Page. THE MILITANT Saturday April 5, 1930 The of in the South these reactionary leaders to move a step ahead.
Left Wing Must Adopt United Front Policy LABOR HATERS Meanwhile the National Textile Work. MERGE FORCES For two months the American Feder Co. mills at Elizabethton, Tenn. the workation of Labor has been campaigning to ers succeeded in obtaining control of the organize the South. About 100 special company union. Immediately wholesale disorganizers are claimed to be in the field charges followed, against which the workers covering the five states of Tennessee, Ala struck on March 3rd. Over 2, 000 workers bama, Georgia and the two Carolinas, to responded to the call and are now carrying concentrate mainly on the textile Industry. on active picketing.
Results to date have borne out all the serious indictments made by the revoluSouthern Workers Show Militancy tionary movement against the of pol Such are the reports from the South.
icy and methods. They have shown also The present Elizabethton strike is the third that the Southern bourbons have not in the within less than a year. Without any fin.
least relented in their bostility to union ancial backing and without any strike reorganization, even of the reactionary brand, lief whatever, nevertheless these Southern but have rather intensified the offensive workers show splendid examples of class Against the workers. The latter are giving solidarity, worthy of becoming object lesample proof of milltancy and in the now song for the worker north of the Mason Dixon less spectacular but still continuing sharp line. McMahon and other leaders in charge conflicts are making a mockery of the decep of the drive have been the most emphatic tive practices of the of with its in stating that they did everything in their spineless appeals to the bosses for friendly power to avert strikes. Unquestionably so; cooperation. Certainly there is a fertile that is the particular mission of the OP feld for union organization in the South. Vice President Gorman of the one of the committee of three Green Meets the Bosses in charge, offers the mill barons cooperPresident Green is again touring the ation of the in stabilizing labor South to try further to put the Federation costs and removing inefficiency in accordin the right light, to renew his pledges ance with the labor management cooperation and, it possible, fully to win the favor of plan worked out on the Baltimore and Oh. business. On his last visit he did not Railroad. The Southern workers, however, torget to advise the employers to organize have already had lessons aplenty in comIn order to make an end to cut throat com pany unionism, for which the and petition and particularly to emphasize plan is but another name. By their own common struggle against the Communists: initiative they show the way, even forcing Accept us, or the alternative will be the Communists, said Green. No wonder that ers union under Left wing leadership has apparently left the southern field unconThe merging of Chase Nat. Bank, tested to the of Not because Equitable Trus: Co. and Interstate Trust the deld for organization and militant Co. places Rockefeller interests at the head struggle is less fertile now than before, of the largest bank in the world.
to which the reports cited above bear witUntil now Rockefeller Nati, City Bank ness. No, it is the penalty of false policies has been the largest in the United States, which now leaves the reactionaries in combut London has held its leadership with the plete command. Undoubtedly the Left wing largest in the world. The new mammoth could yet have been an important factor.
Chase Natl. with total deposits of 2, 100, with correct united front policies, particularly at the height of the bourbon lynching Bank, Ltd. leading British bank, and rege 000, 000 now steps ahead of the Midland campaign, at the time of the assaults at isters the fact that New York has displaced Gastonia and the killings at Marion, the London as the world financial center.
whole crew of of organizers could not have separated the Left wing from the Winthrop, Aldrich who has been working masses of the South. Such a pol president of the Equitable Trust Co. will icy would have become a mighty lever to represent Rockefeller interests as president of the giant combine. He is brother in law extend, to unify and strengthen these many of John Rockefeller Jr. and was personal scattered strikes, and thus become a mighty weapon against the bosses. There were representative of the 011 Emperor in the Indiana Standard Oil fight last year.
conferences held at the time, at which delegates of both unions participated, which American Capitalists Comblaing could have become splendid opportunities Other powerful industrial overlords, in for the practical organization of the united addition to the Rockefeller men, are direcfront. Naturally, the of leaders tors of the new financial titan. Copper and would have onposed this most strenuously; tron mining interests are represented by that was to be expected. But, with this Jackling, American Smelting and Repolicy, whom would the workers follow?
fining Co. by Brownell, utility interThe Left wing, of course.
ests by Dahl, the Western Union Lessons of the past should be taken Telegraph by Newcomb Carlton, explosives advantage of to help guide the present and and chemicals by Carpenter of the the future, and it is time that the Left wing DuPont Co. packing interests by White learns this lesson.
of Armour s, the international match frust and the sugar trust by Havemeyer, silk textiles by Vietor, expresses and certain et éno more tar sighted capitalist Auto Bosses in Struggle for World Markets railroad interest: by Cornerstas Vanderbite dailles give him a rather favorable recepand other railroad magnates.
tion, comparing him to a successful banker Early in January Col. Ayres, econ limited the number of American cars to be As Aldrich has represented Rockefeller or head of a large business institution. omist of the Cleveland Trust Co. wrote: It imported, through an agreement with Bel interests in a Morgan bank, so now MorThe mayor of Memphis, Tenn. in welcoming conditions in the automobile industry can gian, Italian, French, Czechoslovakian and gan interests sit on the new combine Green to the city could therefore, think improve vigorously in the early months of Austrian manufacturers. This action fore through Geo. Howard and Polk hopefully of the future, remind his audi the year there will be little cause for con shadows further joint effort to block the (utilities. Alfred Sloan of General ence that he (Green) had saved the Fed.
cern abou course genera business. growing imports of Am cars, and a Motors, Griswold of International Tel.
eration from the Bolshevik tide in 1922.
But this does not seem to have taken cartel of all European auto makers.
and Tel. and Morrow of Morgan Meanwhile even children under 16 years place. Instead the Annalist reports that auto All signs thus point to increased op grocery interests.
of age work the twelve hour shift in North production the first week of March was only position by the motor capitalists of Europo Carolina. Just as the organization camBitterly Anti Labor one half of last year, while the production to being conquered commercially by the schedules of Ford and Chevrolet are both United States.
palga started, the Piedmont mill in GasFor the workers in the United States, tonia administered a 20 per cent wage cut, lower than they were a month ago. And Britisi Labor Fakers Aid Bankers this merger means a further step in conreducing spinners from 14. 30 to 11. 78 per for the first two months of the year total And Britain, under the aggressive lead solidating the strongest financial interests, week and card hands from 14. 40 to 12. 00. production of autos and trucks was just of the labor government, is not at the tail whose anti unlon policies are well known.
This is at a twelve hour night shift and one third lower than it was for the first of this procession. It aims to get its own Strikes in the factories, mills and mines eloven hour day hiſt.
two months of 1929. Clearly, this indus foot further into the world auto markets controlled by these directors have always try does not improve vigorously.
and to fight the advances of the American been savagely broken up as acabs, thugs, The Wage Cutting Campaign and With a falling domestic demand for cars magnates. Larly in the year London repolice, courts and churches have been lined the Strikers what is happening to exports the hope of ported that Thomas, chief foreign up to break the workers resistance.
At the Riversido and Dan River mills auto manufacturers. Last year they sent sales romoter of the labor government, had Internationally, this latest and mightest at Danville, a 10 per cent wage cut abroad only 234 million worth of passenger been in secret meeting with the leaders of financial merger marks a new stage in the took effect on February 1st, bringing the cars as compared with 263 million in 1928.
the British auto industry urging them to Britisi American conflict. Rockefeller average wage down from 18. 69 to 16. 75. However, though their value declined, the evolve plans to increase their export trade, Natl. City Bank has long been an outpost Many, however, receive much less. The com number of cars increased as did the value and to combine and rationalize their fac of American imperialist finance in territory pany claims, of course, that the workers, of trucks exported and the value of auto tories further in order to compete with once dominated by British investors. Now, through the company union, voted the cut. parts and accessories. There was a gain American high speed production.
the Chase Nati. steps forward under Rocke.
In these mills Negroes are barred from the of in the value of all auto exports in Tbese foreign developments indicate feller leadership to displace a British bank company union but not from the wage cuts. 1929 as compared with 1928. But this gain what is in store for American auto workers, as largest in the world.
The president of the company, Fitz wag much less than that of 1928 over 1927 as well as for their brothers working in gerald, appears still able to draw his yearly which was 27.
native or American owned factories in STATE LABOR HEAD SHOWS HEAVY salary of 85, 000; and the dividends paid on Europe. The fierce competition for markets Its 7, 500, 000 common stock have kept the UNEMPLOYMENT IN MICHIGAN European Capitalists, Resist American is reflected in mass unemployment, more level of 10 per cent.
Penetration wage cuts and speed up, for those left DETROIT Speaking at a Detroit stu.
with precarious jobs in the plants of DeEuropean motor capitalists have been dent gathering, Eugene Brock, state comprofits coming.
genes of the putting up a militant resistance to the ex troit, Pontiac, Lansing and Flint as well missioner of labor stated: sweat and blood of the Southern textile ports of American auto makers, The French as those of Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin and The situation here in Michigan has workers, have piled into the coffers of the manufacturers raised a storm of protest Milan become steadily worse, said Brock. Where absentee owners. Senator Wheeler, quoting from American exporters, when they introwe usually have 3, 000 familles totally des.
trom a report in the Senate, stated that duced bills into the French Chamber getting NO COMPENSATION FOR FINGERLESS titute in Detroit we now have 12, 000. In the American Viscose Co. producing twoa prohibitive duty on cars. The AmerBOYS the state at large over 100, 000 are totally thirds of all rayons, averaged a net profit icans immediately formed a Committee of of 48 per cent on 184, 166, 000 gross sales RALEIGH, Two boys, one 18, dependent on charity for their continued Defenso to protect their interests, brought existence.
Net for the three year period 1926 29.
the other 15, have been denied compen75, 0000 persons have already pressure to bear on the French government, sation for the loss of fingers in mill been compelled to leave the state.
profit, after all expenses, taxes and deprecincluding threats of lation, amounted to 88, 306, 000, although the reprisals against machines.
were not doing This is one of the busiest seasons of French goods and, through the American capital investment in 1922 was only 10, the work for which they were paid, tha the year for both furniture and automoembassy, compelled the French to rocode 000, 000.
state Industrial commissioner ruled. The biles and yet we find unemployment reach from their position. The French tarift will 16 year old boy, white, lost two fingers and ing unprecedented figures in Grand Rapids, The Marion Clinchfield mills, probably raise the duties on cars only 10. a thumb in a cotton mill and the younger the furniture center, while out of 48, 000 have announced that the stretchout system making a 55 duty which will still permit boy, a Nogro, lost three fingers in a veneer workers in Flint only 28, 000 are employed.
is to be put back into effect and, according the Americans to do business at a profit. factory.
And they are employed only on part time.
to reports, there is strike talk among the But the French car makers want on 80 to In Detroit less than 60 of the workworkers. 135 families are still evicted from 90 duty and will put up strenuous TYPO MEN MEET IN SEPTEMBER ers are at work and even they are working the company houses since the last strike, fight for it. Even if the 10 compromise HOUSTON, Tex Committees have been considerably less than two thirds full time.
At Swandanoa the weavers in the Beacon bill should go through this year there is appointed to prepare for the annual conΦ Blanket Co. mill have struck against the nothing but still more American pressure vention of the Intl. Typographical Union, ASHEVILLE, More than 000 stretchout system and predict that their to prevent increased duties being levied: which will meet for the first time in this Manks will grow.
later on workers are now employed at the new Bection of the country in September. 2, 000 At the American Bemberg Glanzstock At the same time the Germans have delegates and visitors are expected.
Enka rayon mill near Asheville. Of these 1, 270 are girls and 750 men.
They TE MILITANT, Vol. III, No. 14, April 5, 1930 Published weekly by the communist League of America (Opposition) at 25 Third Avenue, New York, Subemption rate: 00 per year; foreign 50. Five cents per copy. Bundle rates, centsper copy. Editorial Board: Martin Abern, James Cannon, Max Shachtman, Mau.
Soe Spector, Arne Swabeck. Entered as second class, mail matter Norember 28. 1928, at the Post Office at New York, Y, under the act of March 1879. Total No. 391