The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 7, 1930, Page 4

Page Four Published by the Comprodaily Publishing Co., Inc., daily, except Sunday, at 50 East 13th Street, New York City, N. Y. ‘Address and mail all checks to the Daily Worker, 50 Hast 13th Street, New York, N.Y. Telephone Algonquin 7956-7. Cable: “DAIWORK.” Daily, Worker SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Foreign: One By mail everywhere: One year, $6; six months, $3; two months, $1; excepting Boroughs of. Manhattan and Bronx, New York City. year, $8; six months, $4.50 "THE SOCIALISTS ARE THE ENEMIES OF WORKERS (1. Enter Mr. Morris Hillquit, Chairman of the “Socialist” Party.) By PAUL NOVICK. (The following is the first of a series of icles by Comrade Paul Novick on the “so- t” party of America. Workers will 4 these articles of much v: in their ions on the parties and platforms in the present election campaign.—Editor.) Morris Hillquit is not merely a rich cor- poration lawyer. Morris Hillquit is the chair- man of the “socialist”’ party, its brains, its theoretician. Morris Hillquit is the lifelong esentative of the American “socialists” on xecutive committee of the Second (“So- ist”) International.. He has just returned from one of the sessions of that committee, in Zurich. Morris Hillquit is a symbol of Amer- ican and international “socialism, its guiding pirit (at least, as far as American “socialism” is concerned.) Then, who is Morris Hillquit? “The American Labor Who’s Who,” published by the Rand School in 1925 tells us: a 1: a member of the national executive co: tee of the socialist party at various times, korn in Riga (Latvia), came to the U. S. in 1886, lecturer, author, 214 Riversi i There are, however, some pertinent mation about this gentleman, which the cialist” publishing house has omitted and which the workers must know—in order to kmew the face, or the soul, of the “socialist” part Hillquit is for years known as one of the shareholders of the Burns’ Coal Trust. Wheth- er ke still is a shareholder we do not know. It all depends on the amount of dividend these shares bring now. If the shares are still as profitable as when Hillquit bought them there is, according to present-day “sociali reason why he should have sold them. True, there is a reason. The Burns’ Coal Trust is an open shop concern, a strikebreak- ing concern that is exploiting its workers mer- eilessly. But all this was known to the brains of the “socialist” party when the shares were bought, in the first place. A good profit, however, or heavy dividends, is a major fac- tor in all dealings of the chairman of the “so- cialist” party, even if it is profit derived from “closed” or open-shop exploitation. Mr. Hillquit is supposed to be an authority on-Marx’s “Capital.” More so, he is an authority on Wall Street capital, or rather Wall Street stocks in which he began dabbling years ago. It is not known whether he has lost anything in the recent crashes—many a “socialist” has lost heavily—but it is common knowledge that Hillquit has always been gambling, beg pardon—“investing.” The “socialist” spirit behind these gamblings has moved Mr, Hillquit in 1924 to send in the Cloakmakers’ Union a bill for twenty-five thousand dollars for representing that union on the conferences of former Governor Smith’s commission which was “investigating” condi- tions in the ladies’ garment trade. The $25,000 out of the garment workers’ money was duly paid, of course. Mr. Hillquit was always a “dear” friend to the garment workers. Which brings us directly to the shares of the Cloakmakers’ Union that were entrusted in 1926 into the hands of Hillquit’s partner, Frederic: Umhey (who is, by the way, not admitted to the bar). A year and a half ago the Daily Worker and the Freiheit had charged Hillquit with manipulating with these shares and thereby “acquiring” for himself over forty thousand dollars belonging to the cloakmakers, That charge was widely broadcast among the workers. For this Hillquit had the comrades, Robert Minor and Moissaye Olgin, arrested. Eillguit did not want an open hearing before ® magistrate’s court, which is the usual pro- cedure in liel suits. Hillquit was afraid of an open hearing. He therefore got in touch with his Tammany friends—judges, lawyers, Politicians—and they allowed him what very few are allowed in such cases, namely, to avoid an open hearing. Hillquit went to the district attorney and after a conference with the Tam- many man behind closed doors swore out a warrant for an arrest of the editors of the two Communist papers. Hillquit did not want the workers to hear his side of the case. He did not want to give the Communist editors a chance to refute his arguments. He tried to hash up the matter with the aid of Tammany. Comrades Minor and Olgin were supposed to have been brought to trial a year ago, Oc- tober, 1929, The case was never brought to court, The official version is that a delega- tion of the Schlesinger company union (that is, of his own ring involved in the manipula- tions) had asked him “not to bother” with the Communists and to withdraw the charges. Hillgait felt “insulted,” you know, just as John F. Curry, head of Tammany Hall had recently felt, which was the only reason why he would not tell anything about selling judicial robes at $12,000 apiece. As a banker Hillquit was probably justified fn being “insulted” at the affrontery of the PRE-PLENUM DISCUSSION Young Communist League, U.S.A. two “red” papers. For the chairman of the “socialist” party is a member. of the: board of directors of the International. Union Bank, which once “belonged” to the International La- dies’ Garment Union and was:transferred in 1927 to a group of capitalists, Hillquit amongst them. Probably the only thing that dis- tinguishes this bank from the average capi- talist bank is that the Hillquit concern en- gages rather heavily in speculating, beg par- don—‘“investing.” This capitalist role of the guiding spirit of the American “socialists” and of the Second International was only part of his role as a lawyer for the bosses in all their fights, in- cluding their fights against workers. In 1927 when Lgcal 25 of the International Fur Work- ers Union, a bona fide A. F. of L. local in Newark, was having a fight with the Consoli- dated Rabbit Dressing Manufacturers, the workers discovered that Morris Hillquit was behind the bosses, as their lawyer and guiding spirit (for good non-spiritual pay, of course). The Communist Freiheit had demanded that Hillquit explain that matter to the workers, but it seems that here, too, like the leader of Tammany Hall, the leader of the “socialist” party felt “insulted.” He did not explain. It was unnecessary. The matter was too clear. A man with such a variety. of activities could not have stayed away from the under- world. The relations between “socialism” and the underworld will be dealt with in a separate article. As far as this unscrupulous money- maker Hillquit, he simply could not have stayed away from a source which supplies so much “easy money,” racketeering. The Daily Worker last Thursday has pointed out the honorable mention Hillquit is receiv- ing in Courtney Terret’s book on racketeering in the United States, “Only Saps Work.” It appears from pages 107-108 of that book that Hillquit was the lawyer for the chief racketeer in the glazing trade in New York, William Ellinger, after he (Ellinger) had shot and near- ly killed one of the small dealers of that trade, Joseph Okonovitz. Ellinger was found guilty and sent to Sing Sifig, but that did not stop Hillquit from acting as his lawyer before the Court of Appeals—for a fat retainer, of course (the racketeer went to Sing Sing and Hillquit was left with the money obtained through racketeering). Courtnay Terret, in his book on racketeering, is trying to shield the “socialists” and the A. F. of L. leaders, Morris L. Ernst, “socialist,” campaign manager for Heywood Broun, wrote the preface to Terret’s book and probably took care to protect his party-colleagues. Hillquit’s name was left because Ernst himself is a law- yer and does not find anything wrong in acting for the underworld, for a good retainer, or may be he wanted to show up a competitor. Any- way, Hillquit was properly placed in the Rogue’s Gallery of Racketeering Land. All that is probably enough of a record for the leader of the “socialist” party, hut Hill- quit’s attitude towards immigration and race- equality must be mentioned here, being that persecution of the foreign-born and of colored races are burning issues in this campaign. The “socialist” party had long ago tried very hard to elect Morris Hillquit-to Congress. In 1908 Hillquit ran in the old 12th Congressional , District (afterwards Meyer London’s consti- tuency) and was “nearly” elected, if something hadn’t snapped. That “something” was_ his stand on immigration at the International So- cialist Congress in Stuttgart, Germany, the year before. At that congress Hillquit fought for the right of “socialists” in America to op- pose immigration of colored races—Japanese, Chinese, etc. When Tammany Hall sprang that thing a few days before elections, the bottom fell out of Hillquit’s campaign in that immi- grant district, which was subsequently turned to Meyer London. To be sure, Hillquit is an immigrant himself. The fact that he changed his name from Hil- kovitz to Hillquit adds another laurel to his character. But Matthew Woll and James Davis are immigrants, too. This does not prevent them from being the most bitter immigrant- baiters and to demand passports and finger- printing for foreign-born. Because W8ll and Davis are servants of capitalism, capitalists themselves, and immigrant-baiting and persecu- tion of “other” races, race-hatred in general, constitutes capitalist policy, a means of divid- ing and subjecting the workers. Hillquit a capitalist, a servant of the bosses in ALL mat- ters, “ein Maedchen fuer Alles,” is for that policy. Enough. is “clear.” Can any worker vote for the party of Hill- quit—millionaire, banker, speculator, boss-law- yer, Burns Coal Trist shareholder, Racketeer, ete, ete.? . “The socialist” party is an ENEMY of the workers just as the Democratic and Repub- lican parties. The workers have but one party, their OWN party to vote for, the COMMU- Beh Party. Vote COMMUNIST on Novem- r 4. The face of the “socialist” party Self-Satisfaction or Fulfilmentt of Obligations By FRANK HENDERSON (Cleveland, Ohio) X At a time when we are putting into effect a radical change in our methods of work there is one danger which we face at the coming Plen- um of the Y.C.L, Some cozarades will report successes of these new methods of work and others will direct wholesome criticism of our shortcomings. The yardstick at the Plenum tust not be the recording of successes and the mameration of shortcomings in our work but to establish the fact to what extent have we lived ‘up to our obligations as a revolutionary leader of the working youth. The danger is that we may become self-setisfied with successes and also self-satisfied with criticism but will fail in our correct’ estimation of fulfilling our ob- tions in a period of intensive class strug- 8, In short this means that we must show cOnerete results, For example: Our obliga- , tions to the Negro working youth as a part of the fight. against the terror conducted against the whole working class was to. organ- ize en anti-lynch youth organization—the- Young Liberators. This is self-satisfaction. But our obligations do not end here. Our ob- ligation was to organize a campaign against lynching and fight race discrimination. : Did we- do this? Let us take Cleveland district as an example, We built an anti-lynch organiza- tion but during the days of its birth we did not hold one meeting (open air street meeting) against lynching when the toll emounted to two lynchings a day! And we must frenkly admit that the Young Liberztors in any section of the country have not fulfilled its obligations as a militent anti-lynch youth roganization. This does not mean that the program of the Young Liberators is not correct but that we became self-satisfied with the organization of “CROCODILE TEARS” The “Socialist” Plattorm Wants More Prisons By I. AMTER Prisoner No. 52351 (Communist Candidate in the 23rd Congressional District, Bronx) This is the Fifth of the series of articles written by I. Amter, at Hart’s Island Pe- nitentiary, on the platform and slogans of the “Socialist” Party. The revolutionary workers will find these articles of great value in agitating against the “Socialist” Party and for Communism. Clip these articles and refer to them in your discus- sions.—Editor. ee, In its eagerness to separate itself even from the word “Marxism,” the “Socialist” Party talks and writes in true capitalist fashion, Crime end prison statistics are more or less available today and every capitalist reformer knows that in times of economic depression the prisons fill up. But how do they explain that the number of “criminals” and inmates in the penal institutions of this country—yes of hospitals and insane asylums, is constantly on the increase? There is a steady line up- ward despite periods of prosperity. Prisons Filling Up. At the present time, in the period of econo- mic crisis, with 8,000,000 unemployed tramp- ing the streets hungry and desperate; millions working part or full time at wages that do not keep body and soul together; with speed up in factories, mines and offices, stores exhoust- ing men and women before they are 40 years of age, is it any wonder that the prisons are filling up? € Today, in the crisis, it is admitted that the number of insane has increased tremendously so that:new asylums have to be built—general cause, as ascribed by experts, worry over un- emnloyment. The: number of drug addicts in all sections and classes of this country is. growing at a the Young: Liberators but failed to realize its tremendous: tasks and obligations. Ancther example to point out the danger of self-satisfaction and our shortcomings in fulfilling our, obligations. The basi¢ point in our new’ methods of work and change in our work is a turn to the masses of young workers. We have fine resolytions to prove our good intentions and-2lso to show our shortcomings. This is only self-satisfaction. Our obligations is to go to the young workers and the yard stick to measure our success is to show con- cretely what we have done. The following is a good example of self-satisfaction anda short- coming in our obligations. Ia Detroit there was recently held (Aug. 3) a national conference of worker sportsmen. This conierence, represented approximately five thousand young workers and students. The De- troit D.O. was called'to a fraction meeting to help formulate policies and give his opinions oy methods of work. He refused to come! His reason was that he did not have time for sports work because he was busy with Y.C.L. work. The question before the Plenum is not only to discuss the correctness of our methods of work and our program and policies—but an es- timation to what extent have we fulfilled our obligations. The present period places tremen- dous tasks and obligations before us. Our an- swer must be “At your service” to the day to day demands in leading the struggles of the toiling youth and the fulfillment of the every day tasks which confronts a revolutionary or- ganization. Only in this manner can we ful- fill our ultimate obligation—the overthrow of the capitalist system and the building of a so- cialist society. : fearful rate—but only members of the working class are considered “criminals” for using nar- cotics and sent to prison for tkeir “crime,” while drug addicts of the upper classes are mere “unfortunates.” 99% Asylum Inmates Workers. This together with the fact that 99% of all inmates of penal institutions are workers—on whatever “charge” and through whatever methods they were railroaded to prison—in- dicates that this is a class basis to crime. In this period of economic crisis this becomes clear to the workers. How could it otherwise happen that a big noise is made over the case of “poor” Senator Fall, who when Secretary of the Interior, ac- cepted a “loan” from Sinelair; and he and Sinclair after many years were convicted — while men and women for stealing a loaf of bread, for committing petty larceny are ar- rested, tried and convicted and begin serving their time within twenty-four hours? Grafters and Lynchers Go Free. How does it otherwise happen that a single capitalist swindler of Queens County is the only Tammany politician “enjoying a vacation” in jail, while scores are under. charges, the whole Tammany machine under suspicion and Mayor Walker refuses an investigation of his office? How about corruption in Philadel- phia, Detroit, Chicago, Albany—with the cap- italist politicians enjoying their loot—while a working mother is sent to prison for stealing a bottle of milk? All to preserve the majesty of capitalist law and order. How does it happen that lynching mobs who ate known to the authorities are not molested or persecuted? That open threats, acts of violence, assault and murder of militant labor organizers and Communists take place, not only unhampered but aided by the authorities? Do the lynchings of thirty-six Negroes’ thus far this year, the attacks on Communists and revolutionary trade unionists of the Trade Union Unity League, the numerotis sentences to the rock-pile in the South on the charge of “vagrancy,” the imprisonment of revolution- ary workers for assembling in California to organize a union; the threat of the electric chair in Atlanta—do these few examples not clearly demonstrate that the capitalist courts and prisons are class institutions, part of the capitalist state whose function it is to protect the interests of the capitalist class against the other class—the working class? “Socialists” Covering Up Fundamental Cause. This is perfectly clear—and is being em- phasized every day by the crowding of the prisons with the working-class victims of cap- italism—so-called “criminals”—and direct vie- tims of the class struggle within capitalism— Communists and revolutionary working-class leaders. When, therefore, the “Socialist” state plat- form declares that “crime is in large measure rooted in our social and economic system” (em- phasis mine, I. A.), in real capitalist-reform manner, the social-fascists wishing to serve capitalism well, are covering up the funda- mental cause of crime: the capitalist system of exploitation. Then let us consider a few more factors. To be a worker is supposed to be a “disgrace” —to be poor is worse “disgrace’—to be un- employed is the worst “disgrace.” It is sup- posed to be a sign of incapacity, ignorance and low character. To rise out of -the working class, to educate ones children to enter a “higher class” is the highest achievement a worker is inspired to by capitalists. The cap-_ jtaliats eet p fond nenneeta “9 bribe certain sections of workers to separate. them from the unskilled masses—to act as. I —BY BURCK stoolpigeons in factories, unions and fraternal organizations. They pay higher wages and grant special privileges to sections of workers to separate them from the masses, Rich Gamblers Show the Way. But more. Gamblers on the stock exchange, successful managers of shady deals set the pace in the country.. Are not the rich parasites and bloodsuckers on the lives of the working- class—Morgan, Rockefeller, Young, Mellon, Lamont, Guggenheim, Ford, ete., the success- ful gamblers who are held up as examples to the workers? Do not the workers then in a small, but for them dangerous, way pursue the sdme course to “wealth”’—gamble, pilfer and land in prison? ¢ On in a different way: Are the workers not on all sides advised, sometimes compelled, to buy homes, furnishings, cars, on the installment plan, which has saddled the working class with more than eight billion dollars of debts—their future- mortgaged! “Socialists” Mocking at Workers Misery. Now with the crisis cutting its furrows deep into the face of the working-class family, with the terror of unemployment and starvation looking out of the eyes of 8,000,000 workers and their families, with the bosses program of wage cuts getting into full swing, with gpeed-up cutting into the heart of the whole working-class — with the capitalists insisting upon and receiving their profits even tho the workers starve—yes with the capitalist system being based on the ruthless, merciless exploita- tion of the workers and poor farmers and, ac- cording to government reports, “forcing four- fifths of the workers to live below the level of subsistence”—for the “Socialist” platform to speak of “assuring” decent living standards through higher wages and shorter hours,” and “by better and higher free education” (with the colleges and universities turning out hun- dreds of thousands of students who can find no jobs under capitalism)—to speak thus is to mock at the misery of the working class. As- surance of decent living standards “can only come through a destruction of the capitalist system of exploitation and the establishment of a Soviet system—the system that is’ build- ing up “Socialism” in the industry and agri- culture of the Soviet Union with such marvel- ous results and speed. To pretend to any “as- surance of decent living standards” is purest demagogy, for it requires organized struggle against capitalism but the “socialist”. party is a party in favor of capitalism. “Socialist” Platform) Wants More Prisons! But the best point in the “socialist” platform dealing with crime is the following: “As meas- ures to cope with increasing crime in the state, we demand,” no, reader, not what you think— “a program of prison building.” More prisons, of course for the workers! The reactionary labor movement produces its share of criminals, based on capitalist meth- ods, as, for instance, through “labor” banking, gangsterism within the unions, copied from By JORGE The N. Y. Times Versus the N. Y. Times We wish Mr. Ochs (pronounced “ox” and meaning “bull”), who is the owner of the N. Y. Times and one of “our” 59 rulers, would quit calling himself a liar and proving it. That's our job, not his. In short (if a Communist is allowed to use the word “short” in talking about wheat) we wish the N. Y. Times would either quit lying about Soviet wheat deals or stop exposing itself. For ten days or so, the Times has been rant- ting in headlines over acres of space against “Soviet bear raids,” and so on. Some of ita headlines and news summaries show up as fol- lows: “SOVIET SHORT SALHS. BREAK. WHEAT PRICE”—Sept. 20. “WORLD BEAR DRIVE IS SHEN”—Sept. 23. “PURPOSE TO MAKE SPECULATIVE PROFIT, IF NOT TO CREATE FARM UN- REST"—Sept. 20. “Farmers Denounce Deals”—Sept. 25. “With the world wheat markets upset by Soviet tac- tics...” “Measures to meet. Soviet dumping...” “A flood of Russian wheat feared...” And any number of other lies, both plain and fancy. It is particularly important to note that the Times puts this kind of anti-Soviet propaganda on the front page, featuring it in every way so that its readers can't miss it. But on the editorial page, where compara- tively few readers turn to read except those who understand that the stuff on the front page is lying propaganda, the Times finally on Tuesday, Sept. 23 allowed an editorial slamming Secretary Hyde as being “Rather Hysterical” and calling —‘"The whole discussion incoherent”—an in- coherence to which the Times contributed with al! its might. It says in addition, that—‘at least our own government might keep its head’—but it does its damnedest to cheer the government on to still great stupidities, if such are possible. The Times company publishes a weekly journal “The Annalist,” which is not meant for ordi- nary folks to read, but only the big business- men, brokers, commercial experts and statis- ticians. Now Jet us see-what:the:Annalist. does to the N. Y. Times headline quoted above: “Pur- pose to make speculative profit, if not to create farm unrest.” Here‘s what the Times “Annalist” says on Sept. 26: We may, of course, discard at once Secre tary Hyde’s theory that the short selling done for the purpose of fomenting unrest among American wheat growers...It is pat- ently ridicufous. : It is highly probable that no government, even that of Soviet Russia, would be willing to assume the enormous risks obviously in- volved in a speculative transaction of this nature. A much more simple and readily understandable reason for the short selling is that it was hedge selling pure and simple. Russia, in other words, unlike the Farm Board, hedges her wheat crop because she does NOT wish to speculate.” There is a lot of additional evidence. which we might offer as exhibits in the. case of the N. Y. Times against the N. Y. Times, but you will see from what is given that there is no doubt but that it is guilty of shameless hypo- crisy and outrageous lying. The Times relies on the weakness the masses of people have in snatching at the frent page and gulping down a few headlines, to put over its anti-Soviet propaganda. Then it can give the truth for the guidance of its masters in few lines on an inside page and in its statistical journal (The Annalist), and cover itself with the mantle of righteousness and the claim that it gives “All the news that’s fit to print.” But after this, gentle reader, you will under: stand why, under a. Workers’ Government, that such double-faced hypocrites are not allowed to confuse the minds of the masses with a “free press” for capitalist propaganda, Prosperity Week? You might never notice it, but we are hav- ing “Prosperity Week.” All fixed up by the Paramount Pictures, with a page ed in “Va- riety,” the theatrical paper, advertising another page ad in the Saturday Evening Post. And we ask you, frankly, which week is not prosperity week in the Saturday Evening Post? Anyhow, the Variety ad shows the happiest and snappiest Uncle Sam you've seen in a blue moon, dashing one step behind his shadow to- ward some unknown destination, very likely to the movies to get a lead on Jimmy Walker before all the prettiest. “fixed stars” are strung on the mayorial string. Incidentally, the Paramount pictures are such flops that to get any prosperity out of ’em, the corporation is trying the pulmotor. And this “Prosperity Week” business is another stunt that follows tree sitting, “buy a bale of cotton,” marathon dancing and solemnly throwing an effigy of “Old Man Depression” into the sea. * 8 \ * Cows in Bad Company More Chicago news:—“Chicago Association of Commerce sits down by dinner with Korn- dyke Heather, prize Wisconsin cow, in place of honor at head of table.” * “If I had a cow that rave such milk...” go on and write your own joke. to.live—and fér the revolutionary workers and Communists, the social-fascist “socialists” pro- pose “more prisons!” This is in keeping with the proposals of the capitalists—and the “socialists,” as the third capitalist party, are not to be outdone. What Do the Communists Demand? The Communist Party is against the whole prison system and demands'a complete change. It demands the abolition of the Baumes law which can send working class prisoners to the penitentiary for life! The Communist Party points out that the police, courts and the whole penal system are capitalist class institutions -against the working class, intended to crush vigilent gangs of the capitalists, gangsters to slug and murder militant workers, gangste! extorting blackmail; racketeers who in their way using their own methods, follow the path of Rockefeller and Morgan. “Socialist” Racketeers. The “socialist” writers and speakers talk a lot about racketeering—but what of their own racketeering! What of their own gangster- ism! What about gangsters in the mining, needle trades, food, shoe and building trades! Answer, “socialist” union leaders—what about the gangsters you use against militant work- ers|,What about gangsters who blackmail and, if refused, do not hesitate to murder! As upholders of capitalism, the “socialists” use the capitalist-fascist methods, such as the K.K.K. those of the American Legion, Black Hundreds, Grangers, etc. Any means to an end! As to the victims of canitalism, workers who cannot stand the grind, workers.who are thrown into the streets to starve, workers at 40 years who are thrown on the scrapherp, women who are driven to prostitution in order | the fighting spirit of the workers. The Communist Party declares that the con- ditions that cause crime will continue as long as the capitalist system of dog against dog, continues. Only by overthrowing the cavitelist system and establishing @ workers’ and far- mers’ government in which working class jus- tice will be meted out, can the question of crime be solved. ; : The “socialists” do their full share in in- creasing gangsterism and: crime. The “social- ists” are supporters of the system that produces crime. By word and especially by deed they conv the canitelist methods of producing crime. Workers! Sunnort the Communist prozram of struggle against capitalism and its three parties—republican. democratic and “social- ist!” Organize in the revolutionary unions of the Trade Wnion Unitv League and ficht! Sup- nort tha Commnnict Party also-in the election campaign! Vote Commuunist! “ is To what the Cerman workers 4.600,000 strong did—vote for the Communist Party and a So- viet government in the United States! ‘ |