The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 24, 1933, Page 1

jFarmers! Write About Your Struggles in the Daily Worker! See “Day by Day” Column on Page Two (Section of the Commexnist International) See Page 3 for the Special Ar- ticle by Harry Gannes on the Industrial Recovery Act. Vol. X, No. 151 Se Ratored as secomd-sinss matter at the Post Offies at New York, N. ¥., under the Act of March 8, 1879, NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1933 NATIONAL EDITION Price 3 Cents WORKERS, DEMONSTRATE TODAY AGAINST FASCIST TERROR! Faith in Hortons’s “Justice” Would Annul I.L.D. Victory Yer winning of a new trial for Heywood Patterson, first of the framed- up Scottsboro boys to be retried in Decatur, is a real victory for the International Labor Defense which has led the fight for the release of all the nine innocent boys for the past two years. Let those who attempt to detract from the I.L.D. victory by extolling Judge Horton as an example of sterling “impartiality” bear clearly in mind that Judge Horton denied the defense motion to set aside the ver- dict on April 17, immediately after he sentenced Patterson to die in the electric chair in Kilby Prison. Horton now reversed the death verdict on the ground that Victoria Price’s testimony was unsupported. Yet he knew this, as well as other facts, full well at the time he denied the defense motion. Nothing of a legal nature—no new evidence—intervened between the denial of the defense motion on April 17, and Thursday, when he ordered a new trial. * . * . Wee: then, caused this change of front? The answer is to be found in the ceaseless mass movement initiated and organized by the Inter- national Labor Defense: the Washington Scottsboro March, the thou- sands of signatures attached to petitions demanding the release of the boys, the fact that over a million people attended meetings and demon- strations on behalf of the Scottsboro boys and the growth of the whole movement in the struggle for Negro rights. On April 17, Judge Horton denied the defense motion to set aside the verdict on the same grounds that he himself cites at the present moment to explain his action. When Tidwell, Morgan County Jury Commissioner, admitted that Negroes were never called to serve on juries, Horton refused to declare a mistrial. When Attorney General Knight clapped his hands in high glee when one of his witnesses recited perjured testimony in a manner which Knight thought was damaging to the defense, Judge Horton refused to declare » a mistrial. When Solicitor Wade Wright appealed to the basest prejudices of the local “jury that laughed” and ranted that “Alabama justice cannot be bought and sold with Jew money from New York,” Judge Horton refused to declare a mistrial. 2 * . * wa after the death verdict was brought in, Attorney Brodsky, chief counsel of the International Labor Defense, proved conclusively that the juhy had made and received telephone calls while “deliberating” its verdict, Judge Horton refused to set aside the verdict. In brief, Judg Hortcn’s action was caused by no abstract legal con- siderations, It was a direct result of the tremendous mass protest move- ment initiated by the International Labor Defense and the Communist Party which has swept throughout the entire country and the reverbera- ticns which have been felt throughout the entire world. “Judge Horton’s ruling will prevent a review of Alabama's jury sys- tem by tlie higher courts, as it removes the necessity for an appeal.” ‘This sentence is contained in all the capitalist press news despatches from Alabama. It is thus quite clear that in the face of the mass protest move- ment, they were anxious to avoid further exposure of Southern lynch- law justice as revealed in the lower court and to smash the growing unity of Negro and white toilers in the struggle for Negro rights. For this rea- son they granted a new trial in Alabama, hoping there to be able to carry through 2 better-concealed lynching after a new trial. But they will not find it easy to succeed in their maneuvers. The issue of the rights of Negroes to serve on juries, sharply raised by the I-L.D. in the Patter- son trial and already having nation-wide repercussions will not easily be side-tracked. The same is true of the other issues in the Scottsboro case. ‘The Communist Party, with all vigilance, will continue to expose all these maneuvers, and rally the masses for the struggle to release these nine innocent boys, and for full equality for the Negro people. * * > . IDGE HORTON has keen forced to acknowledge that the nine Negro boys are being held on framed-up charges, Now is the time to in- crease the mass protest movement a thousand-fold. Meetings and dem- onstrations should be organized in every city, town and village of the United States, bringing to the masses the facts of the case and the source from which Scottsboro flows. Let the demand for the immediate and safe release of the Scottsboro boys be heard in every shop, mill, farm and factory in this country. Wage an unceasing fight—until the steel gates of the Jefferson County Prison open for the innocent Scottsboro boys! Domand full equality for the Negro people! Fight for the right of self- deiermination in the Black Belt! The “Recovery” Act Used to Stop Hosiery Strike The “Industrial Recovery” Act as a strike-breaking agency, and the policy being pursued by the right wing trade union leaders under this act, was most clearly brought out in connection with the “strike” of full fashioned hosiery workers called in Philadelphia for Thursday. All arrangements supposedly had been made to call a strike. A final mec.ing was held on Wednesday and strike machinery set up. Every- thing appeared in readiness for the strike to begin at six o'clock Thurs- day morning. An hour efter the meeting adjourned a telegram was re- ceived from Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins at Washington asking that the strike be called off and that negotiations be started under the “recovery” act. Emil Reeve, socialist president of the union, immediately, without consultation with the workers, called off the strike. Here was a classical example of how the strike-breaking combination of bosses, government and reactionary labor officials operate against the workers, These hosiery workers were unorganized; they were extremely ‘ dissatisfied with their conditions; a strike of these workers for im- proved conditions was clearly developing, Reeve and Hoffman, of the reactionary full-fashioned hosiery union, rushed in to head off a strike, and, at the same time, to herd the workers into their union, with gov- ernment aid. In this way they hoped to prevent the workers from set- ting up their own forms of organization—truly representative shop com- mittees and a really fighting union—which alone could lead them in a successful struggle for improved conditions. ‘That the betrayal of the hosiery workers of Philadelphia was cafe- fully planned in advance is seen in the wording of the “strike call” put out by Branch No. 1, Local 706, of the American Federation of Full Fash- joned Hosiery Workers. In the leaflet we read: “Roosevelt has done his part in helping labor, now it’s up to labor to help itself ty demanding organization, union wages and decent work- ing conditions.” ‘ This was clearly a deliberate attempt to make the workers believe that Roosevelt's program will aid them. Thus it was easier for Miss Per- fins, as a member of Roosevelt's cabinet, to intervene to break the strike, and to make ii easier for the treacherous officials of the union, to call off the strike, assured of the full support of the bosses and the government. ‘The hosiery workers should disrégard and scorn the order to call off the strike. They should take matters into their own hands, elect their own committees, formulate their own demands, create their own demo- ep ttically chosen strike machinery and exclude the treacherous “leaders” from any participation in the struggle. Such a policy will bring victory. Roosevelt Clothing Code Undermines Union Standards Calls for Minimum Wage of $15; Bosses’ Starvation Code for Textiles “A Pretty Good Job,” Says McMahon, A. F. of L. Textile Head WASHINGTON, D. C., June 23.—Employers are moving swiftly towards completing the codes under Roosevelt's Recovery Law which will usher in a drive to beat down the workers’ standards. Fast on the heels of the an- | nouncement of the cotton textile code with its starvation minimum wage level established for the workers in the cotton textile industry the men’s clothing manufacturers report the starvation wage to be imposed on the workers. Proposals that the wages be set at 35 cents an hour for the South and 38 cents an hour for the North for a 40 hour week mean the estab- lishment of a $14 minimum in the South and $15.20 in the North. It represents the brazen attempt of the bosses with the assistance of Sidney Hillman to bring down the level of \the organized workers’ wages to that NEEDLE UNION IN STRUGGLES THRUOUT U. 8. Win Strike in St. Louis Strikes for More Pay to Meet Price Rise of the unorganized and to destroy the standards of the organized work- ers. The union wage scale in men’s | clothing is about $45 a week. It is already clear that with the $10 minimum wage to be established \for the textile industry, all other codes will be determined by this standard. The employers are bent on making present low levels of wages the per- manent standard for the American’ working class, making the. minimum wage actually the maximum wage. McMahon For Textile Code President McMahon of the United Textile Workers declared today that , he considered the cotton textile code represented “a pretty good job.” By this utterance he climaxes the series of betrayals of the textile workers which has steadily driven down their living and working conditions. LLG. Heads For Roosevelt Slave | Scale An unnamed official of the Inter- ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 23.—After a jnational Ladies Garment Workers’ is two hour strike at the Cerf Bag Co. TePorted as having declared in the led by the Needle Trades Workers’ | CaPltalist press today that a $15 min- Industrial Union, 42 workers in the !™um wage for the garment industry shop won increases in wages from $3 SUC as proposed by the clothing | to $8 a week ‘and reduced their hours: Manufacturers would be 400 per cent) of work from 60 to 44. Their shop | Petter than today. Yet Dubinsky committee and union were recognized {ace to face with the workers at a by the boss and the right of the com- {mss meeting last night when ques- mittee to determine whether a work- | tioned about the proposed minimum er shall be fired was established ‘by | W@8e evaded the issue and is report- the committee. joa to have answered that the ladies The bag workers organized a local | 8#fment industry was independent of following the strike. the men’s clothing industry. He eit kia would not dare face the indignation Fur Workers Prepare For General |of the workers with the proposal to Strike slash the union scale of wages and PHILADELPHIA, Pa., June 23.—At ; set a $15 wage level. The officials of a well attended and enthusiastic the union knew that the sentiment meeting of the fur workers here last of the workers is to raise their wages Thursday at which many former right as the cost of living mounts. wing workers were present a decision | Only to the extent that the work-/ to prepare for a general strike in the ers organize and strike to defeat the Halted Again! —By Burck. Red Aid Greets I.L.D. in Scottsboro Fight The International Labor Defense yesterday received the following cablegram of greetin, g from the International Red Aid, of which the LL.D. is the American section, on the victory in winning a new trial for Haywood Patterson: MOSCOW, USSR INTERNATIONAL LABOR DEFENSE NEW YORK EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL RED AID GREETS NEW TRIAL PATTERSON AS RESULT MASS EFFORT ORGANIZED BY INTERNATIONAL LABOR DEFENSE STOP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONFI- DENT I.L.D. WILL INCREASE ACTIVITY FOR RE- LEASE OF SCOTTSBORO BOYS MOONEY BILLINGS ALL OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS AND SUPPORT RELIEF OF: VICTIMS GERMAN FASCIST TERROR STOP EXECUTIVE COMM: ITTEE BELIEVES I.L.D. WILL BROADEN ITS BASE BY DRAWING INTO ITS RANKS NEW NEGRO AND WHITE WORKERS AND GIVE ADDED PROOF CORRECTNESS OF POLICY. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, INTERNATIONAL RED AID. Demand to Quash Indictment of 9, coming few weeks was made. A/menace of the Recovery Law and the! special committee was elected to make | treachery of the officialdom will this final preparations. Demands for a | new low level of wages be fastened minimum scale, and a 40 hour week | upon the workers be smashed. In will be worked out by the committee.| every shop the workers should at At present the fur workers here work | once begin the election of their own! an wnlimited number of hours for $18 shop committees, to formulate their and $20 a week. Former right wing | demands for a decent living wage fur workers pledged their support to | instead of the Roosevelt Starvation the Needle Trades Union in this cam- | Scale, and prepare for struggle for paign to win better conditions for the |better conditions. By strengthening | SAN FRANCISCO.—A mass meet- ing of cloakmakers called by the In- ternational, on June 14th was turned into a struggle, by the cloakmakers present, for a united front. fur workers. the militant unions and the opposi- | San Francisco Cloakmakers Support | tion groups of the A. F. of L. the United Front workers will carry through struggles to force the bosses to grant higher wages, improve their conditions and to maintain the right to strike and’ to join the unions of their own choos- ing. NEW YORK, June 23—A demand for the quashing of all indictments against fhe nine Scottsboro boys will be made at once by attorneys of the International Labor Defense, it was announced. at the office of the I. L. D. today. . Writs of habeas corpus will be again demanded immediately for Eugene Williams and Roy Wright, the two youngest Scottsboro boys, now held in Birmingham, Ala., jail with the other seven, despite the fact that their case is to be heard in juvenile court. Heightening of. mass pressure for the freetiom of the boys as well as for the abolishment of Jim Crowism, has been called for by W. Patterson, national secretary of the I. L. D. BULLETIN CHICAGO, June 23 — There is being organized a huge demonstra- tion and parade Saturday after- noon at 5ist and Dearborn im sym- pathy with the striking needle trades workers of the Sopkin’s sweat shops. The movement of solidarity in support of the strike is rapidly spreading through the South Side. The scene of the police attacks around 39th and Michigan is today an armed camp with uniformed policemen and detec- tives swarming the district. ee, Fe (See picture of Chicago Needle Strikers on Page 4, with news of other strikes). a eee CHICAGO, June 23.—In face of vicious police clubbinb and jailing to try to force the needle trades workers of B. Sopkins & Sons back to their sweat shops to slave for $2 to $4 for a 52 hour week, the lines of the strikers are holding firm. Everyone of the B. Sopkins shops is shut down and large numbers of workers in two other shops are on strike, all led by the Needle Trades Workers Industrial Union. The four shops on Wentworth Ave. are locked and pickets are on hand to see that they are kept closed. At 39th St. and Michigan, the largest of the Sop- kin plants, mass picketing is being carried on. The workers are out 100 ber cent and only 15 scabs are at CHICAGO NEEDLE WORKERS STRIKE AGAINST SWEAT SHOP CONDITIONS: work in this shop which normally em- Ploys 500 workers. Launch Vicious Police Assaults The worst excesses of police bru- tality have. occurred at this shop. On Wednesday every police squad on the South Side rallied to break the picket lines. Police Lieutenant Mike Mills and his notorious Red Squad led\the attempts to disperse the pick- ets. Although many were clubbed and jailed the workers fought back and refused to leave. On Thursday the police attacks were continued. Two workers were arrested. The strike is spreading in spite of these attacks. The majority of workers employed at the Mary Ann Shop, in the same building as Sop- kin’s, have gone out in sympathy, refusing to work in a building where workers are fighting against starva- tion wages, long hours and sweat- shop conditions. Strike Launched Monday The women went out on strike Monday to fight against the $2 to $4 a week wage, the 52 hour week and the slave driving tactics of the bosses. They even had to pay to get their checks cashed and were fined for “damaged goods.” Hundreds of the workers have join- ed the Needle Trades Workers In- dustrial Union, which is leading the ‘strike, as they recognize it as their union, Draw Up Demands on Bosses A program of demands which is winning support from needle trades workers in many shops was drawn up by the strikers as follows: 1. Minimum wage for operators, 25 cents per hour, 2. Minimum for pressers, 35 cents per hour. 3. The 44-hour week. 4. Equal pay fov equal work for colored and white workers. 5. Equal division of work—no dis- crimination. 6. No charge for 7. No firing without cause. 8. Recognition of shop committee of union. As soon as the shops were organ- ized Sopkin promised the women a 10 per cent increase in wages. The women laughed at that because it meant an increase of from but 20 to 40 cents per week. The bosses then tried to split the workers on racial lines, but they were defeated at that! and Negro and white workers are | fighting in solid ranks. Labor Fakers Aid Police The officials of the American Fed- eration of Labor, whose policies have helped the bosses establish and main- tain sweat shop conditions, are aiding the strike-breaking actions of the po- lice. ‘The capitalist press quotes them as joining Police Lieutenant Mills in shouting that the strikers are red agitators. But red scares are becom- ing less useful in frightening away workers who are more and more de- termined to fight against hunger goods. sufficient |Socialist Workers! Jo Protest Against In rallying against German own struggles in the past. In Sacco and Vanzetti. On innu-| merable occasions the revolu- tionary workers turned out in giant} demonstrations demanding freedom for Thomas Mooney. Last year two German. workers were killed when police fired into a huge’ demonstra- tion for the release of the innocent | Scottsboro boys. The workers of America can now repay their solemn debt of class soli- darity to their German fellow- workers, who now call for the aid of the international working class their implacable struggle with the. black forces of Fascist reaction. It is up to us to see to it that this call does not go unheeded. The American Socialist leaders have not stirred a finger to mobilize | the Socialist workers for action.| Even now, when their own party, the Socialist Party of Germany, is sup- pressed, the Socialist leaders issue Recruits on Way to Forest Riot On the! |Train, Demand Bread ST. PAUL, Minn., June 23.—Dis- order started on # train carrying 463 recruits to the forced labor camps when they. demanded food. The boys were hungry and were traveling from Manley, Iowa. Nine hundred pounds of bread was bought here to feed them. The recruits are on their way to work in forests located near Yellow- stone Park. 700,000 in Impressive Tribute to Zetkin in Red Square at Moscow By N. BUCHWALD (Moscow Correspondent of the Daily Worker) MOSCOW, June 22—The remains of Clara Zetkin were laid at rest on Red Square after a most impressive demonstration of 100,000 Moscow workers. The pallbearers included outstand- ing leaders of the world revolution- ary movement: Stalin, Molotov, Vo- roshiloy, Kalinin, Katayama, Krup- skaya, Marty, Piatnitzky, Yaroslav- sky, Heckert, Bela Kun, Knorin, and others. Brief speeches were made from the top of Lenin’s mausoleum by T’atayama, Marty, Heckert, Molo- toy and Krupskaya. Red Square was filled to overflow- ing with the vanguard ranks of the procession. Streets in every direc- tion were covered for blocks with hundreds of thousands of workers carrying black draped banners with orchestras playing solemn revolution- ary music. ¢ A hush fell over the square when the pallbearers appeared carrying a canopy-shaped bier, flower-laden, with a small urn containing the ashes. A military guard from the Red Army lined the route from the Hall of Columns to Red Square, adding to the solemnity of the scene. Resting the bier near Lenin’s mau- soleum, the pallbearers with red and black armbands mounted the plat- | form and spoke the last words of farewell to the leader who fought the most valiant fight for half a cen- tury on behalf of the world proleta- riat. Over the Kremlin the red flag with the hammer and sickle played in the breeze, mutely eloquent, telling the wages and the horrible conditions of labor that prevail in such places as the garment shops of this city. Relief Badly Needed From the first day of the strike relief has been one of the big prcb- lems. The wages receiyed were even below the level of existence and the strikers are all without funds. The workers have the spirit, the determin- ation and the courage to win. But they must not be left to fight on empty stomachs. All workers and sympathizers are urged to rush food and funds to Strike Headquarters, 10 W. 47th St., third floor, Chicago, Ill. dead veteran her fight had not been in vain. Airplanes flew overhead, as if their motors’ purr pledged the de- fense of the Socialist Fatherland as staunchly as Clara Zetkin had fought for its triumph. In opening the memorial meeting, Katayama said: “Our Clara has al- ways been in the foremost ranks of the struggle against imperialism and for the establishment of the Social- ist society, the proletarian revolution. The working class will never forget her relentless struggle against im- perialism and’ the traitors of the Second International during the War. “Clara is.no longer with us, but her place will be taken by millions of. fighters against fascism and the ie of the bourgeoisie in all coun- es.” Fa America are strengthening the Anti-Fascist fighting front and repaying the aid given them by the German worker: AID GERMAN WORKERS IN THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST HITLER TERROR in United Front of Fascist Terror! ism today, the workers of 's in their 1922 and during the following years the workers cf Germany demonstrated in hundreds of | thousands for the release of *————— — " no call for participation in the united front of protest against Fascism Socialist workers! Join in the United Front demonstrations today to protest the barbaric terror of the Hitler regime and for the release of all anti-fascist fighters Workers! Show the world that the workers of America stand shoulder to shoulder with their German com- rades in the fight against Fascism “The International Labor Defense has received an appeal from the Ex- } ecutive Committee of the Internation- al Red Aid at Moscow, calling on all American workers to join in carrying on the. great work of Clara Zetkin in the struggle against Fascism and White Terror, against imperialist war, for the defense of the Soviet Union, and for the international solidarity of all the oppressed and exploited. “The text of the appeal follows: “Pulfill the legacy of Clara Zetkin! “Workers, toilers in town and vil- lage. “Millions of toilers of the whole world stand with head bowed at the grave of Clara Zetkin. “A full life of revolutionary strug- gle has ended. A heart full of pas- sionate hatred against the capitalist system of exploitation, full of un- limited love for the faithfulness to the working class and all the op- pressed, has stopped beating. “As Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Red Aid, Clara had since 1914 constantly led the struggle against terror, fas- cism and bourgeois class justice. She collaborated energetically in the great world-wide solidarity work of the ILR.A. The resounding appeals and manifestoes of our old but always young Clara inspired the hearts of millions of members of the Red Aid and gave them new impetus and strength in their struggle. “In the spirit of Clara, our presi- dent, the Executive Committee of the LR.A. calls upon all its millions of members to close the ranks, fulfill the legacy of our great dead, inten- sify the struggle against German Fas- cism and the White Terror in all countries, broaden and deepen the relief actions for the victims of the White Terror. “Workers, toilers, oppressed peoples and nationalities! “Rally around the relief work of the LR.A., which was also the work of Clara Zetkin. “Under the banner of this cam- paign, join our ranks. Continue with us the grand work of Clara Zetkin in the struggle against Fascism and White Terror, against imperialist war, for the defense of the Soviet Union, for the international solidarity of all tha oppressed and exploited. “This will be the fittest monument for our unforgettable Clara Zetkin.” Marine Union Headquarters Shot Up by Institute Cop PHILADELPHIA, Pa., June 23.—McNulty, a private thug hired by the Seamen’s Church Institute of Philadelphia, shot up the Marine Workers Industrial Union hall here Thursday night. McNulty is held in $800 bail, stitute of this city. About 8 o'clock in the evening, McNulty came through the doors of the M. W. I. U. hall and started} smashing the furniture.’ The fifteen seamen in the place started for him. McNulty: drew a gun and started firing at the secretary and the other) seamen. One bullet passed through the secretary’s hat and grazed his} hair. j | Police Rescue Thug | The seamen defended themselves} and the union hall, and McNulty was rescued by the police who put him} under arrest to protect him. | He was booked on a charge,of at- tempted. murderous assault. Fridoy morning’ Magistrate Harrigan MeNulty’s bail at. the ridicv?ou low figure of $800. The Seamen's Church . Institute, biggesi of the charity rackets on the waterfront, for ‘which McNulty toted a gun, sent. its best lawyers to defend the thug, and statred the machinery rolling to | whitewash him. They openly sup- port his attack on the MWIU and one third of the bail required to release a seaman charged with distributing leaflets in the Seamen’s Church In-~- SUTTRC aa justify the attack. This attack by the thug follows the reign of terror that the Insti- tute has carried on for the last year, beating up seamen and having them arrested for “assault” afterward. Re- cently Frank Cole, an unemployed seaman, was brutally beaten by this same McNulty, who then had him arrested on charges of assault. The case was defended by the MWIU and the International Labor Defense, who exposed the frameup as an effort of the Institute to rob the seamen of fnuds collected for relief. The jury acuitted Cole. All branches of the MWIU are hevding meetings sending ot i test to the various ef king steps to pro- tect tr ives from such murderous assaults the future. All workers’ organizations are urged to send telegrams to Magistrate Har- rigan, quarter sessions court, Phila~ delphia, demanding full prosecution of McNulty and demanding disarm- ing of the insiiute police,