The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 28, 1926, Page 4

Page Four it sda NAL RR A sea teonetsce THE DAILY WORKER THE DAILY WORKER BELDON SHOP Published by the DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO. 9218 W. Washington Bivd., ‘Chicago, I. Phone Monroe 4718 SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mali (in Chicage only): By mail (outside ef Ohicage): 96.00 per year $4.50 six monthe | $6.00 per year $8.60 six montha $2.50 three months $2.00 three months Address all mail and make out checks to THE DAILY WORKER, 1118 W. Washington Bivd., Ghicage, Iilinele ———_—. J. LOUIS ENGDAHL WILLIAM F,. DUNNE MORITZ J. LOEB. son Business Manager Matered as second-class mail September 21, 1923, at the post-office at Ohi- cago, Ill, under the act of March 3, 1879. Er _—CC~C*CAvortising ratn om application, Switzerland—International Harlot Again the secretary general of the league of nations, Sir Eric Drummond, at the request of foreign minister, Benes, of Czecho- Slovakia, has invited the Soviet government to send a representative to a disarmament conference at Geneva, Switzerland. These recur- ring invitations sent to Russia every time the league announces that, it will hold a conference of some sort are no longer impudent— they are merely amusing. The Bolshevik government has let it be known in no uncertain terms that it will have nothing to do with any conference held within the confines of Switzerland until proper reparations are made for the contemptible assassination of Vaslov Vorovsky, Soviet representative at the Lausanne conference in 1923, and guarantees furnished that representatives of the worker’s gov- ernment may be assured thé same protection that agents of other nations have. Drummond and the bankrupt council of the league of nations know in advance that the reply of the Soviet government will bea refusal and a reiteration of its stand on the question of sending dip- jomats to Switzerland to be butchered at the behest of anyone will- ing to hire the assassin. They only invite Russia today because they teel that the disarmament conference will be a fizzle. But the league must simulate life, otherwise the imperialist rival of Britain, the United States, will take the lead in armament discussions and ma- neuvers. When the conference fails, the league apologists ‘can then blame the Soviet government, and will conveniently fail to. mention the growing imperialist rivalries between the two great Anglo-saxon powers, the antagonisms between France and Britain, between Po- Jand and Germany, between Turkey and Greece, the French and Span- ish imperialist wars in Africa and Asia, the conflict in China, ete. However, the revolution can stand further denunciation. If the diatribes of the lackeys of imperialism were potent, the czars would have long ago been restored to power in Russia. If the coun- cil of the league really want Russia at their conference they can ar- range to hold the sessions outside Switzerland. - After all, Switzerland, alleged to be neutral territory, is simply an international house of assignation in more than one respect. For decades it has served that purpose for the bourgeoisie of the world who, with their kept women, keep -up the hotels of that nation. Whenever the statesmen of the various nations want to indulge in nome particularly dirty adventure, they meet on the soil of “neutral” Switzerland and no questions are asked. The government of Switz- erland is an international prostitute, ready, for pay, to do the bid- ding of anyone, even to assassination. Just ag it is a matter of in- difference to a harlot whom she serves so long as she is paid, so it is with the Swiss government, wherein is the seat of the league of mations. It is knowledge of the utterly depraved nature of the Swiss government that determines the policy of the Soviet government in relation to international conferences on Swiss soil.. Since Soviet Russia is not in the business of purchasing professional murderers to kill its political enemies it does not care to compete in Switzerland with Briand and Chamberlain and other-“statesmen” of their calibre, who seem to consider the murder of a Soviet ambassador a trifling matter. : The Soviet government will send representatives to any confer- ence outside Switzerland, but it is rather absurd to expect a govern- ment to send its agents to a place where it knows they will be tar- gets for’‘murderers’ bullets. It is like.inviting a man to a dive where he knows in advance he will be robbed and if he objects, murdered, and expects him gleefully to accept the invitation. Another Strike in Passaic. When one group of workers go out on strike and wage a deter- mined struggle against industrial tyranny it hag a buoyant effect upon other workers. The Passaic strike, now nearing the beginning of its tenth week, is re-echoing thruout the whole textile industry and the hundreds of thousands of mill slaves are beginning to stir restlessly. The workers in the mills of Lawrence are flocking ‘to join the United Front Committee in operation there. In Paterson the silk workers are demanding increased wages and better condi- tions. ~ But, in addition to its influence in the textile industry, the strike sentiment has penetrated other industries in the city of. Passaic. On Tuesday four hundred employes of the Garfield Manufactur- ing Company, manufacturers of electrical appliances, went out in a spontaneous strike against intolerable conditions. This is. sig- nificant and shows that the workers of the most exploited and one of the richest states in the union are beginning to realize that only thru their organized power can they hope to obtain decent conditions. All workers in Passaic are forced to slave for wages below the bud- gets prepared by the United States department of labor which are supposed to enable an average family to enjoy a minimum standard of living. While endeavoring to extend the strike to other branches of the textile industry it will also be advisable to launch a drive for a city-wide strike in order that all the exploiters of Passaic may feel the organized might of labor. At the same time there is in progress a strike of workers in the Standard Oil concern at Bayonne, New Jersey, with threats of all workers striking in that place, which, a few years ago, was the scene of a bitter and bloody struggle. Passaic may yet be the beginning of another strike wave. GERMAN WORKERS FOR UNITY WITH TRADE UNIONS OF SOVIET UNION BERLIN, March 26—The chairman of the German Workers Delegation to the Union of Socialist Soviet Rusgia, Freiberg, who was expelled from the social-democratic party for publicity reporting his impressions in the Soviet Union, called a meeting of workers in Maenchen at which over 3,000 ‘workers were present, A resolution was unanimously adopted stating that the expulsion of Freiberg was a cowardly undertaking on the part of the social<lemocrat lead- ers in the interest of reaction, The workers ‘expressed their solidarity with the workers’ and peasants’ Soviet Union, and are demanding the establistiiment of world trade union unity. fae Be Seg % ie .: WORKERS SEE NEED OF UNION Open Shop Bosses Ride Employes Hard (By a Worker Correspondent.) In a typical working-class neighbor- hood on the west side of Chicago where filthy streets, broken sidewalks and old-fashioned, time-worn houses harmonize with the neglected, poverty- stricken children of the district, the Beldon Manufacturing company has its plant on the corner of Sibley and Polk streets. The Beldon Manufactur- ing company are manufacturers of sheet metal wares. This company employs between fifty and one hun- dréd workers making wash boilers, pots, cans, pails, automobile head- lights and similar metal goods, ‘Was Closed Shop. Four or five years ago this firm was a closed shop. Every worker in the plant was a member of a union affil- iated with the American Federation of Labor. Wages were relatively high then and the men worked but eight hours a day and only half a day on Saturday. Due to the general neg- lect and compromise on the part of reactionary union officials and a slump in the industry, they. swung into the open-shop column. The union lost all control. Today wages are low and conditions are miserable. Good solderers receive 50 to 55 cents an hour at first and receive as high as 70 cents an hour after working several years. Moving drill:press operators get 50 to 55 cents an hour, Tinners receive between 55 and 80 cents an hour, depending on the length of time they have worked for the company. Those who receive 80 cents an hour have usually been with the firm anywhere from five to fifteen years. Very Few Get High Wages, The highly skilled sheet metal workers who do special fancy work that requires years of practice to learn are paid as high as 90 cents to $1 an hour. The spinners receive about $1 to $1.25 an hour. These workers are in a small minority in the plant. The unskilled workers who work on the cutting, folding and rolling ma- chines get only 35 to 45 cents an hour, with very little opportunity for ad- vancement. The janitor who. works in the plant about 10 hours a day re- ceives but $19 a week. The hours of the workers are from 7:30 in the morning to 5 in the evening, with half an hour for lunch. On Saturday the workers work from 7:30 in the morn- ing until noon. General conditions in the plant are extremely bad. The floor is littered with filth, the air heavy with dust and particles of tin mixed with the gas- eous fumes of the burners. There are four narrow toilets with just enough room to move about in. High on the walls in these toilets squares have been cut out. An electric globe placed in one of the slits in the walls serves to light up the four toilets dimly, the light entering the cut-out squares from toilet to toilet room, ‘ Filth Covers Floor. The floors of these small rooms are covered with a mass of dirt arranged in geological layers and a choice col- lection of old newspapers that ap- pear to have been deposited there tegularly ever since the place was built; There is not a bar of soap or a towel in the shop and if one fine day a towel and a bar of soap is discovered the workers will declare-a holiday and hold a banquet to commemorate the event, 7 Lunch must be eaten in the filthy shop as there is no clean room get aside for that purpose. The machines are not properly/ protected and re- cently a worker had his fingers crushed in one, Need Union Organization. These conditions are typical of the open shop: long hours, small wages and an utter disregard for the health of the workers. The conditions in this shop must be improved. More and more the workers are thinking of union organization, If the International Association of Machinists and the other unions who have jurisdiction over work in this shop make a serious effort at organi- zation they can easily organize this shop, as many of the workers are con- vinced of the necessity of joining unions and fighting to improve their conditions. Worker 1000 WORKER. fi Prizes 0 WORKER CORRESPONDENTS for the best ‘stories sent in during the week, to “Appear in the issue of Friday, April 2. A New Book 1 dnd Stool Pigeon and the Open Shop Movement,” by Jean Spiel- man. An exposure presenting invaluable facts on the labor spy, JA year’s suksoription to THE WORKERS MONTHLY.- You'll enjoy this prize for a whole year, writers of ‘Flying Osgig"—Stories by the best of the new revolutiona ja. Ru Write @ story now about your shop, trade union, how you live. Make it sh GARMENT BOSSES TRY TO-HINDER STRIKE RELIEF Cloak Makers Will Aid Passaic Workers By GOLDIE CHIBKA, Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK, March 26.—The joint board of the Cloak and Dressmakers’ Union recently decided: that the cloak- makers should contribute-a Saturday’s pay to the furriers and the Passaic textile workers, The cloakmakers faced this decision with enthusiasm. The industriacoun- cil of the cloak manufacturers sent out letters to its members not to let any of the garment workers work any extra time on that Saturday as the wages for that day Were going to help the striking furriersrand textile work- ers. é The general mangger of the cloak and dressmakers’ it board an- swered the cloak ufacturers . by declaring that the cloakmakers would find other ways of helping the striking turriers and textile workers. The manufacturers wifl not be able to pre- vent the cloakmakeyg from showing | their solidarity with their striking fel- low-workers, The workers have learned a lesson from the bosses of how important it is for them to be united against the cap- italist class. The cloakmakers are determined to show their solidarity with strikers, and the gtrikers can ex- pect more help to be forthcoming from the cloakmakers soon, Ovl0 OPERATORS TRY TO SLASH MINERS? WAGES Attempt to F dérce Thru 1917 Wage Scale By a Worker Cérrespondent, NEFFS, Ohio, Marth 26.—Miners of Ohio, what are we going to do? Are we going to accept the 1919 scab scale? Or shall we strike? All of the miners in this vicin- ity are ready to strike before they go to work for the 1917 scale. We must push John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers’ Union tov fight tor us. We must be careful so that We are not sold out. The acceptance of the 1917 scale will not help us. West Virginia and flooding the Ohio give us more wor! Union miners, meetings and fi ville agreement! » mands! We musi union fight these open-shop coal 0; also, be careful strikes. rict. “It will not id your local for the Jackson- msist on the de- insist that the Recommend Uni WASHINGTON), March 26. — The ‘committee today y report, recom- ig of Daniel F. of Senator Smith a, senate elections adopted the Caray mending the se@ Steck (D.) in pla W. Brookhart of) Greetings to N. Y. Pioneers Joining the League! REETINGS to the Pioneers joining the Young Workers (Communist) League! One of the fundamental tasks of the Young Pioneer movement is the attraction of the working class children to the struggle of the prole- Our Pioneer League must serve which the Communist movement of the youth may draw its best forces, its most devoted and capable fighters! The twenty-five Pioneer “graduates” that the Young Pioneer League of New York is presenting to the Young Workers (Communist) League are the best of proof that the Pioneer League understands its tasks and tariat for freedom! is determined to carry them out. The “graduation” of the Pioneers into the league is a most hopeful and welcome sign. The Young Pioneers’ stand: ALWAYS READY! Hail the “graduation” of the Pioneers into the league! Long live the Young Pioneers of Americal Long live the Young Workers (Communist) League and the Young Bahl Communist Intrenational! ff “ & YOUNG WORKERS (COMMUNIST) LEAGUE OF AMERICA. es Oe a source from wa Bive facts—give your name and address, N. Y, CAPMAKERS PREPARE FUNDS "70 FIGHT BOSS Union to Make Demand for Wage Increase By a Worker Correspondent NEW YORK, March 26—New York union capmakers are paying a $15 tax for defense and organization prepara- tory to their presentation of new de- mands. Their present agreement with the manufactunrers ends June. 30. The union intends to seek more sctabiliza- tion of the industry, From being one of the most stable of the needle trades group, the cap industry is now tending toward “multiplication of bed- room shops” (sweatshops) and the period of unemployment for workers is increased, “Tt is next to impossible for the cap maker to make a living on his Dres- ent wages,” ‘states the official Head- gear Worker, under the present con- ditions, Unemployment benefits of $10 @ week is inadequate when the num- ber of worklers weeks climb from Seven to 15 a year. Part time in- creases the hardship of the workers and prevents them from making suf- ficient savings to tide them over long dull periods. A special union com- mittee appointed by the New York joint council and the international union’s management committee is in- vestigating the whole situation and will work out definite plans for w: action, ges The 17-week strike against Tarn- ower Bros. has been won by the union and $1,000 bond posted by the firm against contract \ breaking, Strict union shop conditions including week work in the operating, cutting, trim- ming and blocking department, equal division of work to be arranged by a joint committee, and reference of un- settled disputes to the impartial arbi- trator are provided. A wage adjust- ment is to be made in July and work is not to be given Outside the shop. Two other millinery firms still have Strikes against them and both are Seeking injunctions against the union, eee Greetings to the United Hatters Union are extended by the Interna- tional Hat, Cap and Millinery Work- ers Union on the 30th anniversary of the men’s’ hat organization, Editor- jally the capmakers‘ journal says that the history of the hatters’ organ- ized struggles goes back to 1854 when the National Union of Finishers was formed. The felt hat industry is one of the country’s oldest and there is a record of a hatters’ parad, 1788, parade on July 4, Radiator Firm Does Well, The American Radiator compan: did the largest business in its history last year. Net profits were $11,633.60, After the preferred dividends were paid there was enough left to pay $8.97 on each of the 1,242,561 common shares, As the stock has a par value ot but $25, this was equal to a return of over 331-3 per cent, showing the huge profits made. . Put a copy of the DAILY WORKER in your pocket when you go to your union meeting. PATERSON CLASS IN ELEMENTS OF COMMUNISM 10 BE HELD TUESDAYS PATERSON, N. J., Mar, 26.—The course in the “Elements of Com- munism,” which was temporarily Suspended on account of conflict of the night with union meetings, etc., will be renewed next Tuesday night and will meet regularly on Tuesday nights at 8 o'clock, at 7 Bridge St. The instructor is Mary Hartlieb. The course pays special attention to the needs of foreign-born work: ers, combining Instruction in Ele- mentary English with instruction in the Elements of Communism in such a way that those whose know: ledge of the English is. limited, are yet enabled to take the course. New registrants will into the course for bi 3 weeks, * Philadelphia Union Member Shows How to Aid Passaic Strikers By CLARA A. THOMAS, Worker Correspondent. PHILADELPHIA, March 26.—A sub- scription list-for the Passaic strikers was sent to me. Wntil then I was just merely a sympathizer and con- tributor of small sums whenever asked to do so. When the appeal reached me with the words, “We Want to Live,” the cry of 16,000 textile workers, and at the ‘bottom of the list a picture of textile workers’ children with a banner -reading, “We Need Food—Will You Help Us?” tears came to my eyes and I resolved to do something. ‘Here is the something. I returned the st to the general relief commit- tee, 748 Main avenue, Passaic, N. J., with ‘the sum of $72.19, which I col- lected, and asked the secretary for another list to try and collect more. Will you do the same? I am nothing more than a simple trade unionist, and as a good unionist I realize that the cause of the Passaic strikers must be won. If every true unionist would do likewise the strike will result in victory for the textile workers and the labor movement in general, CARNEGIE OHIO PLANT FOREMEN IN BIG SHAKEUP Company Prepares to Speed Up Workers By a Worker Correspondent YOUNGSTOWN, 0., March 26—A general shakeup has taken place among the foremen of the Carnegie company works at Youngstown. The officials at the head ‘of this corpora- tion are having their records looked into and they are being subjected to a rigid inspection to see whether they are producing the customary profits “for the widows and orphans” who are supposed to-hold- great bales of stock in this giant open shop corpora- tion, 1 The officialdom at the head of this corporation is now using the spotters and finks for something else than spy- ing on the workers. There are many bosses these days wearing a worried look ‘because they have put sonie brother or brother-indaw, or the brother of his mistress into some sine- cure, and these relatives are now un- der inspection to see if they are get- ting out the necessary tonnage to make high profits in the market. Some of the foremen have already ‘been dmoted because their brother or brother-in-law has shown they are not able to hold ‘their own in the mad scramble for the good things which these jobs represent which call for tonnage. Notices have gone forth that no relative can be put on by the one re- lated to him in any job in the mill. This has gone out to all the mills in the valley and some big shake-upsare looked for, It has become a joke in the valley that men-without other rea- son for their advancement. over the head of some more worthy worker than they, réceived this advancement because they were the near relative of the foreman. Mamy a sly wink was indulged in when the near relative of some known mistress of some super- intendent was placed in a soft berth. The foreman at McDonald, the up- per and lower.Carnegie plants are under fire in the shake up as well as at the Ohio works and quite afew drastic changes are seen coming in the near future, It keeps the finks and spotters busy in a new field, but nothing will come out of this to bene- fit the workers. Their tasks will only be further increased, Disaster Exaggerated, BUENOS AYRES, March 26.—First reports of the loss of life when the Brazilian river steamer Paes de Car- valho caught fire and sank in the Amazon were exaggerated, according to dispatches received here. Less than fifty lives were lost, it is reported, although early reports said there had been 104 killed. N Thursday, April 1, the Chicago Workers’ School winds up: the second term of this year with the dancing living newspaper, at Imperial Hall, 2409 N. Halsted St. For the first time in the history of the work- ing class movement of Chicago, such an event will take place. Never be- fore has a living newspaper walked across the stage. Its manner of walk- ing, its, dress, its manner of talking ~-its' boldness—-are novel, The school committee elected to decide on these ‘parkling details is busily engaged in working out the.first and only living newspaper in Chicago, A Living Newspaper. But not only will the comrades par- | cipating be, alive, The entire news- aper Will be alive, somewhat smear- d, coming hot off: the press, What vart the will play in this newepaper ts composed LABOR DEFENSE FUNCTIONARIES MEET WEDNESDAY Will Gather on 31st At Workers’ School All secretaries of local Internation- al Labor Defense branches, as well as other responsible local officers, will mcet at 8 p. m. Wednesday, March 31, at the Workers’ School, 19 South Lincoln Ave., to give reports on the ‘six weeks’ of intensive activity just passed and to plan for further fune- tioning und still better organizational work, Since the Feb. 10 conferenas, at which the six weeks’ intensification of work was planned, many success- ful activities have been carried on. The issue of the Zeigler miners’ de feuse was brot before thirty local uw ‘ons, most of them giving moral or material support. ‘Twenty-six ‘Chida- go workers’ organizations are now athilated, representing 19,000 workers, This is an increase of 15,000. collec- tively affiliated members since Feb. 1, Scores of new individual mem- hers have joined the 53 branches, bringing the total individual mem- bership to over 1,600, i The “Trumbull Welcome” demon- strations were especially effective, while the “Paris Commune” commeth- oration, with 3,000 workers in ‘attend- ance, was the biggest and best I, L. D. meeting ever held in Chicago. Be sides, the campaign for the “Labor Defender” has been pushed—with the result that at least 200 subscriptions have’ been obtained in Chicago. + Now, at the climax of this weeks’ efforts and while the Pullman section is preparing for a big dem>n- stration, the local committee has dé ¢ided to hold a local confab of ‘all secretaries and a few other officers. Local and branch activities will be re- viewed with the aim of Planning for still better organization and funetion- ing. Every branch will render a re- port; the work:for spring and summer will be discussed. “Schizophrenic” Denied New Trial. | OMAHA, Nebr., March 26.—Frank Cartes, Omaha sniper, was denied e new trial by Judge Goss this and the date of his electrocution set for July ninth. Carter's. attorneys claimed that he was a schizophrenie, that is; a man with a split brain. He was convicted of having murdered Dr. Austin D, Searles, and also Wil- liam McDevitt in an attempted rob bery. TRADE UNION CLASS MEETS AT NATIONAL OFFICE MONDAY NIGHT ARNE SWABECK, Instructor. The class in Trade Union Tactics and Organization meets every Mon day-night at The DAILY WORKE! 1113 W. Washington St, Review Questions. 1. What were the functions of earlier types of American trade un jong? : . 2 What are the factors cone pelling closer consolidation of the. existing trade unions? 3. What is the effect of present trade union policy of political new trality? i Chicago School Holds Big Affair 4. What is the Communist con ception of essential present day tasks of trade unions? 5. What is the Communist con-, ception of tasks-of trade unions dur- ing revolutionary period? $ see ‘ 1. Why should Communists be; long to reactionary trade unlons? , 2, What is the purpose of organ ization of Communist fractions Inj the trade unions? t 8. Along what lines are left wing! movements within the trade uniona!. developed? | H 4. tsa uniform. ideology of the left wing groupings within the ex! ing trade unions essential and can it be developed? r References. ' Lenint “The Infantile Sick of Leftism. in Communism,” Chapte: 6. Ni Lozovsky: “Lenin and the Trade| Unions.” - 4 s Thesis of Trade Union Question, of Third and Fourth Congress of the; Communist International... F If you want to ‘see the munist movement grow—get a their eyes has not yet been mined. Already some declare that they will organize themselves and attempt to twitt and fashion the newspaper to their taste, even if they make the composers ‘squirm. This problem: Who is alive ina living newspaper, the type, the composers or the read ers? Can they ail be alive? That problem which is shaking the labor movement will be settled once for all on April 1, ! Those who show themselves to be alive on the newspaper will be given an opportunity to dance their ft, to the tunes by the famous Finnish f band, } It Will Live, f ‘This first living newspaper at Lm beria] Hall on April 1, Thursday it it-survives the critical ears of ‘stoners, will appear regularly col ud ee