The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 10, 1934, Page 7

| Seamen Hit N The Roosevelt Administration Sails Full-Speed Toward War) Continued from page 3 eiection of militarists and articulate military-minded industrialists to ef- feet the gradual coalescence of the N.RA. and the War Department. ‘This tie-up is emphasized by the fact that the very manufacturers who draw the N.R.A, codes and who con- stitute themselves as the N.R.A. code authority are the individuals who play so large a part in the industrial plans of the War Department. To name 2 few—Colonel Robert H. Montgomery, former secretary of the War Policies Commission and former member of the War Department Gen- eral Staff, is now chief of the Re- search and Planning Division of the N.R.A.; Jesse I. Miller, aide-de-camp during the World War to the late Major-General Enoch Crowder, is now Executive Director of the strike- breaking National Labor Board (the administration’s answer to the mounting wave of strikes); General Johnson, himself an industrialist and professional militarist, wrote the Se- lective Draft Act under the super- vision of Crowder; Johnson's experi- ence as “Research Director” of Ber- nard Baruch, multt-millionaire spec- ator, head of Wilson’s War In- dustries Board and close Roosevelt advisor, is standing him in good stead; then there is General ©. C, Williams, former Chief of Ordnance, and until recently a Deputy Adminis~ trator of N.R.A. in charge of the chemical codes. Myron Taylor, head of J. P. Mor- gan’s U. S. Steel Corporation and Pierre Du Pont, the head of the great chemical and ammunition firm bear- ing his name, fit in nicely under the wings of the blue eagle as rotating industrial advisors. In short, the N.R.A. is exactly what General John- son virtually sdid it was: a mechan- ism devised and dominated by the monopoly capitalists. That they should move the war apparatus closer to them when it is necessary to stifle strikes at home and retain and gain markets abroad is not all surprising. De IN boasting of the Army’s reatiiness } for dealing with “foreign war, eco- nomic chaos, or social revolution” and in addition to pointing out that “the C.C.C. mobilization is thus more than @ great military achicvement; it is a dress rehearsal of the Army’s ability to intervene under Constliutional authority in combating the depres- sion,” Woodring briefly described per- haps the most important war prep~ eration of the entire network of plans: The Industrial Mobilizaticn Plan of the War Department. In Woodring’s words, “war economic planning” which “involves a separate but closely related activity which we call industrial mobilization.” As described by Woodring, “Indus- trial mobilization looks beyond the scope of War Department activities and includes all plans requisite to government supervision and coor- dination of industry, transportation, labor, finance and similar matters in time gf national emergency.” Under tie National Defense Act the Assistant Secretary of War was ordered to card-index the production facilities of the United States. He is charged 1 the “supervision of the procurement of ail military sup- plies and other business of the War Department perteining thereto and the assurance of adequate provision Jor the mobilization of material and industrial organizations essential to wartime needs.” It is under this plan that the Wor Department has pro- posed to Congress to guarantee to industrialists and other labor ex~- ploiters a profit—during the next war—of six per cent, based, testified Chief of Staff Major General Mac- Arthur, on “what it is claimed is the investment.” This proposal means anywhere from six to six hundred per cent in view of the overwhelming oficial data, notably World War records, which prove the impossibility | of preventing business fraud and chicanery and the impracticability of accurately supervising corporation accounts. In short, it is a smoke screen to blanket the imperialist thieves from the sight of the workers. «, It is alsocwnder this plan, so iproudly brought? forth by Woodring, that many thousands of industrialists (approximately 14,000 on March 12, 1931, according to the then millionaire Secretary of War Hurley) have been commissioned in the reserve forces of blank checks the War Department | actually has written in the form of wartime contracts now tucked in the safes of the contacted industrialists and manufactuers, ready to be signed immediately upon the outbreak of war. Which means that these in- dustrialists, who automatically be- come Army officers on the declara~- tion of war, have a tighter grip on the government apparatus—for their greater “glory” and profits. In addition to the mountainous sums spent, appropriated, and au- thorized for imperialist war prepara- tions, the increase in the enlisted military personnel, and the increase from 24 to 36 paid armory drills of the strikebreaking war weapon called the National Guard, the administra-~ tion is actually launching an Open | imperialiss war propaganda cam-/ paign under the slogan of “National | Defense Week.” Through every pub- city channel—the radio, essay con- tests, speakers’ bureaus and what not —the admirals, generals, legislators, misled mothers of World War corpses and other Heutenants of the big bourgeoisie will attempt to convince the workers that they have a stake in the intensifying imperialist fight for markets, that a navy “second to none” means the safeguarding of “our trade lanes,” in short, to disarm their criticism and to pevent their effective organization against war. It must nat be forgotten that Roosevelt was Wilson’s Assistant Sec- retary of the Navy. And Wilson “kept us out of war” and conse- quently made the world “safe for democracy.” Nor that the Roosevelt Lamy magelne tion, while grabbing billions for fought to prevent half-starving C. W. A. workers from receiving ordi- nary workmen's compensation in the event of accident or death. Scullin Steel Plant to Reopen for War Orders | (By a Worker Correspondent) ST. LOUIS, Mo—aA back page of the Post-Dispatch here states that the Scullin Steel Plant is to reopen Feb. 8, when 400 workers will be employed. Harry Scullin was chairman here of the N.R.A, and closed his plant in November, after all the bunk that the workers heard about the blue buzzard and is now getting a juicy contract from Roosevelt, not railroad material, as it was said in the Post-Dispatch, but war material. His plant was a munition plant during the last slaughter of the workers in Europe. The only workers he is putting back on his payroll, are the ex-ser- vice World War veterans. On the same page is an article that the American Legion and other fascist organizations are registering all war vets for these munition jobs, This is another way the parasites are trying to stop the vets from de- manding their back pay bonus from the legal thieves in Washington. We vets in St. Louis want unemployment. insurance along with the other un- employed workers. We demand work or wages, Chicago Police Try to Bar Showing of Soviet Film CHICAGO, Ill, Feb, 9.—Maintain- ing that the “hall is not fire-proof,” police prevented the showing of “War Against Centuries” by the North Center, 548 Wisconsin, which is located in the German fascist stronghold here, ‘The captain of the police precinct, who was instigated by the Nazis in the neighborhood to stop the show- ing of the film, refused to his j identity to the representative of the Daily Worker. Nevertheless, the audience, deter- mined to see the film, moved five blocks away to the Finnish Hall where the showing took place. The capitalist class plots our des~ traction through imperialist war. Fight these plots by gaining new readers for our Daily Worker, our Daily Worker on Feb. 8th at the| Ports powerful weapon in the struggle for = Soviet America. Support the Workers’ Revolution in Germany! COME TO THE CONCERT AND SUNDAY, FEBRUARY MASS MEETING Tith, 1934, at 7 P.M. Bronx Coliseum, 177th Street, and West Farms EARL BROWDER GENERAL SECRETARY, Communist Party, U.S.A. WILL LECTURE ON THE “Present Situation in Germany” Arranged by: Central Committee, Party, U.S.A. Entire Proceeds: Communist Party of Germany ‘Tickets: Reserved Section, $1.00 — Other Seats 40 cents in Advance TICKETS CAN BY OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING PLACES DOWNTOWN: Hungarian Workers Book Store____350 East 8ist St. Finnish Workers Book Store__.__15 West 126th St. Cooperative Resteurant____2700 Bronx Park East Gooperative 100 Bronx Bast Rapoport & Cutler. 1327 Southern Boulevard 93 Chester St. : Prethelt Book Store. Brownsville Book Store_____________63 Herzl St. : R. A. Code; Plan Strike Action MARINE WORKERS WILL WRITE OWN CODE AND RIOHTE S E OEM a ELON MUNIN that they will write their own code through strike action. The announcement of the revised code for the marine industry, after three months of secret “deliberations” since the last hearing, clearly exposed the wage cutting, strike breaking pur- pose of the National Recovery Act. ‘The National Board of the Marine Workers Industrial Union called for the sending of a mass delegation to the hearings where the code was to receive a final hearing. Delegates) elected by seamen or longshoremen in Philadelphia, Norfolk, Boston and New York assembled in Baltimore where final vote on the delegation’s position on the proposed code was adopted. 4 The final meeting before the code hearing was held in the so-called “seamen’s project” in Baltimore, where unemployed seamen on relict are quartered. A few weeks previous this building, and the whole adminis- tration of relief, was in the hands of the charity racketeers of the YMCA, Relief had been inadequate, graft was rampant, seamen were dis- criminated against and hundreds blacklisted for protesting. During the past year many seamen nave been beaten up and at least 35 arrested because of their efforts, under the) leadership of the Marine Workers Industrial Union and Waterfront Unemployed Council, to force ade- quate relief. Every effort had been made to suppress organization and compel submission of the Holy Rack- eteers. But the seamen’s hatred had only grown, the organization in- creased, and as a result of the mili- tant struggles recently, they forced | many concessions, including three adequate meals a day, clean beds, clothing, recognition of their commit- tee and the right of free speech in the “project.” These were the first victories. Then they forced the com~ plete removal of the hated Mitchell Harden and other racketeers. Now the administration of relief and the complete control of the building is in their hands. All Seamen Present. T™ this former “fortress” of the bosses and their agents, captured by the organized power of the seamen, the final meeting was held. Without exaggeration every seaman ashore, and many crews from vessels in port, were packed into the meeting. The flongshoremen and seamen from other were cheered. The proposals of the Marine Workers Industrial Union that the proposed code, which contained slight wage incrases for a few and wage cuts for many be re- jected and that the delegation insist upon adoption of the MWIU Code, was adopted unanimously, The pro- posal to reject and repudiate the strike breaking proposal for the es- tablishment of a National Maritime or Labor Board, originally proposed by Scharrenberg of the ISU and substantially included in the revised code, was accepted with enthusiasm by these workers learning to feel the power of organized, militant action. When the chairman called for those who were willing to back up the de- mands in Washington practically the whole meeting volunteered to serve on the mass delgation. All Nationalities Six bus-loads, containing s delega- alone prevented a larger delegation. Behind this delegation stood not only the seamen of Baltimore but the 15,- 000 other workers in the marine industry who have endorsed the code proposed by the Marine Workers In- dustrial Union, and who in an ever increasing number of strikes, during recent months have shown their de- termination to fight for this code! this delegation marched into the section dealing immediately after lunch! A War-Time Measure ‘The Daily Worker has already vrinted the militant stand of the dele- gation in rejecting the proposed code, in exposing its strike breaking fea- Delegation of seamen and longshoremen before the Commerce Building in Washington, D. C. They told the code administ Revised Marine Code Reveals Wage Cutting, Strikebreaking Role of NRA Seamen Will Write Own Code Through Strike Action, Delegation Tells Code Administrator: _ National Buro of Union Mobilizes Marine Workers for Stru ggle By B. B, HUDSON tures, in repudiating the “labor ad-, and it is significant that while the visors” Ryan and Oleander, who par- ticipated in the: “revisions,” and who especially helped in strengthening its JAMEN’S LEADER oa Roy Hudson, national chairmap of the Marine Workers Industrial | Union, who led the delegation to Washington. strike breaking features. The dele~ gation in protesting the code did not fail to expose the fact that the code was essentially a war time measure— administrator demagogically allowed “free expression of opinion” on the code, he immediately objected when the question of war, and the role played by the marine industry, was touched upon. In insisting that only the MWIU code represented the in- terests of the workers, the attitude of the marine workers was aptly summarized by a Negro longshoreman from Norfolk, who stated: “When I was here last I repre- sented unorganized longshoremen. Now I represent longshoremen or- ganized into the MWIU, And we are not going to wait another three months for an answer fo our de~ mands. Regardless of what hap- pens here, we will write our own code throngh organized strike action.” The Daily has not yet reported the stand of the leaders of the L.8.U. and LLA. at the hearings. Ryan of the IL.A., Scharranberg, Oleander and Fureseth of the LS.U. had been sub- jected to th sharpest possible criticism by the spokesman for the delegation, especially on their stand in connec- tion with the so-calied labor boards and the decasualization plan, At the November hearings the “big shots” had acted as spokesmen. Failed to Answer Criticism But under the direct attack of the workers none of these fakers dared take the floor to answer any of the criticisms, justify their policies, or present their stand on the questions under discussion. Both the ILA, and the .S.U. put forward:only one speaker and these speakers, or hench~ German, US., Norwegian, British Seamen Strike In Aid of Cuban Workers PERRIS Re CR IT visited by a “flying squad.” On one Int'l Solidarity Action Brings Out 500 More Sugar Workers By HARRY HYNES PORT TARAGA, Cuba.-German, American, British and Norwegian sea- men took part in a meeting here, which declared an international soli- darity strike with Cuban longshore- men, railroad and sugar mill workers, The strike, which tied up all cargo- loading on all ships in the Port of Tarafa, began on Jan, 26. It extended to the seamen on the British 8. S. Gipsum King, and S. S. Tevaloy; the U. S., steamer, Munlisto; the’ Nor- wegian S. S. Helle and 8. S. Lyng- holm, and the German S. S. Asbec, when the longshoremen stopped working. Two seamen from the British S. 8. Gipsum King and one seaman from the Norwegian S. S. Lyngholm were the first to get in touch with the Cuban longshoremen’s union ashore ,| and establish solidarity action. A committee of two seamen, to- gether with representatives of the railroadmen and longshoremen’s union was organized. They visited all the ships in port with a sympathetic strike bulletin. A meeting was held with representatives from all ships present. Refuse to Load Cargo Unanimously these seamen carried @ resolution to support the strike; to tefuse to give steam to work the cargo, but to continue general work aboard ships. The resolution read: “We seamen, members of the crew of ships of various nationalities, in the port of Tarafa, Nuevitas, Cuba, de-| clare our international solidarity with the longshoremen, railroadmen and sugar mills workers now on strike; and will do everything in our power: to stop the loading of scab cargo, by firemen refusing to give steam ahd sailors refusing to handle winches.” When possible, individual ships were to strike for the demands of their crews. It was also decided that each ship would organize a commit- tee with representatives from each department to meet with the central strike committee ashore, On Monday, the high point of the strike was reached. At 10 A. M.a meeting of ship delegates, together with the representative of the Cuban Labor Confederation of Nuevitas met. Tt was decided to hold a mass meet- ing of both seamen and longshore- men that evening. During the afternoon all ships were aw SR. - ship, an attempt was made tc arrest a delegate, at the order of the cap- tain, Force Release Delegates of the Federation of Labor, together with the strike com- mittee interviewed the provincial judge, and under threat of calling a general strike in the town of Nuevitas, forced his release. Besides the “fiying squad,” pickets stopped and informed all seamen of the mass meeting. Children were also organized. A squad of “rural guard” was also sent to picket but did not interfere, At the mass meeting the Judge and captain of the rural guard were pres- ent along with the officials of the Labor Federation. The wireless oper- ator of the 8. 8. Lynchaug was elected as interpreter, but was removed when he persuaded the firemen not to strike. The crew met in @ separate room and made a decision to strike. On Tuesday morning the firemen walked ashore. The sailors remained on board. They were striking for their own demands of higher wages, more coal passers, and 2 7-hour day in the tropics. All demands were finally won, ex- cept a compromise on wages was agreed on, The sympathetic strike with the Cuban longshoremen and sugar Mill workers still continues, Five hundred sugar mill workers came out yesterday at Jabubo on learning of our strike. Company Robs Sailors of $1 Each Month; Men Defeat Move on ‘Mystic’ BOSTON.—Not content with work- ing the coal boat crews long hours with no overtime pay, subjecting them to generally low wages and in- working tolerable conditions, the coal boat owners are now each member of the crew $1 & month for welfare unemployed relief, On the Mystic Line coal boat, 8.9. Glenn White, the crew was able to defeat this new attack because it 4 5 Q j z a F men of the big boys, are relatively unknown to the mass of workers in the industry. Despite the fact that they had helped “revise” the code, these officials hypocritically opposed some sections of the code, whimpering because labor had not been given “square deal” at the hands of re. visers. But none of these fakers op- posed or spoke against the anti-strike clauses for @ National Labor Board and the decasualization plan—which if adopted would prevent labor from taking militant action to enforce tts | demands, One of the I.S.U. spokesmen even stated, “we realize the 1921 strike was & mistake. Since then our policy of arbitration and conciliation has won us the support of both conservative shipowners and seamen.” Millikan of the United Officers As- sociation, in @ voice nearly choked with tears, for two hours described the intolerable conditions aboard ship, and then concluded by imploring, that to remedy these conditions, the Administrator should be given full responsibility for writing the code! No matter how much these fakers “opposed” the code they were all unanimous in their opposition to any kind of militant action to defeat the shipowners and enforce the demands of the workers! The Code administrator adjourned the meeting next day with the an- nouncement that any objections to the code would be solved in confer~ ences, which will be held secretly and that he was confident the code would be ready in ten days, and would be adopted and enforced with- out any more public hearings! { Although the mass delegation had | prevented the immediate adoption of | the code, which had been planned, | the administrator’s statement clearly revealed his intentions to attempt to enforce the code by railroading it through. But even so, in his ears, in the ears of the 200 shipowners | | and of their lackeys, the labor fakers. was still ringing the cheers of the delegation in support of the declara- tion that “the Marine Workers will write their own code with strike action.” No Time Lost No time was lost in mapping out the plans for fulfilling this state- ment. The National Buro met in Baltimore the day following the code hearings. In mobilizing the marine workers for defeating the plans of the shipowners and enforcing the MWIU code the Buro called for the concentration of all the forces of the Union in carrying through the plan of action on the Munson Line which calls for mobilizing all Munson men in support of the demands which were presented to the company on Feb. 7. The Munsomo, has already taken action for the demands, two days before the date set, Against Blaklist The National Buro, proposed that the MWIU and the Waterfront Un. employed Council of Baltimore im- mediately undertake a struggle for the enforcement of one of the major demands of the code—the establish- ment of a Central Shipping Buro, with @ rotary system controlled by elected committees of seamen. This demand is of the greatest importance because it is the one means of abolishing the blacklist system. The National Buro called for a determined campaign in all ports to mobilize the longshoremen to defeat) the decasualization plan which the! shipowners propose to railroad through by referring it to the labor board for “final action.” ‘The National Buro noted a marked improvement in the sale of the Ma~ rine workers Voice, proposal for immediately increasing its circulation 1,000, In order to; further improve the contents of the) paper the National Buro is calling for a wide discussion of the paper) jortcomings, endorsed the Also, the Buro decided upon a special anniversary issue of the Voice in May of eight pages, 10,000 copies, in order to popularize the achievements of the Union and more thoroughly explain its militant program to wider | sections of the industry. Finally, the Nationally Buro de-| cided to call its next National Com- | mittee meeting on April 14 and 15 to be held in Baltimore, the scene of many recent struggles. In prepara- the National Committee the special edition o° every member of the unior to give full suppor workers who are beginning ¢ gue Page in Seapor Can Break Up Rackets And Get Relief Only Through Mass Actie ON) Racket in N. Y. Relief Money % Worker Correspo y YORK.—Any improv e seamen get mment is goi € ic Plan for Company-Wide ! action on the p- ¢ aided by the me rator s is the conclusion 4 Action on Coal Boats in Norfo Va. NORFOLK, Va—In rev tional Convention Agains the Federal Transient Ry tion on Feb, 5. The i ation says it would lit relief, but “where is tt ming from” is the story ¥ ie seamen pointed out that nent found no difficulty ity ms for bankers, railme owners. Demand Three Me: pamen went to thet stration with demand | out by the Waterfront Un: {Councils in many~ meetings workers. They demanded tis black gang. | relief in all ports as is giver us 4 timore—three meals a day ___Sobless Support Strike | sleepy SBA toboct | ‘The unemployed seamen. hearing of| jogenes: doe ciiminetiog ort berg on this| gious and charity racketeers fr hep see , | felief system, and control of the Peer Seren, igh unorganized, | by elected committees of the ja rotary system of shippi | trolled by the seamemp?-th, | to the business of § ijand other young @®. were| C.C.0. and transient c Jobless Insura, They also demanded unemployment insuranct\, aman, without discrimin |docked al 1 | ‘The w: hundred | se the union to prepare an| with the ed se action | Was not not | Teligious or political beliefs. | The seamen pointed out” | Holy Rackets casting In "or | eral Relief system, ‘Thee | that in New York, up jmen. How the ship for F was forced to pull handed. Plan Company-Wide Action out Chee about forty in| before, the Seamen’s number, run folk and i New England por' u ew} ee gave out two 10c j and a bed on the 30c | the government. “Thirty cents,” said trator, “It’s fifty.” | “Then they rob us eve ne the seamen’s spokesm: “| flashed it on their screc night that they were get) England with coal ers Industrial U establishing o these ships, |them in Feb. 16, f | code pr | | per man per day, and increased the food since ion of unemployed sean. row at relief headquarter. . Plenty of Action in’ Port of Portland; | “i Marine Union Halts LL.A. Officials fro || Selling-Our Dock _. to Give| a y BOSTON, Mass.—So Jobless Seamen Clean | been joel of the pega 4 ‘ | Industrial Union in exposing the sell- Hotel Rooms out tactics of the local officials of the | International Longshoreffien’s Asso- | ciation In Boston, that they are still | unable to put across « sellout of | three months meal hour strike. The local officials have now _ Win Relief Fight \City Forced By a SEAMAN PORTLAND, Ore. — A nlenty of it in the M.W.LU. of Prolgeacig Ore. gardless of whether you are a member of the M.W.LU. tensi democracy. jor not, if you want real action call in eee Jp and file jon the M.W.LU. here end you willition is strongest has been i get it. that talki At a recent meeting the seamen de- anegane: Sonu be pecbsanae rp, Cided they needed relief as well as “traitor” to the I. agin will : | the residen ‘i$ $100 membership card taken These high handed tactics are only to further expose their to the rank and file workers, s to the seamen while unorganized residents are still | forced to eo to the commons, a flop house of the worst sort. No Wood Sa | Of course, the ‘a jagency who draws thought it would let the seamen s | their board overruled by tt OPEN FORUM - WORKERS SCHOOL” 1. AMTER Nati, Seo, Unemployed © Speaks on— x “Struggle of Unemployed in Capitalist Countries” SUNDAY, FEB, 11th, at 2 PML at 911 GIRARD AVENUE. «© but this was emselves | an LSU. 1 r jizing the futility of appealing to his own organization for help, came to| jthe MW.LU., and was immediately given a room at the Foster Hotel, with a clean comfortable bed. ;. Just ask him how he feels, after \being welcomed as if he were an| | M.W.LU. member in good standing. |. ‘The Portland headquarters of the | M.W.1.U, has been established for jonly six weeks, although we are proud of the progress we have made. TENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION _, Saturday, Feb. 10th, Help strengthen the revolution- ary movement by spreading the | Daily Worker. Get your felow- workers to subscribe to the “Daily. — | ANCE and ENTERTAINMENT |) SATURDAY, FEB. 10th. EIGHT P. ™. {| | Dudley St. Opera House Admission 25¢ At 26 SOUTH Sth STREET Auspices: F.8.U. So. Phila, Benefit “Soviet Russia Toda; recognize the Marine Workers I» |) dustrial Union as the leaders of th struggles of the marine workers. a se BD Roumanian, Bulgarian, Finnish Polish, Russian, Jewish, German e Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Prolet- aetenth cult Choral Society (English) aastaed ® 650 Voices of Ten Sing- ing Choruses of t SUNDAY, Feb. 11, 7:30 Dre “ore ere ORCHESTRA HALL WOODWARD and SELDEN JUDGES: VICTOR KOLAR, Director of the FREDERICK MORSE, Directo THADEUS WRONSKI, Director of the ARTHUR LUCK, Assistant Director of the SOL BLKIND, Member of the _ Detroit t