The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 1, 1927, Page 1

THE ONLY ENGLISH LABOR DAILY IN NEW YORK The Daily Worker Fights: For the Organization of the Un- organized. For a Labor Party. For the 40-Hour Week. THE DAILY Wo Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. GEER. —$—$—$ $$ FINAL CITY EDITION LS Outside New York, by mail, $6.00 p: Vol. IV. No. 16, SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In, New York, by mail, $8.00 per year. jer year, NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1927 <i Published Daily except Sunday by THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO,, i 38 First Street, New York, N. Price 3 Cents Smash Lewis Plan To Strangle Locals Even Slugging Another Progressive Does Not Stop Mass Uprising by Delegates; Lewis Leaves Chair By JACK KENNEDY. INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 31.—Rallying to the slogan, “democ- racy in the union,” rank and file delegates decisively defeated Em- peror Lewis’ machine this morning when it attempted to take away from local unions the right to hold annual elections. Van Bittner’s constitutional committee proposed elections every two years. CURRENT EVENTS the ditch and piled up a complete wreck when eyen administration The Lewis machine ran into By T. J, O’FLAHERTY HE tabloid sheets are devoting pages of type and square feet of pictures to the most insane story of sexual irregularities that ever besmirched American journalism, Those rag$ are catering to a public appetite that is whetted to the point of insatiability for such mental fare. henchmen arose to fight the ef- fort to impose complete bureau- cratic control over the miners’ union. The vote, both by voice and hands, was so overwhelming that even Chairman Fishwich, Lewis lieutenant, was obliged to They are coining money. Circulation is} mounting rapidly and nothing would| please their owners better than to! admit defeat. Only Bittner’s packed and docile West Virginia delegation voted for have a “Daddy” Browning case week- ly until the people grew tired of it and demanded something different and more thrilling. * HE older ‘ond more respectable journals are obviously envious of the windfall that came the way of the tabloids. The citizens that thou- vands of moral snoopers are trying to save from the clutches of Satan are seeking to fill the gap in their thrilless lives by transporting them- selves mentally into the immediate vicinity of “Daddy” Browning or “Peaches” depending upon the sex of the 100 per cent American. OO Se EADERS turn their faces from headlines telling of a new wrinkle im the Chinese situation or the land- ing of another boatload of marines} in Nicaragua. The “president’s spokesman” might be snapped in con- ference with the president and the phe- nomenon would not cause a thrill- hound to bat an eye. Why worry about a war with China, Mexico or the rape of Nicaragua? Here is something that touches the cannon- fodder more intimately. So they run the risk of polluting their souls by reading of a pervert’s escapades and the young female’s quest for the Golden Fleece, * * * HE circulation managers of the) “regular” newspapers are tearing their hair if they have any left to pull out. The owners are making life’ miserable for them. But the managing editors cannot compete with the tabloids in producing pic- tures, and pictures are easily read. So they put on their moral high hats and point the accusing finger at the tabloids. Some even go so far as to suggest censorship, If they cannot make money they can console them- selves by appearing before the public in all their virtuous nakedness. * | n EARST’S tabloid sheet, The Mir- ror, devotes practically half of each edition to the Browning case. It (Continued on page 2) the amendment. Lewis deserted the chair to Fishwick” when he saw the rank and file rebellion. Hindmarsh Squelches Van Bittner | John Hindmarsh of Illinois, fight jing mad when Bittner sneeringly re- |fused to explain why the committee had proposed the amendment al- | though not one local union in the en- tire country had expressed dissatis- faction with the existing annual elec-' tions, flattened out Van Bittner in a speech which swung the convention’ to the*side of democracy. “This pro- posal means not stability but stag- nation in the miners’ locals,” he ex- plained. vitality in our affairs and alienate our members.” “Bureaucracy rules our internation- al and districts,” declared Vincent Kemenovich, western Pennsylvania progressive.” “Now the machine in- sists that a bureaucracy be built up in the local unions. When that is accomplished, democracy will be dead in the miners’ union.” Illinois and central Pennsylvania’ had joined the revolt with the con- vention apparently out of machine control when Chairman C. J. Golden, president of Anthracite District 9, arose to defend the report. His first’ words were an attackyon “those who (Continued on page 2) Sell “Daily Worker” At Miners’ Convention INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Natalie Gomez is The DAILY WORKER “newsboy” at the Indianapolis Con- vention of the United Mine Work- ers of America. Delegates coming in or going out of the hall will find her near the door. She will also take subscriptions for The DAILY WORKER and other publi- cations of the DAILY WORKER Publishing Co. The DAILY WORKER is sold at all union conventions, “It will kill interest and! Gladstone’s Son Gladstone, Viscount tempts to remedy the publication of! Capt. Peter E. Wright’s book, Por- traits and Criticism, by forcing the above, at- captain into a libel suit, In the book Wright told of cases in, which the course of Empire was swayed by Gladstone’s fondness for pretty! wom HAPGOOD'S LOCAL DEMANDS SEATING OF ITS DELEGATE Proves. Progressive Is Real Union Miner INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan. 31.—|} United State Lands Troops in China Admiral Williams In Joint Action With British WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.—British and American troops were landed jointly at Amoy it was reported in a message from Admiral Williams to the state department today This is the first intimation Wash- ington had that United States forces were landed on Chinese territory. A battalion of 1,200 marines are standing by at the San Diago base awaiting orders, Marines on mail guard duty are being withdrawn and ordered to speed for the west coast. Coolidge and Kellogg are mobiliz- ing a mighty fleet in China ostensibly to protect life and property but ac- tually, it is feared here, for war on the Cantonese government. Marines Under Orders. Brigadier General Smedley Butler, commandant of the base, refused either to affirm or deny the early dispatching of the marines to China. This was taken to mean that the force was under war orders. The navy department today refused to say how many United States bat- tleships were now in Chinese waters. Ships are moving under sealed orders so as not to unduly alarm the Ameri- can people and the Chinese. The Coolidge policy is to present the American people with an accomplished fact and at the same time steal a march on the Cantonese. Secrecy At War Office. It was explained that Admiral Williams, in command. may requisi- tion ships, as he desi advisable aad that no announcement will be made here . War secrecy pervades the war department The United States and Great Powers Hapgood, progressive coal miner of District No. 2, and active in the Brophy campaign, has received immediate aid from his local union at Cresson, Pa., in his attempts to take his place on the floor of the In- ternational Convention of the United Mine Workers of America. Hapgood was trappd alone by agents of the John L. Lewis machine a few days ago and slugged in an ef- fort to prevent his appearing as a delegate. He is also barred by the Lewis controlled credentials commit- tee on the faked charge that He is not a member of the union. Local Refutes Charge. | His local union in a statement to |the Delegates of the Thirtieth U. M. |W. A. convention states that: “The charge that Brother Hapgood never joined the U. M. of A. either) by. card or initiation is a slanderous) lie of the meanest sort. Merely be-| cause Brother Hapgood has a mind of his own and, while he was an or- ganizer for the U. M. W. of A. in the 1922 Somerset County strike for un- ion recognition, because he criticized the International officials for allow- ing the very companies that they were striking against in Somerset County to be signed up in other fields and put back to Work, and because! he was an active gupporter of John| Brophy for International President, the International Officials determin- ed to eliminate him. Not being able (Continued on page 5) Britain have agreed not to recognize the Cantonese or Nationalist govern- ment. There are reports here that Britain is still dickering with Chang-Tso-Lin and a news agency carried a story that the Manchurian dictdtor was marching south against the Can- tonese. Leaving For Shanghai. art, which were supposed to be in (Continued on page 3). The destroyers Noa and the Stew- | Hudson Coal Co. Hits §$| Employees With a Lay- | Off; Anti-Union Outfit SCRANTON, Pa., than 25,000 mine workers of Lacka- | wannaund Luzerne counties were | thrown out of work today when thir- | teen collieries of the Hudson Coal | Company and several, workings of the Glen Alden Coal Company were shut down because of the lack’ of de- mand for anthracite coal. Notices posted at the various mines throughout the valley explained that } the mines would be idle “indefinite- ly.” The action of the companies is taken to mean that a half time opera- Jan. 31—More | Britain Challenges World Proletariat Communist International Declares Victory Over China Would Be Followed by New Capitalist Onslaught (Special Cable to The Daily Worker.) ting policy will be enforced because of the dull condition of the hard coal market. The Hudson Coal Co. is one of the largest in this district, and is a most vigorous agitator for non-union con- ditions. It has a contract with the union, but forbids union organizers to set foot on its property. It also conducts dinners, at which it seeks to form its employes into a more or less organized opposition to the union. ENLIGHTENED LABOR LAW IN RISING CHINA One Reason for Support Of Laboring Masses HANKOW, (FP).—Reason for the enthusiasm of the Chinese workers for the Nationalist government, and basis for the tremendous expansion of labor unions in territory held by the revolutionary armies, is found in vhe new code of. industrial refations drawn up by the political department of Hupeh province, in which Hankow is located. Children under 12 years of age can- not. be employed; nor can women, or children under 15 years, be employed after 9 p. m. in any factory, or at any danerous work. The work-week is to be six days, with pay for seven. Ten hours is to be the maximum day’s work period. Right of the workers to organize and make collective contracts is to |be recognized by all employers. Workmen’s compensation, with six years pension for widows of workers (Continued on page 2) BANK OF ENGLAND 10 dustry in the Union of Socialist Sovi The shoe is on the other foot n growing faster than the medium of ly backed by gold reserves, during the last quarter of 1926 by 76,000,000 rubles. There is considerably more chance of the pound depreciating than of the ruble falling. And the Russian government takes back its gold. Not only that, it is buying more, where it can get it. The internal trade of the Soviet Union is rapidly increasing productivity of all sorts of industry. state bank shows for the second half of 1926 an increase of 28,000,000 rubles in its gold and gold exchange reserve. The paper ruble is adequate- SES ITS RUSSIAN GOLD DEPOSITS AS TRADE BALANCE FAVORS U. S. S. R. LONDON, Jan. 31.—A significant sign of the improved state of in- iet Republics is the quiet withdrawal of four and a half million dollars worth of Russian gold from the Bank of England. This money was not sent for subversive purposes, but was demanded by the British as a guarantee that goods purchased in England by the government trade monopoly of the U. S. S. R. would not be obtained partially free through a decline in the value of the ruble caused by excess of imports over exports in the trade of the Soviet Union. iow. Russian exports exceed imports cireulation, as a direct result of the The Moscow MOSCOW, Jan. 31.—That the British government is openly challenging the international proletariat in arrogantly declaring its intention to dispatch an army of occupation to Shanghai, is the opening declaration in a manifesto issued by the executive com- mittee of the Communist International calling on the workers of the world to organize for the defense of the Chinese revolution, under the slogan: “Hands off China.” The British bourgeoisie, de- government, came out openly in favor clares the manifesto, are eager to profit by their victory over the miners by strangling the Chinese revolution. Aim at Disarming China. The tactics of the reformist leaders aim at disarming the Chinese revolution and leaving it | of the tory government and the war on China. So did Philip Snowden, chancellor of the exchequer in the MacDonald government, who accom- panied his proffer of support to Sir Austen Chamberlain with a vicious attack on Soviet Russia for its sym- pathy for the Chinese nationalist movement, Snowden charged the Soviet government with seeking to in- jure the interests of the empire in China and all over the Orient, a‘ the mercy of the intervention-| ists, who are armed to the teeth.| Those tactics fit in with the gen- eral strategical plan of interna- tional imperialism. A victory for the military interven- tionists in China, the manifesto goes on to say, would mean a victory of international fascism and render a new onslaught against the workers of all lands by the capitalists a cer- tainty- The attack on China is a prepara- tion and rehearsal for war against Soviet Russia, which is the strong- hold of the workers and peasante’ revolution. Organize to Defend China. The manifesto calls on world la- bor to organize without loss of time for the defense and support of the | Chinese revolution, to organize a united front struggle of all labor or- ganizations, to mobilize all organiza- tions with a view to preventing transportation of armed forces against Chinese. The workers of all countries are urged to demand the immediate re- cognition of the Nationalist govern- ment of China and the withdrawal of armed imperialist forces from China. * -<s Communists War on War. LONDON, Jan. 31—An_ active campaign to prevent a war with China is being conducted by the Com- Blames Soviet Union. He attributed the Chinese revo- lution to Soviet intrigue and holds the capitalists of Great Britain blameless for the campaign of terror which has evoked the present hatred of the British in every section of China. In harmony with the British gov- ernment’s machinations against the | Soviet union the right wing labor leaders are renewing their attacks on the Communists and on the Minority Movement, the left wing organization of the British trade union movement. * Cable Is Confirmed. My recent cable to The DAILY WORKER regarding the conference held between right wing labor leaders and Winston Churchill in Lord Wim- borne’s mansion has been eloquently borne out by the action of the Thomas-MacDonald reactionaries in supporting the government policy on China, There is no doubt in the mind of every left winger that a secret agree- ; ment was reached between the gov- } ernment and the labor leaders for a united front against the Soviet union ‘and the growing anti-imperialist ;movement which threatens the ex- |istence of the empire, ca Twice From Same Place. |arms and munitions to China. lets are distributed among the sol- munist Party of Great Britain, thra' LONDON, Jan. 31.—The British the distribution of leaflets, the or-|$°Vernment was rocked today by two ganization of mass demonstrations, **sgering blows from China when and “Hands off China” committees, | te consular body refused permission The dockworkers are appealed to| ‘© the British army of occupation to to prevent the dispatch of troops,| be quartered in the international set- Leaf-| (Continued on Page 2) diers awaiting embarkation for the Crime Wave In Capital. Orient. | WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (INS).— A. J, Cook, secretary of the Miners) The national capital has a crime wave. Federation of Great Britain called on| Almost every kind of a “job” has been all organized labor to unite in a con-| pulled off in Washington recently, ference to fight the government’s| and the police are uncertain whether policy of war against China. \it is due to New York bandits fleeing Thomas For War. bane rigors of the Baumes law, or due On the other hand J. H. Thomas,| vosetriliting at a oe Sp tae political secretary of the National! we brsnth Union of Railwaymen, and colonial) Roll in the Subs For The DAILY minister in Ramsay MacDonald’s WORKER. Lewis Dresses the U. M. W. of A. for By WILLIAM F. DUNNE HE United Mine Workers of America, so far as the Lewis ma- chine with the aid of a packed con- tion can do it, at its thirtieth con- vention, is being stripped of every official and constitutional sanction for a policy of class struggle. The heritage of militancy and be- lief in the ultimate supremacy of the which the pioneers of the American labor movement welded together with their blood, has been prepared for burial in the muck-heap of worker- employer cb-operation and efficiency unionism. ; The war on the Communists and the left wing in the union, the starv- ing of thousands of the best fighting elements out of the union with the approval of officialdom since the working class, providing it kept faith|Jacksonville agreement was signed and held to the line of solidarity with all of its oppressed kindred, the ex- pression of belief in the right of the working class to free itself from eco- nomic and political servitude, have been rejected and repudiated in In- dianapolis.. i United Mine Workers, in its official policy, has been brought into line with the prevailing reaction in the upper circles of the labor|is proof of it. the steady barrage directed against members who have dared to insist on the preservation of the most elemen- tary principles of trade union demo- cracy, the expulsion of men like Howat, Corbislly, Myerscough, Dun- can MacDonald, Freeman Thomp- son and Hapgood—all have been part of a consistent plan and the rape of the union that is taking place here HE “efficiency union” experts of ent. *AMat Ja leth of’ tha. mplahty union! I the Lewin machng have goue oer ° the constitution most thoroly. Their report recommends that every word, clause or sentence which is reminis- cent of the former militancy of the United Mine Workers be eliminated. In addition to castrating the con- stitution the machine-riden conven- tion has repudiated a number of for- mer progressive measures. The major preparations to turn the back of the union on its glorious past |can be enumerated as follows: 1, The preamble to the constitution, has been fundamentally changed. In its old form the second paragraph said: Believing that those whose lot is to toil within the earth’s recesses surrounded by peculiar dangers and deprived of sunlight and pure .air, producing the commodity which makes possible the world’s prog- ress, are entitled to protection and the FULL SOCIAL VALUB’-OF THEIR PRODUCT, ete. v The last five words, have been changed to read: EQUITABLE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR. This change is of the greatest sig- nificance. It means that the official dom of the U. M. W. of A. accepts both the viewpoint of the American ruling class on the question of the reward to which workers are entitled and the phraseology in which its views are formulated. © “Equitable fruits of their labor” is the formula of the Civic Federation, 2. In Article 8, Section 1, the sec- tion dealing with qualifications for holding office in the union, there has been inserted a clause BARRING ANYONE WHO IS NOT AN AMER- ICAN CITIZEN FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN THE UNION. _ | This clause, in a union like the U. M. W. of A., in which the majority of the membership is foreign-born, places the leadership of the union in the hands of precisely 100 per cent American elements which have ac-) cepted the worker-co-operation the-| ory, It sets up a privileged group, a group which is vested with the power of carrying on all negotiations with the bosses and determining the poli- cies of the union, ss division between the foreign- ; + born and the American-born, be tween those foreign-born workers for- tunate enough to be allowed to share the ‘few privileges accorded workers who swear allegiance to American capitalist government and those who have been denied that privilege, can- not but weaken the union and drive it further along the road of unadul- terated efficiency unionism, Other unions have adopted similar provisions, but no union officialdom ruling over such a large percentage of foreign-born membership yet has a Wedding and a Funeral The foreign-born workers who, “The board shall have power to make up the strength of the U. M, W.! levy and collect assessments when ne- of A. have been made into robots|cessary, but no assessment levied by who are allowed, in the affairs of the|the international executive board union, only to pay dues and vote for| shall be collected for more than two his majesty—the American citizen. ;months unless authorized by a refer- 3. The policy which the Lewis ma-|endum vote of the members.” chine has been following for the last} As amended by the constitution five years and a half, i.e., expelling! committee this section now reads: all members who protest against “The board shall have power to levy dared to take such a step. turning the union into an instrument of the coal operators, has now been incorporated in the constitution. This provision, with the deprival of the right of non-citizens to hold office, makes the UMWA officialdom an open ally of the suppressive agen-| cies of the government and versa, 4. The necessity for securing the endorsement of the membership for assessments over more than a two- months’ period has been eliminated. Section 25, which dealt with this power of , formerly read: vice ; and collect assessments when neces- | sary.” 1 The Lewis machine now has the |power which the rising capitalist | Class fought for four centuries to take away from royalty—the power to tax without consent of the taxed. By | the use of this power it can secure |the funds with which to finance ig jarmy of “organizers” and make war {upon the rank and file, 5. One of the ways in which this | power is to be used has already been made clear, It is to tax the mem- (Continued on page 2)