The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 20, 1933, Page 1

L TWO DAYS AFTER ROOSEVELT’ EDITORIAL A Defeat for Splitters The results of the National Convention of the Unemployed Workers’ | Leagues in Chicago will encourage every worker who strives to effect { united militant action against hunger, fascism and war. Coming only two weeks after the tremendous demonstrations of May First, it reveals once again the yearning of the masses for unity in action and their grow- ing determination and capacity to achieve this. By an overwhelming majority, the delegates to the convention swept aside the socialist leader, Carl Borders, and adopted the proposals of the National Committee of the Unemployed Councils for immediate, united action that will lead to eventual complete unification of all ex- isting unemployed organizations. i This’ victory is all the more significant because it was registered in a convention that was prepared with a view to creating a dual national unemployed organization. The convention call specifically excluded the militant. Unemployed Councils. Moreover, Borders arbitrarily limited the representation from even the invited organizations in the effort to as- sure mechanical control and exclusion of rank and file delegates. That the effort to sabotage unity was so decisively defeated in such a conven- tion, shows clearly that the masses can and will overcome all obstacles and break down all barriers to united action. pe nae ‘This convention exposed once again the shameless demagogy of the socialist leaders, including such “militants” among them as Borders. It algo shows the lengths to which they are ready to go in their efforts to defeat the establishment of a united front of the workers. After calling a convention, ostensibly for the purpose and in the name of unity, Borders now declares that he will not abide by the decisions of the majority of this convention. Although nominated, he declined to accept & place on the National Committee elected by this convention with the brazen statement that “I cannot serve on a committee on which I will | be in the minority.”(!) According to a Federated Press dispatch, he has announced that the Chicago Workers’ Committee on Unemployment will not remain in the Federation which the convention established. This from an individual who along with his fellow-socialist leaders “have in- sisted that they are the champions of democracy and that the only yeason why they cannot enter into a united front with Communists is because “Communists believe in a policy of rule or ruin”. By this at- titude, the socialist leaders also provide a practical example of what they mean when they speak of “a united front on honorable terms”. The leaders who try to sabotage the united front of the workers must be treated as the strike-breakers which they are. They must be driven out of the working class organizations that they seek to mislead, disrupt and betray. Over their heads and despite them, the united front for struggle will be developed around the life and death questions which now face millions of impoverished workers. sie That unity cannot be achieved without struggle and without su- stained pressure of the rank and file masses, can also be seen from the conduct at the converition of the various opportunist elements. Lovestoneites, the Proletarian Party and I.W.W. leaders who came as delegates from organia@tions now under their control, while not daring to openly oppose a génuine united front of the workers, nevertheless seized every opportunity to sabotage such unity and perpetuate confusion. By uniting with Borders, they were able to prevent the convention from going on record in support of the most basic need and central unifying demands of the workim@ class. It is these elements who are responsible for defeating in the cofivention the proposal of the Unemployed Councils to develop a united sttuggle for unemployment and social insurance at the expense of the government and employers. In their opposition to a system of genuine unemployment and social insurance, the renegade Lovestoneites, the Proletarian Party and the LWW, find them the company of Bill Green, Matthew Woll and other misleaders who’ while forced’ to profess support for unemployment insurance, sabotage every effort to win this basic demand. The chief weakness of the Convention was the failure to-unite on this most basic issue confronting the workers. The masses of workers who are suffer- ing from chronic unemployment can find no place in such company. ‘They can have no confidence in the sincerity of leaders who while pro- fessing to favor a united front, abandon and sabotage the struggle for the most vital need of the masses. * The militaft workers will rejoice at the advance towards unification of the unemployed movement which was registered at the Chicago Con- vention of the Federation of Unemployed Leagues. But they will not vest on their laurels. Under the leadership of the Communist Party. * * and the militant Unemployed Councils, the workers will continue to fight | for unity in the course of their daily struggles for immediate relief, against evictions and for a system of Federal Unemployment and Social Insurance at the expense of the government and the employers. The Chicago convention must be followed up with continuous efforts that will result in the establishment of one unemployed movement in every city, county, state and nationally. | Green Supports Roosevelt’s Federal Sales Tax Appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, comes out with approval of the Sales Tax now being proposed by the Roosevelt admin- istration. Like all the subservient array that Wall Street’s government thas mobilized behind the Roosevelt hunger and war program, William Green indulges in inordinate praise of Roosevelt after the fashion of ( Hitler's sychophants eulogizing their chief. Says Green of Roosevelt's “industrial recovery” bill which carries the sales tax: “This proposed legislation makes a very definite step-forward | in industrial stabilization, rationalization and economic planning. The bill is appropriately termed an industrial recovery measure. It is, in the judgment of labor, the most outstanding, advanced and forward-looking legislation designed to promote economic recovery that thus far has been proposed.” As usual this mountebank, this professional seller-out of labor, ar- rogates to himself the right to speak for labor. When and where did the membership of the unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor give Green the authority to say that they approved a sales tax to further beat down their purchasing power and increase the cost of liv- ing? When Green speaks it is not for the rank and file of the A. F. of L., but in order to deceive the rank and file and try to chain them to the hunger policy of the government. o « 6 ‘What does this sales tax mean? It means that the government, by a tax on manufactured goods will raise some $220,000,000 a year, which will be turned over to the bankers as interest on a bond issue of $3,300,- 000,000 to “finance” public works, chief of which shall be for military and naval purposes. Never was there a more glaring example of taking from the poor and giving to the rich. a7 This is what Green calls a bill for “economic recovery”. It only means that some $220,000,000 a year which ordinarily would go to buy necessaries of life will no longer be used for that purpose, but will go to the bankers. It means that there will be a lower demand for necessaries by that same amount. Any worker can explain that this is a bill for further cutting down employment instead of putting unemployed to work. ‘This same infamous, bill empowers the government to dictate wages, hours and conditions of labor in all industry, It legalizes the stagger system, and directly beats down .wages. It is put forth as a measure also to defeat the growing movement for unemployment insurance, which both Green and Roosevelt claimed they favored, but which both of them have scrapped. 8 8 The rank and file members of the A. F. of L. are opposed to the Sales Tax. Green does not speak for them, Resolutions should be The* Central “Vol. X, No. 121 ail rker ist Party U.S.A. (Section of the Communist International) Entered d-elass matter at the \GEB>% New York, N. ¥., under the Act ef March 3, 187, Post Office ot NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1933 General Johnson Drew Last WASHINGTON, D, C., May 19.— Although the Industry Control Bill demagogically called a National Re-| covery Bill, has not yet been reviewed in Congress, Roosevelt has already | designated an army man, General} Hugh S. Johnson, a former member of the War Industries Board, to take| charge of the administration of the} bill. Johnson is the originator of the} | selective draft law, which conscripted the masses into the last World War, and will be a useful agent to the gov- SPEND MILLIONS — FOR WAR SHIPS Roosevelt Talks Dis-, armament;Builds Navy | WASHINGTON, May 19.—A $230,- | 000,000 naval building program is to} begin August 1 and continue for three years. It is being planned under the “public works” section of the so- called national industrial recovery bill. Theré are to be 34 vessels in the program: Twenty destroyers; six cruisers, four submarines, two gun- boats and two aircraft carriers. to Explain Hypocrisy Tt was left to Chairman’ Vinson of the House Naval Committee to try to ,explain the difference bétween what Roosevelt said in his message |to 54 nations advocating disarmament and what the administration is do- ing in building more armaments. Vinson said that the main details of this addition to the fighting strength jof the Navy had béen decided upon before Roosevelt’s message, and that they would be carried out. Army Man to Head Government Plan In Industry Control Bill Will Put Over Sale and Sabotage Strikes Up Draft Law in the: War s Tax—Outlaw Unions ernment in regimenting industry for the next war. _/Sohnson, who was involved in the} actual drafting of the Industry Con- | trol Bill, is reported to have already | started the preliminary work of or-! ganization. | One of the chief purposes of the} Industries Control Bill is to put over | a general sales tax and to finance a/ military public works program which} will concentrate principally on the building of 34 new ships. | The features of the bill concerned | with the “stabilization” of industry cover up the main object, the sales tax. They call for the establishment of voluntary codes in each industry which will regulate hours of work, wages and production. Penalties of $500 will be provided against those who fail to abide by the code, indi- cating that the national planning feature merely masks the attempt of monopoly capital to tighten its grip. This aspect of the bill provides the weapon to the big capitalists to squeeze out their smaller competitors and will lead to greater trustification and control. The capitalist press frankly states that “big business” now becomes the law's pet. | At the same time the regulation of working conditions for the workers will result in the same wartime regi- mentation, with the right to organize and strike outlawed, a Provisions in the bill call for the bill to be in effect for two years and to be terminated earlier if the Presi- dent declares the emergency at an end. This indicates that the bill is a step in strengthening the grip of monopoly control and for the organi- zation of industry on a wartime basis in preparation for the coming war. From all reports, the bill will be railroaded through the House on Wednesday under rigid rules of pro- cedure limiting debate. | SAN FRANCISCO, My 19.—For the first time since 1921 when he came as he jumped down on + HEARING IS WON FOR 2 YOUNGEST SCOTTSBORO BOYS LL.D. Makes Fight to. Free Wright, Williams | ATHENS, Ala., May 19.—Writs: of habeas corpus granting a hearing for Roy Wright and Eugene Williams, the two youngest Scottsboro boys, were forced from Judge Jamés E. Horton by General George W. Chamlee of Chattanooga, International Labor Defense chief of the Scottsboro legal defense corps, yésterday. At the same time Judge Horton or- dered hearing-on the writs to be heard before himself, June 1, and refuséd to transfer hearings to Bir- mingham, a demand also raised by the LL.D, and Gen. Chamlee. Oppose Decatur The International Labor Defense announced that it would continue to raise this demand, to prévent the bringing of the boys again into the lynch-infested atmosphere of Deca- tur, where during the trial of Hay- wood Patterson, mobs were almost daily organized in an effort to lynch thé boys, their lawyers, and witnesses. The ILD, called on all workers and sympathizers, Negro and white, to back up this demand with a flood of telegrams to Judge Horton, at Athens. The writs were based on four grounds: (1) that the boys are ille- gally héld by the circuit court, which has no jurisdiction over them, since they are juveniles; (2) that they have been denied the constitutional right to a speedy, fair, and impartial trial by failure of the staté to turn them over to the juvenile court for prose- Mooney Moved Secretly From San Quentin to ’Frisco Jail Transfer Made Quietly to Prevent Militant Demonstration of Weleome by Workers here in connection with defense moves, Tom Mooney yesterday once again saw San Francisco where for years he was an active labor organizer before being framed up by the California power interests, Mooney was handcuffed the deck of the boat from the San Rafael-Rich- @mond Wharf. Transfer in Secret The famous labor prisonér was yes- terday secretly transferred from San Quentin prison where he has been for the past 17 years, and lodged in the San Francisco county jail. The removal was madé in connection with the second trial of Mooney on an unused indictment, due to begin here on Monday. Mooney’s journey across San Fran- cisco bay was shrouded in mystery by the authorities in order to pre- vent a démonstration of welcome by thousands of workers who for years have kept up a ceaseless agitation for his freedom. It was the militant character of the demonstration of 20,000 workers which Judge Ward used as an excusé.to postpone the Mooney trial several weeks ago. Leo Gallagher, International La- bor Defense attorney, has compelled the servicé of 22 subpoenaes of wit- nesses for the trial. In this con- nection, Mooney said that “our de- mand is for the admission of every scrap of evidence. It's the only way we can prove my conviction was a frame-up,” Gréeted by Wife Mooney’s wife, Rena, visited the prisoner just as soon as she learned that he had been brought to San Francisco from San Quentin, She was allowed 15 minutes with him and She said for the first timé in 12 years she sat beside him and kissed him. She was arrested with Mooney in 1916 but was acquitted. Enemies Active Meanwhile, the enémies of the Mooney defense continued in their efforts to block the trial by which the IL.D. and the Mooney Molders Defensé Committee hope to expose the whole hideous frame-up. John O'Gara, former prosecutor, again an- nounced that he would seek a state supreme court writ ordering dismis- sal of the unused indictment, thus preventing the trial, RE PRPs es STORMY JOBLESS MERTS IN N. Y. DEMAND RELIEF Scores of Hundreds ‘Demonstrate All Over City NEW YORK.—Thousands of unem- ployed, men and women, Negro and} white, mothers and fathers, some with their children demonstrated yes- terday all over New York in three) borough-wide and one local demon. stration shouting at every point, “We demand rent, we demand relief, if Tammany has money for bankers! then it has money for us.” Relief | for single workers protesting against | forced labor camps was made. They | were led by the Unemployed Councils. | Hundreds of police, mounted on) foot, detectives and thugs were mob- ilized by the city government and for the first time an armored car was brought in for action. Attacks and A s Brutal attacks and arrests were made with the workers resisting hero- ically maintaining their ranks, pick- eting the bureaus shouting their de- | mands, carrying placards, and contin- uing the demonstration for hours. 500 in Boro Hall In Boro Hall, over 500 unemployed formed a picket line and marched in| front of the Borough bureau, 69} Schermerhorn St., for two hours} shouting their demands—waving dis-| Possess notces and placards. The bu-| Teau office was barred by an iron) gate as the workers marched up and | back, and officials refused to see a delegation. But the stormy militancy | finally forced the police and officials: to admit a delegation of four. | Hundreds of other workers were | kept a block’s distance from the pick- | eters but could not be driven away by the police. It was at this meeting where the armored car was brought in, standing at Court St. and Scher- merhorn. Defy Cops Defying the squads of mounted and foot police a speaker addressed the crowd without a permit saying “We did not come here for trouble but for rent.” When the delegation was ready to enter the workers were asked for disposses notices and names of) those facing eviction. Notices came | from all directions until there was a} batch of over a dozen while others crowded around giving their names. Denied Aid When the delegation returned with the report that the bureau head, Mrs. O'Neil said “She. couldn't do any- thing” there was loud booing. “They have money for the bankers, but not for us,” the speaker said. Immediately after the delegation reported, the line started for Bor- ough Hall, brushing aside attempts) of the police to stop them. The workers showed splendid discipline | organization — refusing to be | provoked by the police. They spoke, marched and shouted with hundreds | of cops eager to smash them, “The| fight is not over,” a speaker said, we will go back in our neighborhood and organize; We will be at the bureau each day until rent is paid. If our ae is put out we will put it This sentiment and determination was echoed at each demonstration. Three hundred Manhattan unem- ployed who assembled on lower east side and west and marched to the Manhattan borough relief bureau, 87) West 47th St., resisted police attacks and picketed the office. Mothers Lead | Three young working class mothers, | pushing baby carriages, led the line. Pinned on the carriages were evic-|* tion notices. Picketine Brooklyn Bureau (Dally Worker Staff Photo) | They Got In (Daily Worker Stait Photo “See the Inspector,” said this cop to a delegation eiected to see O'Neil head of the Broolyn Home Relief Bureaus yesterday. Over 500 [Gay announced a 33 per cent wage | unemployed demanded entrance for the delegation. “We didn’t come to talk to cops” they said. e came for relief.” Then they went in. TERROR, ARRESTS CHALLENGE N.Y. { WORKING CLASS NEW YORK.—A telegram protest- ing the attacks on the unemployed | men and women demonstrating for) shelter and food today and a Semend| that police be withdrawn from all re- lief bureaus was sent yesterday to| Police Commissioner Bolan and | Mayor O’Brien by the Unemployed) Councils of Greater New York. The| telegram also demanded the release of all arrested and the’ immediate payment of rents and no cuts in re~ lief. | ‘All workers organizations and in-| dividuals are asked to flood the city; hall with similar protests and de- mands. Today 16 workers come up for sen- tence at the 163rd St. and Elton Ave. Court. M. Snipe was beaten uncon- scious at the Harlem demonstration yesterday will be tried at the 5th district court 12ist St. and Lexington Ave., today, 10 a.m. The barbarous attacks by the Tam- many bull-dogs yesierday, the whole- sale arrests is the efforts of the city government and the bankers to make the unemployed starve and be evicted | quietly. NEW YORK.—Pians were complet- ed today by the Sam Gonshak Ac-| tion Committee for a mass campaign | to secure the reiease of this militant) worker railroaded by Judge Aurelio} to 2 years on Blackwell Island for} his demanding relief at a Home Re-| lief station. All ILD branches in greater New York have been called upon to hold} open air demonstrations during next | week jointly with the nearest Unem-j ployed Councils for Gonshak’s re-j lease. | Unable To Find Job, Dies | After Slashing Throat | Stephen Socha, 23, commilted sui- | cide in his home at 115 Livingston | _ | strikers. “PEACE MESSAGE” HE PROPOSES TO SPEND $230,000,000 FOR AN ENORMOUS NAVY, AND DECIDES TO MAKE THE MASSES PAY FOR THE BUILDING OF MORE BATTLESHIPS BY A SALES TAX ON FOOD AND ALL OTHER NECESSITIES OF LIFE SPECIAL SATURDAY FEATURE SECTION ON PAGES 3 AND 5 ate southerly winds. THE WEATHER—Today: CITY EDITION Mostly cloudy; moder- Price 3 Cents STRIKES SPREAD; WORKERS DEMAND WAGE INCREASES, EXPOSING ROOSEVELT FRAUD Struggles Developing in Shoe, Textile, Food, Mining and Needle Industries Show Determined Re istance to New Attacks Under Cover of “Prosperity Talk” Reports of strikes developing in many sections of the country against wage cuts and for pay increases prove conclusively that the workers have not had any taste of the Roosevelt “wage increases” so loudly heralded in the capitalist press in the latest fraud and deception of the administration Pay cuts are wide-spread. The bosses are now attempting to head off the growing demands for wage increases by urging the workers to wait for the Roosevelt labor program to be passed. .But these attempts to smother the struggles of the workers will be re- | sisted with proper organization and struggle. Workers, build your organizations in the shops. Get together in your better conditions. ST. LOUIS PLANTS Food Strike Spreads ; 1100 Join Union ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 19.—Eleven hundred workers, the majority Negro women, nut pickers of the Funsten Nut Co. are solidly on striké here for wage increases, Inspired by the ex- ample of these strikers, 800 more in another industry here also walked out on strike today, joining thé Food Workers: Industrial’ Union, Sixty-five Negro women of the Am- erican Manufacturing Co, struck yes- terday. Mass picketing is taking place in front of all shops and although | police have attemptéd to break up the picket lines, the workers’ ranks are unbroken. Twenty strikers were arrested during the picketing yeés- terday. All sections of the workers are supporting the strike. The strike movement is spreading through the city as workers, éncouraged by the militancy of the strikers, are consid- ering action for the improvement of their own conditions. The Funsien Co. management to- increasé. The strikers voted yester- day at their mass meeting to strike until all demands are met, Relief is urgently needed by the The Workers’ Intérnational Relief in Chicago shipped a truc! load of food to the strikers today, and is organizing collections for food funds in solidarity with the strikers. The Chicago W.LR. calls upon all workers’ organizations to support the strike. Relief headquarters are at North Garrison Ave., St. Louis. 500 Providence, R. L Textile Workers On Strike Second Time PROVIDENCE, R. I., May 19.— About 500 weavers walked out on strike here on Wednesday. They re- turned to work on Thursday morn- ing after winning a partial victory and walked out again in the after- noon. The. workers struck against a speed-up wage cut proposal to run 8 looms for $15.33 instead of the: present 6 looms for $14, The company agreed to establish the wage scale of $21.60 in effect before March 1st They returned to their jobs but walked out again when they found that the promised wage ir 10 to 20 per cent to other de; had not been forthcoming. R. I. Governor Orders Breaking of Strike of Relief Workers WOONSOCKET, R. I, May 19.— Governor Green has ordered the breaking of a strike against a wage cut of 25 per cent on a work project. The order is that “any one refusing 1243 tments to work (at lower wages) shall be| cut off the relief list. This and the activities of local capitalist: politicians | is succeeding in breaking the strike of the relief workers. AFL Officials Accept % Wage Cut for Syracuse Paper Toilers SYRACUSE, WY: May 19.—A wage reduction of 5 per cent was de- clared today by the officials of the Regis Paper Company in conference first |“ | departments and factories. Work out your demands for pay increases and Prepare to organize and strike to enforce these demands, 2,000 STRIKE IN 10,000 FISHERMEN ARE ON STRIKE Pacifie Fishermen for Price Rice from Packers EATTLE, Wash., May 19.—10,000 salmon fi rmen, along 2,000 miles of the Pa c coast line from Alaska to California are on strike for prices which will net them a living. | Fishermen were paid only a little more than 5 and a half cents for fish last year and went into debt while their families starved. Now they are demanding 3 cents which will provide a bare minimum existence. The big | cannery owners are offering 6 cents | and a year’s moratorium on the fish- | ermen’s debts. But the fishermen | will not pe induued to work for noth- | ing again. | Not a fishing boat is out on the Columbia River and the ranks of the strikers remain unbroken. 1500 N.H.ShoeWorkers |Refuse Pay ‘Promises’ Strike for Increases MANCHESTER, N. H., May 19— 1500 shoe workers are out on strike here after refusing to accept a “prom- ise” of the N. H. State Labor Com- missioner that a ten per cent pay rise would follow after the season's orders have been completed. The worers demand a pay increase now, Pay “Rise” Fraud Exposed by Amoskeag |Workers,Threat Strike MANCHESTER. N. H., May 19.—A strike will be called at the Amos- keag Mills if by May not come ac: and cent of the wages cut 9 the boss does nized in the U.T.W. de- The Amoskeag Co. nounce a fraudulent to take place on July 29 as loudly acclaimed as an- mple of Roosevelt's magical he workers have, of their wages hs. ‘Ohio Shoe Workers StrikeAgainst Pay Cut WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio, May 19.— ivan Shoe Co. st a ten per nnounced by company. They were followed by workers of the Georgetown plant of the same company. hastened “wage 1: which Strike Forces Company to Withdraw Cut ROCKY RIVER, Ohio.—A wage cut which the Rocky River Bakery | Co., attempted to put over was quickly withdrawn when its 60 workers went on strike here. STRIKE IN UTICA MILLS ANNISTON, Ala., May 19.—600 workers of the Utica Knitting Mills struck on Wednesday, demanding higher wages and changes in work= ing rules, 7: Shirt Makers Strike ELIZABETH, N. J., May 19.—500 shirt makers walked out on strike for wage increases and recognition of |the union. The strike was called by |the Amalgamated Clothing Workers | Union. with the officials of the Papermakers’ | cution. This point is based on Sec- Union of the A. F. of L. The mis-| ay, introduced at once in all A. F. of L, locals condemning the Sales Tax and Green's support of it. y The opposition within the A. F. of L. must make the struggle against reen's support of the Sales Tax one of its immediate tasks. tion 6 of the Alabama constitution which guarantees to everyone “in all prosecutions by indictment a speedy trial,” and on the Fourteenth Amend- ment, (3) that they are held under void commitments and entitled to be releaséd; and (4) that they are un- Ca any circumstances entitled to j a Here as at Borough Hall irom dis- cipline answered police provocation | from 50 foot and a dozen mounted (Continued om Page ® St., Elizabeth, yeste: by cutting | his throat with a razor. His father | said he had been unemployed for | more than a year and was despon- | dent. leaders accepted the cut while at the same time they are the first to sup- port the lying Roosevelt “prosperity \ propagands, 250 MINERS STRIKE IN KY. BLUE DIAMOND, KY., May 19.— [250 miners struck here against wagé jcuts and increased prices in the com- ‘pany store