The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 7, 1928, Page 7

The Colorado State Indu oe a » CHAIRMAN LAUDS COLUMBINE MINE FOR ITS MURDERS By HUGO OEHLER. H DENVER, Jan. 6. After tho 1913-14 strike of the Colorado min- | ers and after Ludlow, the general | be guilty of misdemeanor, and if con- victed shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or prison term of 6 months or both.” The Present Strike. The present strike was called after the conference at Aguilar on Sep- tember 2. This conference was at- tended by 198 delegates, notice was served on Industrial Commission and a few days later letters sent to the companies. Due to the lateness in sending notices to the companies, the strike was not called until Oct. 18, instead of. Oct. 2. ‘3 The strike was declared illegal by THE DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JANUARY HEADED FOR SCENES OF NICARAGUAN MA assembly passed the Colorado Indus-| the Industrial Commission, an out- t¥ial Law of 1915, creating a body to|Jaw strike led by an outlaw organi- deal with all struggles between thej;stion, the I. W. W. The technical workers and the capitalist, a com-| mission that was to prevent indus-| trial conflict, stop strikes and outlaw picketing. The commission with its} three members, one for the employer, | one for the workers, and one for the} public, was the best arrangement with the best laws for the interest of the bosses that could be devised at that period. The Law’s Provisions. To begin with it is well to review a few of the clauses of the law and see how this body functions, “impar- tially” for the good of all concerned or involved in any industrial controy- ersy. Each member of the commission is elected for a period of six years and receives a salary of four thous- and per. With this goes the import- ant item of expenses necessarily in-| curred, In the present strike, led by} the I.’W. W., the miners ask for the Jacksonville scale of $7.75, per day. At present the miners receive the enormous average amount of $900.00! a year in wages. A commissioner re- ceiving $4,000 and expenses deals with the living problems of miners receiving $900 a year, with technicali- ties of the laws, with the status quo, pushing to the background the item of present standard of wages and moving to the front the “important” issues of technicalities. Frankly, the commission serves its masters well so why shouldn’t they be paid more than the miners? The Sacco-Vanzetti Strike. In section 29, paragraph 2, we find that, “Employers and employes shal! give the Industrial Commission and the one to the other at least thirty days prior written notice of ar in- tended change effecting conditions of employment or with respect to wages and_hours.” When the I. W, W. called the Sacco- Vanzetti two-day strike and over three thousand miners answered. in the Southern field, the Industrial Commission rushed to the field and declared that it was unlawful as no thirty day notice was given. The strike was the longest in the country for Sacco and Vanzetti, and the miners informed the commission that there was no change contem- plated in working conditions, wages or hours involved. The workers then went back to work to wait for the call to strike for wages, etc. as planned before. The demonstration, led by Embree and Seidler was a success, the commission was on the war path and the strike of two days was a prelude to the coal strike of Colorado. Drastic Rulings. Section 29, paragraph I says, “un- interrupted relations shall continue between the employer and employe until settlement by commission. Prior to and during an investigation it shall be unlawful to cause lockout or strike.” We are informed by Sec- tion 80, paragraph 1, “Employe who goes on strike contrary to provision of law shall be guilty of misdemeanor and fined not more than $50 and 6 months’ in jail and each day or part of day that the worker is on strike shall constitute a separate offense.” Section 83, paragraph 2, and para- graph 3, inform us that “persons in- citing, or who encourages, or aids in any manner any employer to de- clare or continue a lockout, or em ploye to go or continue a strike, shal] \Industrial Commission has: grounds for the above decision were based on an opinion that, the con- ference of Oct. 2 was “not represen- tative of the employes.” The Law and Company Towns. Most of the camps are “company, towns,” with the Post Office on the center of the property and the min- ers’ houses all around. Union or- ganizers when known, are chased off and the right to assemble, free speech and press in these camps are the same as in Russia under the czar. The commission knows that the con- ditions in company towns make it impossible to live up to the letter of the law. In fact all concerned know this. The I, W. W. did all in their power to hold meetings in these camps to take a vote and most places were not successful. They even of- fered to hold joint meetings with the operators, each giving their side to the miners and then letting the min- ers vote for strike or against. Picketing Illegal. In Colorado as in many other places picketing is illegal. “162. Picketing Unlawful. Sec. 13: That it shall be unlawful for any per- son or persons to loiter about or pa- trol the street, alley, roads, high- ways, trails, or place of business of any person, firm or corporation en- gaged in any lawful business for the purpose of influencing or inducing others not to trade with, buy from, sell to, work for or* have business dealings with such person, firm or corporation, or to ticket the workers, mine, building or place of business or corporation for the purpose of ob- structing or interfering with, or in- juring any lawful business, work or enterprise; provided, that nothing herein shall prevent any person ‘from soliciting to trade, custom or busi- ness for competitive business.” Chairman Lauds Murders. In the present strike first the lo- cal county authorities threw scores in jail, then the state police became ac- tive and finally the military authori- ties, with no authority to arrest, did the same thing. The combined force arrested and imprisoned hundreds, holding many incommunicado and de- priving them of their liberty “with- out due process of law.” At the Columbine massacre, where six miners lost their lives and scores were wounded by state police, it “happened” that Thomas Annear, chairman of the Industrial Commis- sion was present at daybreak to see the massacre. He said many things in praise of the murderers but the following sentence is sufficient to show what kind of a chairman the “Scherf ought to have a medal for acting the way he did. It was the bravest deed I have ever seen.” Scherf is in charge of state police. Fake Conferences, The press of Colorado, many times @aring the last 7 weeks of the strike, had articles telling of conferences of the Industrial Commission with many’ groups for the settlement of the strike. First with the strike committee, then with the I. W. W. leaders, busi- ness men and whatnot, but the truth of the matter is that most of this was just paper talk and the commis. sion was busy seeing what could be lone to help defeat the strike as its scope was already hevand +h “ The New Plays “MARCO MILLIONS,” by Eugene night at the Guild Theatre by the Theatre Guild. American troops, recruited from the ranks of the unemployed w ragua to make war on the forces struggling for liberation from Ameri S. “Chateau Thierry” leaving on rush orders from Washington, 7, 1928 ‘ Page Seven strial Commission --- A Weapon of the Rockefellers SS KILLINGS ¥ orkers, are being rushed to Nica- ican capital, Picture shows U. S. ference table and would not reach the conference table again unless one of the two extreme results occurred, | ie., failure of the strike or success of the strike. Attorney General Helps Bosses, Attorney General Boatwright came to the rescue of the coal operators and| By ED FALKOWSKI. the Industrial Commission when, on! SHENANDOAH, Pa., Jan. 6.— Nov. 6, he said the strike was il-|What impresses one most in the an- jegal, unlawful and the notice of the/thracite at present is the lack of pro- strikes was void. |gram on the part of the Umted Mine The law provides that committee, Workers. From all sides complaints presenting demands to the boss or|pour forth, Reports of men “knocked commission must be employed—good | off”; of breakers operating on idle and well for the company, for when|days putting through bank coal; of the miners’ committees of the differ-|cranes skimming the men off timber ent camps signed statements and|bankers; of miners oppressed and presented them they were discharged cheated. Over all hangs the cloud of at once. ;slack time. It absorbs everything. All who took an active part in Slack time is in the faces of men drawing up demands were discharged. Standing on corners. It is in the sales Aceording to the law these men were receipts of stores; in the poor attend- “unlawful, ete., ete. etc.,” oh yes, | ance of picture shows. Everywhere the Industrial Commission is for the | Slack time—an uneseapable phenom- workers as well as for the capital- 20M. that has enveloped the region Conditions in Anthracite Worse as Officials Sleep O’Neill, will be presented Monday In the cast are Alfred Lunt, Margalo Gillmore,; Baliol Holloway, Dudley Digges, Henry Travers, Ernest Cossart, Morris Carnovsky, Philip Leigh and Mary Blair. “THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS,” by Goldoni, will be the next production of the Reinhardt players opening Monday night at Blame For Everything.” the Cosmopolitan Theatre, preceded by Folstoy’s, “He Is To Alexander Moissi will play the lead in Goloni’s work and Herman Thimig the chief role in, the latter. “ROSALIE,” at the New Amsterdam Tuesday. The book is by Guy Bolton and William Anthony Maguire, music by George Gershwin and Sigmund Romberg and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and P. G. Se neuaee Marilyn Miller and Jack Donahue are the principal players, “DIVERSION,” by John Van Druten, at the Forty-ninth Street Theatre Wednesday night. “INTERNATIONAL,” by John Howard Lawson, will open at the New Playwrights’ Theatre Thursday night. Jane Barry, Herbert Bergman, Franchot Tone and in the production. ! “COCK ROBIN,” a mystery play . Thursday at the 48th Street Larry Bolston have leading parts by Philip Barry and Elmer Rice, Theatre. The cast is headed by Edward Ellis, Beulah Bondi and Beatrice Herford, ‘ “A FREE SOUL,” by William-Mack, at the Playhouse Thursday night. ' “THE FIRST STONE,” by Walter Ferris, will be the next production of the Civit Repertory Theatre, opening Friday night. Eva Le , Gallienne heads the cast. ists. 99 Per Cent Wage Cuts. In the ninth report of the Indus- trial Commission of Colorado for the year 1925 we can obtain an insi¢ht into the functions of the commission in behalf of the workers and judge for ourselves, The present strike shows who’s who and their action all through the’ years also tells a tale Of a great number of cases review- ed (mainly disputes between miners and operators) I find that over 99 per cent were on wage reductions and that the cases ended by saying “no protest, case closed.” Of course the miners were unor- ganized with the exception of a few United Mine Workers’ locals under the type of leadership of Lewis. The Rockefeller plan was found other places where decreases were accept- ed with joy. At this period the U. M. W. A. of- ficers of the district were spending carfare touring the state telling workers they would have to take the cut and in 1927 they toured telling workers they must not go on strike for an increase of wages. Need for Strong Union. In reviewing other cases, one can note that where there is a strong union, able to uphold its position and fight for more wages, wage increases were granted, proving that in the strength of the union the workers have their succéss and not in any com. mission, Weak, divided workers were easy prey to the commission for wage reductions. The bosses’ pill was sug- ar-coated by the commission. Commission Is Bosses’ Weapon. Like all other “three party” com- missions the Colorado Industrial Com- mission is a weapon of the capital- ist against the workers. It is a means of class collaboration as well as of open suppressions. Its laws and acts and the anti-picketing law are means for the state to check the advance of the workers. It is a weapon of the capitalist, through the capitalist state, in a period of capitalism when centralization with more power to the state is necessary for the capitalists im order to hold their own against the rising working class. Musical Forum To Present Rus- jsian Program at Gallo Theatre Tomorrow Night. For its fourth subscription concert this Sunday evening, the Musical Forum will move to the Gallo The- atre as the Guild Theatre is having a dress rehearsal on that date. Kurt Schindler has prepared a Russian program for the occasicn, with the Kedroff Quartet, Mina Koshetz, sop- ‘ano, and Beno Moiseiwitsch, pianist, as soloists. This is Mme. Koshetz’ ‘irst appearance here since 1924, Mme. Koshetz will sing two groups ! f songs. The first will be drawn ‘rom the classic composers and will nelude numbers of Glinka, Gui, imsky-Korsakoff, and Dargomyzhs- ij. The second will consist of Rus- ‘an folk songs arranged by Glazou- ew, Balakireff, Liapounow, Liadoff, Saratygin, and Gretchaninow. Mr. ‘Moiseiwitsch will play two groups, levoting one to Medtner. The Kedroff Quartet will also offer two groups. The fifth concert of the Forum will be at the Guild Theatre. The program will feature Spanish music, with Andres’ Segovia as soloist. NORTH BERGEN, N. J., Jan. 6. —Back wages amounting to $33.80 were ordered paid to Clara Hansen of this city by the Union City Em- broidery Plant here in Police Court yesterday. The plant’s manager tried to hold out on the worker, alleging. the work done was unsatisfactory, ‘and is choking the old vigor out of it, | Yet everyone seems to be dodging |the issue. Few are brave enough to |face it. January is a big hope to them. Maloney, president of the P. & R. C. & I. Co. is a vast miracle man, a supersalesman, who will soon start the collieries full time. Every- body waits for something to happen. But nothing happens. Every day is the same. Slack time—a dreary heav- iness that presses everything down! And everybody stranded, wallowing in a mire from which it is impossible to crawl! out! Despite prayers, the weather con- tinues warm and sloppy. It-is. not even normally ecild. Bum weather for ithe coal trade. | The union stands by. watching. Ef- ficiency comes with its dismissed hun- dreds, its machinery, its timeclocks —its proletariat tramping up and 'down these hills in search of work. But the union docs not answer with |@ program of its own. It does not »come forward to challenge those who are preparing to slide the union out lof existence. It even concedes points |to them, and permits them to carry on their pernicious work. So the region drifts from bad to worse with little outlook for tomor- row. | The Mine Boards Meets. Conversational preliminarics are ‘hammered to faint murmur as the enormous bulk of the chairman sits \itself into a chair. and the mecting is declared open. Cigars are lit, pipes charged, ears perk up attentively, as the secretary reads off in a slumber- some voice the unexciting minutes of |the previous meeting. It seems that |the janitor was the big fienre at the last meeting. A loaded delegate de- fied the chairman to keep him in or- dom, starting a one-man meeting that made the official meeting look like a ragged sideshow. The noise reached such gay pitch that the church serv- ices upstairs were disturbed. The janitor was sent down by the priest to turn out the lights and adjourn the meeting. This the ‘janitor did as he was already tired of sitting out ir the cold hallwoy waiting for this endless meeting to hit some snag that would hasten its adjournment. Incidentally, a feeble fellow whose wooden leg has 2 rhythm all its own as he pounds in and out, revorted the alarming presence of 100 Wobblies in the town. Where they met, what they did, who they were—he couldn’t say. But certain he was that these dire disrupters had nested themselves in the town, and the mine board should take drastic measures to set- ting them on the open road again. Nothing, however, was dore. The minutes, gavelled to slumber hy the silence of the delegates, and the efficiency of the chairman, griev- ances were taken up again. The dele- gates from the different collieries were asked to render reports of the latest troubles arising at their work- ings. Came from one colliery the report of a lokie engineer who had previous- ly tended his lokie on idle days, and whose engine was now tended by slone engineers, thus “knocking him off” on idle days. But as winter comes on, the engineers are compelled to walk to the lokie house to tend the fires, where previously the lokie was set by the engine house—a conven- jent jump for the engineers.. Hence the engineers registered high kick, and attempts were made to have the lokie engineer come out on Sundays, Jeaving the idle days to themselves. This the engineer refused to do, since if they could do his job when the col- liery was idle, what on earth was to stop them from doing it on Sundays as well? Hot Talk. Argument developed, as the chunky engineer himself gave details of his grievance which was further elab- orated by the vast presence of the engineer himself who accused the lokie man of being “without guts.” The lokie runner jumped out of his patience, and accused the other of “seabbing”—particularly as this en- gineer was one of the grievance com- mittee men, and had actually agreed to do another man’s work without extra pay! Debate swung high and low for an hour, and opinions of each other were rendered freely until the official hammer banged on the lean table again, cleaving the way for official- dom to speak—which it did through the mouth of the chairman whe stated this matter would be referred to high- er channels for action as “old condi- tions must be restored in all the col- lieries.” The lokie man lit a cigaret, and passed into the shadows of the back reaches of the room. Maple Hill reports loss of jurisdic- | tion over culm bank men who were | switched to the adjoining colliery | that they might be “knocked off” on | idle days contrary to the agreement | already made at Maple Hill. which required that if any rock at all was heing taken out of the breaker on idle days, the full crew of bank men be employed. The committee men of the neighboring colliery noted this, and promised to restore those men to work. Buy Batteries? Then came the matter of batteries. A delegate stated that the company was trying to compel men to buy dis- charge batteries to set off their dyna- mite. “In other collieries batteries are furnished free by the company. Here | they are trying to sell them to us. What is your opinion?” A variety of opinions came forth, some holding batteries were better than fuse becguse you were sure that the charge would go off—there were | fewer “misses” than with dynamite; | others contended that the old fashion- | ed fuse was far better since you had | |no wire trouble after the blast went ‘eff which you do have with batteries. A motion was made to restore the old fuse again, and not use batteries. This motion was passed with strained ayes, | Merchant Uses Coal. | The executive board member then got up and assured the members that the rumors about a certain merchant using an oil burner were untrue, as certain miners investigated the man’s basement, and instead of the alleged cil burner, found there a few tons of | MILL WORKERS TO HAVE UNION MANCHESTER, N. H., Jan. 6. — First steps towards organizing the 10,500 mill workers employed by the | Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. here} were to be taken at a meeting of the United Textile Workers of America | and the American Federation of La- bor today, John L. Barry, president of the S.ate Federation, announces. | National headquarters of the Textile {egg anthracite coal, and a furnace This, he assured, a serious matter for the erchant since the rumor had already gotten out widely, and his iness would be in danger since the miners are de termined to cut off those people who cut them off. 8-Hour Day—Where Is It? runtled committee men of lliery a why the « tive board member allowed cern to operate + the eight-hour limit. to consume it. that con- The local had ‘DETROIT MEETING + colliery beyond | | ‘ORGANIZATION 0 BE DISCUSSED AT 6.—Jack er of the >», will Jan. taken to stop the p tice when | ad bi eld. here the of: al gave his 1 to the Hall on 4 10 at 8 p. m company’s measure stating it wou!d tion of the unorganized and mean more jobs for the men. But progressive mov in the act was opposed to the lo $ unions will be sed. Auto , and an explanation was de- manded. The board member floundered about catching thin phrases to screen the emptiness of his excuse. Ff wrestled with nothing for a few r ites, stretching words to cover up his discomfort. As he sat down, the sec- retary swung’ in with his chantey of receipts and expenses, cu g off further debate, and tumbling the neeting to an unfinished adjourn- nent. This left most of the matter to be thras out on*the str where the men later formed i pups vhich petered out, being su: d into the various saloon entrances where good beer is known to be handled. ts | ® ly, who are suffering age cuts and the speed- p system, are urged to attend, A monster demonstration in com= memoration of the death of Nicolai -|Lenin will be held by Detroit labor organizations on Jan. 22 at the Arena Gardens. Bertram D. Wolfe of New York and Vera Buch, will be |among the speakers, | On Jan. 9, 10 and 11, the Detroit {Federation of Workingmen’s Or- ions will hold its annual ba- the New Workers’ Hall. This year’s proceeds will be for the or- | ganization itself, the I. L, D., and the ! Pioneer Children’s Camp. B. Wankel & Son 1573 Third Ave, (Bet. 88-89th) New York City. Wholesale and Retail Hardware Store and OPEN DAILY from Mazda Lamps 8AM. to8 P. MES 8. R to 10 P. M, All kinds of Tools and Supplies for Plumbers, Electricians, Mechanics, and Carpenters, etc. Do Not Fail to Read This! As it ts to Your Advantage. We have arranged with one of the best clothing manufacturers in the city to give a special reduction on Suits and Overcoats of the finest fabrics in the latest styles, well tailored, to the \ readers. of the Daily Worker. You are all invited to go up and look around and convince yourself of the great values you can get in Suits and Overcoats from $24.50 to $31.00, values over $55.00. You are not compelled to buy if our statement is not 100 } per cent true. Patronize this place as it is for your own benefit. A SPECIAL SALE of overcoats of the best WAROM- BOS, CHINCHILLAS and MONTAGNACS. All kinds of con- | servative models. Young men’s college clothes. | If not satisfied with the purchase the money will be refunded without any question, | MAISEL & STRAUSS, Inc. Makers of Impressively Good Clothes | | 877 FOURTH AVE. Near 27th St. FIRST FLOOR | | TELEPHONE—MADISON SQ. 8764. ' | if m AT MPECIAL PRICE? 25 CENTS EACH otsky (Board Bound) ($1.00) ia—A. Heller (Cloth) ($1.00) My Flight From Siberia—Leon al Revival in Sevict Ku 1.) Reports ‘ tional Convention (Workers Par Workers in New York state that many requests from the mill workers here for organizers have been re- ceived. A wage cut of 10 per cent was introduced in the Amoskeag here | and at Fitchburg, Mass., Christmas Eve. No a tempt to organize these | workers has been made since the big Amoskeag strike in *922. ’ . . FALL RIVER, Mass., Jan. 6. --One of the largest Fall River cotton mills —Stevens—has announced a 10 per cent wage cut for its 800 workers and Pacific Mills in Lawrence threaten a similar cut to follow one announced for Dover, N. H. Amoskeag Mills at Manchester, N. H., and Pepperell Mills of Biddeford, Me., wih a branch at Lowell, Mass., have cut. Haverhill shoe factories have cut wages also. ° Other textile centers are likewise: suffering from depression. Passaic, N. J., has 29,000 unemployed in its immediate vicinity, according to Paul Fuller, director of Workers’ Educa- tion for the district. The federal em- ployment office lists 9,000 jobless in Passaic alone. Fuller is calling an unemployment conference for Feb. 4- 5 at Passaic. Cheney Bros. — openshop silk man- ufacturers—have cut pay in their | South Manchester, Conn., mill and are quitting the making of hosiery. They make chiefly men’s hose. 50 CENTS EACH Romance of New Russia—Magdaleine Marx ) Awakening of Chinn—Jas. H. Volsen .....+ ) Red Curtoons (inetuding over 70 cartoons) 9x Set Fairy Daies for Workers’ Children—Herminia AMMEN CSicic'siyaiscibeldie cals sh une hie Ssimuae RMR EN le (08) oveaee $1.00 EACH Fairy Tales for Workers’ Children—(Cloth Bound) .. ($1.25) esses Letters of Rosa Luxemburg (lo kK CUOEN J. saincy stale waalonana ae oes a puree ($2.50) A Bronse Medallion of Lenin—5 inches wide .... $2.00 EACH A Bronze Statue of Karl Marx—6 inches high—for home and club rooms PLEASE NOTE Because of the low prices offered no orders under one dollar will be accepted. Also—add 10 cents for postage for every dollar's worth of books ordered, é | Enclosed $....+s00004+ for books marked above. Name ...scsoes Eobies oa sdececatb (acu eee S POMC RES Ske wees | Street ccveccecccccccccsccrccevcedvcvcstescvasecevceeeececes | City .. . State | WORKERS LIBRARY PUBLISHERS 39 East 125th Street, New York