The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 29, 1926, Page 3

7 ww = } > ee ‘: ony and Comment Labor Hducation Labor and Government Trade Union ‘Politics NO PROGRESS SHOWN BY N.Y, STATE LABOR Convention Lacks Real Policy of Struggle NIAGARA FALLS, N, Y., Aug. 27. Yesterday’s session of the convention of ‘the New York State Federation of Labor adjourned after adopting with- out’a word of discussion the legis- lative program submitted by the ma- chine-picked committee. A Legislative Program, This report, which ends with thanks being given by the convention to Gov- ernor Al Smith, declares of “reason- able” legislation to restrain courts from issuing injunctions in labor dis- putes, provides for certain changes in the compensation law and state development of water power, also en- dorses the action of the executive in supporting such legislation as. an amendment increasing the salary of the governor. Earlier, the convention—also with. out discussion—raised the salaries of the federation president and secretary to $7,000, a raise of $1,000. Oppose Communists, Only a slight discussion took place on a resolution supporting thé Brook- wood college. A. J. Muste of Brook- wood spoke, and was supported by a delegate who stated that ““Commun- ists are educating the workers and ‘we must, too, if we are successfully to oppose them.” Events earlier in the day developed the charge that the associated in- dustry, or open shop, is behind the ‘ereation of a special committee to re- vive the labor laws. No Program Against Company Unione Company unions have been mention- ‘ed by nearly all speakers, but nothing has so far been done to develop a pro- gram against this menace to organized labor. The convention will meet today in executive session to nominate of- ficers for,the coming year and is ex- pected to adjourn at an early hour, * Workers Can’t Picket But Bosses May Incite WINNIPEG—(FP)—While peaceful Picketing is illegal for the working “class of Canada it appears to be per- missible for members of the employing class to publicly advocate the lynch- ing of labor agitators. At a booster’s meeting a while ago in Winnipeg Mayor Webb, as & means of putting down wages and bringing prosperity, loudly asserted: “We ought to take these agitators and throw them in the Red river.” When complaint was made to the courts against this public incitement to violence, judge MacDonald, son of a former premier cf Canada, heN Webb should not be punished. His view was that’ when a pnblic official is speaking more or less politically of internal infection, of which the pub- lic should be warned, and to an audience of the distinguished and re- sponsible character the mayor ad- dressed, his words cannot be treated ag the words of an agitator inciting an irresponsible and excited mob to violent extremes. Mayor, Webb has found himself fa- Mmous somewhat like the now forgotten Ole Hanson, and has been visiting other cities, speaking like a little Mus- solint, “We have got to fight for the things we fought for in the great war,” he eries, “Not that I am against labor. I'm for labor, honest-to-god labor. But we've got to get rid of the agitators who stir up discontentyfg we are going to have prosperity.” Unemployment In Australla. SYDNEY—(FP)—Unemployment is on the increase throughout Australia, Many relief works have been opened by the government to absorb the job- less and efforts are being made to keep them out of the cities. There is “Vittle industrial trouble, disputes in existence being of a sectional nature and not involving many men. i WCFL Radio Program Chicago’ Wederation of Labor radio broadcasting station WCFL is on the air with refear programs., It is broadcasting on” ,491.5 wave length from the Muntetpd.’ ‘Mer. TONIGH bares to 7:00—Chica, 2 90 talks and bulletins; tion of La. Th ste | i 7:00 to 7:30—The Florentine Siring Trio, dinner music. \" 7:30 to fee arate Sisters, her! Were Hickey & Johnson, Ha’ 8130 to 10:00—Marian & Jim Ensemble. ‘A. Altman, Clinton Keithly, Binac h, songs of today. ants to 11:00—Dance music from the Pier Auditorium, Chas. Cook's eh oy. SUNDAY, AUQ, 29, ‘ait p.m. —Ban Gtncer trom ar Audi ; : WITH THE LABOR PRESS (Moré than 600 trade union papers—officlal organs of national and international unions, state federations of labor, district councils, central labor bodies and local unions—advocate correct, partially correct, or in- correct policies, voice poorly or well, represent or misrepresent, the opinions of the rank and file of the trade union movement, This is the field in which our party must conduct most of its work and it is a fleld of activity about which we must of necessity have the most detailed and accurate information. ‘ The publication in this department of editorial comment from the trade union press does not mean necessarily that we are in agreement with it, We publish this material to inform our readers of the trend of thought expressed in the labor press and when necessary such editorial expressions will be accompanied by our own comment.—Editor’s Note.) SCABS IN PLUS FOURS. “Monocled men and fashionably dressed women who were endeavoring to make themselves useful, apparently for the first time in their lves”— that is how President Dobbie of the British railwaymen’s union described the strikebreakers who mada a comic opera of Britain’s public services dur- ing the recent general strike. ‘We have nothing but contempt for the rich youths, who enjoying all the good things of life themselves, sink to the loathsome level of scabbing on workers, whose fight is for a bare living standard, but at the same time it is comforting to think that the British employers could get a few mem- bers. of their own class to do their dirty work for them, In America the union-fighting employers can still organize workers to scab upon workers, and Dobbie’s description of the British scab sounds queer to us, But may we not also look forward to the day, with the spread of union organization, when scabs in overalls will be a thing of the past, and the scab in plus fours will himself have to rush to the rescue of his own profits? The Illinois Miner. RAILROAD UNIONS TAKE FIRST STEPS TO REGAIN MEMBERSHIP STRENGTH OF WORLD WAR TIMES A general, tho as yet rather moderate, stiffening of resistance to low wages of railway workers and losses of membership from their unions is making itself apparent. The railway department of the American Federation of Labor at its recent meeting was presented with a left wing proposal for amalgamation, a fight for a wage increase, and a joint campaign of all unions for increase in membership. This mofion did not pass as originally drafted, but most of the essential ideas were later covered by other legislation and nine railway unions with the assurance of common action on¢@————————_____________. the part of some others are making the first steps toward reorganization. $2,000 for Drive. Chief among them are perhaps the machinists. The machinists’ union has not only appropriated $25,000 for a campaign to increase membership in the railroad shops, but has assigned some organizers to the task. The ma- chinists were hard hit by the failure of the shop crafts strike in 1922 and have had their activity hindered since by the problem of fines levied against members of the organization who went back to work when the strike col- lapsed but before it was officially called off. While not in any way ap proving of this action, progressive members of the union point out that the numbers who returned to the job are so large that to continue to bar them from union activity by prohibi- tive fines means virtually condemning so many followers of the trade to non- membership that the union itself is weakened. The question is still much under discussion, but the executive council at its May session has re- mitted the fines, and it is very prob- able that the majority in the union is with them, If their action is well sus- tained the union will begin to more rapidly recover numerical strength. Many to Win Back, The convention of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, held last Septem- ber, is on record in a mild resolution to rebuild. The fact that they have not regained more of the 150,000 mem- bers they lost during 1922 is more due to lack of energetic organization than to any other cause, altho there are circumstances that hinder. The Switchmen’s Union of North America is in the midst of a really vigorous organization campaign, and is having success, The firemen and oilers are engaged in a national cam- paign that is very active and success- ful In some places, The newly-elected international president of the blacksmiths, Wm. Kramer, was prominent in a recent organization conference and can be relied upon to do his best to start something in the way of a bigger union. The newly-born Pullman Porters’ Union has been making excellent prog- ress during its short life. “About 12,- 000 porters and maids work for the Pullman Co,, and other thousands for’ railroads .that do not take Pullman service, The union now hag about 70 per cent of the Pullman porters in its ranks, and there they stick, in spite of all manner of dirty tactics on the part of the employers, which include the spreading of wild untrue rumors about the collapse of the movement or about dissension in the ranks and in’ spite of personal attacks on the character of the officials, Porters Get Results, The Pullman Porters’ Union has raised wages already from $67.50 per month to $72.50. The scale it will fight to have adopted is $100 per month, The Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, which has had violent fluctuations in membership during recent years, leap- %;|ing from about 6,000 members to about 160,000 during the U. 8. rail- i} way administration period, and then falling to considerably less than 100,- 000 since then, is one of the unions that hag just been given slight in- creases in wages, In the case of the clerks itis a very slight one, running from 1 cent per hour to three cents per hou Employers Expect Demand. Many railroads, for example, the Northwestern, included in their 1926 budgets increases in railroad labor wages of a few cents per hour. Thege increases have not actually been granted to the workers, but the com- panies are making enormous profits, and the unions are demanding the in- crease. In the opinion of represen- tative railroad unionists the occasion of the increase will be the first session of the new mediation board. Such an act, they say, would seem to the board good strategy, inclined to make railroad labor friendly to it, and would not hurt the bosses much. Later the raise might be taken away again if the companies strike a hard season. It is evident to all progressives in the railroad industry that now is the time to struggle, and every effort to increase membership and raise wages will be popular with the membership of the unions and reasonably certain of success. The company union s0 loudly hailed as marking the end of real organized labor is about to meet its sharpest attack. THE i WORKER i a and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism LOAD 15 TONS OF COAL A DAY AND BE AN ‘ARTIST’ But Artists Get Only $30 a Week in Pa. KITANNING, Pa. — (FP) — “Tho miner who loads 15 tons a day ts an artisan and an artist,” says the Alle- gheny River Mining Co, News, cheer- ing the men to harder exertions in the nonunion pits of the company in Jefferson and Clearfield counties. Prize Scissorbills The paper publishes an Honor Ton- nage Roll to encourage the fast shovel men, Clark Booher, Fred Berkhouse and James Dondry won fame the first half of July with 125 tons each. But there were 263 men who loaded less than 50 tons each and the com- pany reminds them that the light ton- nage men are taking up room that better men ought to have, Highest Speeders $30 a Week. The company pays 62c a ton, with an allowance of 4c more for car push- ing, compared with the 77c and ex- tras of the union scale, At 520 plus 4c, or 56c. a ton, the 50-ton men get $28 for the first half of July, or $14 a week, less the sums checked off for powder and other expenses, Tho 8 honor tonnage men made a bi-weekly pay of $69 or $34.50 a ek, less powder costs and other charges, Same Wage, More Work, The Allegheny River Mining Co. News is a giveaway paper of four tiny pages that the company distrib- utes every pay day to further the philosophy of the open shop, hard work and loading-clean-coal. It quotes with approval the recent assertion of Elbert Gary that employers are fair and labor is contented. The company is controlled *by the Pittsburgh & Shawmut Railroad. That worker next door to you may not have anything to do to- night. Hand ‘him this copy of the DAILY WORKER. CLEVELAND CARPENTERS GIVE AGAIN TO PASSAIC (Special to The Dally Worker) CLEVELAND, Aug. 27.—Carpen- ters’ Local No. 1750, which some time ago made a donation to the Passalc strikers, took up a new col- | lection which netted $100, This lo- cal has shown great solidarity with the Passaic strikers, and will con- tinue to help them, especially now that they are joining the American Federation of Labor, OTHER UNIONS MUST AID COAL MINERS AS OHIO MINE BARONS CHANGE TO OPEN SHOP BASIS How far will other labor unions ally themselves with the hard-pressed coal miners of the United States in their hour of peril? With this question W. P. Helm winds up a series in the Chi- cago Journal of Commerce on the ap proaching crisis in the soft coal indus- try. Helm predicts the end of the cen- tral competitive field as the basis of union agreements, nonunion operation in Ohio as a possibility of the next few weeks, and a fight by the union for its very existence, The crisis becomes imminent with the rejection by Pres. Lee Hall of the Ohio mine workers of the operator request for a joint meeting to discuss revision of the wage agreement, The situation has developed rapidly since July 14, when the Ohio Coal Opera- tors Assn, was formed. This gives the Ohio operators an all-inclusive or- ganization for the first time, It Starts With Cut. This was interpreted to Helm by an Ohio operator to mean a wage cut with or without union consent. This operator said: “Under developments of the last 2 or 3 years of our dealings with the United Mine Workers of America it has become practically impossible to deal with that organization as now constituted and I feel that there will have to be a housecleaning all along the line in that organization and a different policy adopted, “As to the 4-state so-called competi- tive district, the old central competi- tive field,” the operator continues, “it seems to me that negotiations by that crowd are a thing of the past. The Pittsburgh district of western Penn- sylvania seems to have definitely with- drawn and gone to a nonunion basis, Mlinois hag also organized a state as- sociation an’ the impression that 1 get is _ \aey contemplate going their own way. Indiana has always been more or less on the fence, stép- ping off to whichever side seemed best for their interests, In Ohio the coal miners are in a desperate condition and I believe within the next 30 days a me ee baie there will be substantial progress made in nonunion operation.” Open Shop Propaganda. This means that the union faces the culmination of the openshop drive begun right after the end of the 1922 strike when the big openshop manu- facturer associations swung into line against union coal. With Ohio's 40,- 000,000 to 60,000,000 tons swinging to- ward the nonunion column, Helm points out, the U. M, W. A, could no longer pull an effective strike, for nonunion mines could provide for all the nation’s requirements, Helm feels that this is likely to be followed by # veritable spree of wage cutting, nonunion mines again cutting below union mines, He believes that the union fight for Ohio the key state will eclipse all previous fights in bitterness and ferocity. he dury Sits on Picket, SAN FRANCISCO—(FP) — Follow- ing the first conviction of a striking union carpenter on charges of picket- ing, it is becoming difficult to secure juries. That the juries are picked for their anti-union proclivities 1s shown by the acceptance of Mrs. Ber- tha Rehani, who admitted that her husband was author of a book against the labor movement, Alfred J. Galloway, business agent carpenters union, claims that recent “strike riots’ have been framed by the employers. Raincoat Workers’ Organize, BOSTON—(FP)—Instead of strik- ing. the 1, unionized men and women raincgat workers of Boston are waiting f¢r the Intl. Ladies’ Gar- ment Workers conference with the newly formed employers association. The raincoat’ workers ask a 42-hour, 5-day week, imum scale of $44 for men 0; $35 for women, $44 for cutters, préssers and tallors, $46 for cementers, for finishers, Got a cofy of the American Worker Correspo! te only - conta, sitll ao} gala. THOMPSON FINDS MINDANAO SOLID FOR LIBERATION Agent of Wead Hunts for Opposition By HARRY GANNES, (A. A. A. |. L. Press Service.) In the very heart of the Mindanao territory, which it 4s intended by the Bacon bill plans to segregate under United States domination is where Col. Carmi A. Thompson meets with the most fervid demands for indepen- dence, While interviewing various people from every strata of the population in Cagayan, in the Moro country, Thomp- son was presented with the emphatic Protests against the Bacon bill from such leading cities in Mindanao as Butuan, Cabadbaran and Cagayan. These protests declared that if the Bacon bill were passed it would de- stroy the economic future of the Phil- ippines, Mindanao For Independence. To the chagrin and surprise of the Thompson mission in Mindanao, Ce- bu, Bohol and adjacent territory where he least expected independence demands to disturb his vacation, he met an organized movement insistent on dts demand for immediate com- plete, and absolute independence from the United States. In Cebu and Dumaguete he was overwhelmed by the mass character of the independence movement. Not only did he meet with expression for freedom on behalf of the politicians but the workers and peasants every- where pushed the slogan. Want It Right Away. “The longing for independence is the most distinct impression received by Col. Thompson and his party,” said Parke Brown in a cable to the Tri- bune Press Service from Dumaguete, within tthe very territory so carefully outlined by Bacon for permanent re- tention by the American rubber trusts. No matter where the Thompson mission went it was greeted with the ery of “Immediate Independence!” Youth Against Imperialism. Especially in evidence in Cebu and Bohol were the Filipino Independence Youth groups which are among the most active propagandists and sup- porters of the break from United States imperialism. Everywhere Thompson found the Filipino youth fired with a desire to break from the oppressive U. S. rule typified by Gov- ernor General Wood. Referring to the youth indepen- dence movement one ‘capitalist corre- spondent said: “This change (the demand of Filipinos in Moroland for independence) may be due to the rap- id development of the independence movement among the youth. It is taught in the schools and so reaches all the girls and boys. A majority of the school teachers are believed to be anti-American (the correspond- ent really means anti-imperialist). A recent feature is the establishment of clubs in the schools for indepen- dence work.” eee Wood's Agent Hunts Trouble. MANILA, P. L, Aug. 27.—As Col. George Langhorne of Governor Gen- eral Wood's staff accompanies Col. Carmi Thompson, emissary of Coo- lidge on his “investigation tour” of the Philippine Islands, Langhorne searches everywhere to rake up some- thing to show that the Filipinos are “not prepared” for independence, In the province of Agusan in north- ern Mindanao,’ where for centuries the more civilized Visayans have been absorbing and mixing with the primi- tive tribe of Manobos, the provincial laws of 1919 provided for dealing with remnants of the Manobo tribe who are alleged to roam about living by petty thievery. What About U. S. Vagrants? ‘When Col. Thompson's party arriv- ed at the city of Butuan, General Wood's agent, Col. Langhorne, hunt- ed up something to show why the Filipinos should not rule themselves. He found several Manobo tribesmen in jail for vagrancy. Why this should have been a mark of a backward peo- ple is hard to understand, since every city in the United States never lacks a jail full of “vagrants.” But to Col. Langhorne it was a symbol of “re- pression of the Manobos by the Vis- ayan Filipinos.” Assuming an air of righteous wrath, Langhorne wired to General Wood for pardons to be granted to the oppress- ed Manobos, Strike In Rochester. ROCHESTER, N, H.—(FP)—When the 12 workers of the carding depart- ment at Wyandotte Worsted Co. struck for $3 more pay per week, the mill shut down, throwing 100 workers out of jobs, Carders get up to week, Hats cleaned and blocked—S All Our Work Guaranteed, 812-14 Fullerton Ave., Chicago, III. Phone Lincoln 3141 fa RR nS ASE. L808 rc eRe eRe A Re ee en | aD lcs Eas tee SESE he AT EA as BEES i 2 PON RG ES BEA SESE BS SP *° “| Worker Correspondent? SEMINARY TAILORS CLEANERS & DYERS Pressing—Repairing—Remodeling ee ae ee er ae Page Three ee een ert AN : ay By Upton Sinclair (Copyright, 1926, 1926, by Upton Sinclair) 1 WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE. rs When “Bunny” Ross, son of J. Arnold Ross, California olf operator, ts thir. teen years old, he goes with Dad to Beach City to sign an oll lease. There he meets Paul Watkins, near his‘own age who had run away from his father’ Poor ranch in the San Elido Valley because the family were ‘‘holy rollers.” H! brother Eli is a cripple who has fits and “heals” people. From time to time Bunny hears from Paul and sends money to his family. In the meantime Bunny Is learning the oll business with his Dad who, along with other oll operators ia profiting by the war that had broken out in Europe. Bunny persuades his Dad to go for a quall hunting trip to San Elido Vatley. There they meet the Watkine family and Bunny becomes acquainted with Paul’s sister, Ruth, whom he likes. While hunting, they locate oll on the ranch and Dad wheedles It out of old Watkins and also buys adjacent property secretly. In the meantime Bunny starts to 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 te direct the work. They persuade Paul to come to live with them and work as @ carpenter. Paul had been living with a lawyer who took an int it in him and left him a legacy of books when died. Paul and Ruth live In a shack nw the well sight. Eventually the well is begun and Ell, now turned prophet and the pet of wealthy adherents to the faith, makes a blessing as the drilling be- gins, Bunny goes 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 oll lands. A new field is started. As Bunny and Dact 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 eaved. Bunny is a millionaire ten times over. The boy te 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 emburrassing questions con- cerning his relationship to his workers. In the meantime war with Germany looms and at the the same time the men In the oil field under the inspiration of an organizer for the Oil Workers’ Union, named Tom Axton, prepare to strike for an eight-hour day and a raise in wages. Dad attends a meeting of the federation and realizes he has no chance to buck up against the huge combine he faces there In attempting to advance the interests of the men. The strike Is called and Dad, alo with the rest of the operators, takes the thugs and guards supplied by th sociation to “protect property.” ! e e o s - Bunny drove to town and wandered about to see he sights, but none of them brought happiness to him. He could not see Paul, for Paul was hard at work in the strike headquarters, and Bunny could not go there, because it would not look right, some- body might think he was spying. No longer was Bunny the young oil prince, flattered and admired by all; he was an enemy, and read hostility in men’s glances, even where there might be none. He was in the position of a soldier in an army, who feels that his cause is unjust, and has no stomach for the fight—yet it is hard to wish one’s self defeat! On Sunday morning the sun was shining, and never had Bunny seen such crowds in Paradise. Eli was holding a service in the grove alongside his new “tabernacle,” and was telling the strikers that if only they would have faith in the Holy Spirit, they need not worry about their wages, there was the miracle of the loves and fishes, and was not their Heavenly Father able to feed them if they would trust him? Some believed this, and shouted “Amen”; others jeered, and went off to the playground at the school-house, where the union was holding a meeting for those who believed that wages were necessary. Bunny went there, and heard Paul make his first speech. It was a great sensation to Bunny, and in fact, to the whole town; a picturesque situation, you must admit—the two Watkins boys, the rival prodigies of the neighborhood, making speeches at the same time, and preach- ing diametrically opposite doctrines. It must be said on behalf of Eli that he did not deliberately oppose the strike, and probably never clearly understood how his doctrine was likely to aid the Employers’ Federation, His sisters were baking bread for the strikers, working their physical hands kneading physical dough—and all the ‘while Eli was proclaiming that he could make magical miraculous bread, whole baskets of it, by the agency of prayer. Why didn’t he do it, jeered the skeptics; and Eli answered that it was st no of their lack of faith. But they said it was up to him to and the production of one single loaf of bread by the Bible Gated would multiply faith a million-fold, and bring the whole organ- zed labor movement into the Church of the Third Revelation! Paul had a deep, mature voice, and a slow, impressive way of speaking. He was a good orator, for the very reason that he knew none of the tricks, but was entirely wrapped up in what he had to say. There was a struggle impending over the issue: of the re-opening of the wells, and Paul had been consulting law- yers, and told the strikers exactly what they had a right to do, and what they must refrain from doing. They would maintain their legal rights, but not weaken their case by committing the least breach of the law, and giving their enemies a chance to put them in the wrong. The whole future was at stake, and the fu- ture of their wives and children; if they could win the three-shift day, they would have leisure to study and think, and raise their own status, and keep their children longer in school. the real issue in this strike, and if democracy did not mean that, it had no meaning, and talk about patriotism was buncombe. The vast throng cheered Paul, and Bunny could hardly keep from cheering also, and went away feeling cheap, and utterly out of harmony with life. He had time to think it over on the long drive back to Beach City by himself; he did not get in until mide night, and all the way he heard Paul’s voice above the hum of the engine, challenging everything that Bunny thought he be- lieved! GINSBERG’S Vegetarian Restaurant 2324-26 Brooklyn Avenue, LOS ANGELES, CAL. A Sr Se ER ein eal ee ol (To be continued) Every reader around New York should attend the Daily Worker Picnic | SUNDAY, SEPT. 5 Edenwald Park, | New York es (No admission charge) GRIGER & NOVAK GENTS FURNISHING and MERCHANT TAILORS Union Merchandise ' 1934 West Chicago Avenue (Cor, Winchester) Phone Humboldt 2707 Take Third Ave. “L” to 133rd Street or Lexington Ave. Subway to 180th Street, Transfer to Westchester Ratt road. Get off at Dyer Ave, (Fare: 7¢.) Why Not Become a Auspices: Daily Worker Bulld- ers’ Club, 108 East 14th Street, New York City To those who work hard for their money, | will Save 50 per cent on their dental work. DR. M. RASNICK DENTIST 2050 Center a ee Cor. Errin St. hoe Shining Parlor—Laundry We Call for and Deliver, That was’ 7 ~m ae