The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 13, 1926, Page 5

| | | | | TH E DAILY WORKER News and Comment Labor Education Labor and Government Trade Union Politics COLORADO, ONCE A MILITANT MINER STATE, NOW WEAK Ludlow Forgotten, Workers Disorganized By HARRY KLETZKY. L ee coal center of the west, scene of many dramatic struggles of the mine workers, where ideals and bravery and class consciousness were mixed literally with blood and fire, is today but a limping phantom of its former self, when the roll call of union miners is made, and when the temper of union strength is tested. Here and there a few miners still remember Ludlow and Cripple Creek, where their fellow workers were killed and maimed, and “mock-ried” and jailed. But the most have for- gotten. And what is the price they have paid for their forgetfulness? Wages have beem beaten down to and below the bare subsistence level. In many mines, principally those con- trolled by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (a Rockefeller corporation), the workers are slaving for as low as $3.50 a day, and even then they are lucky if they receive five days’ work. Company Union Strong. The company union, which means the “Rockefeller plan for industrial democracy,” the arch-angel of all com- pany unionism, has gained such a foot- hold in Colorado that it is doubtful if the idea alone could be uprooted from the minds of the workers affected for many years, provided, then, that a real systematic campaign of education is conducted. Yo further condemnation of the C. F. and I, company union and expla- nation of its workings is needed when it is known that the daily press of Colorado carries+ from time to time headlines which read: “Coal Miners Ask That Their Wages Be Reduced.” Perfect Dupery System. The Rockefeller plan is a perfect system of dupery. On. paper, the workers are “given” the power to ask for what they want. But they are told what they want! Those men who know what they want soon receive dis- missal orders. The 1925 report of the Russel Sage foundation is enough authority for this statement. The Industrial Commission, Another shackle on the Colorado coal miner is the industrial commis- sion, set up by the state soon after the “battle of Ludlow.” ‘Many local unions and unorganized groups have gone to the industrial commission in controversies, like the lamb goes to the lion, trusting in its impartiality, and have gone away even more shorn than they were before. The industrial commission was organized by. the bosses as a control on the workers, and in Colorado it is performing its job well. Need Leadership. Internal union troubles have with- out doubt played havoc with the mor- ale of the union miner. The old John L. Lewis-John Lawson melee, which reached its climax in Cripple Creek, is still an open wound, Colorado miners have not had the best of leadership. If the U, M. W. is conservative, the Colorado district 1s. ultra-conservative. The secretary of the district is an ardent American Le- *gionnaire. That is enough. But there is some hope in the Colo- rado situation. And it lies in the bad- ness of the whole mess, It is impos- sible to believe that the Colorado miner will continue to “take,” and never “give.” The breaking point is near. All indications point to that. The miners are be- ginning to realize, little by little, that they have little to lose now, if they make the struggle for liberty. What is needed in Colorado now, perhaps more than any one thing, is a the entire state. strong, militant leadership. It . will not be long before the workers will be ready to follow. Perhaps one more winter, perhaps two, But the time is coming. * 1k cade ir (To be continued.) We will send sample copies of The DAILY WORKER to your friends—send us name and ad- dress. Arranged by the International Organized Labor—Trade Union Activities | AUTHORS OF ‘EXPERT’ TREATISES ON COMPANY UNIONISM GET BIG JOBS WITH LARGE CORPORATIONS By ROBERT W. DUNN. NEW YORK, Oct. 11.—(FP)—Company union experts are in strong de- mand among American corporations, This is illustrated by. the appointment of Ernest Richmond Burton, author of Employe Representation, to the post of labor manager for the White Motor Co, of Cleveland, and by the sub- sequent appointment of Henry C. Metcalf, director Bureau of Personnel Ad- ministration, to the job of personnel director for Continental Baking Co., the great Ward. anti-union baking com-+—————————_—_——_—_——__—_ KEEP THIS DATE OPEN! SATURDAY EVE., JANUARY 29, 1927, Concert and Ball - New Harlem Casino, 1 16th St.and Lenox Ave. bine. Both Burton and Metcalf have been connected with the Bureau of Per- sonnel Administration of New York. Burton recently turned out the latest and most authoritative work on com- pany unjons. Metcalf wrote the foreword. Both predicted a “new day in industry” as a@ result of the application of com- pany union principles to the person- nel policies of American corporations, Both have landed high-salaried jobs with anti-union companies, White Long Offender. The White Motor company is a com- pany union practitioner of long stand- ing. The Continental company, like its parent the Ward Baking company, refuses to deal with trade unions and has been attacked by the American GARMENT TOILERS HERE WILL HELP GOTHAM STRIKE Joint Board Calls Meet- : oe) ing of All Unions — Decision of call-a conference of all labor organizations. in the city to for- mulate’plans. for aiding of the 40,000 members of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’: Union of New York who have been:on strike for 15 weeks, was made at the meeting of the Chicago Joint-Board Friday. * The New York strike received the endorsement of the Detroit conven- tion of the American Federation of Labor last week. The date for the Chicago conference has not yet been set, but will be an- nounced soon. a Call Mass Meeting. A special mass meeting of all Chi- cago, garment,..workers., and, friends has been called.for Wednesday night, October 13, at Schoenhofen Hall, Mil- waukee and Ashland Aves. by the board for the purpose of reviewing the strike, and to secure strike fund contributions, All members of the anion and their friends are urged to-attend this meet- ing. Heroic Strike, The New: York members are carry- ing on their strike to prevent the bosses imposing a lowering of living standards on the garment workers, The bosses have resorted to. every known anti-strike measure to break the spirit of the workers. They have held out against the bosses, but are now in need of financial assistance. Two More Companies Sign Contract With Window Cleaners Here Two more Chicago window clean- ing companies signed up with the Window Washers’ Union, Local 34, it was announced Monday, The Olsen and Johnson Oo, and the Ohio company signed the new agree- ment providing for the $1.25 an hour scale: ‘ The Boston company signed during the first days of last week. A long meeting was held by the local Friday afternoon called special- ly to consider further steps in the strike. It 1s possihle that all of the com- panies will sigm the agreement asked by the union within a few days, ac- cording to officials, Charles Cline to Be S er in N. Y. for I. L. D. Sec., Nov. 19 NEW YORK, Oct. 11,—A reception and dance to. greet Charles Cline, famous class, war» prisoner just re- leased after serving 18 years in a Texas prison, will be given Friday, November 19, 1926, at 8 p. m., by the International Labor Defense, New York Section. Affiliated and friendly organizations are asked not to arrange any affairs ‘on that date, ri i Y 40% ghoad reryeey Ald, New York City, Federation of Labor. The Continental is said to be “the largest and most extensive industrial unit ever set up in the baking business.” Burton’s book is the last word on the science of company unionism, Met- calf in his introduction to the book wrote: “There is little doubt that em- Ploye representation is contributing to the evolution of a truly democratic order‘in industry ... Mr. Burton has made a unique contribution to the literature of the employer-employe re- lationships.” Book Lands Job. Almost as soon as the book appear- ed the Bureau of Personnel Adminis- tration closed its doors. A_ sign window. Burton and Metcalf have gone to the payroll of the corporations, TICKET SALE FOR PASSAIC PICTURE HERE GOING BIG Film Depicting Strike to Be Shown Oct. 29 The prevailing movie craze, stimu- lated by the death of Rudolph Valen- tino, is spreading to the new labor film depicting the Passaic textile strike, to judge by the advance inter- est shown in union cireles in the Chicago showing. While October 29, the date of the local presentation is still many days distant, the sale of tickets already justifies two shows for that Friday evening,,one at 7 and one at 9 o'clock. Both will’ be given tn the Ashland Blvd. Auditorium, corner Ashland and Van Buren, and just half a block from the Marshfield station of the elevated. Tried to Stop Picture. The Passaic police have tried un- successfully to prevent this celluloid record. of their atrocious brutality against the girl pickets and even the children of strikers. The woolen mill owners likewise take no pleasure in these motion picture photographs of their misconduct. But the 16,000 strikers, sustaining a heroic. battlefield for three quarters of a year against police violence, em- ployer greed, detective frame-ups and starvation are rejoicing in this movie history of their tremendous fight. Proceeds to Strikers, Tickets for the Chicago presenta- tion, Friday, October 29, are obtain- able from the Chicago Conference at 328 West Van Buren Street, or at the door of the Ashland Auditorium: on the night of the exhibition, The proceeds will be sent by the Chicago Conference to the General Relief Committee of the Passaic Tex- tile Strikers, a part of the strike machinery of Passaic Local No. 1603, United Textile Workers of America. Typothetae Officer Opposed to Five-Day Week for the Printers ' BALTIMORBE, Md., October 11.—"A fiveday 40hour week cannot in- crease production and for that reason will not be adopted generally,” George K, Horn, president of the Typothetae of the United States, the “open-shop” employing printers’ or- ganization, during 1923 and 1924, de clared today in discussing the pro posed 40-hour 5-day week. ' “We could not accomplish the pro- duction we must accomplish to.keep the country going,” the leader of Bal- timore’s nonunion printing bo: for the last 13 years, continued. “We close down from Friday evening until Monday morning by working nine and a half hours for four days and ten hours on the fifth day. A half-holiday on Saturday slows down production because men going to work for only four hours do not work with their minds on it as much as they do on a full working day. This is exception- ally true of the summer, when every- one has his mind on getting out in the open.” SAN FRANCISCO—(FP) — Twelve union carpenters have been dismissed from the new Galileo High School in San Francisco under throat of with- drawal of building materials by the Industrial,Assn. Several other schools have been affected previously in the same way, and the carpenters’ union has opened a material house to mect such conditions. Meanwhile correc. tions are being. made in the indict ments against, 12 union men charged with conspiracy arising from an as- sault charges dm connection with the strike, Violotfee continues almost daily, “Parlor Room to Let” hangs in the} Policies and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism READING |, L. 6. STRIKE WINNING LABOR SUPPORT Over Half Force Out; Officials Active READING, Pa., Oct. 11~—The cloak- makers’ strike against the company, whiéh’ imported machinery from New York and began a scab shop here, is gaining ground and win- ning wide support of the organized | workers of Reading. More Than Half Out. Seventy workers, or more than half of the force employed in the plant, are now out; and for the first time in |the history of Pennsylvania a strike injunction has been denied the bosses. J. Henry Stump, president of the Fetlerated Trades Council and his colleagues in the council are very ac- tive in support of the strike. Labor Officials Give Good Support. Jesse George, business agent of the Plumbers’ union, and M. Frey, organ- izer of the Full-Fashioned Hosiery Workers’ union, are on the picket line early every morning to see that the pickets get fair treatment. President Stump called a special meeting of the Trades Council to con- sider the strike situation and urged moral and financial support to the strikers. He told the delegates to col- lect money from members wherever the local treasuries werd empty. The council arranged a mass meeting Friday at the Labor Lyceum and a real united fromt is existing to aid the garment strikers. All Upholsterers of Hartford, Conn. Walk Out; Strike Winning HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 11.—The International Upholsterers‘ Union, Local 35, called a strike in all shops of Hartford Friday and 70 men left their jobs, .This is a 100 per cent tie-up ex- cept in one shop where a majority re- mained after the pickets made their first visit to 10 shops. It is expected that this shop ‘will be!pulled out in a few days. Goldman Brothers, one of the struck shops, signed up at once and the Loraine | | diately mobilized under this plan and CAL AND: GARY URGE U, S, GET _ READY FOR WAR To Conscript Labor for Trenches and Factory NEW YORK, Oct, 11—Calvin Coo- lige, president of the United States; | Elbert H. Gary, head of the Steel Trust,.and Hanford McNider, agsist- ant secretary of war, all joined in urg- ing business to get ready for\the noxt war on the occasion of a luncheon ar- | ranged by the National Association of Manufacturers today for the dis- | cussion of industrial preparedness. The main object of the meeting was | to explain the war department’s plan for putting the industries of the coun- try on a war basis at a moment's notice. Conscription of Labor. The industries would be imme- the cannon-fodder that would not be needed on the battlefield would be conscripted in the factories. This ‘plan would save the manufac- turers of this country $1,000,000,000 for every forty days saved in meeting a@ war emergency, according to Col. James L. Walsh, Coolidge sent a letter to Gary, who presided at the war luncheon, saying that he wished to “express my ap- preciation of what you have done and are doing in this work.” VA. PORTS WAIT GREAT FLEET OF SCAB COAL SHIPS NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 11.—As the month of September ended 198 ships were bound for the ports on Hampton Roads for cargo. This is the largest number of vessels schéduled to sail into any port in America. | Thru the seven seas these ships jare ploughing, the largest fleet of freight vessels ever listed as bound |for Hampton Roads at one time. The jprevious recofd was 153 ships, which arrived here during July, according to the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce. Great Fleet Coming for Scab Coal. Most of the ships enroute here are coming for coal to be delivered in Great Britain and at other ports form- erly supplied by the English coal §n- terests. September coal dumpings for all of the Hampton Roads. piers to-, taled 2,710,992 tons, against 2,762,030 tons for August. The decrease is at- tributed to the fact that September had only 30 days, against 31 in Au- gust. Like the previous month, the Nor- folk and Western led in dumping rec- workers are going back under union conditions. A few more shops are ex- pected to sign up at once. The spirit of the strikers is excel- lent and their courage shows they are out to win. ords, piling up 1,107,815 tons, against 908,867 for the Chesapeake and Ohio and 694,301 for the Virginian railway. The Norfolk and Western’s record was the greatest in the history of the road and the largest tonnage ever handled by any railroad in a single month, “4 Cleveland Workers’ Forum Opened Sun.; Brahtin Is Speaker CLEVELAND, Oct. 11—Today the Workers’ Forum will start its winter season in Cleveland. The first speaker was John Brahtin, who spoke on “The Significance of the British Strike.” The second speaker, on Oct. 17, will be Leo Gleisser on “Revolutionary Literature.” There will be other speakers on cur- rent problems and events of the day, and it is expected that the Workers’ Forum will develop into the leading center of the workers of Cleveland for the discussion of all questions, of interest to the working class. The forum will be held at Room 13, 5927 Euclid Ave., and will start at 8 Dp. m. All workers are invited, Ad- mission free. Carpet Workers in Philadelphia Strike Against Wage Cut |“. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 11.—Phila- delphia tapestry carpet workers or- ganized in their union are striking against the Philadelphia Carpet Com- pany because of 15 per cent wage cuts posted by the firm and its attempt to discontinue union recognition. About 60 workers are involved, says Fred J. Fisher, secretary of the union, { Four union strikers were arrested on the picket line and released under $1,000 bail. m Miners’ Lamps Sold in Seattle for Aid SEATTLE, Wash., Oct. 11—More than 100 British mmers’ lamps were sold at 60 cents each in an energetic drive carried on by the International Workers’ Aid secretary Emma Legar in the campaign to raise fundy for the British miners, The amount was for- warded to the mational office, Con- tributions have also been sent by the local I. W. A, seéfetary. A number of local unions haveralso sent contribu- tions of from $10°to $50 to England directly, while others have sent thru A. F, of L, channels, October Wit! Beat Record. It is predicted by coal men here that October will break the August record for dumpings, the greatest in the history of the port. ° American steamers have entered the foreign coal trade now that the British lines are unable to supply fuel on account of the strike of min- ers that has been in progress in Eng- land for almost a year. Would Kick Out Injured Worker to ‘Prevent U.S. Burden’ WASHINGTON, Oct. 11.—Senator Miceli is fighting the attempt of the United States labor department to de- port him on the grounds that he might become a public charge. The worker came to this country in 1921, shortly after his marriage in Italy. He worked at the Baldwin Lo- eomotive Works, where he lost his arm in an industrial accident two years Now immigration authorities claim that he is likely to become a public charge because of his missing right arm. Miceli is suing for writ of ha- beas corpus in the federal court to stop his deportation with his wife. Workers Worst Hit by Florida Storm, Says Investigator NEW YORK, Oct. 11—Workers in the Florida hurricane area were worst hit by the terrible storm, according to the report from the scene by Dr. Worth M. Tippy, secretary of the com- mission of social service of the Fed- eral Council of Churches, which sent him to the devastated area, “Twenty thousand homes were en- tirely wrecked, mostly the filmsy structures in which workers lived,” Tippy reports, “The total “dead will never be known, They are somewhere be- tw 500 and 1,000, possibly more. “The seriously injured number be- tween 4,000 and 5,000. ,and minor cas- ualties were much, ter,” Make it one day's poy to keep The DAILY WORKER, : | ; sort? Gon Sinclair «Copyright, 1926, by Upton Sinciair) Amid this perplexity, Bunny found comfort in the backing of Billy George, who was Anglo- on and broad-shouldered and a senior besides. Billy assured him he was right and suggested that they take some steps to make their ideas understood to the rest of the student body. Why not organize a little group, the Society for the Study of Russian Problems, or something of that Bunny should ask Mr. Irving to advise them and perhaps join them—it would be much better if they could have the back- ing of one of the teachers. So Bunny went to Mr. Irving, who said at once that he could not give any advice on the subject, for the reason that it would jeopardize his position to do so; the students would have to follow their own judgment. The young instructor did add this much, they ought surely not use the name “Russian,” but take some inoffensive title, the “Liberal Club,” or the “Social Problems Society.” Bunny took that advice to the others, meeting in one of the class-rooms after hours. Billy George said it didn’t seem very “spunky” of Mr. Irving; whereupon Rachel Menzies flared up, he had no right to hint at such a thing, they all knew what the teacher’s position was, and he had a perfect right to keep out of trouble. What business h@d Mr. George to be finding fault, when he himself had done nothing publicly? The other demanded to know what he could do, and the girl was not backward in suggestions. Why not start a student paper, a little four-page sheet, once a week or even once a month? It would cost very little, and would make a hit they could be sure; look how many people had wanted to read Mr. Ross’ letter about Siberia! If they printed that letter they would set the campus on fire. Mr. George could have the honor of being editor, and Rachel would contribute her share of the cost. There was obvious irony in that, considering the quantity of iron pipe which Billy’s father was known to be marketing in Angel City. But they discussed it gravely, and Billy didn’t think he could take any re- sponsibility; his old man would pull him out of college and put him to work on a bookkeeper’s stool. Then, automatically, the eyes of the group turned to Bunny. What did he think? Bunny found his cheeks growing red. He had wanted to explain his ideas to other people, but had thought of doing it in some dignified way, privately and quietly. A paper would make such a noise! Rachel Menzies apparently didn’t mind a noise, But Henrietta would, she would be horrified by the bare idea. Also there was Dad—the “education business” would be damned forever by such a venture. So Bunny had to say no; and Rachel Menzies said that was all right, there were plenty of excuses, and she didn’t blame anybody for finding the best one, but at least they ‘had no business criticizing Mr. Irving for lack of courage! Til Soon after that Bunny read in the paper that the transport “Bennington” had arrived in San ‘Francisco with two thousand troops from Siberia. Paul’s unit was listed; so Bunny called up Ruth on the telephone and told her the news,-and said, be sure to let me know,as soon as she got word. Two days later Ruth called him—Paul had arrived at Paradise. It was a Friday, so Bunny “cut” his afternoon courses, and jumped into his ¢ar. Dad had gone over to Lobos River, to see to a “fishing” job so missed this first meeting. ‘ é It was almost twenty months that Paul had been away, and Bunny was keyed up with eagerness,. The first glance gave him a shock, for Paul looked quite terriblegaunt and yellow, his khaki jacket hanging loose upon him. “You've been sick!” cried Bunny. “Yeoh said Paul; “but I’m getting all right now.” “Paul, tell me what happened!” “Well, it was no picnic.” And he seemed to think that would satisfy both his sister and his friend—after a year and a half!” They were over in the cabin on the Rascum tract, where Ruth and Paul had first begun house-keeping. It was supper- time, and the girl had prepared a bounteous repast; but Paul wasn’t much on eating just now, he said—afraid to trust him- self with good food. While they sat at table he told them about Manila, where they had stopped; and about a storm on the Pacific, but not a word about Siberia! Of course that wouldn’t do. After the meal they got Paul settled in an arm-chair, and Bunny said, “Look here, Paul, I’ve been trying to understand about this Russian business. I’m quarrelling with most everyone I know about it, and I counted on you for the truth. So please do tell us about it—just what happened to you.” Paul sat with his head lying back. His face had always been sombre, a prominent nose and wide mouth with a tendency to droop at the corners; haggard as he was, this tendency accentu- ated, he looked like a mask of sorrow. ‘What happened to me?” he said, in his slow voice; and then he seemed to raise himself to the effort of recalling it. I was kidnapped. “Kidnapped!” The two of them echoed the word together, “Yes, just that. I\thought I went into the army to. put down the Kaiser, but I was kidnapped by some Wall Street bonk- ers, and put to work as a strike-breaker, ‘a scab.” Ruth and Bunny could only sit and gaze at Paul,.and wait for him to say what he meant by these strange words. : “You remember our oil strike, Bunny? and good warm clothes, rain-coats and water-proof hats and everything. Well, that’s what I’ve been doing ae a year ond a half—putting down a strike for Wall Street bankers. ‘The guards here at Paradise got ten dollars a day, and if they didn’t like it, they could quit; but I got thirty I tried to quit they’d have shot me. bankers had.” Again there was a pause. he told a part of his story that ay mind. “First thing, the allies took the city of Vladivostok. strikers had that city, with a perfectly ae government, re thing orderly and fine. They didn’t make much resistance— they were too surprised at our behavior. We shot a few long- shoremen, who tried to defend one building, and the strikers had a big funeral with a procession; they brought the red coffins to the American consulate with banners that asked us why we had shot their people. It happened to be the Fourth of July, and we were celebrating our revolution; why had we overthrown theirs? Of course we couldn’t answer: none of us knew why we had done it; but little by little we began to find out,” (To be continued) sprissiverns | GINSBERG'S Vegetarian Restaurant Make it a weekly habit, That was the cinch the way, looking at things he saw 2324-26 Brooklyn Avenue, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. | LOS. ANGECES, GAL a POO CRSP st Sa Ati ln SS “Tl tell you what happened son; . Those guards the” Federation sent up there—husky fellows, with plenty of guns,’ @ month and beans, and if... Paul had closed his eyes, and ; SCOOT HE tS