WORKERS OF THE Socialist Appeal FOR THE FOURTH WORLD UNITE!
INTERNATIONAL!
OFFICIAL WEEKLY ORGAN OF THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY Vol. II. No. 20.
Saturday, May 14, 1938 Five Cents per Copy Hague Rule Workers! Unite All Forces Martin Balks Still Awaits Frankensteen Real Challenge. Against the Union Wreckers! Plot In FREE SPEECH FIGHT IMPERATIVE UNION BUSTERS STRIKE SNAG BRIDGES THUGS ATTACKPICKETS ON WEST COAST were By JAMES CANNON where you will, from one end of the country to another, in one union after another, the record of internal discord Browder Candidate For Union Presidency Gets Farmer Labor Congressmen, Acting On Advice Of The big push of the Communist Party to take over describes the fever chart of sick unions in convulsive Stalinist Fail To Make Good On or smash the United Auto Workers raises a question struggles to throw off an alien poison. The name of Rebuff At Executive Board Meeting; Threat To Defy New Jersey Dictator which is rapidly coming to a head in many unions. this poison is Stalinism.
Stalinists Begin to Squirm Supported by a strong press and apparatus, and with huge funds at their disposal, the Stalinists have become Crisis Aggravates Union Problems a big factor in the trade union movement, especially The problems of the trade unions are many and in the Catering to every prejudice of the most varied. These problems are aggravated under condiackward workers, combining with worst types of Boss Hague, his private police force, and his army of labor fakers and even with discredited racketeers, tions of the deepening crisis. In the newly formed orga DETROIT, May 10 As the fateful session of the exoffice holders remain in undisturbed possession of Jersey cajoling, bribing, slandering and bull dozing, the Amenization in the big industries the problems are compli ecutive board of the United Automobile Workers of AmerCity. In the first test of strength between the Jersey rican operatives of the have taken the unsuspectcated by the inexperience of the workers and by the ica rounded out its second day, the Martin forces had a concentrated power of big capital arrayed against them.
autocrat and his opponents, the Mayor emerged victorious ing trade unionists unawares. They have inched their clear majority and were confident of victory over the Differences of opinion over programs and policies reactionary elements seeking to control or smash the without a battle.
way into strategic control of many unions and are are inevitable. Trade union democracy alone can provide The widespread movement of popular protest engender. reaching out for power in others.
the arena for the responsible discussion of these difunion.
ed by Norman Thomas expulsion from the city on April The first effects of this quiet and systematic pene ferences and the disciplined execution of majority deThe Frankensteen Stalinist combination received its 30 and the continued provocations of Hague agents dur tration by the Stalinists are now becoming manifest. cisions. It is not possible, and it is not necessary, for heaviest blow thus far when it became obvious that they ing last week fizzled out miserably when the two Congress. The affected unions are erupting in widespread dis all members of the beleagured unions to answer all proposed to throttle the union with a bureaucratic stranglemen, Jerry Connell and John Bernard, who came sension disruption and split as the victim of syphilis questions in the same way. But there is one thing upon hold. Homer Martin, President of the made the from Washington to challenge Hague dictatorship, fail breaks out in sores and rashes. The labor movement is which all constructive and responsible trade unionists public declaration that caucuses cannot be abolished by ed to appear at the meeting scheduled for Journal being frightfully weakened and undermined by intermust agree and co operate. That is the preservation of decree.
Square last Saturday night.
nal disorders at a time when it needs all its strength the unions against disruption and disorganization. This He elaborated his opinion, tracFor three days Hague preparfor the external struggle.
is a common platform for all bona fide trade unionists.
ing the origin and conditions that ed to prevent the meeting. Bill Am the Law give rise to factions. Three facFrom this point of view, the class conscious and miThe Workers Must Be Prepared tors were responsible for the boards and full page advertise.
litant forces in the unions must take the lead in the ments in all the Hudson County formation of factions, he conThe economic crisis, plunging deeper and without life and death struggles of the unions to overcome the tinued. 1) Legitimate differences papers, jointly sponsored by the American Federation of Labor prospects of alleviation, automatically endangers the dread disease of Stalinism in their ranks. They must of opinion arising from the Unions of Hudson County and position of the trade unions and sternly imposes upon become the champions of the united front of all unionmanifold problems of a union as large as the 2) natural the War Veterans Committee them a policy of preparedness for coming storms. Pro loyal and constructive forces against the Stalinite misunderstandings occasioned in for Law and Order, headed by Col. Hugh Kelley, Secretary to duction is away down and is dropping steadily. Unem wrecking crew.
the course of work. 3) oppostGov. Moore, called upon Jersey ployment figures are up to the 1935 level the ultration sake. Factionalism, he deCity citizens to show their cautious statisticians of the of put the number The Auto Union Situation Revolt Movement Grows clared, can be eliminated only by uniting the membership around Americanism and be present of jobless at 11, 232, 000. If the entire history of capital This is a burning problem right now in the autoin Journal Square on Saturday mobile workers union. In their mad drive to control Among Rank and File ism means anything this state of affairs spells only one a program. Any other method would not eliminate but merely evening to repeal the invaders The leaders of the Democratic thing: organized and determined assaults of the em or wreck the the Stalinists have formed a facLongshoremen suppress factions.
ward clubs, together with heads ployers to batter down wages and destroy the unions tional combination with the ultra reactionary, redof several unions, ralWeather Vane Frankensteen are on the order of the day.
baiting Frankensteen and his similars against the SAN FRANCISCO. Six saillied Hague cohorts for the exMartin administration. This crooked factional maneuver ors picketing the contract Undoubtedly the third case is.
Preparations for such a campaign are to be seen breaking Shepard Line were most applicable to Frankensteen.
is carried forward, of course, under the slogan of an beaten and pursued for three As outlined in previous issues Police Fill Square on every side. To meet this campaign successfully it is self evident that the unions need a firm solidarity in end to factionalism. In this, the jingo Stalinites only blocks by a gang under orders of the Appeal, Frankensteen opFrom of Harry Bridges, West Coast position on caucuses and on most slavishly imitate the hypocritical tactics of the impernoon on the atmosphere around Journal Square was notheir own ranks. They need to hold together, despite ialist, diplomats who always advance their war prepaC. o. director and Stalinist other problems facing the union wtfeeably tense. Plain clothes cope leader of the International Long have changed as often as it was MAYOR HAGUE differences or opinion among the membership, and rations under the guise of peace conferences and peace shoremen and Warehousemen necessary to serve his overweenand uniformed police present a united front to the employers.
sprinkled throughout the place.
pacts.
Union, last week.
ing ambitions. It is even rumor.
The first act of violence oceurVictims of the attack wereed that out of the bigniess of But this necessary internal cohesion is precisely what Will a single intelligent militant in the auto unions red around one o clock when members of the Sailor Union of their hearts, Weinstone and Fosbe taken in by this cynical strategem? Can they really is lacking. The unions are sick. Take the almost daily Milton Filker, executive director the Pacific, picketing the Shepard ter promised Frankensteen the wish, after the horrible experiences of workers in the Line because the company refus Lieutenant Governorship of Mi.
of the Jersey City Committee of reports of violent internal dissensions. auto union, Labor Non Partisan League, Stalinist controlled unions, to experiment with suched to abide by an agreement chigan. What applies to the piti control in the great organization of the auto workers?
signed with West Coast neamon ful figure of Richard Frankenteachers, office workers, restaurant workers. Look union over a year ago. Continued on page 4)
steen holds good for the Stalinist of Bosses Bosses Fare Badly bureaucrats. Their unscrupulous Back Hague Terror APPEAL SALESMEN course in the auto union has been Despite the support of the Sta dictated solely in the interests lirist misleaders in the of the Stalin bureaucracy. Where JERSEY CITY, Italian Conquest Will Be DETROIT, May Gangster maritime unions, the cause of principled considerations can be of bureaucrats playLegitimized At threats of physical violence ed their usual reactionary role Shipowner Shepard fared badly said to motivate their policies, were made tonight by Stalinist as two ships, the Wind Rush and these against labor when they calGeneva members of the executive the Harpoon, were manned by a principles can be classed inimical to the inled together a meeting and board of Local 157, United West Coast men and a third, the terests of the auto workers.
passed a scandalous red baiting resolution endorsing Mayor The only real point on the Automobile Workers, against Timber Rush, remained tied to the first slap in the face adCommerce Session In Washington agenda of the Council of the comrades selling the Socialist its dock in Tacoma.
ministered the Communist Party Frank Hague vicious attacks League of Nations, which is Appeal before a meeting of Growing opposition from the bloc was the public removal of on civil liberties.
meeting in Geneva this week, is Daladier Move Strikes They endorsed Hague reStimulated by the Supreme Steel and Inland Steel, favorable the District Auto Council. The rank and file maritime workers Frankensteen from the post of against the union wrecking Assistant President. Last Decemfusal to permit the holding the question of recognition of issue of the Appeal carried a Blow At Workers Court decision in the Fred o decisions which would on the of o. or other meetings Mussolini has raised over the the new Italian empire which leading article exposing the ivities of the Communist Party ber Martin had committed the Morgan Sheep Standards Commission Co. whole uphold the contentions of Stalinist Frankensteen allianin his city. This help was given is making Bridges position with error of appointing Frankensteen grave of the last independent nacase, the spokesmen for Big the with respect to these ce to throttle democracy in to Hague 24 hours before he in his own union precarious. At to this post despite the absence Business let themselves go at companies. Charles Fahy, counsel the auto union. The appear.
tive state in Africa. Ethiopia.
a recent meeting of the of any constitutional provision summoned his henchmen to The Daladier government last last week convention of the to the moved to withMacchiavell might well have week devalued the frane, for the Chamber of Commerce, but draw these cases from the courts, stop the civil liberties rally ance of this article, at the Henry Schmidt, Bridges right calling for such an office. Earl studied in the school of Halifax third time since 1936, to the rate piously neglected to notice the realizing that the Supreme Court Executive Board meeting, has opening of the International hand man, was forced to plead Browder new disciple felt that at Journal Square last Saturday and Daladier. Their task is to of 79 cents, the lowest in the hearings which were decision in the Morgan Co. case dumping their own officials. this post made him heir apparent preserve the possibiMty of using history of the franc.
created a sensation in union half page advertisement the Negus against Italy at some with the membership not to start to the presidency of the union.
proving that most of the pro would, on the basis of the re circles. Continued on puge 2)
Since his alliance with the Stain the Jersey City newspapers, linist gang, it appeared Hikely later date it and when that may this new devaluation of the cur knew for months of Richard the board. The corporations paid for by the Central Labor Union, announced this red While they will to reality Mand pencer, wie heil an increase coin Whitney thefts and were thus slecfully contested Fahy mo. Toledo White Collar Workers post to become a frankenstein baiting and Hague supporting call the League to adopt pricesespecially those of con they Big Business, as usual, had now force through decisions one its principles thereto.
demonstrates, retail prices al every reason to thank its gods hundred per cent in their own Put Progressives In Office of the executive board. respect was socked in the jaw by a plain tives will be granted the demo wholesale prices. In other words, Papal power to intervene on any The Negus or his representa ways soar more rapidly than for the Supreme Court, with its favor.
the rank and file by the original Frankensteen appointment, declothes dick for distributing eratie privilege of appearing be the workers, who have just fore occasion to uphold the divine Union Smashing. Was Issue TOLEDO, Ohio. Progressive new jobs. At the present time it clared that after consideration leaflets.
and militant labor forces won a is mobilizing the office of the constitution upon the comAn Associated Press fore the high assembly; thered meager wage increases through rights of property and profits.
photographer who tried to snap will be some speech making. But a series of strikes, are now the scene had his camera smash everything is settled in advance. automatically losing these gains, sentence The liberty and pro lic Steel open smashing of progressives was elected to office wage cutting drive against white the am hereby de It should be recalled that these decisive victory here last Satur workers to secure higher wages plaints lodged and on the author.
Mouthing a customary fulsome cases involve Ford and Repub day, when a complete slate of and to stop the nationwide ity vested in me as president of ed. Police Chief Casey stood The President of the Council and probably even more, through perty of the citizens shall be unionization at their plants, and in Local 29, Division, collar workers initiated by the claring that the office of assistsmiling by and allowed the as who, to complete the picture, is the shrinking purchasing power protected by the rudimentary re Inland Steel refusal to sign a of the United Office and Profes Washington authorities.
sailants to escape, the delegate from Lithuania, the of their income.
By seven o clock 350 police How decisively the Stalinists tional standing with the Internaguarded Journal Square. Wreck country which recently had to The glory for having effect Court in the Morgan co case contract with the Steel Workers sional Workers of America, despite a campaign of were defeated is indicated by the tional Union, and therefore does ing cars had dragged away all (Continued on page Continued on page 3) struck a heavy blow, ostensibly The courts are once again the Stalinist reactionaries to fact that Francis Murphy, can not and cannot exist under the at various government agencies, the autos parked in the vicinity, didate for secretary and organiz constitution.
Escorted by mounted police and Members Arrested but in reality at the unions in teaching the lesson that the seize the reins of the union, the mass industries.
workers must rely on their own Art Preis was elected chair er for the letter head American organized class strength, and man; Richard Gigandet, vice League for Peace and Democracy, Martin Group Carries motor trucks carried 3, 000 pla Unfair to Bosses that hope in the institutions of chairman; Alex Feldstein, secret received just three votes. The cards into Bergen Street with At Street Meeting In On all issues, mostly of a secthe capitalist government teads ery: and have noget derse have to three members at the meet ondary nature, to come before the such slogans as Reds Destroy The Court claimed that the always into a blind alley.
Industry and Business but not in NEW YORK Two members case rested on perjured testimony suing an order against the MorSecretary of Agriculture, in 18Cheered up Jersey City, Civil Liberties by the Supreme years been active organizers and while the Stalinists were dis board in its first two sessions, Union is a cloak for Commun of the Young Peoples Socialist to the effect that the platform gan Co. had not given the Mor Court decision, General Motors Northwest Ohio, and have helping unten en meetings, breuing a vote of 14 10. Although there Red Foreigners go back to Rus. were found guilty and fined five fense produced five witnesses get at all facts and to present reported 1987. alary alone total for the unemployed and relief even heard, bringing in not more policy on the crucial issue, it apsia, These were distributed dollars each this week for Ob who testified that the platform its side of the case. The full in led over 300, 000) took the floor workers.
than one single member in four pears likely that Walter Reuther, Progressive forces in the To. months, trying to sneak over president of the West Side Local Hague henchmen. The Legion est dodge of local police and passage lane of fifteen feet was falls on the National Labor Resessions to lash out at industrial ledo Industrial Union Council pro war collective security are will line up against the antiers, that the procedure heretofore Will Never Join Hands with rights of free speech and assem Murphy, sour Puss protege hori hollowed by the du. koretofore in the balance and found want tion of Rose, Gigandet and Ted ideas in the last moments or to this stand by a meeting of the and Communism, and blage.
Democratie bos Ed Flynn, ma number of major cases has not, ing. And he was no doubt being ecutive board member of the leadership from whose projects called this meet the other, Norman Thomas, Roger Baldwin and Stalin, One Blum and David Goldberg, were the trial, overlooking the civil corporations their usual complete in the balance by which Knudsen labor militant here, as delegates of the union has been gained, the the executive board sessions. He The young comrades, Morris prejudiced comments throughout according to the Court, given the internet benance by this helection Workers Alliance and leading 99 per cent of the membership pose of receiving instructions for for all and All for One Keep attacking LaGuardia new taxes liberties issue and ruling in favor power to delay, obstruct, Out.
when they were arrested at the of the false testimony of the finally prevent the carrying into certainly a large negative quan This union was started in Feb Iso called Trotskyite leadership was duly instructed, on a motion corner of 163rd St. and So. policeman.
Congressmen Stay Away practice of any decision render tity.
ruary and is the first 0: together with the other milit. of John Anderson, West Side exBoulevard on a no permit charge Unlike the liberal congressed in favor of a union.
chartered group of organized ants went ahead quietly build. ecutive board member, to oppose The Knudsen and Irresponsibility pro adopted a All traffic was stopped by the which was changed to obstruc men who shied clear of Haguemeaning of workers in Toledo. By ing the union and daily risked Socialist Party has It remains to 8:30 over 25, 000 people, includ authorities discovered the origin branch will hold a rally parent. The LR. has far sible, Knudsen complained. That Isram it has succeeded in. ston. sively fighting to protect the be seen whether Reuther will foling in large part work al charge was unconstitutional. in defense of civil liberties on reaching cases (Continued on page 3) In court, the policeman whole the same spot next Monday night. courts against Ford, Republic pending in the is, to put it in other words, Iping all lay offs of white collar workers on the job and win con low the determined and unmis(Continued on page 3) workers and won hundreds of cessions for them. Continued on page 2)
LEAGUE SERVES TO CONSECRATE maritime, pocket book makers, New York painters, ETHIOPIAN RAPE DEVALUATION OF Big Business Asks Curb ARE THREATENED FRANC TO RAISE On Trade Union Rights COST OF LIVING Knudsen and Others Sound Off At Chamber of standi