The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 19, 1926, Page 4

¥ \Page Four THE DAILY WORKER THE DAILY WORKER Published by the DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO, 1113 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Ill. Phone Monroe 4712 ———————— SUBSCRIPTION RATES By mall (in Chicago only): By mail (outside of Chicago): $8.00 per year $4.50 six months $6.00 per vear $3.50 six months $2.50 three months $2.00 three months Address all mail and make out checks to THE DAILY WORKER, 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ilinols J. LOUIS ENGDAHL WILLIAM F,. DUNNE MORITZ J. LOEB... — Entered as second-class mail September 21, 1923, at the post-office at Chi- cago, Ill, under the act of March 3, 1879. Editors .. Business Manager Advertising rates on application. ———) The Gang Votes for Everybody Testimony before a Chicago special grand jury hearing evidence on vote frauds at the polls primary day is to the effect that a certain Trude, candidate of the Lundin-Deneen faction of the republican party won over Savage, the Crowe-Barrett candidate for county judge at a polling place at North Clark street and that thugs from the state’s attorney’s office raided the place, stole the ballot box and stuffed it to satisfy themselves. Other testimony indicates that the attempt to steal the ballot box failed and that the votes were counted as cast. At the same polling place a man named Citro, a gunman, ap- peared to vote and gave his name as Hoffmann. One of the clerks was acquairfted with Hoffmann and exposed Citro, who fled with some gangster companions, who were part of the Crowe-Barrett political machine that rules Cook county at the present time. The Crowe-Barrett forces evidently believe in casting all the yotes in a given precinct. Establishing a cordon of gangsters about a polling place and terrorizing those suspected of support of the opposition candidate clears the way for the gang to vote by proxy for everyone entitled to vote. These worthies may hold the opinion, probably based on fact, that the registered voters do not know how to vote in their own interest. Certainly the fact that they register as republicans and democrats is contributing evidence that their political understanding leaves much to be desired. But it does not follow therefrom that the gang knows what is good for the be- fuddled voters. While the senate investigating committee delving into slush funds spent in the senatorial contests is in Chicago it might devote a considerable portion of its time to an investigation of the connec- tion between politics and bands of highwaymen that serve not only the Crowe-Barrett and Lundin-Deneen political machines, but the Brennan democratic machine as well. While such an investigation would not produce concrete results in the way of punishing the grafters it would be an excellent lesson to workers who imagine they live in a superlative democracf, and might cause some of them to consider a form proved to be a thous- and times more democratic—the Soviet system. <r 290 By EARL H. BROWDER. (Part IV.) ETRAYAL of the miners by the General Council leaders of the general strike was, in a very, imme- diate and real sense, betrayal of the whole working class. Surely that was’ bad enough. But not content with this, the General Council proceeded to abandon the interests of all the strik- ers. Altho the certainty of attempts by the employers to victimize all strik- ers had been foreseen, and guarded against in the unanimously accepted resolution of May 2, which said “that in the event of trade union agreements being placed in jeopardy, it be defi- nitely agreed that there will be no general resumption of work until those agreements are fully recognized,” the question was completely ignored by the General Council when it called off the strike. Only after calling off the strike with- out conditions, and so notifying Bald- win as he had demanded, was the question timidly brought forward of discriminations. They did not even mention the Samuel Memorandum! As for protecting the other unions aside from the miners, it is not necessary to quote Communists to get a picture of the depths of degradation to which the council descended; George Lansbury, certainly not a Communist and not hostile to the General Council, gives us the following (Lans. Weekly, May 22): “The speakers who dealt with victimization, gave the effect of schoolboys going up for punishment and begging that it should not be too severe. Compare this with the paragraph about victimization which was part of the bargain between the unions and the General Council! That detailed and essential pedge was simply ignored.” HE record was complete! If ever @ war was won on the field of bat- tle, the workers had won this fight. They were ready to continue indefi- nitely, and had shown not a sign of weakening. But the peace had been disastrously lost, not only for the min- ers, but for all the unions, directly ana immediately, incfuding Mr. Thomas” own organization, the Railwaymen. Everywhere the workers, when they came back to their jobs in accordance with the instructions of the General Council, found themselves faced with Gouging the Farmer to the Limit The sardonic farce whereby the politicians at Washington are pretending to be gravely concerned about the farmers’ ills goes merrily on. The various political agents of the banks, the manu- facturers, the railroads, the flour trust, the corn products monopol- ists and the meat packers who sit in the high places in the national eapitol, all have their own pet “remedies” for the farmers, but no two of them can agree on what tre farmer needs, hence nothing is done, while the condition of the farmer goes from bad to worse. But the farmers, or the more politically mature strata of them, know that those same gentlemen who cannot agree on a solution for their ills—which can only be cancellation of their farm mortgages on terms similar to those granted foreign nations—would instantly respond to similar pleas arising from the monopolistic capitalist groups they serve in congress. Last year the returns on farms in the United States was less than two per cent on assessed value, which means LESS THAN ONE PER CENT ON ACTUAL VALUE. This is the average. Some farms yield more, while the stricken area ef the middle west center- ing in the Iows s yield much less. What would these gentlemen in congress do if the combines they serve were not able to realize six times one per cent, not on actual capital invested, but on the watered stocks of their concerns? It is about time the farmers realized the fact that their interests as producers of food for the nation are identical with the interests of the workers in the industrial centers who are exploited by the same sinister interests that make paupers of them and then relentlessly drive them from their land and into the industrial hells of the cities. The two great producing classes must stand together against the common enemy. The only effective way is joint political action against the republican and democratic parties of, Wall Street. BUFFALO MEMBERSHIP MEETING ENDORSES WORK OF THE PLENUM BUFFALO, N. Y., June 17. — A well attended membership meeting enthusiastically welcomed the report of C. E, Ruthenberg, secretary of the Workers (Communist) Party, on the work of the plenum of the central executive committee of the Workers (Communist) Party and on the forward movement of the party under the slogan of unity and mass work. The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the meeting: “The membership of Buffalo and District 3, having heard the report of Ruthenberg on the plenum of the Cen- tral Executive Committee, indorses the work Of the plenum and particularly the resolution on the task of the Party in the light of the Communist Inter- national decision. “We pledge our earnest and ener- getic support to the Central Commit- tee in its campaign to build and strengthen the party under the slogan ‘Unity and Mass Work.’” Many Party members from neigh- boring cities came to hear the report of Comrade Ruthenberg and were very _ @fthusiastic over the work accom. plished by the plenum, They ex- pressed their determination to go back to their cities and actively carry out the decisions of the plenum, ‘ Machinist Local Asks Sacco-Vanzetti Pardon Local 478 of the Machinists’ Union elected a committee last night to draft a resolution to be sent to the governor of Massachusettts protesting against the execution of the death sentence on Sacco and Vanzetti. The communication will ask Gov- ernor Fuller to grant an unconditional pardon to the two framed-up working- class prisoners, Local 478 has 800 members, LS Encampment Tickets Now Ready Tickets for The DAILY WORKER encampment to be held on the North Shore of Long Island July 3, 4 and 5 are now ready for distribution, Every DAILY WORKER Builder around New York is requested to call immediately at The DAILY WORKER New York office, 108 East 14th St., to get some of these tickets to sell, Since they are worth ten dollars, must call for them at the office, | they will not be mailed out, Builders ‘ By M. A. SKROMNY. HE strike in the local Russian daily Russky Viestnik- Rassviet has ripped the mask from a gang of an- archo-monarchists and plain counter- revolutionists who were masquerading as ultra raflicals. The Russian colony in the United States was enriched lately by a few thousand counter-revolutionists who were driven out of Russia after their final attempts to crush the revolution failed. At the beginning they attempt- ed to play the role of “friends of la- bor” and were trying to join the ex- isting organizations. They were rec- ognized for what they are and were not admitted. After that they were forced to organize separately. New counter-revolutionary organizations were created under different names. The Russian Officers’ Club, the Society for Political Prisoners in Russia, the Russian Center, the Progressive Club, and others, made their appearance. Unite Against Workers’ Rule. Altho somewhat different in name and composition, these organizations united in their bitter attacks against the Communists and the Soviet gov- ernment. Two newspapers, the Russky Viestnik in Chicago, which was the expression of the reactionary menshe- viks and monarchists, and the Rass- viet in New York, which was the ex- pression of the anarchists and mon- archists, were the champions of these new organizations. The first paper was established eight years ago by gious organization) as a liberal paper, but it fell into the hands of a socialist lawyer, Kazimir Gugis, who conven- iéntly turned it over for use to the local counter-revolutionists, He thot it would pay, but it didn’t, Anarchist Rag. The second paper was established over a year ago by a group of follow- ers of the notorious bandit Machno. They catered to the monarchists and anti-Semites, flavoring it with anarch- ist theory. This paper found no more favor in the colony than the Chicago sheet. Both of them were finally forced to consolidate into one under the name of Russky Viestnik-Rassvit. As soon as the paper was consoli- dated, they began to “economize.” In New York they had “printers” work- ing for $20 a week. They tried the same thipg in Chicago, The workers here were receiving from $35 to $45 a week. The bosses began to cut down and fired one printer altogether, ex- pecting to fill his place with one of their “specialists” from New York. The workers refused to stand for that and went down to the union headquar- ters for protection, The union took up the matter and tried to settle the case, Deny Union Recognition. For three days the organizer of Chi- cago Typographical Union No, 16 tried in vain to convince this gang of the right of workers to be organized, The manager flatly refused to have anything to do with the union. He stated that “the corporation” met and decided to have nothing to do with the union. Workers Behind Strikers, the local Independent society (a victimization and displacements. The employers were out to completely smash the unions. The General Coun- cil, by its cowardly, unconditional sur: render, had certainly done its utmost to help in this objective. Membership Stops the Panic. T remained for the rank and file, the ordinary members, to put a stop to the rout of the leadership, The mil- lions of strikers knew they were not defeated; they simply refused to ac- cept this defeat handed to them by their leaders. They refused to return to work under the conditions laid down by the employers. For several days after the strike was officially called off, it was still on in reality, for the members of the different unions remembered, with regard to their own organizations, what the General Coun- cil had forgotten for the movement as a whole—the slogan of “All) out to- gether, all back together.” The second offensive of tle:employ- ers came to a quick smashup on the rock of invinclble solidarity which could also have won the general strike. In a few days even Mr. Baldwin was forced to appeal publicly to ‘the em- ployers to end the strike by abandon- ing their worst plans for victimization. As a result of the collapse of the General Council, however, almost every union has suffered in some way. The panic was stopped byythe invinc- ible class spirit of the faa but the blow delivered by the empl fog class, while it failed in its objective of smashing the unions, did fall heavily upon them. Perhaps the worst of all sufferers in this respect was the N. U. R. (National Union Railway- men), the organization Which Mr. Thomas represents in the General Council, HE railroads immediately set up an elaborate system of; discrimination against the strikers. The membership refused to work under these condi- tions. Mr. Thomas again came to the fore. He held consultations with the employers. He signed a settlement with them, which he announced was “satisfactory.” It provides for short time, suspending the guaranteed week provided by the union agreement, and confesses that the union committed a “wrongful action” in striking to sup- port the miners. 1: Even such a moderate as Brailsford is forced to characterize this action in Printers’ Strike Exposes Monarchists Se Chicago are lining up with' the’ union and against the scabs. The Mutual Aid Society, the Workers’ Singing So- ciety, the Women’s Mutual Aid Soci- ety and others passed strong resolu- tions condemning the scabby outfit of the anarcho-monarchists and demand- ing union recognition. « They decided to have their printing done in union shops withsthe union label. 1 The resolutions and theyappeal by the union are being sent gut all over | Fights Labo} | The local counter-revolutionary Russ- ian paper is using scabs to attack organized labor.” 9 w the country and there is no-doubt that the scabs will soon face @ storm of protest from all Russian labor organi- zations of the United St: Scabs Print Paper. In the meantime the paper is print- ed by scabs. They deny if, claiming that it is printed “by our own forces” and attacking the “polsheviks for trying to unionize their shop. They attack the DAILY WORK for giv- ing publicity to the strike, and the strikers for seeking,aid of the union and the “chekists.” The joke of it is that all the strikers are members of the religious Inde- pendent Society that established the paper and from which it was taken away by the slick lawyer, None of the strikers was ever a member of any political party. They are plain workers seeking justice and the right to belong to the union, a right which is denied them by the counter-revolu- tionary anarcho-monarchist scab herd- The Russian labor organizations of | Olt Read it today on page The Struggle in Great Britain words of indignation, when after showing how the men “stopped the more vindictive counter-attacks,” that “after this superb display of loyalty and. idealism (by the membership), Mr. Thomas and his fellow-leaders signed in their men’s name the dis- honoring confession that they were guilty of a ‘wrongful action.’” The Miners Battle On. NFLINCHINGLY the miners have meanwhile stood their ground, Their sound judgment in rejecting the Samuel Memorandum was quickly jus- tified, when Baldwin, instead of honor- ing the “gentlemen’s agreement” made for the government by Samuel, came out with an entirely different proposal. The miners held a national conference on May 20, unanimously rejected the Baldwin offers, which were even worse than the original coal commission re- port, and dispersed to their districts to prepare for a battle of three or four months. One of the signs that the miners are fighting to win, in splendid contrast to the General Council, is that they have accepted the financial help of the Rus- sian unions which the General Council refused. They are also receiving help from the Continent—Germany, France, Czecho-Slovakia, etc.— and from America. “\)7E have drawn the sword and thrown away the scabbard of compromise,” are the words of A. J. Cook, secretary of the Miners’ Federa- tion, in the Sunday Worker of May 23. “The miners, at least, neither intend to ‘grovel’ for peace, nor whine for a degrading settlement. We are not fighting for fighting’s sake. The mo- ment the government can submit terms to us which will protect the miners from wage reductions and increased hours of labor we can have peace in the coal industry.” The miners have sent a letter to the Transport and Railway Unions, ap- pealing to them to place an embargo upon scab coal. At this writing (the 24th day of the miners’ lockout), it is not yet clear what action these unions will take in the matter. The leaders are almost hopelessly involved in their cowardly new “agreements” and com- promised by their surrender, but the rank and file may very likely force their hands in the matter. Much de- pends upon the developments within the General Council. 7,000 PASSAIC STRIKERS CHEER NEEDLE TRADES Decision to Boycott Scab Goods Applauded PASSAIC, N. J., June 17.—Over seven thousand strikers packed in Bel- mont Park, Garfield, N. J., received with enthusiasm the news brought by Strike Organizer Albert Weisbord that the New York needle trade had prom- ised to boycott all scab goods coming from the Passaic strike area. Weisbord told the strikers that he had addressed meetings of the needle workers in New York City and had been pomised the fullest support for the Passaic strike now that the fur- riers’ strike in that city had been settled with a victory for the workers, Hold Sacco-Vanzetti Meeting at the Mall on Boston Common BOSTON, Mass., June 17.—The Workers (Communist) Party of Bos- ton opened its Sunday afternoon forum meetings on-the Mall at the Boston Common with a meeting for Sacco and Vanzetti. This meeting was of especial interest to the workers gath- ered there because it is in this state that the effort to railroad these two workers is taking place. The meeting was opened by Com- rade Hurwitz, who acted as chairman. The next speaker was H.. J. Cantor, who gave a very instructive outline of the case. He was followed by Bert Miller, who explained the political sig- nificance of the case. The audience was greatly interested in the facts presented and doriated $12 toward the Sacco-Vanzetti defense. Forum meetings will be held every Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the Mall. Next Sunday the British strike and what it means to the American work- ers will be discussed, Bricklayers’ Union of Chicago to Get Wage Raise July 1 After July 1, and up to May 31, 1929, the Chicago Union bricklayers will receive $1.62% per hour, accord- ing to John Flom, president of the Associated Builders. The bricklayers have @ provision in their agreemnet providing that proportionate increas- es must be granted them when other trades receiye wage raises, The un- jon was the first to sign up this year, making a three-year contract. Since signing, other building trades have won wage increases, hence the propor- tionate raise to the bricklayers, Put a copy of the DAILY WORKER in your pocket when you ee to your unlog-aiggting, eee ay: i ’ LENINISTS WIN | GAME.IN NINTH Boxing, Wrestling and Chess Other Features At Youth Picnic By Al Schaap, NEW YORK —The first m: led by the Young Workers League last Sunday was a success. The Sports Bureau laid out plans which were carried out to the last detail, At this hike there were members of the Young Workers League, Brown- sville Youth Center, Williamsburg Soccer Club and other sympathetic or- ganizations. The hikers numbered four hundred. With each group of twenty hikers, a group captain was placed. That made altogether twenty groups. Each group carried Its number In the front line headed by a banner as follows: “Hike With The Young Workers League.” The first fifteen groups left prompt- ly at mine o’clock from the Staten Island Ferry. The second party of five groups left at ten. All the hikers took their instruc- tions in a fine spirit. A motorcycle which headed the hikers was used to relay instructions down the line. Every captain was supplied with | whistle and a red arm band and the head captain with a siren. As the head captain gave instructions to the motorcycle group to sing the Interna- tional, this would be relayed down the ranks and when the siren was blown, one grand marching chorus would be heard. At midway, the first group of the hikers rested. Upon arrival of the second group, the first group left. Continuing their march, the hikers ar- rived at Silver Lake, §. I. Here all the hikers sat on a hill where instruc- tions for the day were issued. Sports Events, Following lunch, a” baseball game was staged between the Leninists and the Bolsheviks, The Leninists won a nine inning battle by a score of thirteen to three. The Leninist team was quite effective in cutting off runs at the home plate. Their pitcher struck out ten Bolsheviks, walking but two. This game had all the aspects of a big league game, cheering squads pepped up the players to an exciting degree, The base ball game was fol- lowed by & soccer game which result- ed in a tie. ‘ Boxing and wrestling matches were also held with quite a number of bloody noses as a result. While the crimson flowed freely, all boxers and wrestlers seemed satisfied in their fun, Another big event was the tug-of- war in which the girls ran away with the husky chaps who could not hold their ground. Twice the number of Pioneers were successful in dragging a number of league members all over the field. The Volgas ran away with the Pulleys, taking them over a dis- tance of twenty yards when they won. Chess Champlonship. While all these strenuous contests were going on, an elimination contest for chess championship ended with five more players to contest. This match will be followed up at a future hike. Discussion groups were also organ- ized and there were some heated words battered around. No casual- ties, however, were reported. Singing and other games were also part of the program. The hour was too late to stage the mass drill which was planned beforehand. At 7 o’clock whistles blew galore. This’ was the signal for the reforma- tion of ranks and the hike toward home was started. On the ferry many of the Italian passengers were aroused to sympathy by the singing of “Banderia Rossa.” Otherwise all American songs were sung and when passing the Statue of Liberty three cheers went up for “Lib- erty is dead in America! Long live Liberty!” . The groups disbanded at South Fer- ry looking forward to the next hike which the Young Workers League will soon run, Needed By Mace Co. Young Workers By Young Worker Correspondent, NEW YORK CITY — The working conditions of our shop are so miser- able that they are similar to those of twenty years ago. While most of the workers, working only 44 hours per week are already fighting for forty hours week work, we are still compelled by stingy bosses to work nine long hours a day, I. fifty hours per week, earning very low wages. Foremen see to it we should work fast, so as to make more profits for the company. For being late a few minutes we are fined one-half hour pay, and we are also not paid for legal holidays, The boss gets his best out of the workers, paying most of us $14, $16 and $18 weekly. Only after four or five years of hard labor are we able to get an increase of $2 or $3, and only a few of the old-timers get $25 per week. Can We Have Decent Living? Can we have a decent living on such wages, which barely will cover the ex- penses of a single man? Many of us have to support our families. Do the bosses realize all the hardships. we have to confront, and if they realize, do they give a damn for it ‘The conditions in the shop are very unsanitary. There are not enough lockers to keep our clothes and five or six people are compelled to share a single locker, We have only 30 minutes for lunch, which makes it impossible to finish our lunch, or to get a breath of fresh air. The toilets, which are very small, are stinking and full of dirt, because the water runs only once or twice a day. Is L, H. Mace Co, so poor that it is unable to provide us with toilet Paper? The workers who work downstairs in the saw mill breath into their lungs sawdust and are in danger of losing their fingers in the machines. Those who work on the upper floors spray- ing ice boxes with paint, breathe in the poisonous gas of the paint, which affects their health, and if one of us is trying to protest or ask for higher wages he is kicked out immediately, Forward! ‘fe not we manly enough to raise our heads and bring our demands before the boss and pro- test against the shameful existing con- ditions? Young workers, colored and white, you are the ones who are exploited the most! You should be the first ones to start the organization of the working youth. Remember, we have begun to organ- ize, we have to begin to organize, we have to begin to come together and to talk over our conditions and fight for our demands, In Greater New York a conference is being called of all young workers employed in various industries, At S588 Youth Conference this conference the problems of the young workers in the factories will be taken up. Delegates from New York, New Jer- say and Connecticut will be present there, Get ready and elect delegates to the conference! . “YOUTH CONFERENCE WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER THE TEXTILE YOUTA” By a Young Worker Correspondent. NEW LONDON, Conn. — The affi- davites that all the strikers filled out showed an average wage of $23 before the wage cut, and $17.18 after the wage cut. This is the wage of the adult weavers, who have to support their families, How a family of a five or three can make a living on such a miserable wage is realy a puzzle? But it is understood how—they starve. Of course a young less experienced weaver running only three looms makes a great deal less. Fifteen dol- lars on an average is about all a young weaver could make after the wage eut. In spite of their low wages, the young weavers have not taken as im- portant a part in this strike as the young textile workers in Passaic. Be- sides receiving less pay, the young less experienced weavers suffer most from the abuse of the straw bosses for they have some regard for the skilled weaver, but they know the young weaver is completely at their mercy, being unorganized. The union will put an end to this. Besides raising the pay of the young weavers along with the adults, it will be a protection for the younger weavers from the insult and abuse of the bosses. The union is the only one that can force the bosses to treat the workers like men and women and not like dogs. When the foreman knows that he will have to account for any insult to the union, he will learn to become more gentle. The youth conference that will be held in New York. on June 18, will have to consider the problems with which the young striking textile weavers and young textile workers in generally are confronted. No doubt that at the present time there is not a young textile worker, who does not realize the importance of organiza- tion, Every factory where young workers are employed should elect delegates to the youth conference, WHERE /S LOUIS ROTH? Louis Roth is a Hungarian Jew, age 20, about 5 foot 6, has flaming red hair, a freckled face and hooked nose. -W: a member of the Cleveland Y. W. L. Last heard of in New Mexico and headed for Mexico. His mother would like to know his whereabouts, Write The DAILY WORKER Youth Column, For a Mass Organ Thru Worker Correspondents 1)