The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 20, 1934, Page 6

DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1934 Daily,AWorker WETRAL ORGAN COMMUNIST PARTY 5.5.4 (SEETION OF COMMUNIST INTRRRATIONSS) “America’s Onty Working Class Daily Newspaper” FOUNDED 192% PUBLISHED DAILY, EXCEPT SUNDAY, BY THE COMPRODAILY PUBLISHING CO., FNC., 3 E. 19th | Btreet, New York, N. Y. Telephone: Algonquin 4-795 4. Gable Address: “Daiwork,” Mew York, N. Y. Washington Bureau: Room 954, National 14th and F &t., Washington, D.C. Midwest Bureau: 101 South Wells St., Room Press Bultding, 706, Ohieago, I. Telephone: Dearborn 3931 Subscription Rates: By Mail except ttan and Bronx 1 year, 96.00 8 months, $3.50; 3 $2.00; 1 month, 8.75 cents. Manhattan, Bronx, and Canada 1 year, 99.00 5 mont! $5.00; 3 mon $3.00. By Carrier: Weekly, 1: mts; monthly, 76 cents. TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1934 Auto Workers! Strike! oo auto worker in the United States is now faced with the most momentous decision. The class battle lines are being drawn for the most gigantic strike strug- gle the auto industry has ever seen in this country. The bosses have mobilized their forces. Helped by the criminal delays of the A. F. of L. leadership, they are striving to gain the advantage through the N.R.A. and with the aid of the Roose- velit government. With tremendous strides the auto workers are moving into action. Almost unanimously 4,000 Chevrolet Motor Co. workers in Flint on Sunday yoted for strike. The Hudson A. F. of L. local in Detroit on Sunday voted to strike Wednesday at nine o'clock. Tens of thousands of more workers all over the auto industry have already expressed their firm determination to strike. Over 250,000 workers are involved in this industry, and are in @ position to win their demands by the proper ac- tion, and by avoiding the pitfalls set for them by the treachery of the A. F. of L. officialdom. Now is the most favorable time to strike. That ie why the bosses with the help of the government and the A. F. of L. leaders are so frantically trying to stop the strike or to stall it along to a time more favorable for the bosses. Action to be vic- torious must come now. The height of the season ts here. A stoppage would hit the bosses when they do not want to be hit. This is the trump card in the hands of the workers. With this favorable situation, united action is imperative. The A. F. of L. leaders are following the policy of trying to split the workers’ ranks. The Auto Workers Union has warned the workers against this policy. They point out that in every auto plant, every worker, regardless of whether he is in the A. F. of L., Auto Workers Union, or the Mechanics Educational Society must knit his force along with his fellow worker in one united struggle. All workers must act together, and not allow their power, their mighty struggle to be split along or- ganizational lines. Strike committees should be set up in every plant, with representatives from every department, unifying the workers, and representing their interests, preparing to lead them into the great battle that will win them the victory of higher wages and a real union recognition. E A. F. of L. leadership is trying to build up all sorts of illusions about what President Roose- velt will do for the auto workers at the critical moment, at the zero hour. The very sharp and bitter attack of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, supposedly against the A. F. of L. leaders, is one of the tricks of this game. It is made especiaily sharp in order to give room for apparent bargaining and later conciliation—which would leave the workers nothing. The auto workers must beware of the usual talk and proposals for an election. This is defeat for the strike; it is defeat for the workers’ demands. Remember Budd, remember Ford, remember Weir- ton. These workers got “elections.” And with what results! The workers were driven into company unions. They were fired. They are now worse off than ever before. “Elections” under the N.R.A., with the bosses fortified by the “merit clause” of the N.R.A. code, is playing into the hands of the bosses. Only strike can win what the workers want; and every step should now be taken for this road, for unifying the workers for action. The A. F. of L. leadership is ditching the work- ars’ real demands, such as higher wages, against speed up. William Collins declared to you that a strike would not “fundamentally be for better work- img conditions or pay increases, but for the enforce- ment of Section 7a of the N.R.A. code.” This is a ghastly piece of treachery. The bosses were able, through Section 7a to build their company unions. Collins does not want the workers to strike against the rotten conditions imposed on the auto workers by the auto code, and kept shackled on them by Section 7a. Not only should the immediate action be the setting up of strike committees, composed of those workers in your shops you have confidence in, but all auto workers, in every factory, in every union local should send delegates to the huge united front conference called by the Auto Workers Union. * * . grag conference, already endorsed by thousands of auto workers regardless of their union affilia- tions will take place in Detroit on Sunday, March 35, at 10 a.m. in Carpathia Hall, 3500 Elmwood Ave. ‘The purpose of this conference is to rally all auto workers, whether in the A. F. of L., Mechanics Educational Society of America, or the Auto Work- ers Union, to discuss their demands, to get down to real action, to take up the actual questions of forging a united front of all workers which will be the guarantee of victory in the strike. Every auto worker should make himself a fighter for the conference. Bring it up in your Rush Orders for Saturday’s Ten Page ‘Daily’ plant. Take it up in your union. Demand the election of delegates to this conference. Spread the call for this conference and discuss % with your fellow workers. | ‘THE pending auto strike, which will have its echoes in ali the basic industries throughout the country, members of the Communist Party in the | automobile factories bear the greater responsibilities. They must tae the lead in forging the united | front. They must be in the forefront in exposing “} the A. F. of L. leaders, the N.R.A., in their nego- tiations with the bosses. The Communists, the most militant and trustworthy leaders of the work- | ing class, must now show their mettle in this tre- | mendous battle. In the Auto Workers Union they | must devote the greatest energy in helping build | the united front. In the A. F. of L, and MESA, | they must build the rank and file oppositions to | win favorable action for the united front, for the | building of strike committees, and in preparing for strike action. They must answer the “red” scare, and combat the illusions of the N. R. A. and Roosevelt. Auto workers! Now is your golden opportunity to smash back the miserable conditions under | which you have been slaving. Now is the time to | win wage increases, to defeat the savage speed-up that is tearing you to pieces. Now is the time to win organization! Do not let the bosses and their agents, no matter whether they are disguised as A. F. of L. leaders or not, 2fasp this opportunity | from your hands. Act now! Form your strike committees! All auto workers! Unite! Prepare for the struggte and strike! ———EE Who Is Responsible for the Tenement Fire Deaths? Tr lives of over three and a half million working- class men, women and children, living in old- | law slum tenements throughout Greater New York, | are daily menaced by horrible death by fire. Fully 75 per cent of the workers’ dwellings in New York City are miserable fire-traps, which can be turned in a few minutes into blazing coffins. No one actually knows how many fires oceur in the city every single day of the year. No one knows how many fires are discovered just in time— discovery of fire a few minutes later in most of these cases would result in the charred bodies of dozens of workers who are crowded into these filthy tenements, which Commissioner Post has ad- mitted are “unfit for human habitation.” Who is responsible for the fact that workers are forced to live in these inhuman holes, forced to fear annihilation of themselves and their families at any moment? Revelations of the past few weeks have shown that the owners are the wealthy and aristocratic families of New York—the Stuyvesants, the Astors, the Ham Fishes. Other interests whose incomes are swelled by the rent which workers are forced to pay for the privilege of living in constant fear of fire are the wealthy churches, the theo- logical seminaries. Wealth and the religious in- terests go hand in hand in victimizing the working class. But no worker can forget that the primary fault for the 33 fire-deaths which have occurred in the last two and a half months rests directly on the shoulders of Mayor LaGuardia and the Fusion administration. The glowing promises of LaGuardia during the election campaign that he would raze the slums and build modern sanitary apartments for the workers at nominal rentals have not materialized. Instead we have witnessed the horrible deaths of 33 workers, their wives and their children. The city government is directly respon- sible for these deaths. All of Fusion’s promises, its smoothly-worded statements, are just so many words when the wealthy tenement owners, Wall Street banks and LaGuardia weigh their profits against the lives of 3,500,000 people, and prefer their Profits. LaGuardia’s demand that the landlord's “repair” these hopeless firetraps is a fake; this is not being, nor will it be enforced. It would, in any case, be insufficient, since most of these build- ings are beyond the stage where repairs might do any good, Fe Unemployed Councils proposed an extensive Public Works program, part of which is the razing of slums and the building of modern sanitary homes for the workers. This would put thousands of jobless men to work as well as provide safe homes for fire-menaced families. LaGuardia, it might be pointed out, is not alone in his empty promises; Roosevelt also spoke grandly about model-housing projects a year ago. But to- day, a year after Roosevelt assumed office, and almost three months since LaGuardia became Mayor, the early campaign promises are just so much words; joblessness continues to be widespread, and workers still rot in slums, not only in New York but throughout the United States. New York workers must remember these empty promises and declare emphatically that these prom- ises will not blind them to the fact that the city administration is responsible for the deaths of workers and their families, Organize in every house. Set up committees in every slum block. Demand that all tenants, Ne- gro and white, in firetrap buildings be moved at once into safe and sanitary dwellings; that the Home Relief Bureaus assume responsibility for moving expenses and rent payments for all unem- ployed families; that all workers’ families living in firetraps be given preference in all city dwellings, in all city apartment houses now in existence and those to be built, Fight against any form of discrimination against Negro tenants; for the right of all tenants to choose themselves the section in which they wish to live. Demand that LaGuardia immediately carry out his campaign promises. Demand that the slums be torn down and that fireproof sanitary apartment houses be built—the rentals to be from four to six dollars per room max- imum! i} Will Contain Full Text of Manuilsky’s Report on Communist Internat’! The full text of Comrade Manuilsky’s report on the work of the Com- munist International at the 17th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. will be published in this Saturday’s, March 24, issue of the “Daily.” Comrade Manuilsky’s report will take up close to two pages; the Satur day issue therefore will appear in 10 pages. This report is highly instructive, and every reader of the “Daily” should be acquainted with its content. Get your friends to read it. The District Sections and units of the Party are urged to rush extra orders for Saturday's 10-page “Daily.” | Hungarian and American Fascism,” | | the speaker. German Workers Win Strike { Cleveland Workers || Win Meeting of | Hungarian Fascists | (Special to the Daily Worker) | CLEVELAND, March 19.—Work- | ers preparing to celebrate next) Wednesday the anniversary of| the Hungarian Soviets yesterday | marched and overtook a nationalist Hungarian celebration led by the Cleveland agents of the Horthy gov- ernment in front of the statue of | Kossuth. The workers seized the platform, | and John Roman, co-editor of Uj/| Elroe, Hungarian revolutionary newspaper, spoke. The workers car- | tied placards with the slogans, | “Down with the Horthy govern- ment!,” “Amnesty for political pris- oners in Hungary!” “Free Scotts- boro boys and Tom Mooney,” “Fight | “Workers rule for Hungary!” | The Hungarian fascists were sur- prised and helpless. No arrests were made. Chicago ILD Plans Tag Days in Aid of Austrian Workers Collections Mar. 24, 25; Copper Miners Hold | Protest Meeting | CHICAGO, Mll—Tag-days for the benefit of the victims of Austrian fascism will be held here by the International Labor Defense, March 24 and 25. Thirty-four workers arrested for protesting against Hitler fascism and for the release of Ernst Thael- mann and the Reichstag fire trial defendants, before the German con- sulate last fall, have been dis- charged here following a militant mass and legal campaign by the ge Che 9 Ryan of the Red Squad, in the first trial, unable to confuse the de- fendants into waiving their right to a jury trial, threatened to “get the American Legion boys down here to help us.” HANCOCK, Mich.—A mass meet- ing at the Labor Hall, Sunday night in this copper-mining center was held on the situation in Germany and Austria, William Schneider- man, Minneapolis District Organ- izer of the Communist Party, was A resolution was adopted protesting against the fas- cist terror in Germany and Aus- tria, and demanding the release of Ernst Thaelmann, Ernst Torgler and all other class-war prisoners, and was forwarded to Hans Luther, Ger- man Ambassador in the United States, at Washington, D. C. Japanese Spy Ship Near Vladivostok Soviet Patrol Drives Schooner Away (Special to the Daily Worker) MOSCOW, March 19 (By Radio), —The Soviet press reports a new instance of Japanese provocation in the Far East. A frontier patrol found a Japanese motor schooner, the Totsima Maru, near the island of Oskold in the entrance to Vladi- vostok bay, on March 10, The captain said his vessel was engaged in “scientiife fishing,” and had been forced to berth near the shore because of motor trouble. The ship was found to be equipped with short-wave and long-wave radio installation, The ship was ordered to leave at once. The opinion of the patrol is that the schooner was a reconnoiter- ing craft which was carrying out a specific espionage commission. British Fascists Afraid of Bottles LONDON—(FP)—British Fascists are now using motor vans proofed against bottles and other missiles for traveling to their meetings. The vans carry 30 persons and their speed is 60 miles an hour. | order for 10,000 copies. Dollfuss, Gomboes THE BLUE-EAGLE CAB COMPANY —By Burck Bvah, Spread Half-Million Copies of May I Daily Worker to All Corners of U.S.! C “The first hundred years are the hardest,” is an old bourgeois say- ing, to be taken with the customary proletarian grain of salt. In the same way, the first 100,000 copies ordered by the districts of the special half-million-copy May Day edition of the Daily Worker, might be called the hardest too. If this is true, then the hard work of achieving this first 100,000 in or- ders has already been accomplished. Here’s how: Chicago has ordered 35,000 copies. Cleveland has asked for 20,000. Both Detroit and Philadelphia have equalled Cleveland’s total by ordering 20,000 copies each. And Boston has come through with an That makes a tentative total so far of 105,000 copies already or- dered of the special 24-page May Day edition. And it leaves 395,000 to go! Judging by this initial Tesponse, and by the unusually excellent line- up of contributors and articles to appear in the May Day special, the full quota of 500,000 should easily be reached if real effort is displayed by comrades in all districts. Where Is the West Coast? So far only Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Boston have come through with orders. Only five out of a total of 19 dis- tricts. The West Coast has not yet been heard from. Other dis- tricts of the country have until now been silent. We shouid receive word from these districts without delay! Some of the articles to be feat- ured in the May Day edition have already been announced. It would be impossible to enumerate them all in this space, particularly since the Daily Worker staff is at work} every day arranging for newer and more valuable features. Some of the special contents which have not as yet been an- nounced are: “Social Insurance and May Day” by Harry Gannes; “May Day and Trade Union Struggles” by Jack Stachel; “War and Fas- cism” by Sam Don; “A Year of German Fascism and the Growth of the Proletarian Revolution” by Milton Howard; “Youth and May Day” by Gil Green, and many others. This list could be added to con- siderably. And it will be multiplied in forthcoming anncuncements. On the basis of these features, as well as the special district pages which will be included in this huge spe- cial May Day edition, all districts should immediately get on the job to arrange’ unprecedented distribu- tions. Remember our slogan: Double the Tenth Anniversary Edition orders! Spread the half-million copies of the May Day edition to every corner of the United States! Conclude Alliance With Mussolini ROME, March 19.—An agreement for commor political action was signed here Saturday by Premier| Mussolini of Italy, Chancellor Engel- bert Dolifuss of Austria, and Pre- mier Julius Gomboes of Hungary. The pact was signed in the name! of the three governments, not of| the three states, and is thus not binding on the successors of the three men who signed it. It is signed by the heads of the three countries most sharply op- posed to the Versailles treaty, leav- ing out the fourth chief victim of that treaty, Germany, against whom this new agreement is chiefly aimed. The three agree to consult to- gether at the request of any one of the three—which means a virtual though temporary alliance of the three countries. The agreement also contains general provisions for eco- fhomic cooperation, but the actual details are not worked out. The agreement accentuates the political and economic isolation of Germany, transferring Danubian Language Groups Contributed $1,000 to 8th Convention NEW YORK.—More than one thousand dollars has been con- tributed to the Communist Party by national committees of lan- guage organizations throughout the country for the carrying out of the Eighth National Conyen- tion, since the call for their sup- port was sounded, it was an- nounced today. A donation of $150 by the Fin- nish Workers Federation was the first donation turned over to the Central Commitiee for the con- vention. Much more money is needed to carry on the work of this historic convention. All individuals, all local branches, are urged to help the work of the Communist Party’s Eighth Convention by sending their donations to Earl Browder, P. O. Box 87, Sta. D., New York City, now. Locals and branches are urged to send a $2 minimum, trade from German to Italian ports, and setting up one more obstacle .o Hitler’s ambition to win Austria and bring it into the Nazi front. France, Germany Seek To Pass Buck For War ' Programs PARIS, March 19—France and Germany have both published new notes in the maneuvers of the cap- italist powers to put on their rivals the responsibility for the feverish |armament preparations in which they are all engaged. The French note, sent to London in answer to the British proposals | brought by Capt. Anthony Eden, declares that France will oppose all attempts of Germany to rearm, and insists that Germany’s demand for rearming makes it necessary for France to arm itself to the hilt for “security.” The German note insists that unless the other powers disarm, Germany must arm. (Germany has been energetically rearming in secret for many months.) It ac- cepts “in principle” the French de- mand for international supervision of armaments, but insists that the other powers must also be “su- | pervised.” Enthusiasm Grows for National Party Convention Cleveland Workers Are Mobilizing for the Opening Meet CLEVELAND —tThe struggle against war and fascism and the_ revolutionary solution of the crisis | will be the first point on the agenda | of the Eighth National Convention, which takes place in Cleveland, Ohio, April 3 to April 8. Earl Browder will deliver this main report, it was announced yes- terday, Later it will be discussed by the rank and file delegates and leading functionaries of the Party from all over the United States. On the basis of these discussions a pro- gram of struggle will be drawn up by the convention. | One hundred and fifty thousand leaflets have been spread all over Cleveland, the concentration dis- trict of the Party, and in the in- dustrial towns nearby, calling the workers to participate in the open- ing meeting. Posters announcing the opening of the convention are being placed all through working- | class neighborhoods. “The significance to Cleveland and to the whole Party in holding the Convention in this centre of industry and basic mass struggles is great enough to warrant the greatest and most intensive mobili- zation of Cleveland workers,” the Central Committee stated yester- “All the revolutionary spirit day. and enthusiasm of the Cleveland Party members, members of mass organization and sympathizers, must To Cleveland Workers Name Room for married couple . Room for two persons............ Woodland Ave, All Cleveland, Ohio. SLEEPING ACCOMMODATION CARD I will provide sleeping quarters for delegates to the National Con- vention of the Communist Party to be held in Cleveland during the week of April second. There will be no discrimination in my home. Check whom you can accommodate Bring or mail the enclosed to any of the addresses given below: Communist Party, Room 306, 1514 Prospect Ave.; Uj Elore office, 11424 Buckeye Rd.; Workers Culture Home, 14101 Kinsman Rd.; Workers Book Shop, 1522 Prospect Ave.; Section 1, C. P., 4309 Lorain Ave.; Section 2, C. P., 756 East 105th St.; Section 11, ©. P., 3843 Signature e |More Hituinitiy Needed in Cleveland for Delegates _ be put into preparation of this great Convention. What the Communist | Party decides here, will have deep going results on every struggle of the American workers.” Cleveland workers are urged to get in touch with the Cleveland District Office of the Communist Party, to tell how many worker and farmer delegates can be housed by them at once. This is one way of helping the work of the Conven- tion. Mass organizations throughout the country, are being called upon by the Central Committee of the Communist Party to give immedi- ate response to the requests of their National Committees that they send a $2.00 minimum donation to help the Communist Party go through with the Convention. The expense is a tremendous one and all work- ers supporting the Communist Party are urged to take part in the prob- Jems of the Convention by sending their donations at once to Earl Browder, Central Committee, P. O. Box 87, Station D. N. Y. C. Organ- izations sending guest delegates are asked to send donations to be presented at the Opening Meeting, the night of April 2nd, ¢ oe vassal Against Nazi Pay-Cut “Metal Workers Force Bosses ‘To Drop Slash | Jobless Strike Against | Foreed Labor Near | Hamburg | BERLIN.—Strikes against attempted wage-cuts under the new Nazi “labor law” are | reported in the illegal “Rote {Fahne,” central organ of the | German Communist Party, In the Neidig machine building works, at Mannheim, the man- agement attempted to cancel the wage agreement, basing its action on the proclamation of the “labor law.” It proposed a piece-work rate which would make it impossible for the workers to get as much as be- fore. The Nazi shop stewards refused to call a meeting at the plant, to protest, and a number of workers called a shop meeting at which a delegation including two members of the Nazi shop council, was elected to present the demands of the work- ers to the management. Workers Strike on Job ‘The manager refused to negotiate, When the delegation reported this, the workers stopped work. Next morning, all the workers showed up, but did not stir a finger. The next morning, the manage- ment posted a notice that the new regulation was withdrawn and the workers would be paid under the old agreement. The Rote Fahne, commenting on this strike, warns the workers that the attack will be renewed after the slave “labor law” is made ef- fective on May 1, and calls for the building of a powerful illegal shop organization and independent class unions to lead the resistance to the bosses’ offensive. Similar strikes occurred in the great Spindler cleaning and dyeing works in Berlin, and in the Chem- nitz textile factory. a Strike Against Forced Labor HAMBURG, March 19.—Fifty un- employed workers being transported to a forced labor camp near Verden went on strike yesterday, shouting their protests against the hard work and starvation pay. Three were arrested, but the strikers marched back to their home town, Fascization of Austrian Unions Meets Setbacks Not Enough Heimwehr ‘Workers To Carry Out Reorganization VIENNA, March 19.—The fascisa- tion of labor organizations in Aus- tria is not going forward as fast as the Heimwehr would like, because there are not enough fascist work- ers to supply the needed function- aries and shop stewards. Strong pressure is being put on factories to discharge workers to make room for “patriotic” elements. Many employers are resisting, how- ever, because the “patriotic” Heim- webrmen are unskilled, and poor workers. Shortage of Fascists In many plants the program of replacing elected shop committees with fascists has had to be aban- doned, as there were no suitable fascists available. The Christian trade unions are opening a national congress this week, at which the main question will be the influx of workers whose solved. They are swamping the old membership, with the result that the system of electing functionaries ficials are to be appointed, for fear the workers will transform the unions into militant organizations. The Viennese demonstration of the “Patriotic Front,” which was to have taken place early this month was cancelled, because the “Patriotic Front” has no real basis in the factories, and the fascists rightly feared their demonstration would turn out a failure. A government decree gives the banks and other financial institu- tions the right to make new agree- ments with their employees, rais- ing their maximum work-week from the previous 48 hours to 56. banded free trade unions have been carrying on their work and collect- ing dues despite the government ban. A government decree has been issued providing fines up to 1,000 shillings, and six weeks’ imprison- ment for any shop steward who does not turn over the funds and equip- ment of the unions to the municipal” authorities. * 8 «@ VIENNA, March 19.—An inter- national group of lawyers, includ- ing members of the international commission of inquiry which in- vestigated the Reichstag fire, has arrived in Vienna, seeking to de- fend the hundreds of workers held the anti-fascist fighting. Most of the prisoners, however, have not yet been charged, and not even the names of many of them have been made public. They. are crowded, as many gether in a single cell, and given insufficient food. So many anti-fascists are held in been put into service, an aban- doned factory in St. Polten, a movie house in Bruck, where the prisoners are crowded together without elementary sanitary ar- Tangements, with Heimwehr fascists armed with rifles and machine guns on guard. Many are allowed no more than 10 minutes’ exercise a “free trade unions” have been: dis-— has been abandoned, and all of-— The shop stewards of the dis-~ as nine to-. jail that special buildings have” Fac staiass Cree