The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 24, 1931, Page 3

ae DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1931 “LABOR” PARTY IN SUPPORT OF FASCISM: (CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE? manded inflation at a lecture last night at the Lessing Hochschule. As a result of the British crash the Ruhr mine owners have broken their wage negotiations indefinitely declaring that the depreciation of British currency gives rise to a fear of more intense British coal export and that the present wage cut de- mands are insufficient to meet the increased competition.| Industrialist circles are greatly tempted by the prospect of a reduction in |real wages, a depreciation of their debts and the possibility of dumping cheap goods on the world market as a result of the gold standard abandonment. Official figures show that unem- ployment in Germany on the fif- teenth of the month was 4,324,000, representing an increase of 109,000 since August 31. |The general level of unemployment was 1,900,000 higher than last year. ieee ee As the financial crisis in Great Britain continues, the program of the National government under the lead- ership of the “socialist” MacDonald is for the rapid fascization of the state apparatus to crush the masses into. passive acceptance of the cuts in their standard of living which will follow on the suspension of the gold standard by the British government. In this program the “socialist” Mac-* Donald will be aided to the fullest extent by the sham “opposition” un- der the leadership of Henderson. In fact, they have paved the way for the introduction of fascism in England. The National government is forcing through the House of Commons all of its bills relating to finance, its “economy” program, by prohibiting any debate on them. Just as the socialists in the La- bor government were the instigators of.the cuts in the dole and of the cuts in the wages of the state em- ployees, including the sailors, so is the “socialist”, opposition in full agreement with the forcing through of all of the government measures under these fascist methods. Certain elements in the Labor Party however realize that under such circumstances the Labor Party has become seriously compromised in the eyes of the British workers who are learning that the opposition dif- fers not at all practically from the wage cutting program of the Mac- Donald government. These elements emphasize this the more since they feel that the attempt of Henderson to. make an agreement with Mac- Donald for no even apparent oppo- sition is going too far and that the position of the Labor Party with the masses will be weakened greatly by | such open betrayal. Left Wing “Opposes” Henderson Within the Labor Party the “left wing” has started an attack on Hen- derson, its new leader, for his at- tempt at an agreement with Mac- Donald. The “left wing” demands that some show of opposition should be made in order to fool the workers furthez. The wholesale prices of commodi- ties have already risen in London as a result of the suspension of the gold standard. While retail prices have not risen yet the government has threatened to curb any rise in prices. These threats of government inter- vention are made not with the in- tention of curbing the rise in the prices of commodities but in order to pave the way for fascist methods against the workers when they strug- gle against the hunger program of the government. In the use of these fascist methods the “opposition” is in full agreement with the govern- ment although the “left wingers” de- mand that Henderson make some pretense at conflict with the official policy of the government. 4 France Buys Gold. ‘The endeavor of the various for- eign powers to protect themselves, particularly France, was made evi- dent on Tuesday when they pur- chased in the United States over $116,000,000 of gold from the Federal Reserve Banks. The major part of these purchases was for the account of the Bank of France and is for the purpose of what is called in banking circles “window dressing.” The Bank of France has been heavily involved in the decline of the pound sterling and is endeavoring to maintain con- fidence by the acquisition of addi- tional amounts of gold preparatory to the next public report of the Bank's condition. The seriousness of this action by the Bank of France can: be seen from the fact that they ave sold interest bearing commer- dat paper to buy gold which will not bring them a cent of interest. Inflation In the Offing. It is expected in London that the suspension of the gold standard by Great Britain will be followed by its suspension in other countries. They will then conduct their business on an “unsatisfactory inconvertible pa- per money.” ‘This inconvertible pa~ per’ money means not only tremen- dous friction in the functioning of the capitalist economy put almost certainly of inflation in the currency of the various countries. The eco- nomic fortes which have forced them to go off the gold standard will force them to continue on this path which fs that of inflation. This prospect of {nflation is at the same time the prospect of steadily increasing prices for commodities within these coun- tries which means @ sharpened at- tack on the living standards of the working masses. "There is every reason to believe , that the banks of the United States are feeling the effects of the suspen- sion of the pound. According to the New York World-Telegram of Tues- dav there have been rumors that on nanks offered to the banks through- out the country the sum of $1,000,- ne9.000 to support them. They, in turn, were expected to do everything in their power to prevent a financial crisis in the United States. “It may be interesting to review some of the steps taken in the cri- sis. In the first place, according to unofficial information, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Sun- day agreed to extend about $1,000,- 000,000 in credit to its member banks to be used for stabilization purposes, such as the purchase of stocks, bonds, sterling or whatever was deemed expedient. “The banks, in turn, were not only to make such purchases freely, but they were to be unusually len- ient to their creditors. That is to say, only a minimum of loans were to. be called. They were also to sit tight on their own security hold- ings.” The position of the banking system can perhaps be judged from the fact that the huge Aransamerica Corp., which has been one of the largest banking organizations in the coun- try has been split up and the major part of the organization has been taken over by Lee, Hingginson & Co., which is one of the affiliates of J. P. Morgan and Co. The big bankers are making every effort that the weak- ness made evident in this case should be prevented from cracking the en- tire financial structure. Intensify Struggle for Markets. The intensified struggle on the | world markets which will result from the suspension of the gold standard in Great Britain has already start- ed. The Lancashire cotton manufac- turers are more “optimistic than for some time.” In addition to the ne- gotiations they are carrying on with the reactionary trade union leaders for the speeding up of the workers they now see the possibility to fight more effectively on the world mar- kets against the United States and Germany. This will mean that the cotton manufacturers of these two counries will attempt to slash wages yet further in order to compete. The textile workers in the United States are faced wih further slashing of their present miserable standards. This is true not only for cotton tex- tiles but for every manufactured ccmmodity on the world market. Admit Greater Misery. A week ago the Conservatives pre- pared a manifesto denouncing the suspension of the gold standard by Great Britain. In this manifesto they pointed to the misery that would re- sult for the workers if this were car- ried into effect. This statement was printed Tuesday but the Conserva- tives forgot to eliminate this portion of the manifesto which they “have helped to put through as part of the National government. The manifesto ‘sted the following would happen if Britain went off of the gold stand- a “World trade dislocated, London’s banking supremacy lost, the popu- lation of the country suffering pri- vations and hardships.” ‘The intensification in the struggle for the world markets has already started. From Sao Paulo it is re- ported that “British importers are already underquoting American im- porters and a continued low sterling rate is expected to boost British im- ports.” This is one indication of the price cutting that British manufac- turers are already making in the world’s markets and which the Amer- ican manufacturers will meet by ter- rific wage cuts against the. workers in the United States. Throughout Southeastern Europe the effects of the suspensions of the gold standard are being denied vig- orously by all of the governments. This indicates that they have all been affected immediately and sharply by, this drop. The suspension of the gold stand- ard was known more than hap ete ago according to New York . The banks throughout the New Yor! state were advised to get rid of their British bonds for fear of the drop which would result in their value through the fall of the pound. The New York state banks disposed of their bonds at that time. AIM TO TURN WAR IN CHINA AGAGINST USSR {CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE? tion in Manchuria was indicated yes- terday when the American dominated Nanking government rejected Japan’s offer for arbitration, and Japan flat- ly refused to have the League of Nations inject itself in the situation. The movement of the nationalist government, which assumed a bel- ligerent tone, gave evidence that American imperialist supporters were egging them on. Look To U. S. A. The move of Ametican imperialist government is counted on as the next, important one in the situation. The League of Nations, in going through the motions of “protests” against and advice for Japan, called on the American government to make the next move. All League of Nations documents and information involv- ing the situation will be forwarded to Washington. A proposal that a mixed military commission be or- ganized to arbitrate the Manchurian affair included an invitation to the United States. ‘That Japan, too, is watching close- Jy what move the American bankers last Sunday the Federal Reserve | week Fora Trade Union Unity League Calls On All Workers Struggle Against Wage Cuts | (CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE) by the steel companies. General Motors and United | States Rubber Co. have announced reductions in the eaffAings of the workers directly and indirectly. The cut in the steel industry means wholesale wage cuts for the railroad workers, the miners, the building trades workers, the longshoremen, the textile workers, the pack- ing house workers, the workers in all trades and in- dustries. Nor is the ten per cent wage cut the end of this wage slashing program of the bosses. This is but a feeler to be followed by even more drastic cuts if the 5, 23 can carry through their program. t is now clear to every worker that the bosses are determined to place the entire burden of the crisis of their mad capitalist system upon the shoulders of the workers. It is clear that the bosses are unwilling to accept lower dividends as a result of the crisis but on the contrary they want to use the crisis to increase | their profits at the expense of the workers, their wives | and children. The capitalists of the world are now engaged in @ mad race to cut the wages and living standards of the workers in their respective countries so that each can secure advantage in the scramble for markets that are daily being reduced because their whole system has impoverished the working class through unemployment, part time work and low wages. The bosses of the United | States are in competition with the masters of Great | Britain and Germany for markets. Each of the capi- talist countries is trying to save its neck, and all at the expense of the workers, It is no accident that on the day following the crash of the pound sterling in England which means a reduction of the standard of living of the masses of Great Britain, the bosses of this country are with the feverish haste cutting the wages of the workers. | Hoover in Conspiracy ‘The Hoover government, all the politicians of both of the major capitalist parties, are part of this con- spiracy to lower the living standards of the workers. | They stand ready to place the whole force of the gov- ernment against the workers to enforce these wage cuts. The government officials who until now were busy talk- ing the “necessity of high wages” were only a smoke- screen to hide the fact that wages were being cut. At the present time they state that this step was necessary and useful and will aid in the recovery of industry. What they mean is the recovery of the dividends. They want to maintain the profits of the bosses intact even though the majority of the workers are either unemployed or working part tine. The federal and local governments have demonstrated during the last few months that as never before they stand ready to crush every struggle of the workers against their exploiters. The leaders of the American Federation of Labor and its various wings including the socialist party bu- reaucrats and the Musteites are pi of this conspiracy against the workers. While Bill Green has been making i gestures against wage cuts the whole force of the Amer- ican Federation of Labor is used as the strike-breaking agency of the bosses. In the various strikes of the miners and textile workers, the A. F. of L. bureaucrats were the open strike-breakers against the workers. And’ it'is characteristic of the Musteite and socialist element in the A. F. of L. that the biggest wage cut inthe history of this country, a wage cut of from 35 to 45 per cent is being put through by the socialist-Musteite controlled Full Fashioned Hosiery Workers Union. The A. F, of L. bureaucrats are directly responsible forthe wage cuts now being put through. The A. F. of L. union the Amalgamated Iron, Steel and Tin Workers Union has over a year ago accepted a 12 per cent wage cut, thus laying the basis for the wholesale wage cut throughout the steel industry. ‘We cannot accept the present attack of the bosses. We must answer the challenge, Already we know that the workers will fight to the last ditch to defend their living standards. The struggle of the miners, the tex- tile workers, the needle workers, the agricultural workers and workers in numerous other industries in the last few months make this clear. There were nearly twice as many workers on strike thus far this year than in | the struggle. the entire year of 1930. The workers are also learning will make is indicated in the dis- patch of the New York Times Geneva correspondent, in referring to the mixed military commission: “The Japanese delegation was unable to accept without instruc- tions, and has put this up to Tokyo with an urgent request for an im- mediate reply. Tokyo’s answer is considered here to depend a great deal on what attitude the United States takes,’and how strongly it HOOVER AND AFL OFFICIALS LONG PLANNED CUTS (CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE) to know the treachery of the A. F. of L. and socialist | misleaders. They are beginning to understand that the | A. F. of L. class collaboration policy leads directly to the ruination of the working class. One of the brightest signs of the times is in the present militant struggle of the hosiery workers despite the treacherous class col- laboration 45 per cent wage cuts of the officials. The numerous “outlaw” strikes in the anthracite and other | industries shows the desire of the workers to fight against the bosses attacks which are carried through | with the full assistance of the A. F. of L. bureaucrats | and the government. Answer With Militant Class Struggle ‘We must oppose the offensive of the bosses, the ruinous class collaboration policy of the A. F. of L. and the socialists, with the policy of the militant class strug- gle of all workers. We must not accept any wage re- | ductions. We must organize and strike against these wage cuts. This requires that the workers be united in It requires that we organize the eleven million unemployed to fight side by side with the work- ers in the shops against the starvation program of the bosses. is requires that the war against wage cuts | and the fight for unemployment relief and insurance be linked up so that we can give powerful resistance to the attacks of the bosses. This requires that we de- feat every attempt to divide the workers by the unity of the Negro and white, native and foreign born, men | and women, youth and adult. It requires that we forge a mighty unity of all the workers over the heads and | against the bureaucrats from Green to Muste. It re- quires the establishment of the united front of all the workers who stand ready to oppose this most brazen and | | Vicious attack against the very lives of the workers and | their families, The National Executive Board of the Trade Union | Unity League calls upon all workers to answer the chal- lenge. Organize and strike against wage cuts. We call upon the TUUL unions and leagues, upon the TUYL Councils in’ all cities and Districts to prepare the fight. Steps must be taken at once to intensify to the wirk | inside the shops. To call meetings of the workers. To organize united front committees against the wage cuts in the shops and factories, To call huge mass meetings and demonstrations against the wage cuts. To elect at | all these meetings representative committees from the most important plants, to work out the demands and to prepare the machinery for resistance to the wage cuts. To go into every local of the A. F. of L. and forge unity of the workers organized in the TUUL, the workers organized in the A. F. of L., the unorganized workers, the unemployed against the wage cuts and against the treachery of the officials. The greatest support must be given to the struggle of the steel workers. The conference of the steel work- ers to be held in Pittsburgh on September 2th must be- come the rallying cented for the organization of the fight against the steel barons. Every District of the TUUL, every union of the TUUL must assist in the up- building of this conference and help carry through its decisions. Meet to Rally Workers The coming meeting of the National Committee of the TUUL to be held in the heart of the steel industry, Pittsburgh, on October 3rd and 4th will be a rallying point not only for the struggle against wage cuts in the steel industry but in all industries. The TUUL alone is capable of organizing the resistance of the workers. The workers are looking to the TUUL more and more to lead them into struggle. We must not fail in this responsibility to the workers at this moment. Workers in the steel mills! Workers of all industries! Prepare for the fight! Form committees of action against the wage cut in your shops and mills. Get in touch with the unions of the TUUL for assistahce. Build locals of the union in your shop. All TUUL organizations, now is the decisive moment. All our forces into the fight. Into the shops. Organize, prepare, The workers will answer this attack. We must organize the fight to make an effective answer to the bosses’ offensive. National Executive Board of Trade Union Unity League. WM. Z. FOSTER, General Secretary. “hby are “disappointed,” as they have been informed all along about the im- pending wage slashes, and have done their duty to the boSses in keeping the workers from striking. John Sullivan, president of the New York State Federation of La- bor, a Tammany henchman, who has repetedly attacked the revolutionary trade unions merely called it “a great mistake for any corporation to red- uce wages,” and let it go at that. takes it, That is one of the rea- sons why all eyes here are turned even more on Washington than on Tokyo.” ‘The League of Nations proposals and the “anxiety” expressed by the British delegate, Lord Cecil, on what the United States would do, are so many “peace” disguises behind which the British are supporting the Jap- anese military advance in Manchuria. Japanese troops are continuing | their penetration and threaten open seizure of the Soviet owned Chinese Eastern Railway from Chang-Chun to Harbin. The railway branch run- ning from Changchun to Kirin was seized. Twenty-four thousand troops in addition to the present 13,000 now holding a 700 mile stretch along the Southern Manchurian railroad are reported enroute from Korea, A battle was reported at Kung-Chu- ling between Mukden and Harbin. | This is on the Chinese Eastern Line. The awaited appeal of the Nanking government came unofficially from the former and present Chinese min- ister to the nited States, calling for American imperialist action against Japan in the following terms: “We appeal to the people of the nation which sponsored this great proposal (the Kellogg Pact) to ex- ercise their influence in the cause of international peace.” No information as to the specific action contemplated by Washington was forthcoming other than that studying the situation. 3 Powerful American capitalist pa+ pers in open and veiled form are calling for recourse to the Kellogg pact terms in regards to military intervention. The New York World- Telegram says editorially in part: “Japan, by making war on China, has violated the Kellogg Pact. What about the United States and other treaty signatories propose to do about it?” “If the United States government wishes to save its honor and its Kellogg treaty it will act. Soviet “Forced Labor”—Bedacht’ series in pamphlet form at 10 cents Per copy. ‘Read it—Spread it! reduction.” He did not clarify what he meant by this, except that it in- dicated he feared the workers would resist this attempt to force them closre to starvation, and that the whole process, while temporarily in- creasing the profits of the bosses, would nto end the crisis but would ultimately drive it down to sharper levels. This was also expressed by another “spokesman” whose name is not given. The Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance in a dispatch re- leased. from here says: Admit Millions To Suffer “Fear that the steel industry's wage cut would result in other in- dustries doing the same, slow up buying, intimidate those who have not yet suffered pay reductions was expressed today by a high govern- ment official who is an expert on American cmomerce. The threat now is that the mil- lions who have not had their wages tampered with so far in this de- “pression will suffer.” Not one word about “resistance” to wage cut came from the headquar- ters of the American Federation of Labor in Washington, when the of- ficials were interviewed by ‘capitalist newspaper its. When the United States Steel Corporation first announced. its wage cut, a Mr. Rob- erts, who was acting for William Green, president of the A. F. of L., told the workers not to believe it, On the following day, however, Green found it a better policy to “deplore” the pay slashing. if William Green could not be reach- ed to say anything about the wage cuts up to the time this reached the Daily Worker. Woll Lies Again Mathew Woll, speaking in New York, forgot what he had previously said about “combatting pay reduc- tions.” “I can only express great regret and profound disappointment at the action of the United States Steel Corporation,” said his leading force in the active propaganda for war preparations against the workers republic, the Soviet Union. Woll, as well as Green, and the other A. F./ slashes drive which is now resound- Of-L. officials Ne when they-say they | ing throughout the country, ; AFL Tries to Prevent Strikes All through the statements of the A. F. of L. officialdom runs the same note! Do not resist—let the bosses cut wages! This is the core of the Policy of the A. F, of L. bureaucracy throughout the present crisis, and by means of which the bosses were greatly aided in their wage cutting drive. What About the Agreement of 1929? Not one word has been said about the famous agreement of “no wage cuts and no strikes.” The bosses have never lived up to the “no wage cut” part, and now there can be no pretense even of maintaining wages. But the officialdom of the A. F. of L, still carries out its role of “no strikes,” and goes so far as to break strikes that start. ‘i The present wage cut drive, that is sweeping the entire country, affect- ing every worker, is the fruit of the Hoover-Green action along with the bankers. and other exploiters. It is not an accident that suddenly, one week before October 1, the largest industrial corporations in the coun- try announce a 10 to 20 per cent wage cut, and that the smaller fry follow in their path. For the past year the Daily Work- er has exposed every move of this wage cutting drive, branding the role of the officjals of the American Fed- eration of Labor as the wage-cutting experts of the big corporations, and scoring the hypocritical statements of the Hoover government about “maintaining wages.” Conspiracy Revealed Some time ago, the Associated Press announced that William Green along with Secretary of Labor Doak, had been in conference with Hoover and the leading bosses with a view to agreeing to & general cut in wages | of 10 per cent in all the leading in- dustries. At that time, Green em- Phatically- denied that he had such @ conference. The present events leave no doubt about the fact that Green, Woll, and other A. F. of L. officials were plotting with the bos- ses to put through this very wage [Millions Are Hit By 1,000,000 Hit In Steel Industry; Morgan | Mellon Profit ONE) (CONTI ED FROM P. E Steel Company in Cleveland, Ohio, stated that the present ten per cent | wage cut in the steel industry was just the beginning and would un- doubtedly be followed by other re- | peated slashes. Kulas said: “I be- lieve this should be a warning to business that unless the pyesent price | demoralization ends soon another | 10 per cent reduction in wages may | be necessary.” That the present cuit in the steel | industry is not the beginning of the | attack against the steel workers, but | is just a beginning of the drive that | | has been going on for some time is | shown by a statement made some | time ago by Farrell, president of the | United States Steel Corporation, | Farrell Admits Cuts | Speaking before the American Iron | and Steel Institute on May 23, Far- | rell declared that the leading steel | companies even then were slashing | pay, and admitted that the United States Steel Corporation was “paring | labor costs,” but said they would not | come out with an open pay cut. Kulas also showed how meaning- | less was the “promise” made by the leading bosses not to cut wages. He said: | “Conditions have changed greatly since I attended the conference | called by President Hoover in 1929. | At that time Myron C. Taylor, chairman of the United States Steel executive committee, and my- self told the President we would | not reduce wages.” To attempt to ovoid a repetition of the great, steel strike of 1919, the | capitalists in the steel industry | worked very closely with the leaders of the American Federation of La~ bor, doing everything possible to mislead the workers and render them impotent for struggle, The steel strike which began on Sept. 22, 1919, brought 365,000 men out in a struggle against the low wages, long hours and rotten condi- tions in the steel industry. The tradition of the great strike in the steel industry of 1919 has now passed on to the Trade Union Unity League and the Metal Workers In- dustrial League, its section in the steel industry, which now is pre- paring for struggle against the wage slashes in the steel mills. The Metal Workers Industrial League has called a. conferehce of steel workers for Sept. 27, in Pitts- burgh, where detailed plans of strug- gle and resistance to this latest open drive will be taken up and carried through in the steel mills. The steel corporations, which dur- ing the war made billions in profits, paying the stockholders ten times over Mie price of their stock at the expense of sweating the workers, are now openly declaring that they hope to maintain profits at the expense of the workers. Morgan Heads Pay Cutters Of the largest steel plants, the United States Steel Corporation, | which controls around 60 per cent of the plant capacity in the country, the cotrolling interest is Morgan & Co. In the Pittsburgh area, the Mellon | family have heavy interests in steel mills, and the proposed wage cuts will put millions of dollare into the already well-filled pockets of Mellon and the other parasites who have interest in the steel mills. Wages were cut in the Youngs- town, Ohio, area very soon after the Hoover conference in 1929. At that time Green remained silent. Later he declared that the steel companies were living up their “pledges” not to cut wages, New. Widespread Conspiracy (CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE) incessantly unless the workers smash it through their strike action. Many wage cuts that are being made are not made public. The New York Evening Post on Wednesday in a dispatch from Washington, said: “There is no denying in the same quarters (the White House) that may large businesses have cut wages al- ready. Not all the cuts have been publicly announced, however.” Wage cuts are rapidly sweeping on to other industries. The next big wage slashes will take place on the railroads. Regarding this the New York Evening Post declared: “The steel wage cut naturally focused interest on the railroads, struggling hard to maintain a margin of net income, Regardless of how the Interstate Commerce Commission acts on the application of the railroads for a 15 per cent interest in freight rates, it is be- lieved that sooner or late the car- riers will move for a com parable reduction of wage costs. It is unlikely, however, that any steps will be taken by the railroads until the I. C. C. has handled down its rate decision, and that is not expected until between October 15 and November 1. ‘Wage cuts are also planned in the General Refractories Co., and the Corn Products Refining Co, Stock garmblers are already cash- ing in on the wage cuts, driving up the stock of steel and other corpora- tions on the wage cut action. More important still is the report that stock buyers are making money on railroad stocks in the belief that ratl- road wages will be cut. The New York Post declared regarding this: “In the belief that wage cuts in the ‘Toes railroad and public utility field would (CONTINUED FROM between her. and the U. ening of the ir out the world, (2) deepening of tl r and (3) more than ever it will res class, and -will sharpen the ecor bourgeoisie against the toilers, a As to the first conference for redist after giving up the gold sta with the aim to organize tribution of gold,” against first in his speech in F s point Page | The “Infections Smile” of J. P. Morgan PAGE ONED it me 2 new sharp- through- led extent; ms for the working ive of the world viet Union. opening the fight for a Twenty-four hours speaks openly, interested in a “just dis- Raising this slogan Snowden followed it unparra Mr. | Street refused. a day later in threate ‘We would willingly call an international conference for this purpose. It has been made clear to us that such a move is unwel- come to some other parties. It may be that the present crisis will bring home to them the necessity for some concerted action. British banks are safe, whereas in some ‘countries bank failures are a com- mon occurrence.” It is unnecessary to explain that ‘tt against the U. S. as the cot occurrence.” American imperialism ha to divide its gold with its rivals. It h grim determination, as one of the str Ss During the sessions of the Internatio’ ington, months ago, all the delegat efforts to influence the U. c language is directed failures are ® common gold monopoly with of its imperialist policy. amber of Commerce in Wash- (except nce) concentrated theig S. for such a gold conference. But Wal Since that time the situation has changed. The fine ancial crisis has developed to an extent impossible to have foreseen at that time. Just as Britain was involved by the American crisis, so in- evitably will be involved the United States and France in the eredit collapse; by the British crisis. But it would be naive to think that American Imperialism will agree to participate in such a gold conference, without first putting up the greatest fight. (Probably the proposed visit of Laval to Hoover is cone | nected with discussion as to how to fight against this conference). Wash- ington answered this proposal, by its own plan for a silver conference. This co-called silver problem cannot be discussed here, except for a few points: The U. S. wants to escape the gold conference, and to use this silver conference as a means to penetrate into the colonies, to develop pur- chasing power in China for American commodities ,and, what is especially important, to try to take India away from financial dependence upon Britain. Senator Key Pittman, chairman of the Senate Committee on Silver, according to Associated Press on Sept. 22, declared: “Suspension of the gold standard by Great Britain makes it ap- { pear obvious that the futile effort of the British Government of India to place that country on a gold bullion standard basis must be abandoned.” > The sharpening of the economic crisis as a result of the financial sit- uation means the beginning of dumping of commodities by Britain, growth of her exports and shrinkage of her imports, with the aid of new tariffs, sharpest competition for markets. Already the United Press reports: “London’s big department stores today virtually ceased orders for American and other foreign goods, awaiting stabilization. . .. Meanwhile American wholesale buyers here greatly increased their purchases of British goods, which were nearly 15 per cent cheaper | after suspension of the fold standard.” \ At the same time it will mean complete bankruptcy of the repara- tions system, from which the greatest beneficiary was the United States and which Hoover's famous moratorium was designed to save (as well as to separate Germany from Britain). “British credits, it was pointed aut, largely have supported those continental countries which are paying reparations. Consequently, now that the pound sterling m4y be reduced considerably in value Sigman we should look for a revision of debts and reparations. he present schedule of: payments, it was contended, cannot be \ maintained.” B The struggle for markets will take-on new forms. All American im= perialist plans for getting out of the crisis, are connected with winning new markets and increasing exports. The dumping by Britain, on the basis of a cheap-money system, will sharpen the problem of robbery of the old colonies and annexation of new ones. The financial and economic fight brings sharply closer a new imperialist war. ALE costs of the tight between the imperialists, as the entire burden of the crisis, is to be placed upon the shoulders of the working class. Inflation will sweep the entire world. But there will not even be a tempo- rary revival of production on inflation, as after the post-war crisis. The sub stance of this for the working class is a sharp, drastic cutting-down of the standard of life, a covered wage-cut of unprecedented dimensions. Open wage-cuts precede the inflation, in every capitalist country, on a general scale. For the working class the candle is to be burned at both ends. Wages are cut, and the purchasing-power of the reduced wage is still further lowered. We have now in Britain, on top of the sharp reduction in wages and the dole—the “economy program”—new reductions in the form of higher prices, already over 15 per cent. This process will proceed at both ends, and can only be stopped by the mass power of an aroused and fighting working class. Into this witches’ cauldron of capitalist chaos, drops the well-planned and decisively-executed coup of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria. Will the pot boil over now? Or only after a few more months? The “Western” imperialist powers balance themselves between hopes of suc- cessful counter-revolution in China and an offensive against the Soviet Union, on the one hand, and fear of a powerful Japanese imperialism on the other hand. War against the Soviet Union takes on new form and flesh. Over all shines the “infectious smile” of J. Pierpont Morgan. The King of Wall Street rides the whirlwind of capitalist collapse, boasting that he will tame the storm and bring new profit and dominion to Amer- ican imperialism. Morgan's paper, the N. Y. Evening Post, crows tri- umphantly: “There can be little doubt that there is in New York, at least, a new sense of American strength and American ability to cope with the international crisis, which our new position of world leader~ ship must force upon us in increasing numbers in the future.” The working class of America will decide, by the effectiveness ana heroism of their struggle against wage-cuts and speed-up, for unem- ployment relief and insurance, against political reaction and repression, whether American imperialism can make good on this boast or not. A great mass movement of the American workers, white and Negro, native and foreign-born, under the leadership of the Communist Party, will wipe off the face of J. Pierpont Morgan that “infectious smile” that is infecting the whole world with the poison of decay of the capitalist soon follow, iudustry speculators system. GENERAL MOTORS BEGINS DRIVE T0 HIT AUTOTOILERS (CONTINUED O8 VAGF THREE) will probably be construed as a forerunner of a similar step in respect to wages.” Besides the fact that about 60 per cent of the automobile workers are unemployed, there will be now added to this to increase the misery of the workers a general wage cut. Normal there are around 600,000 workers in the automobile and parts industry. The General Motors is the largest of the automobile companies, having on its payrolls, on July 1, 1928, 209,500 workers. Profits Heavy Profits in the auto industry have been unusually heavy, and the pro- posed wage cut is an attempt to keep up the swollen gains of the parasites who own the auto plants at the ex- pense of the starving auto workers. bor and Automobiles” points out rj garding profits: “Profits in the industry in 1927 were more than five times the ave- rage profits for iron and steel companies. A report covering 11 motor companies with a total cap- ital investment of $1,216,794,852 in 1927 showed a net profit of $341,- 236,017 before bond requirements, interest and dividends were paid, or a profit of 28 per cent on total capital.” Besides, the auto corporations have multiplied their stocks and bonds to a tremendous degree in order to cover up the huge profits. Profits, Profits went higher and higher in 1928 and 1929, and through speeds up and wage cuts kept up at the exe pense of the workers during the crisis, TWO BROADCASTING STATIONS BUILT NEAR MOSCOW Two broadcasting stations of 100 kw. each were scheduled to begin ops eration recently in Noginsk, within 60 kilometers of Moscow. Due to @ number of technical improvements, the broadcasts from these new stae stions will be received by the sim« heavily in those groups of } Robert W. Dunn in his book on “La | plest one—or two-tube Tecetving in any part of the U.S.S.R. in