Page THE MILITANT Saturday, March 8, 43030 THE COMING PATERSON STRIKE Miner Death Toll Mounts CAB MEN REJECT SCAB TERMS Sailors Face Jobless Problem By Federated Press sion of gas and coal dust can sweep through Coal mine workers death toll in 1929 the workings and kill instantly all the men The National Textile Workers Union was 2, 181, according to figures on fatal ac who are underground.
By ARTHUR MCDOWELL is planning a general strike of the Pater cidents just released by the Bureau Mine Owners Concerned Only with Profits PITTSBURG Another effort to break son silk workers within several weeks.
of Mines. This is an increase of five over But spectacular disasters carry off only the taxi dirvers new union, strikeborn a small fraction of the miners who are Since the Passaic struggle of four years ago the number of deaths in 1928. Besides which laid the basis for the present organand tested in conflict with the Parmelee these men killed on the job, more than killed on the job. While they have been ization of the there has been 120, 000 workers suffered an injury involving decreasing, the daily, unnoted tragedies Transportation Co. was defeated by the no outstanding New Jersey strike. After loss of working time. Every week 42 men have continued to roll up a stupendous tostrikers themselves when they rejected a the Associated Silk Workers Union was are killed and more than 2, 000 injured in tal. About 2, 000 workers a year are caught proposed settlement, 1, 153 to split, the conducted a strike or about coal mines of the United States. in these trifling accidents that never Cramming the roof garden of Moose of several hundred workers for more than In spite of safety campaigns, the death reach the city press.
Temple to the doors, the taxi men in the month rate in bituminous minos has been higher More than half of all the coal mine The is largely known to the largest meeting held since the beginning since 1921 than it was for several years deaths in 1929 were due to falls of rock silk workers of Paterson through the Pasof the strike rejected almost unanimously previously. It is now higher than the or coal. These falls of roof and side go Baic strike of 1926, led by the Left wing death rate in the anthracite, although this on steadily, crushing out one or two lives the proposal that they abandon their union now organized into the The Patand receive in return certain wage conhas also risen above the low points touched at a time. rarely as many as five men erson workers aided this herolc struggle of in 1924 and 1926.
together. and slaughtering more than a cessions. The taxi monopoly agreed to the Passaic strikers by raising funds for Mine workers in the United States face thousand workers in the course of every a 37 2 commission, abolition of fines, the relief of the strikers.
a death hazard about twice that of German year. The death rate from these falls is damage costs and special charges but opAt present, as a consequence of the miners, about three times that of British steadily higher than it was before 1920, posed recognition of the union.
split in the Associated Silk Workers and or Belgian miners, about four times that a direct result of wage cutting and speed Sensing before the meeting that the the weak organization drive conducted in of French miners. In the American mines ing up within the mine. Timbering at the unionists would not tolerate a non union Paterson since then, the has sev out of every ten thousand full time workers working face to make the roof sofo for agreement, Parmelee once more started eral hundred members signed up. It is more than 40 are killed on the job in the the workers is in most mines dead work recruiting of scabs.
upon these forces that the 18 for which the unorganized miner commonly Mayor Kline order course of a year; in Great Britain, less basing the proposed strike.
than 15.
receives no pay. Companies making a drive banning Parmelee scab cabs from the Better Preparations Are Needed Even the mining companies enrolled to cut down the death rate from falls of streets still holds, but the company is As things stand now, unless more in the National Safety Competition in the root usually stiffen up the rules and stanexpected to win a court order with the thorough preparations are made before the United States, have brought their awerage dards for timbering but do not set up a aid of the stato public service commiswill be virtually stillstrike is called, death rate only about one fourth below the fair rate of pay for the timbering. So the sion to permit their appearance.
The average death rate in other mines.
born, even as was the recent M, workers continue to take chances. dri This commission, headed by a former strike in Illinois and other even more bom hazard for workers of all these selected ven to it: even in safety mines.
Mellon Standard Steel Car Co. lawyer, has bastic strikes that have been called by companies is still far greater than the haz Haulage accidents underground have consistently refused to permit smaller taxi unions directed by the Communist Party ard for miners in European countries. also in recent years killed more mine workofficialdom.
companies to operate, although they have Explosions and mine fires that slaugh ers than the big disasters. Increase in been able to guarantee service through The attitude of the entire apparatus of ter many workers in one disaster have been motor haulage hes pushed up the death rate the is one of disregard for fewer in recent years. But the explosion recognizing the union.
from this cause, especially in bituminous preparation. big benefit entertainment was held It is further, wholly inefiltwo months ago at McAlester, Okla. the mines. Electricity is in general an incient to care for its tasks properly. As disaster at Kinloch mine, Parnassus, Pa. creasing hazard underground. Power lines at a Pittsburgh theater through the solidnational secretary of the now rests a year ago, the Mather disaster which killed imperfectly protected lead to electrocutions arity of unionized theatrical workers who one Clarence Mlller, a stupid, lazy career195 men in 1928, and others only less hor from direct contact. Electric machinery contributed acts of vaudeville and all ist, who had a long record for ineficiency rible that have found their way into the is in use in which the making and breaking stage, electrical and musical labor involand laxness in the Young Compunist headlines, remind us that advances in the of the current flashes a dangerous arc ved. The entire city is alive to the chalLeague, the Passaic strike, etc. But ho technique of safety are too largely con an explosion hazard as serious as the open lenge to Mellon control of the great open will take any and all orders of the Stafined to the laboratory. Many mines are lights which are now banned in many shop iron and steel center. From nearly linized Foster Minor, et al, Communist still operated in such a way that an explo mines.
every variety of organiation including reParty apparatus.
ligious contributions are coming to the The has held but very few REGISTRATI OF ALIENS FOUGHT strike chest mass meetings and distributed hardly any NEW YORK campaign to prevent The union is inaintaining an emerliterature, as well as taking other organthe passage of any form of legislation re gency taxi service for hospitals and simizational steps, in preparation for its progistering aliens in the United States has posed general strike.
ilar agencies. Union Car signs are seen The Paterson local been undertaken by the American Civil of the is headed by Kushinsky, a Liberties Union in cooperation with other on the streets constantly as emergency colorless and unqualified worker for such vehicles go about their work with union NEW YORK (FP. Shipping tough, organizations following the action of the is thu sailor way of describing the worst. task as the local leader of a big strike.
sanction.
Senate Immigration Committee in yoting The union is thus maintaining His qualifications. as with most Stalinist conditions of unemployment they have faced to report favorably the voluntary regisa successful taxi service for the city officials, is the readiness to take orders since the days just after the strike of 1921. tration bill introduced by Senator Cote miningum needs.
without question. prerequisite to any The collapse of Hoover prosperity has Blease. The bill has been temporarily reФ successful work among the textile workers hit them hard.
ferred back to the committee through the by the is the removal of incom Ships are laid up, men from ashore are efforts of Senator Copeland of New York. SUBSCRIBE TO THE MILITANT petents and untrained people such as Miller trying to get the sailors jobs, and some It is expected that the issue will be fought and Kushinsky. The rank and file of the of the largest companies aro rationalizing out on the floor of the Senate. Two comunion need to have a day in the selection their crews, cutting them down to the low pulsory registration bills are pending in If the number on your wrapper is of their officials and the conduct of any est possible number, Changing from the House.
contemplated activity.
steam to Diesel engines is responsible for The Union is opposed to any scheme With a proposed strike of the propor a great reduction in the number of men of registration whatever, on the ground tions of a general strike of all Paterson silk on jobs below in the engine and fire that it is a monstrous scheme of espion then your subscription to the militant has workers, there is need of far more ade rooms. The number on deck has not age conceived by would be patriots fearful expired. Renew immediately in order to quate and detailed preparations. To call changed much.
of alien radicals, and useful chiefly to per avoid missing any issues, the strike in the near future, as planned Many big lisers have been taken into secute allen members of trade unions and end with the leaders in charge, dooms dock yards for their winter overhauling, the Communist Party.
the strike before the first day is over. Mass thousands of sailors who work the great meetings, shop meetings, systematic distrib lakes in the summer have come down to ution of literature; a rank and file strike salt water to get winter jobs, and thoun addition HAVE YOU READ to committoe, the sound formulation of Bet the writings of sands of shoreworkers, finding no work of demands of the strikers are among the ashore are trying to get work on the ships.
preparations that yet need to be made. Tho The charitable Chuch Institute for lishes articles by Ch. Rakovsky, Stalinists cannot be permitted to play Seamen still rents tax free bunks for the Rosmer, Kurt Landau and other with strikes for the sake of records and the same price as do the Bowery flop houses, international leaders of the Left Comverification of the third period. The con but the rooms. cubicles in their new The Draft munist Opposition.
ditions of the Paterson silk workers have building are to rent at a higher figure. The Articles by Martin Abern, TJames steadily worsened. There is need for a funds to build this building are donated, Cannon, Max Shachtman, Maurice movement and struggle that will bring the institute pays no taxes, nor does it put Spector, Arne Swabeck and other active figures in the American Communist about a strong and large organization of the out any charity, save an ocasional free sllk workers and gain them better condi bed to a man Just released from the hos Communist International. these pages.
movement also appear regularly in tions of livihood, more wages and shorter pital.
hours.
Reading rooms and amusement rooms his 139 pago masterpiece will YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS FRANK BROMLEY of the institute are crowded by men worn be given free with each year SINGLE ISSUE OF THE out by tramping from shipping office to subscription to the Militant.
MILITANT shipping office and along the endless beach Those who have not read this book of New York harbor looking for a chance should do so at once, those who have, NEW YORK OPEN FORUM to work. Many men with no work all will want to read it again and again.
The Militant, Room winter have had a hard time of It trying to It is a devasting exposure of the Right 25 Third Avenue, New York City Albert Glotzer, member of the National live. There is no charity for the saflor, Enclosed and 00 for one year wing and Centrist positions of BuCommittee of the Communist League though there is plenty of money for the charin and Stalin and also a clear cut subscription to the Militant. Please (Opposition) will speak at the Open For Sailors Friends.
recital of the Leninist position of comsend me at once a copy of Trotsky um of the New York Branch of the League Food and working conditions on the rade Trotsky book on the Draft Program.
on Saturday, March 15th, 1930 at p. ships have become worse, too, with the NAME surplus of men, despite the partial conFree His subject will be: WHAT IS THE With a Year Subscription PERMANENT REVOLUTION? Admissitrol of these conditions by the shipping ADDRESS to thn Militant on is free and all interested workers are laws. Shipping commissioners have shown CITY. STATE.
invited to attend.
a more ready tendency to decide fine points at 00. and many not so fine in favor of SUBSCRIBE TO THE MILITANT the masters.
THE MILITANT, Vol III, No. 10, March 8, 1930 Published weekly by the Com munist League of America (Opposition) at 25 Third Avenue, New York, Subeription rate: 00 per year: foreign 50. Five cents per copy. Bundle rates, centeper copy. Editorial Board: Martin Abern, James Cannon, Max Shachtman, Mar Ice Snector. Arne Swabeck. Entered as second class mail matter November 28, 1928. at the Post Ofice at New York, under the act of March 1879 (ntal No.
35 Trotsky, the Militant regularly pubL. Trotsky Program of the