The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 19, 1928, Page 4

“age our ‘Clothing Worker Tells How Amalgamated Officials Broke Up Strike, Allowed Cuts MILITANTWAS = DRIVEN FROM SHOP TO SHOP Misleaders Run Union| for Bosses’ Benefit THE DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19, 1928 mein Weck Coroner WORKERS MUST. RED ELECTION “The Great Power” at the UNIONIZE INTHE | DRIVE SPEEDED = Rifz Is Pretty Weak Tea MERON ©. FAGAN, a man of/TWO SHOWINGS OF DE LAVAL 60 | N TR F NTO N \" many plays, is still glued to the ' | . “IN ABRAHAM'S BOSOM” gospel that without good works a n’s wealth will avail him noth-| The cast of “In Abraham’s Bos- | |ing when he takes flight on golden|om” includes Alston Burleigh, j 7 7 ra wings to the celestial region where|Thomas Mosely, Lillian Gillum, Beginning to Th vi k | Workers Respond to |a Christian is supposed to be held/ Mitchell Bliss and Harry Harrison. About Conditions | Campaign [to a strict accountability for his|The play will have two showings at (By a Worker Correspondent) Street Appropriate Place for “Co worldly indiscretions. | the Provincetown Playhouse on Sat- (By a Worker Correspondent) (By a Worker Correspondent) Mi, Fagan worked his theory into | Uday and Sunday, September 22 In my activities in the Amalga- POUGHKEEPSIRP, N. Y., (By| TRENTON, N. J., (By Mail).—/a piece titled “The Great Bower” |eaae race. ae o Gineie: mated for the (I Mail).—Since we in the De Laval] The Workers Party 1928 election which is now holding forth at the |Cc\24y, for a road erie ae have been a member of that organ Separator Co. began to think about | campaign has opened with great en-| Ritz Theatre, with John T, Doyle | Gity’ posi : aa force ecu ization since its birth) I have ex- our conditions, the management cme and success in Trenton. |doing his best and doing it well to|“itY 4t¢ also on the itinerary. perienced personally certain deeds the factory has done everything to|With the formation of a campaign make John Powers, the money mo- a ee ee that deserve the ¢ on of every twist the issue. jcommittee, plans and details were gul, so wicked that it would teks a Li eatin Se ee member in that organization. It Alexander Hamilton, reactionary who favored the establishment of a monarchy after the Re- At first it advertised in the fac-| mapped out for the future activities god with a heart as soft as a cream| without legal sancti RA 4 ci se concerns not only the members of volutionary War, lies buried in the Trinity Churchyard, Broadway and Wall Street. It was here, tory that we ought to go and hear |which will make our Party a factor puff to resist the temptation to let | sided Pihipa Erith mpi SHE Ased the Amalgamated, but members of appropriately enough, that the Young Republicin Club conducted “Constitution Week” ceremonies the faker O’Brien and for over ajto reckon with in this city. him off with anything less than al> eS A ments. couple of million years in purga-| But darn it if she did not fall tory. in love with the fellow, and shoot Mr. Power was as hard as hick-|her former sweetheart, thus bring- ory on every man, woman or child|ing on further complications which that stood between him and what-|called for district attorneys, and ever goal he aimed at. His ruth-|questionings and surprises, at the lessness sent his wife to an early|end of which Powers was knocked well. For similar conditions exist in other unions, al- though I shall speak on the Amalgamated because it is here that T have gathered the facts. These facts are important because they involve the fundamental prin- ciple of the ra other unions o. by laying a wreath on Hamilton’s grave. week he was standing on the corner telling. us what a good constitution and government we have and how “prosperous” we are, in spite of the fact that our wives and children have to work in the factory because we cannot make a living on forty Many Negroes At Meet. | Altho activities were opened as learly as February, the campaign was really initiated. at an open air |meeting at which Herbert Benjamin spoke. The meeting was a marked | success, not only from the point of CLERICALBAND CHINA ‘SEAMEN REBUILD UNION of and file. It shows t cents an hour i ‘ the gradual loss of these ri It c ——. aEnaen ce a is | view of attendance, but fe grave and brought on a feud with|out as flat as Mike McTigue. shows that the constitutions that re By LOH-TAN-HSIEN. jand effectively organized of all, | _ Want Cheap Hands. amount of literature sold, especially a Mr. Wray, his first business part-| Whereupon Mr. Fagan sends his guarantee these rights have become ‘ HDT ¢| Chinese trade unions. Now Mr. Miller, our manager,|among the Negro workers. Such ner. Not content with dancing over | chief character into a trance during BPE ae. Thay cost in name|POCERAL l POODS Ii peer ee ee Work U ; arian comes out in the press saying that| meetings are being held regularly Wray’s grave, Power made war on|which he sces the angels, After his MEMER TE chows how the power to : South China are fast recovering) Work Under Great Difficulties. the trouble is that we haven't enough |in every section of the city en’ 98 | Wray’s descendants, Wray’s daugh.|bout with god, Powers becomes a y: 8 8 ie power tc Pursuit Organization of the seamen after skilled tool-makers and that the city|the election draws nearer will be from the heavy blows dealt them! MEE the policies of the union has ter adopts heroic measures to save |better if not a bigger man, love has ° the breakup of their union has been should teach the children a skilled | increased in number. " her brother from the wrath of jits inni i b n r 1 0 by the = _ pee ne i 7 TEs N “4 of the|its inning and the curtain comes officaldes Cais hea ce ot MEXICO CITY, Sept. 18 (UP).— | during the reaction of the past year | very difficult, _Company spies, gov- trade. Then the Separator Com-| The workers of Trenton ate at the nere Powers, and went to the ex-|down. ficials betray and sell the workers, Dispatches from Queretaro said to- 1s evidenced from many reports of ernment detectives representing the pany will have cheaper skilled|present time suffering from Cool- treme of leading Power's adopted, Just another play. —T. J. O’F. renewed activity. Notable among governments of the corporations hands. lidge “prosperity,” a “prosperity” day that 50 rebels entered the town Tt shows how the machine is put to y, work to punish those who protest against such betrayals. It ws further how workers are punished * for exposing those officials who be- tray and sell the worker Business Agent Aids Boss. of Toliman during the absence of the garrison, and burned the post- office and other buildings. They shouted “Vivo Cristo Rey” (Long live Christ the king.) these is the conference held in, Hong- kong for the revival of the Seamen’s Union. It will be recalled that the members of this union in 1922 waged a world famous strike for many months, eventually winning a’ bril- concerned and the anti-labor Chinese | authorities as well; the fear of the workers lest they be summarily |seized for participating in a labor organization, and difficulties of dialects,—between natives of Kuan- Why don’t you, Mr. Miller, men- tion the wages that skilled tool- makers are making in your factory? And how many tool-makers do you need? We will supply you with a couple of thousand in one day. which to the bosses means greater production and enormous profits but to the workers means low wages, unemployment and a body-grinding speed-up system. Traction Crisis. Ren e 7 Tea | HUDSON West 44 st. Eves. at 8:30, Arthur Hopkins Mats. Wed. and Sat. patented) Nant victory, securing substantial| tung and Fukien Provinces, for in- \é Chicago, 1924. At that time I worked for M. Lauther, a pants con- tractor. Lauther wanted some ad- ditional work on the pocket-section. The business agent, Morris Schaps, told the workers that they would make the additional work for the Same price. “Because,” said he, “the workers of Edelman’s shop are mak- ing the same grade work for the same price.” Through records of the two shops I convinced Schaps that Edelman paid more money for the same operation. Did he take back his order? He did not. Did he have other reasons for carrying out his order? If he did he never disclosed it to the workers. Under the circumstances there was either to be a strike by the workers against agent or boss or do the additional work for the same price. The workers decided to strike. I was their leader. For a day and a half Schaps and his fel- low officials used all kinds of dis- honest methods to break’ the unity of the strikers, but failed. Finally the contractors’ representative, So- viack, admitted that we were en- titled to more money for the extra work. We then went back to work. The adjustment, however, due to the; fact that the workers and officials were fighting one another, was ac- tual robbery, because we received only about one-third of the price we were entitled to for the additional work. ~ ; Shortly after that the contractor wanted some more extra work done on the same operation. The same agent, after winning over several workers on the section, by promis- ing them his influence to promote their standing in the political ma- chine of the union, as well as more lucrative jobs in the shop, said at first that he would fight for more money for the new work. However, when he realized that he had brought about disunity among the workers by having the few henchmen work for him, declined to obtain an ad- Justment on the new work. Disregard Award. I then took the case to the Trade Roard, at which a hearing was granted by the chairman, Dr. Mul- lenbach. Dr. Mullenbach decided against the contractor and for the workers’ claim, on the ground that extra work means more money, re- gardless of conditions existing in ether shops who make the same grade of work. However, it took about months before the Trade Board’s decision was carried out. For eight months Schaps sought to disregard that decision. For eight months he delayed making the adjustment, in the hope that he would find a way that would justify his disregarding the board’s decision. And he almost esueceeded when I absent from the city for awhile. I was informed of his attempt to disregard the de- cision and I immediately returned. The hoard’s order was then carried eut, but he succeeded grounds, ir removing me from the eight wa: T then registered a complaint with the manager of the union, Sam Le- vine. At that time I did not know that Levine co-operated with the gents in the granting of conces- i to bosses. Of course it was a mere joke to bring complaints to manager under these circum- is. However, since I* had no tention of prosecuting Schaps at hat time, I was satisfied with hav- the case on record, believing, at é same time, that this would be a for him not to do the same in the future. This, however, was a mistake. , Allows Reductions. The work of the agent, Schaps, in ing reductions in wages has done in other shops as well, ‘Apparently he has done that on a large scale. This is evident from the that a large number of votes re cast against him and a small mber of votes for him in this on technical | Federal troops from Queretaro set out in pursuit. * MEXICO CITY, Sept. 18.—Full upport of the policy of President ere question was pledged by Emilo Por- tes Gil, minister of the interior, and supported by a large bloc in the con- gress as provisional president to succeed Calles, wage increases and improved work- ing conditions. This victory had an enormous influence in stimulating the labor movement of the entire country and until the forcible dis- the combined efforts of the big ship- ping companies aided by both the imperialists and the reactionary Chinese authorities it was looked upon as one of the most militant period. In fact, the organization, as cause I fought him and because I vegistered the complaint against him. However, Spitzer, being a close triend of Schaps, was deter- mined to avenge not only his friend and the rest of the officials, but also himself. Spitzer acted as toast- the insurance. The board had de- cided that I was entitled to the claim, despite all the efforts to the contrary by the officials. Mor- ris Spitzer, business agent of the local, then told the board that he | wanted to investigate my claim. Though there was nothing to be in- vestigated, as usual he was granted, or rather took, the privilege himself with a purpose in mind that will soon be seen. Let us remember now that he made this request after the board had invested my claim and} found that I was duly entitled to the claim, as I originally received it, but later deprived of same as an act of vengeance by Schaps be- to utilize their influence since then to take me off the job and get rid cf me. Having failed to punish me in this way they found other effective wea- pons. They punished me through the unemployment insurance, as oth- ers have been by the same method. Here the dirty work is being done by Dr. B. Squires, the supposed im- yartial chairman, who, in a public speech, spoke of Sam Levine as \heing an angel, a god... . Well, we can’t blame Squires for character- izing Sam Levine as being an angel cr a god. Dr. Squires could not hold the $10,000 per year job unless he did some dirty work for the of- |ficialdom. He can hold this job only as long as he is willing to be their tool, since he is selected by them and not by the membership. Dr. Leo Wolman, of the Amalga- mated Research Department, is do- ing sinpular work for the official- dom. When I was deprived o my in-| surance I went to the executive board of my local with a claim for me in the struggle for justice. He allowed several reductions on the pocket section. He got away with that because I was no longer there tv lead and fight for them. Driven From Shop to Shop. As for myself, I was blacklisted. I w discharged from one shop after another for no reason at all. Had it not been for a certain inci- dent that enabled me to obtain a job without the cfficials’ knowledge, which would have enabled them to inform the boss, as he did before, of the dangerous character he had in his shop. I would have been com- pelled to leave the city as well as the trade. But they have not failed a whole, and Manager Levine in par- ticular. found it necessary to re- move Schaps from Chicago asa re- sult of his unpopularity, as indicated by the large number of votes regis- tered against him at that time. So they took him,away from Chicago. gave him a job in Cincinnati, where he still is. i ‘as Sch punished in any way because he betrayed and apparently sold the workers in Chicago prior to his removal from that city? He was not. The job they gave him in Cincinnati is not only as good as the one he had in Chicago, but much | better. Before Schaps was removed from lChieage he had determined to pun- ish me for having exposed him be- |fore the manager of the union. He punished the rest of the workers in ‘Tautez’s shop who have been with master at a banquet for Schaps be- fore the latter’s departure for Cin- cinnati, and, at which banquet Schaps was presented with a radio and testimonials by Spitzer. pre- sumably for the great work the former had done in behalf of the workers . . . he had decided to be| my judge... . | Keep Case From Local. Spitzer was ready to give me jus- | tice, The board’s decision then did | not ‘nean anything. Spitzer was going to take care of everything. | Board decisions do not mean a thing to Spitzer. However, while he could easily do anything with the board, he was not quite so sure with the | local. And he was particularly un-| willing to have the local know why the officials are persecuting me. So my case whs delayed from reaching the local meeting for six months. Then a report of one sentence was read. The report was just the op- posite of the board’s decision. No one spoke on the question, either for or against. The man who was |responsible for the report was not present at that meeting. There could be no decision. Everything was fixed. The officials giggled. Shortly after this I was fortunate in securing official statements which | proved not only that I was entitled | to my insurance, let also proved a} conspiracy to punish me by depriv- | ing me of it. The conspirators, in- cluded Dr. Squires, Prof. John R. Commons, who played a minor, but not innocent, part, and the officials, | particularly Levine and Schaps. Fearirg that the members of the loeal would learn of the conspiracy, they stcpped having local meetin: Until a snore time ago Local 144 did not have a regular local meeting for about ten uonths, although the con- stitution of the Amalgamated states very clearly that locals must have at least one meeting each month. Unusual Meeting. | Finally there was a regular meet- | jing. But this meeting was an un- usual one. Instead of reading the |minutes on the various quegtions \that I took up with the executive | voard, particularly the question re- lating to the conspiracy, and my challenge and offer of one thousand {dollars to anyone who disproved the | existence of such a conspiracy, to corfuse and avoid the issue, trey decided to suspend m2 from the lo- cal for not buying a ticket to the local’s p'enic. . When Brother Nathan Green and others reminded the chair that members cannot be suspended for refusing to buy such- tickets lecause it would be depriv- ing individuals of their freedom to choose their enterta'nments as well as other liberties that come under the category of personal freedom and individual liberty, as guaranteed by the constitution—a freedom that |is enjoyed even under monarchs and | dictators, Agent Spitzer ordered the chairman not to allow a discussion jon constitutional rights. When | Brother Nathan Green reminded the local that it is a violation of the constitution not to have regular) meetings each month, the chairman | again obeyed Spitzer by avoiding the issue. | | I saw the same thing happen | again and again at board meetings. | The cheirman of the board, who is | supposed to be impartial and who is | also supposed to use his own initia- tive in directing matters for con- sideration before the board, is do- ing everything the agents want him | to d | lo. LOUIS KIRSCHENBAUM. j here, | good stance,—all these had to be over- come. Nevertheless good progress had been made already, delegates reporting the organization of. 51 branch unions during the months of ‘alles in regards to the religious solution of the union last year by} April, May and June. Of these 30 were formed on the steamers and 21 in the dormitories which house the men on their ar- rival at Hongkong or in between voyages. It is estimated that this hes the nucleus of an organi- zation on almost one-half of the big! ships which stop regularly at this, port. Despite the still incomplete organization there have been strug- gles during each of these months, principally over the matter of the arbitrary discharge of workers. Organizers Work In Disguise. | Organization work has naturally | been easiest among those shipping lines whose seamen are recruited | from participants in the great strike | of 1922. A difficulty encountered | however, was the attitude of a} many that they were “su- perior” to the ordinary run of sea- men just because of their part in that struggle. In many cases or- ganizers could not directly broach union matters, but had to disguise themselves as peddlers, thus draw- ing out the sentiment of the men) approached. | Another difficulty springs from| the oppressive tactics of the Kuo- mintang “Reorganization Commit- tee,” which aims to tie the seamen to the reactionary militarists. The The unemployment of last winter | And how many first class mechan- has decreased very little and many | ies, carpenters, masons, bricklayers, plasterers and painters. have been walking the streets in the last ten months? No, Mr. Miller, it is not a question of the constitution or other fake issues that have nothing to do with the case. Our only sal- ation is a strong union, not only in the De Laval, but in all Pough-| A crisis is developing among the keepsie factories. And we want a|traction workers, not only against | union whose leaders will not sell us|the corporation itself, out to the bosses, a real one, made|against the officials of the union| by us and for ourselves.. | who, thru cooperation with the trac- | —S. U. |tion officials, are daily betraying ——— |the workers. A spontaneous strike is imminent | among the workers at the Scammell | rubber mills have shut down perma- | nently and at those factories where speed-up very few workers were re- | employed. The ‘working conditions | are bad in general. against war,—these have also the attention of the organization, the effort being to develop a thoroughly China Co. militant union alive to all the issues important tasks confront our which effect the workers and to|Party here in the near future. furnish them on effective leader- —WOR-COR. ship. Besides Hongkong the reports of Swatow and Singanore are centers Divito sSLAND. PARIS, Sept. 18 (U.P). are still out of work. A number of «vivia and unfailingly exciting.” ‘Goin’ Home” ‘MACHINAL’ Alison Binith, World, |. teh scenes by Sophie Treadwell production increased due to the CENTURY 7a... Central Pk. | TRIAL but ‘also CHANIN'S46th St.W. of Broadway |Plymouth Thea. W.4sthst.Bves.s.30 ere Mats. Thurs. & Sat., 2:30 2 St. Eves. 8:30 CAMEO NOW ! Wed. and Sat. 42d and’ Bway MARY DUGAN“Q SHIPS” wok PREMIERE, AUTHENTIC ACTUAL! Sensational Submarine Warfare! THE LADDER w.} | Ketth- | Albee Mats. THE OF Evenings at 8:25 Wed. & Sat. | Mats, SCHWAB and MANDEL'S HAV MUS: U ICAL SMASH SEEN oO D N E IN 1TS REVISED FORM? W CORT = Thea. W. 48 St. Lvs, 8:36 ihe Mts. Wed. & Sat, with GEO. OLSE. ané Mis MUSIC Money Refunded jf Not Satisfied With Play SHUBERT Tea. 44.W.ofB'way. Rv. Ee GU ROBERTSON WHITE LILACS “A Clean Hit’, Winchell, Graph. g EVA THE | with CLAIRRORNE FosTER LITTLE _W.44thst.Eves.3.30 2.30 —eeneeee Mats. Wed. &! $:30;Mats. Wed.,Sat.2,30 | ODETTE DE WOLF | MYRTIL HOOPER | in @ musical romance of Chopin t ; Mutiny | for organization activity. Two sea- men sent to Swatow last February | Martin, on the island of Re off La for this purpose were arrested and | Rochelle. | executed upon their arrival by the| Custodians cornered the leaders | Kuomintang authorities. Two mere |in their cells and put down the in-| sent later met a similar fate. In| surrection. Singapore the situation is a little Among those who rebelled were better, for the union maintains a prisoners awaiting transfer to Dev- semi-legal status. There are two il’s island, the dreaded French penal branch unions, with twenty more colony in Guiana. steamers on which units are func- tioning. At a recent conference an executive committee of thirteen was elected, five of whom are to reside there to supervise the work. It was CYCLONE IN MEXICO, MEXICO CITY, Sept. 18 (U.P).— Dispatches from Vera Cruz reported today that a severe ayclone was ap- | broke out today in the prison of San| ' |of mind among the common seamen |der to lay the foundation for a:cther institutions, such as workers’ |strong labor movement in that city. | clubs, classes, etc., have been estab- also decided to publish a Paper to be entitled “The Singapore Sea- men.” savage repression ‘exercised by this | proaching that city. The harbor was committee has brought about a state | ordered closed. The barometer was |falling rapidly. It rained all day which is only gradually being over- Well Organized Body. yakearding: come. Contributing towards arous-| The Seamen’s Union (Hongkong) ing a new militancy are the suc-|is governed by an executive com- cessive wage reductions forced on|mittee of seventeen, with nine al- the workers. Just recently their ternates. The Standing Committee pay has been again cut, this time by |NUmbers nine, of whom seven are} ten per cent. required to be constantly in the city. Basis For Strong Movement. | Under this Standing Committee! Not only are the militant seamen there are five sub-committees: secre- | interested in the rebuilding of their tarial, organizational, agitation and | own organization, but they realize propaganda, investigation, and fin- | clearly the need of the powerful all-/ancial. Each sub-committee chair-| inclusive alliance of the workers of Man must be a member of the all trades and industries. They Standing Committee. | therefore took the initiative in call-. There is a snecial apparatus for ing a conference of representatives establishing and maintaining connec- of all the Hongkong workers in or- tions with the workers. Various THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE Special Enlarged Numbers ON THE SIXTH CONGRESS OF THE C. I. 10 CENTS Literature was issued and circu- lished also, It should be remem- lated in the working class quarters bered in connection with this work with such slogans: “All Hongkong that in Hongkong, as in other British | Workers Should Unite!” “The Sea-| controlled territories in China, the men Have Rebuilt Their Trade Organization of labor unions is Union!” “Now Let the Other Work- strictly forbidden under severe pen- ers of Hongkong Rebuild Theirs!” alties, while such activity in Chinese ete., and calling for organized strug- controlled territory as in Swatow is gle against the cutting of wages, enough to ensure a summary execu- lengthening of work hours and un- tion. It is under conditions such as employment. National issues, such these that the Chinese workers are as the Anti-Japanese boycott, and forging the tools for their ultimate international, such as the war victory. SHCURE YOUR COPY FROM Workers Library Publishers 85 EAST 125TH STREET NEW YORK CITY NATIONAL PLATFORM of the WORKERS (COMMUNIST) PARTY THE PLATFORM of the CLASS STRUGGLE 64 Pages of Smashing Facts—Price 10 cents NATIONAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE Workers (Communist) Party of America 43 East 125th Street, New York City Make checks and money orders payable to Alexander Trachtenberg, Treas. | ‘Thea, 488t.&8Av.Evs. ue Beck 8.40,Ma.Sat..Wod.2.40 | hrery new reader of The DAILY WORKER is a potential koldier in the coming battles of the workers, den presents a Comedy Dram: ITE HOSi bss by Philip Dunning Staged by Winchell Sith COMPLETE TOUR VISIT SOVIET RUSSIA (Last Toar This Year) Sails: SS. MAURETANIA October 17 WORLD TOURISTS Incorporated. 69 FIFTH AVE. New York Algonquin 35 DAYS of Interesting Travel Free Russian Visas Campaign Notice | PACKAGE of one hundred leafiets | will be sent you FREE OF CHARGE by the National Election Campaign Com- mittee. Just send in your name and address { on a post card or letter. This is not an | advertising campaign, and the Committee is not seeking a profit on the sale of cam- paign leaflets. 500,000 leaflets will be given away. If you like the idea, you can keep it going by sending as much as you can con- i tribute to the Free Campaign Leaflet Fund | to enable the Committee to renew the offer. i Mail this coupon NOW to the . National Election Campaign Committee 43 East 125th St. New York City. Comrades: Send me a package of one hundred Com- munist Campaign leaflets. It is understood that there is no obligation on my part ex- cept to distribute these leaflets. Name . Address ....