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Page THE MILITANT May 15, 1929 Page of Letters from the Militants The Expelled The Splitters in St. Louis An Ilinois Coal Miner who knew this scab, soon began yelling for his scalp. The struggles and always taken a keca interest in its policy up to Springfield, Ill. scab pulled a gun from his pocket with the threat that he the pecseh time, my interest was not only concentrated on Dear Comrade Cannon: will shoot anyone that dares to approach him near enough. theoretical discussions but also in the real propaganda and First, want to congratulate you for the Militant. look Imagine our predicament when four hundred men would not agitation and organization work in the steel mills. The fact forward for each issue. am going to do ai! can and se: dare to touch this louse. Well, comrade Keller as a very in that ve been blacklisted from several mills is ample proof significant leader of the strikers certainly done his duty, when to it that che miners of Ilinois hop to make the Militant a of my activity.
he gave the order to follow him as quickly as possible. He weekly as soon as possible. think that the article by comrade ve opposed the Lovestone clique since it was organized, Swebeck on the minang situation several issues back was a very asked this scab to go home. The scab screamed something and as usual was the mark for unjust and particular critidesperate and pointed his gun at Keller. All of us stood there important on an article that will greatly help the work cisim on the part of the professional factionalist, the dise in the National Miners Union.
aghast and seemed to be completely helpless. However, we soon waked up, when there was a shot from the pointed gun of this trict organizer Jakria, which made it impossible for me to reNow a few words on the convention of the Illiaois Miners tain standing. Consquently dropped out of the Party just cnded in Peoria.
scab. Comrade Keller theew himself upon this scab, because as he told us later, he could never face his fellow strikers as a two months before the expulsion of the Trotskyists from Realizing that the miners of Illinois are beginning to revolt confident leader, and he thereby was willing to sacrifice his the Party and the formation of the Opposition Group. Since against his bankrupt policies and that the National Miners then ve read several copies of the Militant and agree life merely to prevent one scab from betraying us workers in Union is maicing inroads in the district, Fishwick (miners 100 per cent with the policy of the Militant and comrade our struggle for a better living conditions. The bullet from call him Weaktish) convened the 32nd consecutive and 7th that shot went thru the overcoat sleeve of comrade Keller, Trotsky and the Opposition. Therefore pledge myself to biennial convention in Peoria, five weeks ahead of time, on and this was our greatest joy, because we were almost sure that do all in my power to help our cause in accord with the March 26th which ended on April 13th. The convention was he was shot in a more dangerous spot. Ever since that day, policy of the Opposition.
in session 14 days costing over 170, 000 of the miners hard, have made Keller my best friend and comrade. sincerely make a warm appeal to all the Greek Party tarned dollars which the Fishwick machine robbed them of This is not to say any praise about him, but merely to point members and sympathizers to read the program of the Opposithrough the check off system. And the results of the conout that he is an honest worker who could not get along with tion, for m sure that you will agree with it if you analyze vention will cause no rejoicing among the miners. On the the dirty practices of King Israel Amters gang. As under thorougluly. Do not believe the untrue rumors against the contrary some of the miners call it the Lews Fishwick Funeral stand, he was always fighting for honesty in dealing with Convention, while other miners wouldn say out loud with Opposition spread by the bureaucratic clique.
Down with bureaucratism in every Communist Party in finances, and the King certainly did not like to hear criticism womca around what they think about the convention and by comrade Keller.
the world!
what they think in private wouldn be fit to print. wish you much success in your scrap with the burcauFishwick was forced to call this convention because the last JAMES SIFAKIS cratic machine of Lovestone gang.
few months has witnessed a significant increase in the struggles From a Steel Worker of the Illinois minges an upward surge in the strike wave a Youngstown, Ohio gainst wage cuts, the speed up system, rationalization, and genDear Comrades: eral worsening of working conditions. This is a sign that the Pittsburg Worker am sending you ten dollars as a starter. We must have miners struggle in Illinois is being intensified by the increased Pittsburgh, Pa. not only a weekly press but a daily press in order to fight antagonisms arising out of the last treacherous wage cut agree Dear Comrade Cannon: these bureaucrats and cowards and bring the Comintern back inent that was forced down the throats of the miners by FishBeing one of the pioneer members of the Communist Party to Lenin policy.
wick Lewis Company. The fact that mine after mine is closin Pittsburg and having participated in its organization and DENIS PLARINOS ing down all over the state proves that even the last wage cut is not yet satisfactory to either the coal operators or their flunkeys in the Fishwick purpose in calling the convention was to lull the militancy of the miners to sleep, to get an endorsement of the last treacherous wage cut agreement, to prepare the way for As we go to press we are intormed from Chicago by comrade At a May Day conference called by local 105, Amalgamated a fake fight against Lewis by first making Walker an Swabeck that ten more comrades have been expelled from Clothing Workers of St. Louis, to which numerous working official of the Illinois minces and then running him against the Party by the District Executive Committee on changes of class organizations sent delegater, Matheson, delegate from Lewis and finally to defeat the growing National Miners Union.
To a certain extent Fishwick plans were succesful and this sympathy with or support of the Communist Opposition. We the Communist Party proposed that the program for the united May Day meeting be based on three points: Fight against imexpect to have their names for publịcation in the next issue of because the Party made no preparations toward an efficient struggle. Kruse, the so called district organizer, is responsible the Militant. Below we print the names of another number perialist war; Fight against wage cuts, speed up, unemp. oyof comrades who have been expelled by the Party burcaucrats. ment, for shorter hours, etc. Defend the Workers Soviet more than anyone for the failure of the Peoria convention. No efforts were made to get delegates through the local unions New York City Republic and fight against all its enemies. When this profor the convention and at Peoria no efforts were made to or ROSE KARSNER, former secretary assitant secretary gram was unanimously accepted, comrade Goldberg, of the Militant Workers Club proposed that all delegates be seatganize the delegates that came to the convention in opposition of ed.
to the Fishwick Lewis machine.
SAM GINSBERG, member of Russian since 1917. JoinNow Fishwick wasift so sure of this convention with un. ed in America in 1925. long discussion ensued, for the Stalinites present, led by employment getting worse all the time, with mines closing Boston Matheson, were ready to do anything to prevent the Comdown every day, with spontaneous strikes throughout the state LISOVENKO.
munist Opposition delegates present from participating in the occurring more and more against the wage cuts, the last agreeunited May Day demonstration. Despite the offers of comrades ment, loading machines, etc. Tishwick and his machine quaked Chicago Elmer McMillan, Paul Thomas and Golberg, of the in their shoes.
ELSIE MYERS Communist Opposition and the Militant Workers Club, to The fact that Fishwick called the convention five weeks Who Are the Expelled Communists join with any working class organization ready to hold a joint ahead of time shows that he was afraid of what the future VOTAV joined Machinists Union, 1920 and secret meeting, Matheson finally proposed that each organization holds might do to him and his machine with the situation getting ary of his local since 1923. Delegate to St. Paul Central its own little separate May Day meeting. This was presented worse all the time. The fact that ishwick called the conven Labor Union, 1922 24, and since 1927. Expelled from in the form of a motion by the Stalinite caucus with the retion in Peoria instead of East St. Louis as it was decided upon for Communist activities in 1924, but re elected annually by sult that the conference broke up. The splitters had won their at the last convention held in 1928, shows that Fishwick was local and refused seat by Executive Council of of point, at the cost of the solidarity of the St. Louis workers.
afraid of what the rank and filc members might do to him. Delegate State Federation of Labor since 1924. Delegate since Another form of the campaign against the Opposition was Peoria is an old camping ground of the Fishwick machine, 1922 to District 77 of Machinists Union and District secretary demonstrated when Elmen McMillin and Goldberg were while East St. Louis and the territory around it employs treasurer since 1923. Joined Communist Party in 1922. Ar brought before the District Council of the Painters Union over one half of the Illinois miners. Fishwick was afraid of the foundation convention of Farmer Labor Federation. Delegates of which they are members, charged with being members of rank and file members marching on the convention and taking to all local and state conventions of Federation and Association, away the organizatory machinery from him. And this would. Communist organization and threatened with expulsion. As and expelled from latter for Communism in 1925. St. Paul evidence the labor fakers produced copies of statements. in all probability have happened if the convention had been held Party city secretary in 1926. On District Party Committee letters, and morked copies of the Militant to show that the in East St. Louis and that is the reason why Fishwick changed since 1925 and on Polcom since 1926. Expelled from Party, two comrades were Communists endeavoring to break up the to Peoria. With the existing conditions prevalent among the November 14, 1928.
union. The socalled evidence was mailed to the secretary miners, thousands of miners could have been organized for JULIUS ROSEN Volunteered in Russian Red Army in 1920, of the District Council by an unknown person. But some the purpose of marching to Peoria.
at age of 19. Had previously worked with a partisan group of the material such as statements and letters had been disBut to course Kruse is too busy organizing gangs to break in the Ukraine against its occupation by the counter revolution, tributed to only a small handful of Party members in the up Trotsky meetings and expelling Communists to pay any ary troops of Petlura. Joined Party in as Detroit branch Northside unit, and could have been obtained by the fakers attention to the minces situation or building the National charter member in 1922. Recently organizer of Street nucleus only from that source.
Miners Union.
No. and agit prop director of section committee. Removed Give my greetings to Max and Marey, and press your from all office and finally expelled for support to Opposition. Who invented this new method of fighting Tro skyism hand warmly, SOL LANKIN Joined Philadelphia in 1925, be by denouncing workers to the fakers in the trade unions and Yours for ours, coming one of first organizes committee. Became member of of Strawberry Mansion English involving them with expulsion and loss of a job in the trade?
JOSEPH ANGELO branch and member of being at head of Sports Committee, director of work. Worker on an Oppositionist among unemployed, secretary of upholsterer youth fraction.
Cleveland, Ohio Arrested numerous times in Philadelphia and once in Chester, Dear Comrades: Pa. during organizing campaign at Irving Knitting Mills. We take the following item from the New York Times of Carried out League work in Expelled in November April 21, 1929: have received a copy of your paper, where observed the 1928 for supporting Opposition.
list of expelled Communists, among tiem Joseph Keller, whom JOSEPH FRIEDMAN Joined in 1924. Organizer, The anti Semitic journals are taking an active part have known tor some time. Although am not a member educational director, etc. of various units of organization and in the campaign aimed at keeping Leon Trotsky from of the Party, ty sympathy for Communism is the same as German soil, even as a patient at a health resort, and member of City Central and City Executive Committee (New that of the said comrade. work at various jobs and am comYork. Leader of Left wing movement, for unity with their language is fully as violent as that of their tempelled to move frequently from one place to another, and this and for breaking with Socialist party. Supported Communist porary comrades in arms, the German Communist fol.
was one of the main reasons that could not join Communist ticket in 1927 elections while on of lowers of Stalin. The Volkische Beobachetr, organ of Party. However, have contributed according to my meagre Suspended from for inviting Communist speaker Adolf Hitler, is quoted as saying: In the city of income toward radical movement in America, and could boldy to mass meeting. Joined Young Workers League Germany where this infamous fellow may have the claim that as far as material help is concerned, have never in 1928. Leader of Communist fraction at City College nerve to take the cure the National Socialist Labor.
been shy in digging into my pocketbook. The object of this (evening session. President of Vote Communist Foster for Party (Fascisti) will look after the necessary enlightletter however is not to brag about financial help rendered President Club at College. Expelled from for support enment, so that this scoundrel, who has made a gigantic therein, but to enlighten your readers as to the past activity of ing Opposition in December 1928.
cropse factory out of Russia, will lose both hearing and comrade Keller.
sight. It was in 1915, when due to the rapidly rising prices of An Appropriate Appointment.
food, workers in the Youngstown steel mills were forced to Der Hammer, another leading anti Semitic publication, We note that the new secretary of the Jewish Section voiced its feeling as follows, according to quotations in Iron and Steel Co. where he occupied a bright spot of militancy. of the International Labor Defense is Schaefer, formerly other German papers: We hope that Bronstein (TrotThough he was only 19 years of age, his fellow workers sel of Cleveland and Chicago. The same. Schaefer was expelled sky) in case he dares to come to Germany, will be shot ected him as a member of the strikers committee. Since we from the Workers Party in 1925 by the unanimous vote of down like a mad dog, as Herr Eisner (head of the short had several scabs that were employed at the various depart the Political Committee. The reason for his expulsion was lived Bavarian Soviet Republic) was at a time when ments, our duty was to persuade them peacefully if possible that he misused his post in the Party to steal a considerable more healthy instincts still prevailed.
from performing such a filthy trade. One evening as we came sum of money entrusted to his care. Some time later he was The revolutionary worker who can read this one moment, from the hall, where we met, we noticed that at the very reinstated into the Party by the Lovestone Central Committee small entrance there were stationed about ten company guards. for his loyalty to the faction. He paid his debt to the Party and then read the ocmments on comrade Trotsky in the Stalinmen, who appeared as though they were expecting someone to by participating in the gangster attack upon the Opposition ite Party press, which is filled with the same venomous hatred protect. About four hundred of us stopped there for a while meeting in Cleveland a couple of months ago when he cut open of the exiled Bolshevik as the Fascisti. if this worker can and soon we noticed that a certain man, who was employed the head of our comrade Keller with the leg of a chair.
by the company as a pipefitter got out of an automobile, with Schaefer new appointment by his faction to the position in read the two without being overcome by a sense of deepest shame the dinner pail in his arm. Workers that were on strike and the is therefore highly appropriate.
then he has lost all restige of working class spirit. Trotsky and the Fascisti