SOCIALIST APPEAL FEBRUARY 10, 1940 New Chapter Begins in American Labor History: Some Lessons of the Recent UMW Convention Indictments Quashed In Minneapolis Trials UNION UP BY FOR MINERS CONFAB OCCUPIED WITH Strike Begins at Toledo UNEMPLOYMENT Gas Plant As Talks Fail OAKLAND DOLE PUTS THIRTEEN IN ONE ROOM Laundry Workers Win Five Day Week (Continued from Page 1)
By FRANK unemployed.
up of representatives from the dramatic break with Roosevelt. in the recent period, have ascrib be explained by the split in lab on a conspiracy charge, whereup Minneapolis Central Labor Union, This industrial proletariat, em But where is Lewis going? ed this decline solely to the split or ranks? No! It is explained by on the judge gave him both the the Building Trades Council, the The recently concluded convention of the United Mineployed in the huge plants, mills Where is he leading the CIO? in labor ranks and the conse the timid and cowardly policies of six months and the probation on Printing Trades Council, and the factories of America, fcels in Lewis himself does know. quent warfare that ensued be the AFL national leadership. the conspiracy charge.
Teamaters Joint Council, and beWorkers ushered in a new stage in the history of American its very bones how important and is extremely bold in method and tween the two labor factions These timid and cowardly poliOn the motion of defense at gan raising funds to defend the labor and revealed once again that the CIO is the progressive lachispensable it is to the economic violent in speech, but very timid Is it true that the decline of cies make those of the CIO lead torney Tom Davis that the ex strikers. It was this Defense sive life of the country and it under and hesitant in his policies. two years can be ascribed solely ership shine by comparison. Butecution of the sentences be de Committee that carried the burwing of the trade union movement, because it is based on the stands better than anyone else The indicated policy for the cito or mainty to the split in labor only by this comparison. By the layed pending a possible appeal. den of the defense, and it did a workers of America mass production industries.
After the smashing defeat of the Little Steel strike movement. These workers are de dubbed company unionism in of the labor movement. Labor is the desperate needs of its mem remain until Monday or trucaday by labor is seen in the 25, 000 all. County they will put in the fall the termined to win secur the political of. bershipthe policies Actually, it is doubtful if an raised and splendid and. alle to ed slowly before the counter the employed workers, and hinand looking for the labor lenders labor, with an aggressive, fighting icles of its leadership: the lack of of confidence in the independent seventeen would cost 3, 700 for Green Joined Defense 1rive of the employers. As the ders the progress of the labor who will show them the path to program for jobs and security militant, realistic program to strength of labor, in the ability bail bonds; to have the enormous On September President WIImilitancy of the movement. Partly because of achieve this goal.
workers these employment conditions, the WHY LEWIS Sucha policy wolild open up new point the way for a genuine sol of the working class, to march transcript printed, another 10. Ham Green of the AFL joined the BROKE WITH vistas for the entire labor move. Jution to the problems of unem. forward onto the broad highways 000. The judge estimated to a defense movement by pledging cooled off after the first taste unions have made no important ROOSEVELT For the last two years, they pale into insignificance the ad threatening war.
of labor, merely means that he go on the sentences without pro the persecuted Minneapolis WPA of defeat, the rear line trench and in the labor movement, as in have seen the courts and the le vances made by the CIO Inits For example, the AFL is today does not visualize the policies voking an insistent demand that strikers. It seems clear, stated es of the capitalist class opened other great ventures. it is impos gislatures attempt to hurt them gold en period from 20 note 1987. being delubjected to an attack us which organized labou would te the cases bo appealed. Green, that the prosecution of fire. What they dared not at sible to stand still. Either you back to the slavery of the open But this step Lewis will not take precedented in recent labor his quire on that road. His vacillat The fourteen women who were relief workers in Minneapolis is tempt during the period of labor move forward or you are ruth Boogeverhen the next henters the independent strength of la trust indictments, which threat road But that only means that would appear before him Feb. 16 Working people everywhere upsurge, they found the courage lessly pushed backwards.
en the very existence of numer the necessary policies must be plal for sentencing, at which time the pursued by the government at a whom they considered to be la bor.
to do in the days of labor re LEWIS COULD NOT IGNORE treat. The courts began harass THE PERMANENT CRISIS bor friends, take the lead of this AFL CIO SPLIT DOESN EX ous AFL Internationals. How is forward place of those of Lewis. five who pled nolo contendere are PLAIN WEAKNESS the AFL responding to this most. There is no short cut to pushing also expected to appear.
ing the labor movement with anreactionary open shop campaign time when more than 10, 000, 000 Lewis chose to ignore the ex. The bitterness and hatred of this menting on the lack Li union judicial legislation. The Many bourgeois writers, com al threat? It is confining its res the CIO along the road it must go are unemployed. It is bad enough state legislatures regained their istence of this permanent eco industrial proletariat is storing of the American labor movement the drawing up of briefs and the Only as volces arise which arti. Prisoners Inspiring Meeting for workers to suffer pain of unfost courage. Beginning with pas nomic crisis and its significance up and creating a powder keg of button holing of individual poli culately and accurately reflect Friday night in the Drivers employment. It is cruelty wisen sage of oppressive labor legisla for the labor movement, at the social dissatisfaction and revolt tion in Washington and Oregon, cto convention held in November that will inevitably explode. Lewis ticians. pitiable campaign! Is these needs, will the cro move in Union Hall the indieted strikers the government adds to this sufat San Francisco. But Lewis Murray and their associates unthe reactionary wave swept east could not afford to ignore these derstand this fact. They know this poor resistance, perchance, to the necessary direction.
met in an inspiring meeting. Max ſering through persecution such Geldman and Ed Palmquist is being indicted on workers spoke, explaining the meaning of The membership of the Amer.
ward, until today almost three matters for long. He is not some full well that they must adapt fourths of the states have new Matthew Woll, who bases himself themselves to this mood, if they the new developments. Charles tyrannical laws designed to crip on the aristocratic Photo EngravConnors, only Negro among the ican Federation of Labor will exple the labor unions.
defendants, rose and spoke of the their sympathy and full measure ers and a million dollar insurare to retain the leadership of the CIO. This is the explanation and BUSTING CAMPAIGN ance company. Lewis is the lead the only explanation for Lewis er of the unions in the mass pro been treated and the complete the Minneapolis Central Labor lack of racial prejudice. All Union in defending these perneIn the past year, this union duction industries: coal, steel. Continued from Page 1)
pledged their abiding faith in the busting campaign has been taken auto, rubber, glass, oil the nerve the retreat for the past two years Federal Workers Section. The cuted workers is to be commend.
over by the federal government centers of American economy.
By DOYLE CLARK ed.
increase provided the city coun moving meeting was closed with itself. The campaign against the before the onslaughte of reaction These mass production workers TOLEDO, Ohio, Feb. Fall cil was able to adjust local gas the singing of Solidarity.
and that the whole union struc ure of the Ohio Fuel Gas Co. to rates in the company favor.
WPA atrikers and the infamous are not experts in economics or Federation Rebukes Roosevelt Thurman Arnold Antitrust law statistics. They have not delved ture of the CIO stands in jeopar come to terms with the Gas and Obviously the company was Who Quashed Indictments. The president and the secre.
indictments are but high lights ir into reports of the Federal Redy if this retreat is not halted. By Products Workers local un using the threat of strike as a the anti union campaign launched serve Bank or the Department of Cite Unemployment Effects Roosevelt amlable interoes. tary of the Minnesota State Fedby Roosevelt as a part of his fe Labor. But they have seen with Phil Murray expressed these hore early toway. Negotiations iticians to raise rates. Fell, being circulated by the adminis tests to Green dispatching ion No. 12021 resulted in a strike club with which to force city pol sion that is the interpretation eration of Labor added their proverish preparations for war. their own eyes production The index of business activity stepped up to the highest level of warned the American capitalists a. this morning, when, as the workers, with which the strikers doesn fool the millions of work against the persecution and the stands today about 10 higher the last ten years and they know than in 1929. Ten million workers that, in spite of this, one third of OAKLAND, California Herement remains unsolved there signs of yleiding to the union de tion up aptly when he remarked: velt himself who directed the State Federation of Labor held that if the problem of unemploy. Company officials showed no are affiliated, summed the situa ers who know that it was Roose high ball. few days later the still remain unemployed without the labor population still remains are a few typical cases of people would inevitably occur uprisingmands of a 12 per cent wage. the gas companies are at vicious attack against the Minne which it adopted a stinging resits 57th annual convention at who exist on State Relief Admin and strikes of workers for the increase, full seniority rights, tempting to use the union as a apolis strikers, and that he has olution condemning the Roosevelt the possibility of being re ab unemployed, and given present Istration in the state of Califor right to live, for the chance to closed stop, and a signed con gunea pig. We refuse to be only been brought up short be administration for supporting the sorbed into private industry. This conditions, will always remain in and County of Alameda. 1) Family of thirteen have the convention delegates to the ed unanimously to strike. The over the City Council in order of protest from the labor move WPA Defense Committee.
been living in a one room barn in newly perfected continuous proc workers dae to go on duty at to get the rate they want. ment.
Russell City for over two months, ess for manufacturing of steel, 00 am. refused to enter the Early in September the Minneand the relief social service is which will cause the unemploy plants and the strike was in full Press Antl Union It was the steadily mounting apolis Labor Temple Association aware of this. The family is forement of nearly 90. 000 steel work swing The Toledo Blade, a Hearst meat persecution of the Minne 000 property as surety for the Labor protest against the govern met and voted to pledge its 78.
ed to sleep in this room in the ers within the next months Scabs Imported Paul Block rag of the swelliest apolis unemployed that finally strikers bait bonds.
following manner: mother and The coal eers very With customary alacrity the soft, wrote up heavily biased forced the administration to back The St. Paul Trader father in one bed, two oldest acutely the unemploy company proceeded to import stories on the situation Leaping down. This, combined with the Assembly in September set up a Labor daughters in 1, two girls, 18 and ment. Murray described the new out of town acabs while with the via implication abuse upon the fact 1940 is an election year.
15, and a boy 5, sleep in another: coal loading machine which ac same breath they launched an at union. front page editorial al WPA Defense Committee pattwo boys in another and two counted for only per cent of the tack on the union for bringing in so appeared in which it is pointNew Agreement, Taking Effect March 15, termed Labor Warned Persecutors after the Minneapolis more in another; baby yrs. old coal loaded in 1929, but has risen outside elements to help icad ed out that the gas company is committee.
Represents Another Step Forward In a erib; baby 10 months in a to 20 per cent by 1939. In ten the strike. Offers of unton men, a PUBLIC utility. The under ment, as The Minneapolis union moveOn October 6th and 7th, the crib: ALL SLEEP IN THIS ONE years, he estimated, 70 per cent thoroughly trained in gas ma handed aim of the editors la evi back as July 28th WPA Defense Committee held a of an coal will be loaded by machine operation, to operate the dently to mislead the readers in it meant to defend the strikers which ten thousand persons do of last year, served public notice tag day in Minneapolis during Under an agreement negotiated cal 280 thereupon Joined with the In November between the Laun Paundry drivers of Local 810 and (2) Mother and five children chinery. Is it any wonder, he explants at minimum production to thinking that the utility is against the frame ups even then nated over 1, 000 to the defense dry Workers Joint Board, au aliated themselves to the Cro Meothetwanae da rhonth bebythema company which preferred to low vicious falsehood. The Ohio Fuel ment of Justice at Roosevelt Clothing Workers of Americn, ers and later to the ACWA a son years old sleep In bed Workers view with alarm the fu er morale and wages by an im Gas Co. is a private enterprise orders. On that day John Boscoe, have donated to the WPA Dethe the WorkMother and month baby and Unions throughout the nation of that organization. two oldest daughters, 16 and 15. ture of the mining industry in portation of untrained and non which piles up a goodly protit president of the Minneapolis Cen fense Committee. AFL and CIO and representatives of 75 per cent Local union finks.
each year and embles its owners tral Labor Union, speaking over unions and unemployed organizaof the employers of the laur. dry within a few short weeks union sleep in the other and daughter America. Merces Wage Seales On all points which the union to toll in limousines and man, the major radio stations of the tions have adopted resolutions of industry is New York City, the ization was proceeding in bang up 12 years old has slept on the floor Unemployment, further men raised the company equivocated. sions. In this struggle, as in an industry is scheduled, on March fashion and in two months the for the past YEAR and the RE15, to go on the day work week new union had grown from 300 LIEP IS AWARE OF THIS and aces the wage standards of the They held out against the de similar struggles it is not dife state, warned that We are de solidarity with the Minneapolis Murray pointed out, mand for an increase of 124 per cult to see on which side the po rights of our members and determined to protect the legal strikers.
schedule. This constitutes anoth. to 15, 000 members. Today it has mitu made no effort to remedy this employed. com delegates that cent, And very tentatively lice, press, radio, public opinion tend them against any attempted American Federation of Labor In the middle of October the employed Union stepped into the their union wage structures agreed to a possible per cent official) are aligned.
laundry workers in New York in dry workers, frame ups. The fight for jobs executive council passed a resolu contrast to the chaotic conditions Local 300 remains as the Man case.
they have to compete continually at union wages and conditions. tion protesting against the fed.
Attempt Forced Labor prevailing in the industry with ten million idle men.
and for decent relief standards eral courts for the persecution of years ago when work schewhattan and Bronx local and there are eight other local unions in the The average family on relief in The convention adopted the for those who have no jobs, did the WPA strikers.
of 60 hours a week for wages of Joint Board, including five cov Alameda County is of Spanish far reaching proposal to reduce not begin or end with the WPA strike in Minneapolis. or less were not uncommon Pressure Wins Vietory Laundry work remains, howev chester, Williamsburg, Browns beating they take from the rellet dustry through the establishment Shortly after Roosevelt and Seeing that he could neither er one day the artiest and most ville. Boro Park, Queens and Nas and country charities! The Fed of the hour day. day weekend Murphy proclaimed their inten bluff nor cerce organized labor tion to institute criminal proceed to back away from its declared ings against the WPA strikers, solidarity with the indicted and employees work amid sloppy wa Wholesale local and a hand laun past six weeks has settled over that this demand was to constir and scalding steam on cloth dry local. In addition there is a 500 grievances and is carrying on wage scale negotiations with thel Forced labor is now in force in The British authorities may go particularly in Minneapolis, pro convieted strikers, realizing that Nig the Cameroons and other to a village and take seventy five tests began to emanate from unit 18 an election year and that ing to handle. With few excep arivers are organized directly in relief authorities who deprive cuStill for Conference British colonies in Africa. The out of every one hundred men and tons throughout the country. On soon the party he heads and the tions, laundries are generally lo to the Joint Board) affiliated di ents of the necessities of life.
The 30 hour week was not British Government has invoked work them for seven consecutive July 31, 1939, the Sailors Union class he represents would have to The policy of WORKING OUT cated in broken down, unsanitary rectly to the ACWA.
Much to Be Done relier allowances is being enacted pushed, however, as the answer the forced labor regulations Insti days, or it may take twenty five of the Pacific adopted a resolu present itself as best it could as lofts where poor ventilation is The workers, however, cannot now and the Union is telling it to the national unemployment tuted at the beginning of the secout of every hundred and use tion comparing the New Deal friend of the unemployed.
the rule and the toll in workers lives is very high in terms or by any means afford to rest on membership that they can refuse problem. Instead, both Lewis andlond world war, the Baltimore them for Afty days. If the ser with the typical raw deal that President Roosevelt made an Murray continued campaigning Afro American reports. vice required is less than one hour organized labor has always got about face and decided to get out rheumatism, sciatica, pneumonia their laurels or be content mere to work out their relief, because for a national conference of busThe regulations provide that the natives must perform it with ten from labor hating bosses and of the Minneapolis situation as won. In spite of the great LABOR, but those who work will ernment as the panacea to solve ages of 18 and 40 may be required prevailing wage, usually less than we protest the usurpation of dicable bodied natives between the out pay. Otherwise he gets the politicians, and resolving. That gracefully he could.
Such labor defense cases as AFL Failed tatorial power implicit in the that in Minneapolis will bocome Add this to the picture or a years, the sanitary facilities and crease in budget after they have the unemployment question, de to work as carriers or motor twenty five cents a day.
as drivers to facilitate the movement Protest Leaders Arrested threats to prosecute workers for more and more frequent the clos1. of military forces or for the Under the emergency war reg hood and declare that we will re nation towards war. In the days 60 hour work week, and a living health protection are still fre worked the required amount of America striking to defend their livelter the ruling class pushes this standard based on weekly wagas quently non existent or mere ex hours.
Wher caewis Pop Murray would transport of arms, equipment or ulations which allows the British List to the utmost any attempt to come, it is worth remembering of to 12 with no vacations, a cuses for what they should be. Where Stalinists Are propose to such conference, stores for the military forces.
authorities to make preventive day work week and the intim The Chinese laundries have hardThere a great need of organ. when and if it is convoked, the In practice it means that the idation exerted by union hating ly been touched by unionization, ization throughout the country of mine union leaders did not both natives may be taken from the arrests the leaders who would at fascist regimentation of Amer that the freeing of the Minne.
protest against any of the war ican labor.
bosses and foremen, and you have and as long as this large section people on relief, WPA, and other er to explain.
apolis strikers was the work of villages and used in any kind of regulations imposed on the nathe unions of this city and this some idea of the industry before of the industry remains unorgan: forms of relief. Especially is this the convention further in work essential to carrying on the tives, have been arrested.
Defense Organized nation. So far as those who have the CIO stepped in.
ized it constitutes a constant true in vicinities where the Com structed its leadership to negotiwar. This includes farming, for Some time ago, Wallace John on August 22, when it was been close to the hellish persecuThe AFL had been trying to threat to the standards of the or munist controlled Workers Alli ate a national agreement cover estry, manufacturing, road con son, organizer of the West Afri seen the Department of Justice tion of the Minneapolis strikers organize the various crafts in the ganized plants.
ance of America has sold out the ing the entire coal industry, the struction and common labor.
New York industry for more than Despite the great victory of workers who are in need of as abolition of all discriminatory West African native miners was strikers as possible, the Minne Roosevelt and his supporters to twenty years. Petty racketeering the day week, the wagos, resistance. In Alameda County the wage differentials in and between and competition between the main as low as between 12 to majority of the former leadership istricts and the inclusione tween ately an executive order to this arrested and placed in prison for apolls labor movement set up its whitewash the New Dear in this the duration of the war. WPA Defense Committee, made case will be unavailing.
craft unions, however, played 22 per week. The victories of the WAA is now to be found captive mines under the next un effect.
In the West Indies, Uriah Butright into the hands of the bosses, ready won are only an indication in the relief stations seated be ion agreement.
The political program of the ler who led the general strike in with the result that the AFL met of what can be done. The bosses hind the desks as case aldes, etc. Resolutions were adopted sup Umw, and in a sense of the Co Trinidad in 1938 has been arrestwith little success. Today the re claimed that the present with condiporting the Wagner Health Bill, remained hanging in mid air. Aftmaining AFL local No. 280 kas tions could not be a five billion dollar low cost pub er vigorous debate, the convened under the emergency war regulations.
less than 10 per cent of the work out bankrupting the bedustry. Now Is Your Chance lic housing program and the chotion adopted the Lewis, recomReports that the French Gov(for month of February)
ers in the industry.
proved conditions anyway. On Sale for Two Weeks Only. pensions of 60 per month for all ternational Executive Board toernment. 18 sending Galan Dauf, native deputy from Senegal How Union Was Built THE CASE OF LEON TROTSKY, single copy. 25 Program for Today February to February 15 take appropriate action and to back home on a mission to boost persons over 60 years of age.
The history of the Laundry The union militants must now LIVING THOUGHTS OF MARX, single copy.
ANTI DUHRING render such reasonable financial native recruiting indicates that Workers Joint Board which nego press forward for the 100 per Lewis again lashed out at the support as Sircumstances max African young men are not rally.
FASCISM and BIG BUSINESS, single copy tiated the new day week concent unionization of the laundry by Engels WORLD REVOLUTION by CLR James, single copy tract, dates back leas than three industry and the achievement of THE FOUR IN COMBINATION FOR.
the Roosevelt administration for support of the program that may ing to the colors in the way that 50 Regularly 00 years, to March 1937, when over a minimum 30 weekly wage for only 67 its failure to support the CIO debe agreed upon and worked out France would like them to SPEECH by LEON TROTSKY In English 00 1, 000 laundry workers struck in throughout the industry. The 5mand that all corporations found in cooperation with Labor Nonthe Brownsville section of New day week must be converted to Clearance of pamphletsA recording on two double faced discs.
guilty of violating the Wagner Partisan League.
DOWNTOWN LABOR CENTER York (Brooklyn. After five a maximum 40 hour week with Sat. Feb. 10: Wide Selection. Labor Relations Act be barred The convention paid silent trib presents NIGHT OF RED weeks the strike was favorably no reduction in pay. Only through IN COMBINATION Many rare ones 2c and up. from receiving government con ute in its last session to its work STARS. Professional Entersettled for Local 280. This initial such a fighting program will the tracts. The convention adopted a ing class heroes when all the del tainment including dramatic WITH THE FOUR BOOKS LISTED ABOVE. 50 victory provided a favorable op laundry workers achieve full realskit, group dance recital, portunity for further organiza ization of their struggle for de MODERN BOOKSHOP resolution demanding the passage ogates stood in silence in comof BIHI HR 331, establishing guar memoration of the three union chorus and Red folksong retion advances. The AFL missed cent working conditions and eco 27 UNIVERSITY PLACE antees of collective bargaining in members killed last year by gun cordings on FEBRUARY 17. PIONEER PUBLISHERS its chance and gave no support nomic security.
GRamercy 0917 government contracts and called men in Bloody Harlan County, Dance Music, Refreshments. 116 UNIVERSITY PLACE NEW YORK, to the drive. The militants of Lo. LAUNDRY WORKER upon Roosevelt to issue immedi Kentucky.
51 East Street Adm. 250 ROOM BRITISH DECREE FORCED LABOR FOR NEGROES IN COLONIES Its Sensational Offer. 85. 70 50