The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 17, 1934, Page 1

| Only $2,566 has been contributed to date to the $15,000 defense fund for the appeals of Angelo Herndon and the Scottsbore hors. Only 15 days are left. See blank on page four of this issue. Rash contributions te International Labor Defense, 80 E. llth St., New York City. Vol. XI, No. 197 <> New York, N. ¥., under the Act of Daily <QWorker CENTRAL ORGAN COMMUNIST PARTY U.S.A. (SECTION OF COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL) Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at March 8, 1879. NEW ew XORK, RAY, AUGUST 17, 1934 WEATHER: Probably showers. 4 Redouble Drive Eff PRESS RUN YESTERDAY orts Next 2 Weeks 44,900 (Six Pages) Price 3 Cents GENERAL COTTON STRIKE VOTED ‘EAT SUBSTITUTES, SAYS WALLACE IN FOOD SHORTAGE Waitin Vain For U.S. Aid Roosevelt Says No More Funds for Farmers Until January WASHINGTON, Aug. 16. —A degradation of the coun- try’s food diet, politely called a “shift in diet” by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace was declared today to be the offi- cial Roosevelt policy to avoid food shortage. Admitting the enermous destitu- tion of basic foods resulting from the A. A. A. program, especially in milk and grains, Wallace grimly proposed that workers learn how to eat less in a statement urging that “neces- sary adjustments in the kind and form of foods be intelligently made.” Despite -all attempts of Roose- velt to minimize the severity of the food destruction resulting from the A. A. A. crop destroying program and the drought, it was Officially admitted in a cautiously worded statement that “local scarcity undoubtedly will de- velop,” and that “higher prices may be expected.” This statement, issued through the Agricultural Department, con- firms early information previously revealed by the Daily Worker, Also, Roosevelt in conference with Walla¢e and other aids, made it clear that no more funds would be allocated for the drought area and that he considered the present ap- propriation of $525,000,000 ample to care for the drought situation until January. It was revealed that the Government had not even spent all of its first appropriation of $225,000,000. When it is considered that the drought has caused $5,000,000,000 damage, according even to official estimates, the criminal inade- quacy of the Roosevelt appropria- tions becomes clear. At most, only 750,000 persons of the 25,000,000 affected by the drought will receive cash relief, and these will receive at the most no mere than $6.00 a week, Gov- ernment officials declared. . No Action Against Profiteering While insisting that there was no prospect of any serious decline in food supplies, Roosevelt at the same time admitted shortage by issuing an oral “warning” against profi- teering. Thus far, Roosevelt has not taken any legal action to pre- vent profiteering. On the contrary, all the government advices have been directed to preparing the peo- ple for “inevitable” price rises. Particularly heavy price advances are expected in the staples, meat and potatoes, since the Roosevelt- ‘Wallace program has destroyed mil- lions of cattle and has seriously crippled the supply of fodder for the herds. New High Price Level Prices have now reached the high- est level in 30 months, touching, according to the Bradstreet daily commodity index, 120.02, a level now 20 per cent above last year. ‘The grim rise in food prices since Roosevelt took office last March, a rise which has only been accen- tuated by the recent drought, is re- vealed by the index of the daily prices for 31 typical commodities which now stands at $2.28 compared with $1.60 last March. From Detroit, a special Daily Worker survey of the state of Michigan reveals the following price rises during the past week: One cent increase in a pound loat of bread, 3-5 cent increases for a dozen eggs, butter 3 cents a pound, flecr 60 cents a barrel, and pork 3-4 cents higher per pound. Un- employment is also increasing at the same time. ‘The tremendous A. A. A. destruc- tion of cotton and sheep will in- evitably be reflected in rising prices for clothing and all woolens, of- ficials admitted. Hungry Struggle for Poisoned Food PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 16—Al- most maddened by hunger, hun- dreds of jobless workers living in the “dumps” here as squatters fought the police and braved a blaz- ing fire in the attempt to snatch food which the government was burning. The government officials who were pouring gasoline over 1,000 gallon cans of prunes declared that the food was tainted and unfit to eat. The starving workers, how- ever, in their desperation, ignored these statements and the police who brandished pistols, and risked death in the flames in order to salvage whatever they could. 6 26,000,000 Toiling Women Back After Paris Congress Roosevelt's Mother, Bored, Returns First Class While Enthusiastic Anti-War Delegates Arrive in Third By JEROME ARNOLD NEW YORK—The same ship yes- terday brought two mothers back to the United States from Europe. One was Mrs. Roosevelt, mother of President Roosevelt—tall, sedate, aristocratic and bored. The other was a mother of the American working class, Mother Ella Reeve Bloor, seventy-two years young revolutionary leader and full of the vigor of life. Sparkling with health and enthusiasm, Mother Bloor returned with thirteen other delegates from the Women’s Inter- national Congress Against War and Fascism, Aboard the Ille de France coming up the bay, the reporters scurried off to find Mrs, Roosevelt. Mrs. Roosevelt had little to say to the reporters. But she consented to sit for the photographers who crowded reverently into her stateroom. Mrs. Roosevelt sat like a Sphinx. “Smile, Mrs. Roosevelt, please.” “How can I?” Mrs. Roosevelt re- plied as she looked off icily toward one side of the room. There were no photographers on the third-class end of the ship, where the women’s delegation was. Just the Daily Worker reporter. He received an enthusiastic welcome. “How are things on this side?” the women wanted to know. Congress Was “Splendid” Mother Bloor, as chairman of the delegation, took charge. “The Congress was remarkable because of its broad scope. There were over a thousand women from all over the world except China be- cause they couldn’t get away. The terror, you know. There were women workers and housewives and farm women. There were all kinds, even feminists and pacifists, So- cialists, Communists, Christian So- cialists and many others. “And they all voted for the mani- festo. It was passed unanimously. “The high spot of the congress was when Helena Stassova led the Soviet delegation of ten women into (Continued on Page 2) M’Levy Clique Votes to Expel Liskofsky Special to the Daily Worker RIDGEPORT, Aug. 16.—At a hectic general membership meeting of the Socialist Party of Bridge- port, last night, Mayor Jasper Mc- Levy’s steamroller, led by McLevy himself, defeated the opposition of rank and file members and ex- pelled Kieve Liskofsky, Socialist selectman, from the party. The chief charge against Liskof- sky was that he had worked with Communists, sharing the platform with members of the Communist Par:y at a demonstration against war on May 30, the same date that Mayor McLevy was marching in a military parade and speaking from the platform of the American Legion. Hardly had Liskofsky started to speak in his own behalf when Mc- Levy rose to a point of order, clos- ing discussion without permitting Liskofsky or anyone else to Speak in his defense. Despite these ma- chine tactics and a whole previous campaign against Liskofsky, Mc- Levy could, barely muster the neces- sary two-thirds majority. Liskof- sky received 44 votes. , Will Appeal Case Interviewed after the meeting Liskofsky and other rank and file Socialists stated they would appeal the expulsion to the State Execu- tive Committee of the Socialist Party and, if necessary, to the Na- tional Executive. Liskofsky’s ap- peal will be broadcast to the locals and membership in the State, it was also learned. Insurgent mem- bers will make an issue of Mc- Levy’s sell-out policies and steam- roller tactics. Rank-and-filers also expressed bitterness at the refusal of the So- cialist officials to permit a commit- tee of relief strikers to come be- fore the membership appealing for support. One striker put the pre- vailing feeling among the strikers rather caustically when he stated: “How do you expect them to give us a hearing when Mayor McLevy Says the most important problem facing the Socialist Party is the pienic next Sunday for the coming election campaign?” Alderman Resigns From S. P. John Sheerin, Socialist Alderman, resigned from the Socialist Party in protest against the whitewashing of Welfare Department graft by the McLevy administration. Sheerin made no statement concerning his future activities. Many ponder whether his next step will be for united struggles of local labor or for the formation of a new political organization. Frank Gurnat, a member of the city Executive Committee cf the Bridgeport Socialist Party, also quit the party, giving as his reasons “McLevy's sell-out policies and be- trayals.” There are persistent ru- mors of more resignations in the very near future. NURSE FOR CHILDREN’S CAMP NEW YORK.—The Medical Unit of the Workers International Relief issued .a call yesterday for nurses to volunteer their seryices for two weeks at Camp Wochica. Wingdale, N.Y. Applications should be made Epcediniely to Room 507, 35 EB, 12th 132 Arrested In Strike on Bread Prices NEW YORK—Mrs. Rose Simoh, Bronx housewife, will appear for trial next Monday on a charge of assault growing out of the five- week-old strike against the high price of bread on 174th Street in the Bronx. Mrs. Simon, who is being held without bail, is one of the 32 pickets who have been seized by police since July 12, the first day of the protest action of neighborhood people against the advance in the cost of bread and rolls. Twenty-five of the Pickets have received jail sentences of 1 to 2 days each, The strike, which is being led by the 174th Street Neighborhood Or- ganization, arose out of the viola- tion of an agreement between the organization and three bakery own- ers, arrived at last spring. The three bakeries, Max Julian, Inc., Miller Brothers and the Kleinburg Bakery, agreed to charge 7 cents for a pound of bread and 18 cents for a dozen rolls, Signs to the effect that the shops had settled with the neighborhood organization appeared in the windows of the bakeries. In June the signs were withdrawn and prices were advanced to 8 cents a pound for bread and 20 cents a dozen for rolls, After five weeks of negotiations, the 174th Street group, unable to get the bakery owners to lower prices, called the strike, Representatives of the strikecs pointed out that the bakery owners are attempting to raise the prices even higher, to the minimum stipu- lated under the new N.R.A, code, supposed to have been effective Au- gust 13. The new prices are 9 cents a pound for bread and 24 cents a dezen rolls. Pickets are being sent from the headquarters of the neighborhood organization at 1841 Bryant Avenue to the bakeries daily, despite at- tempts by the employers to get an injunction against picketing. Asks Votes To Release Thaelmann Committee Acts for Lib- eration of Anti-Fascist Prisoners NEW YORK.—Hailing the can- didacy of Ernst Thaelmann in the name of the German Communist Party as a “daring ct of the Ger- man working class and all its anti- fascist allies,” the National Com- mittee To Aid Victims of German Fascism yesterday called for a na- tion wide campaign to get 1,000,000 signatures affixed to the demand that Thaelmann and all anti-fascist prisoners be immediately released from the Nazi dungeons. “The campaign for a million sig- natures,” the committee-stated, “to free all antifascist prisoners in Hit- ler dungeons, to save the life of Thaelmann who is. scheduled to be tried in September by the ‘People’s Court,’ the Nazi drumhead court martial, is also a campaign for votes. Every mame secured is a vote for Thaelmann’s liberation. A million names, a million votes, a million voices raised in this country for our imprisoned antifascists will prove to Hitler and his fascist bands that large sections of men and women in this country are voting against him, and for our anti-fascist brothers whom he is torturing in his concentration camps.” The collection of a-million signa- tures for the liberation of Thael- mann and all anti-fascist prisoners in Germany has already begun in many cities and towns all over the country. The demands which the Com- mittee raises around which the broadest appeal can be aroused are: demand to know the present where- abouts of Thaelmann; demand in- formation as to the health and well- being of Thaelmann and all other prisoners; demand an open, public trial for Thaelmann with Thael- mann permitted to choose his own lawyer and to consult with outside newspaper men who should be ad- mitted to the trial; demand the right of all workers’ delegations to visit Thaelmann in his cell, and for safe conduct for all witnesses. AFL Chiefs Prepare Sellout of Aluminum Strike in Pennsylvania NEW KENSINGTON, Pa., Aug. 16. —The strike of 3,800 aluminum workers here was being maneuvered towards a sell-out today by A. F. of L. leaders, who allowed two more carloads of aluminum products to be shipped under armed guards of railroad police and arranged a union meeting at which John Phil- lips, of the State Federation of La- bor, is slated to speak. Phillips is laying the groundwork for a betrayal by Federal concilia- tors, while Fred Keightly, the United States agent, confers with the Aluminum Company officials in Pittsburgh. Company stool pigeons are today circulating petitions among the workers to return to work. One of these stool-pigeons named Simpson is permitting food to be shipped in to scabs in the plant through one of the gates. ‘Ten members of the union are enrolled as company and borough deputies. One worker was arrested last night while he was talking to a handful of pickets at the Arnold gate. Scheme Is Foiled by Young Delegates By JAMES LERNER NEW YORK.—Attempts to set up @ fasciss youth organization under the guidance of the Roosevelt gov- ernment were smashed yesterday when delegates to a “First Ameri- can Youth Congress,” held at New York University voted by an over- whelming majority to elect their own chairmen, committees and run the Congress as they saw fit. Viola. Ilma, and a self-constituted | Central Bureau of Young America, the Congress was to be used as a springboard ¢ federal govern- ment to int 2 a wide spread Isystem of transient camps, appren-. were made to have the Congress at, Miss Jima has oe Originally called by a certain | Peoples Socialist League, ‘dent Coast Rally To Protest | Sentences Call Issued By I. L. D.! for Mass Demonstration Against Terror LOS ANGELES, Cal., Aug. 16.—/ Demanding freedom of the con- victed demonstrators of June 1, the Relief. Workers’ Protective Union | and the International Labor De-| fense have issued a general call for | a mass demonstration at the Plaza at noon Saturday. The two-year sentences imposed on Harold Hendricks and John San- ders, and the one-year 325-day sen- | tence to James McShann by th former Los Angeles Times attorney, Judge Arthur Crum, are the most | vicious sentences handed out in re- cent Los Angeles labor history. Coupled with the renewed police brutality at the Hollywood street meeting last Friday night, the fas- cist attack on Attorney Grover Johnson, who defended the June 1 demonstrators and numerous mari- time strikers, the sentences are the signal for intensified persecution of workers in Los Angeles. Against this persecution all work- ers and workers’ organizations are called to launch a militant counter offensive. Earle Tennery, fourth defendant in the June 1 case, is serving his maximum sentence of ninety days for disturbing the peace, Appeal action is being sought for McShann, Hendricks and Sanders. The three are still in jail with bail set at $5,000 each for McShann and Hendricks, and $4,500 for Sanders. Rank and File Groups Of A.F.L. Will Meet In N. Y. Tomorrow NEW YORK—An important meeting of all American Federation of Labor locals and rank and file groups supporting the A. F. of L. Trade Union Committee for Unem- ployment Insurance and Relief, will be held tomorrow at 11 am. at Irving Plaza Hall, Irving Place and 15th St. The meeting will take up the preparations for sending delegates to the official A. F. of L. conyen- tion and to the third annual A. F. of L. Rank and File Conference to be held simultaneously in San Francisco on Oct. 1. All rank and file groups are to send their organizers and secretar- ies and to elect two additional ac- tive members. Supporting local unions are to send their official representatives and rank and file members of various local union executive boards are also to attend this committee meeting. Sabor Board Acts To Kill Truck Strike (Special to the Daily Worker) MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 16.— The Labor Board has ordered im- mediate elections for drivers and separate elections for each firm. The elections, however, do not soive the questions nor the demands of the strikers and can result only in defeat for the union. The local papers repozt reactionary union leaders endorse this move. Mr. Donaghue who helped to break the San Francisco strike was appointed by Washington to super- vise the elections. ® U.T.W. DELEGATES CALL. NATIONAL WALKOUT TO BEGIN BY SEPT. 1 TIRED by Socialist com Socialist Competition Stirs Lagging Districts tition, many Districts surged forward in the 20,000 new reader drive. Although only two Districts took the lead over their rivals since the con- test started, a forward march was credited to many that had been lagging. Chicago gave New York something akin to the Bronx cheer as it moved up 7.6 per cent in its quota standing, while its mighty and proud rival took the skids to the tune of 452 net reader loss. Philadelphia rallied as Pittsburgh took a breather and now the Quaker City is within striking distance of the lead, being only 6.9 per cent behind the steel center. West Virginia and Florida, running neck-and-neck the previous week, sprinted in the stretch, the former gaining several laps as its rival fought hard to hold its position. Two weeks are left in which to ring the victory bell in the 20,000 new reader campaign. Two weeks in which to set the pace and entrench gains for the march to a doubled circulation by January. Every reader into the fray! Fur Workers (To Negotiate For Agreement NEW YORK.—Five hundred fur- riers at a meeting of the Fur Work- ers Industrial Union voted unani- mously on Wednesday night to enter into negotiations for collective bar- gaining for an agreement with the two employers’ associations in the industry. They also approved plans proposed by Secretary Joseph Wino- gradsky for a determined fight against contracting and overtime, The meeting decided to send rep- resentatives to Washington on Aus. 24 when hearings on the fur trade code will be reopened. The delegates are prepared to present a mass of evidence concerning code violations and the continued existence of con- tracting sweatshops and will place before the code authorities demands for a 30-hour week, abolition of contracting and overtime, equal di- vision of work and similar improve- ments, The effort at negotiations with the Fur Trimming Manufacturers Association and the employers of the Associated Fur Trade Code may be- gin the end of a fight for recogni- tion which has been waged by the union since January since the Fur Trimming Manufacturers refused to renew their year-and-a-half agree- ment with the industrial union and closed one instead with the defunct Joint Council of the American Fed- eration of Labor union in the fur trade. If the efforts of the industrial union for a conference with the em- ployers is. fruitless, the union is prepared to strike in shops for in- dividual agreements, Winogradsky said in his report. ticeship periods with little or no pay for all youth who are graduated from schools, and the putting of youth onto barren lands as a substi- tute for unemployment insurance. After listening to s es by Major La Guardia, City Chamber. jain A. A. Berle and the head of the transient camps, Plunkert, the delegates were treated to attempis by the fascist set-up to force its way through at any costs. United Front Demands Democracy Led by a united front group con- sisting of twenty-eight organiza- tions including the Young Men's Christian Association, Young Wo- men’s Christian Ascociation, Young Young Communist Léagus, Naticnal Siu- League, American League Against de and Fascism, National & thea eol the League fo: attempt: large assume the normal rights o electing its own officers. Unable to steam-reller her way through, Mis: Viola. Mma. hurriedly adjourned the session. At the Executive Board session, however, the proposal to have dem- ocratic procedure was pressed and carried by a large majority. Unable to control the Congress the Central Bureau of Young America walked cut leaving the First American Youth Congress in the hands of the delegates. A rump sessicn of a handful of Viola Iime’s friends was held in a Fifth Avenue hetel. Although approached by a delegation from the Congress, this small group refused to consider perticipation in any gatherin: where they couid not have complete control. They atso barred any s other then known sup- of the f: Seer Im. “charged “that | Fascist Clique Bolts When Anti - Fascist United Front Forces Rank and File Control of American Youth Congress PUR se Government - Guided’ > Working Class Demands Are Substituted for Fascist Plans Communist gangs have perpetrated a plot.” She added, “We wont pay any attention to them. Wait until the executive directors do their voting. They are the ones who will adopt rescluticns.” Th directors are the half dozen mem- bers of her own clique. At New York Uni where the Congress and its various subsessions continues to was decided to have all resolutions agreed upon in commissions and in the duly elected resolutions com- mittee passed on by the entire body of delegates. A credentials com- mittee was also elected to sce that AC ontinued on Page > C. P. to Hold Election Drive Tag Day Week NEW YORK. — The Communist Party Election Campaign Commii- tee, through its manager, Carl Brod- sky, announced yesterday that for the first time in the history of any Political party, permission has been secured from the City of New York to have a wide and open public “Tag Day” collection in the streets and all public places of the five boroughs. The “Tag Day” coliection week begins on Saturday, Aug. 25. and ends on Tuesday, Sept. 4. All organizations, trade unions, language federations, sympathetic to the Party and desiring to support the Communist Party in this elec- tion were urged to send a represen- tative at once to the office of the Campaign Committee, Room 541 at 799 Broadway, to secure as many boxes as necessary and to insure as wide a distribution as possible, Millions of leaflets, hundreds of thousands of pamphlets, hundreds of open air meetings, dozens of in- door meetings, etc., make it neces- sary, Brodsky said, for a budget of at least $15,000 to be raised in order | . to carry on a successful campaign. Drive Opens to Rally 500 Young Chicagoans For Anti-War Congress CHICAGO, Il., Aug. 16.—A cor certed drive to rally 500 delegates from the Chicago area, scene of the coming U. S. Youth Congre. Against War and Fascism, has been launched by youth leadezs there. The campaign will reach a spec- tacular climax during the week of September 8 to 15 when a series of torchlight and bicycle parades will be carried on thzoughout ihe concentrating around — facto which preduce war materials. The congress will get unde: way on September 28 when more than 1,000 youth delegates from factories, farms, shops and schools are ex- pected to assemble. According to word : terday at the National offic American League Agains Fascism in New York, tabies he already been se‘ up on street. co ne-s from where calls are buted, literature sold and pathizers enlisted. Affiliated organ- ions are contacting other grow and despatching speakers to addre: thei: mectings. executive' F.T.C, in Milwaukee Supports FERA Strike MILWAUKEE, Aug. 16. — The Milwaukee Federated Trades Coun- cil voted today to support the strike of workers on F.E.R.A. relief pro- jects celled by the Workers’ Com- mittee on Meera leas Mbp sta: FERA Nor Aaionc ia Woolen, Silk Plants—Union Chiefs Are Cold By CARL REEVE NEW YORK.—The Na- tional Convention of the United Textile Workers Union yesterday voted to instruct its incoming executive council to declare a general strike in the cotton textile industry before Sept. 1. No strike action was voted in the woolen worsted and silk industry, but the sentiment of the delegates So pronounced that similar action in ese industries, possibly before the convention adjourns. | The original proposal was to leave the date of the strike to the ex- ecutive council but an amendment that the date be set for Sept. 1 at the latest was overwhelmingly adopted. Overwhelming Strike Sentiment | The overwhelming sentiment for strike was expressed in the repor?s of a score of delegates from the Southern stzike area, and also in | the tremendous reception given to the speech of..Delegate Reviere, who declared “amid-tremendous ap- plause that the textile w rs hatl been looking toward the N.R.A. and had been disappointed “The only course open is to close the textile mills from Alabama to Maine,” Reviere said. “The o} language the employers will unc stand is action.” Thomas McMahon, president, made a lengthy and impassioned Speech against the amendment in which he pleaded against “being carried away by a desire to crea*e chaos,” He s that eve: council on or | it foreshadowed however, that he realized y member of the executive els that now is the time for action and procrastination is no longer possible. The unanimous upsurge of de- mands for strike left the executive council no other course but to agres to strike action. Anti-Green Resolution Loses A resolution condemning William Green for his “desertion” of the San Francisco strikers was defeated after prolonged debate by a vote of 193 to 103. The resolution was unanimously recommended for¥ adoption by the resolutions come mit‘ee, of which Frank Schweitzer, of Paterson, was chairman. The red scare was raised by conserya- tive delegates such as Batty, who declared the resolution was “in spired by the Communist Party, These legates, some of whom strikers, The motion for a cotton textile strike was “to give power to the incoming Executive Council to call a strike in the cotton textile indus- try when in their judgment such a ike should be called, the execu ve council to have the power to t the time of strike. This is to be done at the first meeting of the Executive Council after this cone vention.” In speaking on this motion Fran- cis Gorman, vice-president, de- clared that the cotton textile code authority refuses to confer on the workers’ grievances, has violated Section 7-A, while giving lip service to recovery. He said that men who have been for years in the indus- try and who are not impulsive, feel now that there is no other way out than to strike. He declared that September is the best time to strike. This proposal for a strike carries the danger . th: all. power is vested in the Executive Board which jhas twice already postponed strikes after definite dates were se’. Striks Demand General The demand for a strike is gen- eral among the cotton. silk. rayon and woolen and worsted workers, The pressure of the workers ana of the delegates has caused the offi- cers of the union to bring in this strike preposal. But only continued pressure of the local unions and the rank and file will cause the execu j tive board to carry through a mili- tant strike policy in practice. The question which now faces the convention is the actual orzaniza- tion of the strikes along militant lines, with rank and file control, and broad united front committees in all mills. | Yesterday the Southern delegates (Continued on Page 2) \