The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 17, 1926, Page 2

ee EOE * foremen if carpets are young carp. \ they realize that this fight must be | ' fought out now or ali the workers will | , this year. The scholarships are pro- ‘ the essay contest was held—with two Page Two THE DAILY WORKER PHILA, CARPET | 4mba WORKERS FIGHT _| 15% WAGE CUT Injunction Issued by Capitalist Court By J. O. BENTALL, (Special to The Dall; Werker) PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Oct. 15.—A drastic injunction has been issued | against the Tapestry Carpet Workers’ | Union, which has been out on strike | in the Philadelphia Carpet Company | shop for three weeks, forbidding the strikers from picketing, talking to their fellows, visiting the homes of scabs and interfering in any manner with the business of the company and ita scabs. The injunction judge went the oth- | ers one better when he inserted in his | order that his dictum holds good for officials of the union past, present and future, Fighting Wage Cuts. The Philadelphia Carpet Company, which employs about 300 workers, had been picked out to start the program ot wage-cutting among the carpet man- | piactarers of this city, The first slash *- 58 per cent. It was 15 per cent teo much. The workers walked out fa a body. Picketing was begun and the scabs so far are few and fum- bling, unable to produce anything but expense for the boss, The Tapestry Carpet Workers’ Un {tom 45 the strongest and most aggres- ‘géve organization in this city, and is fm complete contre! of the situation. The tapestry carpet workers are 100 per cent organized, with ao break tn f thetr ranks, About 25 scabs are now MY eqpeed goods in the struck shop and company is protecting them with & pretty police crew that honors the peabs by hauling them in funeral ‘ buspes to and from work. These { géebs are so stupid that they ask the Already the other carpet shops have assessed themselves weekly percent- age of wages to assist the strikers, as get the same wage cut thruout the carpet industry, Mass -Picketing. The strikers are adopting the method of militant mass picketing. They bave sent to Passaic for the songs that the strikers there have sung for 35 weeks d Philadelphia will be hearing music in the near fu- ture that will outclass the grand opera, especially among the workers, Two Painters, One From Chicago, Win Brookwood Tuition KATONAH, N. Y., Oct. 14—(FP) — Wirlning essays in a scholarship con- test put William Absolon, Local 273, Chicago Brotherhood of Painters, Dec- orators and Paper Hangers, and Lou Horning, Local 127, of the same un- jon, into Brookwood Labor College vided by their international union and economics professors of Purdue (Ind.) university as judges—to select the lucky students from a group of candi- dates. Absolon wrote on “the closed shop aa a means of furthering ths cause of labor” and Horning on “trado un- fonism and politics.” Alternates se- lected were Franklin Sipes, Local 8. Indianapolis, and Gerald V. Morris, Local 1158, San Francisco. Forty-seven trade unioniste will form the student body as Brookwood | begins its sixth year October. 13. Make Electric Lis Light Bulbs Too Fast, Cut Down Worker Payroll SCRANTON, Pa., Oct. 14.—(FP) — General Electric is stopping the pro- duction of electric ght bulbs in Scranton. The management says that labor saving machinery, enab- Mng several times the production per man of séveral years ago allows the necessary output with a restricted number of plants. Factories in Minneapolis, St. Louia, Fort Wayne, Ind. and Central Falls, R. I., have been closed in the last few years. The Scranton plant worked only five days a week at 60 per cent capacity the last year. The Scranton plant has been cut to 40 employes from 230 while the company {s con- sidering whether it shall be main- tainod for some other purpose or closed altogether. Make It a weekly habit, ssador wy Fase Dictiitership of Spain Received by President Coolidge | ls ehown leaving the White House in company with J. Butler Wright, assist- ant secretary of state, after presenting his credentials as ambassador to President Coolidge. Wright has also | tocrat, Queen Marle, when she arrives | seem to consist of making blue-bloods feel at home ln “democratic” America. the Job of meeting another royal aris- in New York. The gentleman's duties AKRON BLUECOATS | ‘ARREST VENDOR OF “RUBBER WORKER” Bosses Conduct Cam- paign of Terrorization (Speciat to The Dally Worker) AKRON, Ohto, Oct. 14—Following the terrorization that the rubber bosses have exerted upon the rubber | workers, by firing the most prominent among them who dared to join the/ Union, last night, | one of the men who was selling the | Rubber Workers’ Rubber Worker, the official organ of the union, was arrested. The men sell the paper when the workers come from the shop, on all three shifts. It was eleven o'clock at night and the paper was going well, when a policeman approached John Steuben who was selling the paper, and took him to headquarters, No Ordlance Covers Case. There is no ordinance requiring men to procure a licensa to sell the papers. But the cop thought he could get something against the man by accusing him of distributing the paper free of charga. The paper sells for two cents, and many of the rubber workers do mot even ask for change but give the men 5, 10 and even 25 cents. The lawyers appeared on the scene, and finally the young man had to be released, Discharge “Falthful.” In the past few weeks a new sys- tem has been introduced. This system {s called the “morit” system. Formerly a man would be promoted, or at least would not be discharged when times became slack, if he had been long in| the service. But now the attitude is that a young man who can produce is worth a dozen who only have service pins. One after the other of the old service men are being thrown into the street, and young virile men are being given their jobs, The eagerness with which the work- ers surround the sellers of the Rubber Worker indicates what their frame of mind is. MOSCOW AND LENINGRAD WORKERS SWAMP OPPOSITION IN VOTING By JOHN PEPPER, Special Cable to The DAILY WORKER, MOSCOW, U. &, S. R, Oct. 15—The unanimity with which the workers of Moscow and Leningrad repudiated the opposition in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union led by Zinoviev and Trotsky Is shown by the vote of the party unite in these cities as published In Pravda. In Moscow, 53,950 voted for the central committee of the party while only 176 or 3 per cent voted for the Opposition, in Leningrad, 33,729 members: voted for the central committee while the opposition polled only 328 or 9 per cent of the votes, Thus the -opposition In these two important cltles recelved about 600) vetes, or 67 per cont of the total. FIFTH AVENUE | TAILORS WIN —— -40-HOUR WEEK Marked Effect on the Un- organized Workers _ ' NEW YORK, Oct. 15, (FP) —The 40-hour week is gained by~ another | group of New York workers. A sharp one-week strike, tieing up the smart Fifth avenue shops where ladies suits }and dresses are done to order, was handily won by Ladies Tailors’ and Customs Dressmakers’ Local Union 38, | International Ladies Garment Work- jers. Numerous arrests enlivened Fifth avenue during the week, Lng out halting the strike. Eight months a year the straight 40-hour week is to prevail, as with the fur workers’ union. Then for four months, during two 2-month busy sea- son periods, the shops will be open Saturday morning also, for a 44-hour week, with straight time for the four hours overtime. Wages Increased The 40-hour week will be compen- sated by a weekly wage three dollars higher than before the strike and during the busy seasons the tailors will. be making about eight dollars more for 44 hours than in the same time prior to the walkout. New mi- nimums for tailors will be $58 a week; for drapers, $50, drassmakers, $40 and tintshers, $35. Affects Many Unorganized Eighteen hundred union members benefit directly and as many more un- organized workers receive average increases of $2 to $5 a week—though still below union standards, — and shorter hours for many. In fact the advertisements for help in the want columns of the World and other papers from non-union plants promise the,54la4y week for many shops as an inducement. Hundreds of Girls Join Unfon Most of the union members are tailors — the highest paid craft group —but surprising success was had with the strike call to the dressmakers and finishers, The latter two groups are largely “American girls’, Several hundred joined the union and, conditions are now ripe for a big organization drive to secure the closed shop in the still ‘| unorganized plants. Keyes “Unaccountably” Ill in McPherson Case LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14.—District Attorney Asa Keyes, prosecuting the Aimee Semple McPherson preliminary hearing, became suddenly and unac- countably ill today as he prepared to go to court to pre “conspiracy” charges against the evangelist and her mother, Keyes’ illness, it was reported, was diagnosed «as ptomaine poisoning. Dennison will continue with the Mc- Pherson proliminary hearing until their chief {9 able to come to court. Keyow’ filness, it wae said, was not grave, Deputy district attorneys Murray and | ALL CLASSES T0 VOICE PROTEST FOR ROUMANIANS New York Meeting Will Expose Tyranny (Special to The. Dally Worker) NEW YORK, Oct. 15.—All shades of political opinion will be represented at the Union Square mass meeting which has been arranged by the New York Section of the . International Labor Defense for Monday, Oct. 18, at 5:30, to protest against. the persecu- tion of political prisoners in Rouma- nia. Voloe Protest. United in their ,condemnation of Roumania’s white terror, Robert W. Dunn, Bishop Paul Jones, Elfabeth Gurley Flynn, Forrest Balley, Ben Gitlow, Carlo Tresea and others will address the meeting and voice the protest of American workers and in- tellectuals against the inhuman treat- ment of workers and peasants by the Roumanian authorities, Denied Civi{ Rights. Im addition to torture, the denial of all civil rights is being used against political prisoners by the Roumanian government in its effort to crush work- ers’ organizations. The authorities are determined that there shall be no evidence of discontent in Roumania, that all shall appear'to be happy and peaceful so that when Queen Marie arrives here seeking a loan she can point to a stable and well-controlled. country which would.be certain to pay back its debts with interest. Trial by jury, in Roumania, has been abandoned in most workers’ cases. ‘ter beatings and torture: prisoner's are tried under martial law by a military tribunal. Prisoners are courtmartialed just as they would be in time of war, and to make this seem legal, the government announces all of a sudden, that the district in which the workers were arrested is under martial law—altho no one had ever heard so before. One Court Sentences. One of these military courts, at Kischiney, sentenced 189 prisoners to terms totaling 711 years. The mili- tary council of Klausenburg sentenced a group of young workérs—all under 20 years of age—to a total of 23 years imprisonment for the’crimes of organ~ izing labor, | All the participants in a conference of workers and peasafits in Turn-Seve- rin were arrested and kept a day by the pdlice, When they protested against this illegal Gétention, the po- lice chief said, “I am’the law, gentle- men, and I interpret {t just as I like. Your present arrest is nothing but the business risk of a Roumanian poli- tician.” Avarescu at Bottom. All of these proceédings, together with the frightfully brutal treatment of political prisoners, is merely the carrying out of General Avarescu’s |) announcement that “Every attempt to disturb public order’ by whatever means or in whatever way will be surpressed not only, with extreme energy, but mercilessly.” Let the workers of New York City come to Union Square next Monday at 5:80 and show what they think of a government which so persecutes those who strive to better the condi- tions of the workers, Ku Kluxers Are Armed Gunmen, Suit in Ohio for Property Reveals AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 14—The fight that is going on in the Summit county klan is leading to many reve- lations. When the konklave of the Ku Klux Klan took place in Washing- ton about a month ago, Dr. W. K. Smith, head of the Summit county chapter, was removed from office just as the Ohio delegation was swinging into Mne in the paradw. Then the fight began, the original cause being property in Akron valued at more than $50,000. Charges of insubordi- nation were brought against Smith, counter-charges being freely made. C. Gilbert Taylor, grand dragon of the realm of Ohio, made the following statement: “I came to Akron ‘Labor Day and saw klansmen carrying rifles and guns on their hips in an unlawful manner.” To this Smith replied, “This month yet, we understand there is to be at Dayton a Competitive military drill by the klavaliers. His (Taylor's) as- tonishment is unique, since they (the Ku Kluxers) mi behind him with rifles and were reviewed by him at Newark (Ohio) when he was in- ducted into office. He also reviewed them at Berea, leading the parade and one of his staff remarked to me, ‘A soldier is under every robe! ... At the Buckeye Lake konclave, the camp was protected by military dis- ctpline, plenty of guns were in evi- dence, and Evans’ own cottage was behind ® guard line,” No better evidence is necessary as to the nature of the Ku Klux Klan. It {9 a militarily armed organization, and the sooner the workers under- stand that it is no “law-abiding,” “Christian,” organization depending on love, the better it will be for them. Why not « ema DAILY WORKER ly to take to your t pundie of The to you regular. union meeting? ‘ CATHOLICS GET A. F. OF L. TO INVESTIGATE MEXICAN UNIONS (Continued trom page 1) the members of the executive council’ must clear their skirts of the slime and the deception practiced upon them by the Mexican Federation of Labor,” that Fitepatrick denounced as “the kept woman of the Mexican govern- ment.” * The Mexican question came up in the report of the committee on inter- national relations on the Pan,Ameri- can Federation of Labor and the Mexti- can Federation of Labor. .It said in Dart: “In keeping with the foregoing principles and In the Interests of all concerned, It Is recommended that the executive council of the Amer!- can Federation of Labor be author- lzed to inquire Into the relationship of thg Mexican Federation of Labor and the Mexican government for the purpose of ascertaining all the facts possible and with special ref- erence to the relationship alleged to exist between the Mexican gov- ernment and the Mexican Federa- tlon of Labor for the information of the affiliated unions.” Delegate: Fitzpatrick was on the floor ag soon as Delegate Woll had finished reading the report of the committee and moved its adoption, He started out by referring to President Green’s comment on the Eddy inci- dent to the effect that there was something about the atmosphere of Detroit that made ineffective all the rules of common decency. Green Unsophisticated. Fitzpatrick charged on the Mexican issue the art.of deception had been practiced on the unsophisticated pres- ident of the American Federation of Labor. “This Mexican government,” he charged, “when stripped of its sheep’s clothing, stands forth radiant in the red underwear of Communist Russia.” Fitzpatrick then told the story of the Irishman who had denied his faith when found drunk in the gutter by two sailors. The sailors had addressed the Irish- man asa “dirty, drunken Roman cath- olic bum,” but the Irishman had an- swered, “You're a lar, I’m a Presby- terian minister.” Fitzpatrick then declared, “For the purpose of this debate I am a Pres- byterian minister.” Crom the “Kept Woman” of Calles. “I admit that the recommendation of the committee is an honest effort to find out the true conditions south of the Rio Grande,” said Fitzpatrick. “I admit it is an effort to get the truth about the Calles administration of the Mexican government and its ‘kept woman, the Mexican Federation of Labor. I know it’ will not be a handpicked investigation like that conducted under the direction of Mr. Roberto Haberman. This convention wants the truth about Mexico, “We have interfered in every row the world over,” he went on. “The day before yesterday we knocked Mussolini off his throne in Italy,” and urged that this was good precedent for interfering in the Mexican situa- tion. What About A. F. of L, and U. 8.7? “There is no question,” he said, “about what kind of @ government there is in Mexicb. It’s red from the top of its head to the bottom of its feet. It is our duty to let the Mexican people know it, to reveal to them this foul union of Calles (president of Mexico) and the ‘Crom,’ (the Mex- ican Federation of Labor.” ~ Economic Interest Least. He charged that it didn’t matter whether Jews, Holy Rollers, or catho- lics were involved, that if the Ameri- can Federation of Labor was only, going to concern itself with man’s right to work and have no higher ideals, then it had better go out of business. Material comfort is worthy only of the least consideration. “After a committee of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor has investi- gated conditions in Mexico, it will ea no illusions as to whether there a Communist regime in the Mexi- oe Federation of Labor. The first move in the Communist philosophy is to destroy any sense of spiritual re- sponsibility. That is what has hap- pened in Russia, That is what is happening in Mexico. If this goes on successfully then nothing can stop Mexico from becoming another Rus- sia.” Fitzpatrick concluded by declaring that after an investigation has been made that the American Federation of Labor will then take the correct position, that it will set an example for the labor movement of thg world and not be under the influence of the paid propagandists of Bolshevist Mexico. Woll Regrets Division. Delegate Woll next got the floor for the committee declaring that he was glad Fitzpatrick supported the report of the committee, but claimed it was unfortunate that he had pre- judiced the case before an’ inyestiga- tion was made. “Delegate Fitzpatrick charges that the executive council was deceived,” continued Woll. “If he knew of the many reports in the archives of the executive council then he would not way that it had been deceived. I re- sent the statement that the executive council is failing to conserve the in- terests of the American labor move- ment. Feels “The Situation” Also, “Tho A. B. of L. i not organized to adjust religious controyersies. The/the republican platform adopted by Investigation will be had. and the] the republican state’ convention to- tacte: will be made known We TIN day . of orderly unionism.. We will not permit pernicious issues to divide us. As ttade unfonists, let us get the facts. I am of the same faith as the brother who has just spoken and I feel the situation just as keenly as he does. “T urge no more discussion on this subject. As honorable and righteous men let us give the truth to the world as we trade unionists find it!” Executive Councll Not Decelved. But Fitzpatrick had forced open the floodgates of discussion. Delegates Harding and Tobin were on the floor close together, while in other esctions of the hall other delegates were clam- oring for attention. President Green recognized Tobin, treasurer of the federation, head of the teamsters’ un- lon and @n ardent Catholic. “As a member of the executive council,” he began, “I ‘can’t sit idly by and listen to the statements that have been made. We ere told that the executive council must clear its skirts of the slime and deception practiced upon it by tthe Mexican Federation of Labor. I want to say that there fs mo slime on the execu- tive council. I don’t know whether Delegate Fitzpatrick has been in Mex- ico, but I have been in Mevxico,” con- tinued Tobin, as Fitzpatrick ehimed in with, “I have, too, sir.” Doing “All It Could.” Tobin ther told of an incident that happened during the visit of the A. F. of IL, executive council to the Plattsburg Military Training Camp in New. York. He said that he had there met “Fighting Father” Duffy,’ a catholic priest who had been with the boys in France. Tobin said that Duf- fy had studied the whole situation and declared that the A. F. of L. has been doing all that it could be expected to do. “T’'m satisfied with Father Duffy’s judgment,” announced Tobin. “There are a few who are trying to inject the religious question into our American labor movement. We have prevented that issue from being raised and we have brought about the best results for the American labor movement. Every attempt to raise the religious issue hag failed and it will fail now. We will not let the Mexican situation, or any other situation, raise this is- sue. I profess the same faith as Brother Fitzpatrick, but with all the power that is in me I am going to help preserve the American labor movement. Keep out all the relig- fous issues that may come here, from Mexico, Italy, Texas, or any other place. Now, Who's Secrecy ‘ie. Thie. “We have sent secret documents to Mexico. They cannot be made known now. But they will show that the executive council is doing all that it can and should do in this. matter. “We're old, practical men in the labor movement, we of the executive council,” concluded Tobin. “We have all had years of practical experience. Catholic Church O. K.'s A. F. of L. “When men high in the church have said that you have done all that you could have done, we can be satisfied with the work of the executive coun- cil. “Nothing can be gained by heaping abuse upon the executive council, the Mexican people and the Mexican gov- ernment at this time,” Before the delegates had recovered from this speech, Delegate Harding had the floor, recognized by Pr&sident Green. Hardly had Hard/ng ‘started speaking, however, when. the dele- gates began yelling, “Question! Ques- tion” drowning out the speaker. When President Green pounded the convention into order, Delegate Hard- ing proceeded with, “I am not in the habit of being squelched by any one yelling “Question! Question!” Harding then told of accepting the invitation of the Calles government to visit Mexico City and be present at the installation of Plutarco Calles as president of Mexico. Must Keep Hands Off. “I learned alittle while in Mexico,” he said. “I learned enuf to believe that the A. F. of L, should keep its hands off insofar as Mexico is con- cerned. “I resent the closing utterances of Brother Fitzpatrick.” Harding declared that any - trade unionist who has visited Mexico ana mingled with the Mexican people can- not help but sympathize with them in their struggl@s. He eulogized the constitution of the Mexican republic declaring that anyone, after reading it, would stretch out his hand in fellowship to the Mexican people. Why Not Publish the Letters? President Green then assured ‘the delegates that the executive council had not been deceived. He declared it had always been wide awake. He | sald that the letters in the possession of the executive council would prove that it was thoroly alive to the situne tion in Mexico, He charged taht Fitzpatrick was unfair in his utterances, but let him off by claiming that he made the statements that he did because he did not have the facts. The declara- tion of ths comi ried unanimously. ittee was then car- NO CHANGES IN A. E, OF L, OFFICIALDOM (Continued from page 1.) Whether Hutcheson ever got there 1s not known, He didn’t make a@ re- port to this convention. Neither did James B. Connors, vice-president of the Switchmen’s Union, who, was last year elected as Canadian fraternal delegate. : Los Angeles Next Convention City. Out of a fleld of three cities, includ- ing Birmingham, Alabama, St. Peters- burg, Florida, and Los Angeles, Call- fornia, the Pacific Coast won as 1927 convention city by a wide margin. Kenzie mission from Great Britain to the United States were presented to the convention. These included Er- nest Bevin, British General Transport Workers’ Union; James Taylor, mem- ber of the executive council of the Amalgamated Engineering Soctety (Machinists) of Great Britain; Randolph Smith, the employers, and F. W. Leggett, for the govern- ment, Bevin offered regrets at the absence of the knightly chairman of the commission. Bevin said the com- mission was here to get a true picture, uncolored, impartial of conditions tn the United States. The committee on boycotts offered a resolution renewing the boycott against the Holland Furnace Co, of Holland, Mich. Closer to Amsterdam. “On report of the committee on in’ ternational relations the convention unanimously approved of the efforts of the executive council! to develop closer relations with the Inter national Federation of Trade Unions (Amsterdam). The report noted with approval the correspondence that had been golng on regarding this subject, regretting that no. agreement had yet been reached. - It noted with satisfaction that the Amsterdam International had stood as a stalwart bulwark against the effort to substitute Communist ac- tivities for trade union activities. The réport looks forward with anticipation and pleasure to the time when the prinolples of trade unlon- . Ism will be filly adhered to, making. It possible for the A. F, of L. to associate itself with the Interna- tional Federation of Trade Unions. Correspondence to this end between Washington and _fimeterdam wilt continue, Thé action of the executive council in sending out an appeal for relief for proved. se striking British miners was ep. _Another Stall. Delegate Furuseth did not. defend his resolutions demanding opposition to the world court, the league of na- tions and the so-called labor burean of the league, On recommendation of the‘committee the matter was referred to the executive council. Last year the question of the world court was referred to the executive council for study, but the committee announced that the United States senate voted for the court before the council hed completed its study, It was declared gress at the present time calling for U.S. entry into the league, so no action was required at this time. President Green called attention to the fact that William H. Johnston, former president of the International Association of Machinists, was a vis- itor at the convention, Green said this was appreciated by the delegates. Ignores a Question. L, J. Flint, executive vice-president of the Cititzens’ Committee of Detroit, on behalf of 45 local groups of busi- ness men, sent a letter to the A. F. of L. convention urging that, “Before the conclusion of your convention it is. sincerely hoped that yqu will an- swer this question, ‘What can the Federation do for Detroit workmen?’ May this subject be made a special order of business?” The convention took no notice of the document. N. Y. Health Center of Garment Workers Helps Other Unions NEW. YORK, Oct. 14.—(FP)— The ladies’ garment workers’ union health center of New York is rapidly expanding its medical services to other unions. One hundred and twenty-five members of the Amalga- mated Clothing Workers reteived physical examination and medical treatment since the first of tne year. Three hundred and ‘forty-three phys- ical examinations of members of the Fur Workers Union were given in ad- dition to a special physical examina- tion of three hundred striking fur workers during the recent strike, Members of the Musicians’ Union, the Bakery Workers and a number of, other unions have taken bidet oft its expert service, All applicants for membership to the ladies’ garment. workers’ union must take tho beulth center's examination. George M. Price, director, ats tended the International Conference Members of the Sir William Mac-* C7 that there is no proposal before con~ on Tuberculosis in Washington this Octobe: and was a delegates to the Anierican Public Herlth Conference that opened in Buffalo October 11. We will send ) The DAILY ie int your Pe ve na at mcr ar PROVIDENCE, R. 1, Oct. 14,—Re- submission of the eighteenth amend- ment in congress and enforcement of the Volstead act until a change is recommended. was the chief plank in TS ela! TH , | | | | i| |