The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 13, 1930, Page 6

Page Six Square. New York City, N. cP ‘elephone Stuyvesant 1696-7-8. Cable: Publishéd by the Comprodatly Publishing Co., Inc., daily, except Sunday, at 26-28 Onton .. “DAIWORK.” Address and mail all checks to the Daily Worker, 26-28 Union Square. New York. N. Y. Central Organ ot the Comm unist Vari, oi the U, 5. A. ae = FOSTER WRITES TO METAL WORKERS’ CONFERENCE pom his prison s Island (800 Foré¢ » New Yc ), William Z. Foster writes greetings to the National Metal Workers’ Conf Youngstown, Ohio, June 14 and 15. F the general secre- tary of the Tr: ty League, to which belongs the Metal Workers’ Industrial Leag ler Youngstown confer- ence. He i ee year sentence, im- posed upon hi z with Amter, Minor and Raymond, all mem f committee elected by the 110,000 u oyment demon- strators on March 6. ge to the steel work led in the greatest strike of s as follows: am S' Comrad is of the ut- most imp y it will lay the basis for on of workers in all br 1 industry—steel, icul- ripe ee is autom tural machinery, for suck ufacturing, situa ring from wage rm of intense e: The industrial cri id hundreds of alk the streets ation is worsening is deepening are spreading. will show a huge and its The coming winter in unemploymen g wage cuts will be made and n a i ated to further speed up the toilers in the shops. The workers will back. Of this we may be s Il strikes in var- industry show their The union you are trengthened at once to or- se impending great strug- The conference must ious sections o developing f building m ganize and | gles of metal work launch a great ing campaign. This is its most eleme y task. Steps must be taken to establish shop committees in all vast campaign to culminate re in a national convention at n will be formally set up. A, F, Not For Workers. The fascist A. F. of L, cannot and will not fight for the inter of the steel workers. Its betrayal of the great steel strike in 1919, its criminally incompetent and corrupt steel “organizing” campaign in 1923, its recent fake drive to unite the auto workers, together with its general strikebreaking policies, are suffi- cient proof of this. The decadent Amalgamated Association of Tron and Tin Workers, headed by steel com- 1 metal plants, th: in the near fu which your un pany igeons and under-cover men, is the rotten symbol of A. F. of L. unionism in | the metal industry. The so-called socialist party-Muste prog in the A. F. of L. are only a blind for the A. F. of L. reaction- aries. Their basic policies are the same. They have nothing to offer the metal workers but betrayal. All these labor traitors must be fought aggre ly, while at the same time their. followers must be won for the new union. The steel workers, together with the whole body of metal workers, need imperative- ly the new, revolutionary unionism which your conference is building up. H Enlist Rank and File. | In the organizing campaign which must fol- low your conference, and which should be based primarily upon the steel mills, you must enlist the active cooperation of the rank and file. Great efforts should be made to or- ganize the young workers into youth sections and to draw them into the work, and in a leading capacity, they are the best fighting elements in the working class. Also the women, who are playing an ever more impor- tant -part in your industry, require to united. But above all, the Negro workers must be organized. They are decisively im- portant in all sections of industry. The his tory of A. F. of L. unionism has been one long betrayal of the Negroes. The new union must militantly fight for and with the Negroes. Its success will depend very much upon how it meets this vital question. The organization campaign following the National Conference must be based upon defi- nite demands the workers. The conference should work up a concrete program, concise- | ssives be ly stated, of the actual demands of the metal workers; against wage cuts, against the 12- hour day and for the 7-hour day and 5-day week, against the speed-up, for the release of political prisoners, ete. Such demands must be widely popularized among the armies of metal worker Fight Unemployment. The very greatest emphasis must be laid upon the fight against unemployment. The of the employed workers are identi- cal with those of the unemployed, and all must make a common fight. The union must join with its entire forces in the struggle for un- employment insurance, the shorter work week, ete. It should utilize all its connections to build up the great mass convention of unem- ployed in Chicago, July 4-5, and actively or- ganize the unemployed workers. Only by the keenest solidarity and militancy can the work- ing class make headway against the hostile combination of employers, government, and fascist labor leaders. Hence the union you are forming must from the outset realize its position as a vital organization that the Trade Union Unity League is building up. The new union must actively support the 50,000 mem- bership drive of the T, U. U. L. Every mem- ber should become a reader of the T.U.U.L. central organ, Labor Unity. The conference should take active steps for setting up the closest relations with the railroad workers and coal miners’ organizations of the TUUL for joint action. It’s a World-Wide Fight. The new union must also take its place in the great world labor organization, the Red International of Labor Unions. The confer- ence should elect its delegates to the vitally important Fifth Congress of the R. I. L. U. It should establish the closest working rela- tions with the metal section of the R. I. L. U., and popularize the RILU widely among the metal workers generally. Your conference should also pay close atten- tion to the developing war situation. The metal industry plays a key role in munition making. The capitalists are making special efforts to militarize it in every respect in preparation for war. The conference should take a sharp position against the coming im- perialist war, warn and unite the workers to fight it, and seek to secure organization in the key plants, The metal workers’ conference, while devot- ing itself closely to the organization of struggle around the workers’ immediate demands, must not lost sight of the elementary fact that only by the abolition of capitalism and the establish- ment of a workers’ government can the basic evils afflicting the working class be eliminated This requires the emphatic development of the everyday fight into a broad political struggle. The Soviet Union, with its glorious achieve- ments in building Socialism despite the attacks of a hostile capitalist world, is the inspiration and model of the revolutionary workers eve where in the United States, as well as in revo- lutionary China and India. The new union must realize the wonderfully inspiring effect upon the workers of the great successes of the Soviet Union, and utilize this fully in organizing them, Above all, it must unite these working masses to defend the Soviet Union in the threatening war against it by the imperialist powers. The need for organization is urgent among the metal workers. You have to face the most gigantic and ruthless combinations of capital in all parts of the industry, such as the United States Steel Corporation, General Motors Com- pany, International Harvester Company, Gen- eral Electric Company, ete. These great com- bines stop at no act of terrorism to increase their exploitation of the workers. The govern- ment everywhere is their tool. In fighting such powerful organizations, the new union of metal workers has a big task. But if it fol- lows the line laid down by the R.I.L.U. it can make a successful fight. It will build a great labor organization which can defend the metai workers interests now, and half prepare the way for the final overthrow of capitalism by the working class. The other members of the unemployed dele- gation here in this jail—Comrades Minor, Amter, and Raymond—join with me in sending revolutionary greetings to rour conference ind in wishig it the greatest success. Fight U.M. W. A. Hazelton Convention Sell-Out By P. FRANKFELD and DAN SLINGER. SCRANTON, Pa., (By Mail).—The con- vention of the United Mine Workers of Amer- ica held at Scranton, Pa., was of vital impor- tance to the anthracite miners, It showed the anger of “progressives” again taking con- trol of the situation and diverting the miners from struggle, and the urgent necessity for carrying on the most energetic campaign to build up the National Miners’ Unon in the anthracite, to prepare for strike on Septem- ber 1, and to keep the Lewis-Boylan sellout ehaining the miners to an infamous slave agreement for five years more from going through. It is important to estimate this convention correctly, in view of the many misleading descriptions that have appeared in the bour- geois, fascist United Mine Workers of Amer- iea and the social-fascist press, picturing the convention as a rank and file gathering in an attempt to get the anthracite miners to ac- cept the sellout convention decisions. False Victories. Although Lewis was voted down on two im- portant issues—the question of printing all resolutions adopted by the locals pertaining to the coming agreement (meaning in effect that the convention was determined to cen- sider these decisions); and the proposal to -give the Lewis henchmen (scales committee), all power to negotiate the agreement with the operators, these “victories” proved to be emp- ty ones. The spineless and treacherous so- called “insurgent” leaders, McCrone, from the Scranton Central Labor Union, a former “ally of McGarry, who led the last fake fight ‘in the anthracite, and Horan, opposed the ma- chine in order to strengthen their own bid for positions with the machine. The “revolt,” tactly supported by the tri- district officials, was a threat to Lewis that he had better go easy with the progressive fakers in the anthracite. When the resolutions Mere vote! these “oppositional” elements per- ~-t4+ad Lewis to lead them into a blind alley— | and then right back again to acceptance of what he had originally proposed —that all power be in effect concentrated in the hands of his hand-picked scales committee. The scales Committee report was adopted. It calls for a re-endorsement of the present egreement as a basis for the new agreement. It demands that the check-off system be in- corporated in the agreement. It calls for the abolition of the “individual contract system” —but not a word is said against the big con- tractors—or the evils of the entire contractor system. No increase in wages is to be de- manded; no decrease in hours; no unemploy- ment relief. In unorganized form, the Hazelton Conven- tion did, nevertheless, show the growing pres- sure and discontent of the masseS of miners in the hard-coal region. Hundreds of resolu- tions calling for wage increases, shorter hours, fewer days, etc., were presented by the locals. Some locals adopted the demands of the N.M.U. very consciously; others less so. The 6-hour day and 5-day week, wage increases, unemployment insurance, against the entire contracting system, etc. Hazelton showed all the weaknesses of the left wing movement in the anthracite. Too little work was carried on within the U.M. W.A. prior to the convention. It is true that in a few locals we got our resolutions adopted; but this work was not carried on systematic- ally. There were very few N.M.U. delegates present—and these the Lewis thugs were able to overawe. Hazelton shows that we must greatly inten- sify our work of breaking through U.M.W.A. locals, reaching the rank and file over the heads of the officials, and mobilizing them for the N.M.U. program. This, of course, in no way means abandoning our independent or- ganizational activities for building up the N.M.U.—on the contrary—working outside of the U.M.W.A, and inside the locals must sup- plement each other. The N.M.U. Conference to be held on June 1 — Here are the Chinese workers, peasants from the historic All-China Soviet Congress more united and more determined than ever to fight on to victory. MARCHING TO VICTORY! and ——— ~JBSCRIPTION RATES: "Sooo By mati everywhere: One year $ months $3; two months $1; excepting Boroughs of Maolsttan and Bronx, New York and foreign, which are: One year $8; six months $4.50 es a rr 6GorPU ” stecled olutionary soldiers with m battle and emerged They Will In Commun By I. AMTER. | (Written in Jai Hoover promised prosperity in 60 days. That day has passed, but prosperity failed to put in an appearance. Prosperity will come in spring—still it is not here. Now some say August—others say Fall. But the army of unemployed remains. “The thing that brings about unrest and revolution is a distressed economic condition,” said a U. S. congressman when the “Red In- quiry” bill was introduced in Congre on May 22, “We have large surplus of things to eat, to wear and to cover our heads, but un- employment is rife.” What are they going to do about it? Why, investigate the Reds. “If you want to create jobs in America de- port every Communist,” shouts Congressman Fish. Very simple! What is the reason for this Red investigation? The crisis of last Oc- tober showed the fearful industrial depression which had begun as early as April of last year. By November 4,000,000 men were out of work. The situation became worse till finally in the spring of this year more than 7,000,000 were jobless. Hoover called his business men’s conference in November, assisted by “labor leaders” of the A. F. of L. Everything was going to be adjusted, work would be provided! The re- sult—growing unemployment, more part-time work, wage reductions, increase of hours! Thus the unemployment situation was settled! Congress Does Nothing. What did Congress do? Nothing. What has it done to date? It has passed a bill to study the situation. Everybody was pleased— the capitalists, the government, A. F. of L. “leaders,” the socialists—Hoover was a mighty god, a great engineer, the practical statesman! Everybody rejoiced—but the workers! ' Then came March 6 with a million and a quarter workers following the Communist Party’s call to the workers to organize and fight for work or wages—jobs with wages or wages without jobs. Then came May 1 and further demonstrations. The Communist and revolutionary workers had the nerve to thrust the misery of the working class under the 4 nose of the capitalist government! They had the nerve to tell the world that in rich capi- talist America 7,000,000 workers and their families were starving. They had the nerve to say that the economic crisis in the United States not only threw he U. S. into the sweep of the world economic crisis, but tremendously deepened the crisis! What did Congress do to relieve the fearful economic distress? Nothing. The city author- ities acting for the capitalists, however, con- ceived the brilliant idea of clubbing the unem- ployed and arresting the leaders—just as im- perial tyrants have done in the past. Whalen, the then cossack chief of New York, darling of Wall Street, set the pace in ferocious po- lice attacks, followed by the socialist adminis- tration of Milwaukee, who were not to be out- done. But this did not reduce unemployment —even the prisons were filled with militant workers. The next step was eee investigation de- manded by Congressman’ Fish, Whalen en- tered once more on the scene with his forged vestigaté the ist Party intern and does not dare d lower unemploy Who was to Amtorg documents—which he fend. But even this did not ment. blame for unemployment—for “the distressed economic condition?” The Communists, of course—the Communist In- ternational, the Communist Party, the Daily Worker, the Trade Union Unity League, the Soviet government! “Deport them all and thus create jobs in America,” is the brave solution of that fas- cist imbecile, Fish, That is the quintessence of capita intelligence in the U. S. Con- gress! That is capitalist method! “I so strongly believe in the wisdom and justice of our free institutions,” pompously declared Representative La Guardia. The treatment of the 7,000,000 unemployed by Congress shows its wisdom and justice! It did nothing—thus showing the “freedom” of the U. S—the right of the workers to starve and freeze! La Guardia and Ramseyer of the U. S. Con- gress see the coming struggle of the workers. They know that the American workers will not consent to starve. They know that the workers will not be frightened by investiga- tions of the Communists, for the Commun have again proved in this c that they are the only fighters for the workers, who have lined up against them the government (includ- ing the U. S. Congress), the capitalists, the A. F. of L., and the Socialists. They know that such a statement as La Guardia’s that “we do not want to burn down the barn to destroy the rats,” (La Guardia meaning the Communists), will open the eyes of many workers. This contemptible statement from a capi- talist politician (who once was so socialistic as fo receive the support of the socialist party in the elections—and unquestionably is more “radical” than the social-fascist Rev. Thomas, shows the method of these defenders of the “wisdom and justice of our free institutions.” It shows that also the “radicals” and “pro- gressives” in and out of Congress, who have proposed and done nothing for the unemploy- ment situation till the Communists brought it forward and who, up to that time, together with all other enemies of the working class, -denied its existence, are in reality enemies of the working class. They are only a little more shrewd—in view of the coming elections. Deport Communists Who Do Not Accept Present Situation. So, Congress may proceed to investigate— but this investigation will be rather an inves- tigation of Congress, the government and the capitalist system, which, from the mouth of Hamilton Fish, will ‘create jobs in America by deporting the Communists’—by which is meant all members of the Communist Party, revolutionary, militant and dissatisfied work- ers generally—workers who will not accept the present situation of unemployment, hunger and privation, speed-up, long hours, child la- bor, low wages, injunctions, arrests, persecu- tions, war. This is capitalist America’s solution to be provided by the “Red” Investigation. The workers will answer by joining the Commu- nist Party, Trade Union Unity League, and fighting. JUNE 28th IS UNEMPLOYED ~ SOLIDARITY DAY By MARCEL SCHERER. HE W.LR. was organized in 192 pression of working class solidarity struggles of the workers. The W.LR. has been the bringing of all sections of the working cla tant strikers in every country. 1 strike struggles, in which brought relief for the n as the ex- for the work of the olidarity from he mili- s to figh been Passaic strike, miner’s strikes, New ford, Gastoni Also the min strike England, miners in Ruhr, Gert in Rumania, textile strike in Lodz, Poland, and many others. Besides Japanese earthqu: Chinese famine victims were helped LR. The W.LR. has worked to strengthen every struggle of the workers, to make these strikers feel that their strike is not of local importan but is a struggle of the whole workin; Therefore the W.I.R. has mobilized workers to support such strikes and to make possible fur- ther successes for the working cl At the present period the for ism are solidly united to defeat eve that takes place. They have prepared their agents and stcol-pigeor n the ranks of the labor movement to divide the workers and to keep them from real struggle. They have mobil ized their government agents for bloody attacks upon the militant lea fighters in every struggle. In this period of capitalist crisis, every vt struggle, every demand for an improved ¢ omic condition turns immediat into a tical fight against the growing goverti- ments of the bosses. At this time the estab- lishing of greater unity between all sections of the working class, the strengthening of the solidarity movement of the workers, is vital for the success of every battle put up by the work- ers As every economic movement of the worker arouses the resistance of the whole capitalist system, the capitalists, the state, and the re- formists, this brings the workers into dir collision with the whole capitalist w: prepare more energetically for it becomes our task to mobilize all the working ¢: for the supvort group of workers who fight for improved ce omic conditions. Struggle of All Workers. The struggle of the unemployed the struggle of the working c of employed and unemployed for the demands 01 the unemployed is the prerequisite for a successfui struggle. The demands of the unemployed for the 5-day week, for the 7-hour day, for the abolition of speed-up, can only be achieved when the masses of employed workers support these demands and tale part in th struggles. The W.I.R. must th ‘ore’ start pioneer work in the factories and industrial centers to draw the attention of the workers to the struggle of their unemployed fellow workers and “Solidarity in Deeds” is the slogan f the W.LR. avpeal. In addition it is ountask to educate the employed workers to the realiza- tion that in the present capitalist crisis there is no steady employment—there is no security of jobs. The dumping of hundreds of thou- sands into the army of unemployed gives the bosses another whip to use over their workers and such growing unemployment comes hand in hand with further wage cuts, more speed-up for those still at work. Shorter hours, increased pay, abolition of speed-up, will give the unem- ployed workers jobs, and at the same time prevent the increased exploitation of the- other workers still on the job. The W.LR. in this campaign will go to the unions, the A. F. of L., and workshops where the workers have been regularly contributing to the W.I.R. campaigns for the struggles of the South, textile workers, miners, ete. These workers have already demonstrated their soli- darity with militant fighters and now must again be drawn into the campaign for the es of ca y struggle on- oli + fascist of ever | struggle of the unemployed. As the Reliete{ or on of the working class the W.LR. t approach to new strata: ho have not yet joined with the Such a widening of the , for the unemployed campaign zthening and consolidating the ranks of nt labor. duly 4. On July 4 the unemployment movement will » hold a historic convention in Chicago at which thousands of delegates from all sections of the resenting the most exploited work- , vsent. This convention will be the unemployed movement, the . 'T.U.U.L. and the fighting spirit ing class. The bosses, have unemployed movement with | the smashing of demonstrations, the use of ! machine gun: gas bombs and every mili- ' tary weapon terrorize the workers. The been beaten and clubbed ‘ of the white terror of the worst ; t of the world. The leaders + tions, speakers and fighters : en and then jailed for long terms 4 nent. Criminal Syndicalist laws _ ved to stop the organization of nd to defeat the growing pirit of the workers. In the and speakers stand in danger electrocution for daring to parti- struggle. to those bloody fascist attacks t solidarity of all workers. The enters fully into this campaign and is ng all of its sections and affiliated to support the July 4 convention and ble the bringing together of the umber of delegates ever assembled in ention hall. June 28th will be Unem- davity Day, when employed workers nemployed workers will join in this 1 unite all sections of the working s for the support of the demands of the unemployed “Work or W: ” and the i | mediate release of all pol 110 rated for their working class activities. } e W.ILR. will establish relief kitchens in | , de’ | ‘ | group to ni a con ployed as well gle, darity that the wor count: is July 4 convention. In this campaign the W.LR. will seek to draw in a much greater mass membership, so as to permanently establish the fighting working s relief organization of solidarity. The struggle of the unemployed workers is one of the most important at the present time, but at the same time the strike struggle of the | Yor e textile workers, the Imperial Val~ ley agricultural laborers, needs the support of every conscious worker. Ahead of us is a period of more intens struggle. The militant workers in the South are preparing. The miners are ready for a national strike. The textile workers, the needle trades workers, the fool workers, the marine ' workers, and many other sections of the work- ing class are now organizing for a struggle to defeat the capitalist offensive and the worsen- ing of the conditions of the workers. ‘ The W.I.R. becomes a very important factor in the support of all of these sections of the working class and the great army of unorgan- ized workers who are looking to the T.U.U.L. for militant leadership. Our response to these demands must start with a real mobilization for June 28, Unemployed Solidarity Day, and® must continue until the W.I.R. stands organized as the at mass movement of Workers Soli- darity. We answer the government’s savage fascist attacks upon the workers with a mobilizatior and organization of ever greater masses oi workers into the Workers International Relief , —Solidarity of the Working Class. in all parts of the ig for the work of the An Industrial Union in the | Metal Industry By JOHN SCHMIES. HE National Conference of the Metal Work- ers Industrial League on June 14 and 15 will make a new page in the history of the American labor movement. The revolutionary importance and the growing militancy of the workers in the metal and steel industries can- not be underestimated. This was demonstrated time and again in the splendid fight by the steel workers and the automobile workers. As a result of the growing economic cri: the bosses with the aid of the government, the fascist and social fascist leaders of the A. F. of L., are trying to shift the burden of the economic crisis more through the system of rationalization upon the shoulders of the mass- es of workers in the industries which means more wage cuts, increased speed up, as well as increased unemployment. All in all it means a general worsening of the living standards of the masses of workers, Against all this the delegates to the national convention must show a keen sense of respon sibility and develop out of it a militant lead- ership and organization which will be capable of initiating and leading the pending great | steel and auto | economic battles of the metal. workers. The task of this conference must be to consciously approach the problems of the | workers in the industries and on the basis cf our class struggle program build up shop .com- mittees, broad rank and file organizing com- mittees in order to develop a mighty industrial union which will bring under its leadership and unite the employed and unemployed. Out of this national conference must come a challenge against the fascist and social-fas- cist leadership of the American Federation of Labor and drive out of the labor movement all enemies of the revolutionary trade unions. A part of the new metal workers industrial | union, as soon as organized, fs to be the Auto Workers Union, by decision of its convention, held in Detroit, May 17. An editorial in La- mor Unity last month states: - “The situation in the auto as well as in the steel and metal industries generally is becom<’ ing more favorable for organization works: Wage cuts are taking place of from twenty, to forty per cent as well as an increased speed up and general lowering of working condi tions as never before in the history of this; gigantic industry. More and more the trustis, fication and consolidation of the auto, steel and | metal industries is taking place under the dome. | ination of finance capital and therefore places, before the workers the necessity of a milita fighting mass movement. “The offensive on the part of the bot 4 against the workers in the industry can b checked on the basis of organization and struggle on the part of the auto, metal and- steel workers. The mood for militant struggle and the growing radicalization among these, masses of workers has been demonstrated tit and again in sporadic strike movements. We: | must also emphasize that this is a war indus- try and up to the present time the workera are left to the mercy of the bosses. { “In such a strong, revolutionary Metal Works. ers Industrial Union, the Auto Workers Uniow will form an integral, fighting section.” i Organize the unorganized must be the im- mediate task of the conference and under the leadership of the Trade Union Unity League build a powerful Metal Workers Induptriall Union. Smash the speed up system! Strike aginst all wage cuts! Abolish piece work, tonni pay, bonus systems! Fight for the 7-hour de’ 5-day week! $35.00 a week minimum wag for all steel and metal workers! ‘Equal pay for equal work. Fight for Work or Wages for the unemployed. Organize the / unorganized. Smash the company unions, Smash the spy system in the mills! Uncon- cidenal release for all workers arrested in strikes and support the Fifth World Congress of the Red International of Labor Unions! Five thousand new members by June 30. a ES in Hazelton will be a mobilization and consoli- | dation conference. All N.M.U. and left-wing elements will gather to discuss the situation in the anthracite; to adopt a program of de- mands; to lay the basis for a strike in Sej- temi: and to clean out all tte anti-N.M.U and anii-'T.U.U.L, elements —the Fishwick | vemnants in the N.M.U. The final program adopted must be correct and realistic, inter- linking the economic: and political demands of the N.M.U. The pressure of the right wing elements in the anthracite will have to be sharply com- batted; the same time the N.M.U. must guard against adopting a narrow, general, sectarian program of demands that would isolate from the start and foredoom us to impotence. The main fight, of course, must be directed against the former, the main danger, but the latter tendency must be combatted as well. Hazelton shows us that with a correct ap- proach we shall be able to rally the masses of anthracite miners whose conditions are be- coming worse daily, and who are hard-hit by unemployment. It shows us that we must be- vin real, intensive organizational preparations for strike now—not waiting until August 31st to send in forces in a last-minute effort to make up for months of criminal neglect. Otherwise the slogan of a general strike Sepe tember 1st will remain a fond hope. » ~