The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 24, 1926, Page 5

ese \ dy J THE DANLY WORKER : att marnaenrar sen <a NSS ASSAM Pc [A LAA A AR TT OS Organized Labor—Trade Union Activities News and Comment Labor Hducation Labor and Government Trade Union Politics CHICAGO |. L. 6. W, SHOP CHAIRMEN BACK NEW YORK Vote Day’s Pay for the Striking Cloakmakers At one of the best attended and most enthusiastic shop chairmen’s meetings held during the past five years, it, was unanimously decided to assess each member of the Chicago International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union one day’s pay for the benefit of the strik- ing New York garment workers. Very few of the shop chairmen were miss- ing from this meeting where they ex- pressed their solidarity with the New York union. The following resolution was adopt- ed amidst great enthusiasm: Whereas, our union is now engaged in a struggle in the most imortant center of our industry, New York City, to estab- lish human conditions, and Whereas, 40,000 of our sisters and brothers in that city are putting up a most heroic fight for the past seven weeks for a 40-hour week, for a guaranteed period of employment, for a stabilized relationship between the brothers in the industry, ete., and, Whereas, the result of the strike in New York City will, because of its being the main center where cloaks and suits are produced largely, if not wholly, - flect on the conditions which we will get at the renewal of our contract in Jan- uary, 1927, Therefore, be It resolved, that we, the Shop chairmen of the Chicago Ladies’ Garment Workers’ shops in session, Thursday, Aug. 17, 1926, greet our heroic fighters in New York and promise them our wholehearted support, and, Be it further resolved, that we indorse the recommendation of the Joint Board for a day’s pay from every worker to aid the New York union in their struggle; Be it further resolved, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the labor press and to the strike committee in the city of New York. WITH THE LABOR PRESS . Craft vs. Company Unions The failure of the subway strike in New York has significance for the whole A, F. of L. movement. The strikers never affiliated with the A, F. of L. and they sorely missed the knowledge, experience, prestige, and moral and financial support which A F. of L. affiliation might have brought. For the failure of negotiations between the strikers and the A, F of L. person- alities on both sides were partly responsible. More responsible, however, was the craft organization of the street car workers. The. subway strikers had belonged to a company union. They had worked together. But when it came to joining the A. F. of L., they found that not all of them could unite with the Amalgamated ‘Association of Street Railway Employes but that they would have to be split up in several craft unions..On this rock, negotiations broke, The strike which was in its essence a hopeful revolt against the com- pany unionism which the A, F. of L, hates went'on without A. F. of L. help. It was defeated. Company unionism won another ‘victory, This is not altogether an isolated case. We know of an important com- pany union which would probably revolt and join the A, F. of L. if it would not have to split up straightway into craft unions. Such a state of affairs raises the question whether the A. F. of L. can make a winning fight against company unions without first dealing with the problem of craft organization. Historically, craft organization was the line of least resistance. It may still be the logical type of organization for most of the building trades, altho they too have been cursed with jurisdictional disputes. It is not the logical type of organization for modern large scale industries. The: A. F. of L, itself, has in it successful examples of industrial unionism among the miners and needle workers, It cannot fight company unionism without extending this principle of organization. There are some real difficulties in the way of con- solidation of craft unions which it will require statesmanship to overcome. Not the least of these difficulties is the vested interest that officers naturally and inevitably acquire in their jobs. Too much is at stake to let these difficulties block the’ way to such reorganization as will be necessary if ever the A. F. of L.’s fight against company unions is to get beyond the paper stage. We do not want dual unionism in the United States. Neither do we want a great labor organization impotent in the face of such opportunity as was presented by the discontent in the ranks of the slave union which the Inter- borough Transit company forced on its workers, —Vermillion County (Ilinols) Star, Vice-President Woll and Mexico WOLL of the American: Federa-| ject people: tion of Labor proves his concern for On the other hand, AMERICAN the Mexican labor movement in the} LABOR CANNOT AND WILL NOT present crisis by calling on American] RESPOND TO THE APPEAL OF trade unionists to do nothing. THE MEXICAN WORKERS TO The crisis in Mexico seems to be| BECOME PARTISAN IN A RELI- subsiding, the attack of the catholic} GIOUS CONTROVERSY. (Empha- church upon the Mexican constitution| sis mine.) What religious controversy? appears to have failed, the solidarity of Mexican labor has been remarkable, but to the officials of the American Federation of Labor, upon whom: the great responsibility of giving practical expression to the rosy promises of aid made at El Paso to the Mexican trade unions, whenever it was threatened by foes from withowt and ‘within, no eredit can be given. They have shirked their plain duty and make a mockery of the Pan-American Federa- tion of Labor, have shown conclu- sively that the “Monroe Doctrine of Labor,” ostensibly placing the Ameri- can trade union movement in opposi- tion to all foreign interference in the colonies and semi-colonies of Wall Street, is invoked only against inter- national organizations of the working class. fs HE recent statement by Woll-in the Photo-Engravers Journal, which was given wide publicity by the capi- talist press, is marked by a careful sympathy for the catholic church and the harsh and categorical formulation of its denial of assistance to the Mexti- can trade union movement.: He says, after quoting Calles and catholics: Mexican labor calls it a fight for the economic liberation of the masses . . . Organized American labor will do well not to join its power and influence with either of the contending for 7 Woll either does not take the word of the Mexican labor movement or else does not want American labor to aid such a struggle. But worse than this, Woll apologizes in the name of American labor for not taking part on the:side of the catholic church by saying: Not that American labor Is anti- religious. To the contrary, It is in- tensely concerned In having reli- glous freedom prevail thruout the world, CCORDING to Woll, American la- bor is more concerned over “re- ligious freedom” that it is over “the economic liberation of the masses,” for which any genuine labor move- ment must fight. ie. Notice now how kindly Woll speaks of the monstrous. proposal of the Knights of Columbus that the em- bargo on arms into Mexico be litted— the preliminary to an arméd invasion, official or unofficial, tothe slaughter of Mexican workers and peasants who insist on the enforcement of the con- stitution: ba It is difficult, however, for Amer- lcan labor to understand what Is to be attained by the militant attitude of the Knights of Columbus, Do you think that Woll ts doubtful of the benefits to labor of this “mili- tant” attitude, No at all. He is doubtful of the benefits that would acerue to the catholic church, UT the tone of Woll changes when he speaks of the Mexican labor movement, Then he speaks like an BOAST OF HOW THEY EXPLOIT T, B, TAILORS DENVER, Col., Aug. 22.—How the tailors, one of the trades in which tuberculosis rages most, are exploited by scab bosses when they are afflicted with this disease, is told in an artful advertising letter sent out by the Wil- berforce-Reed Company of Denver. The advantage of having skilled tail- ors who are suffering from consump- tion mobilized. in shops to make clothes for scab wages is enlarged upon in the circular as follows: Very Unusual. “This letter is very unusual, for it will tell you the story of the unusual labor situation prevailing in Denver. “Several of the officials of this con- cern had been engaged in the retail tailoring business for years, and al- most every day in the small shop they operated experienced bench tailors from all parts of the country came in begging for a chance to work. “Only one out of fifty could be em- ployed on account of the limited busi- ness these people were doing, and so these experienced bench tailors were forced to seek work in other lines, for owing to their health or the health conditions of some member of their family they were forced to live in a climate such as Denver, and Denver is practically the only really large city in the United States that has the nec- essary altitude for sufferers of this kind, It “In a Certain Sense.” “These people are not fll in a cer- ‘tain sense, but they cannot live in any other climate, and it seems that the tailoring business—owing to the in- door work and the confinement—has ‘resulted in many of the workers in ‘this industry, being stricken with a tendency to these troubl “Here was a labor ation that had no parallel in any other large city in the country—here were hundreds the finest workers in the trade who given some of the best years of lives to learn a highly skilled ho were forced to live in 4 locality, but when they ar- that locality could not find ‘or which they were trained |: and adaptdd. “Unheard-of Opportunity.” “The owners of this concern be- lieved that there was an unusual op- portunity for a concern that would be 100 per cent square and above board, to give to the tailoring industry o quality of workmanship that would excel anything ever before offered in the United States at a price that was unheard of, and would be impossible if made under any other condition,” Most Brutal Attack on the Workers “IN nearly fifty years of strike experience | have never seen a more brutal attack on the workers than the employers and the British government is now making. Before the reductions were asked the min- ers were already making less than your colored porters in the south," declared Ben Tillett, representing the British Trade Union Congress in the’ delegation attempting to gather relief for the British miners, ICE-PRESIDENT MATTHE : agent of ithperialism talking to a sub- Does what the Mexican labor move- ment correctly calls a struggle for the economic liberation of the masses de- generate into a religious controversy, instead of broadening into a political struggle, because the catholic church is and has been the largest single land owner and therefore a léader in the oppression of the Mexican masses? HE statement of Woll is a dishon- est statement, it is designed to conceal the economic and political struggle and puts a jesuit to shame, Woll continues to press down the balance against the Mexican govern- ment and the labor movement which supports it: It is still more difficult for Amer- ican labor to understand the per emptory methods adopted to give enforcement to the Mexican consti- tutional provisions. ‘AT peremptory methods? The church has had since the enactment of the old constitution in 1857, and since the new constitution of 1917, to show its intentions of abid- ing by their provisions. How long does Vice-President Woll think the Mexican masses should wait for the church to make up its mind— to show something it has not done until “the peremptory methods” brought it to terms, i. e., that it is abiding by the law in any way? Sixty-nine years seems to be ample time, but to one committed to “evo- lutionary processes’ like Woll per- haps it is not enough. HIS spokesman of American labor next uses the Mexican issue to say a good word for the encyclical letter of Pope Leo XIII. It is no mild tribute either. Woll says “no pronouncement was ever issued that proved more helpful. , . .” The statement by Woll, the catholic, follows that by Green, the protestant. There is little difference between them except that Woll is more openly a partisan .of the catholic church. Neither one of these A, F, of L, of- ficlals offers aid to the Mexican trade unions or the Mexican government in its present difficulties. “HE Monroe Doctrine of Labor” ap- parently does not operate against such notorioysly.. foreign-controlled feudal organizations as the catholic chureh evenwheth théy are doing the dirty work jot oe Mexican reaction- aries and Ameriehn imperialists, It is called into operation only when militant internatiénal organizations of the working class, like the Red Inter- national of Labor Unions, tries to bring the’ Mexican labor movement into the ranks of organized interna- tional Jabor so that it can better fight the offensive of American imperialism, IHRU the Pan-American Federation of Labor, the Mexican trade unions should now put the question: Where does the official leadership of the American Federation of Labor stand—WITH US OR AGAINST us? In the United States the same ques- tion must be asked in every local union, central body, state federation of labor convention and from the floor of the A. F. of L. convention when it meets in in October, a That workér next door to you may not are anything to do to night. Hand him this copy of the DAILY WORKER, : Policies and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism BUDD WHEEL CO, SEEKS TO COVER UP ACCIDENTS Company Tries to Hide Injured Worker By a Worker Correspondent. DETROIT; Mich., Aug. 22—John Tiikka, 43, 139 High street, had both his feet crushed while at work for the Budd Wheel Company. Tiikka requested the company to notify his landlady of the accident so that his friends could learn of his in- jury. The company officials promised to do so, but failed to notify anybody. His friends, at not seeing Tlikka at his home, called up the Budd Wheel Company offices to inquire what had become of him, They were told over the phone that Tiikka was alright, and would give no other information. When his friends came to the com- pany offices they were told to go away. Finally, with the aid of two police- men, they again came to the company office and were directed to the Evan- gelist Deaconess Hospital, where they —-for the first: time—found out about he accident. An automobile body had dropped on Tiikka’s feet, crushing both. Both feet may be amputated.. The company and its agents kept the accident a secret for a week, until his friends, several of whom are mem- bers of the Auto Workers’ Union, prac- tically forced the company to reveal the whereabouts of the injured worker. Joseph Marievsky to Take Part in Coney Island Stadium Concert NEW YORK, Aug. 22. — Joseph Marievsky, who played opposite Greta Nissen in Florenz Ziegfeld’s Revue, and who was a leading man in all of Balieff’s “Chauve-Souris,” has been en- gaged by Alexis Kosloff to appear as the Shah in Rimsky-Korsakoff’s ballet, “Scheherezade,’? which is to be pro- duced at the ‘Coney Island Stadium, Saturday evening, Aug. 28, for the Bread and Milk Fund for the Passaic Strikers’ Children. David Mendoza will conduct a symphony orchestra of 100, while mixed singing chorus of 250 voices will be led by Jacob Schaefer. Altho but four years in this coun- try, Mr. Marievsky has attained for himself a reputation that would satis- fy other dancers and singers here much longer. Marievsky played in exclusively hight clubs and cabarets. Florenz Ziegfeld chose him to dance with Greta Nisson in his revue at the Globe Theater. Due to Miss Nisson’s leaving for Hollywood to act in two movies, their pantomine feature was dropped from the show. Machinists’ Local No. 390 Gives $200 to British Miners Local 390, International Association of Machinists, voted $200 for British miner relief. Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 voted the constitutional limit of $50 and is taking steps to multiply this several times over, Girard Puddlers Win Wage Increase GIRARD, Ohio, Aug. 22.— The pud- diers here after being on strike for two weeks return to work with the following demands granted by the company: ‘They are to get $1.50 a ton increase if they make five heats, which con- stitutes a full turns work, If they make four heats they are to get $1 a ton extra during the hot weather. This is over the Amalgamated scale fixed by M. F. Tighe in conference with the bosses at Cleveland, where the scale was fixed at $11.38 a ton— the 19265 scale of last year, The lodge at Girard has only 18 members out of a possible 400 work- ers, The men left the union because of the lack: of a’ fighting spirit on the part of the officials, and because they saw no effort being made to organize the unorganized. During the strike of the men, who were disgusted with the way the Tighe group treated them, Tighe had the men understand he would help the company to get Amalgamated men to take their places, Some 14 or 15 men who belonged to the local Amal- gamated union, under the instructions of Tighe and his officials, went in and scabbed on those on strike, Will You Please Forward Us Your Address, A. G.? Will A. G., a alerk in the Webster Hall for the striking New York cloak- makers, send in, his or her full name and address and,receive the prize that is due him or her. BRENNAN SAYS FARMERS MUST GET DEMANDS Does Not Know Their Needs But What of It? George E. Brennan, democratic nominee for United States senator, un- burdened himself of good intentions for the voters of llinois in genera: and for the farmers in particular at the annual .Pidsa fish fry in Jersey- ville, IMinois,° Having sense of the fitness of things George told a few fish stories, Didn’t Know What They Wanted. Brennan admitted that he had not} the slightest idea what the farmers needed but he -knew what they wanted and he was willing to humox them provided he received their votes. A druggist may know certain liquids are not good for,a customer but a druggist is not paid for playing the role of health commissioner, He gives the customer what he wants not what he needs and takes the customer’s money. Thus everybody concerned is satisfied. At Home on Volstead. On the Volstead law Brennan talked more like himself. Not that George has an uncontrollable thirst or hank- ers for the amber fluid. What he re sents is the encroachment on indi- vidual liberty which is sewed up in this law. Brennan got a hand when he offered to drown Wayne B. Wheeler in a vat of potato mash’ if the opportunity presented itself. This of course was taken as a witticism and Brennan will not be indicted for complicity before the act. The senatorial candidate did not discuss the recent slush fund probe or comment on the extraordinary gener- osity of Samuel Insull, who contrib- uted to the primary campaign ex- penses of McKinley, Smith and Bren. nan. ri . Christianson to Campaign. According to a London dispatch to a local paper, Parley Parker Chris- tianson, former presidential candi- date on the Farmer-Labor Party ticket is returning to Illinois to actively par- ticipate in his campaign for senator: on the progressive party ticket. Christianson promises to ring the changes on the “Insullated candi- dates,” George B. Brennan and Frank L. Smith, On Smith Platform. Many of the labor leaders who form- erly backed Christianson are now on the Frank L. Smith bandwagon. Whether Fitzpatrick, Nockels, John H. ‘Walker and others will repudiate their support of Smith because of his purchase by Sam Insull remains to be seen, So far they have not indicated a change of position, Ford Company Will Build All-Metal Plane for American Navy (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, — A con- tract for an experimental metal-clad dirigible was awarded by the navy de- partment to the Aircraft Development corporation of Detroit, in which Edsel Ford is understood to be interested, for $300,000. Newark Waiters Faced with Harsh Injunction NEWARK, N. J., Aug. 22. — That there is no difference between “peace- ful picketing” and any other kind is the opinion of Vice-Chancellor Berry of Trenton, N. J., in advising restau- rant owners to secure a permanent in- junction restraining members of the Greek Restaurant Workers’ Club from picketing struck restaurants. The club is trying to unionize Newark restau- rants, “Restraint of the mind is just as poten a threat of physical vi- olence,” said the: vice-chancellor. A law passed by the 1926 legislature in New Jersey, effective from July 5, specifically permits “peaceful picket- ing.” Guard Colonel Brookhart. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. 22. — A guard of deputy sheriffs and detec- tives has been placed about Colone}, Smith W, Brookhart after threats against hig life were made, Two res- idents received letters which were im- mediately turned over to the sheriff. These letters caused the sheriff to ap- point the guard while Brookhart speaks at the state fair in Marion. “He will be a dead man if he speaks at the fair,” was the warning on one of the missives, MILLINERY WORKERS HOLD MASS MEETING ON TUESDAY NIGHT Chicago women millinery workers will hold a mass meeting Tuesday evening, August 24, in Room 811 of the Capitol building, Among those that will speak Agnes Nestor of the Women's Trade Union League Leo Kraycki ot, fhe. malgamated Clothing Workers’ Union, and Anna E, David of the Milli Workers’ . Union, Local 52. pulurery Page Five By Upton Sinclair (Copyright, 1926, by Upton Sinciair) WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE, When “Bunny” Ross, son of J. Arnold Ross, California oll operator, is thir- teen years old, he goes with Dad to Beach City to sign an oil lease. There he meets Paul /Watkins, near his own age who had run away from his father’s Poor ragch fn the San Elido Valley because the family were “holy roliers.” His brother “Gli. isa. cripple who has fitewand “heals” people. From time to time Bunny hears from Paul and sends money to his family. In the meantime Bunny {s learning the olf business with his Dad who, along with other oil operators is profiting by the war that had broken out in Europe. Bunny persuades his Dad to go for a quail hunting trip to San Elido Valley. There they meet the Watkins family and Bunny becomes acquainted with Paul's sister, Ruth, whom he likes, While hunting, they locate oil on the ranch and Dad wheedles it out of old Watkins and also buys adjacent property secretly. In the meantime Bunny starts fo-high school at Beach City and falls in love with a fellow student, Rose Taintor. When they are ready to drill Bunny and Dad go back to the ranch to direct the work. They persuade Paul to come to live with them and work as a carpenter. Paul had been living with a lawyer who took an interest in him and left him a legacy of books when died. Paul and Ruth live in a shack near the well sight. Eventually the well is begun and Eli, now turned prophet and the pet of wealthy adherents to the faith, makes a blessing as the drilling be- gins. Bunny gees back to school and finds himself tiring of Rose Taintor. But soon the glad news comes that Bunny’s well in the San Elido Valley has struck oil lands. "A new field is started. As Bunny and Dad watch the drilling the oil Suddenly pours out in a great Jet—and it catches fire. Everyone runs for their lives. Dad drives in great haste to town—for dynamite. He returns and the blast is quickly gotten ready. When the charge is set off, the blaze is snuffed out and the well saved. Bunny is a millionaire ten times over. The boy is now eighteen years old and begins to worry about the administration of his field, now grown to 14 derricks. He begins also to wonder about the relations be- tween capital and labor and asks his Dad some embarrassing questions con- cerning his relationship to his workers, e e ~ © Tom Axton was a big fellow, slow spoken, soft of voice, with a trace of Southern accent; he looked powerful, and had need to be considering the treatment he got. Of course, he couldn't Swear that it was the Employers’ Federation which sent thugs to beat him up and try to cripple him; but when the same thing happened to him in several different fields in Southern California, and didn’t happen to anybody else, he naturally drew his own conclusions. Bunny was aghast at this; he had never heard any~ thing like it, and didn’t know what to answer—execpt that he hoped Mr. Axton knew that his father didn’t have anything to do with such dirty work. The organizer smiled; he had evidently had a talk with Paul, for he said, “Your father thinks that labor unions are run by grafters and parasites. Well, I wish you’d ask him how much he really knows about the Employers’ Federation, and the kind of men who run it, and what they’re doing to us. You may find that your father has beén neglecting the affair of his union, just as most of the workers neglect theirs.” Bunny had to admit that was a fair point, and’ when he asked Dad and found that Dad had never attended a meeting of the Feder- ation, but merely paid his assessments without question—why naturally, that made Bunny have more respect for Tom Axton, - and believe what he said about conditions here in Paradise, and | in the other fields, and how rapidly discontent was spreading among the men. Only yesterday the Victor Oil Company had fired fourteen who had signed up with the union; the bosses had a spy among them, and had waited to give everybody a chance to hang him- self! “You're surely going to have a strike before long,” said the organizer. “It will be a strike for the three-shift day, among other things; and when it comes, your father will have to con- sider whether to deal separately with his own men, or to stand by his employers’ union, and let a bunch of big business rowdies drag him into trouble.” You can imagine how much that gave Bunny to think about, and how many discussion he had with his father, and with Paul, and with the teacher of the class in “social ethics” at the Beach City High School! Il The Allies, having control of the sea, were engaged in starv- ing out Germany; and the Germans were replying with the only weapon they had, the submarine, The United States had forced the German government to agree not to torpedo passenger vessels without warning; but now, early in the winter of 1917, the Ger- Iaans gave notice that they would no longer follow this policy, and everybody was saying that America would have to go into the war. The German ambassador at Washington was sent home, and after that the spirit of neutrality was no longer dom- inant in the “current events” classes at school. To the oil operators it seemed most unpatriotic on the part of workers, to demand the eight hour day and an increase of wages at this crisis. What?—-when the country was about to de- fend itself, and would need oil as never before in history! But the workers replied that the employers did not make concessions because they wanted to, but because they had to, and this might be the only time they would have to. It was not necessary to assume that the employers were giving the oil away; they were getting a fancy price for it, and would get the same price, or better if the country went to war. The workers claimed a share, proportioned to the price of everything they had to buy. They were holding meetings all over the field, and in the latter part of February they served notice on the employers that unless their demands were granted, there would be a strike. Three men came to see Dad; one of them an old employee, the others new men. All three were young in years—indeed, you almost never saw an oil worker over thirty-five and they were all white Americans. This committee held their hats in their hands, and were somewhat pale, embarrassed but deter- mined; They all liked Mr. Ross, and said so; he was “square,” and he must know that their demands were reasonable. Wouldn't he set the example to the other employers, granting the new schedule, so that his work could,go on without interruption? The strike, if it came, would be bound to spread, and the cost of oil would go up at once; Mr. Ross would gain far more than he would have to pay to the men. But Dad answered that he had jdined the Federation, and agreed to stand by its decisions; what would become of his reputation for “‘squareness,” if he were to go back on his associates in a crisis? What he would do was to work within the Federation for an agreement with the men; he would drop everything else, and go down to Angel City and see what he could accomplish. He thought the eight hour day was fair, and he would favor a wage scale adjusted to the cost of liy- ing, so that the men’s income would not be subject to fluctua- tions. The committee was cheered by these promises, and there _. was hand-shaking all around. ; Left to himself, you understand that J. Arnold Ross would probably never have taken this advanced position. His mind was on his money—or on the things he wanted to do, and that his money enabled him to do; he would probably have gone with his cr@vd, as he had done hitheto. But there was Bunny, “a little idealist”; Bunny liked the men, and the men liked him and Dad was prous of that mutual liking, and could be senti- mental for Bunny, where he would never have dreanied of being for himself. Furthermore, there was Paul, “— knew the men’s side at first hand; and Bunny persisted in bringing Paul into their life, in plying Paul with questions, and making him gay, right out, the things he might not otherwise have felt free to say. So Paul had become a force in Dad’s consciousness; and so Dad promised ‘to try to help the men, *"" (To be continued)