The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 24, 1933, Page 4

Page Four 500 Workers Tie Up 3 Metal Plants in Jamestown, N.Y. Strike When Company Threatens to Close Down; Demand 30 Per Cent Wage Increase As Living Costs Mount Due to Inflation JAMESTOWN, N. ¥., June 23.—C! ‘rippling completely all production in the three plants of the Art Metal Construction Co., more than 500 work- ers struck here on Wednesday demanding an increase in wages and other imp-ovements in their conditions. demands which they > ted to the company. The the abolition of the and efficiency sys- return of all back pay the company through for the reinstatement of scharged recently through it The workers demand wages be increased 30 per the premium and bonus and that the shop committee be that tem union and Inst ng the demands ee, the company ing of all the workers ice staff and in or- date them demanded on whether the com- in open or close down be- “losing” mone the Workers Vote “Strike” eV voted but not on the S proposals. They voted on cuestion of strike. They assem- n the Scandina- The hall was h not a vacant e unanimous that the called Wednesday morn- ing. They ediately rolled up their sleeves to the job of organizing the was aiked out mpathy on Wednesday. Scabs ce. Information reveals that working in the plant. ikers is high, All it is better to to slave for the Art Metal. on guard against cs of the United which attempted bosses’ side in pre- Instead, full trust workers on the xe committee which have elected themselves. 75 Metal Workers Strike Against Wage Cut in Radio Plant workers in the ef the Dubilier Con- Plant in Brooklyn 2 Wednesday after refused to meet the ds to withdraw’ a 75 werkers’ e cut committee of the Steel and Metal e Industrial Union held a with the workers. the Learning superintendent an- this nounced to the workers that the cut had been withdrawn. The action was Gue to fear on the part of the com- pany that the e would spread and that the workers would turn the a for higher struggle | etal Workers’ In- dustrial Union calls upon the work- | ers to organize committees in every | department | to the strike, the workers through their elected shop committee | Art Metal Makes Millions, Refuses ‘Workers’ Pay Raise} The Art Metal Construction Co. | showed four million dollars in net profits for 5 years, 1925 to 1930. They paid out in dividends to | their stockholders two and three-| | quarter million dollars. In 1931| | despite a reported deficit, divi-- | ends of $304,541 went to its share- | holders—L. R. A. | UTW in New Bedford Halts Collection for Salem Textile Strikers NEW BEDFORD, Mass.—June 2: ~A delegation of Salem strikers ar: rived here for the purpose of collect- ing strike relief, last week. They appeared at a meeting of the Textile | Council, but were turned down by Batty and Binns because their strike was “illegal.” During the week the delegation held a number of meetings in the city parks and workers’ organiza- tions with the help of the local of the National Textile Workers Union. At these meetings the strikers told their story. Towards the close of the week, two of the Salem collectors were picked up by the police and taken to the police station. After an hour of grilling they were told not to con- tinue collecting in New Bedford. Only three days before the chief of police, himself, had given them a verbal permit to collect. Their curiosity aroused, the strikers went to see the chief, who told them that they could not collect unless they would go to see Batty and Binns of the U. T. W. and get a letter from them permitting them to collect. These strikers, who only. learned of the treachery of the U. T. W. offi- cials during their recent strike, got | another lesson in New Bedford. They found that, there is complete cooper- ation between the U. T. W. officials and the police in New Bedford—a real united front between them against the workers. 200 Upholsterers on ‘Strike in Los Angeles Furniture Plants) (By a Worker Correspondent) LOS ANGELES, Cal. June 23.— Members of the Upholsterers’ Union, 200 or more, employed in 20 different Los Angeles furniture manufacturing plants, went on a one-day strike last week as a protest against low wages and long hours. Wages at present are as low as 20 cents an hour, DAILY WORKER. NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1938 AGRICULTURAL \Conditions Get Worse |Under Roosevelt Deal |Demand Wage Raise | BOSWELL, New Mexico, June 23. ~—For sthe first time in 30 years, ag- ricultural workers of Chavas County have gone ®ut on strike against in- tolerable working conditions which | have grown steadily worse since the coming of the Roosevelt “new deal.” The strike was called by the Agri- | cultural Workers’ Industrial Union | affiliated with the T rade Union Un- | ity League. On the second day of the strike, the workers responded ,100 per cent in the Roswell region and about 90 per cent around Dexter, with 450 workers having signed up in the union. The strikers are Negroes, Spanish, Mexican and American workers. The response on the picket lines is excellent with women and children on the picket lines every morning. Representatives of the Unem- | ployed Councils and the Communist Party have spoken at strike mect- ings. The strikers are demanding 20 cents and hour and recognition of the union. Wages for cotton chop- | pers have been reduced from $3 an | acre to 35 cents. The workers are |not able to chop more than an acre | to an acre and a half a day. Truck | Gardeners get paid in food only. A | hay bailer who once received 50 cents to a $1.50 a ton now gets 5 j cents a ton. Gangsters Attack ‘ Bronx News Strike NEW YORK.—A group of gang- sters attacked Bronx Home News Carrier strikers and pickets in front of the Park Avenue distributing sta- tion yesterday, sending one young striker, Leon Fields, 16, to the hos- pital, while the district Inspector of ; the Home News took a group of po- jlice “around the corner to talk to them.” The Home News Carriers Associa- tion was organized 9 months ago as an underground union, but last#Fri- day a carrier stool-pigeon squealed to the boss and the 20 most active members of he union were fired and the 2 stations where the leaders worked went out on strike. At a strike meeting on Monday it was de- jcided that the rest of the stations should go out on strike for the fol- lowing demands: 1. Reinstatement of all carriers fired. 2. 25 per cent reduction on all assessments. 3. 5c¢ reduction for every country customer, 4, Recogni- tion of station Committees. 5. Fine: to be passed*on by the Station Com. mittee. The young worker beaten up by thugs is Leon Silverman, who is now in Fordham Hospital. | Gangsters also came to the work- | ers’ headquarters at 4215 Third Ave., | but were driven off. The inspector for the Home News, living at 2352 Davidson Ave., in the Bronx, is said to be the instigator of these attacks, NEW YORK.—100 shoe workers on strike at the Weisman Sass Shop, 30 Main St., Brooklyn, the Drell Shop at 7 E. 20th St., and the Benedict Shoe Shop at 245 7th Ave. are waging a determined fight to the finish against wage cuts, discrimination and discharges. WORKERS STRIKE IN NEW MEXICO, pickets before the Sopkins & Sons A group of Negro and white workers, men and women. Part of the shop in Chicago, NEW YORK.—New developments seab agents, ii bands will be defeated. Associated, have settled with the un ion. About 40 more of the large firms are still on strike: The bosses are | becoming more and more desperate } as a result of the failure to force the | furriers to register with the scab | council. The foHowing developments took place during the last few days: | In the fur market the police and detectives have ‘seized a Greek fur- rier, member of the Industrial Union and without any reason have beaten him severely. Arrest ‘Schneider Yesterday afternoon _ detectives | swooped down on the office of the Industrial Union and placed Jack | Schneider under. atest on the fram- | ed up charge. of. felonious assault. | He was taken out of a shop meeting | which he was addressing. A number of..scabs appeared at} the office of the-Joint Scab Council claiming that theyzare being thrown | out of the places «where they were sent to scab and-that the manufac- turers are settling-with the Industrial Union. At the same time they dis- | closed the fact=that although they | were scabbing, they were underpaid and not even°given the scale of wages. |. At a mecting’-of the fur trade | board last night it was pointed out |that a number of manufacturers are utilizing the present situation pre- | vailing in the trade to violate their |agreement with the union and not | maintaining conditions. The trade | board decided to take strict meas- ures and see that the agreement for a minimum wate Scale, the 40-hour 5-day week with no overtime, and unemployment insurance is being en- forced. A special committee was elected for this,puxpose and it was | also decided, if,necessary, to increase | the staff of organizers in order not to permit such violations. The trade board has also. decided that the fur department enferce.no work on Sat- urdays and to-organize a committee of active members, that will be in the market on Saturday morning and see that this is.earried out. Important Tasks Face the Auto Workers Union at Its June 24-25 Convention ® BULLETIN | The Auto Workers’ Union opened | its National Convention Friday | with a mes meet'ng at Cass Tech- nical High Schoc!, Vernor Highway and Second Boulevard. Conven- tion scesions open Saturday morn- ing xt 10 o'clock in Finnish Hall, 69 14th Street, and will continue | day Saturday and Sunday. By JOHN SCHMIES. | The delegates elected to the Auto | Workers Union Convention June 24, 35 | have a few serious problems to con-| sider. While it is true that this con- | vention will be the most representa- tive gathering of elected delegates of the automobile workers since 1919- | 1920, the short history of the union | has shovn one thing. It grew at! times when members of the union and workers sympathetic to it ini- tiated the struggles which had as) its sole purpose the defense of the} living and working conditions of the workers. This was demonstrated in the early history of the auto industry | and again several months ago, in the| development of a series of strike | movements in some of the basic auto- | mobile shops. The primary and fundamental rea- Workers’ Election - Conference Called | in Detroit July 1st DETROIT, Mich.—A united front workers’ election conference has been called by the Communist Party for Saturday, July 1, at 2 p. m., at the Workers Home, 1343 E. Ferry Ave. This conference will launch a militant companign in support of the workers’ candidates in the city primaries, October 10. Petitions are being cir- culated for the following candidates: Mayor: John Schmies, District Or- ganizer of the Communist Party. City Treasurer: Anthony Gerlach, leader of the Auto Workers Union. City Council: Earl Reno, Secretary of the Unemployed Councils; Phil Raymond, Secretary of the Auto Workers Union; and four Negro workers: Haywood Mayben, Frank Sykes, William Brown, and William Nowell. |grow during the strike? son for the development of success- ful strike movements lay in the fact that the union during the early period was based upon the active initiative of members and workers in the shop. Quite a few spontaneous strikes de- veioped in the period between the above mentioned strike movements that is, struggles on the part of quite a few department workers in the plants. The spontaneous strikes in the departments were defeated be- cause the union had no foot-hold in the shops. As a result the union was completely isolated from the liv- ing and working conditions of the automobile workers. What Are Some of the Problems? Delegates of the convention must very seriously take inventory of the present status of the union. The convention must be able to an-| alyze very concretely the lessons and short-comings as well as the achieve- ments of the last strike struggles. What was the union priod to the strike, that is, what was its function? What was its membersfitp? was it actually doing in order to give leadership and ofganization? Fin- ally what has happened since the strike movement? Did the union Did the union grow after the strike? By this ——|I mean did we build shop organiza- tions, gain members, and did we keep these members in the union? Did we activize these members? Did we make the union a union of the auto- mobile workers, to be recognized by both the employed and the unem- ployed automobile workers, as the union that they themselves have built? If we apply our policy of militant strike strategy which can only be based upon our policy of a united front from below, did we build or are we building now committees in the departments of workers who have different political and religious be- lefs but are ready to unite around issues that are of immediate con- cern to them in the shops or neigh- borhoods, such as, grievance commit- tees, anti-wage cut committees, re- lief committees and committees that sponsor a program of unemployment. insurance. The Tasks Ahead | The convention must have a per- spective in the face of the present increased attack made against the What | | JOHN SCHMIES workers jointly by the government and the automobile bosses. That is, a perspective that includes the strug- | gle for the immediate necessary | | things of lifé for the employed and| unemployed automobile workers and| how concretely to win these condi-| tions immediately. rey Concretely, has the union a pro- gram and is it in a position to apply this program, which has as its major task, its hourly task, the building of a shop movement that can lead the workers into struggles for better | wages, better working conditions and |for immediate relief and Unemploy- | ;Mment and. Social Insurance for the | | unemployed automobile workers. | These are some of the burning problems facing the convention, there | are many others especially some that | the union has to face, which have| ‘eceived very little consideration and} that unless they are solved the union| will not be in a position to expand | and grow among the masses of work- ers, We have the problem of counter- acting the slander of enemies of the union. Did we ask the new mem- bers to couriteract these slan- ders? How are they being used against many of the new members, by people in and around their fam- yet are of such an important nature | , ilies, by differant fraternal lodges, churches, etc., thaf they belong to, especially among the native born members. Has the union Jeadership made an attempt to overcome the methods of bureaucracy and formalism through systematic discussions and consistent- ly created initiative from below, based upon the Trade Union democracy. Have we explained the role of the AFL.? In this connection the task of the union and.finally the conven- tion is to answer,all these questions, that have been .and are still being raised, such as, js,the union affiliated with any other, organizations? Is the union anything else but an auto- mobile workers union? Is the union a Communist organization? Is the union ruled by Communists? These are the burning questions facing the majority of the members in the union who have not been able to give a de- cisive answer and.as a result of it, showed increased lack of interest. Problems of the Young Workers The convention also faces the task of tackling very seriously the prob- lems of the young automobile work- ers, the women workers generally who must play a decisive part in the building of the union. The union, up tothe present time, has failed and-completely underes- timated the role-and the special griev- ances that the Negro workers have who make up an important section of the automobile. workers, especially in and around the. Ford shop. Questions of Leadership Finally, the problem of future lead- ership of the union, In my opinion this very question. of leadership is one which will decide, to a large de- gree, whether the*union will grow in order to give capable leadership and organization to the! automobile work- €rs generally. Let us hope thatthe delegates to the convention will-feel the respon- ibility and try seriously to solve these problems. One. thing the union has already demonstrated, it learned how to lead and build. strikes and to achieve conditions, for workers. If the convention is gujded. by this fact the union will grow.,and develop in the struggle for better.qwages and condi- tions for the emplayed, and will lead the struggle for immediate relief and} Unemployment Insurance for the un- i employed workeye --, FUR UNION SETTLES | 40 ASSOCIATED SHOPS | Strict Measures Are To Be Taken To Enforce Agreement; Jack Schneider Arrested on the fur front where the furriers are involved in a bitter struggle against the bosses and their A. F. of L, dicate clearly that victory will be achieved and the pogrom © PITTSBURGH, Pa.—In a call to a United Front Conference on Au-| gust 12 and 13 in Pittsburgh, the Miners’ United Front Committee of West | Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio appeals to all miners in the bituminous fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio, to the locals of the UMWA and the NMU, | to Independent locals, unorganized mines and unemployed organizations, Call Miners’ United Front Conference Pittsburgh, Aug. 12 thousands of dollars in check-off from the miners’ pay. That is why the UMWA ‘is carrying on its big “organization campaign.” | All the promises and small wage increases--are being given because the miners’ are SS a were won with substantial gains to the workers. It says in part: “The struggles of the unemployed defeated a 75% cut in Westmoreland County and forced the state to feed all the striking miners. This was the result of the united front struggle organ-| ized by and with the support of the National Miners’ Union. | Misery Increasing. The misery of the miners is in-| creasing. Prices are jumping up through inflation; relief for the un- employed is less because of high prices. Even where wage increases have been .won, they dd not™keep pace with the rising prics. | In Avella, the strike of the 2,000) miners was broken by Sheriff Sea-| man, with the help of Pat Fagan and the UMWA leaders, by a reign ot | terror when they failed to break the unity of the miners, | Strikes are taking place through- Forty-six firms, among which are the most important members of the | out the country in every mining field. In Hocking Valley, in Scotts | the | pany breakers, Why Lewis Is for the Recovery Act. Now the coal operators, the gov- ernment and the UMWA leaders are} preparing, another sell-out through Industrial Recovery Act. All these people tell the miners that this Act will better our conditions. The truth is that the Industrial Re- covery Act will mean more starva- tion. First, it will set a minimum wage, which will become the highest the miners will receive, and the prices in the stores will keep going up. This Act will make strikes and} lock-outs illegal, but the operators will have no reason to lock out, and t will be against the “law” to strike. They say we will collective have bargaining, but they already plan to do this only with the strikebreaking leaders of the UMWA or the com- unions. The chief strike- breaker, John L. Lewis, will be given the job to see that this is done, for which they will receive hundreds of carrying through women’s auxiliaries and fraternal #—-—— =. or 7 = Aki societi Run, W. Va., and in Southern Ili-| Strikes, and because the operators | oes oa te Sleghege lS rR es get by | are afraid gf plea strikes. The The conference call declares that| thousands and are still on strike| Miners Know that they never won after the first united front confer-| @gainst wage cits. In all these| anything without struggles. ence held on March 19, over 40| strikes, the UMWA leaders betray Elect Delegates to Wonference. strikes took place, many of which| the miners and acted as sti The call’ to the Second United Front Conference will take up the question of the support of the strikes now going .on, the lessons of these truggles ‘and how best to develop bigger struggles to win better condi- tions for the miners. Miners are urged to discuss this call in every lo- cai union or organization meeting end in the mines and elected 1 dele- gate for every. 50 present with 2 del- | egates each from union or organiza- tion meeting. ‘Red Cross Foreman | Shoots at Negro BIRMINGHAM, Ala—A foreman on a Red Cross relief job here Wed- nesday morning fired at a Negro worker who protested against being cursed af. The shot was the signal for a protest on the part of Negro workers..of two Red Cross gangs, against the continuous abuse of the white foremen. LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS’ CONVENTION SHOWS NEED FOR OPPOSITION UNITY A number of important develop- ments have occurred since this ar- ticle was written. The recent deci- sion of the Railroad brotherhood chiefs to accept the Roosevelt plan to continue the wage cut of 10 per cent for another year and the com- plete passivity of the Engineers Con- vention in the face of this situation is not covered in this article. The article deals only with the first per- iod of the convention sessions. —Ed. By R. V. STRAN CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 23.—An- nouncement of the railroad com- panies’ demand for a 22% per cent cut revealed no difference between the Johnston machine and the job hunting leaders who seek to replace them, at the convention sessions of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi- neers here. A resolution was unani- mously adopted opposing any further wage cuts and calling for the res- toration of the 10 per cent “deduc- tion” but there was practically no discussion and rank and file elements were not sufficiently organized or prepared to seize the occasion to denounce the giving away of wages as in the 10 per cent cut and to demand the adoption of a real fight- ing policy against the present cut, Both Johnston and his gang, and the Ward, Rudolph bureaucrats are in league when it comes to stifling any discussion of the vital labor interests of the members, such as is demanded by the Brotherhood Unity movement. Need for Unity of Rank and File Progressives Crying need for closer organization among rank and file progressives is clearly in evidence. The corrupt Johnston machine, although on the defensive, is still closely organized and capable of putting over a trick or two on the opposition majority. That it has not yet been thrown out bag and baggage is due to the com- promises and treacheries of the little cliques of job-hunters organized around J. B. Ward, Carl Rudolph and other bureaucrats looking for promotion. Rank and file sentiment has been strong enough to score many minor progressive victories, but it needs the closer cohesion ad- vocated by the Brotherhoods Unity Movement to enact a worthwhile labor program. Progressive successes scored so far in the present convention include the defeat of Johnston's underhand at- tempts to kill the committee elected by the conyention to investigate the Standard Trust Bank; refusal to ac- cept the reports of Johnston and other Grand Officers; amendment of Section 12, one of the gag laws; Seating of opposition delegates whom Johnston tried to keep from the floor; reinstatement of J. C. Quigley, expelled by Johnston for circulating information about Grand Office cor- ruption; and the rescinding of hon- orary membership granted to Judge A. G. Newcomb and C. Stirling Smith, president of the Standard Trust Bank. Johnston Still Strong Administration victories include the notorious vote of confidence in Johnston and Secretary-Treasurer Cassell, following their indictment with Smith for robbing the Standard Trust Bank; retention of the chair for the Grand Office gang, and the avoidance of discussion and criticism from the floor on the 10 per cent cut sell-out and on the whole labor pro- gram and policies of the leadership. Each of these machine victories has been won through confusion and di- vision injected into the progressive ranks by leaders who differ little if any in their policies from the John- ston gang, of which they were until recently a part. One of the worst features of the convention so far has been the boot- licking attitude in evidence toward President Roosevelt, in spite of the fact that he has provided the rail- road companies with their best argu- ment for cutting wages still further by his 15 per cent cut in the wages of Aederal employees and in spite of the fact that his railroad coordination bill, as originally approved by him, called for the laying off of up to 300,000 railroad workers to bolster up profits—and even as amended, the bill provides for the killing of some 50,000 jobs a year through no re- placements when employes die, re- tire or resign. The men are already becoming aware of many new schemes of the companies to enforc2 such “retirements” through stricter and more frequent health examina- tions and other methods. ! In spite of all this, there was no voice raised against a resolution com- mending Roosevelt for his “courage and action” and his “display of in- terest in the common people,” and praying that he be “given the strength necessary to the /accom- Plishment of a tremendous task.” Opposition leaders like Ward, Ru- dolph and other job-holders evidence exactly the same servile attitude towards the capitalist powers as does the Johnston machine, and the rank and file has not yet become suffi- ciently organized and vocal. This Roosevelt resolution has now been followed by a motion for an- other resolution commending the President for “his prompt action in appointing a fact-finding commis- sion to handle the dispute between the Kansas City Southern and its employes.” This resolution is par- ticularly absurd, in view of the fact that the President has always ap- pointed an emergency board when strike action is threatened, as pro- vided by the Rilroad Labor act; and if Roosevelt has been particularly prompt in this case, it is clearly due to his anxiety to prevent effective strike action against the present Wage cut offensive which he himself encouraged with his 15 per cent cut. sh Roosevelt resolutions have been introduced by F. Weaver of Pittsburgh, who distinguished him- Self on the first day of the conven- | tion by doublecrossing the opposition. Although he was one of the original proponents (at the Eastern Union Meeting) of the move to oust John- ston from the chair, as soon as the convention started he made a speech Saying he had changed his mind and considered Johnston the best man to occupy the chair. Rank and File Sentiment Evident More encouraging has been the evidence of rank and file sentiment in a recent largely attended progres- sive caucus. It was decided that no siate should be drawn up and no job- bargaining politics “allowed until a progressive program had been en- acted. This is the policy advocated by the Brotherhoods Unity group. But hardly was the caucus over before the Ward, Rudolph and other job-hunting cliques were at it again as hard as ever, secretly fixing up their slates, slandering each other and engaging in the most shameless trading. The amendment to Section 12 still leaves too much power in the hands of the Grand Office. But its passage, in the face of strenuous pleas by both Johnston and National Legisla~ tive Representative G. W. McLaugh- lin for retention of the present law, reveals a healthy distrust of the po- litical policies of the Grand Office. As amended the Section calls for expulsion of a member only when he opposes - legislation approved by the convention or by a vote of the Divi- sions, instead of for opposing any legislation ..which the officers may decide to. push, Bankers Voted Out The reaction of the rank and file against the capitalist politicians ana financiers who have so often been brought in by the Grand Office to aid in robbing, cheating and deceivt iing them, was shown in the adop- | tion of two resolutions. One forbids the introduction of “any banker, lawyer, politician, railroad official or cther non-member” to address the convention, unless the latter so votes. The other rescinds the grant of hon- orary membership to A. G. Newcomb and C. Stirling Smith. It was passed unanimously, Newcomb is the lawyer who helped Johnston into office in 1927 and who recently. concluded a private agree- ment with the liquidators of the Standard Trust Bank, giving his credit of 100 cents on the dollar f its deposits, though small depositors in this “labor” bank have not re- ceived a cent on theirs, ‘This agree- ment created such a scandal when it was eventually revealed that the au- thorities had to overrule it. C. Stir- jing Smith was the president of the Bank. He.managed to loan $300,000 of the bank’s funds to his relatives and is. under two indictments at present forhis handling of its busi- ness. i Letters Expose Role of U.M.W.A. and Show Miners Ready to Struggle /Miner Exposes Link of U. MW A. With (Qperators and Deportation Officials Miner Exposes Two Agents of U.M.W.A. (By a Mine Worker Correspondent) FINLEYVILLE, Pa—tThe struggle of the miners in District No. 1 in the mining fields is such that it is almost unbearable. In Monitor No. 10 Mine of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., the miners are treated as prisoners. They are not allowed to talk to any- one outside of the camp and we, the N. M. U., are not allowed in the camp. But we are working out a Plan of action, and will write you vepy away and let you know of re- sults. The U. M. W. A. are conducting ‘a campaign in the coal fields and to a certain extent are gaining some headway, and, in my opinion, this is due to the weakness of our forces, due to the fact that some of our Party members are working for the U. M. W. A., one white worker and one Negro worker that were once active in the Communist Party and the N. M. U. Our most actiye ele- ments have not made the first ef-) fort to expose these workers so other , By a Mine Worker Correspondent EXPORT, Pa.—I want you to know the conditions in Westmoreland County. I haven't worked since June, of the strike here, which we lost. jobs and were blacklisted for Miners Union. The Westmoreland Coal Company did this, Builds Up Unempioyed Council So I joined the Unemployed Coun- cil, and helped to build one up here in Export. It is a strong one. At first the Relief Board tried to buy us out by promising us relief if we would stop activities. When that didn’t work, they threatened me with de- portation, although I am an Amer- ican citizen. Now I want to tell you the condi- tions of the miners here. They don't get paid for any kind of dead work. They have a screen system of 53 cents a ton and load 3 tons for one. On June Ist they got a 3 cent a ton workers will know who their ene-| "aise, but the box cars weigh 300 mies are. The names of these two workers are Luther White (Negro), Franti: Parnesick (white). They are going among the workers here in| Finleyville agitating for the U. M. W. A. and if we don’t expose this it will cause more weakness in our movement here. The Knot’ Hole Mine went on strike June 12 against conditions for in- crease in wages and other demands. NOTE: We publish letters from miners every Saturday. Get them to us by the preceding Tuesday. NEW YORK.—A strike at the Dob- “ins Fruit Store, 255 Schenectady Avenue, Prooklyn, wes called to de- mand reduction of hours and in- crease in wages. The worker em- ployed here is compelled to work 102 hours a week, 7 days for $17 a wee's. Two grocery stores are o1 strike at 44 Hester Street; Manhattan, and 47 Sutter Ave., Brooklyn, The work- ers were locked-out when they re- fused to take a cut in wages. All organizations and individual workers are urged to send to the Chicago Workers’ School, 2822 S. | Michigan Ave., book; and pamphleis which will be properly taken care of and utilized by all workers, pounds less than before. U.M.W.A. Organizers with Operators June 7 the organizers of the United Mine Workers popped in and staged a mass meeting for nominating for President and Secretary. When I was nominated the Lewis organizers laid I can’t be voted on as I am Imown to be for the N. M. U. and the U. C. They came here with the 1931, when I was one of the leaders Three other comrades and myself lost our working hard to-help build the National Predesittr manager of the Westmoreland Coal . Company, all armed with pistols, You know what the'U. M. W. of A. is when it combines with the coal operators. “°° ‘ U. M. W. A, with Emigration Officials The next day after the meeting, to my surprise, the Emigration Agents ¢ame to see,me. Now you can see that the, coal operators, the U, M. W. A. and the Emigration Office all work hand in hand. Comrades, fight for the Union and strengthen up, : Tony Morelli, (Signature Authorized), First Meeting of National Great Success Miners Union (By a Mine Worker Correspondent) SUPERIOR, Mont.—Here is news from the “New Deal Front.” This—is a@ very mountainous country. The only work here is forestry and min- ing. Since there isn’t much mining any more, the people depend on for- est work in the summer time . Since the New Deal, all the home people “avo been laid eff the forest,.and the soldiers put on. Except for a fery young fellows, who know the mountains, they are being signed up as corporals. Some of the workers were asked what they thouzht of the New Deal, and they said it was a dirty deal. This place is in need of cf or- ganizer, as there isn’t any relief work now, i Editor's: Wote: The local workers themselvess can begin organtsing for united actioh to demand work or re- lief, and “to Join the general moyee ment of ‘the workers for unemploy- ment insutance, They can get ade vice and assistance from the National “Committee of Unemployed Councils | at 799 Broadway, New York City, wings 2