The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 9, 1926, Page 2

| i 1 1 Ecee Two Company Negligence Caused Death Daily Worker Correspondent Gives Facts of Pabst Mine Entombment and Charges Disastrous Cave-In to Company Neglect — The Daily Worker Asks If the Same Is Not the Case In Ishpeming Where 51 Miners Met Their Doom? The death of 51 miners in the Barnes--Hecker iron mine near Ishpeming, Mich., last Wednesday, following so closely on the heels of the Oliver mine disaster in which three men were killed and 40 miners entombed for 131 hours, raises the question of the fatal regularity with which these catastro- phes occur in the iron mines of Minnesota and Michigan, killing miners by the score each year and leaving hundreds of widows and orphans without THE DAILY WORKER — DISCUSS UNITY WITH LABOR AT CO-OP CONGRESS A Strong Progressive Bloc Is at Work | (Special to The Daily Worker) MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Nov. 7. — Recognition of the fact that the co- operative movement Is part of the la- bor movement and must support labor in both Its economic and political movements Is the central issue at the congress of the Co-operative League spoken. tions. HE White House spokesman has That is, “Silent Cal” give his views on the recent elec- If Cal Coolidge believes his own words, a doubt raised by the ‘ fact that even “strikebreaker” presi- | dents do not always permit them- selves to say what they think, but taking it for granted that “The By J. LOUIS ENGDAHL. them any the less supporters of things as they are. has found his voice sufficiently to ties The mere fact, however, that seven republican senators were de- teated, is in itself proof of the re- pudiation of the Coolidge adminis- tration by large masses of voters, mostly workers. The fact that they merely turned to democratic candi- iA Masses of Workers in TWO MONTANA Action Must Be Turned in the Right Direction‘ COUNTIES ARE | ~WONBY FLL. Farmer-Labor Carries Despite Wheeler By C. E, TAYLOR . (Special to The Daily Worker) PLENTYWOOD, Mont. Nov. 7 — The Farmer-Labor Party won two Montana counties, Sheridan and Dan- jels, by a substantial majority after one of the fiercest political battles fought in Northeastern Montana in a support starter) ; I aie mica Rlt Silent One” is not committing per- | dates is only proof of the political dpeude 5 d of America In session a e Fran! jury, then we are to take it for immaturity of these workers, not yet There is ample reason to think that “natural causes” are not altogether to blame for the|co-operative Creamery Auditorium | granted that he is very much satis: | conscious of their own class inter- | Senator Chas. EH. ‘Taylor was re- frequently recurring cave-ins that entomb miners in the depths of the shafts or drown them in| here. | ests, elected to the state upper house and the entries as happened at Ishpeming. The DAILY WORKER here reprints a letter received from a reliable observer of the Oliver mine disastet and subsequent events which proves that the ssponsible for the entombment of the 20 men and the death of the three who did company was r not come out The proo ve. the author of the letter believes, be foundto apply to most mines on the iron range. ‘ ‘The resolutions committee reported | submitted in this letter of company negligence in the case of the Oliver mine can, The DAILY WORKER, having reason to put implicit faith in the word of its correspondent, raises this ques- tion also in connection with the Ishpeming cave-in—one of the worst in the history of iron mining. The letter follows: eady, five years ago, the Oliver Mining company in od, Mich., made estimates of rebuilding the caved- the Pasbt mine. They ran from $160,00 to ocal officers of the company stated clearly the shaft was not safe. But in its eagerness for profits, company headquarters did not, until after the disaster, designate any funds to be used for that purpose. 30 Years Old. destruction. This meant in the repair work a saving of some $70,000 to the company, I do not here go into the details of how the rescue was accomplished. It suffices to say that the men were en- tomber 131 hours. The nerves of many of them were broken. The agony was great, not to speak of being without food five days and nights. Robbed of Compensation. According to those who know about mining laws, the favorably for such action by a vote | of six to one, A heated discussion fol- lowed the committee report and final action was to have been taken in Saturday’s session. There is large sup- port for the resolution recommending union with the labor movement. Big Progressive Bloc. A large progressive delegation pres- ent in the convention seems to be in the majority. The progressives have a big representation on most committees and is in the majority on the resolu- tions committee. The pure and simple co-operators under the leadership of Doctor War- basse have been completely out-maneu- tions, out in the senate, . oe mism, fied with last week’s results. | In fact, Coolidge is convinced, ac- cording to the best Washington re- Ports at hand, that the republican party acutally won a big nation-wide victory by again capturing a safe majority of the seats in the house of representatives which, in his opin- ion, furnished the only national test of party sentiment in Tuesday’s elec- It does not seem to matter much with Coolidge that the “safe majority” was very much diminished in the house and completely wiped There can be only one basis for Coolidge’s brave’ display of opti- It can only be based on ry Coolidge claims to ‘be little wor- ried over the defeat of his “per- sonal friend,” Senator William But- ler, in Massachusetts. That will give the ex-senator more time, says Cal, to devote to his pressing duties as chairman of the republican national committee, Coolidge contends that David I. Walsh won the senatorship in-“Massachusetts merely as the re- sult of his personal popularity. This merely bears out, of course, the charge of the Workers (Communist) Party that there are no differences betwoen Butler and Walsh, insofar as they concern the working class, that they are both hostile to the interests of labor, o* Robert Larson was returned to the state house of representatives for Sheridan county. In Daniels county, Sparling, Farmer-Labor, was elected to the house. 7 Stoner Wins for Congress, Clair Stoner, Farmer-Labor candi- date for congress carried Sheridan county by a good majority in spite of a personal letter written by Senator Burton K, Wheeler paying a compli- ment to Stoner but urging the voters to support Mitchell, democrat of Great Falls. The final county result showed that Stoner ran first, Leavitt second and Mitchell third, Stoner getting a majority, ‘ Defeat for Wheeler, Sheriff Salisbury was re-elected as This shaft had been constructed some thirty years ago. , . ¥ ities have never been changed. ‘They are rotten to | entity of which T cannot for the present reveal, the|ered 20 far. The leadershin of the | Coolidge's hope that be can con: | nore wouta have been a diferent. |t®, Farm county forthe third time bY re extent, that as the entombed miners claim, any one | Men are, each one of them, entitled to a compensation | Progressive wing has been assumed by flict Oa outburst from the White House’ to id give! the extent, hat as t or 4 i : from $4,000 to $6,000, But there ‘ls in Ironwood, Mich., | the delegation of the Co-operative Cen-| Sufficient numbers to assure a ma- ‘be sure if the seven defeated repub- |* huse majority. The rest of the cape <cctabongsh arabial ne area cas pa! no organization of the workers to press for this, The|‘t@l Exchange with Hallonen, Ronn,| jority, even in the senate, for re- lican senators had been replaced by |*8rmer-Labor county ticket also went » thes: bers. q 7 i bh . Minor accidents and cavedna happened froquently. The | cOFoner, who held the post mortem of the iilled ones,| Ntrm! and Carlson lending the discus-| sctlonary, measures. The question | ‘xe slected spokesmen of & DOWer ipictnidants' oad: Souniy: Siti re eal a é i sion for the progressive Dice. ful Labor Party, with a few Com- ¥ sich thie Hale tfit were frequently out of order freed the Oliver Mining company practically from the A Sul ri ap ep oe pial i ae the tremendous | Tesponsibil And what else could be expected from| There are about a hundred delegates arty Sie Ge a ae munists among them. Speaker ger nd: Wher: Feetnastaber cake: of the surrounding mass, The skip flew off {ts | the brother-in-law of the superintendent of the company | Present at the congress representing r . ee Nicholas Longworth, of the house of = : 2 once in a while and knocked loose timber, brac- ing and dirt from the walls of the shaft. Such things hap- pened a couple of times just before the disaster. The yery same morning the skip was cleared by hewing with axes a few inches off the railings just in the place were the cave-in -happened a couple of hours later, Men Not Warned. in a surrounding, which is practically run by the dicta- torship of the steel trust, This does not, however, remove the responsibility, The company knows it, but tried to work each entombed miner individually to sign a quit-claim deed. It proposed to each one who was 131 hours entombed, elght hours straight time for each twenty-four hours spent behind the major consumers’ co-operatives of the country, WHY PAYMENT OF TAXES WAS” in congress for the most reactionary elements within both the republican and democratic parties. has put his measures thru the Unit- ed Statés senate with donkey votes before and he will not be backward about accepting the same assistance representatives, wouldn’t join Cal Coolidge in talking so glibly of the election results if the missing re- publicans in the lower house of con- gress were being replaced by class conscious spokesmen of labor. The fact that this is not taking place Coolidge didates for state legislature were de- feated by small majorities in Roose- velt county. CLEVELAND S. P, again for his somewhat dilapidated _ the pressure whieh had reamed in the railings, mak: | 1° ¢4vedM and twelve houre for the Sunday. ‘This means clephant tn Wall strers poutical | sine sues consort to ton deme: REFUSES TO AID ing the skip in ble, had made the electric wires Some of the miners have been stupid enough to accept POPULAR SPORT tara especially to their masters, the erind together. e big rock which a little later on igen this “offer” after being given vague promises of “steady, Just as the democratic senator, | american’ buccaneers of big busi- in, was moving. The situation was threatening. jut easy jobs.” Every one knows that this does not mean any. Claude Swanson, from Virginia, led men working in the drifts below were not warned about this, tho it was known to every one that this shaft was the only way out of the mine. (Law provides there shall be two shafts in each mine.) The superintendent ~was down 20 minutes prior to the eave-in. He barely had time to ascend and send down the | electric repair crew, when the cave-in occurred, killing ‘ instantly this crew of three. > This happened about 11 o’clock a.m. But the company did not give any alarm fot help. Cave-ins were so usual, } that it was left to the men to clear themselves out. An- : other and greater cave-in occurred at 2 p. m. Then the first alarm was given. But the Oliver Mining company ; had practically no rescue equipment. It took hours be- | fore any could be brought from near-by Newport Loca- tion by borrowing from another mining company. To ; iilustrate how completely the Oliver Mining company was ; unprepared, it serves to mention that in the company storehouse there were not more than two axes, not to speak of drills, diamond drills, or other more expensive equipment. Don’t Know Mining. The leadership of the mining operations of the Olivet | Mining company is distributed by relationship and not according to capacity and knowleldge of mining. The ; Fesult is, that the officials do not know anything of mining. And in this instance when the Newport Loca { thon rescue crew came, they had to drive off the Oliver ‘company ‘officials and the Aurora mining officials took } charge’ of the rescuing work. One of the drift bosses of the Oliver Mining company ‘was among the entombed ones. He did not know what to thing. Twenty-seyen of those who were entombed have decided to fight for their rights. Local People Help. The editor of the Ashland Daily Press, a federal meat inspector, one senator of the state of Michigan, and some other local people have promised assistance to these workers in pressing forja federal grand jury investiga- tion. The affidavits are’ sworn, but that is not enough Pressure to bring the investigation, nor to force the of- ficials to enforce the law. More pressure must be brought to play in circumstances where the almighty steel trust controls the grand jury, the government of the county and to a large extent the government of the state. To force justice for these workers the voice of the or- ganized workers is necessary and a lot of publicity. And for creating this, the matter should be taken up in central labor assemblies, state federations of labor, and so on. Resolutions should be passed condemning the in- justice practiced upon these workers, and the matter should be drawn to the attention of the executive council of the American Federation of Labor with the request of moral support to this demand of investigation and justice and publicity in the cause of these miners of Ironwood, Mich., who are living under the ruthless heel of the steel trust. Need Organization. i All this is so much more important due to the fact this disaster and its aftermath has driven home to the iron miners of the state of Michigan the lesson of the necessity of organizing. There is an ever-growing senti- ment for it, but the ruthlessness of the Oliver Mining But There’s Many a Slip Twixt Hip and Lip Increased business in the tax exter sion department of County. Cler) Sweitzer’s office thangs been report: ed lately is apparently explained by the visit of federal prohibition agents there Saturday. Wondering what caused the warm popularity of the of fice, whose geniality seemed to “‘per- vade” the entire atmosphere of the county building with an “aroma” of friendliness, the federal agents made a call on Sweitzer. A bar room that lacked nothing except free sand- wiches was found there in the huge safe that presumably houses impor- tant government documents. It is reported that while the agents were listening thru the key-hole be- fore makifig the ra{d, the following conversations were heard: “IT want to extend my tax payments two months,” sald one public spirited taxpayer. “How'll you have it,. straight or mixed?” answered the clerk. “Can you give me six month's time?” another hundred percenter (up to the neck). “democrats.” the fight for the world court in the last congressional session, so the interests of the international finan- ciers will be well taken care of in the days ahead, as long as working class voters content themselves with displacing republican standpatters with the stone age relics labelled Fat and pompous Senator Heflin, democrat, from Alabama, may be- come apoplectic in his heated denun- ciation of the huge republican slush funds in Pennsylvania and Illinois, but the Muscle Shoals debate show- ed Heflin the agent of the power and public utility profiteers at least on a par with Senator-Elect Frank L, Smith. There being less of a struggle within the democratic party in Alabama than there is within the Illinois republican ranks, Heflin can afford to sell himself much cheaper than his counterpart in the north. But that does not make either of ness. eee This is being written at Kansas City, Missouri. The local Kansas City Star reports that the latest re- turns indicate that the next state legislative will consist of a democra- tic senate (21 to 13) and of a repub- lican house of representatives (77 to 78). The capitalists are not worried. Missouri is safe, There isn't one enemy of the capitalist social order in the Whole state legislative. ry The last election, with its repudia- tion of Coolidgeism, merely show that the working class masses are in action, that they are moving, aim- lessly and ignorantly to be sure, but mevertheless, moving. It is the duty of labor’s Communist vanguard, the Workers (Communist) Party to see that labor moves in the right direc- tion, into the labor party and not into the blind alley of the jackass democracy. Communists Repudiate Slander SACCO-VANZETTI Spurns Conference of Labor Groups By a Worker Correspondent CLEVELAND, Nov. 7, — The Ohio State Socialist Party has refused to co- operate with the Cleveland Sacco- Vanzetti Defense conference, which is composed of forty organizations for the purpose of bringing pressure to bear for the freedom of the two Mass- achusetts frame-up victims. Communications had been sent to all of the labor organizations in Cleve- land; including the Socialist Party. When the S. P. failed to respond to the communications, the secretary of ° the conference, Carl Hacker, went to the office of the party to inquire the reasons. John G. Willert, the secre tary, promptly responded to the in- quiry by declaring it was the policy of the “Socialist Party not to affiliate with any organizations for the pur- pose of carrying on protest work, no matter what the cause was, but that the Socialist Party would rather de- cide for itself on the particular ques- tion and ‘carry on the work, if they : és company prevents it from coming out in the open. “Will you take it here or on the ogee s think it necessary, in their own way ye aagal reece Pb se — proposed to aie the Sympathy of organized workers from outside would eee ie and by themselves without co-opera- | i due chats pb saditingyeea she hagrcrtbipng oi 33 posh pte into materializing in actual or-} “Cancel my extension.” tion from any outside forces.” Thus " anization work, “ ” WH, Instead ke tried to telephone up for Advice. The cs rk, and should the American Federation of ‘Scotch or rye?’ . | the Socialist Party attempts to remain ‘wires were cut off by the cave-in. Dirt came down con- stantly threatening to cut off all possible means of rescue, The entombed miners took it upon themselves to block the shaft. And by doing this they not only saved the ; woad for their rescue, but 800 feet of the shaft from Labor extend its hand for giving at least moral support, that would help the awakening of these workers to the idea and necessity of organization. That would be of Breat value to the A. F. of L. in creating friendly rela- tions with these elements and strengthening the in- fluence of the A. F. of L. Books for Women CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR SPEAKS a WELL BUT WHAT ABOUT THE THA WOMAN WORKER SACRAMENTO, Cal., Nov. 7-—Asserting to California without special Invitation “re kings or queens or Just plain citizens,” formally to invite Queen Marie of Roumania to visit this state. Will Bring Great Writers Closer to People of Russia MOSCOW, Nov, WORKERS IN HIS PRISONS? that all visitors are welcome ‘gardiess of whether they are Governor Richardson today refused Religious Education for Schools Endorsed by Birmingham Board 7.—In order to pop- BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov, 7.—The Typewriter’s Tinkie. Hearing this, and smelling the “friendly air” in the building, coupled with a tinkling sound of glasses (thay of course, might have been typewrit- er bells), the agents swooped into the office, After the raid County Clerk Sweitzer declared he “couldn't under- stand where all the liquor came from.” He immediately fired Anthony Mc- Veady, a deputy clerk, to prove his purity. Drank Too Many Extensions. Other men taken in the raid were William Descow, clerk in the board or local improvements ,and Fred Haver kamp, recently discharged from the tax extension department. Haver- kamp, it is reported, lost his job, be. The New York Times and the Jewish Daily Forward have re- cently printed a statement by Joseph Jones, secretary of the York- shire Miners’ Association, and one of the right wing leaders of the British trade unions, charging the Communists in the United States have collected funds for relief of the British miners and not remitted them to the Miners’ Association. A few days ago, the Workers (Communist) Party received the following cablegram from the secretariat of the Communist Party of Great Britain, dealing with this question: _ Workers Party of America, 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Iilinols. Jones Secretary Yorkshire Miners and Miners delegation United States during attack on Communists ye: lerday said hundreds thousands dollars collected America by Communists but only one thousand reached Miners Federation. When we demanded explanation told money used by Communist agents to relieve distress. We issued repudiation remind- ing workers your efforts for relief and real responsibility of A. F. of L. leaders, but suggest you cable us statement. “pure,” In this manner, two men who have Signed: Secretariat Communist Party of Great Britain. The Workers (Communist) Party sent the following reply to this cablegram : Secretariat Communist Party, London. cause he took it too seriously and im- bibed too much “tax, extensions.” The county building is now all in an uproar, because their handiest source of bootleg is now gome, and they wil: and the TRADE UNIONS by Theresa Wolfson A diseussion of the permanency of women as & wage-carning group, their racial, economic and cultural background, the nature of their tasks, and the official policy of the trade unions tn regard to them as union members. The author analyzes the extent of their organization ularize among the people the works of the best masters of the past there was formed at the State Publishing House a special “editorial commis- sion” for the purpose of publishing the Russian and world classics. Among the members of the commis- sion are Luunatcharsky, Prof. Piksa- nov and Prof, Grossman, In an effort to facilitate the study of the classics it was decided by the board of education here has succumb- ed to the designs of the ministerial association in allowing the preachers to give religious “education” to school children one hour each week. At a recent meeting of the board, a resolu- tion was passed accepting the propos- als of the Birmingham Sunday School association for a religious school for probably have to patronize the boot legger across the street—which is such a bother! Trade Commission Kills Rule Against Creamery Unfairness WASHINGTON, Nov, 7.—Announce- Workers (Communist) Party collected no money directly for miners’ _ strike and statement of Jones is an outrageous slander. We forced the Executive Council of the A, F. of L. to issue appeal thru campaign in unions and then carried on extensive and continuous campaign in unions and aided in securing donations of tens of thousands of dollars all of which was sent thru unions to the Executive Council of the A. F. of L. If money has not reached minens, they should make demands upon Exe- cutive Council of A. F. of L. for immediate remittance. intended to distract attention from the failure of the A. F. of L, Attack seems bureau. crats to make real campaign in support of heroic striking miners who virtually given their lives for the workers are being side-stepped by movement that claims to be a move- ment of the working class. NEGOTIATIONS TOWARD U. S. RECOGNITION OF SOVIET LOOM, REPORT LONDON, Nov. 7.—The Daily Ob- server prints a dispatch Yrom Mos- cow stating a reopening of re- lations between the United States and Russia is probable. Confidence prevails in influential quarters re- garding the opening of negotiations leading to restoration of normal po- litical and economic relations be- tween the two countries, the dis- patch says, It Is believed that internal condi- tions in the United States, such as overproduction of cotton and a sur- plus of accumulated gold, impel American business to seek an ad- justment that would enable the ar- ranging of sultable credit with Rus- sia in order to open the Soviet mar ket. $25 Fine for Picket ‘Talking’ with His Hands. NEW YORK —(FP).<- Twenty-five 4 | public school children, ment is made by the Humphrey ma- jority in the federal trade commission that it has rescinded the “fair trade” and their participation in union life—in strikes, at union meetings, as shop chair- men and organizers. have earnest support of our party in their splendid struggle, Cc. E. RUTH RG, General dollars fine was imposed on. Joseph commission to publish in the first Mordkowitz for “talking” with his place an edition of the selected works “We recognize the value of religi- ous trainin, says the school board : eretary. hands to @ girl strikebreaker in ths Be ee Urugaiine Cloth $1.75 | of ee ee by com- | resolution, and in another part is care-|tule of 1919, enacted by that commis. paper box workers’ fight for union Papor $ .35)/mentaries and eritico-blographical| fui to state, “the board assumes no| sion, in @ conference for dealing with State Officers::af Fost exclusively with federal officials | °°Mditions. Morkowitz is a union Oe Lapuet Wee stot gxsbe | eee responsibility for what is taught in| the creamery industry! ‘ ' and courts within the next 30 acieert. CAA eee | CURRe CAS <BLth Origin of the Family— Among the first works to be pub-| the school.” That rule declared “unfair” the pur- Montana Withdraw , th WAYS, | strikebrenker was scared and fines by Frederick Engels Cloth $ .60] lished will be those of the following chase or offering toypurchase dairy @ majority rolled up in favor of the striker, altho he protested he couldn’t help using his hands wheu he talked. authors: Tolstoy, Bribeyedov, Gorky, products at prices that were discrim}- Garshin, Tchekhov, Hauptmann, Flau- repeal of the state prohibition law natory or higher in one place than in Volstead Support today being so decisive that returns THE DAILY WORKER PUB, CO. We will apnd sample copies of The ttn Web Wantbeien! ive bor, Zola, Vaerharn, Beaumarchals,/OAILY WORKER to your friende—| another at the samoctime under like] HELENA, Mont., Nov, 7—Hnfores|/tom the unaccounted 300 pre r CHICAGO, ILL. Shakespeare, Boccaccio, Goethe, etc, | send ue name and addrese, ey market conditions, (ment of prohibition in Ion wil cannot ehange the result, 3 2, Send Ina sub ‘ poet an w Nyy Aa ato, da eee eathe : Ee 7 \ ‘