The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 16, 1926, Page 5

THE DAItY WORKER Page Five WOM 1000 WORKER CORRESPONDENTS BY JAN VA MANY DANGERS BESET SELTZER WORKERS IN N.Y, Explosions Cripple Many for Life By GERTRUDE PINCUS, Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK, March 14. — The seltzer workers, altho having a union- ived trade, still suffer from low wages, unsanitary conditions and the dan- ger of various injuries, and even death confronting them while at work, ‘The factories, situated in dark, damp and filthy cellars, where the workers perform the various operations of bottling the water, The work is dangerous and stren- uous. Explosions occur frequently. The losing of an eye or arm or get- ting severe cuts is a daily occurrence among the seltzer workers. Recently a worker was injured in one ef the shops and the doctor put in 160 stitches to close his wounds. The bottling in many factories is done . by machinery. A worker must turn out 126 boxes an hour; that means 1,250 bottles an hour. The workers are confronted with still another danger, and that is while they are polishing.the bottle caps the dust enters their lungs and they con- tract various lung ‘diseases. The Seltzer Workers’ Union had a bitter fight with the bosses to put protective sacks on the polishing ma- chines, but they refused to do so. ‘What is human life to the exploiter- ers? It is profits that count to them! The Seltzer Workers’ Union has a membership of about 76 members in New York City. This small member- ship is due to the fact that only from one to three workers are employed in a shop. The bosses will be compelled to meet the new agreement'very soon, and the workers are determined to get their demands. Textile Strikers to Receive Funds from South Bend Workers By A Worker Correspondent SOUTH BEND, Ind., March 14.— The Fretheit Club, tho small in num- bers here, held an entertainment which brought $205, and this sum was divided in the following way: To the miners on strike; $25; The DAILY WORKER, $25; The Icor, $30; The Freiheit, $75; The Technical Aid, $25; the International Labor Defense, $25. The same club is taking steps to help in the textile strike. Together with the Workers’ Home Club a do- nation of $35.40 has been sent to the textile strikers and plans are being made for the running of another af- fair, the entire proceeds to go for the support of the textile strikers, Why a worker correspondent? Why not? Is there nothing of interest hap- pening around you? Write it up and send It In! y (Lif By William Gropper. The Public Schools Are the Filling Stations. NINE YEARS OLD AND SWEEPS ALL DAY FOR WEEKLY WAGE OF $4.63 By ANGELO PETERS (Worker Correspondent) PHILADELPHIA, Pa., March 14 A little boy, nine years old, came into the store to buy two cents worth of candy. When he took out his money to pay he showed me his pay envelope of $4.63. “I just got paid,” he said. 1 asked him, “What kind of work do you do?” “Sweeping,” he answered, “When, after school?” “No, sir, work all day.” “How about school?’ “1 don’t go to school?” he answer- ed. “What factory do you work in?” “in a factory around here in Springgarden street,” he said. “How long have you been work- ing?” * “Two weeks,” he answered. And then, “Good bya. | got to go now, my mother is waiting for me,” and he was gone. UARY 13 Vicious Exploitation of Pocket Book Workers in Brooklyn Shop By GERTRUDE PINCUS, Worker Correspondent. BROOKLYN, N. Y., March 14.—Melt- zer & Sons, situated on Snediker and Dumont avenues, Brownsville, manu- facturers of pocketbooks, exploit the workers in the most horrible manner. They employ: only young foreign workers, who toil 60 hours a week for the starvation wages of $8 and $12. A worker is not allowed to talk or even lift his ‘head from his work. When a worker-goes to the toilet the boss knocks at the door and says: stay “How much jonger will you there? It is time to go out.” The workshops is filthy with dirt. The shop is notwrganized and there- fore the boss feels he is master, Young workers, don’t give away your youth af strength for your bosses to pile gp. more profits, Organize into a union! Fight for better conditions, | for shorter hours and for higher wages. “In unity there is strength.” A Capitalist Banality. By a Worker Correspondent “Hard work is the foundation of success.” This is a capitalist motto. How many workers are there who still can be fooled into believing it? How about the mine workers, steel workers, railroad track laborers, foundry workers, stone quarry work- ers? What happens to them after they have worked hard to niake more profits for their boss? “The pen is mightier than the sword,” provided you know how to use it. Come down-and learn how in the worker correspandent’s clas: By a Teacher Correspondent NEW YORK, March 14 — “Patriots week” was celebrated a few weeks ago in the schools of New York City. At a certain hour on a certain day, all the children of all the schools in the city were repeating a ‘patriots’ pledge,” which had been previously memorized. In the lower grades, the children repeated the words after the teacher, Every teacher was instructed to explain the patriotic meaning of the exercise. Washington, Lincoln Jefferson were eulogized in all the schools, as per detailed instructions. As an incident in the celebration, a moving picture was shown in many of the schools. All children, from 1-A to 8-B, who could bring 10c, saw the movie, which was intended as a patriotic exercise for Lincoln's birth- day. The name of the picture was “The Land of Opportunity.” It serv- ed two purposes: (1) to prove that there are no “classes” in America be-| | cause all have equal opportunity to rise, (2) to teach the children of the working class to be servile, loyal, un- complaining, contented workers, The film opens with a scene in the Civic Club of New York City; the And If He Doesn’t Work Overtime He Can't Aff ord to Eat Supper. Ye poms Ree ~ am ve weer oon aed oe 9" EN shld J oan Mee eas tee ‘ YOUCOMEIIOME KER ’ SUPPER'PO AMERICAN EDUCAT aes nse ene Aclub is portray: ION } as a “noble civic organization for humanitarian work.” A discussion is going on about a new- ly elected judgeyrisen from the slums, and elected to ffice on merit. One man disagrees—he is an “uplifter,” a social reformer, who is shown as an idler living on an inherited fortune. He gets his id 8, from “books like “Classes Versus Masses” by an author with a very Russian name. This book plays an impo! t part in the story. In the discussfon, the “uplifter” argues against the rest by repeating phrases from the book, such as: “Judges electad on merit—rot!” “The government.and the courts are bought and paid for by the rich.” “The working class will never have opportunity and flemocracy here until they overthrow the government of the rich, The poor Have no equal rights here. They are born and they die in the working clas$?” As the story goes on, this parlor radical who sits in fifie clubs and dis- cusses “classes versus masses,” is left alone with a waiter, an old loyal employe of the club. He converses with him, “Wouldn't you rather be a guest here, than a servant of the rich?” To which comes the prompt reply, “If I were a guest, I should envy the waiter, who has the privilege of doing human service.” When the clubman argues about lack of freedom of opportunity for rich and poor, tears of pity for the ignorance of the clubman roll down the waiter’s cheeks; and he points to the picture of Lincoln ‘hanging above on the wall, and, begins to relate a story about Lincoln walking twenty miles in a rainstorm to defend a poor boy he knew who was accused (and guilty) of stealing or some other seri- ous crime, ¢ Lincoln succeeded in enlisting the pity of jurors and judge who gave the boy a “chance” and acquitted him, whereupon the boy’ turned honest, got an honest job and became a loyal, patriotic citizen of America and wor- shipper of Lincdin (this of course amidst showers of' applause from the children), Of course, the waiter turns. out to be the boy of the story; and the lesson is—See what the golden land of opportunity bad done for him, made him a respegtable, loyal servant in the Civic Club. The story so moves the “uplifter” that he weepingly' throws the book, “Classes Versus Masses” into the fire, gazes up at Lincoln's picture and the American flag, and so the picture ends, Is American education fact or pro- paganda, } Don’t waste your breath, put it on paper. Second Prize—“Social Forces of the American nation, ANTI-RED ORATOR IMPERSONATES W. 7, FOSTER IN TALK Security League Agent Pulls New Stunt By a Worker Correspondent, STAMFORD, Conn., March 14.—The officers’ reserve of this city pulled off an unusual anti-red stunt when they invited J. Robert O'Brien, field rep- resentative of the National Security League, here for a talk. O’Brien has taken the cognomen-of “Soap Box Jack” and is one of the most active agents of this Morgan outfit. Altho extensively advertised there were just 37 present. Most of them were lc business men, legionnaires, and militia officers. They were all well-dressed and in ordinary business clothes with the exception of one man dressed in a gray flannel shirt, with a bright red tie. This man went out of the room with several others and re-entered a few moments later, tak- ing his seat in the rear. The chairman opened the meeting with a brief statement of its purpose and had just explained that the speaker would be a little late, as he had to motor over from New York City, when this individual in the back part of the hall jumped up. He asked the chairman if it would not be more effective to show the gathering the reason back of the radical literature which the chairman complained was being distributed about the city. The presiding officer granted him the floor. Gives Communist Talk, Walking to the front he introduced himself as Wm. Z. Foster of the Workers Party. He made a regular Communist talk, praising the Pas- saic strikers, and declared in a rebel- lious voice that he was “glad to see that the workers in Russia, one-sixth of the earth’s surface, have destroyed their masters and are breathing the free air of liberty. They are their own masters, working to build their own industries for themselves and their children, and the same will be done here in capitalist America, The work- ers will overthrow your capitalist form. of government and replace it with a workers’ Soviet government!” Introduces Himself. I was amazed at the whole proceed- ing, for I had seen and heard Wm. Z. Foster and this was not, of course, him, My bewilderment was solved a moment later when the speaker threw off his wig, removed his glasses and a part of the flannel shirt collar and red necktie which covered the white collar beneath. You may imagine the sigh of relief which came from the plutocrats present. Anti-Red Tirade, O’Brien then explained he had adopted this ruse to make them realize what kind of propaganda the Communists are carrying on. He then indulged in a tirade against the reds. In reply to questions he stated the United States would not recognize the Soviet Union because it would give the Bolsheviks a chance to establish propaganda centers. He admitted the huge Russian purchases in this coun- try but warned that they were made without American government protec- tion to the American contractor, Wants Cannon Fodder. Following the talk, Col. Schoffler, recruiting officer for the citizens’ mil- itary training camps and the officers’ reserve for the city, delivered a brief address, explaining the purposes of those organizations and requesting the go-operation of his thirty-seven hearers in getting new cannon fodder, EDITORIAL COMMITTEE OW NEW MAGAZINE WILL REPORT AT CLASS TONIGHT : This Week’s Prizes! First Prize—An original DAILY WORKER cartoon by one of the noted American Communist artists, Robert Minor, Fred Ellis or Lydia Simons. New edition Just issued by International Publishers, » book gives the best economic interpretation of the origin and growth Third Prize—“Linooln, Labor and Slavery,” by Herman Schlueter, the only book"on Lincoln from a re The Chicago Workers Corre. Spondents class meets tonight at 8 Pp. m. in the editorial room of The DAILY WORKER. The editorial committee of the “American Worker Correspondent” will meet at 7 p. m. and will have a report to make to the class. oe. 0's The New York Workers Corre- spondents class meets every Monday evening at 8 p. m. at the Workers School, 108 East 14th street. see The Chicago worker correspon- dents of the Novy Mir meet next Wednesday, March 17, at 8 p. m,, at 1902 W, Division St. In American History” by A. M. This N.Y, REPUBLIGANS DELAY 49-HOUR WEEK BILL Risclution Blocks Action Until Next Year (Special to The Dally Worker) ALBANY, N. Y., March 14.—After a heated debate the state assembly adopted the Knight resolution provid- ing for an official investigation of the 200 labor bills pending in the upper house. This action will delay further consideration of the more important of these proposals until next year. The matter was brought to a head by the special message of Governor Al Smith urging favorable action ‘on| | the labor m ures, Inasmuch as t resolution app 1 $25,000:000 for | the investigation it required 76 votes for its adoption. Knig who is the republican senatorial leader, had be- hind him practically his entire party Only eleven republican ass ymen. including Shonk, of Westchester, co- author of a bill for a 48-hour week for women and minors in industry, voted with the democ opposition. Sever- al other republicans slipped out of their seats just before the roll was taken so as to avoid committing them selves. The democrats solidly supported the governor in voting against the resolu- tion. Speaker McGinnies, a~republi- can, cast- the deciding vote. This is the first time in the present segsion that he has been recorded on any bill or resolution, Republicans Repudiate Pledge. In the discussion Assemblyman Shonk pointed out that the republican state platform of 1924 had included a pledge of the 48-hour week. Assem- blyman Bloch, the democratic leader. charged the Knight resolution was to stall action’on the 48-hour bill. “The republican party,” he exclaimed, “pro- tects the telephone company from an investigation just as it protects cther corporate interests, but when there is a chance to p: a bill that will be beneficial to the women and children of the state it. provides for an inves- tigation so that the measure cannot be enacted.” Democrats: Playing Politics, The republicans declared that the democrats.were merely playing pol ties in their support of the labor meas- ures at this particular time. They pointed out that the governor was seeking to lay the basis for his cam paign for the.democratic nomination for president in 1928. “Al Smith is playing for the® labor vote,” one of the republican’ assemblymen stated. ‘He expects the support of the New York State Federation of Labor and the labor councils of New York City in his fitht for the presidency.” State Federation Warning. With his message the governor en- closed a letter he had received from the State Federation of Labor point- ing out that the labor bills would re- ceive no action this session if the Knight resolution were adopted. Appoint Trotsky to Highest Technical Your Union Meeting Third Monday, March 15, 1925, Name ot Local and Pi. of Meeting, 89 Bartenders, 123 N. Clark St., 8:30 P, M, 1 Bridge and Structural tron Works ers, 910 W. Monrve St. 94 Boot and Shoe, 1939 Milwaukee Av 698 Butchers, Hebrew, 3420 W. Roose- velt Rd 688 Butchers, Bohemian, 1870 Biue Is- 17742 Dyers, 113 S. Ashland 4 ‘8, 1710 N. Winches’r (307 Carpenters, 1850 Sherman Ave. Evanston 2505 Carpente Washington St Sap f Roosevelt Rd, 70 Ca 05 W. 38th St. 80 Carp W. Madison St. 181 Carpent 2040 W. North Ave, 199 Ca 9139 Commercial Av: 416 Carpenters, S.C., 1438 W. 18th St. 419 Carpenters, C., 1457 Clybourn Carpenters, 2 N. West St., Wau- North Ave. e Board, + 7:30 p.m. S. Throop. St 713 Electricians. 1 ¥ 394 Engineers (Locomotive) 7832 S$. Union Ave., 7:30 p.m. 400 En 46 S. Halsted Street 401 Ashiand Ave. 569 gi ington’ St. 19%6 Firémen and Enginemen, 2431 Roosevelt Rd., 9:30 a. m. Last meeting 7:30 p. m. 31°F Enginemen, 64th and 698 Enginemen, Madison and Sacramento. 18 Glove Operators, 1710 N. Winches- ter Ave. § 76 Hod Carriers, 614 W. Harrison St. 59 Garment, 328 W. Van 74 25 S. Western Ave, $74 Longs men, Tug, 355 N. Clark 265 Maclinists, 75th St. and Dobson Biva. 337 Machinicts, 1638 N. Halsted St. 378 Maintena: se of Way, 1543 W. 103d Street 723 Maintenay te of Way, 202 W. 47th W. Washington St. Street 27 Painters, 823 Plumbers, N. Cicero Ave. 101 Painte: 6 W. North Ave. 147 19 W. Adams St. 194 » Madison and 5th Ave. 265 205 &. 115th St. 273 Painters 2432 S. Kedzie Ave. 2064 Railway Clerks, 159 N. State St. 61 Sheet Metal Workers, 1638 N. Halsted St Sailors’ Union of Great Lakes, 355 N. Clark Street > 6 Tailors, 180 W. Washington St, 7:30 p.m. 721 Teamsters, 11526 Michigan Ave. 758 Teamsters, 220 S. Ashland Bivd« 3p. m 220 S. Ashland Blvd. 772 Teamsters, (Note—U! otherwise stated al m.) meetings ure at 8 p. Cleveland Women Organize to Fight the Bread Trust CLEVELAND, March 14.—The for- mation of the two billion dollar bread trust has aroused the women of Cleve- land to form a league to fight the trust. The aim ef the league is not to carry on a trust-busting campaign such as Roosevelt and LaFollette did [he women workers of Cleveland ognize that the wheels of industry cannot be turned backwards. A group of women has taken the nitlative and formed the Women Workers’ Progressive League of Cleveland, and intends to line up the working class housewives, women 0 rs in industry and the trade ns to fight the trust. e tentative program calls for the organization of the league composed of groups of housewives and women in industry. Together with the unions of the food industry, a campaign to get the women into the trade unions will be started. There were 568,734 wage earners in the food industry in the United States in 1921 receiving an average wage of $1,169 a year. The value of the product that each worker turned out was $13,802, or 1,180 per cent of the worker’s wage. In Ohio the condition is far worse. In 1923 there were 40,933 workers Position in Russia |in the food industry, their average (Special to The Daily Worker) MOSCOW, U. S. S. R., March 14— Leon Trotzky has been appointed chairman of the scientific and techni- cal collegium of the Supreme Eeco- nomic Council, the highest technical executive body in Russia. He retains his other posts as chairman of the concessions committee and head of the committee for improvement of Russian products. Professor Joffe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who is now in America, was appointed as associate member of the scientific and techni- wage being $885.20 year. Many of these workers receive less than $5 a week, 7,000 less than $15 a week. The workers must be organized—and the Women Workers’ Progressive League of Cleveland will conduct an educa- jtional campaign among the women workers to make them understand the necessity of trade union organiza- tion. The Women Workers’ Progressive League of Cleveland will hold a con- ference April 9 and a mass meeting on April 10. The provisional execu- tive committee consists of S. Mazeik, M. Paul, T. Fody, E., Schweityer, H. cal collegium, U.S. Labor Heads Meet tary of the leag Shatz, A. Morgan, H. Elmos, 8, Hols- man, with > Van Veen as secre gue. President of Mexico] Virgin Islands Editor MEXICO CITY, March 14. — The Mexican workers have had a fine Appeals His Sentence NEW YORK, March 14, — Roths- chance to compare their labor skates| child Francis, Virgin Island editor, la- with those of the United States in|bor defender and legislator, is ap- the attendance here at the seventh pealing his 30-day sentence for con- annual convention of the a high official of the street carmen's union from Chicago, and others of Mexican} tempt of court sustained by the Phila. confederation of labor of Wm. Taber,| delphia federal court. Attorneys A. F, Berle, Jr., and David Wallerstein are ca! @ the ease to the United his kind, They have been the guests|States supreme court. of Luis Morones, generally referred Berle defended Francis before the o by the progressive workers here, as| Philadelphia appeals court on two sen- the “Gompers” of Mexico. Morones, who is also a big politi tences, one for criminal iibel and one for contempt of court. The court cian, in his capacity of minister of la-| reversed the libel sentence, but up bor arranged for them to call on the|/held the one for contempt. president. tire Mexican governmental program to the Americans, particularly the matters involved in the present ne- gotiations with the United States, The American delegates were then feted at a grand banquet given in their honor by the Mexican Federa- tion, Labor leaders attended from all parts of the country. Marshall to Take the Stand, PHILADELPHIA, Pa., March 14.— David L. Marshall, chiropractor, who is alleged to have confessed to throt- ling and dismembering the body of Anny May Dietrich, will take the wit- ness stand in his own defense some- time’ during his murder trial, Abra- ham Wernick, Marshall's counsel de- clared today, Judge Calles explained the en-| George Washington Williams, district udge of the Virgin Islands, sentenced Francis without jury trial to a month for libeling a native policeman, The contempt case came after Francis wrote an editorial in his paper, The Emancipator, charging that he had been railroaded in the libel case. Francis opposed the appointment of Williams as judge. Bandits Invade Hotel, CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Il, March 14 ~—Three men and two women drove up to the Thomas Hotel here just be- fore dawn today, kidnapped the clerk, @ bellboy and the manager of the cigar stand and robbed the cash regis- ter of $400, The captives were driven five miles into the country and thrown out. ¥