Co. Aus W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Il. It took’ something you could do for me?” MISERABLY, LOW WAGES IS LOT. OF, ST, LOUIS BASKET AND BOX MAKERS (By. a Worker Correspondent) ST. LOUIS, Mo, Feb. 4—The con- ditions of labor at the St, Louis Basket and. Box company are those found in the “open shop” under the Capitalist system, “The older workers get three dol- lars, a day for ten ‘hours of labor under.a_ speed . system,,. like. that “found in. the Ford, shops, in Detroit. On Saturday they work .nine hours Which, makes. them, a 59-hour week for $17.70. The young works get $12 a very. hard In Hokcw The girls get seven sents a dozen for making baskets, Theyhaye to ‘'work'thru the noon hawr, 80 they can ‘make. a living. Workers young-and, old, do you want, to slave for.the rest.of, your lives, under the.;.speed .. system? Workers your only,,.hope is in a strong. fighting -industrial union and a farmer-tabor partys; Plan Health Resort For New York Workers By GERTRUDE PINCUS. (Worker Correspondent) NEW YORK, Feb. 4 — A health re sort for. workers is planned byefue United Co-operative and the Co-oper- ative Preventatorium of New York. Representatives of both organizations met last week to discuss united, efforts in that direction, Part of the proposed. Preventatori- um’s program will consist of. educat- ing workers, in, matters .of hygiene. diet and general-care, of, the health, An appeal was made, at the joint. meeting for. DAILY,: WORKER .sub-| scriptions. subscribed, ‘ ene cattle Don't waste your risa Lega bo can paper. Many,, of» those «present “THE THIRD PRIZE: « THE DAILY WORKER Not hc abi and Education But Filth from the Capitalist Press Garbage Wagon. FORD. SPEED-UP SYSTEM CASTS OFF AND. THROWS ON SCRAP HEAP ~~ WORKERS DISABLED-ON THE JOB the street cats ‘going’ to and “from work. Please Comrade Editor, over- look my mistakes as my school edu- cation is meager, but’ my: Communist education shall be-hetter, Hoping you will alter my letter and make it more correct. With Communist aoe Detroit, Mich.) ee At the Ford Doctor’s Office. DETROIT, Mich. Feb," 4— While waiting for my turn’ at. the Ford hospital to have a*piece of steel re- moved from my eye, I witnessed the following: A Ford employe, looking lke a shadow of his former self, entered the office and sank into“a chair: Pres- ently the doctor, walked in éasting a glance around the room at the’ bleed- ing and wounded vidfiihs of Henry Ford’s greed. Phe" worried © worker arose and addressed, the,doctor, . The conyersation that ‘ook ‘place 'was as follows: “*.* \ “About six months “ago:L was Fup tured. while lifting"héhvy “barrels of Stock and it is now,next.to impossible to, continue doing the “heavy:’ work. Since then. my foremah has, beet con- tinually nagging merand has made life unbearablé, Ihave pléaded with iim to transfer) me:to sqme.other de- partment where the work’ Wlighter. | He refused :ta; do‘thasandiagw ater, being with the, ,Rord ny for Avert)» years, pai h emy dis- there my foreman sent me to tee employment office with a slip marked “not able to, keep up wi production, too ‘slow? i , mt “There are hundredqeupt jobs} cou! do in the shop. Doctor, for the sake of my five children and my. wife, in the name of humanity, isn’t there Doctor Serves Profits Not Men. After listening to, this heartrending peat the doctor had ‘this to say in reply: “The Ford Motor company has too many men right now with ruptures. I PROLET-TRIBUNE NO. 5, RUSS LIVING NEWSPAPER, |. WIL BE OUT FEB. 20] The next issue of Prolet-Tribune, it rf » Divi it. I il be the A eae Li Fas roo Beginning at 8 P. iyeninconoabedionvend oxaaassipubin ols any ‘By A Worker Correspondent... 5); (Note to ‘Editor—Comrade Editor: thousands of men, are paid off by the Ford Motor corhpeny because they have become physically unable to make the pace of the-speed-up system. Ford employs an army ofp efficiency experts which inve: i devices for the’ purpose’ of speeding up the mac! R keep up with’ the ‘chain conveyance; and this séph ins to tell on them. The majority of thé nien fall asleep in Every yedt)2just) before inventory merous mechanical “the workers must eee GARMERT WORKER LOSES HIS JOB BECAUSE HE TALKED TO NEIGHBOR (By A Worker Correspondent.) NEW YORK, Feb, 4 — A finisher at cloaks was discharged from Louis Lustig’s cloak shop, 498 Seventh Ave. N. Y. City, capital garment center The reason for her dis- charge was that she was talking to her-nelghbor worker, A few weeks ago, when the season in the cloak industry began, Mr. Lustig delivered a speech before the | workers telling them that they would et to wpeaiee more work, and anyénie not able or willifig to do so be discharged. True to hig pro he made the first at- dah to. frighten the workers by diseh 9 a finisher, Will Mr, tig "be permitted to re- peat t| is action every season? 4 § i¢.workers must give their or- janize reply! . SS amt sorry there is nothing I can do for you? and.he walked out, leaving the popr man who has a. wife and five dren, who had. givenHenry Ford st of his life, who was crippled begaube he tried too hard to.serve the a ts better, ‘The same Ford interests are now forcihg him out in- to the streets to starve to death— and his family, what is to become of them? NEW “YORK—"Organtzed labor in Now York state must put all of its strength into the fight for a work- men’s compensation law which will cover all, occupational diseases,” the Workers’ Health Bureau, nting on assemblyman Phelps’ bill ‘No, 89. This measure, backed by thé N. Y. State Federation of Labor, would, provide financial,,geief for juffering “any ands al) ,digabl- iseases and disghiiygm illness,” 19 occupational diseaga,are cov. my daw. , Minaod » bie | RAS IRTRIIEC dad y, it with your ee eee of Hem DAILY »- THE SECOND PRIZE. SPEED-UP SYSTEM GETS SPEEDIER; MEN GET: WEAKER; AND PRICES GET LOWER‘AT BRIGGS AUTO BODY PLANT sto ys By a Worker Correspondent, DETROIT, Michy.Feb. 4—The speed-up system keeps getting speedier at the Briggs Compamy sweatshop, auto body makers of Detroit, and if all the men do not drop dead from utter exhaustion there is no. telling what enormous sums of préfits the slaves will pile up for the bosses this season. Prizes Cut to Bone. Formerly department 65 and depart- ment 35 at the Mack plant turned out 4,000 doors with 225.men. Now these same departments thru the speed-up system turn out 7,000 doors with 195 men, In appreciation of the fierce pace the men keep going fs the boss gave them a brand new cut in wages, bring- ing wages down to 38 cents an hour, Wages were originally 75 cents an hour, then 65 cents and now 38 cents, The new high production rate was made possible by the two weeks’ rest the men had when they were laid off. With the fear of not getting their jobs back they beat the men into submit- ting to the new terms and the Vaca- tion enabled the men to speed up and set this high pace in production. How They Did It. On January 4 when the shop was reopened a system’ of stirring up rivalry amongst thé’ foremen of the night and day shifts was consistently carried out alongside of a reign of terror which lasted’ two weeks. All those who resented ft and raised their voices in protest were fired and were told they cannot come back to the plant any more, These are the facts in the change which brought the achievement of 7,000 doors by 195 men. How much longer will the workers at Briggs permit themselves to be driven’in this beastly fashion for the sake of bigger profits for the bosses? Will they continue to wear themselves out until they drop dead on the job? The time is ripe for doing something before the men are reduced to slaves afraid of their own shadows. Time to Act. Let us stand up like men and refuse to be driven! Let us get together with workers in other shops in the city and organize into a union. Only organiza- tion, united action, will help us. Watch The DAILY WORKER every day for articles about conditions in the Briggs auto factory and about the workers’ struggles in other industries. Learn about your class and how it can emancipate itself from capitalist ex- ploitation, SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK NO PLACE FOR . SAILORS WHO CAN’T SHOW CASH bi OY WORT TERR By ARMINIUS, Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK CITY, Feb, 4—The Seamen's Church Institute of New York | claims to exist solely for the welfare of seamen and harbor boatmen, It is advertised as a haven where the wanderers of the ocean will find home com- forts, friendliness and help, But the many sailors who come here expecting to find these things afe badly disappointed, for the institution holds a bible in one hand and the profiteer’s sack in¢ the other, Charged in Everything. A room costs 60 cents a night and the occupant must vacate at eight sharp in the morning, and cannot re turn again until five in the evening. If the room is not paid for ten in the morning all personal property found in the room is confiscated by the in- stitution and the owner must pay a forfeit of 25 cents for each separate article. The baggage room charges ten cents for a suit case, package or bundle and twenty-five cents for every trunk left there for storage. These charges have to be paid over again every fifteen days, No one except those who pay for by New York’s present sompen lodging is permitted?to use the li- -/brary,. A man sitsth a booth near the stairway leading to the library and asks for the lodging ticket of those who wish to Mae the library. Sajlors who are broke and hungry might as well ask the curbstones for @ meal as ask the officers of the in- stitutions whose chief claim is that they help those who are in need. Everything here has to be paid -for at exhorbitant prices. The institution restaurant charges more for a meal than private restaurants that are run for profit. Coffee and Doughnut, Sundays. The hypocritical hand of the church is behind the institution. There is a chapel in the house and a fatherly chaplain to take care of the sinful sailors’ souls. twices are held every Sunday and to g@t'the sailors to come to the institution; hands out a cup of ny. doughnut. Many “by hunger to at- _ Page Five WORKERS ARE JOBLESS; HOUSES ARE EMPTY; THAT'S 1926 PROSPERITY COSHOCTON, O., Feb, 4—The un- employment situation here is so bad the workers are leaving for other places, making @ surplus of empty houses here. Houses which’ rented for $20, $30 and $35 a month now rent for $18, $20 and $25 a month and can not be rented for that, The manufacturers at the end of 1925 promised an increase in their business beginning with 1926. This made the unemployed hopeful; it increased their confidence in the capitalist system; they thot they would be able to get a Job and sup- Port their families; but their hopes have been shattered. If there has been a boom in busi- ness the workers have not gained by it, The ones on the job are forced to do Just a little more work—that is the kind of prosperity the work- ers are getting here, LUMBER BARONS PLAN 10 LOWER WORKERS’ WAGES Bosses Call Convention to Take Action By A Worker Correspondent. TACOMA, Wash., Feb. 4.—Saw mill and logging operators are planning a convention in Seattle, claiming that profits are too small. In order to boost profits they point out there are several courses they may take: Shutting down production until a Tessened supply forces prices up; an increase in prices; or lower wages. The prevailing rate in the mills is now $3.40 for an eight-hour day for mén, and $2.80 for boys, who are be- ing used more and more. There are Tumors. of a wage cut and undoubtedly attempts will be made to cut wages. The employers have a strong or ganization with the local and state governments behind them, The work- ers have no organization. The I. W. W. has been crushed first by the government and then by the Rowan Emergency program faction. The American Federation of Labor Union is dead. The L. L, L. L. is a cab union, controlled by the bosses, used only to reduce wages, THE WINNERS! The winners of this week’s prizes are the following: William Schneiderman of Los Angeles, Calif., who took a trip thru the lumber region of California for the express purpose of study- ing the conditions in the lumber camps and reporting them In The DAILY WORKER. The winner of the second prize is a worker In the Briggs Auto Body Manufacturing company of Detroit, Mich., whose article gives us a clear picture of the hazardous conditions in that plant brot about by a new speed-up system, The third prize also goes to a Detroit automobile worker, a Ford employe, whose article tells a story of the helplessness and tragic ending of an unorganized worker Henry Ford, typewriter. himself with Marxian economics. no further recommendation, By WM. SCHNEIDERMAN, (Worker Correspondent) EUREKA, Calif., Feb. 4 — Eureka, where “lumber is king,” is a typical stronghold of the timber trust. Situated on the bay, close to the heart of the giant redwood forests, the whole existence of its working popu- lation depends upon the big lumber companies that have their mills in and around the town, and their chain of camps strung- out thru the big tree region of northern California. But Bosses Are Organized. There is no vestige of organization among the lumber workers in Eureka, except a paper union of the A. F. of L., which is shunned by the workers because of the blacklist that is main- tained by the companies thru spies that are found everywhere. Once a worker comes under suspicion, he has to leave town or starve, as the lum- ber bosses have a real united front when it comes to tra¢ing anyone who has a spark of class consciousness about him. In the mills, the workers must pe- riodically fill out @ questionnaire, as to whether he belongs to any unions or other organizations, or whether he ever belonged to sifch, and other de- tails of his life history, The nationdlity’ division is used ex tensively by the Company to keep the men from getting together. The largest groups in Europe are of Fin- nish and Italian nationalty, and their lack of knowledge of the language is an effective barmer to organization and to any contact with the American workers in the industry. “Booze” is secretly encouraged by company agents, especially in the camps, and there is no more sure way of completely stifling the intelligence of the men than by giving a free hand to the bootleggers to sell their |fliery stuff. For gruelling work, 9 and 10 hours a day at the least, the lumberjacks re- jceive rotten food, crowded bunk quarters, and enuf cash to blow in on {the rare occasions that they come to town to get drunk; and young work- ers are plentiful among these ex- ploited slaves, No Labor Paper. The Humboldt News, unofficially the Federated Trade Council's organ, as its editor is secretary of the Build- ing Trades Council and also the Fed- erated Trades Cownell, is a typical “liberal sheet, humbly endorsing some ‘politician to run for sheriff be- after twelve years of slaving for All three articles appear on this page. Next Weeks Prizes: Next week’s prizes for the best contributions by worker cor- respondents will differ somewhat from those previously offered. The first prize will be a valuable fountain pen. future when the increased circulation thru the co-operation of our worker correspondents will permit we promise to offer a portable Now we must confine ourselves to a fountain pen, but even that is not a gift to be sneezed at by a worker correspondent, since it is a useful tool in the trade of writing. The second prize will be Kari because we feel that every worker correspondent should familiarize In the near Marx’s Capital, Volume No. 1, The third prize will be Lenin on Organization, Volume 1, a valuable and necessary book for every worker correspondent’s library. it needs Who will be the hard workers next week? THE FIRST PRIZE. Lumber Kings Rule with Iron Hand cause he fs an “honest man,” and at the same time giving prominent anti- Communist publicity on its front page. Not a word about the crying need for organization of the unorganized slaves in the mills and camps. The meetings of the Federated Trades Council show the lamentable state of the labor movement of Eu- Teka, The only unions which have any semblatice of organization are the Carpenters, Plumbers, and Cooks and Wajiters, the others are more or less paper unions. The council runs a Union Labor Hospital, as there are large numbers of injured, especially in the lumber industry, and it is vj)? cal of. the state of things when the Cooks and Waiters’ representative complained that the cooks at the hos- pital is a nonunion’ worker. Field for Labor Party, There is a fertile field for a labor Party movement in Eureka, if the union officials would only drop their policy of endorsing the company can- didates for political office and put up a labor slate against the whole field of capitalist politicians. The compan- les would bitterly fight them, no doubt, but would expose to the work- ors thus the true class nature of poli- tics, aud ‘help awaken their class con- ciousness which would strengthen the trade unions of Eureka ‘or a militant fight against the open shop in the lumber industry. OSCAR ONKEN FREEZES WORKERS THEN FIRES THEM FOR BEING COLD By A Worker Correspondent CINCINNATI, Ohio, Feb, 4—- The Oscar Onken Furniture company at 4th and Cutter streets, takes a spe- cial joy in persecuting its workers. In these days of freezing cold weather in Cincinnati, the eastern part of the building is entirely with- out heat. The workers in that part of the building freeze, yet if any one wishes to lose his job, all he need do is try to warm his hands. There are about 200 workers in all, TWe wages of course, are very poor, They range from 30 to 45 cents an hour with the great major ity getting 35 cents. The worker who asks for a raise is immediate! fired for having had so much ultimately * ¢ Se SR, A, a ee OE CR Re ee CT Ee