WORKERS THE MILITANT)
OF THE WORLD, UNITE Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America VOLUME VII, NO. 35 WHOLE NO. 239 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1934 PRICE CENTS TEXTILE STRIKE BEGINS TODAY Sinclair Plan a PAL INTERNATIONAL Daydream of Middle Class Steel Salaries Slashed; Utility and Wage Reductions Next Truck Strikes Loom in Workers in Wool Trade Join Cotton Richberg Report Omits WageDrop sale land. From the idle tane dent Roosevelt these porek, Panade God and Bosses Food Prices Soar; Scare Hopkins out Roosevelt Plans and power for all Brooklyn of Feeding Strike Are Responsible CUBAN COMRADES COMMUNISTS IN MEXICO NEED SUPPORT From the Militant columns Mexico City, Aug. 25. The orour readers have become acganization of Communists Interquainted with developments in nationalists in Mexico recelved a serious blow when the police As first fruits of Mike Tigbe ficient profits to endure a year of Cuba and with the activities and arrested four of its members, betrayal of the steel strike in July, idleness. Now, however, with their conditions of the Cuban section a drastic cut in the salaries of coffers swollen with swas, the first of the International Communist one a member of its provisional League. We have described the In the biggest vote cast in a prione white collar employes has been an drop in business brings cries of national committee, and Not aloom in the nation Unless Mrs. Elinore Herrick, mary election in the State of Calldifficulties under which this secsympathixer, along with Ave nounced by virtually all members disaster from the steel executives vice chairman of the Regional La move today.
fornia, Upton Sinclair, running as the American Iron and Steel In Economy tion is building up a serious revmembers of the official Commu750, 000 cuton reil! workers will a Democrat, received the nominestitute, the union of the steel ductions in pay, and more onem. Borbor Board, succeeds in delaying lolutionary force. It is still suf quit the factories in a strike that nist Party and two chauffeurs.
the issue (when has she ever settion for governor by an overwbelm.
bosses.
ployment.
fering the persecution of the will stretch out from Maine to AlaThe comrades were kept in Even more denstie cuts of wages The number of wage earners em Greater New York will go out on tled one. 10, 000 truck drivers in Wall Street puppet ing majority of three to one over regime bama.
complete incommunicado for a bis nearest runner up, George Creel.
which has not at all abated unwill follow as sure as death and played by the steel industry in strike today.
few days, while the frantle famWhen the workers leave there Sinclair program was Eple New taxes. So it was when the salaries June, according to the figures of the der Mendieta. These comrades benches and become hands no ilies and friends searched for The issue is simple and clear. Incall upon us for assistance and Deal, Creel was more or less New them.
longer but upstanding, fighting men were cut the last time, and the time figures of the Steel Institute, was Without word they were Deal, and Wardell, an out and out before. The salary cuts were 415, 647. In July this number January 1933 the trucking bosses and women, they will write the disease laden deported to the reactionary who made a very poor heavy; the wage cuts were heavier. dropped to 383, 673, and the decline succeeded in persuading the leaders The problem of Cuba is to penal islands in history of the Arst national strike the Pacific, of the truck drivers union that showing, was for the old deal.
build the proletarian revolution a The present reduction in the sal still contioues.
in this industry. For the Orst time where news bas Anally come e for Sinclair undoubtedThe vote aries amounts to ten per cent. Sal The total payroll for the industry voluntary reduction of 00 a week lary force, to build up its press a major battle of the class warfare from them.
ly shows a nascent radicalization, aried employes will be put on a for July was 34, 913, 621, a drop of would be for the good of the indus to have available organizers will strike the south and cause the The situation of these com avle day week, with a correspond 31 percent from the June total of has expired, and presumably the concerned, although their influor what is probably more correct, black reactionaries to turn white a distinct dissatisfaction with rades and their families is desing downward revision of pay, and 19, 466, 664.
with fear.
perate. One comrade was taken things as they are by a large sec.
then some on top of this 31 percent cat in the were to restore the wagest Despite the statements of the tion of the lower middle class and from bed where he was all with This is reported to be the first the payroll, comes now the anthe 1933 level, but this they refuse movement grows constantly, the intestinal fever. The wife of the reduction in payrolls by a major nonuncement of a ten per cent eut to do.
timid, treacherous Gorman, chairto some extent the workers themmeans to carry on these activiman of the strike committee, that selves. That There is no need to offer herelties of building are still entirely represents a swing same comrade, two days before industry since the NRA went into in salaries, with a greater Wage his arrest gave birth to a child.
to the left away from the old line effect. Do not believe that it will cut impending, and further redue, the pretext on the part of the boss too insufficient. For a while the textile strike is not against the She was forced to leave bed to government, the fact remains that they were compelled to suspend two party politics of American cap be the last.
tion in employment and hours of es for not sticking to their promise.
go to work to feed the family Cuts Announced in Big Companies employment freely predicted by The workers were tricked by pleas their weekly organ due to lack it hits directly at the NRA.
of funds. Publication will be The first of the slave codes to be mate how far swing to the left of four little children, four days The announcement of the salary members of the industry and the for cooperation with the bosses.
after birth, with of course ser cuts was issued simultaneously by capitalist press.
Sinclair nomination indicates, an Now they are undeceived, and will resumed now it a little assist 11 adopted in the country was the examination of his program will ious consequences to her health.
textile code. Incidentally this code ance can be given.
a number of the major steel com New Stagger System ing to fight for their most elemendisclose.
Another comrade is tubercu pantes, including the giant United Eugene Grace, president of the tary rights. Prices have gone up In general the developments was agreed to and hailed by the States Steel Corporation. Others Bethlehem Steel Co. has already Even a restoration to the 1903 wage lar, while a third has a chronic 27 per cent, and are still mounting C.
in Cuba are again taking on a present officials of the The bronchial condition. The fam ineluded more intense character. Dis code did not abolish the stretchUpton Sinclair EPIC (End satisfaction with the Wall Street out, nor did it raise wages, nor did Poverty In California) program is llies are destitute.
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Com employment on lines similar to the level would still mean a substanpuppet government is growing it grant union recognition. It was unquestionably petty bourgeois Word coming from the com pany, and the Republic Steel Cor steps taken by the steel Industry til reduction in the real wages and new struggles are impend even powerless in enforcing its own program. Its effect is to reformrades attest to the fact thatporation, third largest company in when the depression was previously une single state within the shell of There is only one method by ing. New and great possibilities innocuous provisions.
while in agony, their morale is the industry. The National Steel at its worst.
which they can fight the bosses, and are opening up for our Cuban Not only did the code and the the 48 capitalist states in the unof the highest. They ask for Here then, in cold figures, is the Corporation is expected to take code authorities grant the workers fon. And typical of all demagogie medicines.
similar action shortly after Labor price paid by the workingmen in that is the method of the militant section; but it must receive the Ir support it asks for. Our memnothing, but through a plan of 25 programs, it promises something to In spite of this handicap, the Day, when Ernest Weir, the the steel industry for the leader truck drivers of Minneapolis production curtallment thousands everybody bers, sympathizers and friends To the worker, the League in the capital has formed chairman, returns from vacation. ship of Mike Tighe and Bill Green, they monkey around with the Re should bead this request and were forced out of fobs and into farmer, the unemployed, the little united front against labor new branch. This is an answer For their trust in the NRA, they clonal Labor Board, without showThe excuse given for the reduc will pay more dearly yet.
ing their strength, they will most business man and to the big busiforward immediately to the the unemployed army.
The bosses had no klek against o the bourgeois government of ness man. not forgetting the tion is the drop in business. The Prices, as the NRA intended, will Mexico, and all its attempts at this code. The NRA they take it faith in negotiations, they are to the Cuban Section.
old, the maimed and the blind. To steel industry reaped enormous pro leap rocket high this winter are Ricked before they start.
suppression of the movement. ARNE SWABECK to their bosons. But unlonall shall be given, from none sball tits through the rush of stock pur already mounting with frightful Efficient strike organization, sysnever. 80 great is their fear for be taken. To the unemployed will chases fostered by the NRA. These velocity.
National Secretary, Com. Correspondent Prices will go up, and tematie and militant plcketing, unprofits were hailed as an index of wages will come down. Unemploy relenting war on seabs, despite pomunist League of America unton organization that they refuse be given scrip: to the big business the return of prosperlty under the ment is increasing, and will in lice thugs and the devil, these tac tated by the discharge of the prest strong is their hate for the slaves to sit at the same table with the man security security in the fact that New Deal. As steel goes so goes crease most cowardly of labor leaders. So when the unemployed are taken care of the worker is satthe nation.
That is the prospect facing the ties, and these alone, will win for dent of the Brooklyn Edison Local on whom they thrive that God himthe strikers. They will win what Isfied. then business is secure.
More Profits Lens Wages worker this winter, under the smilof the Brotherhood.
self is called upon to refuse relief Idle factories will be taken over, natural lag followed the briefing regime of President Roosevelt, they have the strength to win in The union declares that it will to them when they strike.
the unemployed will be placed period of boom, during which per and his coterie of social workers open strike warfare, and no more not stand by and watch its national The Yellow Press Howls Again therein to produce shoes, clothing.
iod the steel corporations made suf and alphabet manipulators.
organization be destroyed but will The public will suffer. The etc. for themselves and for the Donald Richberg, one of the strike of tremendous signif. take matters into our own hands business men will be ruined holfarmers and farm laborers on the NRA headmen, in a report to Prestcance threatens the power plant of the Brooklyn and fight the case with every or the brass check Journalists. This familiar ery to estrange sympathy ated by unemployed farm hands known the tremendous gains Edison Co, the largest generating means at our disposal.
will come the foodstuffs for these made by the country since the in plant in the world, supplying light the National Labor Board and moralize the strike is once again An ultimatum has been issued to from the textile workers and decategories. system of barter will auguration of the National Recovbe Instituted. Cash relief will be ery Act. The summary by Mr. Rich As in the impending truckers reinstatement of the official in ques polluting the atmosphere.
For the textile workers who have abolished. Money will flow out ofberg, who correlated information strike the Utility workers have tion does not take place a strike the state and inflation will come submitted by various government been led a merry chase by Mrs. will take place in the plant. Other suffered and starved and wanted Elinore Herrick. While she utility workers in New York will for years, whoge bodies have been in. But one point on the program departments, is supposed to be the which has more than passing sig administration reply to all criti With unprecedented and hence Despite the assurance of Presl riddled with the issue the Edison be called upon to support the stunted in the mills, whose children have been victims of pellagra, this ulficance for the working class in cism of the results of the New Deal. suspclous. liberality. Harry dent Roosevelt and his administra trust fired members and officers of Brooklyn men.
cry will invoke nothing but a curse this country is that Sinclair promof contempt. The bosses and the The report indicates a fairly sub Hopkins, Federal Rellet Adminis tion that everything is being done the Brotherhood of Utility Workers The present crisis was precipi SUBSCRIBE TO THE MILITANT mill owners that ises to pardon Mooney immediately publie be upon being inducted into office. Of stantial upturn as regards the prost trator, announced recently that the to prevent profiteering as a result damned!
this later.
end of industry. As for the work Hovernment would grant rellef to of the drought, prices of all baske This sentiment has poured into Sinclair Sold on New Deal ing man, and his faring from the workers on strike the textile strike commodities have taken a sharp upward swing and in many cases are strike headquarters in Washington NRA, the figures, in the form of hundreds of telepicture of Sinclair Eple by exam Labor Francis Perkins, show very howls of angulsh by the manufacing for almost. per hundredPerhaps one can get a clearer those submitted by thered from being particularly referred to.
y the Secretary of This statement was greeted with 100 higher than in June.
Hogs, for example, are now sellgrams from every textile center on ining the New Deal. All we are little improvement indeed.
turers and their press. Hopkins weight, as compared with 60 less the Atlantic seaboard pledging to doing is to bring the Democratic The readers of The Militant know that we are not in the habit or go down the line with the unlon arrived was party, says Mr. Sloclar, Into line cate that while the Targe corpora a strike breaking government, but than three months ago The same shouting help at any and all times. We realize that we are dealing to the bitter end.
with the forward looking principles tions were making huge profit the laws of God.
not with wealthy magnates but with workers for whom a few paltry The 500, 000 cotton cloth workers of the New Deal. And just er Cotton has also doubled in price peonies mean a great deal.
will not be alone when they strike.
actly what are these forward look. turning out far more for his boss gains, the individual worker was God Against the Workers and the Cotton Exchange has reing principles? asks the worker in in a give length of time, but re ised anybody that he should not Speculators are taking advantage of Even God Almighty never prom. corded gains from 12 to 14 points. as possible.
But the facts foree us to send out this 9, and to be as candid Some 200, 000 men and women in the woolen and worsted Industries Toledo and Detroit, the longsboreceiving no increuses in pay for his suffer from hunger, yelped John WE ARE IN CRISIS will down tools simultaneously. Reman on the west coastIncreased output. The report shows Edgerton, permanent president of the situation and are making heavy ly in California. the truck driver increased profits, and increased pro the National Association of Manu: tessional buying which has been purchases of cotton soods. Pro reach your home.
Through a sheer miracle the present issue of The Militant win ports from Chicago state that 80, 000 cotton garment workers under in Minneapolls and the unemployed duetion, whereas the returns to the facturers. The threatened textile a rarity since the stock market to pay for the paper on which hatter of a few measly dollars, enough Workers are preparing to strike. What held us up was the the International Ladies Garment suffering from dysentery in New Individual worker remained at the strike, he continued, would not last crash is again in evidence as huge The Militant is printed.
Jersey, New York and elsewhere.
It was precisely these few dollars that it was so difficult to get. dustry has been agreed upon, only walkout of 100, 000 in the silk inWhat has the New Deal given us? low level of the spring of 1933. a week if the Government would profits are in sight with the deple Under these circumstances The Militant cannot appear next week.
Corporation profits, Mr. Richberg revoke its unfortunate comment tion of the cotton surplus. Rethey demand to know. And the We admit it quite frankly. Our activities in Minneapolis have As one of the capitalist papers the date remains to be set.
answer is: New brands of tear showed, rose a total of over 200 that no one sball go hungry in this morts from drought areas indicatedrained our resources to the very bottom.
severe deterioration since the crop vomit gas, sawed off shot guns, the percent for the first half of this country The members and sympathizers of the League have dug down and the NRA and all of labor is expectsays, this strike is a major test for The God fearing Edgerton, who figures were issued at the end of non, take arbitration boards and the iod of last year. The rise in profit opposes child labor amendments of July, as virtually no rain bas tallen responded nobly to our Organization Press Campaign.
similar religious in many weeks in most of the counthe tasks before us that this revenue has been insufficient.
But so great are our accumulated back debts and so much greater Since the institution of the Naantly watching it.
National Run Around (NRA. Now for industrial concerns for the same aby sort needlessly alarmed. tles West of the Mississippi River. becomes clear. It is the period, he pointed out, was over grounds, is tional Recovery Act there has been No sooner did we release the pressure of debts that were dragging no strike of nation wide proporHopkins has explained everything Feed materials, the least valuable us down than we were faced with new bills, new burdens, and new tasks. tions. The auto strike was side California catechism of the New 600 percent.
Deal and Sinclair is its apostle.
Real Wages Drop Socialist?
The average the rules of capitalist society. selling for between 12 and 18 Here are the facts: weekly per Wage in Is Sinclair still a socialist? Let manufacturing (where the bosses Certainly he will not violate the ton, while a year ago It was being shop and more our printing equipment into the street.
It is only a matter of days when the marshal will appear at our was scuttled. Textiles are the Arst tracked, the steel workers strike those for whom he speaks answer. profits rose over 600 percent) in Intentions of God Almighty. dispossess opening wedge. What do think about it? think creased from June 1933 to June The same policy, he says that has was usually considered a high price notice has already been served.
And even if the landlord should be merciful for a few days, then and a will to fight alone, then there the strike depends on militancy it great stuff, said Mr. Hopkins, 1984 a total of percent. Against been pursued by his organization for this kind of product.
raising of farm produce we probably will be forced to stop operating anyway. An electrie biu can be no doubt of the outcome of istrator. Sure, m for him. He rise in the cost of living for the future. This policy, he explained prices which motivated the whole is long overdue; the lights and power will be turned out.
the strike. The greatest danger to The gas company, the paper company and a host of other bills the textile strike, however, comes on our side. socialist? Of course same period of percent. This carefully, was not a promise In ad Roosevelt administration agriculnot. He a Democrat, good Dem would indicate that while the boss vance that the strikers will be fed tural program and was to be a so collectors are on our necks demanding payments.
from within. Terror, intimidation, This issue of The Militant is made possible by the prompt response deputy thugs and all the other trimHopkins Reassures His Masters ocrat. He on our side, say the es were making these huge profit lution of the agrarian crisis, is now bosses and their agents. Just as he gains the real wages of the worker Hopkins points out reassuringly, the bankrupt farmers and workers During the California strike, proving to be bitter medicine for and the heavy sacrifice of a few comrades.
But that does not insure the next issue.
mings of democratic America will was during the war.
There will be no next Issue of the Militant unless there is an im they are aroused. If the strike is not stop the textile workers once Anything might happen in Call These figures of course bring the no additional funds were given by whose real wages have been con fornia. Witness the growth of the story only through June (and very the Federal Reliet Administration siderably lowered as a result. It mediate response!
We need not stress Its importance to you. With a general textile advance It will be due to the Gor.
crushed or sold out we can say in plan society which backed Sin. Since June the cost of living has was the cost of relief appreciably increase in prices could only be absence of the realizand truckers strike impending in New York, the mans, the Memahons and the rest of that treacherous crew.
clair nomination. But we warn taken a sudden jump, and spurred increased.
the workers in California not to on We are counting on you!
the drought, is steadily What then, does the promise of of small farmers and at the expense Every dollar, every dime is important!
Sinister omens can be attached rely on a freak sentiment to get mounting. Furthermore, the latest Mr. Hopkins mean? It means ex of the living standards of the to any strike that starts with proworkers.
Duplicate the contributions of the New York comrades and the apressions of loyalty to the govern Mooney out jail. Prom no Labor Department report of a drop actly nothing.
The millions of dollars which are pearance of the next issue will be guaranteed. More the first hurdlement and violent denunciations of promises, Mooney can and will get between the months of June and Rellet 18 administered through out of the bosses dungeon in San July of percent in employment the local authorities, in every case being spent on relief will inevitably of the crisis will be passed.
Communists by leading union of Comrades! Friends! Sympathizers. cals.
Quentin only by mass agitation and and percent in wages, show a composed of respectable and God lead to new taxation schemes for If you want The Militant and we are sure you do rush your con Reports from Alabama where pressure. We cannot repeat that still further shrinkage of the week tearing elements, friends of law which the workers will have to bear and order, tools of the bosses, and the brunt.
tribution to us at once.
too much or too often. This is not ly pay envelope workers already are on strike, inThe 525 million dollars approAppeal to your shopmates and friends, inform them of the urgency dicate that the battle will be flerce the first time that demagogues have As regards total employment, the the bosses themselves. strikeoffered to reopen the Mooney case author of the report credits the breakers natural born.
priated for rellet will hardly com of the situation and solicit donations from them. We are certain that it and the militancy If elected. Whether Sinclair will New Deal with an increase for They will pass upon each case pensate the farmers for their lose you impress them with the seriousness of the crists their contributions ening seem intentie in before The McMahong and the Gormans or will not free Mooney depends private Industry of 4, 120, 000 over Individually, and upon them and es, which are estimated in excess will be immediate.
will be forced to reckon with this entirely upon the mass sentiment the low of March 1983, and an in them alone will rest the decleion of billion dollars. This may preclpitate serious political crisis The life of The Millant is at stake. stormy spirit and think twice befor it. To rely purely on the wbimcrease of 2, 320, 000 for June 1934 as to need and worthinese.
Don delay! Send your contributions at once to 144 Second Ave. fore they pass of any rotten agree (Continued on Page Continued on Page Continued on Papo Continued on Page 4)
New York City.
ment on the textile workers, WE ARE IN CRISIS ACT NOW!