The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 22, 1932, Page 3

VAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1932, Page Three Task of the Revolutionary Opposition in the Anthracite Miners Strike By C. A. HATHAWAY. The present miners’ strike in the anthra- Tite region of Pennsylvania, carried through chiefly under the pressure of unemployed miners who are facing actual starvation, but already embracing from 15 to 16 thousand employed miners in the collicries of five of the biggest coal companies, has the greatest significance regardless of the outcome of this particular strike, and, at the same time, offers many valuable lessons, Issues Behind the Strike The issue involved in this strike, while hopelessly and, most Yikely, maliciously con- fused by the Maloney-Schuster leadership, are neverthelses extremely clear. For the employed miners the most burning issues are part-time work (from 5 to 10 days per month), the systematic, though, most frequently, concealed cutting of wages with the connivance of the Boylan-Lewis machine of the UMWA in violation of the union agree- ment, and the vicious speed-up in the mines. For the unemployed miners the problem is either jobs or relief, i.e. food, clothes, fuel and rent. In the two districts now affected by the strike, Districts 1 and 9, about 100,000 min- ers were previously employed. Now, as a re- sult of the crisis, the machination of the mines, the speed-up, and the substitution of other fuel for anthracite coal, at least 60,000 of these miners are totally unemployed. About 30,000 of those em- ployed are working on the average from 6 to 10 days per month. Only 10,000 miners are more or less ap- proaching full-time work, and these, as well as those on part-time, must put up with a most unbearable speed-up and with all sorts of petty maneuvers to lower their earnings. One miner, for example, told the writer that after working all day he was credited with earning $4.24, but that after various deductions. were made by the company he was given 18 cents for his day’s work. These are the issues that have aroused an intense anger among the miners, and that they are trying to settle by th‘- strike. The anger of the miners is di- rected against the coal operators, against the Boy- lan-Lewis leadership of the UMWA and against the local leadership officials in the mining area. The Boylan-Schuster Leadership But, unfortunately, the mass of the miners still have confidence in the so-called “insurgent” leader, Ma- loney. It is the Maloney-Schuster “opposition” to Boy- jan that has leadership in the present strike. The leadership has been given to Maloney because the miners believe that he is really in opposition not only to the Boylan machine, but to the policies of betrayal and sell-out which Boylan represents. The miners do not realize, and do not fully believe when told, that Maloney is only using their misery and hunger to advance his own personal ambition to replace Boylan, and possibly, even worse, to further the efforts of the coal companies to wear down the resistance of the workers through unprepared and poorly led strikes. In this strike, for example, there was absolutely no preparation. The strike has gained its present pro- portions only due to the militancy of the workers themselves, and despite the complete confusion, ma- licious or otherwise, among the leaders. The demands, to begin with, are not realistic and actually stupid. “Equalization of working time!”—this is the panacea put forward by Maloney and Schuster. it is accepted by the starving miners only for lack of a clearer program. But what does “equalization of working time” mean under the conditions prevailing in the anthracite, in a situation where 60,000 are fully unemployed, where 30,000 are working only 6 to ten days a month, and where only 10,000 miners even approach full-time work? Assuming the granting of this demand, which under no circumstances could be won, what then would be the condition of the miners? “Equalization of working time,” in such a situation, could only mean an equalization of starva- tion! It would mean that instead of 10,000 miners working somewhere near full-time and 30,000 working 6 to 10 days a month, all would work one and one-half days a month. With the wages now prevailing in the anthracite every miner should be able to grasp what one and one-half day’s work—what Maloney’s “equal- ization of working time’—would do to improve this aituaiton. Obviously, it would only make the starva- tion conditions more widespread; it would equalize starvation. Employed and Unemployed Divided But the maliciousness of this demand lies not so much in what would happen if it were applied, but in its effect on the strike. Its effect in the strike has been to create a division between the employed and unemployed miners. The initiators of this slo- gan, the Maloney-Schuster “insurgents,” have played into the hands of Boylan, the mine operators and the local government officials. And they have been quick to take advantage of the opportunity so kindly offered by Maloney. Naturally, the employed miners were not elated over an opportunity to strike for less working time than they now had, and for smaller earnings. No demands were\formulated for the miners with jobs. ‘True, Ma- loney asked for the re-opening of all closed mines, but the possibility of forcing the companies to open their mines at a time when there was no market for their coal did not appear sufficiently promising to cause the employed miners to enter enthusiastically into the strike, As a result, in most mines, the miners did not vote to strike, but struck only after huge picket lines composed of unemployed miners had persuaded them to come out on strike. Out of 18 working colleries which had joined the strike up until Saturday, the majority, according to the testimony of the miners themselves, were brought on strike by the miners from the closed colleries, by the unemployed. The fact that 16 to 18 thousand employed miners Joined the strike under such circumstances is excellent testimony as to their deep dissatisfaction and mili- tancy; but it is also a sad reflection on the Maloney leadcrship' of the strike. Miners at a strike meeting in Luzerne openly stated that when they went on these picket lines the miners with jobs said, “Sure we're not against the strike, but what do we get out of it?” Not having any demands to meet, such @ situation the unemployed miners could only answer, “Well, come on out; we'll discuss that later!” ‘This was the stupid situation created by Maloney, who failed still further in his duty as a leader, by even neglecting to prepare and circulate a strike call among the miners with the issues of the strike clearly stated, to consult miners as to What issue to bring forward in the strike, or to organize local strike committees or picket lines pi Bibi ode gars Sie Such criminal created chaos rather @ really effective eae & Boylan’s Open Strikebreaking As stated above, the Boylan-Lewis machine in the anthracite and the coal operators are taking full ad- vantage of this situation. At a conference of the of- ficials of the tri-district, District 1, 7 and 9, held on Friday, a statement was issued with the to-be-expected condemnation of the strike and particularly attempt- ing to divide the employed and unemployed by charg- ing not only that this was an “outlaw” strike, but that it was a strike “forced” on the “perfectly satis- fied” employed miners by the unemployed. In view of this “forced strike,” Boylan cynically proposed “to teach the unemployed a lesson” by withdrawing the small assistance given to the unemployed by the union, and announced that a referendum vote would im- mediately be carried through on whether the 50 cents- a-month assessment now collected from the employed miners for the relief of the starving unemployed miners should be discontinued. Boylan also had a conference on Friday with the sheriff of Luzerne County afd with the mayor of Scranton at which the newspapers admit that he openly asked for police aid against the miners in an effort to smash the strike, ‘The vicious attacks on the picket lines by both the local author- ities and Pinchot’s cossacks, therefore, are to no small degree due directly to the request for help from Boy~ land. The fact that the police can also charge that “the men do not want to strike,” but that “the un- employed miners are forcing the others out,” is due to Maloney’s “equalization of working time” slogan, and to failure to really prepare the strike, particu- larly among the employed miners. Wage Cuts Would Follow Defeat This is clearly the danger point in the strike. Can Boyan, the coal operators, the police, and the stupidity (to say the Jeast) of Maloney break the unity of the employed and unemployed miners? Can the employed miners be terrorized into returning to work, leaving the unemploed miners in the lurch? Such an outeome would be disastrous for the employed miners, as well as for the unemployed. Such an outcome would be the signal for renewed attacks on wages and an intensi- fication of the speed-up in the mines. A defeat for this strike would bring a general worsening in the conditions of all anthracite miners, employed and un- employed. Yet, under the Maloney-Schuster leadership defeat must inevitably be the outcome. Due to organizational chaos and to the failure to bring forward demands around which the employed miners will enthusiastic- ally rally there must come a break in the workers’ ranks as a result of the police blows and the open strikebreaking alliance of Boylan and the operators. As one miner told the writer: “Under present circum- stances, if the police break the picket lines, many men will return to work.” The outlook for success in the strike depends, therefore, on immediately arousing real support for the strike among the wide masses of the employed miners. This Maloney will not and can not do. On the con- trary, the most likely action from Maloney will be to do nothing to strengthen the strike. Under the blows of the reactionary forces now gathering to smash the strike, Maloney will most likely capitulate completely as he did in the earlier Glen Alden strikes. To be more plain, he will sell out! Rank and File Movement Only Hope The only force in the anthracite which can still make the strike effective is the Rank and File Com- mittee movement. This movement was still too young at the beginning of the strike to bring its program before aJl the miners and, on the basis of this pro- gram, to win the leadership of the strike. Now, dur- ing the strike, this movement is steadily gaining in- fluence and prestige. ‘The biggest factor at the moment is the time ele- ment. The Rank and File Committees to save the strike, to transform the strike into a real strike, must work with the greatest energy and speed. The futility of “equalization of working time” as a solution for the miners’ hunger and starvation conditions must be ex- posed. Likewise, the failure to prepare the strike and the chaotic organizational situation in the strike must be exposed and the responsibility definitely fixed on the Maloney-Sehuster leadership. Every move of Maloney to retrert or to betray the strike must be quickly brought to the attention of the miners, This of course can be done only together with the Widest popularization of the demands of the Rank and File Committees. While not failing to bring forward such demands contained in the Rank and File state- ments as “Abolition of the Individual Contract Sys- tem,” “Abolition of the Check-Off,” ete., which may become real issues at a later stage in the Strike, it is necessary at the moment to concentrate on the follow- ing demands which represent the immediate burning needs of the miners. 1. A guarantee of no less than three days work per week at union scale of wages. 2. The return of wages and working conditions to the standards set by the last agreement, 3. Local mine grievances (to be worked out con- cretely for each miner.) For the unemployed miners real demands must be worked out. The present demand is too general and could not serve to rally the unemployed miners in op- Position to Maloney's equalization slogan. Demands for immediate relief stating definite amounts, to be paid by the coal operators and the local and state governments should be worked out together with the miners, and these demands, together with the demand for unemployment insurance, should be made the basis for winning the 60,000 miners for a real struggle that: will really bring them relief. Such demands can serve to cement the unity of the employed and unemployed miners for the continuation of the struggle. Such demands can be won! On the basis of this program, Maloney’must be de- feated. The rank and file miners must take the leader- ship in their own hands. But this can be done only from’below, in the local unions and on tha picket lines. It can only be done by electing committees of the strikers in each locality to lead the strike, com- mittees that are elected after the rejection by the local union of Maloney’s program, and after the ac ¢eptance of the program of the Rank and File Com- mittee. All attention must be given in the localitics to strengthening the strike, to electing such commit- tees, and to winning the locals for the Rank and Vile Program and for the conference to be held on March The responsibility for the unprepared strike must be fastened on Maloney. The leadership of the strike must only be taken on a district scale after the r pudiation of Maloney and the acceptance of the Mri and File program by the majority of the strikers. Un til then the Rank and Filt must do everything posslbic to strengthen the strike and to win the strike by work- ing as @ revolutionary opposition to Malouey’s stupid and reactionary leadership, imperialist war edition of the published April 2. and struggles in their specific your experiences. Worker Correspondents Urged — To Send Letters For Special Anti-Imperialists War Issue Our worker correspondents are requested to send in let- ters and articles at once to be printed in the special anti- Workers from the war industries—especially marine, metal and chemical should write about the conditions of work of munitions and the speeding up of production of war ma~- terials in the various plants throughout the country should be rushed to the Daily Worker without delay. We want to hear from the soldiers and National Guards- men too. Tell us what is going on in-your regiment. . Ex- servicemen—especially those who served in the Siberian ex- peditionary forces and in China—send in letters telling of All letters and articles for this special edition must be in the office of the Daily Worker not later than March 29. Mass Workers Trial In Detroit to Expose} Ford-Murphy Rule) DETROIT Mich.—Mayor Murphy's | police in Detroit are continuing their campaign of terror against the work- ers. The police squads are touring Streets, and especially near the work- ers’ centers, hunting for leaders of the militant workers, Every day the | Daily Worker receives information from different sections of the city. that workers are stopped on the streets, searched, intimidated and arrested “for investigation.” Usually the police give the excuse that they are searching for suspicious crimin- als. They always abuse the arrested workers, telling them they should be shot, deported or, at best, be put into jails. The workers of Detroit are deter- mined to fight this outrageous terror of Murphy’s police and they are an- swering this systematic attack by coming into the Auto Workers’ Union Daily Worker which will be trade. Reports on shipments APPEAL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BAIL FUND TO FREE 19 KENTUCKY STRIKE LEADERS NOW IN JAIL | 19 Kentucky strike leaders are still rovting in Harlan, Pineville, and Middlesboro jails. Two of them, Vern Smith and Allan Johnson, are correspondents for The DAILY WORKER. For a total of $1250, premium on their bonds of $10,000 each, all 19 can now be set at liberty, This means $66 each to free these militant workers after months of confinement in rat-infested jails, living on a deadly diet of bread and beans. | When it rains, water pours through thcir roofs. In the Pineville jail, water backs up six and eight inches on the floor. One of the prisoners contracted pneumonia and nearly died, but the coal-courts demanded $10,000 cash bail before they let her go to a hespital. Some of the women are sick with influenza. Their lives are endangered by disease. If they escape this peril, lynching awaits them at the hands of the rabid coal company agents and their hired killers. The DAILY WORKER, the International Labor Defense, the Workers International Relief, and the Trade Union Unity League are jointly raising a $1250 bail fund for freeing these class war victims. We call on all our readers to aid. Send funds at once to the Kentucky Prisoners Bail Fund, Room TUUL Calls Workers to Support Seamen’s Congress NEW YORK.—The militant sea~- men and harbor workers throughout the world are preparing for a world unity conference to be held in Ham- burg, Germany, commencing May 20. The American section of the Interna~ tional of Seamen and Harbor Work- ers, the Marine Workers Industrial Union, is arranging meetings in all ports to elect delegates to this con- gress where the marine workers will discuss and work out plans for] a world wide struggle against wage- cuts and speed-up and take up the problem of organizing to stop ship- ments of arms to the Far East war zone. The Trade Unity League has issued the following call urging all workers to support the Congress: i The coming World Unity Congress, which is being called in Hamburg on May 20, by the Intrenational of Sea- men and Harbor Workers, of which the Marine Workers International Union is the American Section is of world importance to the working class. ‘The Trade Union Unity Laegue en- dorse the ISH for calling the Con- gress and the Red International of Labor Unions has called upon all of its sections to give the most active support to the Marine Workers and the Congress. At this Congress, Marine Workers of the entire world will meet, and not only work out an International Program of struggle against the ship- owners campiagn of wage cuts and worsening of conditions, but they will also take up the question of impe- rialist war, and around the slogan: Do not load nor transport troops or ammunition in imperialist war, De- fend the Soviet Union, will work out an International Plan of action that will become a powerful weapon a- gainst imperialist war and in defense of the Chinese masses and the Soviet Union. ‘The Trade Union Unity League calls upon the Marine Workers In- dustrial Union to intensify its efforts in rallying the marine workers in the struggle against the shipowners and in preparation for the Congress. The T.U.ULL. calls upon all of its affilia- ted unions and other working class organizations, to popularize the Con- gress amongst its members and to support and aid the Marine Workers Industrial Union, room 200, 61 White- hall Street, in its preparations for the Congress. National Buro T.U.U.L. Wm. Z. Foster, General Sec’y. {ON DEVELOPING THE STRUGGLE IN THE REFORMIST UNIONS In the reformist unions the question of unemployment must stand in the very middle of all our activities. With masses of workers actually starving, and with the leadership flagrantly be- traying them, the question of Un- employment Relief and Unem- Ployment Insurance assumes the greatest importance. Around this issue hundreds of thousands of workers in the American Federa- tion of Labor can be easily or- ganized for real struggle against their leaders. In each union there must be developed a definite pro- gram of unemployment, linking these unions up with the general struggle of the workers for Un- employment Insurance and relief. —William Z. Foster, in Labor Unity, March, 1932, HALF DOLLAR CAMPAIGN Over 4,000 half dollars have been received since our first announce- dollar campaign has been started. ‘ment of the half dolarl campaign. Three thousand came in as a result of the New York Tag Day. This does not really show that the half There has not been sufficient time for it. It does show that with increased activity we can get the workers to contribute collectively the half dollars needed. Watch this daily report regularly. | | |day that the Hunger March took | out in time to see the whole fight. I | bridge and coming toward me was a jone Ford serviceman | dozen anyway.” and Communist Party offices and different halls and filling out appli- cations for membership, Statement of a Ford Worker. I am a Ford worker and on the place I was inside working. We were was in back of the police when they were firing at the workers and saw the whole scene, They had patrol wagons and fire engines stationed at Gate No. 4. I started to walk towards the next whole crowd of workers coming to theFord Factory. The police got under the bridge to connect the hose and then turned the water on the workers. At that time the crowd started to retreat, and as the workers were running | away from the water the police opened fire on the workers. I saw standing in back of the fence with a pistol shoot- ing atthe workers. This serviceman shot about 20 times and I saw two men fall dead as-he shot. The man had a dark overcoat on and was about 6 feet tall. I remember one policeman, I'll never forget “that” face. He re- marked to one of his fellow police- men that he shot down “at least a “I am a Ford worker, but I am Willing to testify as a witness, even if I stand a chance of losing my job. if the workers are willing to’ giveup their lives for the working class, I’m willing to stand a chance of losing my job.” A FORD WORKER, Statement of a Ford Worker. Being an unemployed worker, and hearing that the unemployed work- ers were going to the Ford Motor Co. to DEMAND JOBS OR RELIEF, I went Monday at 2 o'clock to the dem- onstration. The parade was formed and I marched at the end of it, I did not see the actual fighting, tear gassing or watering, because I was at the tail end of the parade. When the fighting was over, the Police began to shoot. I went toward the front and the police began to open fire with a machine gun. I wanted to go through, but the police would not let me. I was right in the midst of the machine gun fire, so I fell on the ground to get away from the bullets. When the shooting was over the police arrested me. They took me to the station and tied to Place a charge, saying that I was the first worker that shot a gun. I didn’t even see any of the real shoot- ing and they tried to pin such @ charge on me. The immigration au- thorities held me and questioned me for five days. A former Ford worker, D. SCHIMIZZI. 87 W. Berkley St., Hazen Park, Mich. 430, 80 East 11th Street, New York City. Finance Agency Again Warns of Revolutionary Upsurge in Japan Japanese Fascists Push Move to Strengthen Ruling Class Terror Against Revo- lutionary Masses In its Foreign Letter for March 15, the bourgeois Whaley- Eaton Service again warns its financier clients of a revolution- ary situation in Japan as the result of a terrific deepening of the crisis in that country. The letter declares: JAPAN: It is stated in diplomatic circles that the interior situation in Japan is very grave, @ both economically and politically, with the facts being concealed by censorship. Some diplomats are forecasting the eventual overthrow of the Mikado, due to causes -sim- ilar to those which, in 1904, began to operate to terminate the re- gime of the Czars in Russia. ‘Events should move more rapidly in Ja- pan than they did in Russia.’ (De- talis are not available, but it is known that some American eom- panies, doing business in Japan, have been advised by their agen- cies there to be very careful about commitments in view of an ex- tremely unsatisfactory domestic situation.)” * Officials of the Washington gov- ernment a short time ago stated they had information of great unrest in Japan, leading! in many cases to armed struggles between the masses and the police and military. They ex- pressed fears that the government was in grave danger of being over- thrown. They declared that the Jap- anese censorship was suppressing news of the rising revolutionary struggles of the Japanese workers and peasants. Over Seven Million Face Starvation. In a recent article in Inprecorr, Comrade Sen Katayama reports that the number of unemployed in Ja- pan is over two million, and includ- ing their dependents over seyen mil- lion. “They are roaming the streets, starving, without any means of ex- istence or relief whatever. Tens of thousands of poor peasants in the famine-stricken districts of Japan (Northeast) are actually dying of starvation. The situation of the workers in employment is no bet- ter; their work is intensified while their wages are reduced; their brothers and sens are sent to Man- churia and Shanghai or to Korea. and Formosa to serve as eannon- fodder in the interests of the rul- ing class. “Discontent and unrest prevail among the toiling population.” The fuedal-capitalist-militarist ele- ments are working to establish a fascist. dictatorship of the Mikado. They are supported by the traitorous “Socialist” Party. The move is di- rected against the rising revolution- ary struggles of the masses and for armed intervention against the So- viet Union. The sympathies of the toiling masses are strongly with the Soviet Union and the Chinese So- viets. The Japanese fascists were forced to postpone their plans for a bloody coup d’etat on November 3, 1931, owing to conflict in the camp of the ruling class. Again this conflict proved a factor for postponement when a few days ago Premier Inu- kai attempted to reorganize his cabi- net on the basis of a fascist dictator- ship. Tokyo dispatches admit that the fascist plans are only postponed and that a new effort to realize them will be made following the present short special session of the Japanese Diet. The Japanese Diet which eon- vened yesterday was called to con- sider appropriations of 67,000,000 yer (about $21,700,000 at current ex- change) for the robber war against China. A Tokyo dispatch reports that “approximately 91,000,000 yen has been authorized by Imperial emer- gency ordinances which the Diet must approve post facto. “This brings the total extraardi- nary military grants on account of the Manchurian and Shanghai cam- | paigns to 158,000,000 yen (about $51,- ' 000,000).” Tax Bill Taken Up Behind Closed Doors in Washington + BULLETIN, As predicted by the Daily Worker, the fake opposition against the 50 EAST 13th ST, Name .reeress Address .. sales tax put up by La Guardia and his demagogic folowers, has col- lapsed after a series of conferences behind closed doors during the forced week end adjournment of the House of Representatives, .La Guardia stated that he would discontinue his fight against the sales tax when it comes up for vote today on the condition that a few more items would be “exempted” from the sales tax. This means that the tax bill will pass practically intact with all the vicious blows aimed at 70,000 DAILY WORKER! Send to Dail NEW. YORK CITY Com ad rn Porte SA, City . a soiielibabilbiien 3 : 2 ~ | ANY $1.50 OR $1 INTERNATIONAL s : 33 2 a3 PUBLISHERS BOOK WITH ONE | 3" = ds 32 $¢ | 12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO & a on a: Es THE DAILY WORKER $| 591.03 1. Boston 1,851 33 i =) is 3. gay Hp) be Now. Sak ieee bi When the Winter Winds Besia . Philedi ; 0 Blow 191.24 4, Buffalo 2,181 64 Yoo will find tt warm and cozy 227.68 5. Pittsburgh 2,057 12 PaCS 1,022.31 6. Cleveland 6,273 a7 7 c zi 1,024.79 7. Detroit 6.221 m Ca D N tged g t 1,005.56 8. Chicago 11,282 48 Mp Ir aige 378.64 9. Minneapolis 3,273 36 You can reat in ¢ oletart 59.02, 10. Kansas City 1,485 3 1 saphere” proviged 10.52 11. Dakotas 70 in tie Hore on 'itt_aieo tind wel wi ateam hea: 225.54 12. Seattle 2351 2 hot wat ne th 647.46 13. San Francisco 2,708 3 3,705 rorensentn. nen food vie clean 351.88 15. Connecticut 1,806 100 1.796 by 7 15.40 16. Charlotte 269 269 SPECIAL RATES FOR WkKEK. 87.75 17. Chattanooga 125 125 ENDS 57.25 18. Butte 392 6 286 H vr] 158,55 19. Denver 492 9 483 Fy bq 17,804.18 68,225 4,931 63.994 For further information eall the— 146.01 Mise. as ae meee | detanietinss Esterbrook 8-1400 | 17,650.19 Total _ YOUR FIFTY CENTS WILL HELP SAVE THE WRAP THIS COUPON WITH YOUR 50 CENTS Half Dollars by April Ist Mate the standard of living of the masses retained. . * WASHINGTON.—A vicious attack on the living standards of the broad masses of workers, poor farmers and the middle class is being decided upon behind closed doors in secret session during the week-end adjourn- ment of the House of Represent- atives. This adjournment was push: ed through by Representative Crisp in full cooperation with the fake op- ponent of the tax bill, LaGuardia, in order, as Crisp stated, to “give | the opposition time to cool off,” After having allowed two days for the demagogie fight agninst the sales tax led by the ox-“socialist” LaGuar- dia, the Wall Street politicians in the House of Representatives decided to check the reins and call a halt to the opposition That the adjournment is being marked by a whole series of secret conferences in which the “bolting” Democrats and Republicans are be- ing Whipped ‘fiite line ih support of the sales tax is evident from th: nd- mission of Representative Crisp who tated “T think hy ‘Tuesday suifiviont opposition members will be \ineed that the tax is necessary and that it is also the most fair and satisfactory means of obtain con ing the reyenue to balance the / through the sales aac” Federal budget.” The real nature of the tax bill wae admitted by LaGuardia in a demo- gogic statement made with an eye toward the 1932 elections. Said Le Guardia; “It is a last desperate attempt of the big money men to cut down the standard of living of the coun- try as a whole—not just the masses as a nebulous group of “those poor people,” but of the mass of the American’ people. “They want to get wages down and to keep them down. They want for their own purposes to take this 690,000,000 of the manufacturers c..cise tax—the sales tax—out of the pockets of the country as part their campaign. ages are down now. If Fed~ eral wages are cut, other wages will go still lower. The sales tax, invi- sible because it adds pennies on to everything a man buys, is part of it all. “The idea is to create # perma nenily low labor market, now that conditions are bad for the ordinary man, There ts no emergency basi- ness about it “Tt they cannot get all the work- ing class through the wage cut, they will get it for