The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 22, 1926, Page 4

Page Four ee NOT A LOCKOUT BUT A STRIKE, | SAY UNIONISTS Cleaners and Dyers in| Fight on Wage Cut NEW YORK, July 20.—Union clean- ers and dyers assert that their strike has brought 100 per cent organization of the trade. Jacob Effrat and D. Hoffman, general managers of the cleaning and dye house drivers’ local No, 813 and of the cleaners, dyers and 8’ local No. 17797, respectively, that the workers are locked out, as the master cleaners’ association states, The 10,000 workers are on strike “solely because we want to obtain union shop conditions thruout the in- dustry.” The union officials say that 40 per cent of the workers were on a non-union basis before the strike. Less than 5 per cent remain operat- tng, they declare. The strikers aim ing conditions uniform and _ stable.” ‘They ask a 44-hour week for all shops and payment on piece work. Employers are trying to force a 20 per cent reduction of wages and say they will lock out workers in 75 more than the present 100 plants affected 4 total of workers out to The union is maintaining 25,000. picketing and officials express their confidence that they will succeed in their plans. Workers’ Club Is Formed by South Slavs Despite the hot weather a goodly number of South Slavic workers re- sponded to the call to meet and form a workers’ club. At this meeting the “Milan Glumac” was formed. Comrade Bojanovich was requested to address the meeting. In his speech he pointed to the necessity of organ- izing a workers’ club which should be a center of South Slavic workers in Chicago, regardless of their political and religious views. He further emphasized that the workers’ club is the best place that the workers will have the chance to educate themselves on various sub- jects and especially on the class strug- gle. After Bojanovich’s speech, Chair- man D. Kruzch requested the secre- tary of the provisional committee, Krasich, to read the constitution for the workers’ club, which was adopted unanimously with a slight correction. Following the adoption of the consti- tution an executive committee of nine members was elected, which is em- powered to rent a suitable meeting place and to call the next meeting. Enthusiasm among the workers was very high so that the future develop- ment of the club is very bright. Eighty-four joined the club at the meeting. Keaa it today on page 5. “to make work- | me - of the New Haven line. Kids’ Pennies Build Non-Union Candy Into Sixth U. S. Industry ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., July 20. — One big unorganized industry now claims sixth place among the largest of the country’s industries. This is the candy business, according to speakers at the 27th annual conven- tion of the confectionery salesmen’s organization. One chain store con- cern made $2,000,000 on candy sales alone last year, “The kid with the penny is the greatest buyer,” the salesmen declare. The biggest profits come from the cheapest, adulterated candies into which go ingredients of very doubtful food value. 1,000 Men Fight Back California Forest Fire SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 20.— —While 1,000 men fought desperately fornia was the scene of three raging forest fires of huge proportions and six minor blazes, according to re- ports received here today. Two hundred men who battled the blaze until they were near the point of exhaustion, were successful in their efforts to check the fire that threatened the town of Eckhard, Volo county. 3 WRITE AS YOU FIGHT! Workers (Communist) Party Chicago Women’s Passaic Relief Conference Tonight, 2733 Hirsch Blvd. TO ALL WOMEN MEMBERS OF LOCAL CHICAGO, W. P. Dear Comrade: The Passaic relief work, which must be bullt on as broad and non-partisan a base as possible, requires the special attention of the women members of our party at this time. Special plans are under way for mobilizing the women wormpes and the housewives of Chicago for the Passaic relief work. ‘ To discuss these plans, as well as the local woman’s work In general, @ meeting of all woman party members is being called for Wednesday, July 21st. Please be sure to come and help program of action will be presented. discuss these questions. A concrete Suggestions from the comrades, grow- Ing out of their experiences in work among women and women’s organizations "ewill be very welcome, Come! ‘woman's work of Local Chicago. Remember: Wednesday, July 21, Hirsch Blvd. Participate in the meeting. Make your contribution to the 8 p. m. sharp, at Folkets Hus, 2733 Fraternally yours, ARNE SWABECK, Local Secretary. (HE Workers (Communist) Party of America has no interests separate and distinct from those of the Ameri- can working class. It does not exist to exploit the American working class for some selfish purpose of its own. It is here to fight for the immediate demands of this working class and to lead the American workers to their final emancipation. Who is to lead the Americar work- ers in their immediate and ultimate struggles? Naturally, the most ad- vanced, the most devoted, the best elements in the American working class, organized into a political party #0 ag to make possible a unified lead- ership. Such is the Workers (Com- munist) Party of America, But the American working class ig © large working class, divided over a vast geographical expanse, composed WHY A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE? dreds of occupations, It ig no easy task to lead so many workers—be- tween thirty and forty millions—to vlead them against the well-organized, powerful and ruthless American cap. italist class, It is not only necessary to know how to shape correct policies, but it is necessary to have roots among all the masses so as to be able to carry out these policies and move the masses toward their eman- cipation. Without a large member- ship the Workers (Communist) Party cannot lead the masses effectively cannot carry out its duty to the Amer. ican workers, Therefore the Ameri can workers have a right to deman¢ 4 large membership in the Worker (Communist) Party. They have right to demand of all class-conscioi workers, of the most advanced e! of many nationalities, engaged in hun- | ments still gutside the party, to joii ia Nucleus 27, Chicago, To Hold Meeting On “Company Unionism” On July 27, Tuesday, Nucleus No. 27 will hold an open meeting on the subject of “Company Unionism”—How to Combat It,” the talk to be deliver- ed by a very prominent railroad work- er who is thoroly acquainted with the subject, especially in the railroad industry. Street Nucleus 10 Chicago, Will Hold Meeting on Thursday Street Nucleus 10, Chicago, regular meeting will be held Thursday, July 22, 7:30 p. m., at the Lithuanian Liber- ty Hall, 1401-3 S. 49th’ Court, Cicero. Every member of the nucleus must be present. the Workers (Communist) Party and thus put the party in a better posi- tion to carry out its tasks. All militant and devoted fighters of the workers ‘in this country should join the Workers (Communist) Party; should see that it is the duty of the Workers (Communist) Party to in- crease its membership; more members would be betrayal of ‘he interests of American workers; that it is the obligation of the party it all times to organize and crys- allize the best elements of the work- ng class within its ranks, By join- ng the Workers (Communist) Party hey not only enable the party to ulfill its duty to the American work- ig class, but they are thereby doing | that is in their power for the carry- s on of the fight of workers for a ent standard of living and for final ‘uncipation fiom the yoke of capi- alism, — should real- ize that for the Workers (Communist) Party to refuse to make a drive for | With almost clock-like regularity the news has been recording wrecks of both small and large consequence. | Most of the wrecks seem to be on the “Flyers,” fast trains run at extra speed by trainmen who risk their lives and the lives of their passengers trying to keep on the company schedule. Pittsburgh-Detroit night express at Summitville, 0. Below is the debris of the “Cape Codder,” a summer special Above is shown the wreck of the Strike Against Piece Work in Cooperage Co. MILWAUKEE, July 20.—The seven- week strike of union coopers em- ployed by the Stolper Cooperage Co. remains in full force, The company demands a return to the sweatshop system of piecework days, while the men say that antiquated arrange- ment of the shop, absence of motor tool grinders, etc., prevent full normal production. ARTICLE Il. By HARRISON GEORGE. N a previous issue "we recounted five points of argument set forth in an article written by anarchist workers and published in the press of the In- dustrial Workers of the. World, at- tacking the Soviet government of workers and peasants. We stated that we would show one and all of these points to be anti-labor and even antl I. W. W. Point No. 1’was: “That the workers’ revolution in Russia has been betrayed by political bureau-. crats.” Aside from its other ‘harm, ‘the above assertion can succeed only in thruout the night to check the ad-| making the I. W. W. appear as the vance of the blazes, Northern Cali-T ‘aughing stock of the world’s labor movement. Certainly the Russian workers, who still have the arms in their hands with which they forced back the combined armies of the greatest imperialist nations, if they could take time from their jobs of building the new society within the shell of the old to listen to this faint voice from afar telling of their “be- trayal,” would break into storms of uproarious laughter. CCORDING to the statistics of November, 1925, the workers of Soviet Russia are organized into 23 in- dustrial unions with a total member- ship on that date of 7,846,789, includ- ing 2,024,117 new members joining during the previous 18 months. On January 1, 1926, the figure reached 8,303,000. American wage workers could stand some of this sort of “be- trayal.” According to Bulletin No, 4 of the Central Council of Trade Unions, the length of the workday for all indus- tries thruout the Soviet Union was an average during 1924 and 1925, of 7.6 hours, as ¢bmpared with a day of 9.6 hours before the war, and revolu- tion, Real wages (as distinct from money wages) are somewhat more difficult to figure, largely becayse under Soviet rule the workers get many things, such ag rent, light, theaters, transpor- tation, ete, at very low rates, and some things are free. But Bulletin No. 4 of the Central Council of Trade Unions says, after a list of the main items of diet shown from 1924: “The amount of calories consimed by work- ers in 1924 constitutes 99.9 per cent of the pre-war consumption, fats, 123 per cent and carbohydrates 95.8 per cent. Thus already in 1924 the workers’ diet had reached the pre-war level of ca- loric value and considerably improved in quality and assimilability. In par- ticular, the consumption of meat and fats had greatly increased. The latest figures are unavailable. Taking into account the considerable increase in wages during 1925, it can safely be said that the workers’ diet has further improved since 1924.” AT these wages (money wages) have increased is shown by stati: tics given in Willlam Z, Foster's re- cent pamphlet, “Russian Workers and Workshops in 1926.” It says: “Aver. age wages in industry are constantly on the rise. On October 1, 1924, wages (money wages) amounted to 67 per cent of pre-war rates; on October 1, 1925, 82 per cent; and on December 1, 1925, 96 per cent,” The result of this may been seen in the higher standard of living (real wages) of the 1,113,000 members of the unions of Moscow province, taken for example, reported at their provin- cial congress of the frade unions on February 29, 1925. Tt says, in the Trade Union Bulletin No. 3, of the Central Council; a the province [A WHERE IS RUSSIA GOING? MALGAMATE IN GIANT BRITISH SHIP COMBINE Britain Fights for Rule of Sea LONDON, July 20.—A colossal con- solidation of ocean shipping has just been completed here by an amalgama- tion conference of representatives of the Furness-Withy, Cunard, Brockle- brook, Anchor Line and Royal Mail interests, covering about $500,000,000 of North and South Atlantic lines, The capital at first intended to pur- chase the White Star line will now be put into the new combination, The consolidation is supposed to be the answer tothe growth of American shipping competition, altho the Brit- ish do not mention this, but say in- stead that the growth of German ship- ping lines and Italy’s ambitious ship- building program are challenging Brit- ain for the control of the bulk of sea trade. Union Pickets Jailed by Scab Eating House Individual pickets silently walking with ‘banners in front of Brennan’s non-union restaurant in the Chicago loop were arrested by police, Local No. 865 of the Hotel and Restaurant Employes’ Union reports, but not booked at the station. They were re- leased, the cooks’ secretary says, be- cause the police know that picketing in the manner followed is perfectly legal and interference with it ille- gal, Brennan’s pays its waitresses $5 a week, the union says. The un- fon scale for-waitresses is $18 for a 8-hour day. SEND IN A SUB! wages have increased 25 per cent. Real wages have increased 11 per cent. Compared with the pre-war level, real wages of Moscow workers amount to 128 per cent.” Tr one doesn’t wish to acknowledge facts, one may say that the above is only “what Communists say.” But how can even the anarchists disregard the reports of scores of workers’ or- ganizations from countries outside the Soviet Union, delegations whose mem- berships total several hundreds, for the most part rank and file workers from the shops and a great majority not Communists? Some of these were socialist workmen who were hotly op- posed ¢o Communists in their home country, yet coming from Soviet Rus- sia unanimously acclaiming that the Russian workers are the freest on earth, have full control of the na- tional economy, are rapidly improving their material and cultural life and have a bright future ahead, To allow the anarchists within the I, W. W., even tho they be workers and believe what they say, to spread their nonsense about the “betrayal” of the Russian workers, in view of the general knowledge among American workers of the real situation, has two lirect results: (a) To workers who know better, the I. W. W. officially vouching for such fairy tales appears aither ridiculous or anti-labor, in both vases no organization for sensible workers to join. (b) To workers who do not know the truth and who be- ‘eve what the anarchists say, their statement appears solely as a discour- agement (for those who have none too much of this quality) against any struggle whatever against capitalism and particularly against any attempt to overthrow it. If this is not aiding the bourgeoisie we would like to know what is, HERE is a large. body of opinion in the I. W. W. that resents any at- tack on the Soviet Unions; a great number, perhaps a majority, feels that there should be no attacks of this nature and are increasingly convinced that the I. W. W. should send over a delegation of its own representative of the more important industrial unions to investigate and report im- partially on the situation of workers in the Soviet Union. This attack will undoubtedly increase this sentiment. We emphasized that the member- ship of the I. W. W. is not responsible for the present anarchist attack on Soviet Russia. We must add, how- ever, that they will be responsible if they permit it to go on unchecked, It speaks of a “political bureaucracy” as existing in Soviet Russia, supposed to suppress the will of the workers. Did the anarchist bureaucrats in the I. W. W. ask the consent of the mem- bership to launch this attack on So- viet Russia? They did not! Do they dare to take the question to a refer- endum vote of the I, W. W, members on the proposal, “Shall the I, W. W. adopt a policy of hostility toward the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics?” and allow equal space to members in the press for and against during three months before voting? As long as the anarchists in of- ficial positions such tions to attack the Soviet Union, shutting off members from reply and ignoring even the fair and reasonable proposal ation of rank and file workers, fail to see any difference between “political” and “industrial” bureaucrats, In fact anarchism, ever in the I. W. W., is politics, and capi- talist politics, at that, (To be continued.) ~ A, CHICAGO LABOR MOVEMENT MUST BACK LADIES’ GARMENT WORKERS’ UNION IN FIGHT ON INJUNCTIONS By I. L. DAVIDSON. “ Organizer Chicago Joint Board of the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union. . bd HE) fight of the Ladies’ Garment Workers in the City of Chicago against the injunction menace is not only a fight of that organization. It would be an error for organized labor to think that after these men and women who are now serving in the Cook county jail are freed that the struggle against the injunctions will be over, The injunction issue is important to all organized labor and should arouse mass activity against it as long as there is a judge who misinterprets the law by using injunctions in labor disputes, Machinists’ Union, Here are two recent occurrences, aside of many similar ones in the past, which will prove our contention. The machinists’ district’ couneil decided upon an organization drive and after a few months of activity—just as their drive began to be’ effective—the em- ployers applied for an injunction. Without a moment’s hesitation this writ of injunction was issued, Similar is the case of the Walters’ and Cooks’ Union, who had an injunction issued against them shortly after they started an organization drive, Break Wall of Silence. Can organized labor remain silent and leave this matter rest? The an- swer to this question raises another question. Can crganized labor decide not to carry on organization work? Unquestionably, the answer is “no,” regardless whether the worker or the official of the union belongs to the progressive or so-called conservative group. Labor cannot afford, if it wants to uphold its right of existence, to per- mit this injunction-menace in labor disputes. Class Justice. There is one thing that must be un- derstood, and that is that we cannot get any justice from those who are interested to interpret justice for the employing class. The best proof of this is the recent action of Governor Len Small. The governor, before the last election, posed as a friend of labor and made numerous statements to this effect in some of the press. In fact, the official labor bodies, seeking the favor of Len Small endorsed him and his slate for office, What Has Small Done? What has Governor Small done for labor since he is in office? Here is a case that arouses the protest of every | freedom-loving person. If this case were a private instead of a labor case, [ am convinced that it would not take Governor Small more than twenty-four hours to decide to pardon these men and women who have left children as young as seven months at home, and ag many as three, four and five. Some have left mothers and fathers who are ill, Others left families dependent upon them. These men and women have com- mitted no crime. Their only “crime” was to speak to their fellow-workers of the non-union shops during the time of the strike that they join the union and help them to better condi- tions. No one can claim that this is a crime against the community. No one can charge that they have interfered with law and order in this city. Gov- ernor Small has not yet answered the strong appeal made to him by repre- sentatives of the clergy and of the liberals of this state. He did not even find it necessary to answer the people who appealed to him and to reply to the numerous telegrams sent to him as to what his intentions are in these cases, Labor cannot depend on friends Ifke Len Small and others of his class. There is only one way in which labor can fight against the injunction menace in labor disputes. That is by mass activity. It is the duty of every worker in this city to rally to the sup- port of the Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union in their fight against injuno- tions and for the release of their mem- bers. Their members are serving in prison not only for what they have committed during their 1924 strike, put are serving because of lack of ac- tion on the part of organized labor in this situation. The Ladies’ Garment Workers have began their fight. They call upon all workers for their unant- mous support, Attend Protest Meeting. The protest meeting which has been arranged for Thursday, July 22, at the Temple Hall, Marshfield avenue and Van Buren street, at 8 p. m. must be filled with workers of all trades. The protest against injunctions and the im- prisonment of workers for violation of the injunction must be heard as loud as organized labor can make it, so that the city and state authorities and judges who are on the bench of jus- tice will take note that organized labor will not stand for any misuse of the law. To be silent means to indorse these acts of & judge. Trade union workers, come to the mass meeting and demand the right of free speech, free press, free assemblage and the right of organizing without the inter- ference of injunctions. “FREIHEIT” OFFICE WORKERS DEMAND ADMITTANCE TO UNION (Special to The Dally Worker) » \ NEW YORK, July 20.—The following statement made by the office work- ers of the Jewish daily, “Freheit,” protests attempts being made by officials of the Bookkeepers, Stenographers and Auditors’ Union to bar them from membership in the union: “In the interests of workers’ organi- zations, we, the office staff of the Freiheit, a Jewish workers’ daily news- paper, hereby issue the following statement thru the labor press: Demand Admittance. “As class-conscious and organiza- tion-conscious office workers, we sought admission to the office workers’ union in New York—the Bookkeepers’, Stenographers’ and Accountants’ Un- ion, 12646, of the American Federation of Labor. “When we found out that the union had begun an organization campaign, we again made a request to the above mentioned Bookkeepers’, Stenogra- phers’ and Accountants’ Union by let: ter on March 23, 1926, In response, Mr, Bohm, the secretary of the union came and took note of the names of the staff’and the salary received by each and promised to report to us within a week, “Two months passed without any re- ply from the union. We again ad- dressed a communication repeating our request and reminding of the promise to reply. As in the case of the first letter, Secretary Bohm again came. In the course of his conversa- tion with our representative he said: “Between me and you, I am in favor of taking all of you into the union, but Bright is opposed to it, because— you know . . . we have nominations in September and elections in Octo- ber. . . .” When our representative told him that this was not a matter of personal opinion of his or Bright's, he asked for an extension of another week for a final reply. “That week never came, Bright Objects. “After waiting another month, we called up the union office and our rep- resentative spoke to President Bright, who informed him that at the last membership meeting, on June 21, 1 he reported to the membership t! the following proposition was. offere to the Freiheit office staff: -“'That the union will accept the Fretheit office staff as members at large, which, he explained, would re- gard our office staff as union, but that we would not have the right to attend meetings, and would not have the right to voice nor vote in the union.’ In plain English, the Freiheit’s office staff would be given the privilege of paying dues, without enjoying the ele- mentary rights of union membership. We told President Bright that no such proposition was made to us. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘you either accept member- ship at large or nothing.’ Full Membership Rights. “We are self-respecting workers, and our answer to such shameful propo- sition is ‘we must be taken into the Bookkeepers’, Stenographers’ and Ac- countants’ Union as regular members with all rights.’ “In addition to the above, we want to call attention to the labor move- ment that while the Bookkeepers’, Stenographers’ and Accountants’ Un- ion is ostensibly conducting an or- ganization campaign, our office staff remains unorganized. All the mem- bers of the Fretheit staff of compost- tors, stereotypers, pressmen and mail- ers are organized into unions affiliated with the American Federation of La- bor. We, the office workers, remain the only section of the Freiheit work- ers’ staff still non-union. “What will organized labor say to this double-handed method of a small American Federation of Labor union, which, with one hand calls for new members and with the other hand shuts its door against them? “We wait for a reply. “The Office Workers Staff of the Freiheit, Jewish Daily.” Veteran’s Bureau Recognizes Soviets Gen, Frank T, Hines, director of the Veterans’ Bureau, has announced that evidence submitted in support of claims for benefits under the World War Veterans’ Act and Adjusted Com- pensation Act by claimants resident in Russia or claimants whose depend- ents are resident in Russia will be ac- cepted by the bureau as valid when such documents are certified under the signature and seal of Soviet offict- als whose official status is attested by a diplomatic or consular officer of a ‘|triendly government stationed in Rus- sia, While such evidence may be ool- lected thru the cooperation of the American Red Cross, delivery of the evidence to “the Veterans’ Bureau must in every case be made thru the state department in order to secure the certification of theofficial eatus of the Soviet officials, ‘The subscription price to the Amen. ‘ean Worker Correspondent is only 50 cents per year. Are you a subscriber? Ce RON cern OCT Teor MRED Mayon Onan sen oe er Sor he Tye ee