The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 3, 1928, Page 1

N.Y. Young Workers to Honor Liebknecht at Labor Temple Meeting Tonight THE DAILY WORKER FIGHTS: FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNORGANIZED FOR THE 40-HOUR WEEK FOR A LABOR PARTY Vol. V. No. 28. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In New York, by mail, $8.00 per year. Outside New York, by mail, 86.00 per year. Kimtered me eecununtines wigs sy NEW YORK, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1928 sue sues villee at New erk, A. Mareh 3, 19TD, HE DAILY WORKER. ¥.. under the act of Ing Aunociation, 1 y by The National Daily Worker » 3B First Street, New York, N. Y. FINAL CITY EDITION Price 3 Cents UNEMPLOYED WORKERS HERE ORGANIZE FOR ACTION SITLOW REPORTS MANY JOINING WORKERS PARTY Tho Bosses Attempting | To Suppress Meets “Conditions among the workers thruont the west are decidedly favor- eble for the growth of the Workers Party in spite of the bitter opposition of the capitalists,” said Ben Gitlow, who has just returned from a trip thruout the country, on which he started December 16, 1927. Gitlow’s trip was mainly for the purpose of making a study of Party conditions and activity and conducting an or- ganizational campaign for a Labor Party in the west. He addressed many of the Lenin memorial meet- ings that were being held in the cities he visited. “Generally, economic conditions are continually growing worse,” stated. “There is an increase in un- employment and part-time work, and great reduction in wages. In Cali- fornia, particularly, the bosses are organizing to wage a big open-shop war against the building trades. In San Francisco, with a population of 676,000, there are 32,000 unemployed; in Los Angeles, population, 1,300,000, there are 100,000 unemployed; and in Cleveland, 95,000 out of a population cf 984,000 are unemployed. Interest in the Party is everywhere found among the workers and they are join- ing by the dozen at each meeting.” Trp to Stop Meetings. Gitlow told of efforts continually being made by the bosses to prevent any sort of meetings of the Workers Party. “In Pueblo,» company town which.is run entirely by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Conpany of the Rockefeller interests, 16° halls were closed to us for the Lenin mem- orial meeting. The sheriff said frankly that the Fuel and Iron Com- (Continued on Page Two) DAWES’ BROTHER IN SHADY DEALS Standard Oil Chief Not Willing to Tell Al WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 2— Beman G. Dawes, brother of the vice president of the United States, and associated with him in the bank- ing-business, was involved in the Sin- cfair-Continental-Humphries scandal today by an admission obtained on the witness stand from Robert W. Stewart, chairman of the Standard Oil of ‘Indiana. One Transaction. The facts so far uncontested are that the Continental made one tran- saction in its whole career. Soon af- ter being organized py Harry F. Sin- clair, who wanted to lease Teapot Dome naval oil reserve from the gov- ernment, the Continental sold the Prairie Oil and Gas Co. and the Sin- clair Crude Oil Co, about $50,000,000 worth of oil at $1.75 a bbi., and bought the same amquni on the same day from Humphries, at $1.50 a bbi. @n money guaranteed by Sinclair. Humphries was able +o operate at all only because Dawes had lent him $1,000,000, taking stock in his com- pany for security. Turned Into Bonds. Of the profit thus accumulated, $3,000,000 was turned into Liberty Loan bonds, some of which were ai- terwards found in the possession of Secretary of the Ihterivr Albert B. Fall, about the time he granced ao fraudulent lease on Teaput Dome to Sinclair. Stewart, when questiond on any matters relating to the $3,000,000 in Liberty bonds, what becaime of them or how they were divided, refused to answer and defied the Senate. Workers Party Plenum to Discuss Strike Act The anti-strike proposal of the American Bar Association and Mat- thew Woll, head of the National Civic Federation and vice president of the American Federation of Labor will be discussed at the Plenum of the Cen- tral Committee of the Workers (Com- munist) Party to be held Saturday at the. Irving Plaza, Irving Place and Gitlow | ays Communists Win } Ben Gitlow, of the Workers (Com- munist) Party secretariat, just re- turned from a tour through the West, reports unemployment, per- secution of Communists, but growth of the Party's influence. HOUSE BUILDS BANKING TRUST pW ASHINGTON, D. D. C., Feb...2.— _amended « ane eee een act 80 as to allow interlocking directorates in banks, even between joint stock land banks | wi and state banks net members of the Federal Reserve system. The powers of the Federal Reserve Board to ap- prove of or prevent such mergers was also increased, thus making it pos- sible for the board, under the domina- tion of the largest banks, to discrimin- | ate against small rival mergers. At practically the same time that the way was made easy for ihe au- thority of the banking trust, and} tightening the centralized control over it, by the inner clique on Wall Street, a measure designed to provide pen- sions for employees of the Federal Reserve Board on their retirement at j an advanced age, was killed. “I am against the principle of such bills,” declared Representative Madden (R.) chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency. STATE DEPT, BANS USSR BOND SALES WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.—Submit- ting abjectly to the demands of the | holders of old ezarist debts, the state | department yesterday formally noti- fied the Chase National Bank that it! objects to the plan for floating a part of the Soviet railway loan in the} American market. The loan which | was to have been sold here by mail| totals some $30,000,000, Proceeds | from the sale of bonds were to be ap- plied to conditioning the yailroads in the Soviet Union. AnthkWar Stamps To Be Demonstrations Against Anti-Strike Law Loom LEADERS CHARGE LAW IS A MOVE TOWARD FASCISM Lawyers Maintain Their Propaganda Trade union sentiment against the anti-strike law, now being advocated by the American Bar Association, may develop into active demonstrations of | protest and opposition, accord’ ng to | opinion voiced yesterday by various trade union leaders and s.udents of the labor movement. “This is no new move,” Gold, leader of the Furriers’ Board. the labor fakers of their old practice of betraying the workers’ and an attempt io put into law their policy of collaboration with the em- ployers. It is also an attempt to ren- der a blow at the left wing. This move will be met and defeated just as the other drives against the labor movement will be defeated.” “A Move Towards Fascism.” Similar sentiments were expressed by other union leaders. M. E. Taft, manager of Local 41, of the cloak makers, characterized the move as “a step bordering on and moving in the direction of fascism in the United States.” Taft, who recently, before Justice Crain, had been cited in de- fiance of an injunction, pointed out that the anti-strike law would shave he-effect of a univ. res. order’ against the labor movement. “This is in effect a virtual country- wide, legalized injunction. As such it will be treated and as such it will be overcome.” When asked what method he advo- cated fer opposing the law, he said, “It should be met with the organized |defiance of the labor movement and the working class.” No Labor Suppert. It is considered significant that be- | sides the small group of extreme re- actionaries in the labor movement such as Woll, Green, McGrady and a few others, no trade union leaders have, thus far indicated their agree- ment with the objects of the proposed law. At the offices of Attorney Julius Henry Cohen, chief sponsor for the “formula” which seeks to rule out strikes and to jail or fine any union- ist who would violate its provisions, Joint iit was announced yesterday that opin- ion in favor of the law was being re- ceived from “various sources.” When asked to mention specifically what \these sources were, Mr. Cohen ad- mitted that no labor organizations were among the list. He made some vague mention of the fact that “M. Hara, Commercial Secretary of the | Japanese Embassy had asked for fur- ther details.” Lawyers Respond. A long statement of eulogy was re- ported from Gilbert H. Montague, ;Chairman of the committee on uni- form laws of the Bar Association. | Af.er indicating how pleased he was at the prospect of “industrial peace,” he prophecies that “a new epoch will be opened up in American labor re- lations.” It is clear that the Bar Association is straining every effort io create an atmosphere of support for the anti- ‘strike proposal when it comes up for Sale Tonight eer oe The Nicaraguan war protest stamps which have been barred from the mail by the post office “authorities will be for sale tonight at a benefit performance for the All-America Anti-Imperialist League at the New Playwrights Theatre, 40 Commerce St., where John Howard Lawson’s “The International” is now playing. Socrates Sandino, brother of Gen- eral Augusto Sandino, commander of the Nicaraguan army of indepen- dence, will be the guest of honor, ac- cording to Manuel Gomez, secretary of the league. TO CURB SPECULATORS. ALBANY, N. Y., Feb, 2.—Two bills designed to curb theatre ticket specu- lators are pending before the legis- lature, One would increase the state license fee imposed on ticket agencies from $100 to $500 for the main of- fice. . The other bill would impose a tax of 40 per cent on each ticket ‘which j hearing on Feb. 16. UNION BAKER’S SERVICE DETROIT, (FP) Feb. 2.—Local 20} of the Bakery workers renders an efficient employment service to its members and to the master bakers at 55 Adelaide St., Detroit. | Heart-Rending Appeal said Ben | “It is merely an extension by | interests | | Mrs, Rachel Getto, a miner’s wifé is touring the country to appeal for food, clothing, and funds for the poverty-stricken miners of Pennsyl- vania. Evictions, into the freezing wintry weather, pitiful undernour- ishment and threatened disease among the miners’ children, lack of clothing and brutality of the State Police are the lot of the wives and children of the tens of thousands of miners in their struggle for decent living wage which would enable them to live like human beings. A. F. L, ORGANIZER IN FUR UNION IS HELD FOR ASSAULT Fried, Aid of McGrady, Has Criminal Record Alex Fred, ee was appointed by Matthew Woll of the American Fed- eration of Labor to be the chief right | wing force in the Furriers Union is being held without bail for the Grand Jnry on the charge of having mur- derously assaulted Mike Fineman, a furrier, last Tuesday, at 29th St. and Sixth Ave. The Joint Board attorney pointed out to Magistrate Rosenbluth, sitting | in Jefferson Market Court, that Fried | had previously been convicted of bur- glary and was sentenced to serve a prison term up to six years. Rosen- bluth held Fried without bail and set a $2500 bond as the price for Fried’s’ accessory in the assault, Harry’ Plitt. A. F. of L. Aids. Fried and Plitt were the chief | leaders of a squad of strong-arm men who terrorized the furriers by at- tacking any militant worker ‘who chanced to be walking alone in the | street. | When Edward F. McGrady, an A. |F. of L. organizer was appointed by | President Green, and Woll, to direct the campaign of destruction against (Continued on Page Five) Robt. Dunn, Lever to Speak at Open Forum| Robert W. Dunn, members of the First American Trade Union Dele- gation to the Soviet Union, and Jack Lever, member of the Rank and File | Trade Union Delegation recently re- te ned from the Soviet Union, ‘will |be the speakers at the Workers TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST WAR AT LIEBKNECHT MEET Will Crowd Hall at 14th St. and Second Ave. Hundreds of young workers from all the industrial sections of New York City will assemble tonight at Labor Temple, 14th St. and Second Ave., to commemorate the eighth an- niversary of the murder of Karl Lieb- knecht and Rosa Luxemburg, at a mass meeting held by the Young Workers (Communist) League of Dis- trict 2. Anti-War Demonstration. Announcement was made yesterday that this meeting will be turned into an anti-war demonstration, and a leaf- | let which calls for support to Nica- ragua’s fight for freedom from Amer- ican capitalists, a militant struggle against the dangers of a new war, and the defense of the Soviet Union, is beitig distributed widely thruout the city to young workers, soldiers and sailors, The Young Workers (Com- munist) League will keep alive the traditions of “Liebknecht by making this meeting mark the intensification of its anti-militarist and anti-war ac- tvities. Pioneer Graduation. An especially interesting program has been arranged, to include the graduation of 45 ances ot Young Pioneers of America into the Young Workers (Communist) League. Other ‘features are an anti- play, “The R. 0. T. C.” and individual dance exhibitions. The speakers at the meeting will be William W. Wein- stone, organizer of the Workers (Communist) Party, District 2; and Leon Plott and Carl Weissberg of the League, and others, AUTO. WORKERS TO AID “DAILY” District Agent Sends In 51 New Subscribers “The “Belt” city was heard from yesterday with the recéipt of 51 new subscriptions to The DAILY WORK- ER from Detroit. There, despite the thousands of jobless in the auto- mobile factories and general wide- spread unemployment, the “Builders” are continuing their energetic cam-, paign to extend the influence of the only national labor daily in the United States. Challenge Other Cities. The receipt of the names of the new DAILY WORKER recruits was accompanied with a declaration by Sarah Victor, “DAILY” agent in the Detroit district, that the auto city is planning to offer strenuous com- petition to Boston, Philadelphia, and other cities in their drive for new readers. “I notice,” Comrade Victor writes, “that the New York comrades are }making a wonderful drive for sub- scriptions. Detroit, I am confident, will turn in its quota—and more—be- fore the six weeks’ drive is over.” Highly encouraging reports are coming to the business office daily from cities thruout the United States. All join in declaring that now, when the bosses are making an open and brutal attack against labor every- School Forum, 108 E. 14th St., Sun-} day, at 8 p. m., on “What I saw in| the Soviet Union.” where, the only militant organ of the working class must be maintained and its influence extended. BOSSES, REFOR MISTS TO FIGHT MINERS Union : Heads, Operators Form Form Alliance Against nst Progressives By JACK RODGERS. PITTSBURGH, Pa., Feb. 2.—The efforts of the “Save the Union Com- mittee” in the United Mine Workers of America to galvanize the striking coal diggers into renewed activity for the winning of the strike and to save their organization from dissolution, are regarded with apprehension by both the operators and the reactionary union officials according to Basil is sold at more than 50 cents above =} Manly, head of the People’s Legisla- tine. Sortes in Washineton. who is writing a series of articles on the strike situation in Pennsylvania, for @ newspaper syndicate. Liberal Muckraker. Basil Manly is a liberal muckraker who-has been engaged by the LaFol- Jette progressives and other “insur- gent” elements in congress to gather data with which to assail the “male- factors of great wealth” and other evildoers for the benefit of the voters back home. But when an_ issue shernens between the ruling class and their labor lieutenants on one side, and the bitterly exploited workers, led by the progressives and radicals on the other, Manly like other “hinds” of the same stripe is always sure to land on the side of the fence thru which the enemies of labor are sniping at the workers. Manly Wags His Head. Manly, playing the role of dummy in the lap of the ventriloquist John | i | | Hurt in Subway Rush 4 Eleven-year-old Robert Levy had to be pried loose from a turnstile on the Culver line of the B. M. T. subway, when he was wedged in by a crowd rushing to make the train. The poor service of the New York subways, which are now demanding a Tc fare, is the cause of frequent accidents due to the rush caused. A. F, OF L. MAKES: GESTURE OF FIGHT ON INJUNCTIONS Sunday Meet Fails to Indicate Program The thirty year “fight” American Federation of Labor against the injunction will come to a head on Sunday afternoon at a hall no larger than Cooper Union where labor lead- ers will mix ministers, senators and Tammany politicians, according to an announce- ment made yesterday by John Sulli- van, president of the New York State Federation of Labor. Senator Robert F. Wagner and William Green, president of the Amer- ican Federation of Labor will be the principal speakers at the meeting Many Speeches, Other speakers will include W. D. Mahon, president of the Amalgamated Association, Nathan D. Perlman, former congressman, John Sullivan, Andrew Furuseth, president of the Seamen’s Union, William Fitzgerald, vice president of the Amalgamated, tthew Woll, acting president of the Civic Federation and __ incidentally vice president of the A. F. of L. The meeting is intended to launch the first gun against the injunction fight, it is sunced, No program, however, indicated as to how this is to be carried out beyond the mention that other meetings will follow. The real purpose of the meeting is indicated in the slogan which has been issued by the committee in charge, “Save the Organized Labor Move- ment.” This slogan taken from the battle cry of the left wing which is actually fighting for the workers is intended, it is believed, to offset the effect of the campaign of the mili- tants to the pressure of which the meeting is a response. Greco, Carillo Guests At Dinner Here Sunday Colegero Greco and Donato Car- rillo, anti-fascists, recently acquitted of murder in a blackshirt frameup in the Bronx County Court, will be the guests of honor at a banquet Sunday at 3 p. m. at the Irving Plaza, Irving Place and 15th Street. The defense counsel in the case, Clarence Darrow, Arthur Garfield Hays, Isaac Shorr and Carol Weiss King, have been invited to attend. The attorneys and others will deliver short talks. The banquet is arranged by the Greco-Carrillo Defense Committee, with the cooperation of the Interna- tional Labor Defense to clear up the debt in the case, Carlo Tresca, editor L. Lewis, also attacks the Pennsyl-|of Il Martello, is chairman of the ar- Le fiuchins on Page Two) \ rangements committee. of the} indiscriminately with | DEMAND PROMPT AID ON PART OF CITY OFFICIALS Committee Calls on N. Y. Central Trades Nearly 2,000 Senrultigen workers from virtually every section and in- dustry of New York crowded into Manhattan Lyceum, 44 E. 4th St., and j organized themselves into the New York Council for the Unemployed. This council is the basis of what is | soon to become a city-wide, state-wide | and later a nation-wide body of action |for the relief of workers being cast out on the streets by the hundreds of thousands in the present breakdown ‘of capitalist production. Under the leadership of the New | York Council for the Unemologad |steps will be taken to translate this \first mass protest meeting into a demonstration demanding the atten- tion of city officials, the state govern- }ment and finally the government at Washington. Pressure on Labor Officials. Not only will pressure be brought to bear upon city and government of- ficials, but the power of the unem- ployed will be united with members jin trade unions throughout the coun- try to force the officials of the labor movement to take up the issue of un- employment. A delegation from the meeting ap- peared last night before the meeting of the Central Trades end Labor Council as the first step"iw that direc" tion. They were informed that they could not be given the floor until they re- ceived the permission of the execu- tive committee of the council. The unemployed committee consisted of (Continued on Page Five) CITY SUPPORTS LRT. FARE MOVE Company Will Seek Injunction The city officials and the Tammany Hall machine are really behind the Interborough increased fare move Was charged yesterday by a former promi- nent city official who preferred ‘to keep his name secret. Announcement that the State Tran- sit Commission will join in the fight to prevent the Interborough from put- ting into effect its seven cent fare in- crease followed upon the statement by city officials yesterday that they would oppose the attempt by the com- | pany. A meeting of the Transit Commis sion, however, failed to produce any tangible plan of procedure. Nor did Mayor Walker, speaking for the city, ndicate any particular method. by which he would seek to prevent the move, Company To Get Injunction. In the meantime, those close to the Interborough hint that the company is planning to apply to a supreme court justice for an order preventing the city or the Transit Commission from interfering with the operation of a fare increase. Open charges are being made that the city officials, with the Tammany Hall machine in the background, the traction officials and the Transit |Commission indirectly, are behind the move to compel a fare increase pre- liminary to the final disposition of the traction problem under a se called “unification” scheme, The plan, it is charged, is to permit the Inter- borough officials who own no stock in the road and are not the real repre- sentatives of the industry to force a fare increase through the courts. The city officials will “fight” the attempt bitterly, but will lose in the end. Shoe Workers Will Meet Here Tonight Tonight at 51 E. 10th St. the first meeting of the Committee of 25, elected at a recent meeting of shoe workers, will be held. Ths committee was elected for the purpose of organ- izing an ndependent union of shoe workers in Greater New York. \ ; te