WORKER THE MILITANT OF THE WORLD.
UNITE Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America VOLUME VII, NO. 29 (WHOLE NO. 233)
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1934 PRICE CENTS COPS FIRE ON UNARMED PICKETS Misleaders Betray Militane Pickets Tide of Strikes 33 ShotInMinneapolis Frisco General Strike Textile Industry Entire Nation Commercial Vehicles Terror Used CAPITALISTS JUBILANTEEUNIONS MEET TO CONSIDER by Bosses to LONGSHOREMEN STILL OUT Crush Strike CALL FOR GENERAL STRIKE Olsen Threatenis Martial Law Amongso Green Co.
Knife Coast Labor Unions South. 20, 000 new fists were have been mobilized to smash the clenched in the statewide textile longshoremen strike in Portland, strike that has brought every loom Oregon which has been in proSan Francisco, July 19. Never have labor fakers so clearly headed to a standstill in Alabama gress since May 9th. The labor a strike in order to behead It se bave the reactionaries of the Labor home of the attempted legat murder The haven of lynchers and the unions in this city are taking a Council led the general strike to disintegration.
vote tonight on the proposition Minneapolis, July 20. By wiro. Thirtythree plekets were shot of the Scottsboro Boys for the first for a general strike.
Bitterly opposed to the strike, only to be over ridden by the over time in years at the might of or.
with suwed off shotguns by police who, at the same moment, in two different places, began firing volleys of slugs into groups of plckets.
With the general strike at its whelming majority of the local unions, Vandeleur, Kidwell, Casey, and sanized and aroused labor when the SEATLE, Wasi. July 20. crisis, and the reactionary bureau their clique rode along just long enough to find the first opportunity to United Textile Workers issued their The authorities apparently had planned the double provocation as Armed with long range tear gan the opportunity for bringing in the National Guard, cracy carrying the bosses colors break the strike.
call for a general strike of all cot.
guns, Seattle police attacked within a few into the ranks of labor, the bosses minutes of the shooting the first truckload of machine gunners arrived After two days during which the strike was completely victorious, ton workers.
striking longshoremen in an effort unleashed a new strikebreaking with the bosses on the run, with no sign of any weakening of labor on the blood plotehed sidewalks, es ablished military lines, and cleared Bosses Fear to Open Mills to smash picket lines. Many were weapon: whirlwind series of ranks, Vandeleur yang suddenly sprang a resolution for arbitration on injured by gas.
the district.
ralds on Communist and other the general strike committee, Tueslay, simultaneously with the begin where a strong group of strikers Militant action 10 Huntsville Within twenty ininutes of the shootings the rest of the battalion Baltimore, Md. Taking their cue of guardsmen, held in readiness at the armory here since the strike meetings, picket groups and soup ning of ralds by troops, police and vigilantes, who began weeding out closed down plants that contin from Minneapolis, 574, 1000 mem Iines. Thirty five squads of vigi militant workers from plcket groups, soup lines and other places, and, ued operations and threats to deLantes. dressed as workers, backed Jalling them.
feat similar moves has caused the and Helpers Union went on strike bers of the Teamsters, Chauffeurs up by the National Guard and the bosses to refrain so far from any following the bosses refusal to recA Phony Vote police, began an unprecedented attempts to open their mills.
The resolution Introduced by Vandeleur was claimed to have been ognize the union. Picket lines will The Alabama strikers are point be augmented by 800 more drivers reign of terror on the night of July BULLETIN 17. which is still going on.
passed by the narrow vote of 207 to 180, but the vote was by a show oting the way to American labor in One dead and Afty wounded is the toll taken so far by the hands, which Kidwell counted, and the demand by Harry Bridges and being the first to initiate the battle who are expected out in a day or murderous authorities of Minnes; olke.
Over three hundred Governor Olson backed up the cheslaught by the local police with workers and strikers were arrested others for a roll call was denied by Vandeleur. Bridges later accused for the thirty hour week.
an announcement that he is prepared to declare martial buw.
and held on high ball, and a hall Kidwell of miscounting, and declared many unauthorized individuals their other demands are: a twelve dollar weekly minimum wage, ellNew York, At a member As we go to press no word has yet come from the vast gathering dozen wokers headquarters were voted. Kidwell only answer was a formal denial.
mination of the stretch out sys ship meeting of the Knit Goods of all trade union members of Minneapolis.
sacked and destroyed, including The resolution is directed against tem, reinstatement of workers fired Workers Union branch of the those of the Communist Party, the the longshoremen and the ten strikG. 18, 000 workers ratified a for union activities and collective strike proposal and prepared to started on Monday. were widening the are enclosed by military lines. and the Marine Workers ing marine unions. Time after bargaining Industrial Union.
time, by democratie votes, the NRA has already issued state take immediate action to force Thirty five hundred additional National Guardsmen were ordered here While the local authorities prewaterfront unions have voted ments denouncing the strikers in three demands: for the closed shop, at once by Adjutant General Walsh.
tended that this work was done by against arbitration of the hiring the first opening wedge of the boss a thirty hour week, and thirty Farmer Labor Governor Olson Is, according to the law, supreme lawless vigilantes. and most of halls control, and in addition, the es battle to defeat the workers at por cent wave increase. 2, 000 mer commander of the National Guard. The Adjutant General authority to bers of the San Francisco branch order the additional guardsmen must have been previously arranged for the capitalist press reported accord ingly, some even attempting to say to refuse arbitration of the other ditions for themselves and their ve the have folned the with the Governor, which means that the whole manoeuvre was prethat workers made the raids, two issues unless the bosses agree to families.
general strike there.
arranged.
or three liberal reporters let the also arbitrate their differences with real story through. Contradictions Shrewdly timed to coincide with the other marine unions. In direct One attack took place on Third Street and Sixth Avenue North, in The walkout of the 20, 000 textile Philadelphia, Pa Five thousand the same issue of the bous terror against the left contravention of the democratic de uperative in Alabama becomes a members of the Longshoremens Un front of the Sloeum Bergen Grocery Company, from which convoyu of newspaper carried both the fake wing, and the reactionary drive cistons of the striking unions, the signal now for labor in the entire ion bere declared themselves in police cars were preparing to move a merchandise truck. The police and true story within the union ranks, William resolutions would bave President cotton and silk fabrie industry to readiness to walk out in support of were under orders from Chief of York Times of July 17 18 typleal of stabbed the coast workers in the workers and bosses to submit galvanize their forces and to make the general strike in San Francisco. Police Michael Johannes to shoot Strike Headquarters in Command special dispatch to the New Green, president the of Roosevelt call on the waterfrontaly all good proposals adopted by the The union is awaiting Instructions their way through picket lines and of District the lying stories carried by the back with the most damaging anti issues to the National Longshore United Textile Workers, the Hos from the Frisco strike committee. were armed with the murderous labor statement of Green shame men Board.
capitalist press: fery Workers in convention a few sawed off shot gun, favorite deadly wounded and took them to the hosThe strikers picked up their tul career. This statement was is. few hours after the adoption The San Francisco Chronicle months back and the National Com Helena, Mont. Attempts by the weapon of American gangsters.
sued from Chicago, Green en of the resolution, the National mittee of the American Federation, bosses to put scabs to work met As the scab truck began to move, esserts that the vigilantes who pital previously set up in strike raided the radicals readquarters route to the Wisconsin Federation Longshoremen Board issued a of Silk workers to call a general with firm resistance on the part of swaddled around by police cars, headquarters, to prevent maltreatof Labor, on Wednesday, July 18. seven point program for the arbl strike for the thirty hour week. 3, 600 copper miners who have been truckload of pickets drew along ment and arrest of wounded were organized by conservative a day on which the hundred thou tration settlement. This Board was strikers.
labor leaders. The newspaper sand strikers sorely needed the deliberately set up. In accordance clals of the have been conReliable reports have it that off on strike since May Picket lines side.
were reenforced by 1, 500 smelter Without warning, according to William Brown, President of the said that these union men were backing of the nation organized with the wishes the bosses, to terring for some time now over the workers who struck in sympathy witnesses and newspapermen, the Truck Drivers Union, gave the aroused by evidence that Reds workers. Green, in language identi separate the longsboremen fight question of a national stoppege.
with the embattled miners. The police Ared volley after volley Into answer of the workers to the bosses had been masquerading as unlon strikers and flaunting banners cal with that of any bourbon reac from the fight of the other marine This momentous issue facing hun National Labor Board is trying fev. the tightly packed strikers. While and their hireling government: and placards at variance with tionary, claimed that the strike in unions who came out in support of dreds of thousands of textile, silk orishly to break the strike but men foll like dies, the rest cour The trucks will not move. There San Francisco is local in charac the longshoremen.
the aims of the strike.
And its seven and hosiery workers has now pussed without success. The miners de ageously advanced on the seab may be an occasional truck get ter, possessing no national sigpit points represent exactly the view beyond the talking stage. Labor mand a wage increase of ec an truck.
Thirty five squads of vigithrough under escort, but there will cance. the American Federa. point of the bosses as stated before scates like MacMahon, who conhour and a thirty week.
Their dedant advance probably be no general movement of trucke lantes, said to have been comtion of Labor neither ordered the the beginning of the stelke posed chiefly of striking teamLike veniently allowed himself to be Publication of all newspapers in saved the lives of many, for in You can depend on that. We will strike nor authorized it.
sters, according to this version, Knowing that the American Instead of the ten marine unlons couple of months back by vapid the bosses, the Board demands that, talked out of a general strike this city ceased when the Typogra hand to hand lighting with the put 5, 000 men into the field.
phical Union went on strike for a bloodthirsty pollee, they prevented. de were sent out in automobiles to make the raids.
horror at this traitorous act, Green recognized by the bosses for nego that made by the National Commit. Since then, the city has been with Despite the number wounded and stand solidly in back of the truck working class would react with other than the longeboremen being NRA promises, and statements like 30 wage increase you may with them from continuing their gundre. clared that Minneapolis labor war The identity of the vigilantes finished his damnable statement to tiations, there be collective bar tee of the to call a general out newspapers.
the truck drivers fighting with their drivers and smash the strikebreakhas not been officially revealed.
the press with a formula which gaining with the elected represen strike If necessary can only stem bare hands, they sent two of their ing attacks of the authorities. The At first general opinion was that Danielson, Conn. Five hundred attackers to the hospital. Another strike was endorsed last week by they were connected with the mingles a disavowal of a desire to tatives of their respective employ the tide and let the favorable mothe es This is identical with the ment pass.
workers at the Dayville plant of Committee of 500 organized by a sergeant, was shot by his berserk the Central Labor Union and its the Assa waga Woolen Co. have gone subordinates when he accidentally constituent unions.
statement with crocodile tears bosses refusal to recognise the prominent citizens yesterday at Strike Now Tonight there on strike in answer to the bosses got into the line of fire.
He sald: When working people are marine unions as representing the the behest of Mayor Angelo The time for the cotton and texis scheduled to take place a giganrefusal to grant a 25 wage in:The other police attack occurred tie mass meeting of all trade un engaged in an economie lite or strikers, and the bosses demand Rok This pag was contradicted in the death struggle, it does not seem ap that each individual employer stile workers to strike is now! Now, crease. Mass plcket lines forced at the same moment, a block away. iony, to back up the strikers.
when working men throughout the the shutting down plant.
Witnesses in between heard the same issue in a dispatch from the propriate for their friends to en workers should hold an election country are joining hands in a forThe farmers are backing the Associated Press, which incidental Sage in comment which might be determine their representatives.
midable move to conquer those The Election Fake Kohler, Wis. The tranquility of shooting break out on both sides atrikers one hundred percent.
it at.
ly gives the bosses prediction of used against them by their enemies.
The meaning of the proposition rights denied them for years and this Ideal village. founded by the The signal arranged for may have the raids: of the Board and the bosses is that sporadie actions, the iron is hot for considerably disturbed when more picket truck.
impossible to obtain Farmers Rally to 574 by isolated. robber baron Kohler, Was been the moment of arrival of the Agreement was arrived at beGives Word of Raids, Press Understood Green tween he Farm Holiday AssociaBy The Associated Press. The capitalist press gorged them all the strikers. Instead, each em textile workers to take that step than a thousand workers went on block away, where earlier in tion and the union to permit the which labor fakers, procrastinators, strike to enforce their demands for the afternoon police lines had been delivery of produce directly to con SAN FRANCISCO, July 17. selves with Green words, Head ployer would have an election by and timid progressives have been a thirty.
series of raids on known Commu lines ran, Green Disavows Strike his oployes, including employes on nist hot spots were under way for of World Telegram: the Atlantle coast and elsewhere, strikes of all textile, hostery and in continues despite the police attempt to move trucks, crowds of for which the farmers will picket delaying for months the general wage of 6e an hour. Mass plcker established in preparation for the sumers and small stores in return here late today. The police are Green Disavows Responsibility for and including scabs now on the silk workers.
Dock Strike (Herald Tribune. high seas.
strikers and sympathizers were country roads against commercial determined to smash the radical This terror a perfect lay lined up, when suddenly the police trucks and to supply food to the element San Francisco. Youth Green Says of Is Not On out for a crooked election. More ful civie Vigilantes alded them. Strike, Puts onus on Local Union over, no date is even set for the ATTENTION!
York, Pa Four thousand mem fred into the crowd. Four of the strikers. This solidarity shown by the farmers is said by strike leadThe first indication of the con AN. Times. the bers of the Cigarmakers Union of wounded tell here.
All unemployed members and The militant answer of the laborers here to be one of the most incerted drive against radicals The bosses are fighting tooth and quires the immediate calling off of America went on strike here, folcame from Charles Wheeler, vice nall with the weapons of terror and all strikes. For the marine work sympathizers of the Communist lowing the bosses refusal to grant movement of Minneapolis came im spiring and decisive steps in the president of the McCormick demoralization. Police, thugs, vigi ers, this would mean that, with the battle to win the demands of the League are to report at the city the demand for a closed shop. The mediately.
Unfon driven taxicabs, ice, beer drivers.
Steamship Line, who said in a lantes, National Guard, gas, pistols, resumption of shipping, the ship headquarters Monday, July 23, industry is paralyzed. The pres talk at the Rotary Club here torifles, machine guns and not least ping bosses could at their leisure before noon for important work.
sure of mass picketing has forced and gasoline trucks which had so The unemployed workers of day that the raids would start the labor fakers, the yellow 20, 000 weed out all leading elements most of the cigar manufacturers to far continued to operate by ar. Minneapolls are also solidly behind City Organizer. hut down their plants.
rangement with the union, immedi. the strike. The Minneapolis Censoon. He intimated government a year labor fakers who make, unity among the strikers, clean up all ately went on strike.
consent had been obtained for the with the bosses and government their crews, and then, when they tral Council of Workers (unemThe district surrounding strikeployed) has voted full support of raids.
against the workers.
are good and ready, hold an elecLECTURE headquarters was immediately the strike and is supplying pickets.
Armed with clubs, thirty youth.
Green anti labor statement was tion which would be a joke.
cleared of police by the strikers, This vast combination of organful vigilantes rushed the commu only the most prominent of a whole The silence of tbe labor fakers including traffic cops. Strike head. ixed labor, unemployed and farmers nistic quarters in the Ruthenberg series issued by of officials. since the issuance by the Board of quarters took over the district and can and will drive back this latest House at 121 Haight Street, Other declarations of No Solidarity its seven point program indicates strikers took over the directing of onslaught on the elementary rights smashing windows and upsetting were: that they are consenting.
traffic.
of workers.
furniture. The few occupants of John Possehl, president of the In The resolution was a serious the building fled screaming down ternational Union of Operating En blow to the morale of the general LOCAL 574 APPEALS FOR FUNDS the street. By the time police gineers, issued the least swinish strike. However, there was hope arrived the youths had gone. The statement: We have always tried that, once the meaning of the resoThe Truck Drivers Union published the following appeal in The Ruthenberg House, which also to carry out our contracts, but ilution became clear, and especially Daily Strike Bulletin. organ of the strike: was wrecked, quartered the your friends are shot down, what with the interpretation of it by the SPEAKER: Workers Theatre, Film Photo can you do? Our West Coast or Longshoremen Board, the local Local 574 is fighting a battle which is the battle of every workLeague, sports club, school, book ganization is one of the best, and unions, pressed by the workers, who ing man and woman. Our victory will be yours. Our defeat will be shop and library and offices of it is a conservative outfit. There didn come out for a general strike your defeat. Against us are arrayed powerful forces of reaction.
the International Labor Defense are no Communists in it. He add In order to get a resolution which We know that the battle will not be an easy one to win. It will ed that he would not say what he makes the general strike meaningrequire all the resources at our command. We feel justified in Signs advocating revolution would do if the bosses protested the less, would rally and have the recalling upon every man and woman in the organized labor moveand literature were selzed. broken contracts.
solution rescinded. If the general Dolores Park, at Eighteenth William Hushings, legislative strike remained intact this would at Our New and Spacious Home ment, upon every friend of the working man, to grant us assistance and Dolores Streets, was the agent of the of said he was undoubtedly have happened.
To win a battle of the kind we have engaged in, means MONEY scene of another civilian demon not acquainted with the terms of Steps to Break the Strike 144 Second Avenue Local 574 is calling upon YOU to help financially. Every contribustration against radicaligm. Hard labor contracts on the const, but Precisely for this reason, Vandetion will be a blow struck in our behalf. Send in your donation ly had speakers mounted soap added: Personally, think con leur, Kldwell Co. proceeded to Immediately. Money given generously and promptly is doubly etter boxes to exhort their cause when tracts should be kept.
liquidate the strike. They issued Admission 10 cents Questions and Discussion tive. Contributions should be sent to the General Headquarters of (Continded on Page Continued on Pace Continued on page 1)
the Strike Committee of 100, 215 Eighth Street South, Minneapolis.
The General Strike Its Role in the Class Struggle ARNE SWABECK Sunday, July 22, P.
League