The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 2, 1926, Page 5

“ News and Comment Labor Education Labor and Government Trade Union Politics GARMENT UNION HOLDS FAST ON PICKET LINES Vigilance Needed as the Bosses Face Crisis NEW YORK CITY, Sept. 30.—While the cloakmakers’ general strike com- mittee announced last night that un- ion officials have been invited to at- tend” a conference of all factors of the Cloak industry at the office of Raymond V. Ingersoll, impartial chairman, in the hope of settling the present strike of 40,000, it firmly de- nied all reports current yesterday that any informal conferences’ have been held or any tentative settle- ments have been reached with cloak manufacturers. Striking cloakmakers are warned not to be diverted, by these reports, from continuous activity on the pick- et line or other strict adherence to their various duties. @t was pointed out that, at the present crucial per- fod in the strike with manufacturers unable to obtain any sizable amount of production, it was important not to relax any vigilance on the picket line. About, 150 cloak strikers were ar- raigned before Magistrate Harry Gor- don in Jefferson Market court on charges of congregating in. the gar- ment zone. Many received $3 or $5 fines which were paid by the union. Among those arrested yesterday, were Charles Zimmerman, vice-chairman of the general strike committee, and Elias Marks, secretary of the general Picket committee. Both Zimmerman and Marks were discharged. New York Library Workers’ Union Petition Mayor and City Council NEW YORK,—(FP)— The Literary Employes’ Union composed of em- ployes of the New York Public Li- brary and its branches and claiming | to have the support of the Central Trades and Labor Council, sent yes- terday’ to Mayor Walker and other members of the board of estimate a petition asking that the city govern- ment tdke over control of the library and all ‘its branches and administer them under civil service regulations. The appeal complains of favoritism under present methods of..manage- ment and asks equalization of salar- ies for employes in Quéens and Rich- mond who perform a similar line of duties with those in Manhattan and Brooklyn who receive higher. pay. Boston Raincoat Workers’ Striking BOSTON— (FP) — Boston's 1,000 raincoat workers are striking to get a 42-hour, 5-day week imstead of 44 hours in 6 days. The workers are af- filiated with the Intl, Ladies’ Garment Workers union, WCFL 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 p. m.—Chicago Federation of Labor talks and bullet! Cc. F. Lowrie, Secre- rmers-Labor Exchange, Sub- ‘mers Co-operate with Con- Ae:30—F able Lady—Storles for children, 6:30—The Brevoort String Trio; Vella Cool Harold Groissaint, Little Joe prs Slaven ullivan, i lamo q 11:00—Alamo Entertainers. NEW FINNISH LABOR 5969 14th St, near McGraw, DETROIT, MICH. Auspices Workers (Communist) Party, Dist. 7 Dancing — Short Addresses — | INDUSTRIAL UNIONISM DISCUSSED _AT BRITISH TRADE UNION CONGRESS By CHARLES ASHLEIGH, The discussion at the Trades Union Congress on the question of industrial unionism versus “One Big Union” requires a certain understanding of the structure of some of the British unions, At first sight, it might appear that the One Big Union idea is the most thoro, and the most “Left.” This, however, is by no means the case; and, at a congress where so much cowardice was shown by leaders, and where the big mechanical voting powers were wielded in their favor, it is some consolation to know that the idea of one union for each industry gained the congresses’ approval by 2,164,000 to¢——————______________.. 1,650,000. a union which masses together work- ° fHE DALLY WORKER Policies and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism Auto Body Workers Continue Strike for Union in Elizabeth ELIZABETH, N, J. Sept. 30.—(FP) —Mass picketing of the Hays-Hunt body plant of Durant Motor corpora: Page Five RACIAL BIAS AT WISCONSIN “U”, HEBREWS CHARGE President Glenn Frank Will Investigate MADISON, Wis., Sept. 30. — There will ‘be no racial prejudice at the University of Wisconsin and éom: plaints of racial discrimination will be investigated by President Glenn Frank personally as an outgrowth of claims made by Milwaukee hébrews that Alex Stern bad been denied a position in the university library because of his faith, it was learned today. The One Big Union ;was defended by Several. reactionaries—not by craft union reactionaries. so much as by the representatives of the “general workers’ unions.” Unions of Skilled Labor. ‘Like most countries» where ‘capital- ist development began"early, the first union of Britain were ‘unions of skilled workers. Daring years these organizations grew and thrived. In the meantime, however, the growing improvement in the productive tech- nical apparatus introduced into indus- try an increasing number of unskilled, Dhe unskilled workers—the vendors of raw labor power—were looked upon ‘with a certain contempt by the skilled toilers, who had not the sense to realize that increasing mechanical efficiency was undermining their own ‘position as skilled men. The un- skilled were ‘not admitted to most of the older craft unions, Then came the great forward move- ment of the 1880’s, culminating in the great dock strike of 1888. At this period were born the organizations of unskilled workers, which were the parents of the present unions of gen- eral workers. These unions admitted to membership the unskilled laborers who were debarred from entry ‘into the older craft bodies. ‘Mass Unions. j Thus. there haye grown up in Brit- ain unions which organize masses of workers in all industries. The two principal ones are the Workers’ Union and the General and Municipal Workers’ Union. The Transport Workers’ Union has also now hroad- ened its field and admits general workers also. As in most industries, the skilled workers were already organized, the members of these general unions are, in great majority, the unskilled work- ers‘in those industries where the craft unions do not cater for them. Thus we have the spectacle ofthese great pmass unions competing with the older unions for membership. The general workers’ unions are not industria} unions, as they confine their field to no single industry, but accept recruits from sany..branch of production, Industrial Unions. Besides the craft unions and the general workers’ unions, there: are ers of various industries, enables the leaders to impose their will more eas- ily upon the membership, Most Reactionary. It was the leaders of these loose, octopus unions of general workers who opposed the idea of industrial unionism—one union for each indus- try—at the Trades Union Congress at Bournemouth. They did so for ex- cellent reason: the formation of in- dustrial unions would mean the allo- cation of various sections of their own members to their appropriate in- dustrial unions, and would thus mean the finish of the “mixed” or general workers’ unions, These reactionary leaders, there- fore, sought to oppose the industrial union idea by supporting the fine sounding “revolutionary” and “ad- vanced” concept of One Big Union for all workers. They condemned the in- dustrial union as not being sufficiently inclusive, and sought to show that there is greater solidarity in a union to which all workers belong. It was curious to hear these reac- tionaries speaking of solidarity, and using revolutionary terms. For they have been amongst the worst sabot- eurs of the miners’ struggle, and have also been fighting the British minor- ity movement with all their strength. In the General Workers’ Union, for example, of which Clynes is presi- dent, the leaders have forbidden their branches to affiliate, or send delegates to, the minority movement, and in Liverpool have even expelled two members who were active supporters of the minority movement, Would Not Work. Certain craft union leaders also sup- ported the One Big Union idea, not because they really believed in it, but because they knew well it was impos- sible of fulfilment, whereas industrial unionism — a, far more: practical change—threatened their own com- tortable jobs. ‘The reactionary supporters of One Big Union, therefore, have been de- feated. But we must not be over- hopeful because of this. The adop- tion of the resolution in favor of in- dustrial unionism means but little un- less the General Council is forced to translate it into action. Only by call- ing together the various unions and tion has begun to make the strike of body workers effective. A mass meet- ing of the Hays-Hunt and Durant work- ers voted a general walk-out in sym- pathy with the upholsterers and trim- mers who have been on strike for two weeks. There are 2,000 workers in the plants involved, “Mass strike meet- ings are held daily. The strikers de- mand recognition of their union, rein- statement of discharged active union workers and recognition of shop com- mittees, * : The upholsterers and trimmers are organized in Local 13 and affiliated with the American Federation of La- bor, to which they are appealing for aid. The strike is backed by A. F. of L, Organizer Edward McGrady and New Jersey State Federation of Labor officials; Henry Hilfers, J. H. Connolly and Hugh Reilly. The Flint Motors corporation is having its bodies made at the Hays-Hunt plant along with various Durant cars, High Recommendations. Stern, a student at the university from Milwaukee, applied for.a library position with high recommendations from M. S. Dudgeon, Milwaukee public librarian. Dudgeon received a reply from Miss Alice V. King, university employment officer, which is alleged to have declared, “No Jewish students are acceptable.” Refused To Comment. Miss King, when interviewed today, refused to comment on the letter she is said to have written. She declared she had not communicated with Stern and that her correspondence had been with Mr. Dudgeon only. She asserted that any information must come from President Frank. President Frank was emphatic in his declaration that there can be no racial or religious discrimination at the university and that no such policy exists in any branch of the university. PAWTUCKET, R/ I—(FP)—300 un- fon loom fixers and weavers of the Solvay Dyeing & Bleaching Co. are striking against wage reductions. The plant makes men’s shirtings. The workers are organized in the United Textile Workers. Push Labor Party In Ohio CINCINNATI, Ohio — Labor unions, individual radicals and others inter- ested in the formation of a labor party in Ohio have formed a tempor- ary state committee and have named Nicholas Klein, Second National Bank Bldg., Cincinnati as the acting state secretary. The mine workers are showing a great interest. ooo SAN FRANCISCO—(FP)—Janitors in San Francisco public schools ask for a raise of $15 a month instead of the $5 raise granted several weeks ago, MISMANAGEMENT AND SOUTHERN CHEAP LABOR COMPETITION ‘ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TEXTILE SLUMP By LELAND OLDS, Federated Press.” That easy profits from cheap labor encourage backwardness in manage- ment is shown in the story of the cotton industry in Fall River, Mass. A Wall Street Journal article on this greatest textile center holds lack of man- agerial initiative quite as much.as southern competition, responsible for the depression which-has made parttime and unemployment characteristic of the last four or five years. —_—_—OOO mare WNGREIMA the eed No Share In Prosperity, “have “beet “dev Psingrcey ithe ‘The figures show that labor had no managed by local ‘interests to a much share pie great prosperity of the greater éxtent tlidn other manufactur- war years. In 1917 when the total ing centers, With little new blood oO! Uplon Sinchi (Copyright, 1926, by Upton Sinclair) These things go by contraries, and the girl who landed Bunny did so because she did not try. The family of Henrietta Ashleigh had had money for generations, and so could afford to look down upon it, and all those who sought it. This was the way to impress Bunny, who wag aware that his money was pain- fully new. Never would he attain to the aggressive self-assur- ance of his sister; he was looking for something better than him- self, and for a while he found it in the Ashleighs, with their per- fect manners and well trained servants and mansion full of the debris of culture. . Henrietta was tall and slender, gentle, soft of voice, and re- served to the point of primness. Her mother had just died, and for a year she wore black, which of course was very conspicuous. She was high church Episcopal, and on Sunday mornings ‘wore long kid gloves and carried a little prayer-book and hymnal joined together, bound in black leather with a gold border. She took Bunny to church and he learned that one does not have,to take ancient Hebrew mythology with’ vulgar literalness, but may have its symbolic meaning explained by a white-haired old gentleman with a trace of English accent, \ What Henrietta meant to Bunny was a refuge from the anguisH and tumult of illegitimate desire. He fled to her as to a saint, and madonna alive and visible upon a college campus. She was far above the glaring crudeness of the smart set; she did not use paint nor powder—nothing so common as perspiration would presume to appear on her delicately, chiseled nose. You might dream of. kissing her, but it would remain a dream; she would call you “Mr, Ross” during the first six months of your acquaint- ance, and after that she would call you “Arnold,” finding it dig- nified, perhaps because of Matthew. So long as you knew and truly appreciated her, you would make the highest grades in class, and, as the little black and gold prayer-book phrased it, “hofior and obey the civil authorities, and submit yourself to all your governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters.” mi Bunny went up to Paradise for his Christmas holidays, and there was the first word from Paul, a plain card, bearing the stamp of the American Expeditionary Force, but no place; no pic- ture post-card with “Scenes in Urkutsk” or ‘“Camel-sleigh on the Volga,” or/anything like that}, “Dear Ruth,” it said: “Just a line to let you know that I am well and everything it all right. I have received three letters from you. Please write often. We are busy and I am having an interesting time. Give my love to all the family and to Bunny and Mr. Ross. Affectionately, Paul.” INVITATION TO ANNUAL AUTUMN FESTIVAL AND BALL Welcoming BEN GOLD and WM. Z, FOSTER Saturday, October 2, at 8 p. m. Admission. 75¢, including wardrobe WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR AT HOME, at work, in the mine, in the shop, on the farm, or anywhere? Is he a _ Slovak or Czech worker? Haye him, or her, subscribe to the only Czechoslovak working class daly paper in the Us Bey THE DAILY ROVNOST LUD also industrial unions, such as the miners. Thus the three forms of anionism exist. The general workers’ unions have been permeated with a most. reac- tionary ideology, and count among their leaders the worst of the oppon- ents of ‘the left wing. The lack of homogeneity, .which: must prevail in planning definite. amalgamations of the unions can industrial unionism be furthered. And with the personnel of the General’ Council we cannot ex- Pect much action on these lines, un- less their hand is forced by the deter- mined pressure of the rank and file, expressed thru the growing minority movement. R, R. SHOPMEN JUMP FROM THEIR COMPANY UNION FRYING PAN INTO FIRE OF GOVERNMENT “MEDIATION” WASHINGTON—(FP)—Shopmen employed by the Boston & Maine rail- road who turned their company union into a rebel camp some months ago have appealed to the U. 8. Railroad Mediation Board in Washington and have been promised its “services,” Commissioner Hanger is scheduled to arrive in Boston Sept, 20, and to take up this dispute after dealing with two other industrial difficulties involving the Boston & Maine, ‘Company Union Changes Gears, § ¢—————_+—___.__ Some months ago the company union in the B. & M, shops sent’a delega- sate tiny pete the dastdtt: medi e Hon of: five mam to:lay eertain’:pro-| “attr ‘much discussion the leaders posels before the management. The | persuaded the men to apply instead mpany officials. did. not) like their |tor amiiation with one of the inde- tone and sent them away with an em-| pendent unions—the American Federa. phatic refusal. Then.the-five dele-| tion of Railroad Workers. Thia organ. gates were dismissed, Whereupon the ization made formal application to humble spirit of the members of the Washington for mediation, company union disappeared and senti-| y¢ charged that the company had rset unjustly refused to establish adjust- ment boards to settle the shopmen’s grievance a§ was contemplated in the Watson-Parker railroad labor act. Appeal from Capital to Capitalist Government. Officials of both independent and Standard rail labor organizations are keenly interested in this case because it is the first one under which the members of ® company union have risen in revolt and made application to the mediation board for its. help in setting a dispute with a big railroad corporation. The board has recognized the right of the independent -unton to which these B. & M. employes have affil- lated to act as their spokesmen in TEMPLE BALL ROOM Tableaux + Refreshments Coolidge Finally Rules, If the board is unable to adjust the grievance—if the company does not back down and reinstate the men and recognize their right to ehter an ac- tual labor union—theh the case will go forward to an emergency board to be appointed by the president. This trom the outside,,a policy of nepotism over a period of years has in numer- ous cases dull@d.the initiative of man- agements, When.they could afford to do so the mills did not change their machinery and .manufacturing meth- ods to meet.she new demands.” Less than $1,000 a year, ‘Wages in Fall River cotton mills in 1914, the journal shows, averaged only $430 for the entire year’s work. In only one year since has the average reached $1,000. That was in 1920, when mill workers earned an average of $1,065. In 1924, the last year cov- ered by the Wall Street Journal, the annual wage fell to $923, In spite of these extremely low Wages, less than the barest family sub- sistence, and in spite of operations in the last few years running as low as 50 per cent of capacity, Fall River dividends continues In 1920 they rose to $11,095,800, more than nine times the pre-war figure; and in 1924, with operations throttled down to half of capacity, Fall River cotton mill divi- dends were 85 per cent above 1924, Dividend-Figures. Figures showing for each year since 1914 the value of Fall River cotton value of their output had increased 86 per cent over 1914, wages had in- creased only 42 percent. In 1918 the value of their output was up 140 per cent and their wages 55 per cent. In 1919 the figures were 175 per cent and 98 per cent, and in 1920, when the value of the product was 202 per cent over pre-war, wages were up only 137 per cent. This means that the percentage of wages to the total. value of the product fell from 26.4 per cent in 1914 to a low point of 17.1 per cent in 1918, In 1924, when'the dividends paid by these mills were 85 per cent over 1914, wages totaled only 45 per cent above that year. Describing the position of Fall River in the industry the .Wall Street Jour- nal says: “Today Fall River has more spindles than any other city in the United States, some 4,000,000. Like New Bedford, it is essentially a city of cotton manufacturing, to which is devoted 70 per cent or more of its manufacturing activity. There are around 35 major cotton mills. There is also in Fall River the largest Amer- ican Printing Co., with 350,000 spin- dies, 8,000 looms and 42 printing machines, all capable of producing 3,000,000, is of cloth a week and oa the:wages paid, and div-| sting 6,000,000 yards.” Fall River Value of Total Total Cotton Mille ~. Products Wages Dividends wowiven, $ 49,516,027 $13,081,876 $1,225,793 45,392,784 13,707,868 1,145,159 65,374,214 15,725,973 2,373,494 92,148,372 18,581,436 4,331,361 118,876,983 20,252,789 6,146,286 eccestetns 185,783,717 25,997,711 4,935,145 wtrimsbives’ 149,223,708 31,002,421 1,1095,800 67,860,675 24,242,106 39094,375, 1928 ...snendid,, 28,214,713 3,605,300 1928 ..ecicrsesethonse 28,618,736 8,491,544 1924... i 18,980,407 2,271,450 ~ The Drive DONATIONS—SEPT, 28, 1926, A. E, Patterson, Ni Joseph Kouzic, San 4 hert, i Cal... 5.00 eco, 8:00 OMe db 8.00 | Ruth had had this treasure for several days, and there was no telling how many times she had read it, and studied every word on both sides. It seemed to Bunny.a cold and unsatisfac- tory note, but he did not say so to Ruth; he asked Dad about it, and Dad said there would necessarily be a great deal of censoring of soldier’s mail, and Paul had probably written this bare mes- sage to make sure it got through. Why did there have to be so much censoring? Bunny asked; and Dad answered that these were ticklish times, and the army had to protect itself against enemy propaganda. Dad had been reading a magaziné ‘article’ which explained what was happening in the world. The German and Austrian empires had come down with a crash, and that was a great triumph for democracy. But now the friends of democracy had a second big job to do, which was to.crush the wild beast of Bolshevism. They were starving it by a blockade on every front, and wherever the well-behaved and respectable Russians had set up a government on the borders, the allies were helping them with money and supplies. General Denikin had taken possession of south Russia; on the west a lot of new states had been set up; on the north, at Archangel, an anti-Bolshevik group was making headway under. British and American protection. As to Siberia, there had been a Socialist government, holding over from the Kerensky- days; but these Socialists were a lot of talkers and now they: had been kicked out and replaced by a real fighting man, Admiral Kolchak, who had once commanded the Tsar’s fleet. It was this he-admiral the allies were backing to run Siberia, and our troops were there to keep the railroad open for him. Of course the Bolsheviks and their sympathizers in this country were making a fuss about it, and telling all the lies they could; that was why we had to have a censorship, said Dad. Bunny accepted this explanation without question. He had been in a training-cdmp for seven months, and had acquired the military point of view. He was keenly alert to the danger of Bol- shevik propaganda and determined that if ever he ran into any of it, he would hasten to défidunce it. So innocent was he, and so little aware of the subtlety of the enemy—he never dreamed that he was.at this time absorbing the poison; and—of all places in the world—in one of the class rooms of his most Christian and conservative university, It was hard on a poor overworked university president. Dr. Cowper’s most trusted dean had engaged this young instructor, upon recommendation of high-up Y. M. C. A. authorities. The young man had been doing relief work in Saloniki, and was the son of a prominent Methodist pastor; he bore the name of Daniel Webster Irving, and how was anyone to imagine that a man with such a name might be suffering from political shell-shock? This young instructor was subtle in his method; he did not say anything that could be pinned down on him, but would sow his seeds of doubt by asking questions and advising students to “think for themselves.” There are always in every college class one or more “sore-heads,” the sons of unorthodox parents; one in Bunny’s class was an avowed “rationalist,” and another had a Russian name, All that a teacher had to do was to let these fellows ask questions, and quickly the whole group would be wandering in a maze, demoralized by what the Japanese govern- ment in its control of education describes as “dangerous thoughts,” President Wilson had gone to Europe, in order to bring about the reign of justice he had promised. He was having a triumphal progress through England and France, and our newspapers were full of the wonders of what he was about to achieve. But in Mr. Irving’s class Bunny heard it pointed out that the president had dropped from mention’ the most important of his “fourteen points,” the demand for “freedom of the seas.” Could it be that this had been the price of British support for his program? And then, more startling yet, Bunny learned that the secret treaties which the allies had signed among themselves were now laid on the peace table, and made the basis of jealous bickerings, Bunny had never forgotten about thdse treaties, how Dad had assured Paul that they would turn out to be Bolshevik forgeries. But here the allies were admitting them to be’ gefiuine, and further- more, setting out to enforce them, regardless of any promises of fair play which President Wilson had made to the Germans} _ Te Be Cons—-*» — se bn a ye, ao