The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 24, 1934, Page 4

=e eww enw ose cer DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1934 Bosses and Government Press Anti-Union Drive iis Aim Comoany ‘Unionism’ And Prevent Strikes Green and A. F. of L. National Leadership Take Part in Moyes With Employers and the Labor Relations Board Conference in Washing- | ton to Follow Congress | on Insurance By decision of the National Board of the National Unemployment | Council, the fourth national con- National Convention on Unemployment Insurance in Washington The fourth national convention of the National Unemployment Will Follow . Congress | Councils will be held immediately following the National Congress for Unemployment Insurance, Th , the National Congress for Unem- || to Spur Call Issued for Fourth Convention Of National Unemployment Council ° Tasks for the City, County and State Groups Are Outlined a) Funds. b) Food. blankets, con- veyances, c) Publicity material. | This shall deal with the National ployment Insurance will be held in Washington on January 5, 6 and 7, | Congress so as to give the broadest By CARL REEVE With the approach of the new| session of Congress the anti-union | campaign of the employers and the federal government is gaining mo- mentum every day. Almost over- night the Labor Relations Board of the N. R. A. made a ruling for the rubber industry protecting company unions, Donald Richberg made a speech for the “open” shop (and for company unions) and the 4 National Association of Manufac- turers issued its program for re-| organizing the N. R. A. along anti-| labor lines. At the same time, ne- gotiations have been going on in Washington to prevent strikes in the steel industry through recogni- | tion of the company unions. Presi dent Green and the A. F. of L, na-| tional leadership are taking part in these anti-labor moves. sharpened attacks of the Roosevelt government on the trade | unions are along the lines of Roose- | velt’s speech of Sept. 30, in which | |trade unions. who are demanding strike prepara- tions. Richberg’s Speech Cited The fact that Roosevelt's “indus- ial peace” policy means enthrone- ment of the company union, out- lawing of strikes and stronger at- tacks on the trade unions is seen once more in the speech of Don- ald Richberg be! the Groce’ Manufacturers’ convention. Rich- said, “No one has been given under the law, and I doubt whethcr anyone could be le-| gally given authority, to herd all the employes or any number of em- ployes into a voting unit, and then | |to compel them to select their rep- resentatives by a majority vote.” Richberg, of course, here refers to the trades unions as the “voting unit.” He refers to the compulsion, not of a company union, but of real His speech was an- other declaration that the Roose- velt government is an “open shop” government, which will protect the company unions of the employers Roosevelt spoke against strikes and/and is attacking the fight of the called for reorganization of the/ workers for union recognition. Ge Tabor Relations Board Yor the |mictnerg “aaa “oeriaurty, include r S ie! ys, S | rubber industry shows along which |the right of each man to decide for ge ayes is Prog biriee himself with what man he desires the N. R. A. The Labor Relations |to be associated.” Richberg here as- Board ruled in the case of the Fire- |sures the employers that he will | stone and Goodrich lite plants in| give them full government support Akron that only in “extreme cases | and leadership in the drive to should of a company smash the trade unions. The em-| ded from the ballot ployers’ enforcement of the com-| n 8 ial election.” The New| pany unions, which vest in the em- York Tribune of ‘Thursday declares | ployers all rights to hire and fire of this decision: ‘The ruling was | and all right to set wages and work- regarded by observers here as ing conditions, is assured full gov-| clear indication that the board does|ernment support in Richberg’s not intend to bind itself to the|keynote—that the workers demand | American Federation of Labor’s|/that the majority has the right to| allegation that company unions are| decide the form of “collective bar-| necéssarily bad, in many cases il-|gaining” will be fought by the and should be abolished alto-' Roosevelt government. gether. “ vA ‘ Employers’ Anti-Labor Program xteen “Pleased” Richberg’s speech was made al- William Green, it should be add- most simultaneously with a new ed, declared himself “pleased” with declaration of the National Manu- this decision lala be |facturers’ Association calling for pany union. ie N. R, A. in this | “re-organization” of the N. R. A. by i igertiy ager as eae Sj \ providing anti-strike legislation, and r Workers Union (A. F. of L.)|by hammering down the standard motion that the “employes confer- | of living of the workers. The Wall ence plan” (the «company union) | Street Journal's report on Thursday be excluded from the ballot. The/of the Manufacturers’ Association N: R. A. board ordered the election | statement declares: “The National at the Goodrich and Firestone to |Association of Manufacturers Board proceed with the company union jSaid separation of the labor and fair legalized and its name printed On | practice provision (of the N.LR.A.- we ane sbus slowing an “elec-|C, R.) was essential if the constitu- ion’ whereby the companies Can ‘tionality of the former were to go use the blacklist threat in order to unquestioned.” enforce the company union, — | In other words, those provisions 5 : -|price fixing, etc., show sepa- can Federation of Labor will abide | rated. dean provisions can oe by the results of the election and is | ways be stalled if necessary by court Pith: te Xo & bard eit y . R. A, constitutionality. ruling legalizes employer-dictated| “Labor rulings, it was stated thus elections, 3 far, have been based on demands of re ape nee going ae an emergency,” continues the Wall @.ween the Roosevelt government Street Journal. “Tne board deciared officials, the representatives of the that the labor laws should ciarify “ ; awe Ser oe Feud Ba Ge bargaining as defined in ichael Tighe, A. F, of L. leaders,| Section Seven A and make provi- show once more that the Roosevelt |sion for more elastic working government is “moving rapidly to) hours.” agaae pete Aaeeeaesd ingens “Clarification” of Section 7 A yron aylor, chairman 0: © | means, of course, a moré open em- board of the United States Steel |pracing of the company unions by Corporation, put forward a “truce” |the government. plan which called for the A. F. of| ‘The legalization of compulsory ar- legal i, leaders to agree that no con-bitration through new laws govern-|committees to carry on a struggle bodies to draw them into partici- tract will be required by the |ing the N, I. R. A. is a continuation |for the relief of their members and|pation in joint struggle, At the steel union of the A. F. of L., lof the anti-labor policies of those | to co-operate with the N. U.C, Such|same time, an appeal should be and that the company union’s!compulsory arbitration boards al- “collective bargaining” would be!ready set up. The Steel, Textile and protected. Edward McGrady, as-| Auto Labor Boards were all inspired _ distant secretary of labor, was one |to prevent strikes in these indus- government official who was promi-/tries. They were all set up by oe , Parson wake pee aad ee approval asi ‘hes A s ry’ jliam Green. Every one of these clear what President Roosevelt boards, to whom Green entrusted SE cag rs steams Seven ee camo h es have s vi e isting are admittedly to work out a trucejand union smashing being con- “along the lines of the general truce|ducted by the employers in these prepesed by President Roosevelt |industries. Under the jurisdiction bald month,” as the New York Times ,of these three boards, the company states. junions have grown, the speed-up in these conferences, the propos- /has been increased, wages have = of the iain Lag tiga ser the | been kept at their low level or (as vernment were the same. Pres-|in textile) sure from administration quarters | recognition has been defeated. Was brought to bear on the union; But the rank and file in these to accept the terms of the proposals industries is demanding strike to made by the Steel Corporation on check the attack of the employers the grounds that they meant ‘recog- | and the government on their unions | nition’ in the general sens: says and living standards. The employ- Thursday’s New York Times. ers, through their government, plan -William Green did not conclude to strengthen their attack by “re- the “truce” as yet because of his/organizing” the N. R, A., and by fear of the rank and file in the attempting to put over laws to le- Amalgamated Association of Iron, galize the company union and out- Steel and Tin Workers (A. F. of L.), |law strikes, 5,000 inRacine, Mass Before Court House Despite a rain, the workers massed before the locked doors and demanded that their elected committee be permit- ted to present the demands. While Police and thugs guarded the locked | doors, the sheriff permitted two | workers to enter. Surrounded by thugs and police who openly threat- | ened them, the two workers were not permitted to relate the de- mands of the unemployed to the Board of Supervisors, Two members of the Socialist Party and the Racine County agers Workers Committee, a Socialist RACINE, Wis. Nov. 23.—After | controlled group, were Permitted to 5,000 workers had packed the cor- | enter freely as representatives of ridors of the court house and lined the assembled workers déspite the the edjcining sirects here Monday | ajected them. demendiig that relief cuts be re- ‘The: last; temonidteation a 3 x j e last demonstration was one Scinded and fircd F.E.R.A. workers | of » jong series of sustained strug- reinstated, hundreds flocked to the | gles against the relief cut, and the court house the next day, demand- workers are determined to carry ing that the Board of Supervisors | through the fight until their de- take action ; mands for adequate relief are met, ‘ Jobless Demand Super- visors Act as FERA Cuis Relief vention of the National Unemploy- ment Council will be held in Wash- ington, D. C., on Jan, 8 and 9, 1935.! This convention will be of extreme importance in view of the fact that the crisis is now in its sixth year, more than 16,000,000 workers re- main unemployed and all signs point to greater unemployment this | winter than ever before. On the| other hand, the federal government has made it perfectly clear that it will not introduce the proj so-called “social securit; nounced by Roosevelt in his speech | {of June 28. The only program that i esented to Congress will be one for “unemployment reserves,” which will not aid the 16 million ‘unemployed and their families to | the extent of a single penny. Fur- | thermore, the government has an- nounced that relief appropriations will be cut down, and it will depend chiefly upon grants to the employ- ers of heavy industry to re-employ millions of workers. This is a fallacy. It means. in reality, a lowering of the conditions | of the unemployed, worse starva- tion for them and their families jand the introduction of forced lIa- bor on a wide scale as a basis for relief, At the same time, a drive against the workers still having jobs is now on. This includes demands by the employers for a revision of the and the convention of the National Unemployment Councils will be | possible publicity to this united heid on January 8 and 9, front. This means that sufficient While representation to the National Congress for Unemployment | material pertaining to the Congress Insurance is based upon the general united front call to which any |/shall be distributed all along the organization which endorses the call can send delegates, representation ||route on the way to Washington. the convention of the Unemployment Councils can only be from |, On aes ses hear ereraipte Sree aha d State neil or- || ings are to in impor! aoe ee locals, neighborhood groups and State Cou yr induatrlal .ogaters) to Vebauiiak the At the same time, fraternal delegates are invited in the convention workers with the significance of the call from all independent unemployed groups and all other workers’ or- | National ‘Congress. Arrangements p ; Should be made in advance to re- zanizations—unions, veterans’, fraternal, professional, Negro, youth, ‘arm and women’s organizations, }port on the congress and the con- jvention on the return from Wash- jington. These arrangements should |be made long enough before the congress js held so that proper steps may be taken, This should be done \by the state organization or where | none exists through the National Office of the N. U. C. While laying the stress upon the ganizations will be seated as regu-;and unemployed committees to af- lar delegates to the National Con- | fliate to the N. U. C. Where, how-/ vention of the N. U. C. as have se-/|ever, these organizations are affili- cured charters from the National | ated to another state or national or- Office of the N.U.C,, or use member- | ganization, we shall not attempt to ship books of the N.U.C. (This in- | break gprs ie peter bar hee cludes not only locals, city, county organization, but, on ¢ contrary, coe and state organizations of the N.U.C,, |induce them to carry on work with= poncoal faeces ere pay but also unemployed committees in in their organization by the forma- | mal dst os {f the preparations for the other organizations.) All other del-| tion of unity groups in all units of | Congress snd. forthe Matipnal Gone egates will be seated as fraternal | their organization to persuade the | geation: we must build up, strength- delegates with full right to partici- whole organization to send fraternal | d Eroaden. kha base, ot the pate in the deliberations of the delegates to the National Conven- BG o ie dhavingdh de ohne in. convention but without vote. tion and ultimately affiliate to the N. U. ©. by drawing in as many |dependent unemployed organiza- The basis of the representation| N. U. C. ioe ae anak ped plete en shall be: | 1) Each state having a charter jissued by the N, U. C, or using membership cards and dues of the N. U. C., shall be entitled to one | | delegate at large and to one dele- gate for each 100 membership becks issued, or major fraction | codes, lengthening of hours, wage thereof. Care shall be taken that | cuts and categorical denial of the each local, especially in isolated | right to organize into unions, to |sections, shall have a delegate. | strike, picket, ete. | 2) This shall apply to all organ- The forthcoming convention of izations that are chartered by the’ the N. U. C., taking place just at |N. U. C., except that the delegate the time that the U. S. Congress|at large shall not be included un- will assemble and immediately fot-|less there is a state organization. lowing the National Congress for | 3) Each local in states where no Unemployment and Social Insur-|state organization exists, shall be | ance, will be of vital importance jentitled to one delegate or more| in the mobilization of all unem- delegates if their membership en- ployed organizations for the pur-|titles them to it. | pose of strengthening the organiza-| 4) All other organizations, unions, tion and building up forces to carry | veteran, fraternal, professional, Ne- \the preparation for this Congress. | jon a struggle for genuine unemploy- |gro, youth, women, farm, ete., shall |ment and social insurance as em-jbe invited to send fraternal dele- bodied only in the Workers’ Unem- | gates. ployment and Social Insurance Bill.| Method of Building Up the The tasks of all locals, city, coun- | National Convention ty and state organizations of the; In order that we may draw into \N. U. ©, are: jthe Convention as many indepen- | 1) To approach all organizations |dent and isolated organizations and in their vicinity and, particularly, | unemployed committees as possible, | |the independent and opponent un-|and also secure delegates from un-! |employed organizations, to induce jemployed organizations, affiliated to| them to send delegates to the Na-jother national and state organiza- | tional Congress for Unemployment |tions, united front struggles on a/| jand Social Insurance to be held in |local, county and state basis should | Washington, D. C., Jan. 5, 6 and 7,|be organized everywhere, |and to participate in the local ar-| 1) Wherever the N. U. C. is the |rangements committees for this|only organization, we should issue |Congress that have been or should|an appeal to all local unions, fra- have been established. |ternal organizations, ete., to partici- pate in the struggle on the ques- | a, We shall also induce the op-| | ponent unemployed organizations | tlon of immediate relief, against bee oe: against discrimination, to elect fraternal delegates to the National Convention of the N, U.|for the endorsement of the Workers C., so that they may witness how| Unemployment and Social Insur- we conduct our discussions andjance Bill, Everywhere, we should make decisions, and thereby be in| try to secure further endorsement & position to report back to their |of the Workers’ Bill from organiza- | organizations. ‘ions, municipal councils, ete. 2) We should reach the indepen-| In the midst of these struggles, dent and isolated unemployed or- we must build up the Unemploy- ganizations and induce them to send |ment Council and try to form un- jregular delegates ‘o the National|employed committees in these or- ; Convention of the N. U. C. as well |ganizations. jas to the National Congress, 2) Wherever there are other un- | 3) We should reach the unions |employed organizations in the city, jane other mass organizations and | county and state, an approach assist them in forming unemployed |should be made to their leading The degree to which we will be able to organize this united front in the neighborhood, locally, will de- | termine how far we will succeed in | broadening the base of the N. U. C. | If, in the process of the united! front, locals or groups of other un-| employed organizations wish to break away from their state or na- the opponent organizations which will result in the unification of the unemployment movement through- out the country at as early a date as possible, All members should be urged to pay up their dues, Locals that. have not yet secured a char- ter should do so. In this way, you will be able to strengthen your or- tional organization, this should be| ganization and become entitled to done only upon approval of the |, jarger delegation to the National state committee or National Office ' Convention. see cg CD 2 Comradely yours, Our main aim at the present time | National Unemployment Council is the building up of the National I. AMTER Congress for Unemployment and National Secretary. Social Insurance and to get the EAE RSS greatest possible representation at that Congress from all kinds of workrs’ organizations, The local units of the N, U. C. must be the} driving force in every locality in| Vote for Communists In Buffalo Shows Rise We should everywhere try to get |delegates elected to the Congress, |but also either as regular delegates Of 50 Per Cent in Year BUFFALO, Nov. 23.—After much delay, the “official” returns on the (on the above-mentioned condi- | Communist vote in Erie County and ‘tion) or as fraternal delegates to the |Buffalo were made public yesterday. ; |The following are the totals as ‘vention tion Board: While laying the greatest stress cone Buffalo upon the National Congress, it is; Amter, Governor 72 495 also necessary that all Hunger | Burroughs, Lieut-Gov. 562 499 Fighters and other organs of the | Wortis, Comptroller 538 = 467 N. U. C. shall contain publicity on | Brieh!, Atty. Gen. 548 = 482 the National Convention. Leafiets|Moore, Court of Appeals 637 541 stressing both the National Con-/ Welsh, Asst. Ct. App. 615 529 gress and the National Convention, | Bedacht, U.S. Senator 563438 shall be issued to all other unem-|Sheppard, Rep. at Large 581 502 ployed organizations. Levin, Rep at Large 546 482 Funds for the National Convention |Gonyea, State Sen., Funds for the National Conven- 48th District 203 tion shall be raised by means of collections at meetings, «donations from organizations, sale of penny) last year's vote. However, it ap- contribution stamps, etc, Thirty | pears to be evident that the actual per cent of all collections shall go Communist vole was much higher, to the National Office in preparation {¢ js significant that a large num- for the National Convention. There, er of blank votes have been re- |shall be a bi-monthly accounting | corded, For example, over 6,000 ;to the National Office for all funds.| blanks were reported on the vote Each delegate must be provided for governor. In the 48th District, with $2.50 to cover expenses while over 11,000 blanks were reported for jat the National Convention plus) the vote on State Senator from 25 cents registration fee for each! that district. In many towns of delegate in addition to travelling| Erie County where no Communist expense while on the road and at votes were recorded last year, the the National Congress. On no ac- | Red ticket received many this year. count shall any delegate or delega-| In Lackawanna, steel trust-con- | tion expect financial assistance from | trolled town, the Communist vote ithe National Office of the N. U. C.|was higher than in previous years, These results represent an in- crease of about 50 per cent over decreased and union | steady downpour of | jcommittees, with the assistance of their parent organization, should elect regular delegates to the Na- jtional Convention of the N. U. C. (as well as to the National Con- | gress). Representation at the National Convention By TOM KEENAN PITTSBURGH, Pa. Nov. 23— | Advance copies of the official bal- lots for the United Mine Workers international election Dec. 11 have been sent out by the Lewis machine, but the name of John F. Sloan, of Westville, Til., militant rank and file leader in the struggle against the bureaucrats, is omitted from the “list” of candidates for international president. The neme of John L, Lewis, agent of the coal operators and stealer of elections, alone appears “for president” upon the union ballots. In addition to Sloan, the rank and file candidates for vice presi- dent and secretary-treasurer are omitted unde: the offices for which ey had declared. These are Oscar Guynn, of Lansing, Ohio, and George Green, of Shenandoah, Pa. Thus, in the 1934 elections John L. Lewis proves that he stands by the same policy for overcoming op- made to the lower units of these or- ‘ganizations for united front: on lo- jcal néighborhood issues and thus jPave the way for their participa- tion in county and state struggles, marches, etc.—and in the National ‘Enroute To and From the National Convention Just as for the National Congress so, also, for the National Conven- tion of the N. U. C., each city, coun- ity or state delegation shall make its own arrangements for reaching | Congress and National Convention. 3) Wherever possible, we should The delegates of only such or-'induce these organizations, groups Convention. This includes: and Thos. Kennedy work in pre- venting any opposition to their in- ternational grafting, the names of Sloan, Guynn, and Green appear in the column of candidates running for delegates to the American Fed- eretion of Labor convention next year. The rank and filers are “eligible” enough for any offices but those of Lewis and his two closest hench- men. It is recalled that in 1932 Lewis pulled the same trick in ruling off the ballot the name of Mike Dem- chak, an anthracite miner who was opposing him for the international presidency. Then the top leaders offered the excuse that the “printer had made a mistake.” Now, however, due to a changed situation in the union with the growth of a broad rank and file movement, the U. M. W. czar was forced to cook up some kind of reason for his crooked actions. | fact thet the werkets there had not | position as he has for the past ten E namely: if you have to let ly opponent run, steal enough ycetas to beat him, but if possible, vrevent him from running by keep- ng him off the ballot altogether. | The names of all three rank and The basis used for ruling Sloan off the ballot was a charge brough’ against the Illinois rank and filer of “working within a dual organi- zation” in violation of a clause of the international constitution. The original charge had been | ile candidates were elimineted be- esuse of technical grounds which the international officers are ples ta construe as barring them grom the race for office. But to-show how crudely Lewis, Phillip gfurray heard last May by a commission eppointed by the international of- ficers, after it was filed by Lewis stool pigeons in Sloan's local union. At that time Sloan was acquitted of the charge. Washington and going home from TO HOLD AFFAIR IN HAVERHILL HAVERHILL, Mass., Nov. 23.—An affair for the Daily Worker drive will be held Saturday night at the Libezty Club on River Street. There will be speakers, entertainment and |the National Congress and National UMWA Officials Omit Rank and File Candidates F rom Ballot in International Dee. 11 Election This fall, however, when Lewis discovered that Sloan would op- pose him for office, the word was passed to Lewis-appointed members of the provisional board of Sub- District No. 9, Illinois. These pup- pets then filed an appeal from the decision of the commission, accus- ing Sloan also of “being a Commnu- nist” and of circulating Communist propaganda, Under the constitution, no miner can be a candidate for office while charges are pending against him. Sloan was notified to appear in Washington for a hearing before the international executive board on Noy. 10. But he was told by the compeny for which he works that if he took the necessary days off work to make the trip, he would be fired, and further pressure was brought by the fact that Sloan lacketl funds for the long trip to ‘Washington. In the meantime, the rank and file candidate was notified by Lewis stools in the local that he could avoid the necessity of a trip by simply withdrawing his name from the international race. Like charges were brought azeinst Guynn, candidate for vice president, but no hearing was set. The rank.and file miners are thoroughly aroused at the crooked work of Lewis and their plans to thus steal the election. Russellton Jecal union, near Pittsburgh, upon a fine anti-fascist film. Turn out and help your paper. nearing of the move, took action to send a wire to Lewis in Wash- ington demanding an explanation. Protests were also heard in the meeting of the New Kensington Central Labor Union, miner deie- gates denouncing the crookedness of Lewis. é Ballots for the election in Dis- trict No. 5 (in and around Pitts- burgh) have not yet appeared, but the miners here are on guard to prevent Pat Fagan, present district president and Léwis follower, from attempting any crooked work in the printing of ballots. Charley Nolker, militant leader of the rank and file slate opposing Fagan and his outfit, and has se- cured the endorsement of a large majority of the local unions in the district during nominaticns, the ia- ternational rank and file slate be- ing also heavily endorsed in this district. It has been reported that Fagan openly declared to Nolker during a mesting in the district office not long ago that “he (Nolker) wouldn’t get in office even if he did receive the majority of the vctes cast.” Coniplets arrangements have been made for a close check-up en the vote cest in all locals at a confer- ence directly after the elections clote, and rank and file forces here area determined to prevent any stealing of the district vote by either Fagan or Lewis, the Curtisville local union, heads | Pal WALL STREET'S PAP ITAL By Seymour Waldman WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 23,— Indications point to an intensive big business-Roosevelt Administration drive to cement the low wages and open shop provisions of the National Industrial Recovery Act into the trade association mold being pre- pared for them hy the dominant manufacturing and banking groups, the chief sponsors of the N.R.A. and the leaders of the present govern- ment-supported wage cutting cam- paign, An N.R.A., strengthened by legis- lative anti-strike injunction clause and administered under the anti- strike Department of Labor, with the demagogy about the right of the workers to select their own repre- sentatives (Section TA) thrown over- board, is what the steel, auto, iextile and other industrial kingpins desire —and plan to get in short order. In this drive, the radio, the news- paper, the bayonet and the con- centration camp will be used in the attempt to smash labor unions, es- pecially the militant ones, to legis- jate out of existence even the for- mal right to strike, to hound the foreign born workers, to establish the demagogy of “guaranteeing” a higher net. annual wage while slash- ing hourly wage rates, to block the mass movement for genuine unem- ployment insurance, and to cut federal relief to the destitute down to the bone, The teeth of the preda- tory Blue Eagle are being length- ened as well as sharpened. As the Roosevelt-strengthened monopoly forces wind their fingers more tightly around the State ap- paratus, the drive against the work- ing and poor farmer classes will increase in intensity and coordina- tion. Demagogy, in the form of presidential and other Administra- tion speeches and gestures, bolstered by the conciliatory and anti-strike policy of the American Federation | of Labor officialdom, will be spouted to slow down the rising mass senti- ment for real unemployment insur- ance for the present and future unemployed, and to still the cry for bread instead of battleships. While the speechmakers fill the air and news columns with worn phrases about “Americanism” and “free- dom,” such fundamental constitu- tional rights as those oi iree spe2ch and assemblage are being stamped into the ground—partly due to the mortal fear the Administration hes of a militant labor movement, es- pecially such a movement’s opposi- tion to imperialist war. Program of Bankers The war preparations and anti- labor program of the administration is what the recent convention of the American Bankers Association and | the National Association of Manu- facturers meant by “rational hu- manitarianism” and letting “natural forces” bring about “recovery.” The demagogic description of a program designed and execuied by the monopolists, in short, is finance capital’s unrepudiated interpreta- tion of President Roosevelt's radio “fireside” prayer to “the driving power of individual initiative and the incentive of fair profit,” a White House bouquet which the bankers grasped to their broad bosoms and dubbed “reassuring.” In fact, said Francis Marion Law, the recent head of the Bankers’ Asso- ciation, “thet one statement ihe President made did more to reassure business than any statement he has made.” Of course, the bankers and in- dustrialists didn’t need any reassur- ance concerning .Mr. Roosevelt's continued efforts towards carrying out their fascist-tinted program. What they wanted, and got, was public renunciation of a substantial amount of the demagogy which snared so many workers into believ- | ing séction 7A, that they were “for- gotten” men, to whom the President referred. They wanted, and got, Mr. Roosevelt to inscride in new letters the word, profits, on their temple out of which the President, at the height of his demagogic in+ ventiveness had threatened to drive them. Big business is celebrating this open reassurance, the kernel of the ultimatum handed to President Roosevelt, just before the latter's “fireside” talk, by the Chamber of ; Commerce of the United States, ihe highly organized machine which ‘3 propagandizing the country for a “citizens army” as an auxiliary io the strike-breaking activities of ihe National Guard and the regular army. It is celebrating this public | pat on the back by featuring Pros fessor Raymond Moley, former As- sistant Secretary of State and editor of multimillionaire Vincent Astor's Roosevelt, organ, the magazine “Tos day,” and Donald R. Richberg, Executive Director of the Emerg- ency Council, as the leading “key- note” speakers on the Congress of Industry and convention program of the National Association of Man- ufacturers. To Serve as No. 1 Man Billed by the manufacturers pub- licity as “No, 2 man of the Ad- ministration,” Richberg will dem- onstrate that he could also act to their satisfaction as the No. 1 man. At the very moments the machine gun, thug and wage-cutting work is being done in towns controlled by the corporations in czaristic fashion, Richberg will supply the demagogy necessary to capitalism. while it is rigging up its fascist machinery, Richberg, the legalizer of the com- pany union, will enunciate the sub- stance of his Wednesday night ad- dress to the Associated Grocery Manufacturers of America, “Trade and industry are going forward along the road on which we have set our feet—the road of seli-dis- cipline and a democratic coopere- jon between all interests and whe government in establishing and maintaining an industrial law and order in the relations of business men with each other and of em= ployers with employees.” And, con- tinued the former Bull Moose liberal who was legal adviser to General Johnson during the formulation of the open shop and “merit” (fire-ai- will) cleuse. “We have been work- ing toward a typically American solution in a typically American way...» We have sought to use physical machineries . and social mechanisms with which we were familiar and which we knew how to. use, rather than any strange device.” Richberg’s “typically Americas solution” is the “solution” which the employing class is using in the attempt to get out of the rive year crisis at the expense of its em- ployees—subsisience wages, inade- quate relief, terror against militant labor and tne use of the strike, and hillion dellar preparations for the threatening imperialist war for dominating a shrinking market. The ruling class, Richberg also declared, is “approaching the time when we must decide—all of us, public officials, industrialists and Jabor (A. F. of L. officials—S, W.) to what extent we should carry into more permanent legislation the -e- laxations and the restrainis of ihe National Industrial. Recovery Act.” it has already indicated its decision —anti-strike, low wages, terror and increased war preparations. However, many thousands of A. F. of L. locals, several international A. F. of L, union conventions, cen- tral labor bodies, and other working class groups have decided to fight for the adoption of the only real unemployment and social insurance bill which was introduced in the last Congress—the Workers Unemploy- ment and Social Insurance Bill, They will map out their campaign at the National Congress for Un- employment Insurance which meets in Washington, January 6 to 7, Sinclair Paper Hiring Scab Staff Writers Former Staff Struck Against “Epic” Leader in California LOS ANGELES, Cal., Nov, 22.— Recruiting a scab editorial and bus- iness office crew, the Epic News, officiel organ of Upton Sinclair and his End Poverty in California League, preeseded in its plans to gct out next week's paper despite the strike cf its reguler staff. The strike, involving every em- ploye from the editor, Rube Borough, on dewn to copy boy and meiling room workers, was called in protest against existing relations between the paper and the End Poverty League, the financial backers of the per. Following the strike, Sinclair's Epic leaders immediately imported @ sczb editor, one Al Sessions, San| to act. Joaquin Vailty labor leader, who is being trusted to break the strike, drawing upon past experience as a labor leader, ‘ Editor Borough demanded that Laundry Men Face Wage Cut InBirmingham Militants. Dissatisfied As Group ‘Studies’ Owners’ Position BIRMINGHAM, Nov. 23. — A union committee of five has been empowered to act for Birminghem laundry workers in drafting a reply to a laundry owners’ petition to the Atlania Regionel Labor Board for permission to reduce wages from the low level agreed upon last March, The laundry workers number among their ranks many militant forces. Dissatisfaction has been pronounced in this industry since the sirike betrayal “settlement” last March. Thre2 union locals have given the committee of five power ) The decision of the com- mittee wil be withheld, pending a “study” of operating expenses at the laundries, according to Ike Robinson, one of the committee. The leundry workers as a body the league allow-him freer hand in | Now seem to realize that they were both editorial and fiscal policies of | betrayed by strike leaders in the the paper. This was denied and | settlement of last spring. Following Lewis Mertya, business mansger of | the order to return to work, em- the paper, was fired by the league|Ployers very openly discriminated directors. The strike followed. against workers known to have Borough, a profescicnal news-| actively participated in strike ac- paperman and formerly political | tiv! reperter for the Los Angeles Record (now the Post), who threw in his lot with Sinclair, has been trying to stimulate sufficient interest in the Epic followers to launch a daily | laundry ‘strike becomes an immie— Y. Unrest hes been brewing in the laundry industry of late, rising to open resentment during the past few weeks. Now, with the wage cut being forced upon them, another nent possibility ase —