The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 14, 1928, Page 6

Page Six THE DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1928 THE DAILY WORKER) “% PrixcraL’ Published by the NATIONAL DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING ASS’N, Inc. Daily, Except Sunday 88 First Street, New York, N. Y. Cable Address: “Daiwork” SUBSCRIPTION RATES By Mail (in New York only): By Mail (outside of New York): 00 per year $4.50 six months $6.00 per year $2.50 three months. $2.00 three months. ‘Addrest and mail out checks to THE DAILY WORKER, 33 First Street, New York, N. Y. 31 Editor........ wee . ROBERT MINOR Assistant Edit WM. F. DUNNE Entered as second-class mail at the post-office at New York, N. ¥., under the act of March 3, 1879. —. sess ‘} Street Government a Crisis in ¥! The Harding-Coolidge administration bought their way into office with the proceeds of a gigantic theft of oil lands. This is the inescapable conclusion from the unchallenged evi- dence before the senatorial investigation committee which shows that the Dupont de Nemours family were reimbursed for loans | made to the republican national committee’s 1920 campaign fund by bonds whose sole validity consisted in the fact that they rep- resented the oil stolen by Sinclair and Doheny with the aid of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana. Coolidge, the sole survivor of Teapot Dome, stands exposed as a miserable puppet whose presidential office was purchased Phone, Orchard 1680 $3.50 six months The New Developments in the Oil Scandal Are Evidence of | ee a < d AEN) 4 %4 "A Loe, ~ — Fs, Ce eceniias ge? Ss : st By Fred Ellis Reader Urges Support of the Daily Worker Editor, The DAILY WORKER: It is the duty of every worker, party member and sympathizer to rally to the aid of our Daily which is at present being attacked by the capi- talist flunkeys with the aid of the federal courts. We must sever per- manently the tentacles of the capital- ist octopus which is threatening to kill our Daily. We, the workers, truly realize what the Daily has done for labor’s cause. Wall Street and its government real- ize as long as The DAILY WORKER is alive, it will always expose their corrupt deeds against the workers at home and its “colonial possessions.” We must solidly stand behind our comrades, Bill Dunne, Alex Bittelman and Bert Miller, who have energeti- cally fought for the freedom of the enslaved masses from the capitalist yoke and who now are confronted \ \ € with oil-soaked shares in a piratical adventure. | with a maximum punishment of five We have said before that this is the real reason that Coolidge | years in the federal penitentiary. does “not choose to run” again. This cheap grafter, under whose } The Wall Street government has administration 600,000 miners and their families are persecuted | its hands full at present trying to as nl heretics sean the Reap arate = by hago Bcsreaa subdue the Chinese masses, Sandino mandate war is waged upon the people of Nicaragua, has ha e OSE and his faithful adherents, while at unlimited gall to complain of criticism and practically to demand Cal: “The damn stuff does not choose to stop running. Mas ta eee eg that the press support his domestic and foreign policies without | © RAE ——-—® l unions and jail the leaders. But as reservation. e e ° e long as we have a genuine labor pa- It ts under an administration headed by a beneficiary of an a it ] per, The DAILY WORKER, to fight open theft so flagrant that no defense is possible, that The DAILY C 1S ar y ce O eTs ul eir back and enlighten the workers at WORKER and members of its staff are indicted and arrested. : ares all aoe athe smashing govern The latest disclosures show that we owe an apology to these | bs ° if States, their task will not be an easy victims of American capitalism. | Or Ul 1eS Ol ) 1S@I Y II ] e Oa 1e S one. - The scandal has reached such proportions that John D. Rocke- Therefore it is very urgent that feller, Jr., is forced to take the witness stand and attempt to re- | the capitalist parties and their agents , of the miners shown by this attitude] and the miners and their families will The D ges wou get financial store some appearance of respectability to Standard Oil and its | By BILL DUNNE. will do anything to aid the working | secomes clear as we read further 1 [continue to suffer. eid omy evo subsidiaries by repudiating the underlings who were carrying out| ‘The terrible suffering of the coal Pochie tetra and strengthen its or-)the same Relat tesa Metlon was} But labor officialdom will be busy Yours Comradely, his instructions. baja ais eee i oe Investigations Will Not Win Strike. | frequently under fire in the senate, cdg eth chars eats —JACK KALMAN. \ ages - i ir wi | i i ‘ In 1913-14 it was mass murder of miners and their wives and | Sreicia) tabor lenderabin € ated the ae ea : hie wae a be wen es are raphe as the unofficial | ¢¢ jabor” on the tickets of the capital-| New York City. children in Ludlow. that Rockefeller, Jr., was repudiating. In| political fortunes of their allies in rusts sapeahat a etc Md er he aaa Nol ip ialcckna ahr ashen dvr on ist parties. P. §. Find enclosed $1.00. 1928 it is wholesale robbery of natural resources and the use of |the two capitalist parties just as tigations. Thane Tavestigetioie Wars sesene erie Intensify Struggle. the proceeds to purchase a whole federal administration that he we misery caused by mass unem-|ysed by: labor officialdom and the woke eee slp a“ ie It is while the coal b: : A n % t i i H i P5 essive senators an arons are some- disavows. : ner York, rg 4 pred cane ia) ppl and hamper | the Mellon machine, the utter impos-| What embarrassed by the present un- Railroads La Witness, however, the difference in the treatment of Rocke-| candidacy of Governor Smith. a ete Re ey reat Sxuene sibility of such elements fighting for| favorable publicity, that the strike feller by the senate committee and the treatment of the striking Bveuyihiig sau chore taal tine ce Rk pipe dag anyone except the middle class they|should be spread, mass picketing or- miners in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Colorado. Rockefeller, the head . mination. —_\tion of the non-union ficlds, the |7°PreseMt to secure some small con-} ganized and intensified and mass vio- Off Thousan S end front of the whole conspiracy, does not appear before the The coal strike is in its eleventh|cpreading of the strike to all HF beatin from the big capitalists, and|lations of the federal state injune- Sptice comm itt : sipnieen sath as a public benefactor. Many eas saaeene mrad mining districts, * intone ociee Hey keeled So lg Ao Ss abe Md oath Leh senate committee as a Cc: a a By | eible is rt except that of mass murder has been}tion of strike relief. cf the, workers:.ehleh penmnpea. sup. | fille Seale By LELAND OLDS, (Fed. Press). ers are in jail, others have been murdered, but not a single one 1e Teapot Dome thieves is behind bars. Senator Walsh, leader of the investigation, is a Standard Oil senator from Montana. When he questions Rockefeller, as when he questioned Stewart of the Standard Oil of Indiana, he is ques- tioning his boss. He squirms so obsequiously that even Washing- ion correspondents notice that he has worn off all the buttons irom that part of his apparel which covers the abdominal region. The smooth working of the political machinery of American imperialism has been interfered with by a severe slackening of its economic machinery. “The ‘personal union’ of the banks with industry is supplemented by the ‘personal union’ of both with gov- ernment,” said Lenin in his “Imperialism.” The lords of finance and industry are now seen by the recent developments in the oil scandal which began in 1924 to be the real rulers. So complete is their control of and “personal union” with the government that they feel it necessary to appear openly and repudiate this or that individual who has caused them em- barrassment by attracting the attention of the masses to the role of government as an instrument of the financial and indus- trial capitalists. ; The depression in industry, the rapid increase in unemploy- ment, the increasing competition from Europe, the growing in- stability of imperialist relationships, the growing strength of the Soviet Union, mass resistance like that of the miners to a low- ering of their living standards and the weakening of their union, the chronic agricultural crisis, the coming presidential campaign which brings to the fore all the inner conflicts within the capi- talst class, the mass dissatisfaction with the policy of Wall Street government in Latin America—all work together to revive the Teapot Dome scandal and to produce what is essentially evidence of a serious political crisis in imperialist government. This crisis must be utilised by our party to complete the dis- illusionment of the masses with American capitalist democracy, it must be connected with the new and heavy burdens that are } being placed upon the masses and with the betrayals of the of- | ficial labor leaders, and to stimulate the organization of a mass party of labor uniting all workers and farmers in open struggle against every manifestation of imperialism at home and abroad. The Communist Party alone in the United States poinis out used by the coal barons and the state and federal government to drive the miners back to work on the coal barons’ terms (in Colorado mass murder was used). The agents of the coal companies have stopped short of extermination of great num- bers of striking miners apparently only because miners are still needed to dig coal. Discovering the Strike. Senators Johnson of California and Wheeler of Montana, representa- tives LaGuardia of New York and Casey of Pennsylvania have just dis- covered that open war is being car- ried on against 600,000 members of the working class in the coal fields— striking miners, their wives and children. It seems to be established that a senatorial investigation of conditions in the coal fields will take place. Senators and congressmen are hav- ing their pictures taken in the strike areas and are giving out interviews in which they profess astonishment and horror. The coal barons are get- ting a lot of denunciation from cer- tain senators' and congressmen but the state and federal injunctions against the strikers still stand, the {coal and iron police are still raiding | the mining camps and the state con- \stabulary continues to beat and jail | |™men, women and children. | The Purpose of the Investigation. | On the misery of the miners and} |their families, with the aid .of the| Greens, Wolls and Lewises, is being | erected a tremendous edifice of hypo- lority and betrayal. Labor offi |dom is laying the propaganda ba s | |for attempting once more to deliver | | the miners and the rest of the work- ing class to the political parties of} | their enemies, | We are not opposed to senatorial A Previous Investigation. There was a senatorial investiga- tion of the conditions in the West Vir- ginia coal fields following the smash- ing of the union in that state in 1921- 22. The investigation upheld the contentions of the miners as to the use of an army of gunmen and the abrogation of all constitutional right by the coal companies and their coun- ty and state governments. But the United Mine Workers was smashed and many of its members sent to jail in spite of the investiga- tion. The Lewis machine did not utilize the facts uncovered by the in- vestigation to push organization in West Virginia but under cover of the investigation deserted the miners and allowed the “yellow dog” contract and the open shop to become supreme in the coal fields of that state. Real Danger. That this danger confronts the miners in Pennsylvania and Ohio in spite of the sympathetic expressions of senators and congressmen who have an eye on the coming elections and are not unwilling, now that Cool- idge is discredited, to take a few cracks at him, is shown by the out- come of the two conferences held in Pittsburgh by labor officialdom. Both of these conferences produced only an intensification of the “non- | partisan” political campaign of the A. F. of L. It is common knowledge among the Pennsylvania and Ohio miners that the United Mine Work- er “organizers” and thei? fellow parasites working for the A. F. of L. executive council are, with a few ex- ceptions, doing nothing but playing polities with the democrat and repub- lican party bosses. An Enlightening Item. The Washington correspondent of a Pittsburgh paper is able to say under class implications of the new developments in the oil scandal, } and congressional investigations in| date of February 2: their connection with the present crisis and the concrete measures for the labor movement to take in this decisive period to strength- en it base, give militant leadership to the working class and be- come the rallying center for the mass movement against Wall Street government. The Greens, Wolls and Lewises are trying to capitalize the mass hatred of Coolidge in the interest of Smith and Hoover. The enly lesson they will draw from the oil scandal wiil be that “a elected. Already they are pointing out to the capitalist bosses that the Teapot Dome scandal and the brutal treatment of the striking miners is “undermining faith in American institutions.” The agents of imperialism in the labor movement are maneuvering to turn increasing mass resentment into the channels of “non- partisan” political action on a larger scale than ever before and allow it to fritter itself away inside the democrat and republican parties. Monstrous as have been the betrayals in the past the one now contemplated outshadows them both by reason of the oppor- tunity for and the necessity of a clean break with the parties of imperialism. The imperialist war danger, the open war on the labor move- friend of labor” like the two capitalist agents mentioned must be | | such situations. They serve to focus } | attention on the struggles of the | workers if properly used by the labor ;Mavement, ‘But we are opposed to} ‘these investigations as substitutes | | for militant action and their use by! \labor officialdom and its bosses inj ‘the capitalist parties to confuse the! issues and create the impression that~ i | | “Fiven the United Mine Workers, who are more friendly to former Governer Pinchot than to Reed, have indicated through responsible spokesmen in the last 24 hours that they are not hostile at Reed’s eafdidacy and regard him as sym- spathetic rather than otherwise.” The brazen betrayal of the interests | : Petthl Eak Nate OE open political struggle against these attacks in a first place on the order of business of the labor movement. |smoke screen candidates of the | greater danger to the working | political grave is already dug. millions of workers they seek to ernment, Those labor officials who oppose the organization of a labor | party and who attempt to lead the masses to the support of some Wall Street parties are a far class than is a Coolidge whose The main task of our party in the light of the developing economic and political crisis is to expose the labor agents of im- perialism before the masses, defeat their program of betrayal and organize for struggle against them and their masters the sell to Wall Street and its gov- The Communist Party is the only organization willing and port of these capitalist agents by la- bor officialdom, is revealed again in another paragraph from a Washing- ton dispatch to the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette which reads: Senator Norris of Nebraska, who campaigned against Vare in 1926 will do nothing which would impair Reed a chance to re- turn to the senate this year. Even though Norris and Pinchot are close friends, the personal relations which exist between Reed and Norris are such that Reed has no reason to fear opposition from this quarter.” Boosting Mooney’s Jailors. Senator Johnson of California, one of the chief jailors of Tom Mooney and Warren Billings, is reaping a huge harvest of publicity in the of- ficial labor press by reason of his introduction of resolution for calling for an investigation of the coal strike. Senator Wheeler shares the limelight with him. “Labor,” the official organ of the “sixteen standard railway unions,” says in a two-column head in its issue for February 11: “Johnson’s Eloquent Plea For Miners Stirs Senate.” Why Wheeler Was “Moved.” One of those most impressed by Johnson’s speech was Senator Wheel- er. It would be poor politics to al- low a republican senator to grab all the gravy in connection with such a burning issue and therefore as “La- bor” faithfully reports: “Following Johnson’s speech Senator Wheeler of Montana.... visited the coal fields.” “He was so moved by the suffer- ing he witnessed there that he hur- ried back to Washington and at a meeting on Monday morning de- manded that all other business be sidetracked in order that Johnson’s resolution might be considered.” Exonerating the Cossacks. We almost forgot to mention that Senator Johnson in replying to some remarks of Reed of Pennsylvania ex- onerated the state constabulary, the cossacks whom the labor movement has been fighting for years. John- son said: “IT have said nothing about the state constabulary..... The state troopers get along fairly well with the miners.” The official labor leadership cer- tainly is paying a high price for the “eloquent plea” of the California senator — in whose state there are no coal mines. How Officialdom Will Act. The investigation will drag along. It will make the struggle in the coal fields part of the records of the senate and the horrible wrongs in- flicted on the miners and their fami- lies will be used to prove the chaos in the coal mining industry and as an argument for encouraging trust- ification and union-management co- operation. In the meanwhile the coal Show the coal barons and the in- vestigating senators that the union is still powerful, that the spirit of the membership is unbroken, that there is no faith in the professions of the capitalist party officeholders and officeseekers who are trying to use the misery of the miners to feather their own nests. This is the only way to make such an investiga- tion useful for the working class. Fight Must Go On. We believe that the 600,000 men, women and children in the coal fields, who have fought for eleven months for their union, will not allow the united front of labor officialdom and democrat and republican senators, all drawing the same salaries and all serving the same masters, to halt the struggle and pin their hopes upon aid from individuals whose interests lie with the coal barons and not with the coal miners. The Program — The Enemy. Spread the strike to all districts— organize the non-union fields—mob- ilize the whole labor movement be- hind the miners—support the Penn- sylvania-Ohio Relief Committee — mass violations of injunctions—mass picketing—defeat the Lewis machine which is wrecking the union — dis- tribute “The Coal Digger”, the ex- pression of the militant member- ship. Organize and support a labor party —send to congress and the state legis- latures workers who are loyal to their class and will fight for their class against the capitalists and their agents. The strike can be won only by such a program as this and a thousand senatorial investigations. will not change this fact. Those who oppose this program are enemies of the miners, no matter what friendly phrases they use. Railroad employment returns for November 1927 suggest that the rail- road unions face a situation almost as critical as that in the years 1921-22. The interstate commerce commission reports the laying off of 54,481 rail- road “workers between October and November, reducing the total 3000 below November 1921. Between July and November the railroads reduced forces by 94,274. The commission’s report shows a reduction of nearly 100,000 compared with the previous November. Employment Drops. As in October the report shows de- ereased employment compared with 1926 in every department, except the usual small increase in the number of executives and officials, The num- ber of shopmen was down 40,377 com- pared with the previous November while the other departments showed reductions as follows: train and engine service 23,168; maintenance of way 14,780; transportation, other than train and engine service, 11,014 and clerical department 9,602. Railroad workers in November earned an average of $138.60 for the month, compared with $138.20 in November 1926 and $131.40 in the same month 1923. The monthly average for workers paid on an hourly basis was $132.10 in November 1927, $132.30 in 1926 and $127 in November +1923, No Raise Since 1923. In the western district the wages of workers have not advanced at all since 1923 while in the other districts the gain-has amounted to less than half a cent. The November report raises the question whether the railroads will again take advantage of the steady increase in the number of unemployed railroad workers to cut wages as they did in 1921 and 1922, The Reds Fight for Canton O say, what thunder is it shakes the earth, What lightning sears across the livid sky, As if the elements were giving birth . To some great epic thing that would not die? O say; what portent stands against the dawn Like sickle and hammer upraised to greet the sun, Beckoning the crimson daylight on To judge the bloody deeds that night has done? Only the blows of slaves who wield the hammer, Only the glint of steel that conquering comes, Only the heavy tread, the wrathful clamor, The flying banners and the beating drums! Only the workers marching to repay yes The cruelties inflicted yesterday! i | —— ment and the increasing industrial depression put the question of barons will continue their attacks,| — capable of undertaking and carrying through this task. _ ? x 2 f: —HENRY GEORGE WEISS, J TF