The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 11, 1931, Page 1

| ernmental authority than ever before! DRESSMAKERS! MARCH TO LINCOLN ARENA TONIGHT AFTER WORK FOR STRIKE ARRANGEMENTS! ARENA PUNIGH APIEN The Unemployed Councils Are the Fighting Organizations for Immediate Relief and Unem- ployment Insurance for the Unemployed Workers. Or- ganize Them Everywhere Dail Central © Ong 3 Os of Y, “oa the Oe laier founict ly Norker Party U.S.A. tional) WORKERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE! Vol. VIII, No. 37 Entered as second class matter at the Post Office <ggp2l at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1979 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1931 CITY EDITION Price 3 Cents MASSES SHOUT FOR BILL AS CONGRESS FLOUTS IT Hunger Will Not Be Denied! H Sind workers of this country have no right to petition congress for a | redress of grievances—the U. S. Constitution to the contrary not- | withstanding. Yesterday, while hundreds of thousands of workers marched | the streets of the nation in demonstration of their support, the National Delegation of Unemployed, with signed petitions of half a million and active support of over a million who voted in meetings for the Workers’ Unemployment Insurance Bill, was refused admission to the U. 8. House 0! Representatives. The floor of congress is no place for workers. This much the 140 workers of the elegation were insulting informed. Only the representa- tives of corporations, disguised as representatives of “the people”, and such capitalist parasites as are called “distinguished visitors”, are per- mitted to address the national committee of the capitalist class. More, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, refused even to speak to the delegation representing the 10,000,000 jobless workers and their families; and sent his lackeys to protest that the ‘Delegation’s letter notifying him of their coming, was “not in proper form” and “lacked politeness”. failing to address Mr. Longworth, who got his wealth from the red light district of Cincinnati ‘as “Your Honor”. Such’ monarchical scorn of the millions of destitute and starving workers, does not surprise those who already know that fact admitted by Ex-Ambassador Gerard, that “50 men rule America”. It is not sur- prising, that while such imperialist butchers as Marshall Joffre of France is welcomed to the floor of the U.S. Congress, the spokesmen for 22,- 000,000 working people who “lack the necessities of life” as edmitted by congressmen themselves, are barred from presenting their demand for Unemployment Insurance. For it is a capitalist congress. For seventeen months (since the Wall Street crash) the great army of hunger has grown and suffered while not one damn thing has been done for them by the government. Billions of dollars have been cut from the wages of the workers yet employed. But the capitalist congress did nothing about that, by its silence supporting and approving this robbery of bread from. the mouths of the workers’ children. The “rules” which forbid the representatives of 10,000,000 jobless’ and starving workers from entering the sacred precincts of capitalist govern- ment, “rules” backed up with “a truckload of rifles, hand grenades and tear gas guns and bombs’—can and will be broken down! The haughty “Speaker of the House” may think that all is over when he issued his denial and the swarm of police, armed to the teeth, bar- red the way of “impolite” workers! But so did the Russian arch-duke who swore that “The streets of Petrograd would run knee-deep to his horse in the blood of the revolution”! But the movement of millions will not falter! Hunger knows no rules and necessity knows no law! In spite ofthe capitalists’ efforts to tind a “solttion” for the ecosomic crisis, capitalism kmows no other than that of starvation and death to the masses! And outside of congress, among the misery of the masses, the forces of protest are gathering ever greater. Yesterday is not the end, but only the beginning! Everywhere, in solidarity with the workers of other capitalist countries, the workers of America are today organizing for demonstration on International Fighting Day Against Unemployment— February 25th! Prepare for Feb. 25th! On with the fight for Unemployment Insur- ance! . Pinchot’s Police “Reform” WuEex recently inaugurated, Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania issued a statement that by June 30, the “Coal and Iron Police,” infamous everywhere ‘he “Pennsylvania Cossacks,” would be. “abolished.” But w' , let us examine, does Governor Pinchot propose besides the “abolitic sf the Coal and Iron Police, which have been paid by the coal and irc .ompanies, controlled by the coal and iron companies and au- thoriz by the State government to break strikes for the benefit of the coal and iron companies? What does Pinchot propose in this situation? He proposes that the name shall be changed. But—‘“a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” He proposes that these criminals and professional strike-breakers shall be called from now on “State Police.” He proposes that they shall be paid by the coal and iron companies—. just as in the past. And “he who pays the fiddler calls the tune,” that is to say, the coal and iron. companies will be the real boss as to what. the “state police” do, just as they were the boss as to what) the “Coal and Tron Police” did. The sole “difference,” then, is a mere formality, that the State shall be supposed to control these strike-breakers. Actually by this wonderful “reform,” this gang of murderers of workers are given more official gov-. In short, the State of Pennsyl- vania and its officials, simply take over the job of breaking strikes and terrorizing the workers as an official function instead of leaving it in the hands of the coal and iron companies. Needless to say, while the same identical thugs will carry on the same identical terror against the workers, every state official exercising author- ity over them, has a new opportunity -for demmding graft for ‘services Wendered,” and thus the political machine of Pinchot will be nourished and fattened on more corruption than ever. Thus the Pinchot demagogy of “police reform’ means nothing more to the workers of Pennsylvania than a more official authority for the thugs who are now terrorizing them. If there will be any change it will be toward more severe terror, as the misery of the unemployed grows and | the resistance of the employed to wage cuts strengthens. Therefore, all illusions about Pinchot’s “reform” should be thrown overboard, and all militant workers should strengthen their fighting or- ganizations, first of all the Communist Party, the National Miners’ Union and the Metal Workers’ Industrial League. Only by- organized struggle will the Pennsylvania workers prevent their strikes being broken, no matter by what name the strike-breakers are called. ‘Worker played.an important role in : |e mobilization of the million and a AIDING “DAILY” quarter‘ workers in the United States. The Daily Worker must continue this NEW YORK.—The following is an role, must make these contacts, must organize and mobilize the workers, example of the support that the Daily ‘Worker is getting from the workers ‘The financial crisis within the Daily general. A worker noticed head- may make this impossible unless im- in in in the capitalist press in. the mediate assistance {s received. Comrades, send in your Red Shock lew York subway attacking the Sov- let Government. He Troop lists. If you have not received one use the Red Shock Troop list in this issue of the Daily Worker. Send immediately re- ported this fact. to the Daily Worker land said: “Here is my dollar to help the Daily Worker. That is the only funds to the Daily Worker, 50 E, 13th way to answer the bosses.” However, St., New York City, this enthusiasm and support for the ees Red Shock Troop donation lists | Needle Union are returned with money immedi- NEW YORK—AN who can lend ely. ‘iad fons hes autos for use in the Needle Work- Autos Needed By ae ily Worker will, mean nothing un- THREATEN POISON GAS FOR U. 3. JOBLESS; “LABOR” GOV'T PUSHES WAR DRIVE Arsenal Tells How to Murder Unemployed Demanding Relief EDEWOOD ARSENAL, Maryland, Feb. 10.—Detailed plans to murder thousands of unemployed workers through the use of poison gas are outlined in the official magazine, “Chemical Warfare,” edited by the staff of the Chemical Werfare School at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. The poison gas school is part of the United States military machine. In January, 1931, issue of “Chem- ical Warfare,” the bosses plans for killing off of the unemployed who demand unemployment insurance, not only by machine gun fire, but by poison gas is explained in detail. Here is the complete plan of how the Chemical Warfare corps propose to deal with the unemployed, at the in- stigation of the bosses: “Let us consider briefly, the em- Ployment of chemical troops in peace time or civil disturbances At the present time, this country is confronted with an unemployment problem, that even the administra- tion admits to be in excess of one million Neepers: Unless some reielf measure ve devised, there will be Jong breaii ines in our larger cities this wiater. A hungry man is awilling listener to any propa- (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) BLOW AGAINST SOVIET LUMBER IS A WAR MOVE US. Treasury Dept. Begins Drive WASHHINGTON, Feb. 10.—An- other blow in the war preparations against the Soviet Union was struck today when the Treasury Depart- ment issued an order to bar the en- try of lumber and pulp wood from the Soviet Union on the Iping ground that it was produced “with convict labor.” This is precisely what the Fish Committee wanted done to bring the war moves against the workers’ re- public. It is the first step in the general campaign to tie up Soviet imports, in an effort to wreck the Five-Year -Plan. The same. action is being considered by Ramsay Me Donald for British imperialism. The ery of “convict labor” has again and again been shown to be built up on the faked statement of Russian white guards. The latest step of the treasury is a definite war move. No word was said about countries which actually have convict labor, such as Venezuela, Liberia, Guate- mala, etc., where American imper- ialism makes millions in. profits. Stop the raids on foreign born in the factories, Elect delegates to the Conference for Protection of Foreign Born in your city. 12,000,000 Out of Work Shown Before Figures Are Twisted NEW YORK.—More proof showing how the United States government swindles the unemployed by faking the figures on the number of jobless in this country is contained in a statement published by the New York State labor commissioner, Francis Per- kins. ‘This statement which appears in the New York Times (Feb. 9). soys: “If we were to apply the 23.8 per cent wholly unentployed (as com- puted by the Metropolitan Life Insur- ance Co.) to this 49,200,000 (gainfully employed), there would be, of course, nearly 12,000,000 unemployed.” But as this figure seems too high to Miss Perkins, she does a little twisting of her own and comes to the “conservative estimate that there are ™ 1 HENDERSON LAYS GROUND FOR WAR Covers Up Labor Party Arms Expenditures Every preparation for war is being undertaken by the Labor government, under the leadership of Ramsay Mac- Donald and Arthur Henderson, “La- bor” foreign secretary. With monu- mental hypocrisy, Arthur Henderson launched the usual “peace” propa- ganda which precedes imperialist war, when he spoke to 3,000 who filled Queen’s Hall in London Monday night. At the very moment when the Brit- ish, along with the other capitalist nations, are increasing their war arm- aments to an unheard of degree, when MacDonald and Henderson put for- ward proposals for increases in the navy, army and air forces, Hender- son comes out with a speech “deplor- ing” the rapid war preparations. ‘To cover up the hand of the La- bor Government in these war moves, Henderson says: “Once war begins, no man and no government can control it.” In short, when the Labor Party starts war in the interest of the imperial- ist powers, it wants to be absolved from the blame as “no government can control it.” Henderson admitted in his speech that the next war will slaughter off even more millions than the last war did, “The next war,” he said, “will not be like the last. A great military expert has said that in the last war we were killing by retail, but next time we shall do it wholesale. The next war, if it shoul ever come, vill Fe fought by aircraft and by air- craft using poison gas.” The labor minister, of course, was conspicously silent on the fact that under the labor government the air- craft forces that will use this poison gas to kill off the workers, have been increased at a greater pace than ever before. Eject Delegates from Congress; Jobless Occupy Minn. Capitol “Floor Of House Is Only ‘Fo Is Only ‘For ‘Distinguished 15, 000 Mass at Union Square Demanding Jo Over 5,000 in Spontaneous March to City Hall; Workers Rall Bitter Cold > Despite the bitter cold weather and the strong icy winds, over 15, 000 employed and unemployed wi ers massed in Union Square yester- day’ to demonstrate for unemploy ment insurance on the o the demand made in W by the Unemployed Delegation, rep- resenting over 1,000,000 unemploy- ed workers, that the Workers Un- employment Insurance Bill be passed. While over 10,000 workers were massed in Union Square, thousands streamed in and out, listening for a while and then leaving, due to the bitter cold) Over a thousand stood across the street-on the opposite ide of the demonstration. More huddled around the square in spots where the wind was not so sharp. Mulrooney had mobilized hundreds of palice at the square. Many more were stationed in nearby buildings and at the Tammany headquarters on. Seventeenth, Street, at the cast edge of tha square. Besides, there wer dozens of plain clothes dicks shot through the crowd, bulldozing the unemployed. Promptly at 12 noon, when the Square was nearly filled, five speak- ers’ platforms were put up and the speakers began to address the crowd and explaining the purpose of the meeting. A unanimous vote was given to the Unemployment Tnsur- ance Bill and in support of the de- mands of the Washington Delega- tion. Thousands of copies of the Daily Worker and Labor Unity were sold. There were many banners and placards calling for mass support. of the coming dress strike. “Demand the War Funds Be Turned Over to the Unemployed,” “Fight Against Dage Cuts and Speed-up!” were among the hundreds of slo- bless Bill Pass’ ! | | | | y Despite the TEXTILE STRIKERS WIR Appeals for Con- tributions NEW YORK.—The militant rank and file strike committee of 200,006 striking cotton textile workers in Lancashire, England, today cabled the National Office of the W. I. R. for immediate financial assistance for the strikers and their families, who are in a desperate condition, with a lock- out threatened by the bosses. The cable reads: “Over 200,000 cot- ton textile workers in struggle. Lan- cashire rank and file committee ap- peals for financial assistance for W. I. R. feeding centers. Send cash. Rushton, secretary.” > The W. I. R. has cabled: “Greet- ings to militant textile strikers. Re- lief being organized in solidarity to British comrades. Will send funds quickly as possible.” Funds for relief should be rushed immediately to National Office, W. I. (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) R., 131 W. 28th St., N.Y. C, Great Lincoln Arena Mass Meet Tonight on Coming Dress Strike NEW YORK.—Thousands of inf tant, enthusiastic dressmakers, de- termined to carry their forthcoming Strike to a victorious conclusion, will assemble tonight in Lincoln Arena, 66th St., near Broadway, right after work, and complete final arrange-| ments for the strike that must end the sweatshop conditions in the needle trades industry. The dressmakers will stream out of hundreds of shops in the needle trades “market” and march to pre-| viously announced ‘locations. When groups from the outlying districts reach these appointed places, the as- sembled dressmakers will parade to the Arena in a body, symbolizing their united front against their ex- At the same time she points out that the government deliberately faked the figures on the number of unemployed. She says that the gov- ernment used the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. investigation in 1915 and 1916 and got a bigger figure than it does today. She proves that Hoo- ver and the others concerned with keeping down the truth about the number. of unemployed deliberately cut down the figures so that the total unemployed would not show more than 5,000,000, This whole swindling process of the boss government with regard to the number of unemployed shows they do not want the facts to come out. They use all’sorts of lying methotls to keep from the workers the tremendous in- crease in the number of unemployed. + een neha, Defeat Slave Driving of Bosses and the Company Union! ploiters, the needle trades bosses. Confidence Grows. As the strike approaches, the dress- makers are displaying more and more that confidence in ultimate victory which is such an important factor in| the overcomir (> Wherever one goes among needle trade workers the coming strike is) always the topic of conversation, and} the treacherous role that the I. L.| G. W., the company union, is playing | is exciting adverse comment even 40,000 FAMILIES STARVING IN LA. SEREPORT, La., Feb. 10.—At, least 40,000 families in the North Loui- siana are facing starvation, admits Harry D. Wilson, State Commissioner of Agriculture, who has just com- pleted a tour of that section. That this estimate does nto include the Negro families is quite probable, since the white ruling class expects the Negro workers to live on the scraps thrown out by the white families. “Unless the Federal Government takes immediate action to provide financial aid for persons in tho drought-affected areas, 40,000 families among those workers who have been misled into joining it by all kinds of hypocritical and fake promises. This growing realization of the real nature of the I. L. G. W. has been accentuated by a recent’ letter sent by the Association of Dress Man- ufacturers to non-member employers, urging them to join the association because “Our association has an ; agreement with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.” ‘Under this agreement,” the letter continues, “our members are pro- tected against strikes.” Thus the I. L. G. W. reveals itself as a strike- Visitors,” Fi Says Sergeant At Arms, Sneering At Starving Unemployed ight Is Only Beginning; Delegates’ Report To Rally Giant Demonstrations Feb 25 8,000 Demand Insurance In Detroit; 5,000 Each In Cleveland, Defy Police in BULLETIN. ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 10.—Thou- sands of hungry workers from St. | Paul and Minneapolis marched on the state capitol building here to- day, shouting for unemployment in- | surance. They broke through all police lines and through the closed doors and invaded and took over the state legislature. They took complete possession of the legisla- tive chambers and declared, they would remain until definite action was taken by the legislature on the state unemployment demands. Powers, Trade Union Unity League organizer and Communist candidate for mayor of Minneapolis, spoke from the legislature’s plat- form. Other speakers there were Irma Martin, Clem Forsen, Shara- kowitz and Charles Carson. The workers packed the main legislative Wall and the galleries after smashing their way in. As this is written the meeting con- tinues, in the legislature hall, and the speakers are demanding action from the Farmer-Labor Party ad- ministration here. Earlier today there were hunger marches on the St. Paul city coun- cil and on the city council in Minne- apolis. The demands for immedi- ate relief from the city government were presented. LINCOLN PARK, Mieh., Feb. 10.— The Common Council of Lincoln Park, Mich., a suburb of Detroit: yes- terday endorsed the Workers Unem- ployment Insurance Bill, and wired president Hoover, the U. S. Senate and the U. S. House of Representa- tives to that effect. They also no- tified by wire the Lincoln Park dele- gates who are presenting the bill to congress today in Washington, D. C. The common council adopted a reso- lution stating that 50 per cent of the working population of this city. is out of work and that the health and peace of the city is menaced. 2,000 In Chattanooga. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Feb. 10.—~ “Hy” Gordon, organizer for the Trade Union Unity League and Mary Dal- ton, organizer for the Communist. Party, were arrested here at the’ be- ginning of a mass unemployment. de- monstration of 2,000 at the corner. of Main and Market Streets today, at 10:30 a.m. The demonstration © was in support of the Workers Unem- ployment Insurance Bill. When Dalton shouted from the patrol wagon: “March on the city hall! Demand Cash Unemployment. Relief!’ the workers and jobless breaking organization, which is just CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) Militant Mass Spreads PITTSBURGH, Pa., Feb. 10.—A mass picket line of men, women and children, the biggest in the course of the Hillman miners’ strike, last- ing four hourse under heaviest rain, struck the Tomajko mine Saturday morning, employing 150 miners. The Edna No. 2 miners are strik- ing against 20 per cent wage cut, while the Edna No. 1, the John Carr and the Tomajko minérs are’ strik- ing for a 10 per cent wag? inevease and other demands, In the latter three mines: the last wage cut tool plac2 nine months ago. in Louisiana are faced with an almost hopeless future and many of them with’ starvation,” Wilson admits, ad- ding that Red Cross “relief” is quite inadequate to take care of the situ- Pe a een The National Miners Union, the leader of the strike, is making every cara effort, by mobilizing spe- cial forces, to strike the Barking mine of the Hillman Coal Co. The Barking mine is a key te the situ. moved in a mass toward the city hall. (CONTINUED ON PA THREE) Picketing Miners’ Strike Cincinnati; 2, Chattanooga 000 ‘LONGWORTH SAYS HE'S “INSULTED” Delegates Score Fak¢ Excuses for Not Aiding Jobless 2 BU: LLET ETIN WASHINGTON, D. C. Feb, ® —The capital was packed with polica armed with rifles and tear bombs, The whole place resembled a beleage uered fortress, with Speaker Longs worth and Congressmen uneasily marching in and out and rushing te the windows with an air of expect+ ancy. Extra details of police were thrown around the capitol grounds. O'Connor of Oklahoma made # speech declaring that the issue was Sovietism against Capitalism. He cited the, letter of a voter of his constituency which complained of bad times. O'Connor denounced the “publicity” given the “Communists.” The Hearst Times here ran streamers stating that “Police await: reds with guns and gas. Capitol like a fortress in state of siege; grounds surrounded, inside guarded, while Communists seek hearing of Congress.” . . WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.—Sur< rounded by scores of police and secret service agents, the Unemployed Dele- gation which demanded the floor of Congress to present the demands of over 1,400,000 workers who voted for the Unemployment Insurance Bill, (CONTINUED ON WOMEN’S MEET IN PATERSON, FEB. 13 Prepare International Women’s Day PATERSON, Feb. 10.—The Comis munist Party of Paterson is arrang~ ing a conference of working women from the shops, factories, and works ing class organizations to launch @ campaign for International Women’s Day. The conference will take placa Friday evening, February 13, a& @ o'clock, at 205 Paterson St. The working women of Paterson, and particularly the textile workers, are suffering from unemployment and Many are actually starving. The working women in the shops are subjjected to merciless wage cuts, and even when working are compelled to live on a semi-starvation basis. The conference will map out a plan for a huge campaign to organize these working women to demand imme- diate unemployment relief from the city, and to take up the struggle against wage cuts, Working women from shops and working class organizations are called PAGE THREE) ation and is expected to join the strike this week. The militancy of the strikers is So great \because they know they are striking against starvation; they are striking for the right to lve. There are over 800 miners parti- cipating in the strike. More than half of them have absaolutely noth- ing to eat; yet they are determined to fight to the end. The success of their heroic strike to a very large extent depends ‘upon relief. The National Miners Union has established Emergency Relief Com- mittees to take care of the strikers. Send your contribution at once to the National Miners Union Room 519 upon to send delegates to this con- ference and help work out the plans for a mass demonstration on March 8, International Women’s Day. LATEST BULLETINS. LOS ANGELES, Cal. — 10,000 demonstrated in face of machine guns. SACRAMENTO, Cal.—2,000 dem- onstrated; nine arrested. strated in below zero weather, DULUTH, Minn.—4,000 demon- force release of two arrested. READING, Pa, — 1,000 demon- strated; socialist mayor tells thera unemployed demande ase illegal