The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 1, 1926, Page 5

o os ’ a News and Comment Labor Education Labor and Government Trade Union Politics GARMENT UNION REJECTS SCHEME OF COV. SMITH Must Hold Jobbers to Responsibility NEW YORK CITY, Aug. 30. — The Proposal of Governor Al Smith to the strikers in the ladies’ gatment indus ‘try, that the strikers go back to work and leave their demands to arbitratton, has been rejected by the union, thru a letter signed by Morris Sigman for the International and Louis Hyman for the N. Y. joint board and approved of by the strike committee. The letter, which is of excessively polite wording, is, in part, as follows: Gratefully Appreciative. “We are very grateful to you‘ for your keen interest in the fate of our mémbers now struggling to secure liveable conditions, and we deeply ap- breciate your efforts to establish peace in the most important industry in,New York. “Our union throughout its existence has given ample and consistent proof of its general disposition to settle any differences with employers by concilia- tory methods and with the aid of vol- untary and impartial outside tritbun- als. Arbitration Would Not Serve. “We should have welcomed arbitra- tion at this time if we had any hope that the particular difficulties which confront our industry could be solved by that process. Our union, however, has, after mature deliberation, reached the conclusion reluctantly but definite- ly, that arbitration would serve no g00d purpose in our present condi- Mions.” The letter speaks sweetly of the SOvernor’s commission which, after two years inyestigation turned down the demands of the union in all essen- tial points. These commissioners, the letter says, “were exceptionally well qualified for the difficult task by abil- ity and training as well as their gen- rally recognized fairness and high- inded devotion to-the cause of indus- cal peace.” Jobbers Responsible. “Yet our union,” continues the let- er, “has found it unable to accept the ecommendations as a proper and ade- ate solution of the difficulties and $ a sufficient redress of the workers’ nany and justified grievances. The jobbers,” who are responsible for vbout 75 per cent of the total produc- tion, have officially ignored the rec- ommendations of the commission and practically rejected them in toto.” After citing the anarchy in produc- tion and the evasion of responsibility by the jobbers, the letter ends with the suggestion that the governor bring about conferences between the work- ers and the different types of employ- ers in an effort to solve the problem. “Dear Mr. Governor.” “Our union will be ready at all ‘imes to participate in such confer- enevs. Once more thanking you for your efforts in behalf of industrial peace, we are, dear Mr. Governor,” ete., the letter aoncludes, We will send sample copies of The DAILY WORKER to your friends—send us name and ad- dress, WCEL Radio Program Chicago Federation of Labor radio broadcasting station WCFL is on the air with regular programs. It is broadcasting on a 491.5 wave length from the Municipal Pier. TONIGHT. 6:00 to 7:00—Chi Federation of La- bor talks and ullotiney Instrumental 1100 to 7:39—The Florentine String Trio, 00 to 11:00—Dance music from the munieroat Pier Auditorium, Chas. Cook’s Orchestra. THE WITH THE LABOR PRESS (More than 500 trade union papers—official 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 fleld in which our party must conduct most of its work and it is a field 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.) BE THERE Did it every aceur to you that be- ing a wokrman you are in business of selling your labor at the very best possible price that is attainable and that the union is the business associa- tion through which you attend to that business? If you ever expect to get anywhere or accomplish anything thru your union, make it your. business to be at every meeting and see for yourself what is done and how things are done, and have the spunk and the manhood to get up in meetings and point out a better way that you see or think you see. If you are right there will be other right thinking men to take the floor with you, and if you are wrong the chances are that there will be somebody to point out to you the error of your way. But make it a point to be there and do your part to help have your business run right.—Newark, (O.) Leader, IN SERIES OF MASS MEETINGS SPEAKERS PROVE TO MILLINERY WORKERS’ UNIONS RAISE WAGES Changes in working conditions and improvements in wages in the mil- linery trade in Chicago can be gained thru a more complete organization of the workers into the Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers’ union, said Anna E. David, secretary and organizer for Local No. 52 to a well attended meet- ing recently in the Capital Bldg., 159 North State St. But the speaker made it clear that¢—————________m_e no worker should join the union ex- pecting immediate returns before it has had a chance to grow strong enuf to win them. The Women Millinery Workers’ organization here is not try- ing to get membership under false pretenses. Its officials point out the work there is to do, but they point also to the certainty of success, as demonstrated in other cities, if the union work is done. One method of organization in “hi- cago is to hold frequent mass meet- ings, to which all workers in this field are invited by circularizing of the shops with leaflets, by personal appeals and hru the press. At the meeting last night a good many girls joined the union, and a lively discussion took place on the floor as to the best methods of pro- moting organization, Besides the secretary there also spoke Agnes Nestor, president of the Women’s Trade Union League of Chi- cago, and Ida Rothstein, member of the joint board of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers. Miss Nestor told of her own experi- ences as a glove maker. When the glove makers first went on strike, the bad conditions were illustrated by the very modest demands made, The first demand was that the company stop charging the operatives for the power they used; the second demand was that the employer should sell needles at cost and cease to profiteer on them, and the third was that oil for the ma- chines should be furnished free, Union Shortens Day. Ida Rothstein told of the growth of her organization and the results in betterment of workers’ wages and shortening of the work day. When the I. L. G. W. first came into exist- ence the number of hours worked per week was 51. Now the 40-hour week is being obtained in New York, and the extra long work day is abolished wherever the union has strength. She used the history of this union to prove that permanent, solid organization is what brings results, and that the work- ers must be ready to work for it, without impatience or discourage- ment. If they do they wil surely win. The LL, G.’W., she said, had made great gains, but she did not think they were too great; the workers should still have more, ‘since they were the sole producers of wealth. Local 52 (the women's local) of the Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers union wil hold another meeting Sept. 7, Tuesday, at 166 West Washington St., in the Chicago Federation of La- bor office, on the sixth floor, It will hold @ social soon for recrea- tion and organization purposes, Bring a New Member. The offices of the union are in the Federation Bldg, 166 West Washing- Tickets 25¢ Attention, Philadelphia! Trade Union Educational League LABOR DAY RALLY PICNIC MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1926 SPEAKERS: WILLIAM Z, FOSTER, Secretary of the T. U. E. L. M. OLGIN, Journalist and writer, Editor of “The Hammer” SASHA ZIMMERMAN, Secretary of General Strike Committee Refreshments, Dancing and Singing Directions: iowa a adhae anime ake hteisiabins ° audi’ siathiwnte PROGRESSIVE RUNS FOR CIGAR UNION’S OFFICE LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30.—There will be another election for the of- fice of sixth vice-president of the International Cigar Makers’ Union held Sept. 11. An election on July 10 filled all offices except this one. There were three (candidates for sixth vice-president, and none re- ceived a majority. In the present election the candidates are S. Glob- erman, an ardent progressive, and Van Hurn, the regular administra- tin candidate. ton) St, and are open from 10 to 12 a, m.,and from 3 to 7 p. m. Every member is urged by the secretary to bring girls who work alongside of them into the office for the secretary to talk with them. In order that the time may be hastened in which ac- tual gains for the members in wages and conditions can be secured every member has to constitute herself an organizer for the union. A new local has just been chartered in Chicago by the I. C, C, and M. W. U., to. be known as Local 53 and to be made up millinery cutters. METAL TRADES HEAD OPPOSES AMALGAMATION Twists Facts to Back Poor Argument PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 30. — James O'Connell, president of the Metal Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor, speaking here to the convention of the Photo-En- gravers, took a stand flatly against the amalgamation of craft unions in- to a powerful union of workers by in- dustry. He said: “The amalgamation of all trade un- ions of the country into one organ- ization, whereby the striking of one group of workers would cause every worker in America to stop, would be disastrous to the labor movement.” O'Connell tried to justify this ex- traordinary statement by saying that the “power of public opinion” has de- feated the British general strike. fle avoided the fact that the general strike in England was not defeated, but betrayed by leaders too cowardly to continue it to a successful con- clusion, as was desired by the vast majority of the strikers themselves of Butte to Attach Union Label to Work BUTTE, Mont., Aug. 30.—To adver- tise the excellence of union electrical work and perhaps to weed out inef- ficient, negligent workers from the union ranks, Butte electrical workers are required to affix a union label on all jobs done by them, The label workers are members of Local 623, International Brotherhood of. Electri- cal Workers. It has the international union's insignia and reads: ‘This work has been done by a mem- ber in good standing of Local Union No, 623, Butte, Mont. Date. . Electrictan. / a DAILY WORKER it Page Five Organized Labor—Trade Union Activities Policies and Programs | The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism PORTERS’ UNION ASKS NEGRO ELKS TO HELP UNION Cheval te Convention Has. to Decide CLEVELAND, Aug. 30. — After aj convention of ,the Negro Business Men’s Association last week, the city is filled with delegates and visitors to the 27th convention of the Colored Elks. Just as last week, the whole thing is properly staged. The mayor greeted both conventions. Last week Senator NEVER TO WORK FOR OTHER BOSS Harsh Stipelation by Former Student (Special to The Daily Workery NEW YORK, Aug. 30.—'The Allied” is the name by which ic known a com. pany that runs a series of chain stores selling candy and cigars wherein work- ers slave from 12 to 13 hours daily with no Sundays off, The wages of the workers.in these stores are far below: normal and thanks to the efficient methods of one of the bosses of the company, an ex- member of the socialist party, the ex- Ploitation is getting to the point of becoming unbearable. According to this method, the ex- {radical boss is “democratic,” that is, he willingly condescends to talk to the workers about the liberality of the wages he gives to his employes, the advantage of being in the open away ! from the unhealthy air of the factories and lastly the wonderful future which awaits them if they persist in slaving Willis told the Negro business men what wonders they have achieved. Porters Ask Support. The Pullman Porters’ Union is de- manding support of the convention, and it is stated that the attitude of the delegates on this question will determine the future officialdom of the organization. The Elks’ convention will be called upon to give undivided support to the Pullman Porters’ Union which is being organized in face of the company union to which the Pullman porters formerly belonged. The A. F. of L. has done nothing. The Negros have decided that if they cannot get the help of the A. F, of L, they will or- ganize alone. The Workers (Communist) Party has issued a statement to the conven- tion, pointing out that the convention must give all support to the Porters’ Union, and calling on the Negro work- ers to demand admittance to the A. F. of L. and the independent unions. If the doors remained closed, the Ne- gro workers should organize separate- ly, the statement continues, Festivities take place every night— today there was a parade with fes- toons and all appurtenances. Prize fights have been arranged and the Elks will go home feeling that they have enjoyed themselves—but they will not be allowed to forget the Porters. them in their daily problems on the job. When the left wing stepped into the positions of leadership it found the organization badly demoralized. The members had gotten out of the habit of bringing complaints up to the union, and did not expect it to take their part in any effective way when they were imposed upon by the employers. For a long time they had not been able to get much satisfaction from their union, Persuaded to Complain. The first thing that had to be done, Say the present officials, was to per- suade the members to bring their troubles to the union, The activity of the new officials in settling disputes to the advantage of the workers has gradually changed the situation en- tirely. Now the members keep all the officials busy, and a continual growth in numbers is reported by I. L. David- son, the organizer. Wages have also been raised, the natural result of or- ganization activity, The cutters have gained a five dollars flat raise, the fin- ishers have won increases on many different jobs, and some of the op- erators are getting more pay, © The employers are now prevented from humiliating the workers by shouting at them or personally com- plaining about their work. All the employer can do if he does not like the speed the worker shows {fs to file a complaint against him thru the union, whereupon a fair investigation results, He Slanderous Criticism, Thru this entire period of rehabilita- | basis tion of the union by the left wing, the new officials complain of being slan- dered, hindered and interfered with by the right wing officials who have lost their jobs thru the vote of the membership changing the administra- tion, and by their organ, the Jewish Daily Forward. af Some of the articles in the Forward are of a doubly treacherous nature, in that they not only hinder the union ac- tivity of the present officials of the International Ladies' Garment Work- ers but also encourage the employers to believe that the organization cam. paign will fail and that they have a chance to break up the union, The left wingioflicers say that they have no time to answer all of the LEFT WING ADMINISTRATION OF LADIES’ GARMENT WORKERS FIGHTS SLANDER WITH DEEDS The left wing administration in the International Ladies’ Garment Work- ers’ union has managed during the seven mouths in which it has been in office to accomplish the first part of its task, in spite of the underhanded op- position of the (defeated former incumbents who maintain a campaign of petty irritation, raising of false issues, and personalities. The new officials have been able to rebuild the confidence and enthusiasm of the membership, and have made discouraged members see that after all the union can be of real benefit to+ eternally for the starvation wages. Here is one of his pearls: “Look at me, I arose from a plain worker to a comparatively well-to-do boss.” He forgot that his workers made the dough for him. A few weeks ago, the “Allied” com- pelled its workers to sign an agree- ment by which every one pledged him- self not to work in any of the stores of the same trade within three blocks of where the “Allied” had a store. Besides, the guarantee must be for three years after the worker left his job, In protest, the workers rushed to the general office and demanded the reason for this medjeval measure. Our “democratic” boss explains: “I give you work, you see, and you in return must pledge yourselves to be faithful servants of the “Allied.” Stereotypers Get Increase. DETROIT—(FP)—Union stereotyp- ers in Detroit are awarded a $3.60 a week increase, bringing the scale to $51.60 a week, by a decision of the arbitrator. The award fixes a 48-hour week for the day shift and 42 hours nights. The arbitrator pointed out that the cost of living in Detroit had increased 88.2% from 1914 to 1925 while stereotypers’ real wages had in- creased only 6.1%. Send The DAILY WORKER for one month to your shop-mate. MUST CONTRACT | By Upton Sinclair (Copyright, 1926, by Upton Sinciairy 4% WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE, J. Arnold Ross is a wealthy independent California oii operator who was first Jim Ross, a teamster and then a merchant before he went into the olf business. Bunny, his son, is a sensitive boy, learning the oil business and now going to high school. Dad has a field in the San Elido Valley on the Watkins ranch. The Watkins family are holy rollers. Eli Watkins has become a religious fakir with a church of his own. Bunny had met Paul Watkins when they were both much younger. He liked Paul who had run away from home because he didn’t like the religious discipline imposed by his father. Paul Is now a carpenter in the new Watkins field and his sister Ruth is keeping house for him. The Watkins fleld is really Bunny’s and he has been made very wealthy thru the bringing in of a great well which has grown to fourteen der- ricks. In the ‘meantime war with Germany looms and the men in the oll field under the leadership of an organizer for the Oil Workers’ Union, Tom Axton, prepare to strike for an eight-hour day and a raise in wages. Paul becomes’ a leader of the strikers and a battle is on between the oil workers and the Oil Operators’ Association which supplies thugs and gunmen to the various operators, including Dad, during the strike. Bunny Is back at school and receives the reports only thru the press. He is somewhat sympathetic to the strikers and doesn’t believe the. calumnies printed in the press about the strikers. e se . ° Dad came home after a few days, and made Bertie still more indignant by telling the members of the family they would have to go slow on expenditures until the strike was over; he was going to have a hard time with his financing. Bertie suggested sarcastically that Bunny might like to sell his car to help his father out in the pinch. Dad told how there had been a little fuss on the property, one of the strikers had got into a fight with a guard at night; it wasn’t clear whose the blame was, but the captain of the guards had threatened to withdraw them all if Dad did not turn the strikers out of the bunk-house and off tha property. They had finally compromised by Dad's putting up a fence between the rest of the property, and the part near the road which was occupied by the bunk-house and the homes of the men. It was a fence of barbed wire, eight feet high, and Bertie remarked sarcastically that it would be another place where Bunny and “his Ruth” could grow roses. This jibe hurt, because it summed up to Bunny the part he was playing in this struggle —growing roses on the barbed wire fence which separated capital from labor. Dad rebuked Bertie, saying that the men were not criminals, they were decent fellows, most of them, and good Americans; the Germans had nothing to do with it at all. The trouble was, they were being misled by agitators just now. But that didn’t help matters with Bertie, because “Bunny’s old Paul” was ona of the worst of these agitators. And Bertie didn’t think her. father ought to sleep up there in that lonely cabin, and let those Watkins people cook for him. She had heard a wild tale about some restaurant workers on strike who had put poison in the soup; and when Dad and Bunny burst into laughter at that, she said she didn’t exactly mean Paul or Ruth would do such a thing, but they certainly couldn’t enjoy cooking for both the strikers and for Dad at the same time, and Dad ought to be indignant with them for deserting him in a crisis. Bunny took occasion to de- clare that Ruth was a true-hearted girl; and his sister broke in, oh yes, of course, she knew Bunny’s admiration for the wonderful their work to build up the union and get results for its members, trusting to the membership to judge by the re- sults and not by the statements in the Forward. Thus far they have been amply justified in this confidence in the membership, for the local elec- tions, about a month ago, resulted in a three to one vote against the reac- tionaries and considerably strengthen- ed the hands of the left wing admin- istration, Injunction Issued Against I. T. U. to Help the Open Shop CHARLESTON, W. Va., Aug. 30. — A modified injunction against striking members of the Typographical Union was granted by Judge Morgan Owen to two Charleston newspapers, The Daily Mail and The Gazette. Judge Owen granted that part of the injunction dealing with intimidation in picketing. He refused to enjoin al- leged interference with newsboys and advertisers, holding that no evidence had been presented to show any such acts, The judge drew a distinction be- tween “vigorous convincing language,” which he ruled was proper in strike picketing, and the exercising of coer. cion through fear, whether actual force or violence be used or not. The union men went on strike wher they fialed to reach a new agreement with the papers. The publishers then announced operations on an open shop Los Angeles Arranges British Miners’ Relief Los Angeles, Aug. 30.—Upon the in- itiative of the Carpenters’ union, a British Miners Relief Conference has been organized which meets every Wednesday night at the Co-operative Center, The Los Angeles Central Labor Council has elected a committee of three to help in this work and is try- ing to get a member of the British miners’ delegation to visit Los An- geles. A tag day and mass meeting have been arranged and already hun- dreds of dollars are coming In to the slanders against them, but continue] the committee, if Miss Ruth, the next thing they’d be hearing he was in love with her—or would it be with Meelie, or what was the one’s name? Bunny got up and walked out of the room. Bunny was in love with somebody else, and his sister was hateful in this attitude of class-bigotry. And yet, he had to remind himself, within her own circle Bertie was generous, and sometimes tender-hearted. She was loyal to her friends, she would help them if they got into trouble and would work and scheme to entertain them. You see, Bertie knew these people; they were all rich, and so she considered them her equals, and was willing to enter into their lives. But the oil-workers Bertie did not know; they were a lower order of beings, created for her pleasure, and owning her a, debt of submission, which they were trying to get out of paying. And what was Bertie, that the oil workers should support her? She was a dashing and brilliant young person, who knew how to spend a great deal of money in super-elegant ways, in the company of other young persons possessing the same accomplish- ment; she was racing about with them, and her talk was of what they said and what they did and what they owned. Bertie was going a fast pace, seldom in before the small hours of the morn- ing, and if she was up before lunch, it was because she had an engagement to rush away. What was the use of having a lot of money if you didn’t have a good time with it? That was doc- trine Bertie hammered into her younger brother; and Aunt Emma echoed it; and now came Eunice Hoyt, who had chosen Bunny, and had the most pewerful leverage of all. Be young, be young! everybody cried. Why should you carry all the burden of the world upon your shoulders? Especially since there was not a thing you could do—since the world was fixed and ordained and would not let you touch the least of all its vested and endowed and chartered disharmonies! (To be continued) dust Arrived! Attractively bound copies of the INPRECOR (International Press Correspondence) giving full proceedings of the Sixth Session of the Enlarged Executive Committee of the Communist In- ternational the first booklet February-March 1926 on the subject: ORGANIZE THE UNORGANIZED By Wm. Z. Foster, Invaluable material for the revolutionary worker, student and especially For All Party Functionaries Only a limited number have been received and all purchases filled in order received, 60 Cents, Postpaid. GINSBERG’S Vegetarian Restaurant 2324-26 Brooklyn Avenue, LOS ANGELES, CAL, A timely pamphlet of in- terest to every worker in and out of the organized labor movement. 10 CENTS. Send us the name and address of a progressive worker to whom we can send a sample copy of The DAMY WwoRK ee =, eee ~~ {