The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 4, 1926, Page 5

TH (SECOND PRIZE WINNER) STRIKE AGAINST INDEFINITE LAY- OFF OF WORKERS ‘A. C. W. Members Fight Bosses’ Policy By a Worker Correspondent. WORCHESTER, Mass., Dec. 2, — Approximately 100 men and women members of the Amalgamated Cloth- ing Workers of America are on strike here against their employers who “laid off” their employes because “there is no work,” the lay-off being “indefinite.” H. Sher, and the Liteom Pants ©o., both contracting trouser manufacturers are the two shops in- volved, While both struck shops gave “lack of work” as their reason for laying off their employes for an indefinite period, news came to Worchester that the two above named firms had leased in the nearby town of Clinton, Mass- achusetts, for a period of five years 8,000 square feet of space in the East Mill of Clinton. Boston pants manu- facturers joined the local employers in leasing the plant at Clinton, fhduce- ments having been offered by the au- thorities of that town, including the chamber of commerce. It is also learned that the Clinton plant will start’operations on January 1st. Salerno In Charge. Joseph Salerno, organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing; Workers came to Worchester to take charge of the strike. Salerno, at the strike meeting said, he had endeavored to communi- cate with the contractors and arrange a conference with them but without results. This strike, if it proves anything, proves the need for strenuous organi- zation work on the part of the unions, specially the needle trades, in combat- ting the ever growing contractor and jobber evil. No doubt it is the inten- tion of the contractors to hire green help in the town of Clinton and with the installation of new and up-to-date machinery produce more cheaply thus cheating the workers out of the in- ereasing benefits of greater and cheap- er production. Clinton is but a dozen or so miles from Worcester. A couple of busloads of Worcester strikers to daily picket the new Clinton shops, together with a real organization campaign among the green help will forstall the open shop proclivities of the contractors who are in league with the chamber of commerce. Will the Amalgamated Clothing Workers officials measure up to this task? The next number of Prolet-Tribune, the Russian living newspaper pub- lished by the worker correspondents of Novy Mir, will be out Saturday, Dec. 18, at 8 p. m., at the Workers’ House, 1902 W. Division St. A picture of the audience will be taken at the request of the worker correspondents of the Soviet Union. The picture will be sent to Soviet Russia. ae ° Even if you have to shake out every penny from the old coffee can— do it if you must, to attend the Concert AND Ball IN DETROIT SUNDAY, DEC. 4 at the International Work- men’s Home — 3014 Yeamane St., Hamtramck, Mich, DANCING AT 4 P.M.) , CONCERT AT 8 Auspices Section 6 Workers (Communist) Party and Russian and Ukrainian Unite, Ns =o E DAIL-% WORKER Page Five 35) 1927 CUCe = THIS WEEK'S PRIZE WINNERS —And Next Week’s Prizes First prize this week for worker correspondence stories is awarded to a member of the New York class In worker correspondence, M. Roth. Comrade Roth Is awarded a copy of “Elements of Political Education” by A. Berdnikov and A, Svetlov. Second prize Is awarded to the worker correspondent of Ware, Mass., who tells of the action taken by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers against an “indefinite layoff policy” of the contractors and jobbers, He is given “Poems for the New Age” by Simon Felshin. Third prize is awarded to A. G. Murphy of Parkersburg, W. Va., for the story telling how the Journeymen’s Tailors’ Union finally won its battle with the National Woolen Mills—thru the bankrupt court. He is awarded a copy “Russia Today.” Keep up the good work, worker correspondents! We want* more amd more and more stories. Send them in! THESE ARE PRIZES FOR NEXT WEEK. Three very fine books are offered as prizes for worker correspondence stories next week. They include: 1—Selected Essays by Kar! Marx. A new book, and an unusual one of unpublished work of the great leader, 2—Red Cartoons. A collection of the work of 17 proletarian artists. 3—Education in Soviet Russia, by Scott Nearing. A new book and a splendid addition for your library. Write that story, workers! (FIRST PRIZE WINNER) PAPER BOX MAKERS ARE DETERMINED TO WIN PRESENT BATTLE; TACTICS OF POLICE SERVE TO STRENGTHEN RANKS By M. ROTH, Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK, Dec. 2.—‘Fight on, brothers dnd sisters!” This is the slogan and spirit of the 3,500 paper box workers, who are now entering the ninth week of a most bitter and hard-fought strike, The paper box strikers not only have to fight against their bosses and the bosses’ hired gangsters but also have to put up a hard fight against the police, who are stationed near every paper box factory, on each scab delivery wagon. Some just ride around+ the paper box district looking for @/+nat the general strike committee chance te club the pickets. Police Spur Workers On. These police activities counted as one of the major reasons why, on the-ninth week of the strike will call a conference of all labor or- ganizations about Dec. 6 to consider may be|raising funds for the strike. Y. W. L. Helps, The Young Workers League official- we find the strikers more determined |!y and actively participated in the than ever before to stick to the picket |@ouble tag day held for the benefit line until they win their demands: |f the paper box strikers on Nov. 13 the 44-hour week, a minimum scale of |2nd 14. wages, and most of all, thefr union. 22 Shops Settle. Twenty-two shops have already set- tled with the union; granting all the workers’ demands. ° The strikers hold daily meetings at the Church of All Nations, 9 Second avenue. A weekly bulletin is issued to the strikers by the Paper Box Makers’ Union, '701 Broadway, called “Pointed Truths.” Relief Work Efficient. The relief committee in conjunc- tion with the United Council of Work- ing Class Housewives opened a res- taurant on the third floor of the Church of All Nations. The strikers and their families eat there without paying anything. According to Harriet Wray, secre- tary of the relief committee, Bakers’ Local 169 supplies the bread daily. The United Council of Working Class Housewives give the raw food such as vegetables. The Amalgamated Food Workers send cooks, while girl strik- ers serve, it to their fellow strikers. Furriers Help. The joint board of the Furriers’ Union, despite their recent hard fought 17-week strike, gives $100 a week. Many Workmen's Circle branches gave various sums. Much more is needed for many of the strik- ers and their families depend on this relief. e Joe Mordkowitz, hall chairman, said VAVAK Teachers of Violin, and Piano Telephone SUNNYSIDE 8472 Addres: 1146 MONTROSE AVE., CHICAGO GINSBERG’S: Vegetarian Restaurant |e". 2324-26 Brooklyn Avenue, LOS ANGELES, CAL. : IN PHILADELPHIA ‘There ate only two places to eat— HOME AND AT Section one of the Y. W. Ly ar’ ranged a dance in honor of the strikers on Nov. 20 at the Workers’ House, 108 B. 14th St. Hundreds of strikers came. Comrade C. Miller, industrial organizer of District No. 2, Y. W. L., in a brief address told the strikers of the Y. W. L. and the work it carries on. Thirty strikers filled out applica- tion cards for membership in the league. A free 3-months’ subscription to the Young Worker was also given to the paper box strikers, . MINERS GO BACK BUT DO NOT GIVE IN TO EMPLOYER Wilkes-Barre Workers Insist on Point ; By a Worker Correspondent. WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Dec. 2, — Striking miners at the Prospect col- lieries of the Lehigh Valley Coal com- pany, members of Local 484, U. M. M., have decided to go back to work, after remaining out three days, The miners went on strike against the ruling of the company on loading of cars, which resulted in the docking of the miners of from 2 to 3 cars work a week. Will Stick to Demand, The migers decided to go back to work after a motion was passed that, despite the rule of the company, all miners shall top cars 6 inches at the face to prevent the wage loss to the workers. Miners who violate this de- cision will be fined $25. It is not known what the company will do now, but the miners are de- termined to fight for the topping at the face, instead of at the breaker, District officials ignored the strike. Copies of the “Coal Miner” were dis- tributed among the strikers and were received warmly, Local 408 ts under Progressive leadership. Hogan is president. Topping is @ sore spot here and if this strike way ‘not settled to the miners’ satisfaction a general strike of all collieries of the Lehigh Valley Coal company, involving 12,000 min- was threatened, Reports Check Steel Stock Rally and Mean Unemployment Ahead NEW YORK, ‘Dec, 2.—Reports of a curtailment of steel mills operations ] "s urant | to about 70 or cent of capacity, with r eden @ probable shrinkage to 60 per cent of 610 Spring in St. capacity before the next upturn, were Home ‘ Open from 6. a. m. | used eff to check a budding’ Cooking, to pom, rally in indy stocks, (THIRD PRIZE WINNER) NATIONAL MILLS, HATER OF UNION, GOES BANKRUPT Company. {That Fought Workers Is Broke By AO@. MURPHY (Workef} Correspondent) PARKERSBURG, W. Va., The mills of the gods grind slowly but | the management of the National Wool- | en Mills of Parkersburg, disdaining | anything snail-liké when they headed | their busines¢” toward bankruptcy, | stepped on the gas so that within two | years after whe d started fighting unionism, they tome up with a bang before Federal “Sudge W. E. Baker of the Northern District of West Vir- ginia, on Nov, 2, n acceding to the plea of creditors, he appointed | George Johnson $f Parkersburg, and | Isador Mackover Of Baltimore, as re- ceivers for this eémpany, Recall “Hard Fight. Readers of Thé DAILY WORKER will remember thé hard fight against great odds that the Journeyman Tail- ors’ Union of this city carried on with the management of the mills after they were locked out in January 1925, the ranks of the union holding intact, ; with a single exception, up to the present time. At the time of the lockout the com- pany had a contract with the union which would not expire until Sept., 1925. There Was no question of wages or working conditions involved, the | sole reason given*for the lockout was that the young’ son of the president of the company®n ‘taking charge of the shops decided to try out the Amer- ican plan and the efficiency methods so much touted then and now. Was Successful Once, Up to the time of the lock-out this company had beén one of the most successful businéss ventures in this state. With latge’ mills. and. other buildings here employing close to two hundred men and"4vomen and branch stores in the larger cities in West Virginia and Ohi6 cities they worked day and at some#éasons night to fill orders. “And “nowy: just twenty-two months after thé’ American plan and efficiency methodstiwere introduced. 80 Well have they‘stieceeded in wreck- ing the business ‘that the other day in Elkins at thé Federal court, the owners while plediling solvency, had only to offer softfé’ “frozen assets” these’ being the buildings in Parkers- burg. The principal, ‘#reditors being the American ‘Woolen Mills, New York, Mackover-Lowenberg, Baltimore, and Freudonthah & Son, Baltimore. The | amount of indebtedness to these amounts to $120,498.46. Union Laughs Now. The members:ofthe Local Journey- man Tailors’ ‘Union are them which forbade them from draw- ing their breath in passing a scab em- ployed in the mills they have won (their fight by the only weapon left for them to fight with and the only one really effective in such a fight, by persuading their fellow workers of two | states not to patronize the scab mills. Thus another efficiency bubble has burst, leaving our. Babbitts and some stockholders a little dazed. WORKERS’ ACTORS IN FIRST PLAY OF NEW THEATER See “Biggest Boob in World’* Saturday By a Worker Correspondent. NEW YORK, Dec, 2. — A textile worker, a masom«<a paper box maker, a cap-maker, {yo electricians, two sales girls, and a carpenter are actors in the “Biggest Boob in the World,” the labor play which is to be the first production of the Workers Theater. The play opens Saturday, December 4, in the Church of All Nations, 9 Second Ave., at 8:30 p. m, It will be given again on Dec, 8 and 10, and then taken to various labor groups around the city. ¥ Jasper’ Deeter, recently lected director of dramatics at Brookwood Labor College, acter and producer for the Provincetown players of New therefore | \| laughing last, amdvof course best. With | now paying excessive rents for un-| an injunction gtanted to mills against sanitary, crowded tenement dwellings, P until the present time there has never been any book dealing with the subject of strike strategy. The multitude of problems confronting strikers have had to be overcome by those without any definite idea of what confronted them and what meth- ods might serve best to win their struggles. Now this great lack has been over- come. William Z. Foster, leader of great strikes in the steel and packing house industries and a revolutionary leader of the American working class, has contributed what is probably the first book in the world dealing speci- fically with strike strategy. It is a book whose value to any militant worker cannot be over-estimated, Taking up strikes as a part of the class, struggle and depicting the vi tal part they play in this (struggle, Foster goes into detail in pointing out the methods to be used by strike leaders to unite the workers, the role of leaders, individually and _ collec- tively, the means the bosses use to de- feat strikes, the playing off of skilled against unskilled, the race problem, religious divisions, the methods of de- mate these enemies. JCH knowledge is beyond price to revolutionary workers who may at any time be called upon to assume some degree of leadership in strikes. After telling how to unite the work- ers and defeat the bosses’ efforts at division, Foster tells of the impor- tance of strike morale and how to ob- tain it, of the treachery of the right wing and how to fight it, of ways to fight the injunction and the terror of police and provocateurs, of what “public opinion” is worth and what limits it has in strikes. The right wing theory and strategy occupies a prominent part in Foster's book as does the role of the reaction- ary bureaucracy in aiding the employ- ANEW AND IMPORTANT BOOK ON STRIKE STRATEGY BY WM. Z. FOSTER tectives and spies and how to check- | The methods of com- batting all such antl-strike forces, |the tremendously important “theory of the offensive,” are thoroughly dealt | with, and the illusion of some militant workers that they cannot or should not carry on @ struggle against the right wing and the employers at the same time is exploded with crystal- clear logic and the citation of exam- ples. Perhaps the most crucial time in strikes is when they are approaching an end. When can strikes be set- tled, when should lost strikes be called off. This booklet of Foster's is a@ manual of instructions for those who face the problem of settling strikes, what demands to fight for, the importance of demands, what | stand to take in negotiations with em- ployers, partial and general strikes, how to retreat when beaten, how to | spread the strike, and how to consoll- jdate the victory when strikes are won. N no other book or number. of | books can workers find this price- |less information which every militant | worker, organized or’ unorganized, should have, as it deals with strikes of both these classes. This informa tion must become the property. of the rank and file of the workers as weil as the leaders of strikes, for only when they clearly understand these problems ,can the workers during strikes see the problems before them, only then can they insist upon action which will be effective, and only then can they clear out inefficient and reac- tionary leaders and mobilize the masses for successful struggle. This book costs only 25 cents and can be obtained from the Trade Union Educational League, 156 West Wash- ington street, Chicago, Ill. Prices for quantities of tenor more are at the rate of 15 cents per copy. Send re- mittance with your order. 's in strikes SECOND BUILDING OF APARTMENT IS STARTED IN N. Y. Workers Lay the Corner- stone for Co-operative By ALFRED LOSSEFF (Worker Correspondent) NEW YORK, Dec. 2.—One thousand workers, members of the United Work- ers’ Co-operative’ Association, cele- brated Thanksgiving here by laying the cornerstone for the second build- ing of the co-operative apartments be- ing erected at Broyx Park. The first block of buildings are nearing com- pletion. They will be occupied ex- clusively by worker-owners. While the early American colonists offered thanksgiving for the presumed help of god, the worker colonists of 1926 were thankful that their own class had the strength and solidarity to undertake and carry to fruition a big housing project which promises health and a finer living to hundreds , Revere Krassin, Members of the Co-operative stood with bowed heads in memory of Leonid Krassin, the noted Soviet diplomat whose death had occurred in London the day before. Chairman Halpern spoke with deep feeling of the grief in workers’ hearts in the loss of their brilliant comrade overseas. Following the memorial tribute, Halpern directed attention to the fine record of the United Workers’ Co- operative in successfully carrying thru plans for the big housing project and establishing the summer camp, Nitgedaiget. “Only thru the co-opera- tion of the workers,” he declared, “have we been able to accomplish so much in so short a time. Remember, the first job is the hardest. Our sec- ond building, with its stores and play- grounds, will prove to be a much easier job.” Greetings From Paterson. A representative of the Paterson, N, J., co-operative meat shops brought greetings to the New York co-oper- ators, recounting the fight the butchers have had to wage against the middle class storekeepers. After 10 years, the Paterson workers have achieved victory, he sald. Gerson, executive board member, told of the great accomplishments at the co-operatives in Soviet Russia, especially in helping the ‘British miners in their long strike. Secretary Cohen asserted that $50,000 of 6 per cent gold bonds of the association have been sold already and outlined the campaign to raise the rest of the money needed, York, is directing the production, The play is a translation of “Wer 1st Der Dummste,” by the German author | Karl Wittvogel. Wittvogel’s ‘Tragedy in Seven Telephone Calls” almost reached Broadway last year. It was prepared for production, but dropped at the last moment, The present play was halted by police when it was giv- en by a workers’ group in Japan. a The American, Worker Correspond- jent is the worker correspondent's own magazine, it Will be off the press this week. Every worker should send in hie eubscriptidn today. 60 conte a year. Says Mutual Insurance and Tax on Boss Would ‘Relieve Unemployment By a Worker Correspondent. CLEVELAND, Dec. 2, — Prof. John R. Commons of the University of Wisconsin addressed the Women City Club in this city last Monday night on “How to do Away With Unemploy- ment.” The solution, offered by Prof. Com- mons was the establishment of mutual insurance societies. These societies | were to be supported by the employ- ers who would be taxed according to | the length of employment they. offered |to their employes. | This he called “the support of the | inefficient by the efficient.” He also ad- jded that workers’ compensation and ;mutual insurance are a great aid to |industry. This insurance leads the | bosses to utilize safety devices and thus enables them to prevent ac- cidents to a greater degree. Prof. Commons fails to realize that due to their desire to increase produc- tion, many employers remove safety | devices in order to intensify the speed |up of the workers, “ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN'S GROUP Detroit Federation Has} Accomplished Much (Worker Correspondent) { | DETROIT, Mich, Dec. 2, — The} | 8rd anniversary of the Detroit Federa- tion of Working Women’s organiza- | tons was celebrated Nov. 26, at the Finnish Workers Hall with a lunch- {eon, speeches, musical numbers, and |a dance, | About a hundred guests participa- ted, mostly women. Disproves Enemy Statements, Three years have passed and our | Federation still exists contrary to the wishes of our enemies who said that, “Its impossible to’ have women of dif- ferent nationalities come together and get along.” We get’ along fine. We come to- gether once a month> each organiza- tion sends one delegate to every ten members, these delegates discuss and plan how to work more effectively in the class struggle. Questions discussed include: How we can help to release the political DOESN'T DIG UP FOR RED CROSS, ‘LOSES HIS JOB Worker Tells What “Welfare” Means By FRED HARRIS. (Worker Correspondent) NEW YORK, Dec. 2. - 26 men employed, and which was taken for should have been $26.0 it only amounted to $25 gedy of a one dollar sho: cause of this stofy. one missing dollar cost the w lob. It all happened this way: ent week has been “Red C: paign Week,” a perio e during which every man woman and child has an “opportunity” to help to re- plenish the treasu¥y of the Red Cross. by contributing their dollars so that that organization continue «its work ‘of “humanitarian relief among the poor.” On Wednesday evening, the Brown ing Painting Co., the concern which employs or rather employed your. cor respondent, sent its general mai er to our place of work id informed its 26 painters there, that he was asking for a dollar a piece from each one of us a8.a contribution to the Red Cross. He then presented a contribu- tion list and started to collect, Each man would give a dollar, sign his name on the list and receive a Red Cross button as @ recognition of hie generous donation. New Record. Knowing of the anti-labor make-up of the Red Cross, of which M Pres- ident Coolidge is the President, and the House of Morgan, in the person of Colonel Davidson the vice dent, and knowing also that the pur- Pose of the Red Cross is to help in the international conspiracy of the American financiers to promote war; also that the Red Cross has never fafled to render assistance in strang- ling any effort in any coun for re- volutionary activity, I of course did not contribute my share to the collec- tion. On leaving the job that night, the general manager scrut d me with a piercing and significant glance, which was telling me a descriptive tale of impending disaster Is Discharged. A Friday has a dual character to a worker in the building trade indus- try. He gets his weekly wage on that day, and he may get fired. I got both. Besides that I received a concrete lesson in learning that, altho the Red Cross may be serving a “humanitar- ian” purpose, yet its method im which it collects its funds is thoro and char- acteristic “American.” The Red Cross will tolerate no nonsense. Its slogan is: Dig up, or get off the job. Russian Women Will Give Affair Dec. 5 A performance concert and dance will be given by the Russian Progres- sive Women's Mutual Aid Society, Sunday, Dec. 5, at Shoenhoffen Hall, cor, Milwaukee and Ashland Aves, Fifteen Thousand Unorganized Workers on Strike- now in the ranks of organized labor. Read this great accom- plishment and story of the long struggie— prisoners; how we can help The DAILY WORKER; how to help the Passaic strikers, and many other questions, Not only are these matters discuss- ed but action taken on them, Our members participated in every tag- day that took place for Passaic strik- ers’ relief, Every year on Interna- tional Working Women’s Day, March 8, we have a lecture and a bazaar for release of political prisoners, In this we bave raised about $2,000 for labor defense. Our organization issued resolutions on recognition of Soviet Russia, and a resolution against teaching militar. ism in the schools, r . | Two of the members of our execu- tive committee are out at the Ford factory selling The DAILY WORKER, WRITE AS YOU FIGHT! Passaic by Albert Weisbord 15 Cents The Daily Worker Pub. Co, 1118 W. Washington Bivd., CHICAGO, ILL.