SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1931 THE MILITANT PAGE ON THE WORKERS FRONT Rank and File Struggle in the New York Auto Workers Hillman New Racket The «Campaign»
Carpenters Union Against Racketeering be done through a referendum vote in six months later, five of them lett the ently any lonbts on the wisdom of their with contenapt their cooperation offered man and Orlofsky for the benefit of the underworld in their pern. ITILcals In some cases twice or (hree times. The council failed openalive by not re strations) they fought the issue and did the union by the members themselves. those officials but because it wishes to Their struggle ainst their betrayers tion: No one need regret joining the union in any construtive effort to build this market and clease it of its unterworld element. We need a strong, not a weak union. do not believe vacillating on this point. The collective bargaining agreements have conclusively proven to the retailer throughout that they need have no fears of strikes or. or exonive costs in the market.
a The remarkable unity of aims and With Greater New York having 32 local them, adopted a ruling that only three (Continued from page 1) ment and misery to thousands of work identity of language between Tillman and unions, of the carpenters organization, members from any are allowed 10 it is looked upon as a sort of barometer vote. This was already in effect before In this time of econonite depression the union? Who is the enemy that, in ers? Why does Hilman erade mention the clothing manufacturers are revealed of that organization, and therefore, be anyone of the u. had come in and widespread surrender on the part the words of Illiman, has in the last of the causes of this phenomenon in the in the above quotation from the man sides its own problems, is often con contact with us. The official representa of the workers to the bosses campaign tation, hetween the union and the manu reject the cooperation of the rank and shown still more clearly in their con fronted with problema concerning the ortion then was eight members. The men of ware cntting. bt is encouraging to facturers, taken hold in our industry and file of the membership in his so called certed actions. At the conferences with ganization as a whole. By this mean bers of the UU. had met with us find a labor union till militant enough challengel that they will share in the fight against this evil?
Mayor Walker and hiN committee Hillithat measures aimed to come up for about three times but did not attend very to refuse to allow its members to ac adoption will usually be tried out in the regularly. In the meantime our resort cept such a cut. At the last meeting union government or will do away with ilman traces the beginning of racket man and the representatives of the eering in the industry back to the year Clothiers Exchange appeared together New York District before they are known tion on the hour day was in the press of the Automobile and vehicle Workers the wonderficers The Daily News Record, official organ 1924. In it a mere coincidence that is one body and pleaded for protection or of in other vicinities. And so it hap and, at their re appearance, we were Union here in New York, the chairman of the clothing manufacturers, kives an that year Ilillman campaign against their common interests in the coming pened on Oct. 1930.
Counell, on a roll call vote, adopted a tion and have it substituted by a hourers in the largest auto body shop in New answer to this question in a series of the left wing in the and Becketrike. Itoth arties are then clienced motion which it enforced would compel day! This we could not do because we York (sald chairman, by the way, being talks on the situation in the industry. erman underworld rule in the New in the campaign Munched by Hilman to Inaugurated hy improve the conditions of the muder.
to have his photograph on his working would not bring much reliet, with America) announced that the men in whom Hillman hus in mind but is not Hillman? Llow does Hillman read his paid tailers and both are come in card. This was bolstered up with the many men out of work. Then we were his shop had been asked by their emplos. ready for strategical reason to mention own history? Was not Hillman the one the house cleaning of the Amalga that enthroned the underworld chief ated They both have one objective: to pretense of making it impossible for any askevt to increuse the representation from er to take a 15 percent reduction in Spenly. These racketeers are the otticials of the Cutters Union, Local 4, untains in the Joint Hourd anal gave his promote the manufacture of men cloth member to loan his card to non unten three to ten. This we also could not to their wages.
and pingstering in New York throu! sabi silink men.
Decause out of the three locals repreThe immediate reaction of the mem der the leadership of h. Orlofsky who hlessings to the terror Reactionary Proposal sented, two were not able at that time hership was to denounce the proposal suve always defied and interfered in the methods in the cutters local which have low costs of production at the expense Hereupon 2000 Kot busy and to increase their elected a committee which went before count of such tenagtion on ae and a number of members took the floor plans of the organization to unionine reigned up till recently when the mem of the clothing workers. Hillman is the and expressed bitter resentment against the market, and engaged in racketeering. Dership has finally risen in protest spokesman of the manufacturers in this being made Was not Hillman aim as in every other campaign of the various locals in and drew their up of voluntary members. So they with it. When the vote was finally taken, it These officials are the ones whom HN against them?
attention to the dangerous effect this drew. Thelr next step was to put up proved to be 100 percent against aceept. man is determined to clean ont of the at that time to enforce law and orde; The talk of a general strike and a union, and this campaign is a continua and piece work for the tailors and tow neht asuinxt racketeering only a smoke photo would have on, members partiel something in opposition to us, so thering the cut.
This organisation, once a powerful Letttion of the one launched by Hillman costs of production for the manufacturereen to blind the mion membership to pating on picket lines or belonging to any organized a Open Formu, which was held the work of betrayal Trillosan is ont to political organization: that it would euron March 1, at 143. 103rd St. with wing union, the leadership of which was couple of years ago and which was susers?
pended by him for strategical reasons What has happened since? What has perform. The members know it and nish the police, the Immigration Bureau, Morris Rosen as speaker, and in spite in the hands of the Communist wirty, has Is he longing for the old xystein of law at their meetings. They will also preas well as the Dept. of Justice, with of their braking of 1500 members in the cor dhe last three or four years wen became Orlofsky position was to cared this change of mind in Hillman have expressed their opinion about it direct and immediate identification, that they were not able to mostendily loving in membership, and its strong at that time.
prestige antichting union las sur The challenge made by cutters officials and order whethe membership had en Preto act and light gainst this betray of our wt members thrown into jail third were adherents of the Emergency unton atlated with the of the rumors and references in regard to the radient phrases and pretend allegiance to gangsterism is concerned, the It would postively lead to having many lline more than forty of whom about one fered a devine. When, in 1928, the either to refute or confirm prevalent joyed the benefits of organization and the al.
IIlllmans had to cover themselves with As far as the evil racketeering anil If not deported etc. Thus our organixa.
Committee Communist party members of the union racketeers in the union. Itilimau refused the class struggle Hillman has made it members are envinced that this plague tion with its foolish rulings would un Lessons for the adopted the polley of the party leaders to answer. To a rank and file commiteonsciously play in the hands of the clear that this is not his object. He can only be climniated their own Our last election in 2000 should and dropped out of the organization tre of the cutters local who offered does not intend to improve the cond effort, in struksle gainst the corrupt od out that the action is the one have taught them a lesson if they are not with the bartention of forming a new on their support in his home cleaning tons of the tailors in New York, which officialdom in the local buions who ure was Illegal, for the fact that such steps still in a position to do their own think union, but solely because of the childid of their local. Hillman declined to dare unbearable to the extreme and for maintained by Tillman and are the e Are a permanent rule necessitates the ing. Last year the TU. had attitude. If we can have things our close the names of the officials involved which he is responsible. He is not ont, necting link between the union and the in the racketeering practives and rejected to clean the organixtion of the Weeker. underworld and in many de represent amending of the by laws: this must ren candidates elected in Local 2000. way, we wou play. Without, apparorder to comply with the laws of the LA At this June election they action, they thux left to the labor fakers him in his campaign.
the membership. IIe did not bring these mon cannot and will not eliminate theu Who Are the Racketeers?
general constitution of our organization not on the platform and denounced the the leadership of several hundred workracketeers into the union to benefit the without the risk of losing his control Proceeding from that, the result was that whole organization which did not exclude ers.
Who then are the racketeers and what membership and will not remove them over the organization, and this he is In the whole organization only one many locals appealed to the First Vice the rank and file, by whom, ten minutes connection is there between IIlllman for that purpose. Hillman is squaring not expected to do.
President of the organization, who found later they expected to be elected. The Communista member of the Communist campaign and the contemplated general his own accounts with his competitors Real Challenge himselt compelled to disapprove the terenult was that they elected two thix League was left to carry on the fight strike in the New York market? After in the racketeering game in which they for a militant unlon. He succeeded in The real challenge to roketeering tion of the year, against seven twelve months ago careful examination of all this mess are all engaged as officers of the must come from the rank and Ale of the But what was most important of all In analyzing the activity and policy ocl convincing two other members of the of statements and declarations in the concern and agents of the clothing manu union membership. Aral general strike was that out of this the Committee it the they are bound to dritt union that the policy of the Communist into ocmplete sectarianism if not a com League was correct, and with their heln trade, union and general press by all facturers. Hillman, in this campaign. Is for the improvement of winditions can parties involved, Ole cannot but araw pursuing the aims of the clothing man only be undertaken by the membership of united action, and on Jan. 1931 was Isolation from the workers. For inhad loen lost by the action of the Com self has learned its power, by the uplete collapse, because of their total set to work to win hack the ground that the only logical conclusion in regard to facturers. It is sufficient to glance not on the initiative of the mannfacturers reorganized as the Emergency Commit.
the campaign launched by Tillman through the articles in the Daily News and their axent. Siuney fillman, against tee. It was first officially represented stance, along in March åt was disclosed munist party deserters. Slowly but surebe directed.
by five locals. It issued over five thou tion of Local 2000) and Local 1164 there will shortly start a determined organiza a keneral strike: lilllman is performing statements in de hy Jaffe. presl. has not launched his campaign for the one of his usua publicity stunts and 18 dent of the Clothiers Exchange to reach aims. He is in the to serve sand leaflets. Its demands are hours were over forty men working at the rate tion drive, and due to the general dismane ivering a new betrayal of the this conclusion.
the boxes and his own herest. This. membership in the coming renewBosses with Hillman a day, day week, division of work, or from tive to eleven dollars per day satisfaction among auto workers in the campaign for the so called general strike The complaint was made to city, there is every renson to expect that al of the agreement with the clothing The Daily News Record definitely sides and against raeketeering have once more shop and job control by locals, etc. The council took action and recovered the union will regain its former strength. manufacturers, distracting their attention with Hillman in his campaign against proved it. The membership will those demands the Emergency CommitGADFLY.
tee appeared on the floor of twelve 1o two weeks, for each man the difference from their real profiles and preventing the officials of the cutters local, net be benefit by this experience added to the between 11 and 13. 20 back wages.
a real house cleaning of racketeering in cause of the racketeering practises of many gone through by them in the past.
In order to achieve its point. On Feb.
2, a visit was made to Local cos. When moring these men and replace them with all they could to offset it. In spite of How did rackoteering tind its way into see the aristocratic entters whipped in will be so much more intense and will the loyal supporters of the denied Hewnien. The question came up before all their work. the demonstration of the industry when, according to in line by Ellman with the rest of cloth. tring victory so much learer. ALBERT ORLAND committee decided to revisit that local. sanize a joint protest demonstration be not bring great results but considering and the manufacturers were satisfactory industry and have submitted to lower the meantime, contact was made with fore the office of the but since this the facts, it was the only body ever hard to all concerned and law and order re standards and worse condition in the few of their members in the day room demonstration was not started by the ot to raise voice of protest against Irned supreme? In whose interest was shop. The manufacturers organ is ad on Feb. 9, when the committee re. or any of its members (who the action of the bureancrats in the it to bring in this plague that is ruining working hand in glore with Hillman in speared before Local cos the chairman claim sole patent rights on all demon. the industry and causing unemploy their common aim to efficiency unionize the industry.
as compelled by vote of the memberup to grant the floor to Holtkamp, a Jaffe had this to say on the sitna by Leon Trotsky ember of the committee Two weeks THE DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE ter, Holtkamp was notified by the COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL Trial Board that charges were The Real Situation in Criticism of Fundamentals rought against him by the chairman of Introduction Day Cannon 608 for bringing dissension among Xo matter what book or treatise on stry was that of expanding its capacity, Up to and including the war years, proRussia 140 a hard paper cover e membership of his local union and the world great industries or commo rapidly enough to meet the increasing deduction from year to year increased by THE STRATEGY OF THE WORLD eritteining the officers. He was dities olle were to pick up there would wand. The war left the industry with leaps and bounds. Since then rather By LEON TROTSKY REVOLUTION id to appear before the Trial be included in a position of importance capacity much above the needs of the than an increase there has been a de NG pages, two colored per cover vard on March 27, 1931. In the mean that of bituminous coal. And properly normal market.
crease. Since the war there has been ne, Local 2000 took upon itselt the store than all other sources comIntroduction by Max Tastman Introduction!
by Max Nhacht man hole responsibility for what Holtkamp bived, soft coal wis the chief source properly considered the years of unpre The years since the war have been no year to equal that of 1918.
3364 pages. Sold formerly at Through TURN IN THE COMMUNIST the committee were charged with, for the production of power and heat center mechanization, of rationalisation INTERNATIONAL AND THE 1909 13 (Average per year) 380, 000, 000 special arrangements with the pub instead of Holtkamp alone, com during eren the past few years, in spite for American Industry 18 a whole GERMAN SITUATION 1917 19 (Average per year) 532, 000 000 lishers can be had from us now at 1928 29 (Average per year) 517, 000, 000 nittee of eight, some unofficially, rep of the rapid strides made recently bs The bituminous coal industry not exCONTENTS 30 pages, paper cover 1930 102. 000. 000 PART The Pear of Our Platform THE SPANISH REVOLUTION resenting four local unions appeared oil and water power. And looked at cluded. Mine mechanization has gone Capacity for production 1921 800, 000, 000 ART II The Real Situation in Rus30 RON, paper cover with him as witnesses before the Trial from the pont of view of the coal in on apce. As compared to 1018 under 100 COMMUNISM AND SYNDICALISM Board. All were beard, but to this dustry alone bituminous is the predom ground haulage is now largely mechaut quired the habit of expanding, and that Thus we see an Industry that had ne sia and the tasks of the The Trade Union Question date no decision has been renilered.
Communist Party Towards Mass Demonstrations inating factor as compared to anthracite. cal. The percentage undercut by hand PART II Stalin Falxities History Introduction by James Cannon Only about to 15 percent of the coalhas declined from 23. percent in 1918) was actually expanding its capacity for Some of the Chapters.
64 pages. paper cover 150 On April 4, a resolution, demanding produced in this country is anthracite to 14. percent in 1928. Mechanical production on the downgrade as The Agrarian Question and the THE PERMANENT REVOLUTION New grante the to call a conference of five and the production of this hard coal loaders were not in use in 1918. No cards actual production Socialist Construction 208 page book cloth bound 00 The equivalent nk and file members of each local to is confined to the region in northeastern large mine at present would conceive or bad. come to challenge State Industry and the Building JKT bound of Socialism THE REAL SITUATION IN RUSSIA Scoala distribution of work, was Dennsylvania located around Scranton. loading by hand. According to Colabout 400. 000. 000 tons of bituminous trawn up and sent throngh Local 1164 Bituminous plays the predominating rôle Bockus, resident of the National Coni coal is now being consumed yearly in My Part in the October Revolution Introduction by Max Hastman ricevere scade in the Metropolitan dis from the point of view of total produe Association The adoption of mechanical the form of all, and water power.
364 page look formerly now 00 The National Question trict. Or these locals unions, cleren oftion, of importance in industry (about 70 devices is reflected in the fact that be has virtually been in not much better The League of the Communist Youth MY LIFE 600 pages them submitted their resolution before percent of the anthracite is used in the tween 1918 and 1928 the average Output than perpetual crisis during the entire SINCE LENIN DIED Our International stution and the but instead of being acted upon home bituminous plays its role in the per day per man employed increased The Debates about Rrest Litovsk Iy Max Kantman the placed them on file. Our next steel mill in the power plant, and on from 78 tons to 73 tons, gain of post war period.
158 page book printed in London the War Danger This increasing productivity coupled step will be to work towards a mass the railroad. of area of product and of 25 percent. For 1920 and 1030 this inand the Trade Unions demonstration by at least the cleven total men employed. Also, it gains crease is much greater since these were with a decreasing market could, in this My Military Work Just of the Press locals who signed the resolution compel major attention at the present time from the years over percent increase in the non monopoly industry, result in but one Government Planning Ing the to act upon them.
TIE SPANISH REVOLUTION the completely demoralized condition of use of mechanical londers, of course, think drop in the price of coal. The Lenin Broke Conclusively with Stalin IN DANGER Now as to the Carpenters Section of the industry as compared to the an this increase of 25 percent per actuality here verified the expected. Be The Testament of Lenin he Building Construction Workers in thracite field.
G1 pages paper cover man for the industry as a whole, tween the years 1918 and 1920 bituminThe Last Words of Adolph Joffe lustrial League affiliated with the No matter what major industry one meant for those mines which areous coal fell in price practically 50 per PROBLEMS OF THE DEVELOPThe leportation of Trotsky U, Who are they? We don have concerts himself with at the present time. highly mechanised in increase cent. Coal Age. MENT OF THE Appeal of the Russian Opposition to to give you their trade mark. Their leat he will always be confronted with the day per many times the The above are the facts underlying the 48 pages, ja per cover the Communist International let their action will best tear them out. contradiction between the capacity for above 25 percent and the mines in the present strike situation. Askravated of Only a limited number of these books Special Latex in Bundles of or more As to the claims with which they credit production and the actual production. Pittsburgh region, particularly those of course by the general business depres at this special price. Order now Order from themselves in their election circulars, Bituminous con! is no exception. There the Pittsburgh Terminal Coal Coare sion the pessimistic picture presented PIONEER PUBLISHERS PIONEER PUBLISHERS they will find a much better reception are certain industries in which one can included in that group of highly mech above should be multiplied by the quo 81 East 10th St.
84 East 10th Bireut few thousand miles away from New not speak of actual overproduction. In anized He concludes the above para tient for the present depression of the New York City New York City York, than right here in their own these industries production is merely on grapla in his contribution to The Nen country as a whole, in order actually Their leaflet says the Emergency order. The major part of the steel inace Overproduction with the sento realize what is taking place in the Committee believes in no politics in the dustry is a good example of the above. tence: The influence of mechanical mine fields.
union. That is false. No one of us Soft coal production comes into this cate loaders upon output per man bas only The decreasing demand coupled with a holder of a free trip to Moscow by the wory too. To attempt to analyze the began to be felt.
an increased output per man per day Stalinist regime. But what we do say bituminous industry from the point of In addition to the increase in capucity was followed by widespread unemploy.
is this: Unless the workers are able to view of actual overproduction would caused by mechanization there is that ment. The miners who worked four or tell whether politics are played in the get one nowhere There is strictly caused by lateral expansion of the in five months each year considered him interest of the workers or the hoss, they speaking no actual. overproduction of dustry. New mines are being constant self lucky indeed. Ilaving no visible hould study them first.
ccal for any length of time. The source ly openedl. new fields exploited aside rall the miners continue by LEOX TROTSKY Seven or Six Hour Day? for the difficulties of the industry lies from which many mines already being accept wage cuts and layoffs up to the THE SPANISH REVOLUTION IN DANGER But that is not all which confuses usuot in the actual overproduction but in worked are enlarged. The large capac point of starvation. Discontent was ram64 pages. 150 per copy Special Rates in Rundles hile in their leaflets only yesterday the growing disproportion between capac ity existing at the end of the war coupled pant. But park was needed to set tey accused us of standing for no polity for production and actual production with that of lateral expansion and that the entire industry aflame. This spark in the union, which of course is Prior to the war the expansion of the enused by mechurnization gives to the chos been supplied. Spontaneoubly the PROBLEMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE true, the in the needle bituminous mining industry was greater at the present time, as estimated by miners are rallying to the call of the 48 pages. 15 per copy des has really adopted that very than that of American industry as the Bureau of Mines a total ca National Miners Union. The years of PIONEER PUBLISHERS gan (no politics in the union, without whole. This rate of expansion received pachty of letween 750, 000, 000 and 800. suffering are reflected in a militancy that explanation. The Emergency Com the added impetus of the war years, years000, 000 tons per year.
has not been seen in the American labor 84 Fast 10th Street New York City tee not altogether ignorant in politics, of great demand. Under such circum Actual production and consumption movement for years.
Ard against any elements swamping stances the problem before the indu however remains far below this figure.
Books The Background of the Coal Strike 10 50 00 150 per man TWO NEW PAMPHLETS Just Off The Press!