The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 14, 1926, Page 5

fage __ News and Comment Labor Education Labor and Government Trade Union Politics GF, & |. CRUSHES COLORADO MINER WITH ‘DEMOCRACY’ Company Union Starts in Rockefeller Mines j By HARRY KLETZKY. ql, 'WELVE years have passed since the “battle of Ludlow,” when.18 miners, wives and children were mer- cilessly slain by Colorado militiathen under orders from the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company-controlled state house. A granite monument has “been erected on the site of the massacre by the United Mine Workers’ Union. It seems to the observer that the hopes of the union ever again organ- izing the C. F, & I. miners are also buried beneath the stone. Monument Unnoticed. Today miners walk to work in the company union mines where they can plainly see this landmark of a great struggle for freedom, and few receive a “fighting thrill” from the edifice. One miner, whose wife and brother are named on the stone, passes it each day. And he is indifferent to talks by union officials when he is approached. It may be too harsh to say that this’ man’s spirit typifies the spirit of the miner of Colorado today. But one is almost forced to that conclusion, Robbed of Initiative. But is it the miner’s fault alone? In twelve years the C. F. & I. has suc- cessfully instilled the “fear of their job” in the hearts of the workers. They had been tricked into forsaking their union, and into accepting a plan, engineered by MacKenzie King, former prime minister of Canada, which robbed them of their initiative under the well-developed guise of al- lowing them that same initiative, The “company union,” which is to- day considered the most importap+ problem before the trade union move- ment, received its birth at this time in, Colorado. There is. no doubt but that if the “Rockefeller plan for in- dustrial democracy” had been killed in Colorado the company union prob- lem would not assume its present im- portance, Trade union officials need not theo- rize on the evils and disadvantages of the company union plan, as has been their custom of late. A study of what. the plan has done to the Colorado coal miners will reveal its evils in bold relief. Smooth Phrases. ‘The initiative of the Coloradq miner has been lulled to sleep bygsmooth phrases and high-sounding “by-laws.” His self-respect is gone. He is in complete control of his boss. If the plan was operated, perhaps, as Rocke- feller promised it would be operated he might be less so. But it was not enough to force the Colorado miner to accept a “plan” which he did not want. The plan it- self was prostituted to gain still more control over the workers. Voting Corrupted, The miners were supposed to have the power to choose their representa- tives by vote. But it was not long before they discovered that. to. vote for representatives who were “black- listed” by the company meant “their job.” Hundreds had been fired for trying to exercise their “franchise” as they desired. Time Is Ripe. The time has, perhaps, never been riper than it is now to again bring the banner of trade unionism into the ranks of the coal miners of Colorado. A new spirit, and the old spirit, can be awakened in the Colorado miners. In 1925, when the C. F, & I, under the plea of business depression, suc- ceeded in foistering a wage decrease on the.workers (thru the “plan”) rum- blings were heard thruout the state. Small groups of miners employed by the C. F, & I. even came out in open rebellion, but were forced | line by thé threat of a close-lown of the mii ’ These rumblings need to be “nursed” and fed to make thém grow into a roar big enough to crash down the company union. It means much work and real effort to do this, But it is worth it to the entire labor move- ment, (To be continued.) The size of The DAILY WORKER depends on you, Meat Market |CHICAGO FUR WORKERS’ LOCAL 45 ASKS MEMBERS TO SUPPORT UNION AGAINST MILLSTEIN DISRUPTION The Chicago Fur Workers’ Union Loca] 45, thru its manager and financial ame vAILY Woukancer secretary, Irving I. Israelson, has issued the following open letter to all members of the’ organization: To All Members of Local 45. During the past year and a half there has arisen: a turmoil thru our ranks which came to a culmination on September 26, 1926, by the mem- bership electing .practically a new staff of officers, . It was supposed to have been under- stood that all turmoil be ended, but ag it looks today our battles have just begun and it is ap to tle membership of Local 45 to see’ that all those who are endeavoring to break up the union shall be removed from the organiza- tion. It is not-a question of lefts and rights, but purely,.a.qnestion of the welfare of the membership. Members Must Wake Up. Those that endeavored to be elected as officers and did not succeed in the same must take cheir defeat like men should take defeats. Several of those that have lost out on the election are endeavoring ana will smash the union unless the mem- bership wakes up and shows their sol- idarity to those officers that were le- gally and honestly elected, A Club to Destroy: Union, Shortly after the election those that were defeated formed themselves a club known as the: Furriers’, Social and Civic Club, Had this been a club to better the conditions of the workers it would-be perfectly legitimate, but this club was formed purely with the purpose of wrecking and destroying what the membership. has built up after years of patient struggling and by the sweat of their blood. The Way of Disruption. A mecting of the membership was called, for October 8, 1926, and.every- thing. was running. along smoothly CO-OPERATIVE BAKERY IN THE SERVICE OF THE CONS h Bakery deliveries made to your home. FINNISH CO-OPERATIVE. TRADING ‘A i (Workers organized as consut until Brother. Millstein and .by the aid of the ,so-called Social Civic Club tried to. throw. in monkey. wrenches. On the night of, the election the prin- cipal candidates. pledged themselves for amnesty towards eyerybody, and that question arose on the floor, and we found there was an opposition against it. it is perfectly right for a member to oppose questions, but it is not his privilege to arise and go over with the determination to slug somébody. This is what happened at the meeting last night, Tactics like this will not strengthen our organization, On the contrary, it will only destroy our movement, Do Not Need Police, In the history of, our. organization there has never heen a time. that of- ficers of the law should be present at the meetings until my predecessor brought’ them to the meetings. The membership must wake up and realize that they must protest against actions as are being practiced by Brother Mill- stein who claims to have the interests of the organization at heart, We must build up our ranks so that We may go forward with our move- ment which shall be for the benefit of our organization and not for a few who seek not to elevate our members but to destroy those that have the organization at heart, Come to Friday’s Meeting. The office urges the membership to attend our next meeting which will be held this coming Friday night, October 15, 1926. At this meeting Brother Ben Gold, manager of the New York Joint Board Furriers’ Un- ion, who is a representative of twelve thousand furriers, and who led the membership of New York to a succes- ful and victorious victory for the 40- hour week,.who has led the way for the rest. of the labor organizations for a 40-hour week, will speak. We will also have with us Brother O. Schachtman, our international president. The question of levying an assessment on the membership for the striking cloakmakers of New York City, also for the aid of the Bos- ton and Winnipeg fur workers will be taken up. Work for the Union. Once again I appeal to the members not to listen to rumors and not to’ pay any attention to the Furriers’ Social and Civic Club, but to co- operate with the office on any matter that you believe is for the benefit of the organization, I ask and urge the membership to assist us in carrying out our good work for the members. I again urge you to make it your business to attend our next. meeting and all meetings called in the future. I assure the members that they will not be intimi- dated or threatened, or that any one will endeavor to break up a meeting so that police shall be necessary to assist. Will Stop Destroyers. The office will once and for all stop such cowardly tactics against «the members by a group of irresponsible people who seek only to destroy, and who only seek their own personal benefits. With the expectation that all mem- bers will be present at our next meet- ing, I am Fraternally yours, Irving |. Israelson, Mgr. PRINTERS’ UNION [FORD ISSUE IS ASKS RUSSIANS BAN SCAB PAPER Chicago Russian Paper jUnfair to Union A Russian language paper published in @hicago has had a conflict with its printers for some time and a strike has been declared against this paper, the Russky Viestnik' Rassviet, The strikers have sent a message to the Russian All-Colonial Mutual Bene- fit Congress of Amefica, in, session at Philadelphia, and the Chicago Typo- graphical Union Nod. 16, has also ad- dressed the congres8 as follows: “Greetings and best, wishes in your work from the Chicago eraphical Union No, 16, We. to you rep- resenting the Russian people of the United States to help us. win the strike’ against the Rassviet. — ate “That paper is printed by scabs while union men. are...walking the streets. By forcing .owners to recog- nize the union and,.demanding the union label on all printing, you will provide work and American standard of, living to Russian,,printers in this country. 9o ett Tot “Help save the.good. name of Rus- baja workers as; friends of organized Chicago Russky Viestnik Riot Guns Used on ‘Upholstery Strikers BOSTON, October 12.—(FP)—Riot guns were used by police to scatter 200 strikers picketing the Bay State Upholstering company of Hyde Park, gg workers are out in a wage dis- pute. ATTENTION! Restaurant UMER. ATION, Ino. CONFISCATED AT HAMILTON WORKS General Manager Takes Papers From Boys (Special to The Daily Worker) HAMILTON, O., Oct. 12.—On Octo- ber 8, five boys took their places at the gates of the big Ford plant here for the purpose of selling the special | Ford number of The DAILY WORK- ER to the men as they come out. The boys were armed with five hundred copies of the issue. As soon as the workers saw the paper they began buying them with great enthusiasm, Takes Them Away. Mr. A, O. Anderson, general man- ager of the Hamilton works, seeing the effect of the paper on the men, coaxed the boys into the plant and without another word, took all the papers from them. It is quite possible that legal proceedings will be insti- tuted against the manager for this act, In any case there was time enough to notice that the men were extremely interested in the exposure of the five- day week and that they are amenable to organization, Two Los Angeles Building Workers Lose Lives in Day LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12.—Saverria Ramon, 26, a Mexican laborer, was burried. alive under tons of earth in a ditch cave-in yesterday, Police res- cue squads from Hollywood succeeded in bringing him back to life for 15 minutes, but he died from his in- Juries. Another laborer at work on the ground ‘floor of a building, under con- struction at Seventh and Flower, was decapitated when an elevator struck him last Saturday. The man was leaning over the edge of the elevator pit when the conveyance, which oper: iy by a bigs system, descended a im. Two detectives at ones bea an investigation to deter- onsibility for the accident, A taken to the county i identification, , t#"'thy second casualty durin, fanding of the Roosevelt ~ Policies and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism JEWELERS OF NEW YORK IN UNION DRIVE Whole Shops Join in Or- ganizing Campaign .| By SAUL WHITE, NEW YORK, Oct. 12—Over 600 jewelry workers crowded into the large Bryant Hall last Thursday, Oct. 7, applauded the speakers that urged | them to come into the organization and filled applications immediately after. It was the first big meeting of jewelry workers held in many years. The drive conducted by Local No, 1, International Jewelry Workers’ Un- ion, in the last few weeks has met a favorable response among the work- ers and revealed that the conditions of the jewelry workers since the last strike of 1920 have become intoler- able-and the men will not stand any longer for the abuse of the bosses. Many large shops have joined in a body, others are joining in groups and it the right wing leadership will rise to the occasion the drive will result in the re-establishment of union con- trol in the jewelry shops, which was lost in the last strike. The progressive jewelers who urged action continually are in the front line doing organizing work. The campaign will assume a more serious aspect now, more mass meet- ings will be called and all the jewel- ers are urged to come in and help re-establish the union as a factor in the trade for the benefit of the jewelry workers and their families. PENNSY PORTERS ASKED 10 PICK COMPANY TOOLS Benefit Association Vot- ing Is Controlled NEW YORK,.Oct. 12, — An organ- ized attempt to, foist “company” offi- cials upon the supposedly independent Pullman Porters’ Benefit Association is in full swing.at the Pennsylvania terminal where primaries are in pro- gress according. to information re- ceived in the offices of the Brother. hood of Sleeping Car Porters. Violate Constitution. Although the “constitution of the Association provides that only porters actually in service shall be eligible for office,” the company is making a desperate effort to nominate a ticket composed entirely of welfare workers, instructors, and “company” men to guide the destinies of the benefit as- sociation. Many porters have reported to the brotherhood that their pay checks were being withheld until they regis- tered a vote in this farcical primary and that they were being instructed to vote for the company ticket, Spread Lies, At the same time thé company is creulating propaganda to the effect that the brotherhood is anxious to get its hands on the funds of the Bene- fit Asogiation amd destroy it. Noth- ing could be futther from the truth, The brotherhood | wahts to help the AIMEE APPEALS FOR SUPPORT TO KU KLUX KLAN Radio Man’s Paramour Blames the Pope LOS ANGBPLES, Oct, 12.—Appeal-} ing to the ku klux klan for support, Aimee Semple McPherson went to court today for the beginning of the third week of her unprecedented pre-| liminary hearing. The evangelist, her | mother, and Mrs. Lorraine Wiseman; Sielaff of San Francisco are charged with conspiracy to produce false | testimony. Distributing printed cards to her! congregation, which testify to the signers’ unwavering faith in the in- tegrity of the Angelus Temple pastor, Mrs, McPherson said: “How many of you are members of the klan? Take several hundred cards with you to the meetings and get signatures.” Charges Frame-Up. Mention of the klan as a potential source of strength confirmed earlier indications that the evangelist centers her defense about a charge of a “religious frame-up.” When Deputy District Attorney Joe Ryan and Capt. of Detectives Herman Cline discovered that Kenneth Ormiston, former radio man employed at Mrs, McPherson’s Angelus Temple, had spent ten days in a Carmel-by-theSea cottage with a woman resembling the evangelist at a time when the pastor claimed she was kidnaped, Mrs. McPherson an- swered the charge by declaring Ryan and Cline were “catholics persecuting a protestant minister.” Miss Agnes Callahan. | Again, during the questioning of Miss Agnes Callahan, a prosecution \ witness who testified that she had seen a man, identified by her as Ormiston, enter a hotel room regular- ly rented by the evangelist, Defense Attorney Gilbert made an unsuccess- | ful effort to introduce into the record | the fact that Miss Callahan is a cath-| olic. f Boston C. L. U. Plans | Building of New | Home for Unions BOSTON, Oct. 12.—(FP)— Boston’s Central Labor Union is considering the erection of its own home, American Federation of Labor or- ganizer Frank H. McCarthy moved for the appointment of -an investigat- ing committee, which was approved. McCarthy argued that.the body had Practically agreed before the war to build a Labor Temple and was then considering several possible sites, The organizer said that the outlook. for or- ganized labor is better now than it has been for ‘years and the time seemed opportune for the Céntral La- bor body to build. John Van Vaerenwyck, president Massachusetts Federation of Labor, led a two-hour discussion of work- men’s compensation. A joint confer- ence qf representatives from all cen- tral bodies in the state is planned for Boston to discuss what the unions shall demand before the special com- mission appointed by Governor Alvan Fuller to consider workmen’s com- pensation legislation changeg. President William Green of the A.| F. of L. and other union heads will | be invited to speak before the com- mission for Massachusetts labor. Washington Post Assays Role of Adviser to the Machinists of America WASHINGTON, Oct, 12.—Under the above title the Washington Post leads its editorial page with an appeal to the metal. trades of the American Federation of Labor to refuse affilia- tion with the International Federation porters make alive organization out company control and separating it from the perni¢ious company union plan and putting! it in the hands of the porters who support it and to whom it belongs. A bold attempt like this one to violate thé ‘laws and the spirit of the Association ought togbe and will be opposed by members of the brother- hood and other porters as well. The primaries closed on Thursday, October 7, and after the counting of the ballots it will be definitely known whether the scheme of the Pullman company has eucceeded, Pullman Porters Say Corporation Censored Chicago Newspapers DETROIT, Oct, 12,.--Waiting on the convention sidelines is A, Philip Ran- dolph, general organizer of the new of Metal Workers. It argues that American labor should beware of internationalists be- ause any such connection would mean that American money would as- sist radical propaganda abroad and would lead to the introduction of so- cialism into American unions. If for- eigners have not the nerve to get liberty for themselves which America affords to her workers, it declares, American workers have no interest in helping them, Still less, the editorial asserts, should American workers be expected to encourage foreign labor in its “heresies” whereby it fails to co-operate with the employing class abroad. Prisoner Sends Dollar to Aid British Miner Strike Thru I. W. A. The International Workers’ Aid has Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,| received a contribution of one dollar which has enrolled over half of the/to aid the British miners from a Pullman employes as members, He}worker who is held- prisoner in a cannot speak unless the Hotel and | Pennsylvania jail. Restaurant Bmployes’ Association,| The folowing letter was received which claims jurisdiction over porters, |from the prisoner, Andy Gyrych: waives its objections, “International” Workers’, Aid, “Gentlemen: “Received your Mtevrature pertain- ing to the British Miners’, Aid, Will say I have talked to some, of the. boys here and as things are,bard, I can oply send you one dollar (personally), which I hope will be of benefit, to Make it a, weekly habit, someone.” By Upton Sinclair (Copyright, 1926, by Uptom Sinociair) Paul paused, and waited so long that Bunny thought he wasn’t going on. ‘Why, Paul?” “Well, just outside that city, along the railroad track, there were fields—I guess there must have been ten or twenty acres, piled twenty feet high with stuff—guns and shells, railroad loco- motives, rails and machinery, motor trucks—every kind of thing you could think of to help win a war.. Some of it was in cases, and some without even a tarpaulin over it, just lying there in the rain and sinking slowly—some of the heavy stuff two feét down in the mud.» There was a hundred million dollars of it, that had been put, off the steamers, intended to be taken across to Russia; but then the revolution had come, and there it lay. One of our jobs was to guard it. At first, of course, we thought it -be- longed tothe government; but then little by little we got the story. Originally the British government had bought it for the Tsar's. government, and taken bonds for it. Later, when we came into the war, the firm of Morgan and Company took over the ‘bonds from the British government, and these supplies were Morgan's collateral, and we had overthrown the Vladivostok government to protect it for him.” * Again there was a pause. “do you really know that?” Paut laughed, but without any happiness. “Know it?” he said. “Listen, son. They sent out an expedition, two hundred and eighty men to run the railroad—every kind of expert, traffic men, telegraphers, linemen, engineers. They all wore army uni- forms, and the lowest man had the rank of second lieutenant; of course we thought they were part of the army, like the rest of us. But they got: fancy pay, and by God, it wasn’t army pay, it was checks on a Wall Street bank! I’ve seen dozens of those checks. It was a private expedition, sent to run the railroad for the bank- ers.” “But why, Paul?” “L’ve told you—to break the strike. The biggest strike in all history—the Russian workers against the landords and the bank- “Paul,” said Bunny, anxiously, . }ers; and we were to put the workers down, and the landlords and bankers up! Here’and there were bunches of refugees, for- mer Officers of the Tsar’s army, grand dukes and their mistresses, land-owners and their families; they would get together and call themselves a government, and it was our job to rush them sup- plies, and they would print paper money, and hire séme adven- turers and grab-a bunch of peasants and ‘conscript’ them and that would be an army, and we’d move them on the railroad and they’d overthrow another Soviet government and slaughter a few more hundreds or thousands of workingmen. That’s been my job for the past, year and a half; do you wonder I’m sick?” “Paul, did you have to kill people?” It was Ruth’s voice of horror. “No, I don’t think I killed anybody. I was a carpenter, and my, only fights were with the Japs, that were supposed to be our allies. You see, the Japs were there to grab the country, so they didn’t want either the ‘white’ Russians or the ‘red’ ones to succeed. The first thing they did was to counterfeit the money of the ‘white’ government; they brought in billions of fake roubles and bought everything in sight—banks and hotel# and stores and real estate—they made themselves the capitalists, and broke the ‘white’ government with their fake money. They resented our being there and the fact that we really tried to help the whites’ ; they butted in on our job, and there were times when we lined up our troops and threatened to fire in five minutes if they didn’t move out. They were always picking on our men; I was fired at three times in the dark—got one bullet through my hat and another through my shirt.” Ruth sat there with her hands clasped together and her face white. She could see those bullets going through Paul’s clothing right now! And be sure that she was not unlearning any of her dislike for war? “A lot of our fellows came to hate the Japs,” said Paul; “but ji I got a philosophy out of this—the only thing I did get. The ruling classes in Japan were grabbing half a continent; but all the poor soldiers were grabbing was pay even poorer than mine. They didn’t know what they were there for—they, also had been kidnapped. There were some that had been to ‘Ameri- ca, and I got to talk with them, and we never had any trouble in agreeing. That was true of Czecho-Slovaks, and Germans— every nation I met. I tell you, Bunny, if the private soldiers could have talked it over, there wouldn’t have been any war. But that is what is known as treason, and if you try it you're shot.” (To be continued) FAIRY TALES for Workers’ Children j The Works of Karl Marx For every worker in these books and mphiets is the understanding that leads to an intelligent and greater usefulness in the labor movement. SELECTED ESSAYS—A new book in its first American publication. Cloth $1.75 VALUE, PRICE ANO bi ag ‘ . WAGE-LABOR AND bigest he CRITIQUE OF POLITICAL ECON. omy, Cloth $1.25 REVOLUTION AND COUNTER. 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