Pinning. em Down. New Column by James Casey Begins on Page Workers Of The World Unite!
Socialist Appeal For The Fourth International!
OFFICIAL WEEKLY ORGAN OF THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY VOL. II No. 33 Saturday, August 13, 1938 375 Five Cents per Copy Stalinist Union Wreckers Hit Hard By NMU Elections. 20, 000 Workers Quit Bridges Council Laborin Northwest Rallies To Local 544 in Court Defy FIVE BIG UNIONS DENOUNCE nesota Supreme Court. That he signed the writ is to be explained National Guard. Strikebreaker!
JAPAN SEARCHES udse Reed order was shrowly SOVIET IMPASSE cime RANK FILE WIN Welcome Sign!
CONTROL IN FIRST An Editorial ELECTION fresh wind is blowing through the American Labor Move. WRECKING POLICY ment.
Within the past weck, its invigorating force has been felt in Get to Majority three major trade union centers and the results should be an Form New Central On New Executive occasion for rejoicing among militant and progressive workers the Body to Build country over.
Committee In Los Angeles, four major unions, representing Labor Unity Militant Stand of Drivers Union Wins ThirtyNEW YORK. The rising tide 20, 000 workers, bolted the Bridges dominated o. Council.
LOS ANGELES. Union wreckDay Stay of Court Order to Open of revolt against Stalinism in the In New York, the rank and file slate in the National Mariers on the West Coast, led by Books for Bosses National Maritime Union, appa time Union swept the Stalinist majority out of office.
Harry Bridges, West Coat rent in recent events on the In Detroit, three of the suspended officers. stooges of the director, received a smashing setterfront, showed its tr strength Communist Party of the United Automobile Workers were exback last week, when Ave major By FELIX MORROW last week when results of the unions, representing 20, 000 MINNEAPOLIS. On Thursday, July 28, District Court Judge Arst general election gave rankpelled from the union.
workers in the Los Angeles area, Frank Recd ordered General Drivers Union Local 544 to surrender and file candidates five out of With these actions, the labor movement is beginning the voted to withdraw from the nine posts on the national execuall its records for inspection, photographing, etc. to five finks who, long delayed but much needed job of cleansing its system of the Bridges controlled Industrial Untive council.
having brought suit against the union, petitioned the court to enable Stalinist virus that was poisoning its entire body and driving it ton Council and to set up their Jerry King, rank and Ale leader to certain doom.
them to examine all records the better to prepare their case.
of the engine department and In each case the union wreckers had sorely tried the patience the International Ladies Garment After a week end conference of On Friday, August 5, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Andrew principal figure in the fight Holt signed a writ of certiorari, automatically holding up execution against the Stalinists, decisively of the honest and progressive workers who constitute the great Workers, the United Automoblle of Judge Reed order for thirty days. At the end of that time, the defeated Jack Lawrenson for the majority of organized labor until the only solution was a ruth. Workers, the United Rubber post of secretary treasurer, Law less severing of all ties. The blow delivered took different forms Workers, the United Shoe WorkSupreme Court will decide whether or not it will review Judge renson, dubbed Rasputin, the ers and several locals of the Steel Reed order in the three cities, but in each case the unions involved parted Mad Monk by the scamen, is a Workers Organizing Committee, Judge Holt is one of the most reactionary figures on the MinCommunist party stooge active in company with this unsavory gang tearing the vitals out of the statement enumerating the union affairs since the union unions.
grievances of organized labor founding more than a year ago by what happened in the eight days after Judge Reed order was The grievances and charges leveled against the war monger against Bridges and the CommuCurran Elected ing Stalinist clique graphically depict the sickness which has nist Party leadership in the West issued.
Coast Was issued The timing of the issuance of The breaking of the strike against the Maytag Company of Rank and filers won the major gripped the trade unions for years and especially since the StalinSix Point Program Newton, Iowa, by the National Guard should convince every ty of offices in all districts, and ists have risen to prominence in the arbitrary and dictato At the same time the confercalculated. Since it appeared in American worker that to rely on the National Guard, called out the old officials, who held their rial methods; the appointment of all important officials; packing ence laid down a program to be the morning papers, it must have by a friendly governor, to win a strike is utter folly.
jobs through appointment, are in conventions with paper unions; disrupting strikes; walking In briet, it covers the following a decided minority. Joe Curran been nesday night the night of the biGovernor Kraschel called out the guards ostensibly to pre and Ferdinand Smith were elect through picket lines; using the unions as a foil for Stalinist prop: six points weekly meeting of the Central vent violence. He ordered the plant closed, and this maneuvered president and vice president, aganda and draining the treasuries for a million and one good Solidarity between employed Labor Union and the night when fooled some workers who had an idea that the Governor would respectively, as they were unopposed.
causes. all the crimes in the book and done far more thoroughly and unemployed, and aid to any the two labor papers, the North win the strike for them.
One of the Arst nets of the inthan any Chamber of Commerce could deliberately plan to do.
union, whether of or independent, in any struggle Provocations Earn Teamsters Joint Council, and the The same thing happened in the Little Steel Strike of last coming officers was to clean out The coup de grace to Harry Bridges on the West Coast to better the conditions of the Labor Review, organ of the cen year when the governors of Ohio and Tridiana called out the offices of the Pilot, the union marks the beginning of the end to dictatorial regime modeled workers.
Reprisals From tral labor body, so to press. Pub troops and at first ordered the mills closed. At that time the after the fashion of Stalin own totalitarian state. Auto workers, Continue the drive to organlication of Judge Reed order on Soviet Army newspaper. These technical jobs ize the unorganized.
had been filled almost exclusively leaders of the were jubilant at the action of the governors.
rubber workers, steel lodges, the have quit his conThursday morning gave the re3. Strong defense of Industrial actionaries the longest possible But they reckoned without their host. Not long after the Guard by members of the Communist centration camp and have set out on the road of democratic and unionism, but no raids on existDespite continuing hostilities time before the labor movement on the Siberian frontier, there would swing into action.
came on the scene, the steel mills were opened and scabs worked Party.
progressive unionism. This is only a sequel to the actions recently ing unions.
The victory of the progressives taken by the militant Sailors Union of the Pacific and other un For trade union democracy was every indication this week under the protection of bayonets.
over the Stalinists, who have had Wave of Reaction in practice as well as in words.
licensed maritime crafts. Only the longshoremen still remain under that Japan Intended to climb It should be clear to every worker that the tactic of ordering since its founding in the spring Judge Reed decision could down and make peace as best it only be understood, not as an Opposition to anti labor legthe thumb of Bridges, and trouble is undoubtedly brewing in the troops to close a factory and disperse the picket line is only of 1937, came after a campaign of islation and government interfercould with Moscow.
isolated incident, but as one asthat camp as well. Now the West Coast labor movement can free ence, Japan twice whether through the a preparatory step to breaking the strike. The governors want to with peace several months. While many ele. itself of the turmoil and the terror and take a huge leap forward. courts, the National Guard, the proposals and was twice rebuf. pect of a growing wave of reshow how fair and impartial they are. They order the factories ments in the union have opposed action in Minnesota. During the fed because it refused to accept past year, the signs have multipolice or otherwise.
But let no one get intoxicated with this victory. It is only a the wrecking policies of the Staclosed for a few days; they prohibit picketing on the pretext that For independent political acthe 1886 Russo Chinese treaty as plied of growing desperation on Minists, the group around the no picketing is necessary when the factories are closed. And then beginning. The Stalinist danger is far from eliminated.
tion. to supplement trade union Rank and Flle Pllot, an opposi the basis for fixing the disputed the part of Minnesota employers they are in an excellent position to command the workers to acIn the National Maritime Union, the rank and file slate activity on the economio front.
border line.
tion newspaper, played the leadOpposition Howled Down cept a settlement or see the factories opened under protection of (Continued on page 2)
Meanwhile in the disputed zone and bankers; and the seeds of ing role in the fight.
Two recent incidents served to reaction they are sowing have itself Intermittent hontilities conthe Guards.
Program Incomplete set the spark to the smoldering tinued throughout the week, both found fertile soll. Big Business The strikers trusting the governor and his National Guard Despite the fact that their proresentment in the ranks of the sides claiming possession of the hates the Farmer Labor administration of Governor Benson and Los Angeles Tommy Laulittle strip of hills that has been threw support to Hjalmar Peterrelax their vigilance, call off the picket line and are left helpless gram has dodged important is rence, IL. business agent, the nominal although Insignifisen in the vain hope that he when the order comes that the terms worked out by the company isues facing the union, notably the issue of government interferwrote an article in Justice, nationcant cause of all the trouble.
would defeat Benson in the primwith the assistance of the governor must be accepted.
ence in union affairs, the group al organ of the ILG. critGermany Key arles, split the Farmer. Labor That is what happened in the Little Steel Strike and that is secured the backing of seamen icizing Bridges policies. For this The key to Japan shift to a forces and assure a reactionary what happened in Newton, Iowa.
in building a unton capable and Will Force Company poration called Thomas Arm the Bridges council and bowled conciliatory attitude was the fact Republican victory. Vile antiradiators through a dummy cor he was continually attacked in that Germany apparently advised Semitic propaganda about BenOne of the leaders of the strike advised the workers to ac.
cept the terms offered by the company because the union could linists against King and his its Tokyo ally that it was still too son Jewish advisers was unThe chief charge of the Sta to Keep Work strong. Wage rates were scaled down whenever he attempted to early to proceed with their com leashed in the countryside, as well fol.
down in the London plant to 28 defend himself.
not fight bayonets.
lowers were that they were tools In Detroit cents for women and 35 40 cents The other was Bridges plan to mon plans for an attack on the as portraying Benson as domlUnion.
That is absolutely false. It has been proved many times that of Joseph Ryan, longshorefor men per hour with no provl. call a state convention to set up nated by racketeering labor leadrevis a state body, a body sure The well informed corresponers.
a union can fight and win against the bayonets of the National men head, and were backed by DETROIT, Aug. Detroit and slon for any upwar of reactionaries. This Wyandotte plants of the McCord Hours were hiked upwards acto be another Communist Party dent in Tokyo of the New York Guard. It was proved in the famous Toledo Auto Lite strike. It Many farmers and small busitale, concocted to frighten the Radiator and Manufacturing Co. cordingly.
puppet, as the votes of innumerHerald Tribune wrote that Major ness men, impoverished, promised was proved in the strike of the Truck Drivers of Minneapolis in seamen with the bugaboo of Wil have been shut down tight by Thuga, foremen and managers able paper unions assured the Eugen Olt, the German ambas nothing substantial by Bensonsador there, had urged a moder who in national politics hangs on 1931. The militant leaders of that strike refused to give up pick Ham Green, has been dented by strike call from Local 210, United of the McCord plant acting in Stalinists of a packed convention.
But while these incidents are ate course, and that his advice to the New Deal and who there eting when the state troops were called out by the late Governor King and none of his actions Automobile Workers of America, rested and slugged Moskun when the most recent provocations, be Olson, who was a Farmer Labor governor and not a mere New point in the direction.
had been seconded by the Italian fore does not criticise the New ambassador. On Aug. in Berlin Deal farm program and its failDeal Democrat. Both Olson and the officers of the National of La question has been changed London, Ohio.
The whole picture on the of machinery and equipment to he arrived in London for organ hind them lies a year of defeata the Japanese ambassador confer ure to ease the burden of small red with Foreign Minister Joa home owners, etc. listened to the Guard knew that the truck drivers would not submit to any order by another development of last Moskun, President of Loover the county line and threat were put in power by the appoint these plug uglies carried Moskun augurated when the Communists chim von Ribbentrop and ap anti Semitic voices of reaction against the interests of the union without putting up the fiercest week, when Green agreed to iscal 210, announced that plans had ened his life if he ventured to ment of Bridges As West Coast parently asked for German as sue national charter for unll been drawn to close down the return.
and voted against Benson kind of struggle. favorable settlement for the union was the director. This deal, put support against Rus result (Continued Boss at Fascist Meeting page 2) Plymouth, Indiana, division of the sia. What he got was cautious Two months ago the local union through by John Brophy, liaison Benson primary victory has McCord Company and that an No reliance on friendly governors; no illusions on the advice to proceed slowly.
only driven Big Business more appeal had been sent to the served notice on the company man for the Stalinists on John Thus If the Japanese militarists desperate than ever. Imagine the role of the National Guard. Appeal Refused local unions at the Hud for revisions of the agreement Lewis general staff, was made who started the fighting calculat chairman of the National AssocioReliance only upon the solidarity, the strength, the militancy In Russell Case son, Packard and Studebaker Mo and the inclusion of the newly against the wishes of Los Angeed on hastening a general con tion of Manufacturers participatorganized Plymouth plant into les lenders, who had alof the workers themselves!
tor Companies, requesting them In an obvious attempt to the agreement. The company ready seen the bad effects of (Continued on page 3)
to refuse ing in a fascist meeting! Yet prework on McCord ra stalled and played for time while Bridges wrecking policies in the avold trying the case on its cisely this happened on a local merits the District Judge of diators and gaskets for the dura it prepared to remove machinery ranks of West Coast maritime tion of the strike.
scale the night after Judge Reed to London, unions. Peace Parade Omaha before whom the apHostility Year Old decision, when George Isolated Halt Removal peal of Al Russell was to be Expels Pacifist hand of the Associated Industries The current effort Faced with the onslaught of heard, dismissed the appeal on the Me On at least two occasions milltook part in a Silver Shirt meetthe ground that Russell sentCord management to evade un tant actions of the local union the bosses, who kept Los Aning. When his presence there was In typical Moscow fashion, ence had been suspended and ton conditions and ultimately to thwarted steps to remove equip geles for twenty years an open the Stalinist peace parade in exposed a few days later, he consequently there was nothsmash the powerful automobile ment in the past. The present shop town, the unions find New York last Saturday startnaturally explained he was there ing to appeal from.
workers union in their plants is picket line at the gates of the themselves isolated from the merely out of curiosity and that ed with a purge. Continued on page 2)
Regulations Deny told thousands of religious and Russell was arrested at the merely the culmination of a se Wyandotte and McCord plants is Dr. Harry Elmer Barnes, some of his best friends were ries of hostile actions begun more determined to keep the plants Worker Refugees headquarters of the Omaha Jews but there is a real Index Today, under the pressure of fear noted liberal pacist, was than a year ago Local of the Truck Drivers down until Scotchman. Poster Shop Open of Hitler and of its own internal to the desperation of Minnesota scheduled to speak. Before the With the establishment of un McCord gets accustomed to the Right to Work capitalists.
reaction, that hospitality is dry where he had been working parade, Dr. Barnes was asked In no other part of the country ing up, and the freedom has althe last eight months. He was son conditions and the signing of idea that if he wants to produce Opening of the APPEAL to show his speech to the StaPOSTER SHOP, operated by are the Silver Shirts as active rendy disappeared.
Inist officials of the American By JAMES BURNHAM charged with vagrancy and a contract with the management, radiators, he ll have to produce the company from the very first them in Detroit under given a suspended sentence of the party, will make it posLeague for Peace and Democ and as well financed. The meet In spite of all that has been In Switzerland, as every Euro90 days, with orders to get out day undertook to undermine the conditions.
sible for locals and branches ing which Belden attended was said and written during the past pean country, every inhabitant is racy. The speech contained, union. Minimum rates set by the of town.
Local 210 feels that it is justly to obtain poster work at a semi public admission by Invit years, thini we reuired to have dozens of pereven according to Dr. Barnes, According to the ruling of agreement were probably the entitled to the cooperation of the minimum price. Usir the tion only but publicly announced in this country yet comprehend mits Federal, Cantonal, District, They local unions now working on silk screen process, large numnothing new, but it did contain the usual condemnation of war. and the crowd of between four the condition of the political rol Municipal residence permits; corthe honorable Judge of Omaha highest in the industry.
man can be convicted as a ranged from a minimum of 67 McCord products. The appeal to bers of colored posters can be mongers.
and five hundred were first propugees in Europe. There has been responding work permits, provagrant without the right of cents for women and 75 cents for their brothers in the Hudson, turned out cheaply and speedThe however, could erly inflamed by anti Semitic nothing comparable to it in the fessional permits, etc. all in ad men per hour. striet seniority Packard and Studebaker plants appealing the sentence if it lly. Single hand made posters propaganda and then called upon whole history of mankind.
not tolerate this. Barnes WAS dition to the usual passports. But was suspended. In other words, system was installed among other is based on those splendid pewill also be made at the shop.
excluded from the broad to organize armed raids upon Lo friend of mine, recently re the refugees are more and more brand a man a vagrant and significant improvements of plant cepts union solidarity on which LOCAIS and branches are united front for peace, while cal 544 union hall. Only four turned from two years in Switz being refused any and all of these the was founded and on conditions, give him no chance to defend asked to give adequate time days later, a second Silver Shirt erland, last week described to me permits.
himself the Staliniste marched down Wages Slashed which it will stand or fall in the for their orders to be filled.
the streets singing Roosevelt meeting was held.
what was happening in that coun Deprived of work permits, they An appeal to a higher court Three months later, the McCord present depression. Local 210 itAddress all Inquiries and or war song Quarantine the Drive on 14 try. Since 16th Century, Switz are forbidden by law to undertake has been authorized by the management removed part of its self gave an example of what this ders to Stanley, 116 UnlverAggressors.
Meanwhile, another arm of re erland has had the glory of offer any kind of remunerative emlocal union.
equipment to London, Ohio, solidarity means in practice (Continued on page 2)
sity Place, New York City.
ing hospitality and freedom to un. Continued on page 2)
where it began the fabrication of (Continued on page 2)
Auto Union Strikes As Boss Moves Machinery surances of Belden, Political Refugees Face Hunger In All Europe