The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 14, 1931, Page 1

DELEGATES OF 18,000 MINERS OPEN CONVENTIO : UNITE! ———_—_—_—_=== WORKERS OF THE WORLD, ‘(Section of the Communist International) START A “FRIENDS OF THE DAILY WORKER” GROUP NOW! READ, DISCUSS, GET SUBS FOR THE “DAILY WORKER.” BOOST THE DRIVE FOR 5,000 12-310. SUBS! @ 299 Entered am second-class matter at the Post Office at New York, N, ¥., under the act of March 3, 1879 <=» NEW YORK, MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1931 ee Price 3 Cents ; ee “Vol. VIL The Kentucky Miners Give Their Answer M their starvation and gunmen-ridden villages, along roads black with machine-gun armed coal operators deputies, hundreds of miners came to Pineville, Ky., Sunday at the call of the National Miners’ Union to.attend the first district convention called by this fighting organization. of the miners. At every step of the preparations the ¢oal operators attempted to terrorize the convention, to stop it, to kill it. Mac Sumner, one of the active leaders jhas disappeared. He was kidnapped on instructions of the Harlan Coal Operators Association, The miners charge he has been murdered. A few days before the convention was scheduled to open, Mayor J. M. Brooks of Pineville said it was “unwelcome.” He said it should “move out.” Despite the show of renewed terrorism, despite the kidnapping and probable murder of Sumner, despite the threat of new blacklistings to add to the 4,000 militant miners now doomed by the operators to death by starvation, the call for the National Miners’ Union convention has swept Kentucky. It was spread far and wide. It has gone into the ‘Tennessee coal fields. A tremendous, enthusiastic response has greeted the call for organization and strike against the most, terrible hunger and misery that the Kentucky miners suffer. Over 30 new locals of the N. M, U. were organized on the stréngth of the convention call. Hundreds of mines elected delegates under the very muzzles of the high-powered rifles and sub-machine guns of the 400 coal company gunmen. When the Dreiser Committee was in Kentucky, Judge D. C. “Baby- Face” Jones said there would soon not be a single member of the N.M.U. Jeft in Ky. The miners have answered this threat by joining by the thousands, by creating new locals of the N. M. U., and by preparing for greater struggles. ‘The N. M. U. in Pineville Convention will set a date for strike. It will Jay down detailed plans for organizing the 18,000 Kentucky and ‘Pennessee miners to smash the hunger program of the coal operators. Rank aud file strike committees will be formed. “Cur working conditions in Kentucky,” safd the convention call thot vac passed en to the miners as they sweated in the mines as “well as to the theusands of unemployed, “are growing from bad to voces. Our wagts cco the lowest in the coal industry. Most of us are working only two and three days a week without ever seeing cach, Our ‘amilies are starving. Our children are dying of hunger. | ‘Th> coal opora‘ors are not satisfied even with these intolerable con- *citloxs. They continue to cut our wages, to worsen our conditions and to increase orr starvation in order that they may pile up bigger profi’s.” Hundreds cf miuers face long jail terms, 36 face electrocution, for organizing and struggling against stervetion. The miners in Kentucky have pai iterly for the betrayals of the United Mine Workers of Amer- tea and the I..W. W. They now look to the National Miners’ Union, 5 1 Gespiie Lhe coal bosses’ terrorism and threats, has dared openly to il.tae miners for struggle to smash starvation, and with it the ug’it cf the bloodthirsty coal operators, their gunmen and Seatucky will soon be the front trenches of the class styuggle. The ‘xy ead Tenressee miners will be fighting the struggle of the entire ciess against wage cuts, hunger and starvation. Their union is They have no treasury. They have starved so long there are no fund: for sirike relief. The coal operators will unleash a more ferocious “sign of terror. Against this the miners are organizing to defend them- ‘ves. They need the support of every worker in the country. The Ken- .cky miners have shown they have as fine a fighting spirit as ever shown by American workers. Support the coming coal strike of the Kentucky coal miners against starvation! Rush relief to the Kentucky miners! Build the Interna- tional Labor Defense and the Workers International Relief in Kentucky! Spread Daily Worker Subs Through Shops, Mines, Factories. Speed Drive for 5000 Subs! \ACTORY work, trade union activity and building up shop nuclei are paths for the march of the Daily Worker sub- scription campaign army. Section 12, of the New York --District, shows the way. Members of trade union branches and shop nuclei in the section met and made plans to spread Daily Worker subscriptions through important factories in their territory. As a start, four workers took subscriptions Tight then and there. Each comrade took a subscription book and promised to canvass all his shopmates for sub- scriptions. > A significant feature of this meeting is that the workers who participated are mainly metal workers. Rooting the Daily Worker subscripticns in basic industries is a vital ‘step in the revolutionary struggle. SEND SUBS IN AT ONCE. Once you have received your subscription book, do not wait until you have filled the entire book. Send in each subscription as you get it, with the accompanying money. The Daily Worker needs the money as quickly as you can send it. And the subscriber must get his paper immediately. .. On to the shops, the mines, the factories with Daily Worker subscriptions! On to the broad magse& of workers with Daily Worker subscriptions, through the unemployed councils, through the gains of the National Hunger March, and through the Friends of the Daily Worker Groups and Neighborhood ‘Squads. HEAR FOSTER, DUNNE, BENJAMIN RE- PORT ON NAT’L HUNGER MARCH AT _CENTRAL OPERA HOUSE, WED., 8 P. M. Mass meeting Central Opera ‘House Wednesday, Dec. 16, 8 p. m. Report by National Committee of Unemployed Councils of U. 5. A. on’ Hunger March and further struggle for Unemployment Insur- ance and immediate relief. Speakers: Comrades W. Z. Fos- tér, Nationla Sec. TUUL; W. F. Dunne, Editor of the Daily Work- er; Herbert Benjamin, Nat. Sec. Unemployed Councils; Charman C. Winter, Sec. Unemployed Coun- ells, Local N, Y. Cartoons will be drawn of Hun- ger Hoover and other Fat Bellies by well known proletarian car- toonists who participated in the March. The Band which for the first time played the “Interna- tional” on the capital grounds, will provide music. Admission 25 cents. PREPARE T0 STRIKE AT HUNGER WAGE New Terror Fails Keep Delegates from Convention 50 Come from Tenn. Convention to Set Date for Strike BULLETIN CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec. 13.— The following telegram was sent to the National Miners Union Conven- tion in Pineville, Ky., by the Inter- national Labor Defense organizations in the South: to “Solidarity greetings to you and the thousands of miners you represent. May your convention be the signal for a successful struggle for decent living conditions for your wives and children, for the rights of the miners to organize against the thug rule of the coal operators and for the im- mediate relief of the Kentucky class war prisoners and all victims of boss class justice in the United States. We will support you with mass de- fense and protest against coal opera- tor’s thuggery. “Long live the National Miners Union.” s 8 8 PINEVILLE, Ky., Dec. 12—En- thusiasm among the 18,000 miners in Bell aad Harlan Counties, as well as in the Tennessee coal fields for strike action against hunger and terrorism runs high as the final preparations are being made for the opening of the District Convention of the Na- tional Miners Union today (Sunday) at the K. of P, Hall. Besides the hundreds of delegates elected from mines in Bell and Har- lan County 50 delegates have already been elected in the Tennesee coal fields. A caravan of autos and trucks are transporting the miners. Nine new locals have been organized in Kentucky in the drive to get rep- resentatives. The convention call was issued a short while ago and broadcast throughout the Southern coal fields. Despite the renewed terror which followed, one active worker, MacSum. ner being kidnapped, with no trace of him to this moment, the prepara- tions for hte strike have been going on splendidly. The miners will march to the convention from many of the coal centers. Hundreds flocked to the National Miners Union. Old locals were strengthened. The call for the convention declared that with hunger and starvation gripping more and more miners, the only way out is through a sharp struggle. The convention will set a strike date and call on the miners to build rank and file strike committees in every local in preparation for the greatest resistance to starvation ever seen in the Kentucky coal fields. MILLINERY HUNGER MARCHERS WILL REPORT TO UNEMPLOYED TUESDAY, 1 O'CLOCK AT ‘ BRYANT HALL. The delegates from the Millinery Department of the Needle Trades Workers’ Industrial Union, Fanny Levine, Dina Lenkin, and others, will report to the millinery workers on the Hunger March, and lay down plans for extending the work among the unemployed millinery workers. Japanese Gold Standard Collapses; New Government Rushes More Troops to China Imperialists See Mass Fight Menacing Plans to Partition China and Attack Soviet Union Further accelerating the decay of world capitalism, the Japanese economic and finan- cial crisis reached new depths last week. The Japanese gold standard has collapsed. An em- bargo on the export of gold has been declared. The Japanese yen dropped sharply on the New York market. Japanese government bonds and bonds guaranteed by the gov- ernment also experienced a sharp drop. The yen dropped 514 points to 43 cents, the lowest price since Dec. 1925. Japanese bonds drop from 14 to 5 points, with all but one issue reaching a new low point for the year. With the terrific sharpening of the financial crisis, the Wakatsuki Cab- inet fell on Friday. A minority cab- inet was formed yesterday to repre- sent the Seiyuakai party only, the coalition or so-called National Goy- ernment idea having collapsed. The new Cabinet is headed by Ki Inukai, leader of the former Seiyukai “Op- position.” Premier Tkuka! will also fill the post of Foreign Minister, it is announced. “Hard Boiled” Business Men. ‘The Seiyukai party is described in a@ Tokyo dispatch to the New York) Times as “a party of hard-boiled be- lievers in government aid for industry with a tendency to inflation.” A financial article in the New York Times admits that there has been a huge flow of gold from Japan. Gold to the extent of $290,940,000 has been shipped to the United States since 1930. Im November, Japan's total remaining stcre of gold was Unemployed Miner—One of the 1675 Delegates to the Great Na- tional Hunger March to Washing- ton, December 7th. {CONTINUED ON P4SGE THREE) R. R. Union Officials to Help Bosses Put Over Rail Pay Cut Only Mass Resistance Will Prevent the Wage Cut NEW YORK.—Beginning with a 10 per cent wage cut for 1,500,000 railroad workers, the bosses are planning a new of-| fensive against the entire working class. The railroad wage cut, as the Daily Worker has warned for,the past month, is being worked out by the railroad bosses with the direct support (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) ‘Mistrial Causes Delay in Legal Lynching of Peterson BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Dec. 13.—The framed-up lynch “trial” of Willie Peterson, unemployed Negro miner, was declared a mistrial on Saturday when the jury was unable to agree after being out for 44 hours. ‘The case against Peterson is one of the most brazen frame-ups in the history of even the Alabama boss lynchers. Peterson is charged with the murder of two society women here last August. He was “identi- fied” by his hat by a companion of the two dead women who was her- self wounded at the time. Peterson was tortured by the police, but in- | sisted on his innocence. Dent Wil- liams, brother of one of the dead women, was permitted to enter his cell to shoot him down in cold blood. Peterson was badly injured and wes near death for several weeks. His assailant was released on a smal bond.. No aitempt has been made to prosecute Dent Williams, but the frame-up against Peterson has been pushed with the most savage blood lust. As in the case of 14-year-old Roy ‘Wright, one of the nine Scottsboro boys, Peterson will be held for an- other “trial,” with the bosses hoping for better “luck” next time for their murderous plans to burn him in the electric chair. The appeal, filed by the Interna- tional Labor Defense, in the case of the other eight Scottsboro boys, is to be heard by the Alabama Supreme Court on Jan. 18. All working-class organizations must at once start re- vitalizing the mass campaign for the release of these innocent working- class children. Dressmakers Want One Union; Prepare Strike in Industry ‘The present miserable conditions in the dress industry where the stand- ards have been reduced to such a level that the dressmakers cannot eke out a bare existence, slaving long hours under terrific speed-up, the ex- piration of the agreements in the dress industry both of the Industrial Union and the International, have brought the question of a general strike in the dress industry to the forefront as a burning problem The question of the coming strike is being very seriously considered and the dis- cussion on the possibilities of the outcome of the strike is widespread in the market and where ever needle trades workers e together. This dress situation precedes only by a short period the expiration of the agreement in the cloak industry, and the workers are convinced that the developments in the dress siiuation will have a very serious bearings on the cloak situation and will to a very large extent determine the policy and action of the cloakmakers. Cry for Unity. ‘There is one point outstanding in all the discussion, regardless of whether it comes from workers affil- iated with the Needle Trades Work- ers Industrial Union or the Interna- tional, or from workers who have dropped their union affiliations namely: the need for unity in the ranks of the workers, as the first pre- requisite for a successful struggle against the bosses. Observing these discussions, we note the deire for unity on the part of the workers is so great that they very often tend to disregard many important lessons learned’ as a result of their exper- jences, especially during the bitier struggles of the past few years, and (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWer = = | te Ss = a S = Member of the Hoover- Gifford Unemployment Emergency Relief Commit- tee, President of the Broth- erhood of Locomotive En- gineers whose labor bank failed causing a loss of hun- dreds of thousands of dol- ¢ to the union and mem- ers and other workers. 4 WORKERS G0 TO: TRIAL TODAY FOR FRAMED UP CASE Arrested at Scottsboro Demonstration NEW YORK—Four workers will go on trial Monday and Tuesday in General Sessions, Part VII, on charges of felonius assault growing out of a vicious attack by the police. This morning at 10 o'clock Demetri Paulas and John Tseronis, two Greek workers, will be tried and tomorrow morning Alexander Zaroff and David Boschi will come up. All four work- ers are being defended by Allan Taub, representing the New York District of the International Labor Defense. Paulas and Tseronis were arrested in April when police smashed up the first Scottsboro protest meeting in Harlem at the corner of 140th St, and Seventh Ave. The police capped their brutal assault by arresting the two workers. Zaroff .and Eoschi were arersted last January while actively partici- pating in the work of the Unem- ployed Councils, workers were proceeding from an open-air meeting cf the Downtown Unemployed Council to Manhattan Lyceum when the group was at- tacked by police. The workers de- fended themselves bravely, but were finally dispersed, the police arresting Zaroif and Boschi and charging them with felonious assault. The New York I. L. D. points out that the two trials are attacks on the elementary right of freedom of as- semblage and calls on all workers to demcnstrate for the release of the four militants by packing the court- room. It is in the Criminal Court Building, Franklin and Center Sts. RENT STRIKE 0? IN BROWNSVILLE Tenants United for Reduction Demand NEW YORK—The Brownsville Un- employed Council, 610 Rockaway Ave., {s conducting a rent strike at 687 Rockaway Ave. All the tenants of the house are solid for their demands which are a reduction of rent, the Tecognition of the house committee, the installing of sanitary conditions and cthers. The open-air meeting held last night on Dumont and Rock- away Ave. showed that the entire block, populated mainly by Negro worker's, are in sympathy with strik- ers and are ready for struggle. Also on Williams Ave., near River- dale, a block rent strike is being or- They and other Big Demonstrations Hail Columns 2,3,4 of Hunger March 18 in East St. Louis for Preparing Hunger March Reception Arres |3,000 Meet Column 3 in Detroit; Pledge to Spread Fight for Unemployment Insurance DETROIT, Mich., Dec. 18.—Column 3 con- sisting of one hundred and ‘fifty delegates of the National Hunger March, was escorted by fifteen hundred workers and marched through the streets here on its arrival from Washing- ton. Mayor Murphy was compelled to grant a permit for the march. Three thousand jammed Danceland Auditorium and cheered the marchers. They are determined to continue the struggle for unemployment insurance. 25 oes —— John Schmies was released from | jail by mass pressure and received a |rousing welcome, His speech was continually applauded. Resolutions demanding the unconditional release of all arrested, and also to demon- strate in Grand Circus, was passed French Near German Border Urged to Get Gas Masks for Gifts A’ despatch to the New York : amidst cheers. Ralph Norman, Times states that in the eastern| | 18-year-old marcher from Seattle, province of France the people are| | spoke. His father was sent to the being urged to buy gas masks as Christma spresents. Along with the masks so directions on how they are to be used. That these| | nolds, Baker and a masks are not left-overs from the | | marcher, last war which some private man- 5 ee ea utacturers is trying to get rid-of, is NEW YORK—Returning to” their Me ie citer ne otk where “are | home cities, the members of the Na- tional Hunger March are being older men and women. France is preparing these east- hee biti ta cai em provinces for war on a vic- prerig. laying oe, SO torious German revolution, greater organization to carry on the fight for unemployment insurance. New terror is breaking out against the marchers and the organizers of | the hunger march demonstrations on the return march. In East St. Lou! 18 workers were arrésted for the “crime” of preparing a reception for the hunger marchers. In Chicago, seven mass indoor dem- | onstrations are arranged to greet the | hunger marchers and to he: eports Crush Strike ome on the plans for future widespread Rosses Form a Secret action and organization. Lynch Committee As ees Police, Court Move Greet Column 2 In Syracuse SYRACUSE, N. Y., Dec. 12.—Col- NEW YORK—That the bosses of | umn 2 of the National Hunger March ho&pital by police clubs in the Dec. 7 demonstration. Amongst the speakers were Rey- Negro woman Tampa Bosses and Court Attempt to Tampa, Florida and surrounding cit- ies haye mobilized their full forces to crush the strike of the Tampa cigarmakers against worsening shop and living conditions and for the re- lease of sixteen framed workers, was | revealed in a dispatch to the New York Times from its Tampa corres- pondent A secret committee of twenty-five business men for lynching purposes was organized simultaneously with the issuance of a sweeping injunction by Judge Ackerman ordering the dis- solution of the Tobecco Workers In- dustrial Union of Tampa. A police raid upon the headquarters of the union and the threatened arrest of 114 strike leaders was also pre- arranged. The seecret committee of business men have commenced to whip up a lynch spirit against the Tampa strike leaders, That the terrorist activities of the bosses are directed against the Toba- co Workers Industrial Union may be seen in a clause in the injunction handed down by Judge Ackerman. The clause reads naming the leading members of the strike committee; “from continuing to maintain and conduct the organization known as the Tobaco Workers Industrial Union of Tampa as an organization under the statement of principles advocat- ing and encouraging the belief in the destruction by force of organized government or in the destruction of private property as a means to that end.” Another section of the injunction directed against the cigarmakers threatens the organization of the workers’ children and strikes of ganized by the Unemployed Council for cheaper rent and against evic- tions. A mass meeting of this block is being called on Thursday at 3 p.m, at the Hinsdale Youth Center, 313 Hinsdale St. Leaflets will be dis: tributed in the neighborhood school ehcildren in sympathy with their parents. Okanogan Banik Fails ‘The Commercial Bank of Okano- gan, Wash, was closed December 4 due to the precarious conditions of the resources of the institution, | was enthusiastically received in Syra- cuse on its retyrn trip from the his- toric march to Washington on Dec. 7. Ovet three hundred workers pledged to continue the struggle for unem- ployment insurance and immediate j cash relief. Plans have been laid out for building and extending the unem- | ployed councils here and preparing | for National Unemployment Insur- ance Day, February 4th. Ce ae Police Try Intimidate Column 4 COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec, 12.— Col- umn 4-of the National Hunger. March arrived in Columbus at five this evening. They marched to Broad and High Streets where an open air meeting was held. Eight hundred workers gathered at the State House, Two indoor meetings followed, with the workers enthusiastically endorsing the action of the hunger marchers and expressing their determination to extend the struggle. The police tried to intimidate the marchers, and threatened to escort them out of town. They refused to feed or lodge the marchers, The Hunger March- ers reniained and were fed and lodged by the local Unemployed Council, They have been receiving a fine re- ception from the workers everywhere, * 4 Chicago Mass Meets for Marchers CHICAGO, Dec. 12.—A city-wide | reception is beir rranged here to gret the National tiunger Marchers, to draw thousands of workers into mas demonstrations to listen to the reports, and to plan extended activity leading up to February 4th, Seevn mectings have been sched- uled here as follows: 2409 N. Hale sted St.; 2457 West Chicago Ave.; Ashlerd Auditorium, corner Ashland Ave., and Van Burne; 3844 South State St.; 205 E. 15th Street; 2959 West 40th §t.; West Side Auditorium meeting has been cancelled * N OF N.M.U. IN KY. ENETRATE SHOPS, MINES, FACTORIES WITH 5000-12 MO. SUB DRIVE!