FOR Labor Policy Socialist Appeal TRADE UNION CONTROL OF MILITARY TRAINING The Toward the Draft Boards Official Weekly Organ of the Socialist Workers Party, Section of the Fourth International DRAFT BOARDS ARE PACKED WITH WALL STREET STOOGES Trade Unions Protest Against the Appointment Cromwell Is Of Anti Labor Men on All Local Boards Anti Labor, Fascists Appointed Says buys.
An Editorial VOL. IV No. 43 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1940 ఈకల 267 FIVE (5) CENTS The local draft boards have just been named. Throughout the country they have been packed with bosses and their agents.
Sweat shop operators, vigilante inciters, utilities sharks.
bankers, petty waid bosses, were hand picked for these posts The loyal regular who lost out for state assemblyman; the machine man who failed to get a job at City Hall; the lawyer who dines with the judge, and the judge who is mindful of past favors rendered in a word, all the corrupt and corruptible have been named to the draft boards.
As for the labor movement, it is represented only by a Very few of the most conservative craft union officials. And very few of these.
Organized labor everywhere, both AFL and Clo, has been quick to recognize the anti labor character of the draft boards But the remedy for this evil proposed by some union officials is no solution at all. For example, the CIO News, Frank Martel, president of the Detroit Federation of Labor and other voices in the trade unions, say that what is needed is greater union representation upon these boards. But such a set up, in which bosses and union officials sit and work together, sounds as phony to us as a union executive board composed of bosses and workers.
As in every agency of this type, the union representatives would serve simply as a cover for the capitalist class holding the power Workers Excluded Park Avenue Socialites And even if the draft boards were composed entirely of From Omaha Roard In Boston union men, how much good could they do for labor? They could Appointed in New York Which Is One More be fair and honest, and keep discrimination down to a minimum, local Douglas County draft board shows it to be made OMAHA, Nebraska, Oct. 21 check up on the BOSTON, Oct. 22 typical appointment to the NEW YORK, Oct. 19 To ensure complete boss local draft boards is that of Judge Harold Williams. Good Reason To But they would still be sending the workers into a boss controlled up entirely of individuals who can be depended upon domination of the local draft boards, Mayor LaJudge Williams gained prominence as one of the antito be friendly to the anti labor employers group here.
Guardia and the city draft director, Colonel McDerarmy labor prosecutors in the Sacco Vanzetti case.
Vote for Breitman Included among the 45 members of the nine local mott, have secured from the War Department the Local district judges head each of the 27 local The present regime in the army and navy is a mere extencancellation of a World War regulation requiring draft boards. These judges get their appointments sion of the boss regime in society and industry generally. The board divisions are eleven lawyers, ten medical bigdraft board members to reside in the areas in through political drag, and are glorified ward heelers. NEWARK, Cromwell which they serve.
officers are largely drawn from the middle class and the rich wigs, two real estate operators, two insurance comBoston political history is replete with many scan. Democratic candidate for By this device, the draft board members for the They exercise an unrestricted dictatorship over the worker member of the Presbyterian Seminary, two profesdals involving these district judges.
Senate) must be defeated ir labor huge working class and slum districts could be soldiers. The general staffs are reactionary cliques, tied by a sional city politicians, a retired army colonel, the In selecting the draft boards members, Republic is to remain a respected part of chosen from the Park Avenue and Riverside Drive can Governor Saltonstall deliberately chose them from the community of our state, said thousand threads to Wall Street and Big Business. In their pro chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Military social registrites.
Labor Non Partisan League in the nonentities among the local ward heelers and dis a statement this week.
fessional journals and public utterances, as well as in the policies Affairs Committee, and the treasurer of the Nebrasku The conservative Herald Tribune today appointed political job seekers. To avoid charges of He is thoroughly opposed to revealed the motivation for this move. stating, advocated by the War and Navy departments, the military heads partiality, he included a liberal sprinkling of Demo collective action on the part of Not a single worker or trade unionist was up At the personal insistance of Colonel McDermott stand revealed as a virulent anti labor force.
cratic two bit politicians.
labor, and to collective bargainpointed to the board, not even for the purpose of and Mayor La Guardia, the War Department canMost of those on the boards are known as fixers ing between labor and manageMoreover, they are a counter part of the fascist minded giving the board an all inclusive impartial appear celled a World War regulation that draft board for traffic violations, fines, jail sentences, licences, ment, members must live within the area in which they ete. He would shoulder the entire French military heads who deserted so quickly before the Nazi ance.
serve. New York City complaint against this was number of ward politicians were appointed, expense of the Federal Govern cnslaught, who preferred to safeguard the property interests of that in slum areas during the World War drafts the French ruling class rather than the lives of the workers and Corporations Pack it was next to impossible to find high type citizens most of whom are members of the fascist Sons of ment upon the backs of the wage to serve on the boards.
Italy. One is remembered for his giving the fascist carners, through a universal sales tax on everything the soldiers worker salute in a parade here.
Draft Boards If Martel and other like minded labor officials had their Here are some typical board appointees in other He is opposed to Unemploy.
way, and they got on the draft boards, they could do little more LOS ANGELES, Oct. 160f 323 members named towns around Boston. In Brookline, the head of the ment Insurance. would suspend Northwest Publications restionary, Republican Chamber of Commerce and the former chief of police and reduce old age pensions.
than prevent a tew Bosses sons from escaping the rigors of army to Ex Angeles County rare boards, 178 ste tercing business owners, brokers, manufacturers and corporapublishing firm, are on the boards.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce and the Child Labor legislation. would service. But the workers have much more at stake than this author of a bill to outlaw radical parties are on the abolish the National Labor RelaThe high school principal listed once gained emintion executives. In addition, 52 members are listed as board in Milton. Frank Volpe, lawyer for a Cam tions Act.
The working class is confronted with the menace of universal retired living off investments and inheritances. ence by banning an American Student Union speaker bridge politician recently on trial for beating a relief Cromwell has been expressing capitalist militarism and fascism.
Others listed are 22 professionals, including newsfrom his school client almost to death, is on the Cambridge board. these sentiments for more than The workers must have arms and military training. The paper editors, lawyers and doctors, five educators and ten years. Appearing before the Bankers Club in New York he rereal problem the workers is to control these arms and three Boy Scout officials.
There are also 11 ranchers and big farm owners.
Detroit Union Men Minnesota Appoints affirmed his opposition to Social determine the objectives toward which they will be directed.
Security legislation and the NaOnly if the workers control the military machine can they Among these are several known for their support to Protest Appointees tional Labor Relations Act, as late the terroristic strike breaking against California Anti Labor Men as this past spring, Mr. Cromwell successfully ciefend their own interests against the treacherous agricultural workers.
DETROIT, Oct. 12 Both the AFL and CIO local cannot, as he is attempting to do designs of the bourgeois democrats and the unreliable officer In a word, of the 328 members named, all but 36 central bodies have sent protests to President Roose, MINNEAPOLIS, Minn, Oct. 17 Charges that the now, repudiate the past ten years caste.
are obvious representatives of the employing class. velt against the approval of the draft boards desig draft boards in Minnesota have been stacked against for the brief period of two months nated by Governor Dickinson of Michigan.
labor were made in the Northwest Organizer, weekly before the elections.
There is only one answer to this problem. LABOR MUST of the 33 listed as workers, all but two are department store clerks, office employees, foremen, etc. One Frank Martel, president of the Detroit and Wayne paper of the Minneapolis Teamsters Joint Council Vote for Breitman SECURE FULL MILITARY TRAINING BUT UNDER linotyper and one carpenter are listed. The only union County Federation of Labor, declared in a letter to published today. Which means, said Daniel THE CONTROL OF ITS OWN UNION ORGANIZATIONS! men are three officials of local AFL craft unions.
Roosevelt: The labor publication declares that a survey of Mayes, Socialist Workers Party There is every evidence that a studied effort has the personnel of the 137 draft and appeals boards campaign manager, that there is Within the armed forces, the workers must have the power to There are also 16 salesmen, largely from insurance and realty firms.
been made to place the administration of the draft appointed by Republican Governor Stassen reveals no real choice for labor between select their own officers trusted union men.
In listing the board members, however the Los law entirely in the hands of the business and prothat Stassen has run true to form. He has packed Cromwell and the Republican, If military training and leadership are controlled by the Angeles News headlined its story. county fessional men of the community, thereby permitting the boards against the worker and farmer groups Barbour also favors the adoptrade unions, we need not be too concerned about draft boards draft boards drafted from all classes. them, through control of the machinery of its adof this state.
tion of governmental policies de which grant defcrments to the sons of the rich. Indeed, when ministration, to exempt and shunt their own sons into Of the approximately 650 persons serving on the signed to encourage rather than safe berths, while inducting into the active military 137 state draft and appeal boards, the overwhelm punish business.
the workers hold the guns and control their own armed destiny. Bosses Fill Local forces the working people of this community.
ing proportion are bankers and businessmen about He too favors slashing reliel, they may decide to extend to the heirs of the ruling class a perMartel added: The draft board list for Wayne 350. There are 150 lawyers. There are only about 35 only his formula is giving the manent deferment!
St. Paul Boards County is made up almost exclusively of lawyers, coal farmers. The trade unions are represented by about states greater autonomy in administration.
The draft boards are only one part of the boss machine. The dealers and undertakers.
a dozen persons.
ST. PAUL, Minn, Oct. 23 Seven business pro Labor can express its opposlhighest expression of that machine, its greatest source of power. prietors, five corporation executives, four lawyers, Ignoring the appeal of organized labor, however. The bankers. lawyers and Ousinessmen of Minnetion to these policies by voting for Roosevelt has approved Dickinson entire list of prosota are going to decide the fate of the working class George Breitman for Senator is its control over the armed forces. It is this control that must two salesmen, two office clerks, two bookkeepers, one posed draft board members.
and farm youth who will make up the huge majority on Nov.
be broken by the workers.
police official, one state officer of a veteran organThe Detroit Labor News (AFL) in protesting the of the army.
ization, and a high school principal give the bosses 25 direct representatives out of a total of 33 memcomposition of the Michigan draft boards declared: Only two Farmer Laborites have been appointed.
bers on the local draft boards. One can readily see that an employer can get rid The Northwest Organizer declares on this fact, Apof a union minded employee for a year with the greatrarently it was just an accident that only two FarmSix union officials of ultra. conservative strip and est of ease, and, when one glances over the list of at er Laborites could be found in Minnesota respectable Turn Up For two completely unknown workers fill out the remain tornies, undertakers and shop keepers that Governor ing posts.
Dickinson has suggested as draft board members, it The Urban Leagues locally had asked the governTwo of the business owners appointed have had is easy to see that these men know little or nothing ment to appoint some Negroes to the boards, but not strikes against them recently, and one is a notorious The Infantry Journal. authoritative and semi official orof a worker indispensibility to industry or why an a single Negro was chosen. Other groups unrepregan of United States army officers, in its issue of Sept. Oct. open shopper. An executive of the American Tele employer should be cagerly willing to pack one of sented are the Finns (60, 000 in the state) and the phone and Telegraph Corp. and the publisher of the his men off to camp.
1940, page 482, publishes an article, Propaganda Techniques.
Indians. Not a single CIO man was chosen. NEWARK, Oct. 18. The which gives the following list of six purposes of war propagandraft registration last week brought to light 10, 000 to 12. 000 da. We quote verbatim: men comprising a floating un. 1) Fasten the war guilt on the opposing nation. Al known population in Newark.
wars, then, become defensive to those engaged in them.
said County Clerk Gates (Repub. 2) Call for unity and victory, in the name of history can) at a meeting today.
and the deity. Those boys seemed to come up. 3) State war aims. In the last war, the Germans failed out of cellars, out of gutters, out WASHINGTON. Oct. 19 Thing an swoc politton protesting other war contract for 325, 000, 00 Boat Firm Nets Large War Orders of ash cans, from everywhere. The to do this successfully. The Allies made successful counter.
CIO in propaganda of it. Security, peace, a better social order, repuefforts to prevent war contracts awarding war orders to labor law Co. against which an NLRB or diation of international laws, are frequently projected as going to labor law violators violators, a polley approved by der has been handed. While Using Yellow Dog Contract seen them before. Nobody had ever seen them, heard of them, or war aims.
when Sidney Hillman referrer Hillman.
knew anything about them. But. 1) Fortify the mind of the people, who already believe the issue to his advisory Commit The advisory committee, appar.
BAYONNE, The Electric other about a union that would want to get caught without one they came to register. They aldn that the opposing enemy is responsible for the war, with ex. tee, which will not meet for ently reluctant to come to a show. Navy Did Not Let amples of the enemy insolence and depravity.
another two weeks. It is expectet down with Hillman and the sov.
Boat Company, which has receiv. constitute an activity.
of those little cards.
that all war contracts will have crnment, accepted Hillman proAny Union Shop of. 5) Make the public believe that unfavorable news is The management itself goes in due to enemy cunning. This weapon will conquer disunity and been awarded by the time this posal to delay taking a stand, in Contracts!
ment orders and contracts for for lots of activity for the Elco timates of registration supply defeatisin at home.
meeting is held.
motor torpedo boats, enforces a Employees Association, a typical needs askew. We had to pour order to study the petition.
Hillman, who is head of the LA Since the rate of awarding con.
The Army and Navy Re.
violent anti union policy among company union. 6) Follow this with horror stories. Horror stories.
cister. in its issue of October its workers.
steady stream of additional carde bor Division of the Defense Comtracts has been stepped up the When a man is hired! Another section (1. says: No into the Third Ward he said.
should have authoritative, or seemingly authoritative sources.
mission, took this action at a committee agreement amounts 12, 1940 (page 22) reports: lie is given an employment card interference with and no attempt The Third Ward is the section Then the article, written by the advertising expert, Edward meeting with his advisory com. in fact to yielding for the present The Navy Department in a consisting of the condit! ons of to reduce the output of or inti beavily populated by Negro work Bernay, concludes: mittee, which includes Van to the government policy. report to the House on Mon. employment. It provides: midate or coerce any employee. cry. The army of the United States must make full use of this Bittner, regional director of the After the meeting. Hillman in day said that no Navy con. No solicitation for mem Any worker knows what this Nobody knows these workers: tracts were let to firms in hersh! or any other activity in means. It is just another way nobody hears of them: they don art and this science. of propaganda. if it is to have the highest Steel Workers Organizing comformed the reporters that nothpotential morale within its own forces, and the highest efficiency mittee, Daniel Tracy. Second As ing controversial had been dis which the closed shop is in ef. behalf of any labor organization of saying: anything a worker does even have homes. Nobody cares sistant Secretary of Labor. and cussed.
fect.
during working hours (except in attack and counter attack on the enemy in the psychological Hogan, of the Railroad At the very time of the advisory One sub contractor had. meetings with the management) or says to his fellow worker about about them in peace time. But warfare of today.
now they are being called on to Brotherhoods.
committee meeting. the Defense closed shop but no one else.
The any other activity means the plant labor policies will be protect their homes and inter Bittner presented to the meet. Commission was awarding an.
that if the workers spoke to each defined as intimidation.
facing Many Homeless Mein Kampf Style Draft Register Hillman Buries CIO Plea on War Orders este