The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 18, 1926, Page 4

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Page Four Workers (Communist) Party What the Trade Unions Mean to the Workers By MANUEL GOMEZ. IHERE are over 35,000,000 wage- earners in the United States. Only about 4,000,000 are organized in trade unions. Why, then, do the Com- munists lay so much stress on the trade unions, constituting, as they do, such a small proportion of the total number of American workers? The answer is simple, It consists in the fact that the unions are the mass organizations of the class strug- gle. The revolutionary working class party cannot function as a geleral staff unless it has an army, and the army, like every other army, must be organized if it is not to succumb to demoralization. The problem is, of course, to make it our army, Without organization the workers cannot carry out extended struggles successfully. This means, of course, that we must continue to insist upon the organiza- tion of the unorganized, but it also | means th uch organizations as exist at the present time occupy a strategic position with regard to the American working class as a whole. The unions are not only mass or- ganizations. They are, generally speak- ing, permanent organizations. This is one of the most important character- istics that distinguishes them from incidental organizational forms, such as united front committees, strike committees, etc. Last summer 1,100 workers employed in the plant of the American Sheet & Tube company at McKeesport, Pa., went out on strike. The strike was spontaneous and the workers entirely unorganized, yet they scored a complete victory. A few months later these same workers were CIRCUIT SCHOOL CLASSES CLOSE TERM THIS WEEK The classes in Elements of Com- munism, which have been running in Gary and South Bend for four weeks, on Monday and Tuesday evenings re- spectively, will close this week with a final review not only of this term, but also of the material taken up at the first term. Gary since last No- vember will have had 14 sessions, and South Bend 13, more than in any previous year. «The second term began with a Study of the national and colonial question and took up the antagonisms between the~imperialist powers, and considered the strength of American imperialism. This is the first time in the history of the Party that the classes had a thoro outline prepared by the Com- munist International for educational work, It did not follow just one text book, dealing with one phase of the revolutionary movement, nor any- thing so elementary as the A. B. C. of Communism. Instead the subjects covered the wide range of the entire movement, necessitating the present- ation of material gathered from all revolutionary sources. The classes were conducted by William Simons, secretary of the Workers’ School of Chicago, not by lectures, but rather by a joint discussion with the stu- dents, the teacher presenting material where the students’ knowledge was insufficient, but relying to as great an extent as possible on the thots and views of the students. This method of teaching proved of interest and of benefit to the students. The classes in Gary and South Bend have not yet completed the en- tire course in Elements of Commun- ism. The remainder will be taken THE DAILY WORKER demoralized. tory. remained. Organization Necessary to Maintain Results of Struggle. Permanent organization is necessary to build up a disciplined and conscious body of fighters. This is especially true because it is only in such organi- zation that the separate experiences of the workers in the mass struggle are preserved. Where there is no permanent organization the lessons learned in the struggle become dissi- pated, scattered, lost. Because of their organization and discipline, and because in their ranks are embodied the mass traditions of the entire working class, the trade unions exercise a powerful influence over all workers, organized and unor- ganized alike. The prestige of the unions js enormous. For good or for bad, they are able to draw wida masses along with them—as was proved conclusively during the World War. The capitalists appreciate the powen of the unions and as a result have de- voted no little time and money to cor- rupting the labor bureaucrats, and even large sections of the highly skilled upper strata of organized labor. But the tendency to create divisions in the union ranks cannot change the essentially revolutionary role of the trade unions as mass organizations of the working class. Moreover, in this period of the world decline of capi- talism theré comes a time when the capitalists can no longer afford to pay out large sums of “bribe money,” be- cause the super-profits of imperialism suddenly cease to flow in and there are no super-profits to divide. We WORKERS’ SCHOOL AFFAIR ON APRIL 1 WILL NOT BE AN APRIL FOOL JOKE _ The Chicago Workers’ School is peparing for April 1 an affair that will put the Red Revel and other usual entertainments far back into the period of barbarism. For many months the school has engaged in its work of building it- self, attending to the usual routine of school work. But the time has come for it to blossom forth, to take its rightful place in the working class movement. This Wednesday evening the mem- bers of the class committees will meet to make final arrangements. The plans have already been laid for making this one of those affairs that they talk about years after they take place. This much is now certain. The Workers’ School makes its bow be- fore the educated proletariat on April 1, 8 p. m., at Imperial Hall, 2409 N, Halsted. The program num- bers will be disclosed in the DAILY WORKER within a few days. Nothing of their vic- Youngstown Street Nuclei Aid Passaic Textile Workers (Special to The Daily Worker) YOUNGSTOWN, 0., March 16.— Two stfeet nuclei here have decided to raise money for the relief of the Passaic textile strikers. In the mean- time until a sum is collected the two nuclei decided to take up a collection and té send the strikers immediate relief. Tho many of the members of these nuclei are just barely able to make both ends meet $25 was collected and sent to the strikers’ general relief committee, _ palepeen Historical Materialism Class Meets Friday; Simons Is Instructor Historical Materialization class in Chicago meets this Friday, the 19th, at 8:15 p. m. All members of the class are advised to be present. The school committee of the district. exe- cutive committee has confirmed the recommendation of the class to have Comrade Simons as the instructor. Milwaukee Class to Meet on Thursday The Milwaukee class in Elements of Communism, which went thru eight weeks for the first term and has had four sessions this term, will meet again Thursday evening, March 18 at 8 o'clock at Miller Hall, 802 State street. All readers of the DAILY WORKER are invited to attend the class. The instructor is William Si- mons, secretary of the Workers’ School of Chicago, Watch the Saturday Magazine Section for new features every week. This is a good issue to give to your fellow worker, Put a copy of the DAILY WORKER in your pocket when you go to your union meeting. New! 1871 THE PARIS COMMUNE By Max Shachtman. =s 2 Ne Be Read the history of the first great attempt at pro- letarian dictatorship. a Order a Bundle for Your Paris Commune Meetings! 10 Cents 12 copies for one dollar. DAILY WORKER PUB, CO. 1118 W, Washington Blvd, Chicago, Ill, COMRADES, BROTHERS, FELLOW WORKERS! If you have Thursday and Friday afternoons off, or can get off— come before 3 o'clock to the International Labor Defense office, 23 South Lincoln. And if you can’t come then, come at 7 p,m, We need soldier. Communards to enlist for service in preparation for the Parig Commune commemoration on March 19. Answer the call! have not come to that in the United States yet, but the effects of it are already seen in England, where the trade unions are now consciously ad- vancing along the path of the class struggle. Unions Exercise Influence Over Unorganized. The Communists do not forget for @ moment the revolutionary role of the trade unions, any more than they forget the present dangers. For this reason they enter the unions, for this reason they become “good union men,” for this reason they participate in the day-to-day struggles of the unions against the bosses—struggles which by their very nature make the unions training grounds for the bigger struggles to come, as well as recruit- ing grounds for new Communists, And for this reason they carry on a con- sistent fight against all “class collabo- ration” schemes and against the fakirs that sponsor them. Obviously, then, the trade unions have an importance out of all propor- tion to their numerical strength. They are not the only mass organizations of workers (.e g., fraternal societies, | ete.), but they are the only ones with their roots deep in the industrial process itself. We must fight our way to leadership in the trade unions, not only because without the support of the great mass of organized workers the proletarian revolution in America is impossible, but also because in the process of the revolution itself the unions have an important part to play —and particularly after the revolution, when the workers are obliged to grap- ple with the tremendous problems of organization of industry. SECOND TERM IS HALF OVER; OPEN NEW TERM SOON Spring Session Starts April 12 The second term of the Chicago Worker’ School has reached the half- way mark. Four weekly sessions have been held and four remain, the term winding up on Friday, April 2. The classes are meeting with success, both in attendance and in teaching. Capital, Workers’ Journalism, National and Colonial Problems, Elements of Com- munism, Trade Union Organization and Tactics, Historical Materialism, and English—these are going strong. Comrade Gomez is in charge of the National and Colonial Problems class; Elements of Communism (first term) is taught by Dolsen; second term, by Leslie Morris; Workers’ Journalism by Engdahl; Trade Union Organiza- tion and Tactics by Arne Swabeck; Historical Materialism by William Simons, and English by Gertrude Welsh. The classes this term are showing more regular attendance than during the first term, when thru change of instructors, some classes were almost annihilated. Now the students show a determination to finish the course, even if they have to do it themselves with a student as the class leader. This is a healthy development for future Communist education. The spring term will run for six weeks, beginning April 12 and ending on May 21. The subjects for the term have been selected by the school com- mittee of the district executive com- mittee, and will be announced soon, Simons Speaks on Anti-Foreign-Born Laws at Vetcherinka WEST ALLIS, March 16 — At a very successful Vetcherinka given by the combined nuclei of Workers (Communist) Party in West Allis, William Simons, the instructor of the party circuit school, gave a short talk on the dangerous laws against the foreign-born that are being sponsored by Wall Street’s flunkeys, The speaker pointed out the danger- ous nature of the proposed laws to both the native and foreign-born workers and how they would establish in this country the kaiser’s old system of constant police surveilance, creat- ing an official black-list for the use of the bosses. He pointed out how these proposed laws to register, photo- graph and finger-print the foreign-born workers, would put the stamp of criminality on workers innocent of crime and would divide the workers into two parts—native-born and for- eign-born—make a ‘successful resist- ance of the bosses constant encroach- ment on labor's standard of lifé dif- ficult. He urged the audience to form councils for the protection of foreign- born, Many non-partisan workers and sympathizers were present at the affair in Labor Hall. LIBERIA TURN DOWN PROPOSALS OF RUBBER KING Legislature Fears Loss of Sovereignty AKKRA, Gold Cost, West Africa, March 16— Much excitement has been caused by the Liberian legislature turning down the proposals of Harvey Firestone, an American rubber magnate, to develop 1,000,000 acres of rubber plantations, The legislature turned down the proposal that was made between the Firestone rubber interests and Edwin J. Barclay, the Liberian secretary of state, on’ thé grounds that the pro- posals would make Liberia a colony of the Firestone interests. Barolay was severely censured for entering into an agreement which threatened the sovereignty of Liberia. Newspapers in Liberia that are sus- pected of being subsidized by the rubber interests are, screaming in scare head-lines that this move of the Liberian legislature is an act hinder- ing the “civilizing process” in Liberia and urging the acceptance of the $5,000,000 loan from; Firestone on the terms agreed to between Firestone and Barclay. On the other hand papers that see the sinister purpose of the Firestone interests in Liberia point out that with the acceptance of the loan from the rubber interests and the handing over of the vast amounts of fertile land, Liberia no longer can exist as a nation, but merely becomes a colony of the rub- ber magnates. President King favors the accept- ance of the loan and giving the Fire- stone interests all they demand, His cabinet has lined up with the legis- lature against the proposals. Socialist Leader of Poland Is Shown Up as Traitor to Labor WARSAW, March 16 — The former Italian minister to Poland stated here that the so-called, ‘(Zeligowski’ raid” on Vilna in 1922, was officially in- spired by Marshal , Pilsudski, then president of Poland, At the time this nearly precipitated a war between Lithuania and Poland. The Italian minjster declared that Pilsudski had informed the French and British ministers to the same ef- fect, He quotes the words used by the Polish president: “I had a great deal of trouble before I could per- suade the general to dispense with written orders from me to rebel.” Zeligowski was the genéral referred to. More Socialigt. Treason. Pilsuski is a spcial-democrat and was leader of the Polish party both before and after the world war. This confession adds atjiother to the long list of crimes committed by socialist leaders against the working class of their own and all other countries. Praca! oc Es, Spanish Miners’ Union Gets Government Loan to Operate Coal Mines MADRID, March 16 — The Spanish government has granted a loan of about $25,000 to the Spanish Miners’ Union to enable it to continue to work a coal mine which has recently come into its possession, The mine had fail- ed under private ownership. The union lent money to enable the owner to carry on, but all to no purpose. The upion will now take the respon- sibility*for the mine. The government Joan is for the purpose of reequipping it under modern technical experts, and to help pay off the existing debt, The mine is a small one—the San Soviet Union Pensions Survivors of Those Who Fought Russian Despot MOSCOW,.U. S. S. R., March 16 — The council of people’s commissars have granted life pensions of $112 each monthly to eight women and one man, participants in the attack on the tyrant, Alexander II. The despot, whose oppressive measures causet- the deaths of thousands, met his death March 13, 1881, The pensions were voted in com- memoration of the forty-fifth anniver- sary of that event. VOLSTEAD ACT T0 BE BIG ELECTION ‘ISSUE’ IN 1926 Mellon Hit in Senate as Bootlegger WASHINGTON, D. C., March 16 — Modification of the Volstead act or the maintenance of the prohibition status quo is being boomed now as a major campaign issue in the 1926 con: gressional elections, with the possibil- ity that if sufficient of a response is received by the “wets,” an echo to the fight will be heard in the 1928 presi- dential elections. This has become apparent from the onslaught that has just been begun by the drys, led by Senator McKellar, in retaliation for the running offen- sive of the wets, led by Edge, Ed- wards and Reed of Missouri, in the senate discussion on the bills now pending in congress on the prohibi- tion question. While the senate puppets are hav- ing their set-to on the question, little bits of information are dropped which indicate the state of affairs in the very innermost circles of the government. In his speech McKellar denounced sec- retary of the treasury Andy Mellon as nothing short of a bootlegger because of the fact that Mellon is still indi- rectly interested in liquors and brew- eries. McKellar pointed out that de- spite the Volstead act, the newspapers had recently reported that Mellon had sold his stogk of rum for $18,000,000. The indignation over the violation of capitalist law, however, rests with the verbal fireworks and does not assume such harsh forms as it does when a worker attempts to exercise rights al- legedly granted him under the consti- tution. A Fake Fight. The alleged fight over prohibition, which is intended to take up a major portion of the campaign platforms and speeches of the two old parties—with the socialist party hanging on to this “profound labor question”—is meant as a good blind to cover up the bank- ruptcy and reactionary position of these parties on the real problems that affect the workers of the ¢oun- try. The struggle over prohibition—in the sense that it is now being fought out—is practically settled insofar as even a number of church dignitaries have lately declared themselves in favor of light wines and beers. But a fake fight will serve to cover up the black position of both parties on the question of the world court, of ap proaching war with Mexico, of lower- ed wages and worse conditions for the workers in the country and the numer- ous other, pressing problems of the workers. Convicted Grafters Lose Their Appeal in U. S. Highest Court (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, March 16 — Col. Charles R. Forbes, former director of WITH THEY CONDUCTED - BY TH By MORRIS YUSEM. At the present time the Young Workers (Communist) League is more intensely engaged in trade union ac- tivity, factory campaigns and strikes than in any previous period. This is particularly evident by the fact that .the league is a leading factor in the strikes taking place in and around New York. This really shows that the league is beginning to free itself from its former apathy and is direct- ing more of its attention to the indus- trial workers. Along with this development to- wards real mass activity must follow a closer relationship between the dis- tricts and the national committee than has been practiced in the past. Faced with such difficult tasks as the draw-' ing up of concrete youth demands for the various strikes and factory cam- paigns, for the calling of special youth meetings and conferences, it is -ab- PASSAIG STRIKE PLAY STAGED BY PIONEERS By M. M. and L. M., N. Y. Pioneer Group. _ PASSAIC, N. J. — As the Young Ploneers entered a Passaic mass meet- ing they were applauded by an eager mass of strikers. Back stage one could see the Pioneers hurrying in their places. The curtain opened and a class room scene was presented be- fore the mass of strikers. As the play progressed George, a Young Pioneer, who was acting the part of a striker’s son, was asked by the teacher: “What can you do for the workers? The government takes care of the people.” The young com- rade then replied: “The government doesn't take care of the working peo- ple. It sends police against them when they strike. When I grow up I am going to show the workers how to stick together so that they will have better lives.. At this point the enthu- siastic crowd applauded for fully five minutes. - An imitation of a patriotic speech by both M. Johnson of the mill owners and Judge Baker was responded to by the boos of the strikers. The teacher then asked George to recite a poem: “Free America” and instead he recited “The Cry of the Workers.” The judge got red in the face and angry. The boss was dumbfounded and the teach- er nearly fainted. When the teacher asked the chil- WORKEDS UNG WORKERS LEAGUE NEED BETTER CONDITIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL WORK! solutely necessary that careful direc- tion be given by the N. E. C. This cannot be done in the most ef- fective manner if there are not sub- mitted detailed reports an dproposals by the district committees. The N. E. C. has decided that all industrial or- ganizers' must submit regular bi- weekly reports giving a review of the activities of the districts on the in- dustrial field. These reports must be made in de- tail in order to enable the N, E. C. to obtain enough information upon which to base its suggestions and decisions. A good method for making up such re- ports is for the industrial organizer to get reports from the lower units ana send duplicate copies, along with his own general report, to the national of- fice. This must be done under the supervision of the district, organizer and he must see that the decision is carried out. Opening Enlarged Ses- sions of Young Commun- ist International (Special to The Daily Worker) \ MOSCOW, U. S. S. R., — The first session of the enlarged executive of the Y. C. I. was opened on the 22nd February. The first session occupied itself with the setting up of an agenda and the formation of commissions. The Agenda is: 1,—Report upon the political activi- ty of the executive (speaker Vouyo- vitch.) Report upon the organization- al activity of the executive (speaker Gyptner.) 2.—Questions of the work in the East (speakers: Fokin and Joung.) 3.—The organizational tasks of the Young Communist Leagues (speaker: dren to sing, “Columbia the Gem of the Ocean,” they instead started to sing en masse: “Oh we scorn your education.” The children had been or- ganized for this mass move by the Young Pioneers during the lunch period. This was too much, the teach- er fainted and Judge Baker and Mr. Johnson ran, upsetting and tripping over the chairs. The curtain dropped and the Pion- eers prepared to go home. As they marched down the isles of strikers cheers rang out,until the last Pioneer left the hall. FINANCIAL CAMPAIGN. The campaign to raise funds for bridging over the present acute finan- cial situation of the league, is not over by any means. This campaign must become part and parcel of \the daily activities of our organization, It must be linked Chitarov.) 4 4.—Trade Union work (speaker: — Schueller.) 5. Utilization of the trade union schools (speaker: Glaubauf.) 6.—Childrens’ Movement (speaker: Bamatter.) 7.—The next tasks upon the field of work (speaker: Gorkitch.) 8.—Questions of the individual sec- tions. ; 9.—Report of the sections of the YY. C. 1 The following commissions were set up: a French, Spanish, Czecho-Slovak- ian, American and Scandinavian com- missions. Further a confmission for the Baltic states, one for the-illegal countries, and one for the eastern countries. ‘Debunking Patriotism’ at Teachers’ Meet Vicente, at Langreo—employing 250|the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau, and John men, with a yearly output of approx-|w. Thompson, St. Louis contractor, imately 40,000 tons, who were convicted of conspiracy to Worker Directors. defraud the government in connection The workmen will elect their own|with the sale of hospital sites, lost board of directors, and the board will | their appeals in the supreme court to- apwint the colliery officials. day. All disputes will be settled by an| Forbes and Thompson were con- arbitration board, consisting of trade|victed in the lower federal court and ager will have a seat on the board. House Passes Radio Measure to Center Control in Hoover] ins before the courts in one form or another for approximately three years, WASHINGTON, March 16, — The| Forbes was accused of accepting house today passed the White Radio| ™Ooney in return for the awarding of bill which places’ the whole radio in-|contracts and sites for veterans’ dustry under the control ‘of the sec-} hospitals. The principal witness retary of commerce and a federal] against him was lias H. Mortimer, a fadio commission, former friend and confidant, who be- The secretary of commerce will] came @ government witness and who appeals are now possible. Today’s verditt is reau scandal” under Forbes’ admin- have the licensing of radio stations | testified in Forbes’ trial in Chicago and operators, the assignment of fre-| that several thousands of dollars in quency bands and wave lengths, the| bribe money was passed in a Chicago determination of the power of the sta-| hotel, i tions and the hours within which they may operate, the regulation of the 4 saad of emission from stations, and Rud: hn the designation of the areas or zones or within which they are to serve, py tna ore: Federal Zone Commission, RUDYARD, Mich,, March 16, — The Five zones are established for the] Rudyard Co-Operative company at its entire country. The federal zone com-| meeting adopted a resolution protest mission will be made up thru the ap-| ing against the Fascist terror in Italy pointment by the president of one|and calling for an international con- commissioner from each zone, ference at which Welegates from the The measure reorganizes the whole | Red. International of Labor Unions, system of governmental regulation] the International Federation of Trad: which has been virtually unchanged | Unions and the International Co-Op since 1912 in spite of the colossal] erative Alliance would lay down plans growth of the industry, for an active fight fascism, - union representatives not necessarily | sentenced to the federal penitentiary| for the paper, all of them miners, The colliery man-|in addition to being fined. No further] get the organizations to donate to our| selves. ~|fund. This should be centralized and the closing] systematized, under the direction of|Hudson Valley Association of teach- chapter in the long “veterans’ bu-|the district committee, ond eens ¢ up with the popular sub drive for the} pe Young Workers (Communist) Young Worker. Again we stress the/ Teague and the Young Pioneers have important point the raising of funds| heen carrying on a consistent warfare should not remain an internal fune- against the “nationalist” dope ped- tion of our organizatiqn. It must be] qieq under the guise of education as systematically brought into the sym-| well as the other rotten conditions in pathetic working class organizations.| America’s schools, It is, therefore, Speakers must appear before the meet-| with pleasure that we greot even mild ings of these bodies, make appeals| moves on the part of the teachers to and for the league, and| expose some of these conditions them: The recent meeting of the Lower ers of history and social studies was a case in point. A. L. Keesler spoke istration. ‘The matter has been pend-| NO PLAYGROUNDS; CHILDREN |0n the question, “Debunking Patriot- ism.” He said that it was a common practice to teach school children that the fifteenth amendment gave cifizen- ship rights to Negroes of the south. “Every well-informed person knows that while the law says they may vote, white southerners manage somehow to keep them away from polling KILLED. Figures on automobile fatalities compiled by the Stewart Warner Au- tomobile Safety Council shows that the heaviest toll in deaths by auto- mobiles is paid by the children from 5 to 16 years of age. This demon- strates the urgent need for more and|piaces, still the average teacher con. better playgrounds for the workers’ |tinues to tell the children that colored children, These playgrounds must not people are citizens,” . be controlled by the pojitieal agencies] “School children are taught that of the bosses but should be under the| patriotism forbids finding fault with control of the trade unions and other|our government. According to this workers’ organizations, anyone who discovers a case of politi- cal graft and makes it known is not @ patriot,” FRENCH YOUTH STRIKE A SUCCESS, PARIS, France—The strike which broke out in St. Denis and which first and fo! ost .effected young workers who took the lead in it, was brought to a victorious end. After repeated negotiations and after the strike com- mittee got ih touch with the (Com- munist) mayor, who sent a representa- tive to the negotiations, the manage- ment of the factory capitulated and YOU HAVE THAT CONVEN. IENT COMMODITY—AN AUTO Come to 23 South Lincoln, I. L. D. office, before 7 p. m. on Thurs- day and Friday, this week, to help carry on the distribution of, Plug gers for the Paris Commune com- memoration. And if you haven't an auto, come anyway! , needed,

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