The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 14, 1926, Page 4

i @age Four? News and Comment Labor Education Labor and Government Trade Union Politica LUMBER WORKER MURDER LAID TO DOOR OF BOSSES Organizer Was Victim of Hired Gunmen MORGANTOWN, W. Va., Dec, 12.— (FP)—After a year of mystery it seems that the supposed accidental death of Lawson McMillion, lumber- jack and radical organizer in West Virginia les suspiciously near the door of the Spring Creek Lumber Co. and the lumber trust. Attacked by Boss Gunmen. About 244 years ago he was atiack- ed by lumber trust gunmen in Rich- mond, W. Va., wounded with an ax and left to die, But he recovered and then ‘the courts got after him on a treason charge at Marlinton but falled to convict. Some months later he was again in a hospital as a result ofa murderous attack by a corporation gang. The American Civil Liberties Union demanded an investigation of Gov. Gore and while this was pending MeMillion was reported accidentally shot dead while hunting. That was in October 1925. A friend of McMillion, I. G. Miller of Morgantown, suspected foul play but was unable to investigate on ac- count of ill-health until the fall of 1926. Then he discovered at the lum- ber camp where MeMillion had work- ed that a man named Christian ad- mitted shooting the labor organizer but claimed that he was walking be- hind McMillion with his gun cocked and a twig discharged it, Examination of the body however revealed that the shot had entered near the top of the shoulder and ranged down. There had been no regujar inquest or doctor to report the cafe and the company had its employes act as a coronor’s jury. “These and many other things lead- ing up to and following McMillion’s death,”. says miller, “cqpvinced me that he was killed intentionally by a hireling of the lumber trust or the Spring Creek Lumber Co. The case demands’ investigation by the Civil Liberties’ Union and the I. W. W.” Union Loses Contest to Use School Halls N. Y., Dec. 123—The American 1 Liberties Union lost its case ainst the New York City sehgyol board, under a ruling of the cow aissioner of education. #£he> commissioner holds that the Moard was within its discretionary powers in refusing to the union twice the use of Stuyvesant High School in which to hold meetings in favor of “old-fashioned free speech.” a Would you like to see your shop- mates with a ball and chain 7 ALBANY ae Conservative ideas are just like hat. They're the bal! and chain that make them siow and back- ward. Free them from reactionary ide Make them fighters in the shop and in the union. Give them something to live for. Give them —OR GET—~a sub for The DAILY WORKER! | SUBSCRIBE! Ask your fellow-worker to sub- seribe or make him a gift of a year’s subscription! RATES In Chicago: Per year, $8.00; six months, $4.50; three months, $2.50. Outside of Chicag: Per year, $6.00; six months, $3.50; three months, $2.00. THE DAILY WORKER 1113 W. Washington Bivd., Chicago, Ill. Bnclosed $........6..0. for .. a months sub to The Daily Worker. J QUNCH September 1922, union miners have been meeting the concen- trated attack of American capitalism with pre-war tactics and propaganda. The miners’ technic was developed in the period when the nnion could nibble away at an unorganized minority of the country’s total production, using a well organized base in the central competitive field. From the day when the railroad shopmen made peace with New York finance on the basis of co- operation in the scientific exploita- tion of labor, the coal operators have been supported by the propertied oligarchy which is fast rounding out its control of American industrial life, The financial objective has been the weakening if not the destruction of the United Mine Workers of America, The fact that the rank and file miners have no clear comprehension Jof the nature of the stuggle has aided |the open shoppers and weakened the junion. The view that labor seeks noth- jing more than honorable co-operation with the boss ends practically in co- operation on the bosses’ terms, The real nature of the conflict was revealed early in 1923 when HB, L. Greever, general counsel of the non- union West Virginia Operators’ Asso- ciation, toured American industrial centers calling upon local manufac- turer associations to buy only non- union coal. He was seconded by ex- Gov. Cornwell who had previously mobilized the state of West Virginia on behalf of the operators, As a result of such pleas resolutions were adopted by the National Associa- tion of Manufacturers and the Nation- al Metal Trades Assn. These leaders in the open shop fight, while avoiding the technical charge of conspiracy, practically declared a boycott on tion coal, The tremendous overexpansion of the industry between 1916 and 1923 made this effective lockout of union miners possible. In that period the number of bituminous coal mines in the country increased from 3,669 to 8,722 altho the mines open in 1916 were sufficient for all requirements. Even in the years 1920-23, when the iad Organized Labor—Trade Union Activities’ IcoaL SITUATION NEXT SPRING DIFFICULT FOR MINE UNION | By LELAND OLDS, Federated Press. fact of overexpansion was broadcast by the government, the number of coal miners in the country increased 63,000, the per cent increases in im- portant states being Ohio 7%, Illinois and Indiana, 14%, Pennsylvania 12%, West Virginia 14%. At the same time the productivity, particularly in the non-union fields, increased.-by the in- troduction of cutting amd Ipading ma- chinery. The result has been ideal for ad- ministering the unemployment cure to union miners. Between 1923 and 1924 the operators added 8,000 miners in the Kentucky flelds and cut average jworking time more than 20%. The miners’ union, when it accepted Secretary Hoover's dictum that 150,000 miners must be squeezed out of the industry, perhaps fafled to realize that the surplus would be cut from union ranks. This accounts for the 3-fold ac- ceptance of the Jacksonville agree- ment, by miners, operators and the Coolidge administration. It was ac- cepted by the last two parties in bad faith. This was covertly hinted by Black Diamond in April 1924. It said: “The perpetuation of the 1922-24 wage scale in the central competitive fidld will ultimately have the sama effect on union mines as a strike would have had in the event that there had been no such agreement as that reached at Jacksonville. The effect, had the miners’ union,and operators failed to agree on the old scale, would have been a forced suspension at union mines and at the same time to permit the non-union mines to operate.” The union policy could have been effective if the displaced union miners had filtered strategically thruout the big non-union fields. Such tactics might have assured that a strike call next spring would bring out enough miners in the non-union fields to cripple industry. As matters stand the proportion of union tonnage to |the country’s total output has declined |from 78% to about 30%. In the event jof a 100% union strike, unsupported | by miners in the non-union fields, non- |union’ mines could undoubtedly take care of the country’s coal require- ments. SEIDEL AND HIS NEW UNION Who Is This Man and Why Has He Organized a New “Union” in the Shoe Industry? By Dist. Council 2, Shoe Workers’ Pro- tective Union. The Children’s Shoe Workers’ Un- ion, for quite some time in existence as an independent union, recently realized the necessity of affiliating with a national organization and join- ed the Shoe Workers’ Protective Un- ion. Its decision to join the Shoe Workers’ Protective Union was made at a meeting held in September 14, 1926. At this meeting the member- ship, by an overwhelming vote, ap- proved the step that would bring this formerly weak, independent, isolated union into line with the most power- ful and best organized union in the shoe industry. Approved Amalgamation, Mr. Seidel, the then organizer of the independent! union of workers on children’s shoes, was present at the social meeting where the decision was made to join the Protective Shoe Workers’ Union. After the vote was taken he expressed himself as being heartfly in favor of the move, and in a declaration before the membership asserted that he would do all in his power to ald the progress of the or- ganimation. He concluded his remarks by assuring those present that he was | leaving the city and would no longer |take an active part in the affairs of the shoe workers. Some of the mem- bers of the union doubted his mo- | lives as well as his word. Those members who questioned the honesty of this man, Seidel, proved to | be correct. The few followers that he had were astonished a short time ago when there appeared in the press a notice calling the children’s shoe workers to an organization meeting and signed by Seidel as organizer of an entirely new union, Failed to Attract. Thus far he has failed to organize any appreciable number of workers in the children’s shoe branch of the industry. it is not likely that he can organize these workers, He was head of the organization for eleven years and during that time the only person who benefited trom the organization (Special to The Dally Worker) CARNEY'S POINT, N. J., Dec, 12.— Five workers at the BE. J. du Pont de Nemours gunpowder plant were killed when more than w ton of the powder exploded. riously hurt, ing unfinished gunpowder into a shed whero it was to be dried, How the explosion eccurred is 4 | was Seidel who managed to job a sal- ary out of these poor exploited work- ers, who, because of the unorganized condition of the trade, are subjected to horribly long hours, pathetically low wages and the most unsanitary conditions of labor. His incompeten- cy as a labor organizer has been suf- ficiently demonstrated during the time he lived off these workers and did nothing for them. Nowg at a time when they have fin- ally, by their vote, come into the Shoe Workers’ Protective Union, which functions as an effective labor union and improves the conditions of the workers in the shoe industry, this labor fakir tries to split the forces by issuing a call for another union. One of Two Things. Such actions can have only two meanings. Either this man Seidel wants to again create a soft job for. himself by inducing workers to pay dues so that he can live without work- Eight workers were se-| Wilmington, Del., office, | 15,000 workers, ing, or he is the agent of the em- ployers who want to keep labor divid- ed so that the workers may be ex- ploited without let or hindrance from organized labor. ‘ Shoe Workers, do not allow your- selves to be misled by this parasite, who is only looking out for a job and personal gain. His actions will not better conditions in the trade, but will make a bad condition worse. Do not allow this labor fakir to split your ranks, Repudiate such an impostor! You must have a national organiza- tion in order to build a powerful uni- fied labor union that can resist the onslaughts of the greedy employers. Join your co-workersof the trade who are now organized in the Shoe Workers’ Protective Union. Join Real Union. Join the organization which will fight for your interests, instead of joining an organization dominated by an incompetent and a labor fakir. The Children's Sho® Workers are now affijated with the Shoe Workers’ Protective Union. Joi Local No. 68. Keep the fakir, Seidel, out of the children’s shoe trade and the whole labor movement. FIVE WORKERS KILLED AND EIGHT WOUNDED IN EXPLOSION OF POWDER AT PLANT OF E.'I. DU PONT COMPANY mystery, since the company refused to make any statement or allow re- porters to inspect the scene of dam- ago, All inquiries were referred to the company’s publicity agent in the During the The men were unload-| war this plant was one Of the largest in the country and émployed about Thowaseused largely ov sporting powder of late 4 eee THE DAILY WORKER ii" Policies and Programs The Trade Union Press Strikes—Injunctions Labor and Imperialism RAIL MANAGERS MEET T0 FACE UNION PROBLEM Brotherhoods, Demand Regional Boards By LAURENCE TODD, Federated Press. WASHINGTON, Dec, 12—Managers of the chief railway systems in the country are meeting in New York to discuss with a committee of execu- tives of the transportation brother- hoods—the locomotive engineers, loco- motive firemen, conductors and train- men—the question as to what kind of adjustment boards shall-be set up be- tween management and unions under the new rail labor mediation law. Support Each Other, At the head of the brotherhoods’ group of spokesmen is D. B. Robert- son, president of the locomotive fire- men and chairman of the joint com- mittee of 21 labor organizations in the railroad industry. This joint commit- tee is holding a special meeting on the eve of the conference of the man- agers with the brotherhoods, to dis- cuss the position which al] the organi- zations will take. At meetings in Washington in Atigust and in Cleve- land in November the committee and its special committee of five members chosen to deal with this matter de- cided that all would support each other in the negotiations, Under the Watson-Parker law the management and the workers “must” create adjustment boards to deal with grievances arising between the com- panies and the men. But these boards may be either national, regional or confined in authority to one system each, When the unions proposed some time ago that regional] boards be created the reply of the manage- ment to all the organizations was that the management would “préfer” sys- tem boards. At the same time there became apparent a definite campaign by the managers to split off the four brotherhoods on the trains from the rest of the unions. When a sugges- tion was made that thertrain dispatch- ers, telegraphers and switchmen should be included,in the train crews’ group the managers objected. Regional Board in S. W. One regional board at least seems to be assured. The shopment in the southeastern area, who are strongly organized, have secured the assent of the management of two of the three strongest roads to the formation of a regional board. But in other dfrec- tions the situation is more difficult. Company unions, the result of the shopmen’s loss of the great strike of 1922, dispute jurisdiction with the gen- uine unions. It is on these roads that the “running trades” are needed to help the men in the shops and on the properties to get the benefits prom- ised in the new law. The shopmen say they saved the day for the broth- erhoods when the latter were in dan- wer Some years ago. Robertson is said to agree that this debt is one which his group cannot ignore, and that the only possible attitude to be taken when the brotherhoods meet the man- agers is to say that what is granted to the strong must be granted in equal measure to the weaker labor unions in the industry. New York Federation Backs Smith Attempt to Block Water Lease ALBANY, N, Y., Dec, 12, — The Statq Federation of Labor has adopt- ed a resolution calHng on organized labor of New York to support Gov. Smith in his stand on the water power problem, The resolution declares that Smith is acting to protect the people's property rights. Smith is seeking to prevent the water commission awarding a fifty- year lease to either the frontier cor- poration or American Super-Power corporation for water power develop- ment, when the commission member- ship expires Jan, 1, Smith requests that the lease awarding be allowed to go over until Jan, 1, when a new board will be appointed, More time to investigate possibilities of water power is wanted, Industry in New York State Takes Its Toll ALBANY, N, Y,, Deo, 12—The state department of labor reports 122 death claims filed in the state in October under the workmen’s compensation jaw, a decrease of 62 over September. Of these the construction industries supplied more than one-third, or 44 oa! The manufacturing group was second in the ist with 26. ‘Trans- portation furnished Wat 18, ll ee Every Worker should read The merican Warker Ogrrsapondent. The semeanes ITEACHERS:PROVE. |” OD the IE I ei EL ES EE Le A SD i AR CS le EERIE! > AN RT ES Vel Es ie TNC CO ET Se Re Es THEIR CHARGES AT SCHOOL MEET Estimate Was Padded, Facts Show Many displays of verbal fireworks are taking place at the meetings of the city council’s committee on schools, s “T tell this committee,” shot Marga- ret Haley, of the Chicago Teachers’ Federation, that Mr, Henry (referring to Nelson B. Henry, secretary of the finance committee of the school board) is misleading this committee of the council, as he did at the meet- ing on Feb. 18.” “I am defending Mr, Henry,” said Acting President Smietanka of the board, “because I do not believd he is @ liar.” Can't Prove He Is Liar, “I can prove that he 1s,” retorted Miss Haley, “That Mr, Henry does not resent ORKING WOMEN’S COUNCILS GIVE INVALUABLE AID TO THE . PASSAIC, N. J., TEXTILE STRIKERS PASSAIC, N. J., Dec, 12—The last few weeks have been busy ones for the women who belong to the workingwomen’s councils of Passaic and vicins ity: A series of neighborhood parties have been held by different councils in turn, raising money which has been chiefly devoted to strike defense, The first party was a very successful one held by Council No, 6 in Garfield. The $70 which restilted from that enjoyable evening the council voted to turn over entirely for the defense of the strikers who have been in jail since September, awaiting trial on the charge of throwing bombs, Shortly after that, Council No, 8, Passaic, followed suit with another party at which over sixty dollars was made. oners, Lodi Busy. The Lodi women held a masquerade ball Thanksgiving Eve, the proceeds of which, about $30, they will prob- ably give also for defense. The latest social affair is the on held Sunday night, Dec: 5, at the Workers’ Home in Passaic. In this the councils of Clifton and Botany section in Passaic, participated. Gertrude Welsh, of the Waitresses’ Union, New York, ad- dressed the meeting, The largest sum turned over for de- fense came from the Hallowe’en party that is proof, I take it, that he is a gentleman.” “That he does not resent it ts proof, I take it,” shot back Miss Haley, “that he can’t.” The committee was trying to find out the truth as to the charge of the Teachers’ Federation that an item of $3,000,000 in an estimate of expenses, submitted to the council on Feb, 18, when it was sought to increase the tax rate from 1.92 to 2.92 was pad- ding, was true, Blame It on Printer, Henry explained that by a typo- graphical error the estimate appeared as for the year 1926, when it should have been 1927. The board’s business manager, H. H. Brackett, followed Henry, with the same statement. The committee, ac- cepting this explanation, then pro- ceeded to solve the riddle. It was pointed out to Brackett that, if the estimate was for 1927, then 24 of the new schools, out of the 36 which the Item was sald to cover, were opened in 1926 and covered by that year’s budget, and would be covered in the 1927 budget, which started with the 1926 figures as a basis, that 10 more would be provided for by the usual $2,500,000 which is added to the esti- mate each year to cover growth, leav- ing but two forlorn schools to absorb the $3,800,000. May Have Been Duplication. Yet in answer to the same question, propounded ten or a dozen times, Brackett’s only answer was that the item was to cover the excessively farge number of new schools, Brack- ett appeared to be either a very poor accountant or a very good witness for the board. : Finally, pinned down at last, he ad- mitted that “there might have been some duplication.” . When pressed to say whether, on his own initiative, he had put in a separate item of over three million, when it was not customary to make suth additions to an estimate coming from the board, he testified that he had acted on instructions from Colonel Ellicott, the president of the board and now dead, Alderman Clark then suggested that even if the 36 schools were to be covered by the item, which was clearly not the case, the amount was excessive. He multiplied the number of schools by the average cost of op- erating them to prove his contention. Mr, Brackett tried to explain this by saying that the average cost Clark had taken did not include teachers’ salaries, but operating expenses. Clark then showed that teachers’ salaries were included in the regular estimate, aside from item added. Brackett shifted uneasily in his chair. Henry held one hand to his chin or pressed two fingers into his cheek, like a fundamentalist minister, Insist on Pollte Words. The net result was that, after de- ducting for 24 schools that were cov- ered by the original estimate, 10 that would be covered by the $2,5v0,000, and the teachers’ sdlaries for ‘Tie new schools, little was left of the $3,800- 000 except unadulterated padding. Smietanks objected to that word. Al- derman Nelson said: “Call it by a more polite name if you wish.” But the Chicago Teachers’ Federa- tton and Margaret Haley had won their point and pretty well proved their charges against the board. District 8, Workers Party in Registration NEW YORK, Dec, 12—The Workers Party, District 8, d6 again taking a complete registration of its member- ship. ration cards have been sent to all units and all comrades are asked to co-operate effectively to have the registration made complete. Registration cards should be return- ed to the district office by Jan. 1. Meanwhile any members failing to ap- pear at the nucleus meeting before this time should be visited at bis home and registration thus complet- ed. Our comrades are asked particu: larly to make this an occasion for bringing every single member into 2c tive functioning in the party unite. ’ Send ua the name and address of a progressive worker to whom we can send a : le copy of The DAILY WOLKLR | which all the councils held jointly on Oct. 31. Over $270 was made here. Half of this sum it was decided to keep for the councils, and half has been donated for the defense fund. The sum of $5.50, collected at a meet- ing of the executive committee of the councils, was given to buy cigarettes for the boys in jail. Help Famlilles, In addition to raising money, the women of the Clifton and Garfield countils have regularly visited the families of the prisoners, who all live in those two cities. They take them messages of what the union and other organizations are doing for their dear ones who have been so long behind prison bars, innocent tho they are of any crime. The women of the councils have kept thewo children’s kitchens going regularly every day since they were $25 was kept the council treasury, the rest given in for defense of pris-¢ and opened many months ago, last spring. This means coming out dally for hours, peeling vegetables: for soups and apples tor sauce, cutting bread, washing. dishes,‘ running back and forth to serve the hundreds of hungry little children as they come in after school for their dinner. It means, for thosé women who are-on the buying committee, scouring the city daily te get donations of food and low prices for what they must buy. It means, often, walking thru storm and cold on days when a car cannot*be had for the kitchens, carrying heavy bundles from one end of the city to the other. N Always Ready. ‘The accomplishments of the women in relief work are all the more re markable when one reflects that most of these women who belong to thd councils are strikers, and, in fact among the most devoted of the strike ers, and the best fighters of the union, Not only do they work for their coum cll, but as well they go on the picket line, they visit scabs, they attend union mass meetings and block com mittees, they respond to every call the union makes upon them. And ft must not be forgotten that they are still women; that is, housewives and mothers, and they must find time dum ing the week to wash clothes, cleam the house, cook meals, take care of husbands and children, and all the thousand other things that the woman is supposed to do. LONGWORTH BOOM FOR PRESIDENT WORRYING ‘CAL’ Tariff Interests Favor Hin, Is Belief WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.—Speaker “Nick” Longworth’s presidential boom for 1928 has been started in the cap- ital and is causing republican poli- ticians to wonder whether the White House will take steps to kill it off. Back of Longworth is his enterpris- ing wife, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, supported by many politicians of the reactionary element, who have per- sonal reasons for wishing to get Coo- lidge out of the way. Senator Moses of New Hampshire, Senator David Reed of Pennsylvania, Senator Wads- worth of New York, recently defeated for re-election, and Senator Jim Wat- son of Indiana have been named as being friendly to the Longworth hopes, See Boss Influence, This presidential boom of the Cin- cinnati congressman, protege of the late Boss Cox, is identified in Wash- ington with the activities of Mrs. Me- dill McCormick, daughter of the late Mark Hanna and widow of the late Illinois senator, Ruth Hanna McCor- mick and Alice Longworth have been the foremost women politicians in the capital in the past decade, Coolidge to Strike. Coolidge is expected to remain a candidate until the last possible min- ute in 1928, since he hopes to find the democrats so divided by religious quarrels at that time that he can break the third-term jinx. He knows he can force the republicans to re- nominate him, if he uses the full power of the patronage machine and the Negro delegates from the south, and if no sensational scandal involv- ing his own office breaks in the spring of election year. But if he finds him- self unable to run he is expected to try to hand the nomination to Hoover. Favored by Protectionists. New York politicians believe that Morgan & Co, want Coolidge to run in 1928, while the high-protectionist manufacturers look upon Longworth as better material, Lowden of Iili- nois, whose farm relief ideas have been denounced recently by Senator Borah, is considered too “radical” for the eastern capitalists. Borah, inci- dentally, is hinted at, by the Long- worth forces as their possible secre- tary of state. They hope that the tactful use of his name may keep the progressives trom attacking “Nick” meanwhile, Red Sport Club of New York Invites You The Red Sport Club of New York is making a membership drive and asks young workers and students to join, It was organized on Jan. 1, and now has departments of basketball, football, soccer ball, running, wrest- Ung, indoor baseball and also employs @ teacher in boxing The club meets every Saturday evening at 6 p. m. at 29 Graham avo- nue, Williamsburg. Drop tn and take & look at the husky bunch, Robert Rraslaw. tha menera) manager, Machine Will Fold Handkerchiefs; Help Can Now Fold Hands PASSAIC, N. J., Dec. 12.—Commer» cial handkerchief. folding can now be done by a machine with one operator doing more work than four workers can under old methods. Two Passaic! men have invented a folding machine which works for handkerchiefs, towe els, napkins, pillow cases and similar articles, They have organized a mm chine manufacturing firm to supply the many handkerchief factories of this district. Passaic is one of the main handkerchief manufacturing centers of the United States, turning out 75,000 to 100,000 dozens daily, The new machine will fold 160 dozen Of these an hour, See MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 50th Street and 8th Avenue NEW YORK The Largest Hall in the World ‘FREIHEIT MASQUERADE BALL Saturday Evening, December 18th The famous _ ALBERTINA RASCH BALLET * - will appeay in selected numbers. ‘ Tickets at The FREIHEIT, - 80-Union Square | New York |