The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 14, 1934, Page 3

a Ft ‘DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1934 Page Trres Steel Workers: Vote for the Strike on Saturday, June 16th! SMWIU Holds Night Meets In Maryland of the bosses and police when the work- ers of Weirton went on strike last Gas was the answer Calumet Region Steel Workers Prepare tor being prepared by the steel bosses fer the workers in the coming IBig Strike Letters Describe Sentiment of Men and Efforts Of Bosses, Misleaders, to Avert Struggle GARY, Ind.—The efforts gamated Association to smash local leaders of the A. A. Roy tative of the A. A., who left® by plane for a “round table conference in Washington on June 6, stated: “All we are asking for is recogni- tion. . . . At no time has the Amal- gamated actually threatened a strike. We have agreed that there should be concerted action in mak- ing our demands and in attempting to follow them out.” Ernest Curtis, Calumet organizer for the A. A., said: “If the steel companies do not accede to our wishes, something will have to be done. I am confident, however, of the government’s me- | diatory power to assist us in obtain- | ing what we desire. We do not) want and do not advocate a strike. | Every attempt at peaceful settle- | ment will be made.” Steel Trust in Drive To Frighten Workers GARY, Ind—The Steel Trust is beginning a really heavy campaign * organize the efforts of the workers to win better conditions in the steel industry can be seen from the statements of the Struggles of the leaders of the Amal- the strike sentiment and dis- A. Kelsey, Calumet represen- Detroit J obless| Win Increased Relief Demand steel strike, sa es | Restore $2 Weekly Cut! in P.W.A. Workers’ Wages BULLETIN CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 13.— Cleveland unemployed workers are daily fighting the 22 per cent cut in relief, massing at the relief stations and demanding increased relief. On Monday, three women, one the mother of five children, were jailed for refusing to accept the cut. On Tuesday, four other workers were jailed by the Cuya- to frighten steel workers away from the proposed strike struggles. On| Wednesday, June 6, the Gary Post | Tribune, local organ of the Steel ‘Trust, ran a heavy headline, “STEEL | PRODUCTION REACHES NEW) HIGH.” Under-it was a lengthy story containing quotations from | the steel trusters to the effect that | the new high level of production, | 65 per cent (highest since the crisis | began), would be maintained thru- out the month, and there was no reason, providing labor complica- tions do not arise, that this high level, which has re-employed thou- sands of men, would not last thru- out the entire summer. With the promise of plenty of work for the next few months, the steel trust hopes to definitely scatter the workers’ desires for strike struggles. They are receiving the | active aid and support of the Amal- gamated Association misleaders in this district, Curtis and Kelsey, with their statements that the. A. A. does not want and doesn't advo- cate strike. * American Steel Bosses | Divide Negro and White INDIANA HARBOR, Ind. — Ai part of its preparations for the de: veloping strike of steel workers, the | bosses of the American Steel Foun- dries’ East Chicago plant have hired | some fifty young boys during the | last two months. These boys have | been taken into the mill, most of | them just out of school, or at any rate, it is their very first time in @ shop, and are being -forced to work real hard, receiving just 40 cents an hour. The bosses try to spread the feeling around the mill that these young boys are not go- ing to strike, But workers who talk to them find that they are hor- rified at the speed-up and are ready for struggle with the rest of the men. About 40 per cent of the workers in this shop, which employs about 800, are Negroes. These workers came into the shop in 1919, used by the bosses to try to break the strike. ‘The bosses purposely foster a strong feeling of hatred and distrust be- tween the Negro and white work- ers. * * * Intimidate Older Men At Illinois Steel Mill GARY, Ind—In an effort to frighten the workers of the Illinois steel mill here in Gary away from militant strike action, the steel | barons have dug out a couple of hundred cots, and have a few old men in the paint shop painting these beds over and over again. They had the doors of the paint shop wide open so that everyone who passed would see and spread the word around. The company is really putting on an intensive cam- paign to frighten the workers and try to show them that they are | ready for anything. They are spreading rumors that have upset many of the workers—rumors that | if the older men go out on strike, they will never see the inside of the mill again. * * + Youngstown Sheet, Tube Workers Favor Strike INDIANA HARBOR, In.—In the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co, plant here the majority of the work- ers are talking with favor of the proaching steel strike. They talk the strike with the feeling that most of them will stay home when it is called. Unlike many other mills in the district the bosses are not canvass- ing the workers getting them to sign anything against the strike. Only 18 out of 60 said that they thought they would work. The rest stood firm and said they would not work if the strike is called. There is a rumor going around the mill that the machine guns, which the company bought at the time of the strike rumor during the first wage cut in October, 1932, were taken from the warehouse and oiled, just to show the workers that the company is prepared foc any- thing. I have not been able to see anyone who saw them, however. The spirit is running high and if the workers continue their talk, the leadership of the Amalgamated As- hoga County Relief Administra- tion at St. Clair and 43rd St. All are out on bail raised by the IL. D. The unemployed are showing by their actions that they will mass in thousands at the Public Square, Friday, June 15, at 1:30, demanding immediate restoration of the cut, relief work at trade union wages or equal amount in cash relief and for the Workers’ Unemployment and Social Insur- ance Bill (H. R. 7598). I. Amter, national secretary of the Unemployment Councils, spoke to an enthusiastic gathering of jobless workers, who pledged full support to the steel workers in their coming strike, and to | the Food Workers’ Industrial Union. | strike committee that the shipown- wage an unrelenting fight for adequate relief. DETROI7, Mich. — Unemployed workers in Detroit and other parts of Wayne County received increased relief as a result of the demonstra- tion called before the Welfare De- partment Monday by the Unem- ployment Councils. Unemployed at the Alfred Street Welfare Station in the heart of the Negro section were granted double portions of meat and lard. Much of he previous red tape was missing as the workers were rushed through the station, the officials attempting in this manner to pacify the work- ers, while an extra heavy police mobilization patrolled the streets. The County Relief officials were forced to restore the two dollar cut in the weekly pay of P.W.A. workers on the day following the announce- ment of the demonstration. Great numbers of workers had their gas and electricity bills paid, and many militant workers were transferred to other P.W.A. jobs at higher cate- gories of pay. The West Side workers rode the street cars free to the Waterman Station, where the elected commit- tee of the workers presented the de- mands. The committee also visited the Westminster Station where cases were presented. £. ae On the Strike Front Metal Strike in Third Week | NEW YORK. — The strike of 60 | workers of the Metro Company, 722 | Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, en- tered its third week yesterday with | the ranks of the strikers firm. Sev- eral attempts of the bosses to oper- ate the plant with scabs have been |halted by the strikers. | ve }on strike, 49 are members of the | Steel and Metal Workers Industrial | Union, four of the International | Association of Machinists, three of the Metal Spinners’ Union and three |of the Platers League. | teers | Win Three Grocery Strikes | NEW YORK.—After a one-day | strike, workers of the Royal Public | Market, 1103 Ave. U, Brooklyn, won | | Wage increases and recognition of {the union. The strike was led by | Strikes were also won at a grocery | store, 9415 Church Ave., Brooklyn, and at a fruit market, 117 Liberty Ave., Richmond Hill. | Karp Bros. Pickels |In Court Today | NEW YORK.—The cases of sev- | eral workers who were arrested for | picketing the Karp Brothers store |in Brooklyn will come up in the | Eighth St. Court today for a hear-| | ing. | Four Knitting Mills on Strike | NEW YORK.—Workers of four | knitgoods shops were striking here | yesterday under the leadership of the Knitgoods Workers Union. The struck shops are: Triangle, {115 W. 29th St.; Gotham Knitting Mills, 30 W. 26th St.; Leonard Knit- ting Mills, 427 Broadway; Sherman Knitting Mills, 797 Broadway. | Seattle Mayor Threatens | Violence In Strike | SEATTLE, Wash., June 13—The | Mayor of Seattle got up on his high horse yesterday and threatened to open the docks by force on Thurs- day. Suporting the Mayor, Beck, head! tempting to | of the A. F. of L. Teamsters’ Union, BUFFALO S. P. ORGANIZER JOINS C. P.; DISILLUSIONED BY S. P. LEADERS’ OPPORTUNISM AND SABOTAGE O* THE UNITED FRO} ® NEW YORK-—Since the Detroit Convention of the Socialist Party the Daily Worker has received many letters from members of the Socialist Party) who express their complete disillusionment with the policies and actions of the top leadership, and who make appli- cation to join the Communist Party. Several of these statements re- pudiating the policies of the up- per S. P. leadership have already been printed in the Daily Worker. The letter printed below, from a member of the Executive Com- mittee of the Buffalo local of the Socialist Party, is a remarkable expression of the path which an honest, class-conseious worker, seeking to fight against capitalist exploitation, followed in his de— velopment from the illusions of “Christian Socialism” to the Com- munist Party. The Daily Worker welcomes all letters from members of the So- cialist Party discussing the recent events at the Detroit Convention. aR ea Dear Editor: I appeal to you to publish the following letter in the Daily Worker, with the hope that it will serve to favorably impressed many Socialist readers. I am a worker, 24 years of age. About four years ago I became in- terested in Socialism, and became active in a Christian Socialist or- ganization in Buffalo, which is closely connected with the Socialist Party. Due to the influence of the church, and also due to the en- couragement of leading S. P. mem- bers (who call themselves left- wingers), I became an _ ardent Pacifist and raved to the workers about the beautiful (but imprac- sociation will be forced to call a strike, tical) philosophy of “passive re- Leaders’ Lies K Members of four unions are in- | olved in the strike. Out of the 60/ | Sixth Int'l Solidarity Day of W. I. R. To Be | Celebrated in Chicago CHICAGO, Il, June 18—The | celebration of the Sixth Interna- | tonal Solidarity Day of the Work- | ers International Relief, will be held here on Sunday, June 17th, at 10 | a.m., by a picnic and entertainment in La Grange Grove. There will be games and refreshments and danc- ing to music by the W.LR, band. Funds raised will be used to open Children’s Centers in Chicago, where experienced supervisors will | direct play activities. Classes in arts | and handicraft will be conducted, to give children a working class edu- cation, said “good-bye and good luck” to the strike committee. Joseph P. Ryan, president of the International Longshoremen’s Asso- ciation, who left here for San Fran- | cisco, also maneuvered in favor of |the Mayor's plan. He told the | ers will not acce2pt the strikers’ de- mands. Before he left town Ryan met with the strike committee and instructed it to meet with the Mayor and agree to open Alaska shipping. Rank and file longshoremen in- sist that they will not accept Ryan’s or the Mayor’s plan of an individual settlement here and demand that any settlement that is made shall be made by the central strike com- | mittee for all ports and that the | settlement shall include seamen and all waterfront workers who are jon strike. } | Struck Ship Sails | For Chester, Pa. | | HOUSTON, Texas, June 13.—The |S. 8. Mayan, which was on strike | here under the leadership of the Marine Workers’ Industrial Union, is reported to have sailed for the port of Chester, Pa. Seamen of the ports of Phila- | delphia and Chester have been | urged by the M. W. I. U. to be on | the lookout for the ship and strike her when she arrives. | Leaders of the I. W. W. were at- ship scabs on the Mayan while the crew was striking. * | fight of the whole working class Jobless! Rally in Support of the Coming Steel Strike National Unemployment Councils Pledge Full Strike Support of Affiliated Organizations NEW YORK.—In « statement is- sued today, the National Executive Board of the Unemployment Coun- cils pledged full support and co-op- eration with the steel workers in their coming strike, and called upon | all unemployed workers and all Un- | employment Councils to mass on the picket lines and support the steel workers in every possible way. ‘The statement, in part, declares: Statement of National Councils “The coming steel strike is a battle against one of the most ruthless and most powerful en- emies of all workers. Tens of thousands of workers will be di- rectly involved in a fight against the super-robbers, the steel barons and the powerful finan- ciers who control this industry. This strike is the only means | whereby the steel workers can fight back against the poverty | and oppression from which they | | | | | | | suffer. “A victory for the steel work- ers will be of tremendous im- portance to the whole working class, It will serve to advance the against miserable wages, condi- tions and living standards. “The steel barons are counting upon and will do everything pos- sible to recruit scabs from the ranks of the unemployed millions. As in Minneapolis, Toledo and Birmingham and other places where strikes have taken place in recent months, every form of ruthless terror will be mobilized by the operators and directed against the strkers. Police, militia as well as private thugs will at- tempt to drive the workers back to intolerable conditions at the point of guns, bayonets and ma- chine guns. Already preparations are going forward for such at- tacks, Jobless Will Not Scah “The unemployed must not and will not permit themselves to be used by the operators as scabs. On the contrary, we must rally in support of our fellow workers, whoi are fighting the common enemies of the work- ers. “The National Unemployment Councils of the United States, as the only nationwide organization for struggle against unemploy- ment, pledges through its Na- tional Executive Board the sup- port of our affiliated organiza- tions in the steel centers and in | all parts of the country. Tasks of the Councils “We call upon our organizatons and upon the millions of unem- ployed workers who have bene- fitted from the struggles we have conducted to rally for active par- ticipation in the strike of the steel workers. We urge the Un- employment Councils and other affiliated organizations to their utmost by means of the following supporting actions: “(1) Stimulate the strike and preparations for the strike by calling meetings, issuing leaflets, appealing to all steel workers, Negro and white, to unite their ranks and join the strike as one united, fighting body regardless of union affilia- tion and non-affiliation; “(2) Mobilize the unem- ployed for participation on the picket lines; “(3) Assist partciularly in developing all necessary action and struggle to force local relief agencies to provide adequate relief for all strikers; “(4) Aid the Steel and Metal Industrial Union and the rank and file groups inside the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers to develop the necessary safe- guards against betrayals by the misleaders of the Amalgamated such as Mike Tighe, and hy governmental arbitration and mediation boards.” ept Me from C. P.,” S. P. Organizer Writes Sign Up! Metal Worker,” Consol SPARROWS POINT, Md. | steel mills is growing daily. |the Steel and Metal Workers | nightly mass meetings, puttin; | ‘To Push Steel Strike ew Members Daily, Spreads “Steel and idate Strike Sentiment The strike sentiment in the In preparation for the strike, Industrial Union is holding g out thousands of copies of |the “Steel Workers News,” official plant bulletin of the | Bethlehem local of the S. M. |W. 1. U., daily signing up new |members, and consolidating the |national strike sentiment through |the “Steel and Metal Worker,” of- | ficial organ of the union. | At the Bethlehem Steel Plant here, the Amalgamated Association is doing practically nothing. Dur- ing the past two weeks, the A. A. |has held two mass meetings, one attended by 40 workers, the other attended by 25 workers. | The S. M. W. I. U. | nightly meetings in the workers’ |neighborhoods, before the plant | gates, and in the neighborhoods of | the Negro steel workers. Thousands jof workers have attended these meetings. | Since they are held nightly, it ts | almost impossible to advertise these | meetings through the regular chan- | nels of leaflets, etc., but before the | meeting is called, a truck bearing |& loud speaker patrols the workers’ neighborhoods announcing the meetings. is holding | Meet on Company Property On Monday, June 4, for the first time @ meeting was held on com- | pany property in front of the Beth- lehem Steel, Sparrows Point, Mill |More than 500 Negro and white | workers attended the meeting and enthusiastically greeted the call for the strike, voting for another meet- ing on the following Monday. A permit for the following week was sought from police chief Miller, of the Sparrows Point company po- lice. On June 8th he summoned a committee from the union and told them that no meetings would be allowed, stating that “gangs were being organized to beat up the speakers.” When pressed and told that the speakers will take care of | themselves, he was forced to admit that Manager Court of the Spar- |Tows Point Mill had told him to discontinue all meetings. Speaker Chains Self to Post On Monday, after 150 leaflets | had been distributed inside the mill, 400 workers turned out at ; the meeting. The entire police force was mobilized.. The speaker, |@ steel worker from the plant, | chained himself to a post. Mean- | while, as the cops were cutting |the chain, the worker spoke. | When finished, instead of arrest- ling, they put him on a car, paid | his fare, and sent him home, not | daring to face the strike issues at | this time. At Dondalk, a steel workers’ | neighborhood near Sparrows Point, the Amalgamated Association held |@ meeting on Thursday, June 7. | Forty workers attended. The next | day, the S. & M. W. I. U. called |@ meeting on the same corner— 200 workers turned out! The fol- |lowing day, a mass meeting was | held in Highlandtown, half a block |from the A. A. headquarters. More | than 700 workers attended the | meeting and 200 pledge cards for the union were signed. Every copy |of the “Steel and Metal Worker” was sold out. On Tuesday, June 12, a meeting held at Egar and McDonough Sts.,| T contradiction of terms, particularly when one is faced with bullets, clubs, ete. Now I am fully aware of the fact that the teaching of poi- sonous Pacifism to the workers is counter-revolutionary, and leads to all sorts of dangerous things. If Pacifism must be taught, let it be taught in the capitalist armies and navies. After a period of five or six months, during which time I read many books on scientific Socialism, religion, etc., I became convinced that Christian Socialism was un- scientific, and therefore was wrong. I then joined the Young People’s Socialist League, and on my 21st birthday also joined the Socialist Party, and was very active in both these organizations for about two years. During this time I came into conflict’ with such a great amount of opportunism, individual- ism and misleadership within these organizations that at times I be- came extremely heartsick and dis- gusted. Here I was handicapped, however, because of my ignorance as to the reasons for these things, which was due to my belief that the structure of the S. P. and Y. P. S. L. was correct. Now I can safely say that these organizations not only allow for these things, but also that they manufacture them, due to the lack of revolutionary principles, a party line, self-criticism, etc. After a careful study of the S. P. and the whole Second International, I found that history had clearly demonstrated to them many times the need for a “Proletarian Dic- tatorship,” for the use of direct ac- tion, etc. Yet in spite of this the leaders of the Second International con- tinued to put their faith in capital- ist legality, and betrayed the work- sistance,” which I now realize is a ers of the world by clinging to the same old wholesale misinterpreta- tions of the theoretical conclusions of Marx and Engels. Of these things the leaders of the S. P. have said little or noth- ing about—in the past—and even now, in the face of the German, and of the Austrian affairs, Otto Bauer (leading theoretician of the Second International) wrote in the New Leader of five weeks ago the following: “Only in countries where Fascism has been victorious, will a revolutionary uprising of the masses be necessary.” Here he admits that votes cannot counteract the bul- lets, and the nooses of Hitler, and of Dollfuss, yet he asks us to wait until we have Fascism before we reyolt. This is open betrayal, and nicely paves the way for Fascism. He is trying to make us believe that Fascism is a necessary step in the evolution of capitalism, in spite of the fact that history has proven to the contrary. Another joke is Louis Waldman’s (State Chairman S. P. of N, Y.) criticism of the new set of “prin- ciples” adopted at the recent na- tional convention of the S. P. His criticism includes the following: “I charge that the new program of the Revolutionary Policy Committee commits the S. P. to the use of violence, extra-legal means, and in- surrectionary methods, as against the orderly, and legal change to which the S. P. has always been committed.” Waidman’s criticism is entirely incorrect. The R. P. C. program to which he refers has too many “ifs” and “buts” in it to jus- tify his criticism of it. Such as: “If the capitalist system should collapse in a general chaos and confusion, which cannot permit of orderly procedure,” etc. The estab- lishment of Fascism in Germany and in Austria, has proven to me and to thousands of other Social- ists, that the capitalist class will not permit orderly procedure. In spite of this Waldman brazenly speaks of “orderly,” and “legal” change. I wonder where he gets his nerve from. Ever since Hitler's rise to power I have been thinking of joining the Communist Party. However, I al- ways hoped and worked for a con- structive leftward swing in the Ss. P. But after the wholesale sellout of the R. P. C. to the compromising Norman Thomas leadership, I am convinced that it is impossible to work for Socialism within the S. P., and so I have joined the C. P. The facts show that the Second International is rapidly in the proc- ess of dissolution, and I am sure that the S. P. in the U. S. itself is doomed to disaster, because of the bourgeois-minded leadership, who insist on preaching the same old reactionary philosophy on which history has played a terrible joke. All sincere rank and file Socialists should ask themselves the question: “What is wrong with our leaders, are they just plain dumb, as a re- sult of bourgeois influences per- haps, or are they conscious mis- leaders, interested only in political jobs and not in revolution.” Ever since the Austrian affair I have read much Communist litera- ture, and also have carefully ana- lyzed the structure of the C. P., and have found that the C. P. is entirely different than it was pic- tured to. me by the Socialist lead- ers. I also worked with many Com- munists in the recent aircraft strike in Buffalo, and found, too, that the Communists were very good workers for Socialism. ‘They did plenty of constructive, revolutionary work, and also contributed very heavily in a financial way. If the line of the Communist Party could have been carried out, the strike would have been won. However, it was impos- sible to carry out the line in this strike, due to the fact that we were almost completely overwhelmed with the forces of reaction, on the inside of the union, as well as on the outside. Many workers were convinced that the Communists had the right idea, and many of them joined the Party. But the police clubs and the strikebreaking labor board scared the heart out of many other workers, and they crept back to work and broke their own strike. The charge of the Socialist lead- ers that the Communists are split- ters is also a lie. During this strike the Communists took the lead in the call for a United Front and were very successful. We now have a “Chamber of Labor” in Buffalo, composed of unemployed groups, a few churches, S. P. (forced to join) and many unions, ihcluding about 20 different A. F. of L. locals. This “Chamber ox Labor” will support all strikes in the future. Speaking of lies, incidentally, James O'Neal, ed- itor of the New Leader, surely de- serves a medal from the capitalist class for his comparison of Stalin with Mussolini and Hitler, in an editorial in the New Leader of four weeks ago. He says, in part: “Each of these dictators (including Stalin) would enjoy planting his heels on the necks of millions while he sups at a rich table prepared by those who are dictated to. ... As for us, we have no use for dictators.” His purpose is very clear. He feared that many Socialists would join the C. P., especially after the convention. vent this he indulged in a bit of lying anti-Communist, anti-Rus- sian propaganda. He is trying to make us believe that the “dictator- ship of the proletariat” means a In an attempt to pre-| dictatorship similar to Mussolini's and Hitler’s. We should all know by now that Stalin is not dictator |of Russia. Stalin is the secretary of the C. P. of the Soviet Union. The C. P. (or the organized revolu- tionary vanguard of the working class) is the main instrument of government in the Soviet Union. History has proven that the “dicta- torship of the proletariat” is vitally necessary during the transitional stage from capitalism to Socialism. I, like thousands of other Socialists, can see very clearly now the reason why the Communists call the So- | cialist leaders “Social Fascists.” O'Neals type of lying, anti-Commu- nist propaganda, as well as Bauer's treacherous remarks, is surely | paving the way for Fascism, and for a wholesale attack on the Soviet Union. Of this lying anti-Commu- nist Socialist propaganda, I had for | a long time been a victim, and this was the strongest barrier between the C. P. and myself, After a careful study of the C. P., its principles, party line, ete. I am firmly convinced that one could not ask for a more revolutionary, work- ing-class organization. And so I earnestly appeal to all sincere rank and file Socialists to join the C. P. and to expose the lying anti-Com- munist propaganda of the Socialist. leaders. Those rank and file So- cialists who are sincerely interested in revolutionary change will do this, after reading this letter. As for myself, I bitterly regret not having | joined the Communist Party four | years ago. Yours for a Soviet America, (Signed) WALTER F. HACKEMER, Former City Organizer Y. L. of Buffalo and former member of in the Negro steel workers’ neighe borhood, was attended by more than 1,000. Scores of Negro and white workers signed up for the union. At this meeting.the majority of the workers present were Negroes, Speakers asked: “Are you in favor of the strike? Will you strike side by side with your white broth- ers in a common struggle against the steel barons?” Cheers greeted the call, and by a show of hands, every worker responded The Steel and Metal Workers Industrial Union, with offices at 4819 Eastern Ave., Baltimore, will hold a big mass meeting Saturday, June 16, at 7:30 p, m., at the core ner of 14th St. and Eastern Ave, Highlandtown. Funds are needed to carry on the work of preparation for the steel strike. Money should he sent to the national office of the Steel and Metal Workers In- dustrial Union, Room 511, 929 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa, Illinois Steel Co., in Lying Letter, Tells Men Not To Strike Falsifies Gen Profits and Attacks Demands of S. M. W. I. U. By BILL ANDREWS (Daily Worker Midwest Bureau) CHICAGO, June 13.—Verbally turning their pockets inside out and crying on the workers’ shoulders about the hard times for both bosses and workers, the Illinois Steel] Com- pany issued a pleadirig letter to its employes on June 5, begging them not to strike. Carefully forgetting the huge profits piled up by the steeel trust during the war and‘ post-war years, G. G. Thorp, president of the company stated in the letter that Illinois Steel lost $78,000,000 in 1931-1933. He admits that the workers also had a “tough time.” He states that out of 225,000 employees in 1929, only 10,000 worked full time in 1932 and 139,000 part time. He carelessly lets slip the fact that the N. R. A. is holding down wages despite the increase in wage rates. He say: With business still slack and the code limits on maximum hours, WEEKLY EARNINGS are not up to 1929.” (Thorp’s em- phasis). Raises Red Scare The usual attacks are contained in the letter concerning the Steel and Metal Workers Industrial Union. The union is “an organiza- tion frankly affiliated with the Communist movement,” says Thorp, frantically trying to raise the red scare against the only militant union in the industry. The letter states that the Steel and Metal Workers Industrial Union, besides presenting demands similar to those of the Amaiga- mated Association, “go further and demand modification of employ- ment relations which existing eco- nomic and social conditions make [mpossible.” This is a deliberate misstatement, since the demands presented by the 5. M. W. I. U. were the same as those adopted at the A. A. conven- tion, After a mild criticism of the Amalgamated Association, which is part of the A. F. of L., Thorp writes, “No comment is made with regard to the Communist union. Surely it can have no appeal for the employees of this company.” (My emphasis, B. A.) Steel workers can learn a great deal from the greater viciousness of the companies’ attack on the S. M. W. I. U., whose “appeal” to the workers is based on a real program of class struggle, on uncompro- mising strike action to force the acceptance of the workers’ demands, Not Even a Union The letter then makes a long dissertation about “reforms” in the employe representation plan in op- eration in the Illinois Steel to pre- vent real militant unionism. “Th isn't a ‘company union,’ it isn't @ union at all,” says Thorp, with amazing frankness. He then reels off a most unim- pressive list of company “services” to steel workers, such as home gare dens where starving laborers could raise garden truck (on his own fig- ures, each worker who got a plot averaged about half an acre. Farm experts would be interested to learn how to support a family on that much land), employee stock owner= ship, pensions (which are, in most cases, neatly avoided by firing of old workers just before they reach age of retirement), and similar de- vices designed to make workers “loyal”. and reduce labor turnover. Thorp ends with an emotional appeal to workers to remain willing slaves, to stick with the company, or, in short, to submit to continu- ation of the present rotten condi- tions in the mill, The letter, signed by Thorp, was approved by W. A. Irwin, President Executive Committee S, P. Lo- cal, Buffalo, ~ of the U. S. Steel Corporation, which controls Illinois Steel.