The Daily Worker Newspaper, April 2, 1926, Page 5

NEEDLE WORKERS’ LIVING STANDARD SUFFERS DECLINE Agreement Means Wage Cuts and Speed-Up By a Worker Correspondent Since 1919 the Chicago workers’ agreements with the manu- facturers contained the clause that each year during the life of the agree- ment, (which is three years). each party. has‘the right to open the ques- tion. of wages, generally depending upon the conditions of the, industry at the time, Negotiations on that question gen- erally take place during the months of February, March and April. The Advance reports the orgdniza- tion is going to take advantage of this clause by making some demands upon the manufacturers. Just what the de- mands are is still a mystery to the membership. The same report has also gone to the locals from the Joint Board. The last agreement signed, May 1, 1925, to run till 1928, was supposedly the same as that of 1922-1925. That is what has been told to the general membership. Particularly on the question of wages. No reduction of wages was to take place in any form, But the true facts of this new agree- ment readily showed themselves dur- ing the year in the shops and in the pay envelopes of the workers, No sooner did the ink dry upon the signatures of both parties than wage cuts either direct or thru the medium of readjustments took place. And in some cases, more than once in the same shop. clothing an THE BAILY WORKER Leet Page Five Prizes TO WORKER CORRESPONDENTS for the best stories sent in during the saint, to appear in the issue of Friday, April 2. A New Book rane Stool Pigeon and the Ope in Shop Movement,” by Jean Spiel- man. An exposure presenting invaluable facts on the labor spy. 7 As year’s subscription to THE W this prize for a whole year. giving Ossip’’- " writers of Russia, ORKERS MONTHLY. You'll enjoy —Btories by the best of the new revolutionary (Write a story now about your shop, trade union, how you live. Make it short, give facts—give your name and address. EEE! IRAE CL tar ee ame The pay envelopes of the workers soon showed that the.victory cry of ho wage reductions was a.fraud. The actual results of these wage cuts and readjustments amount, to more than 15 percent during the year 1925-26. Two ‘usual excuses were advanced by the bosses for’ cutting’ wages: (1) The lowering of the ‘cost of living; (2) a depression in’ the industry. These could absolutely not be applied in this, case, because, according to government statistics the cost of liv- ing has increased. On the other hand the general con- ditions in the country have improved, and the clothing industry is on the upgrade as well. It may be said that according to reports by the clothiers’ association, the Advance and Presi- dent Hillman, the clothing industry to- day is in a much better condition than it was in 1924, And yet wages were reduced. The reasons offered by the employers are as mysterious as those by our union officials. a ae eee WE say YES! FEED THEM ON TO VICTORY! The BOSSES say NO! STARVE THEM INTO. SUBMISSION! WHICH SHALL IT BE? | 20,000 Men, Women and Children on Strike in the Textile Industry of Passaic and Vicinity with 40,000 Depend- ents. All Relying on Their Stomachs to Help Them Win Their Battle. THEY are fighting against wage reduction and for a wage increase. THRY are fighting for sanitary and human working condi- ‘tions. THEY are fighting for a United Textile Workers’ Union to protect the rights and interests of the workers, To Do This THEY Must Have Food! NO police clubs, riot guns, nor prison sentences will break their ranks, BUT STARVATION WILL! So We Ask Your Help to Feed Them. Send your contribution today to the i 2 =|} INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ AID | 1553 W. Madison St., Chicago, III. : My Flight from Siberia By Leon Trotsky. A new edition, attractively bound, of the famous story by one of Russia’s. most brilliant writers, * 80 Cents, Communism vs. Christi- anism By Wm, Montgomery Brown. Bishop Brown's unusual book is without question the most widely read book on the subject. It has been trans- lated into every important language. This new edition just off the press carries sup- plementary data. 25 Cents. Fairy Tales for Workers’ Children By Hermina Zur Muhlen, A beautiful book of enaren's stories with many black white illustrations and four colts pat piaree y Lydia rH Russell-Nearing Debate A sapere report of a THE DAILY WORKER PUB, Co. ‘ Boeclaitien: 6..We, This coming May offers a good op- portunity for the Chicago clothing workers to replace the many dollars that vanished from their envelopes in the last two years, It is to be recalled that the manu- facturers in the past as well as today are taking advantage of every oppor- tunity to increase their profits at the expense of the workers. They cut wages, they made they reconstructed the garments, in fact they have done everything to re- duce the cost of the workers. The Chicago Amalgamated Clothing Workers should make demands of the employers of at least a 15 per cent increase, because the conditions in the industry have improved and the cost of living has increased, The loss in wages increased during the past two years, thru the means of readjustments, was so enormous that the standard of living among amalga- mated workers has gone far below the standard of 1924, readjustments, | LATVIA SEEKS MURDERERS OF Promises: to Punish MOSCOW, U.S. S. R., Feb, 27 (By Mail).—In connection with the attack and murder of the Soviet diplomatic couriers on a train in Latvia, the Lat- vian minister for foreign affairs has published a statement expressing the sincere regrets of the Latvian govern- }ment for the crime and announcing that the Latviah government was tak- ing urgent méisures to discover the persons and Offanizations complicated in it. The Latvian,,government says that it will be glad..to receive any informa- tion at the dis josal of the Soviet gov- ernment that will facilitate the inquiry now being mie into the affair and that it will giv@the Soviet legation in Riga all the details of the inquiry. The statemeft of the Latvian for- eign office goqs,on to say tht the view expressed inthe Latvian press to the effect that thé-affair was of an ordi- nary criminal fature was not the of- ficial point of view of the Latvian gov- ernment. The Latvian government |promises to take measures that will \in the future insure the safety of the |Soviet representatives while in Lat- vian territory and will deal severely with individuals, organizations and the |press who may. endanger’ this safety, ‘particularly the white Russian immi- grants, who abuse the right of asylum, Texas Storm Kills Two. HOUSTON, Tex., March 31—Two oil field workers were reported dead and four others seriously injured, ac- cording to reports to the weather bureau there, An 82-mile hurrican struck the gulf coast shortly before 4 o’clock and was accompanied by electrical disturbances, rain and hail. UNSANITARY CONDITIONS UNDER By a Worker conditions provided for by the laws of Workers’ Union agreement. ploying about 120 workers. There is and another. ments,are placed. things found in tailor shops. We sit about one foot apart pony one another. We cannot sew without hitting one another's elbows. For the examiner to pass between the tables he has to disturb the workers; either they raise in their seats or are pushed aside, When entering the shop the stifling air stops your breath. This is caused by the steam from pressing machines, poor ventilation and the Srapeenad room. Tho there are sufficient windows in the place to work under natural light, yet We are forced to work the whole @ay under electric light, because the windows are thick with dust. They appear as tho they never had been washed. The floor is swept about once in three days and then only to pick up the rags that are trimmed away from the garments, while dust and dirt remains on the floor. For about 60 or 70 women working in the shop there is but one toilet and that is out of order most of the time. And when it is in order it is not fit for human beings to use. These conditions in the shop cause many workers to contract colds and other diseases that unsanitary condi- tions bring about. Complaints have been made about these conditions to our business agent, Sol Kramer, but thus far he has not made any at- tempts to remedy them. We demand that our business agent enforce the union laws for sanitary conditions. cleaner shop and demand that the bosses and foremen stop spitting on the floor, and we want towels and soap to wash our hands, We need a larger and NEW YORK, ATTENTION! Concert by Isa Kremer World's Greatest Singer of Ballads and Folk Songs at MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE, 34th St. and Eighth Ave, SUNDAY EVENING, APRIL 11, 1926 at 8:30 Tickets from 75c to $3.50 (no tax) at box office, Stuart Chase, Treas. Russian Recon- struction Farms, Inc., 156 Fifth Ave., New York City (Tel, Chelsea 1104), or order by mail from debate two well known figures (Bertram Russell — E. W. RIECK LUNCH ROOMS | = Scott Nearing) on the ques- oe Bey sd o Shhh ‘Six Places rm vernment Is- Ap- 169 N. Clark 118 S. Cl plicable to Western Civiliza- 66 W. yeancates 167 N, aus ear dale taiad 42 W. Hi 234 8. Halsted Cents, give fis PHONES. HARRISON 016-7 > whan 1113 W. Washington Blvd, i , Chicago, 1 Fine scent Shr rah Made Cote : . | 1612 Fulton Gt, ~~ Phone West 2649 ieck Boston Baked | 742 Team 3, 4208 WHICH AMALGAMATED MEMBERS ARE FORCED TO TOIL EXPOSED BY WORKER Goprben aden! The Bloomenthal and Frost clothing firm does not‘ive up to the sanitary Illinois and the"Amalgamated Clothing OF The shop, large enough to hold about 50 to 60 pe ple, is at present em- no passing space between one section The aisles are occupied by coat racks. iwere the finished gar- Le bt In order that one may pass thru aa aisl6 One has ib to clear the space by INTERESTING ARTICLE. ON WORKER CORRESPONDENTS WORLD MOVEMENT FRIDAY , An international conference was recently held’ in Moscow on the question of ‘worker correspondents. Representatives of many different countries attended. Detailed reports on the worker’ correspondent move- ment in the different countries were given. A full and detailed report on this interesting conference will be printed on the worker corre- spondents’ page on Friday. Worker correspondents! Watch for this article! Your Union Meeting First Thursday, April 1, 1926. Namé of Local and Place of Meeting Allied Printing Trades ayy by La Mg: he 4 St., 6:30 3 271 hing Workers, 408 8, 227 B Ma) 2040 W. North A 93 Boot an shoe, 1939 Milwaukee Avenue. 499 ers ol and Shoe Wkrs., 10258 Michi- gan. 4 Brick and(@lay, Sh remains m Wy 186 Brick se Clay, Gi 13 1% . A 62 sh Bate + Sq 341 » 1440 EI 434 south Ghieage 11037 504 Sirien and Kedzie. 2103 758 W. my th 180 134 a8 Houston A’ jouston 16432 rs, Victoria Mot 429 269 = 25 Janitors, Bure b 60 Janitresses, oa Hai” Hearing fan Buren Workers, 810 W. Harrison 119 S$. Throo| District Cou Adams St. P. Hy Dutt’s Hall, Chicago H: ‘an d Organ Workers, tao W: tite id Peori ii So ence Is i, Cornell St. h and Drexel Ave Rallway car 1900 W. 17th St. Railway Clerks,’ 849 W. 'Washing- cha Clerks, 8138 Commercial gers, 810 W. Harrison eit ra, 180 W, eaceigtih Houstoi #83 panes th Hen ee "Xtitana 110 Uphoistere: a8 Washingten 17616 Warehouse = Pe 166 W. Washing. SOVIET ENVOYS Guilty Parties : | ‘Ybeen.printed on this page during the Workers (Communist) Party Party “Into the Unions” Campaign Summed Up By TOM BELL, The series of articles which have past three weeks stressed the neces- sity of the party membership joining the trade unions they are eligible to join, aiding in the organization of par- ty fractions and the building of a mass left wing movement in the trade unions, This is in line with the de- cision of the central executive com- mittee to conduct a vigorous campaign in the party to increase our forces in the trade unions. All party members who have read these articles will have gotten an out- line of what is expected of all mem- bers in this matter. Briefly the fol- lowing points were stressed in the ar- ticles: Into the Unions, 1, The great tasks confronting the party in the trade unions to win the organized workers for our party and the struggle for the workers’ and farmers’ government makes impera- tive that all party members become members and actively participate in the trade unions. 2. The Communist International and the Red International of Labor Unions have repeatedly insisted upon every member of the party becoming @ member of a union if at all possible. In line with this, it is imperative that all members do so. “In an industrial country like the United States it is impossible to be a good Communist unless at the same time you are a member of a labor union.” 8. The objective of our participa- tion in the trade unions is to win the organized workers for our revolu- tionary program. 4, To work successfully in the un- ions it is necessary that our forces be organized. For this purpose we must organize party fractions in each union whi we have members, The fraction is purely a party organization composed of party members only, It is not a public organization. 5. The main task of our party frac- tions in the unions is to organize the left wing and progressive forces into @ movement against the bureaucrats who are agents of the capitalists in the labor movement and get the un- fons to. adopt a class struggle policy instead of the present prevailing pol- icy, of cooperation with the bosses. In the building of this left wing move- ment the actual conditions existing in each union must be taken info con- sideration and a program elaborated which fits these conditions and will embrace the largest number of work- yers willing to fight for it. Abstract propaganda will not do this, . Our ‘point of departure for the initiation of left wing movements must be the primary /issues confronting the work- \ers—wages, hours and working condi- jtons, Away From Sectarianism. The work of party members. in these left wing movements is to carry on vigorous. work to break away the trade unionists from their craft pre- judices. This propaganda work, plus ithe pressure of capitalism constantly growing greater on the workers will destroy the craft union psychology ‘and bring them to a revolutionary | viewpoint. 6. Sectarianism in this left wing |work must be avoided as a plague. It must be ever borne in mind that the main thing to achieve is a move- ment of workers against the capital- ,in this direction. ists and theirs agents, the trade union bureaucrats.“ All programs are condi- tioned by this objective. We must util- ize the grievances of the workers connected with their immediate inter- ests to lead them on the path of class struggle. Spreading Out, 7. The work of the existing left wing committees which have been carrying on propaganda in the vari- ous unions must be expanded and consciously directed on the path of developing left wing movements. The Trade Union Educational League as a national left wing center must be broadened and attract masses of trade unionists to its banner. To imbue the party membership with such @ conception the artiqes were written. The task immediately confronting us is taking the first step To do this‘all party members not in trade unions who afe eligible for membership must become members immediately. Leading com- mittees, section, city and district, must take up this task vigorously in line with,the instructions already sent out, Work—Not Discussions, Members working in a given indus- try must be called together in the various localities and the question of joining the unions put up to them. The success of this campaign by the central executive committee will not be measured by the number of long philosephical discussions that take place on the subject, but by the ac- tual number of party members who become members of labor unions. The party registration cards will show the effect of the campaign, not the num- ber of theses or articles written on it. The Role of Members of the Workers (Communist) Party Who Are Housewives By KATE GITLOW. wu the reorganization of the party, comrades who are house- wives will play an important» role. They will have the task of doing Com- munist work among the masses of pro- letarian women. They will have to learn to lead=these masses toward Communism. This task will require a great deal of study, in order to un- |] derstand clearly the party’s polity and program on work among women and to correctly apply it. Comrade Lenin said that the prole- tariat cannot win or hold power with- out the participation of wide masses of proletarian women. We must bring our message to the working woman in. the factory and to the housewife. We must make them understand that the woman of the working class has no interest apart from the man worker. That if she wants to better her condition as a woman of the work- ing class she must struggle shoulder to shoulder with the man worker against the bosses and the landlords and we must gradually lead them to- wards full class—and political consci- ousness, Comrades will have the task of or- ganizing housewives’ circles, consol- idating them ito housewives’ councils and bringing them together into dele- gated conferences jointly with factory women and other proletarian women’s organization, where they will discuss their problems and where plans will be developed for united action to bet- ter their conditions, The comrades will have to provide si KATE GITLOW, social and educational activities for the women in these circles and coun- cils; also working class women’s or- ganizations, like fraternal, benevolent and co-operative groups, will have to be reached. Help in strikes will have to be organized jointly with men and women workers. Kitchens will have to be established to take care of strik- ers’ children, etc. in strikes of long duration, The children of these pro- letarian women will have to be train- ed to take part in the struggles of the workers instead of being used in imperialist wars to help the bosses and the landlords. The comrades who are to take up the work among women will have to co-operate with the Young Workers Comrades working among women will have to bear in mind that the shortest way to the development of the full consciousness of the proletarian wo- men is thru participation in their daily struggles—the things that immedi- ately concern them, in their homes, thru their children, the struggle with high rents, high cost of food, unem- ployment, school conditions and many other problems that they face daily. The comrades must learn by grades and stages to bring them to the more general working class struggle and from thence into the general party campaigns where their class and Com- munist consciousness develops very rapidly. In order that this work amopg wo- men shall be made easier, the general party membership must give full con- sideration to the problem of work among women. This is necessary too, in order to create the proper spirit and outlook in those comrades who are charged with the responsibility of work among women. Let us build a powerful Communist Party in the United States which will lead the workers in their struggles to a successful revolution which will establish the workers’ power upon the ruins of capitalism. “We Hope Paul Will Come Home Soon,” Says Father of Prisoner The aged and unwell father of Paul Crouch, Communist soldier serv- ing a three-year term in Alcatraz and with the Young Pioneer league.| military prison, wrote a letter to In- CHICAGO MAY DAY COMMITTEE MEETS FRIDAY. 'HE committee in charge of arrangements of the May Day celebra- tion of the Workers (Communist) Party. Local Chicago, to be held Saturday, May 1, at the Coliseum, meets Friday, April 2, 8 p. m., at the District Office, 19 S. Lincoln St. De es from all party nuclei are expected to appear, delegates from any working class organization are invited, To Proletarian Writers The Little Red Library offers an unusual opportu- nity for your development. Manuscripts on all sub- jects can be submitted. On trade unions, Com- munism, Art, Literature, Fiction—on any subject of interest to workers. Only these restrictions must be rigidly observed: Manu- scripts must be from 10 to 16 thousand words—defin- ftely proletarian in char- acter and treatment and typed on one side of the page only—with stamps for return if not accepted, Address: The Daily Worker Publishing Co., 1113 W. Washington Boulevard, Chicago, Ill, ea0 187 ing heaven." Engels on Revolu- tion in America, By Helnz Neuman. Another New Number In THE LITTLE RED LIBRARY Number Eight of Paris By Max Shachtman, A splendid little booklet of one of the most brilliant pages in working class history. The first definitely proletarian revolt, wrote of their heroism, the workers were “storm- Read it on the 55th anniversary of the great day in our history, Just Issued: 6—Marx and Stories. in Ameri- ee the two clase life by Wea eiyr formated fsing of, the, young mnt nist principles, writers in Amertta. The Commune when Karl | Marx No, 7.—The Damned Agitator and Other By Michael Gold. Splendid stories of ternational Labor Defense thanking the organzation for its financial as- sistance extended to himself and Mrs, Trumbull. “We hope Paul will come home soon,” the letter ends. I. L. D. is do- ing its utmost to make this hope come true by a nation-wide agitation for the reléase of Crouch, SEND IN A SUB, Numbers Ready No. 1—Trade Unions in America, by Wm, Z. Fos ter, J P. Cannon, E, R. Browder, No. 2——Class Struggle vs. Class Collaboration, By Earl R. Browder, No, 3.—Principles of Com- munism, By F, Engel Translation by Max dacht, No. spondence, Dunne. 4-—-Worker Corre. By Wm. F. No, 5.—Poems for Work- ers, Edited by Manuel Gomez. All Numbers 10 Cents Each NOTE: For one dollar the first eight and the fol- lowing four numbers will be sent—or a total of 12 copies of any numbers, p