The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 25, 1926, Page 2

—~—__—_ Page Two UNITED STATES MAY PULL OUT OF GENEVA MEET Blames Fr. rance and Her | Allies for Trouble (Special to The Daily Worker) WASHINGTON, Sept. 23. — The} belief that America's delegates to the | Geneva conference on disarmament | are preparing to withdraw was strengthened here today. Unqualified approval was given in official quar. | ters to the speech made yesterday by | the ohlef of the American delegation, Minister Hugh S. Gibson, in which he | bluntly told the league powers that | the conference was getting nowhere and as matters stood the whole. thing looked [ike a waste of time. U. 8, May Withdraw, ‘Whether actual withdrawal of Amer- ican delegates will follow this plain- spoken admonition remains to be seen. Secretary of State Keltoge has thus far-contented himself with merely say- ing that America’s delegates would re- main at Geneva so long as there is any prospect of success. Gibson, how- ever, virtually told the powers there is mo such prospect—unless and until France and her continental allies cease their obstructionist tactics. Lack of Progress. ‘The work of exploring the disarma- ment question, Gibson pointed out, was delegated to two committees, the first of which was purely a military com- mission to consider technical aspects of the question. Yet this committee, he added, has consistently violated its mission, and insisted upon injecting Buropean politics into its deliberations —with the result that there has been confusion, bickering and an utter lack of progress. Also, he pointed out, this oommis- sion (dominated by France and her mall allies) has “in effect “‘steam- rollered” minority views and failed even to present to the general confer- ence apy views that differed from the majority. Led to Confusion. “Our military commission,” said Gibson, “appears consistently to have approached questions from ‘both the political and military points of view and the American delegation cannot but feel that this ‘has led to confusion. The American delegation believes this situation can be remedied by specific directions to the effect that we de- sire to receive replies to questions that are based on expert technical {mfor- mation without regard to political or economic considerations.” Gibson then boldly suggested that all of the reports formulated by this French-controlled commission be re- turned with specific instructions to do the work over again. This was tanta- mount to saying that four months of work is utterly valueless, and that a fresh start must be made {f the con- ference is to get anywhere. The state department made public the text of Gibson’s speech with evi- dent approval. see GENEVA, Sept. 23. — The world court delegate conference today adopted the report of the juridical committee, proposing that all of the United States reservations to the ‘world court be accepted, providing a satisfactory interpretation is given by the United States on the second part of the fifth reservation. Each member state is expected to send a separate note to the world court that it be accepted, providing a satisfactory interpretaion is given by the United States on the second part of the fifth reservation. Each member state is expected to send a separate note to the United States announcing its acceptance of the reservations, but delicately sug- gesting that the accepting is condi- tional upon a satisfactory interpreta- tion of the fifth reservation’s latter part, which provides that the world court shall take up no cases affecting United States interests without the consent of the United States. Priest Under Arrest for Using Mails to Fleece His Bishop DETROIT, Michigan, Sept, 23.—The Rev. Father Joseph I’. Hallisey, pastor of St. Leo’s catholic church, is un- der-arrest here for using the mails in an attempt to extort $30,000 from Bishop Michael J, Gallagher, bishop of this diocese. The priest was arraigned before United States Commissioner Finney and held in $1,000 bail. What kind of a threat the Reverend Hallisey made against the bishop was not divulged. AUTO INDUSTRY FACTS SHOW THE AUTO WORKERS HELPLESS IF THEY CONTINUE WITHOUT. ORGANIZATION| (Special to The Daily Worker.) DETROIT, Mich., Sept. 23.—Some of the facts about the auto industry the youngest and for the moment the mightiest of all the nation’s greatest Industries, that has its center here in Detroit, are as follows: Growth of the Industry. ‘ 1895—Four cars produced. 1899.—Production reached 2,500, 1924—Just quarter century later the total reached 3,500,000 cars. production totalled 2,765,369 passenger cars and 339,383 trucks, falling only a few hundred thousand short of 1926—First eight months’ the 1924 total for the whole year. Value of Industry's Products. parts and tires $8,168,588,146-—greater than the wholesale value of annual production of The value of motor vehicles, any other single industry, Number of Auto Workers. 329,563 is the total of wage workers in auto factories proper, 300,000 employed In factories making parts and acoessorles, 115,000 employed In rubber tire 345,000 tail In repair shope, 111,000 work In garages, This totals nearly 1,200,000, There are estimated to be a million or more truck drivers and chauffeurs In addition, made In 1924 was plants. This does not Include the army of salesmen, dealers, oll workers and others less associated with the manufacturing Industry, The Drop in Wages. Wages pald In the automobile 547,215,700. factories In 1924 are estimated at A smaller number of employes in 1923 recelved about $579,000,090. The smalier humber of workers In 1923 received the higher ‘wage total. How Many Automobiles? Experts claim that the maximum possible number of automoblies that the nation can support Is somewhere between 20,000,000 and 25, “000,000. This. prediction was made in 1924. The 25,000,000 maximum is now belng rapidly approached. When the saturation point has been reached, production will be needed only for replacements, estimated wat 3,000,000 cars per year. Thig means a crisis in the auto industry, a struggle to reduce wages, increasing unemployment thru the shutting down of the weaker plants crushed thru competition, THE AUTO WORKERS WILL BE HELPLESS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES IN THIS CRISIS IF THEY REMAIN UNORGANIZED. FORCE A. F. OF L, ACT TO UNIONIZE AUTO INDUSTRY Detroit Convention to Consider Problem (Continued from pagé 1) out doubt be made for the year 1926 now closing. Thruout the auto industry in the Detroit district it is revealed that where wages in 1920 reached $1.25 for skied labor, it had naw fallen to $1 per hour. This is especially true among wood workers in Fisher Body plant, a subsidiary of the General Mo- tors Corporation, now capitalized at $1,800,000,000. In other departments of the indus- try wages that had ranged from $1 and $1.10 per hour, are now down to from 70 to 85 cents per hour. In the Hudson Auto plant a ten per cent reduction was put into ef- fect on Sept. 1. These are merely some of the facts showing how wages are falling. In the Ford plant the usual wage is $6 per day, altho this rises in the case of the older work- ers to $6.80 per day. This higher pay, however, is wiped out by a constant elimination of the older workers. These are some of the conditions developing restlessness and discon- tent in the industry that calls for or- ganization. The A, F. of L. on Trial, . This problem of the organization of the more than a million workers in the nation’s automobile industry will be put squarely before the annual convention of the American Federa: tion of Labor that assembles ‘here at the Graystone Ball Room, Monday, Oct, 4. This is assured thru a letter sent by order of the recent conyention here of the United Auto, Afreraft and Ve- hicle Workers of America, to William Green, president of the A. F. of L., pledging every assistance possible in the orgaiization of the auto workers. The letter to the A. F. of L. cites the struggles of this labor union in the auto industry. It demands the re- turn of the A. F. of L, charter that was taken from {t in 1918, This com- munication addressed to President Green 1s as follows; Another Jurisdi¢tional Clash. “Dear Sir and Brother:—Our gen- eral organization, under the old title ot Carriage, Wagon and Automobile Workers’ International Union, stands suspended by the American Federa- tion of Labor because of our inability to, comply with a resolution adopted at the 1917 convention of the A. F. of L., held in Buffalo, New York. “The resolution provided that we remove the word ‘automobile’ from our official title and turn over to some $1.00 Post paid The Daily Worker Puniisntn Co. 1113 W. Washing~ F son Blvd. ‘ Chicago, Ti. catenins 10 or 11 other national and interna- tional unions all of our members over whom they claim jurisdiction. “In view of the fact that our local unions have always co-operated with the local unions of organizations affi- lated with your body, and in view of the fact that at the last conven- tion of the American Federation of Labor a movement was initiated to organize the automobile industry and inasmuch es we are vitally interested in any movement that will have for its purpose the organization of the automobile workers, we have gone on record in our convention held in De- troit, Mich., this month to render all assistance possible to any move: made by the A. F. of L. to organize the automobile industry, and furthermore our general officers and general execu- tive board are instructed to ascertain under what terms and conditions the A. F. of L. will consider lifting the suspension of our charter,” Organization Dates From 1891. The Carriage and Wagon Workers’ Tnternational Union dates back to 1891, being one of the first interna- tional unions organized under the standards of the American Federa- tion of Labor. Years later it took in the automobile workers and then be- gan the troubles that led to the lifting of its charter more than a quarter ‘century later. This union, like many others, was blasted out of the recognized labor movement as the result of. jurisdic- tional disputes. Numerous craft un- fons laid claims to the members it sought to organize. The Carriage, Wagon and Automobile Workers’ Un- jon had set out to organize the auto workers in the only way they could be organized, thru the’ building of an organization including all the work- ers in the industry. Thus it ran coun- ter to such craft unions as the ma- chinists, painters, moulders, upholster- ers, sheet metal workers, carpenters, blacksmiths, electrical workers and metal polishers, all these being firmly entrenched and their jurisdictional boundaries jealously guarded within the American Federation of Labor. Like the auto workers’ union, 80 the International Jewelry Workers’ Union, for instance, lost its place in the A. F, of L. because it would not surrender the polishers of metal to the Metal Polishers’ Union. Industry Spread Over Nation. The auto industry is pretty well spread out over the nation, Most of the big plants, however, are center- ed in such cities as Detroit, Flint and Lansing, in Michiga Toledo and Cleveland, in Ohio; Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, St. Louts; at Ken- osha and Milwaukee, in Wisconsin; St. Paul, Minn., and Los Angeles, Cal., in addition to a host of othér cities. It is expectdd that delegates will come to the A. F, of L. convention representing the central labor unions of some of these cities. They will probably be called on to swpport reso- lutions demanding the organization of the auto industry, if not the reinstate- ment of the United Auto, Aireraft and Vehicle Workers’ Union of America, Efforts will be made to interest the delegates of at least some of the inter- national unions. In this way the fight will invitably come to the floor of the convention, Firemen Hurt, EASTON, Pa., Sept. 23.—Two fire men were” injured and damage estimated at $250,000 dane here today when fire destroyed the Five Stock Field Building: The fire destroyed the entire stoek/of the Woolworth pany’s store” %, a ame pa i i CHICKS LEAVING IMPERIAL NEST Ireland, Canada, South | Africa Worry J. Bull —— (Special to The Daily Worker) OTTAWA, Onty Sept. 23.—The re port that Henry Bouras: Canadian nationalist leader; would be the do- minion’s representative at the com- Ing empire conference In London, and that he would visit Dublin before go- Ing to London, threw a seane into the ranks of the British loyalists here. The danger does not end here. It is bad enuf for one of the most anti- British of Canadians to visit Dublin, that hotbed of anti-Britonism, but af- ter he gets thru talking things over with Free State officials he will cross the Irish Sea and call on Premier Hertzog of South Africa, whose love for the empire will never give him heart’ failure, Want More Elbow Room. The Canadians, Irish and South Af- ricans are in favor of resolutions de- manding drastic modifications in the powers of the British government over the dominions and restricting the functions of the king’s agents in the dominions. They want more free- dom from imperial control. _ Whén the Irish Free State, thru Desmond Fitzgerald, recently de- manded @ non-permanent seat on the council of the league of nations the demand was not supported by Austen Chamberlain. Against the Irish, Can- adian and South African block at the imperial conference, there will be the Australian, New Zealand and British block, which is in favor of closer imperial relations between the dominions. May Postpone Conference. The incoming premier, MacKenzie King, will notgattend the conference. In this case Downing street may con- sider postponing the ‘meeting until a more favorable moment on some con- venient ground. Privately, the im- perial government ight take the po- sition that any other representative except the Canadian premier would have a sufficiertly ‘high official sta- tus to qualify as a Canadian repre- sentative at the meeting. Imperial Unity Shattered, Conservative politicians here go 60 far as to see in she present clash among the do. disintegra- tion of the empire. Should the three dominions insist on equal status they are in a good position to take what they want just now should the im- perial mother prove,obdurate. With & disastrous coal strike at home, a Franco-German entente looming on the continent, Mussolini prowling like a wolf along the Mediterranean look- ing for a likely careass to sink his fangs in, the Chinese in arms against British goods and British power, it would only take a revolution in In- | dia and Egypt to complete the picture of imperial disaster. Prediction Coming True. During the world war, a French banker predicted that England would manage to pull thru this one, but would never win another, She has not won any since, and her prospects of getting other nations to do her dirty work for her are not bright. It should not*be forgotten that the United States has been carrying on @ flirtation with Canada for quite a while, with a large section of Canada responding warmly to Uncle Sam’s advances. England needs a united front of her dominions now more than ever. Ford Goes to Court. WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.—Henry Ford, thru counsel, today asked the in- terstate commerce commission to re- open the case involving ghe consolida- tion of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton with the Detroit & Ironton railroads, which the commission's examiners recommended should be held against public interest, ‘ MAMMA ALBION'S | Martel Stages “Palace Revolution” in Detroit in the Republican Party ||... IRANK X, MARTBRL, president of the Detroit Federation of Labor, tried to stage a “palace revolution” within the Wayne county republican party in Detroit last Tuesday. It developed into a farce that fur- nished plenty of opportunity for humorous writing in the exploiters’ press. It could not have been other- wise. But it was a tragedy for the working class, Martel was at one time an advocate of independent political action for labor. But in recent years he has steadily gone backward and down- ward, oe Martel helped keep the Detroit Federation of Labor for a time in the forefront of progressive city cen- tral labor bodies over the land. Un- der pressure of the reactionary Gom- pers:. regime, however, and not achieving the great immediate suc- cesses desired, Martel became a leader in retreat into the lap of con- servatism. He just about reached ‘the bottom rung of the ladder in his descent this week when, with the willing- ness but also the blindness of a Don Quixote, he became a very comical chairman of a rump republican gath- ering that survived an uproarious and general fist fight, in which all and sundry engaged, that broke up the G, O. P. gathering in the “motor city” in spite of the fact that a good part of the local police force was turned out to maintain “law and order.” owe Martel is getting ready, on behalf of the local labor officialdom, to re- ceive the rapidly approaching con- vention of the American Federation of Labor. Thousands of dollars are being raised to finance the oc- casion. Martel’s antics will probably receive the applause of the A. F. of L. executive council. He has follow- ed loyally in the campaign just over the political policies of the A. F. of L. He tried to play “labor politics” inside the party of Truman H. New- berry, who spent $195,000 to get elected United States senator, but who was compelled to resign be- cause of the stink raised by the wholesale corruption. The nostrils of the nation, ‘however, have be- come better-attuned to the repel- lant smell of bribery and vote-buy- ing, so much larger sums were spent recently in Pennsylvania, Mlinois and elsewhere. Martel’s policies, which are the Policies of the A. F. of L., were Dlasted beyond recovery in the re- publican primaries of Tuesday, Sept. 14, last week, when all the so-called “labor candidates” -running on the Wall Street ticket were hopelessly and unanimously defeated. But that did not deter “Don Quixote” Martel from new attempts. There was another Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Tuesday of the aforementioned republican county convention, to select delegates to the state conven- tion next week. #8 Martel found the basis for his struggle in the grievances of the jitneymen who were being success- fully fought by the municipally- owned Detroit. traction system. Martel with Edward N. Barnard, at- torney for the jitneymen, engineered the election of favorable county dele- gates. Since the county gathering is usually a mere rubber stamp af- fair little interest is.taken in the selection of delegates, It was thete- fore not difficult for the Martel- Barnard forces to pack the gather- ing. This they did. oes The “palace revolution” began about 7:30 o'clock in the morning when, according to William Davis, manager of the Moose Temple, De- troit, where the affair was staged, the Martel-Barnard forces began ar- The Mooney Case News Story on Page 1 Thomas J. Mooney, a member of the Molders’ Union and an active labor organizer, was convicted and sentenced to death with Warren K. Billings for a bomb explosion that occurred on Market St., San Francisco, during the preparedness In the death of nine people. It so happens that this took pla time when Mooney and Billings were winning th y parade in 1916 and resulted ata power- imity of t ful California traction Interests by organizing the San Francisco street The trial of Mooney and Billings h cases. But despite proven perjured testimony and a biased Jud: Mooney and Billings were sentenced to death, Their conviction cau classic of frame-up an international reaction, In every country of the world labor organ. izations staged great demonstrations. tions of workers viet Russia, large del in ambassador and on the U. 8, consuls and demanded Mooney's and Billing’s release, THE MOONEY CONVENTION, One of the greatest labor gatherings in the history of the Amer. lean labor movement convened in Chicago and is known as the famous “Mooney Conventio: attended by 1,500 delegates representing labor organizations im all parts of the country, Following the convention a “Mooney Strike” wae called, It is estimated that a million workers laid of Mooney ant Billings, wn thelr tools on the appointed day and demonstrated In behalf After thisithe sentences were commited to life imgiesine and altho the agi all offorte to pos lon for thelr release has been carried on fo thelr freedom have beep of no avail. iF ten yeare v he By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL, riving and seizing the front rows of seats in the convention hall. When the followers of John S. Haggerty, the county chairman of the repub- lican party, and visitors arrived ‘hours Jater they had to content themselves with back seats. The ac- tual hostilities did not begin until 11 o'clock. Promptly on the hour Barnard went over the top as cheer leader, nominating Martel as chair- man against the regular machine. Martel went to the stage, with able support, crashing the footlights in the ascent to temporary power. The hall was immediately filled with tumbling, ‘wrestling, punching, clinching, yelling and screaming humanity, with some women caught in the melee. Police reserves were called out from all available sta- tions. They helped add to the. grow- ing tumult. But every “palace revolution” gradually spends its force. And so this one did. The con- tending forces decided to disagree and, much ruffled in mind and body, met in different halls, where rival delegations were selected for next week's state convention. ee Martel must by this time realize that his “Don Quixote” stunt got him nothing. If it had been filmed, Douglas Fairbanks might have made use of it in his next movie. But the workers are the real victims. It is for such exhibitions as these that the real drive on the part of labor for independent political action is hamstrung and turned aside by those labor officials temporarily raised to power. Martel has made a plaything of la- bor'’s political struggle. He stages @ spectacular stunt within the re- publican party. But the storm sub- sides and the money power, the bosses, are as securely enthroned in power in their party as ever. They have the money and the apparatus. It may be safely, predicted now that the republican Bosses at the state. convention next week will put the skids under Martel and Barnard and their delegates, and do it very effectively. hit. ihe The staging of “palace revolu- tions” within the republican and democratic parties by labor officials _May succeed in packing old party ‘gatherings’ here or there over the nation. But these little flea bites do not trouble the plunderbund that Tules the political parties of the privileged classes in society today. They retain their iron grip. Their power suffers no setback. Martel may get the stage and limelight for @ moment. But the republican party is still and always will remain the party of the capitalist class, Labor can only make progress thru the development of its own class strength on the basis of its struggle against the enemy capital- ist class. Martel has turned aside from that struggle in Detroit, like other Martels in other cities. Labor must go forward without them. The‘ independent political action of the workers must be developed and strengthened until it becomes all- powerful. The Workers (Commun- ist) Party sets that struggle as. its major task in the present parlia mentary campaign, Labor in De- troit responds to the party’s appeal. It must do so everywhere thruout the nation. Furriers Elect Left Wing Business Agents (Continued from page 1) vault and will be counted for the other candidates in the afternoon. Kept Off Ballot, In all probability the entire pro- gressive slate was elected with the exception of those who were kept off the ballot by Millstein, for technical veasons. Among those are J. Sonnen- schein, candidate for secretary treas- urer; Robert Goldstein, candidate for vice-president; Mrs, Paul: Fendrick, candidate for conference committee. According to d report made by a progressive member of the union to The DAILY WORKER, 61 new mem- bers voted whose bering were not on the ledger, BUILD THE DAILY WITH A ‘SUB. | waters contained 150 more, (SEVEN it is a bene prtyheee gird alka this film of the long It should be Ue rey in every local ined at 8] 5 ae away how! ofl, on from’ this ARRANGH FOR A SNS. a. PX YOUR. HALL OR ‘ NEW LABOR MOTION PICTURE NOW READY FOR SHOWING “THE PASSAIC TEXTILE STRIKE” » STIRRING — Snyabvohanga — woe oh cation ‘unorganized labor wr day, pa Sage: ion of a ion er at a, Cpr pol coal, tex ve nepitat film, will i: cicouremed to thelr exploiters ee better living condition: RGANIZA~ WRITE FOR TERMS AND TURTHING _ NATIONAL Dsl ntl ooc RELIEF CAMPAIGN 4 (international Workers’ Ald) Room “4 me “Main Avenue, epeniee Nd ANTHRACITE BARONS DENY CLOSED SHOP ison Coal Company. Challenges Checkoff (Continued from page 1) allow union representatives on com- pany property to transact union busi- ness, The United Mine Workers in the an- thracite districts are facing a fight. One would expect that the district and national officials would be preparing the membership for the struggle, but this is not the case. Union Officials Do Nothing, The Hudson Coal Company is al- lowed to cont{nue company union Propaganda and to perfect its speed- up system without interference from the union officials, Well-posted and militant. miners, alarmed by the sit- uation, told the writer that in unions whose members are employed by the Hudson Coal Company it is difficult to get out more than 5 per cent of the membership, even to/a special meet- ing. Miners who are fixhting for the union are discriminated against, given the poorest and most dangerous work- ing places and find the foremen con- tinually hostile. A militant stand by the district and national officials doubtless would put a stop to these practices, temporarily at least, but nothing is being done. The miners are discouraged and many of them are dangerously cynical. Failure of Union Leadership, What is needed ts a campaign of publicity and organization to strength. en the union against the coming at- tack, an assurance from the officials that they will bring the full strength of the union to the defense of every miner who gets in bad with the bosses because of his union activity. But the bulk of the miners do not believe that the officials will make this kind of a fight. This is the real danger of the whole. situation—the loss of con- fidence in the militancy and integrity of the union leadership because of its acceptance of a union-wrecking agree- ment and their failure to rally the membership for a struggle which every miner knows must be fought if the union is to be saved. Coal Barons Impatient. The district and national officials who put over an arbitration agree- ment after swearing by all they held holy that it-was not such thing, who assured the miners that the anthracite agreement was a closed shop contract, officials like Cappelini, who are sup- ported by the operators and who al- lowed Judge Maxey to run his washer- ies during the strike, must now face the cold fact that their double-dealing has been uncovered by impatient op- erators like the Hudson Coal Com- pany, who feel that they have waited long enough for their agreement to a be enforced. It is their agreement 'and not the union's. Progressive Forces Alert. The progressive forces opposing the Lewis-Kennedy-Cappellini machine know that the union must get ready to fight, but, as in Illinois, where after the exposure of Frank Farrington as & $25,000 tool of the Peabody: Coal Company, President Lewis made peace with the corrupt Farrington machine against the progressives, so in the an- thracite the officials make common cause with the operators against the militant rank and file. . The struggle against the Lewis-Ken- nedy-Cappelini machine becomes therefore a struggle against the opera- tors, for the life of the union and for the defeat of lax and. corrupt official family. The Hudson Coal Company demands are a danger signal which every hon- est anthracite miner recognizes, but to which the union officials pay no at- tention, —_—t Typhoid Menace In Florida, WASHINGTON, Sept. 23.—Sanitary conditions resulting trom the Floride hurricane now constitute the most se- rious aspect of the situation, accord- ing to first-hand reports telegraphed the American Red Cross today, An army airplane carrying 50,000 units of typhoid serum and other sur- gical supplies left Indianapolis this morning for Miami. It will make stops en route at Nashville, Atlanta and Pensacola, and is due to reach Miami late this evening, J. W. Hendrix, Red, Cross official at Sebring, wired national headquar- { ters this morning that 90 bodies had i been removed in the Moorehaven dis- trict, and i was believed the high REELS) irae Swords, wit