davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
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Measures to, Amnesty hat Haze Real Meaning.

1t is time to discard these useless
melodramatic and utopian methods
of ending this criminality Of the
capitalists against the workers. 1T
is TIME FOR THE WORKERS TO
TAKE ACTION THAT MEANS
SOMETHING TO CAPITALISM!
Only a threat of its profits; only
threat Of its power to rule; only
a threat to take power into their
own hands and open the prison doors
will have any effect upon the ruling
class. Only blow directed at the
vital center of capitalism-profits,
will have the effect of opening the
prison doors.
Councils Of Action organized in the
labor unions, in conjunction with the
masses of the unemployed must be
erected. Workers must prepare in
the shops, ships, on the railroads, II
the mines, everywhere industry is
carried on to taks such steps as will
compel the masters to open the doors
of Americas political prisons. Thi'
is the work that lies ahead. Actiol
is what is needed. Action alone, &C
tion that threatens capitalism's pow
er can free the political prisoners.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
The Red Trail in the Wake of May Day.

Red May Day has liberty
speech free and all the other freedoms which
appeared from the social and political life of the workers. passing
Red May Day has left Red trail marking
class committed against the workers.
More than workers been
all put thru the third degree by the thugs and whom the capitalist
prison system hires for these Heavy ball.
cash for each that twice much bonds
qured get them released pending their trials Criminal
Syndicasm the bosses persecution against workers who at
tempt to tell the bitter facts and truths the working class
corning their lives and the which them
Ashabua Cleveland Dayton Psbg
victims Criminal Syndcaism"
charges against them Under this law adopted than half the
states Of the the n available for
practically where they believe the workers attempting
question their right and exploit To circulate eaf calling
the workers organize and demonstrate their called criminal
yndssm To skers calling for the opening Of trade relations
with Russia apparently grounds for throwing Jail under this law
The capitalist scared stiff at what faces today Five million
unemployed and hungry strikes trade working class becoming
against These driven the capitalists white with
terror frantic Of paralysis They feared
May rebuon Of the workers for the crimes committed
wide distribution Of leaflets took demand
demanding the ending Of the capitalist system and
Of workers picked
and charged with criminal syndcalism &
They defended Money must be raised Immediately Within
will Attorneys have been engaged We
workers against the criminal intentions Of Ne
hepand do The MdWsaen
Division Defense Committee aiding IN the collection Of ~
necessary funds. Send remittance to AZ
MIDwEsTERN DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL
| DEFENSE COMMITTEE
i s2e7 Cifrk Ave. Cleveland, 0ha
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

The fright Of petition for re-
dress Of grievances" is one fright"
which is not likely to be taken from
the workers; for the very simple
reason that it's usefulness to them
is nil. It is a safety valve thru which
they are allowed to blow off any
surplus resentment against, oppose
tion to and anger with the powers
that be. Such activity in no way in
jures them and affords the workers
sop with (which they may lull
themselves to quietude. It is one Of
those "rights" so generously granted
by capitalist governments because Il
/ is so harmless to them and their
power to rule.
The ruling powers are not com.
PEELED to heed petitions. Eventually
they all find their way to the waste
baskets Of the governors, even il
they are read. Being simply the ex
pressed desire Of masses large g
small in number, without any or
ganized power to compel action il
conformity with their demands, thei'
petitions are worthless to force &C
ton from the ruling class.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
BRITISH Coal STRIKE Still on.
Uneasiness Creeps Over Land as Miners Stay Out

The British coal miners strike
is still on. Negotiations, moves and
counter moves have brought forth
nothing favorable to an immediate
settlement.
Lord Curzon, spokesman for cap
ital, has reiterated the statement in
Commons that the government would
not yield to the demands Of the min
ers for a national pool of profits.
However, some leading capitalists
have expressed themselves as fearing
they could not win against the stub
borness of the miners.
Unemployed to the number 4,0OO,-
600 now tramp about England idle
Industrial stagnation is gradually
creeping over the Industrial field
giving cause for great uneasiness
This is reflected in the stock market
where industrial shares have taken
q woeful slump. Retail business
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

That the hundreds Of strikes in
force in the United States since the
first of May has but accentuated a
condition that was growing instead
Of abating according to popular be-
lief, is the substance Of report Of
the labor situation thruout the coun-
try for April, just issued by the U.
S. Employment Service.
According to this report, the army
Of jobless received additional recruits
during the past Spring month equal
ling A per cent. The report states:
Despite popular belief that un-
employment throughout the country
has gradually lessened over the Ap-
ril period, actual figures compiled by
the United States Employment Ser
vice, Department of Labor, reveal
that conditions at the close Of Ap.
ril are A per cent worse than at the
close of March"
Of SO industrial centers east Of the
Mississippi 28 show decreases in EN-.
ployment as against 25 showing i'm.
proved conditions. The Pacific Coast
is almost universally shown as hav
ing lost ground during April, in
activity in shipbuilding and lumber
ing accounting for much Of the re
duction.
Employment afforded by 1,42'
firms, located in the 65 principal in
dustrial centers, normally employing
A sol or more, or total of 100000
lJshowsJa net decrease of 7,037 work
ers on the pay roll. The net decreas
of these same establishments sine
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

Editorial Note:-This noteworthy
pamphlet by Robert Minor is the
latest booklet issued by The Toiler.
1t constitutes such a terrific indict-
ment Of the American Socialist Par
ty as to arouse the utmost aversion
in the minds of everv class-conscious
worker. We shall publish it in The
Toiler in three installments of which
this is the first. The pamphlet de-
serves the widest distribution among
those workers still clinging with
respect to the memory of the almost
defunct Socialist Party. The pamphlet
is of 20 pages and sells for 10c
per copy, 10 or more copies &c each.
Place your order at once.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE So
CIALIST PARTY:
Seymour Stedman, a leader Of the
Socialist Party, is conducting on ap-
peal, in the Supreme Court Of Michi-
gan, a suit against certain men and
women known as Communists. 1t il
a civil suit for property, but the
civil suit has a connection with
criminal prosecution, with deporta'
tions of workers and with the RED
raids of Attorney General Palmer
that demands to become known to tn,
membership of the Socialist Party.
Stedman and the National Offic,
Of the Socialist Party have deniet
the part they played in this affair
They have publicly proclaimed tina
mo such thing occurred" In reply
to this denial the proof Of Stedl
mans actions was offered to the Ma
tional Office Of the Socialist Party
That office, through its Secretary
Otto Branstetter, refused to publisl
the proof and gave continued wild
publicity to stories that seek to con
ceal the facts.
Therefore this statement, draw
from public facts and from the cour
record, is laid before you.
THE TOILER
PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
| 1907 Clarh Ave., Cleveland, O.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
Sted1nan's Red Raid.
BY ROBERT MINOR.

(The Author Of this pamphlet
must acknowledge the collabora.
ton of George Hamilton Of De.
troit in it's preparation. Some Of
the passages of Hamilton's inter-
esting booklet, "The House Of
the Masses Trial." are embodied
in this pamphlet without more
than this acknowledgements.
On January 2, 1920, the Depart
ment of Justice came down in ter
rifle sweep on the Communists and
Left Wing Socialists in the United
States Workingmen and women were
dragged from halls and homes and
thrust into Jail. Those who were
citizens were held for prosecution
under Criminal Syndicalist" laws.
The aliens were held for deportation.
The raids were repeated again Nand
again with a ferocity unprecedented
in the history of America.
The raiders swept down upon the
"House of the Masses" in Detroit,
the clubhouse and educational center
of the Michigan Socialist Party which
had been expelled from the national
organization and had taken the name
of Communist" Doors and desks
were broken in with axes, property
destroyed, literature confiscated. All
workingmen and women found in the
building were arrested. Seven hund.
red were imprisoned in the corridor
Of the post office building for many
days without bedding, toilet facili-
ties or proper food. Some of them
were beaten over the head with
clubs. One of them died from his srf-
ferings. For days the reign Of ter.
ror continued in Detroit Workmen
were picked up on the streets and
thrust into Jail. Their wives and
children were arrested and question:
ed when they came to bring the
| prisoners food.
| AS quickly as possible after hear
ing of the arrests, Seymour Stedman
lawyer, later Socialist candidate fol
! CONTINUED on page 81
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
UNEMPLOYMENT ON increase.
NEW STRIDE TOWARD NORMAL CONDITION OF
SLAVERY TAKEN BY WORKERS DURING APRIL

January 81 has been almost $4,000,
or 80 per cent.
Iron and steel dulness has been
particularly responsible for much un-
employment in Pennsylvania and
Ohio. Plants show decrease in en-
ployment Of 30,O55, or 7.S per cent
for the month; but, in contrast, q
boom in automobile and automobile
parts manufacturing has enabled that
industry to show the greatest in
crease in employment reported, 22.S
per cent for the month, or an ad-
dition of 31,986 workers.
Textiles and leather products show
some recovery, accounting for gains
Of more than 10000 Of the total
gains of 42,6S8 in the four industries
showing improvement automobiles
leather, textiles and liquors.
Greatest numerical gains of cities
are reported by Detroit, Chicago
Toledo and Passaic, but in percentag'
of gain the four leaders are Denver
Detroit, Toledo and Passaic, in th'
order named, with Chicago far dow
the list.
In many cities continued stagna
tion in building trades, due to com
bined high costs Of materials AM
unsettled wage controversies betweel
employers and workers, has affecte
large numbers and in general re
tarded increased activity in othe
lines. This same dullness in buildin
has been reflected in either suspend
ed or part-time operations in West
Tern coast lumber producing center'
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

Thruout the realm Of labor union
ism a new factor is rising and at
tracing the attention of forward
looking union men and women. The
striking failures Of the old ways Of
unionism to get results for the rank
and file, the misnianagement, graft
and scandals of the union officials;
their tendency to become conservaz.
tive, to become dictators over the
workers instead Of remaining their
servants and carry out the wishes
Of the membership; these, together
with the crying necessity Of making
the unions more the weapons Of the
workers in the battle with the en-
ployers instead Of a mere machine
for the profit and pleasure Of a
ring Of officials, is turning work.
ers' thots toward more efficient
methods Of rank and file control Of
the unions.
The following leaflet addressed to
workers in the Dress Industry in
New York brings out the points Of
advantage Of the Shop Committee
and the Shop Delegate System over
the presen. system Of union manage
ment by elected officials over whom
the membership has little or no con-
trolling Influence.
To the Workers Of the Children's
and Misses Dress Industry.
Brothers and Sisters!
II there are any strikebreakers,
, and workers In whom the enthusiasm
and fighting spirit for their own
betterment Is still lacking; II there
are workers who even to-day do not
understand the great need Of the
working class to line up solidly, as
a class, to successfully defeat all at.
tacks Of the bosses who are the
capitalist class--the bosses, who live
on the work Of US workers,--if oui
own ignorance Is still breeding and
perpetuating our own misery: ther
all this may be a sorry fact, but l,
Is n fact nevertheless and needs re-
medyl el
In a war or fight the greatest ad
vantage or strategy belongs to thos,
who are not afraid Of finding ant
examining their own weak spots a,
we'll as their own strength. aid s,
compare II with the strength ant
weak spots Of their enemy.
| In other words, 10 win we mus
not be afraid Of truth.
And our strike is . war Of on'
class, the working class. against IN
other elass--ths capitalist class.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
The Shop Delegate System.

Did we always know this? Did
our Union Officials know it?
II so, how did they manage our
Army, the Uniongand how did they
train us for such fight as we find
ourselves in now? Their skill in the
management of our Union, their
skill in the art Of training the rank
and file membership can be Judged
by the results we are facing right
now in our strike.
The results are miserable! They
failed utterly!
The failure Of the Union Officials
is due to one or the other defects,
as follows: They either do not under
stand, or they do not care!
The only people satisfied in our
present form of Union Management
are the Union Officials. To make II
strong, healthy and powerful, it is
necessary to make it Union of the
Workers, and not an Institution tc
please the Officials.
It must be Union capable Of uti
! lizing the active enthusiasm of thu
workers, a Union capable Of educat
ing and acuuainting the worker,
with the realities Of the class strug
gle, a Union built upon the stront
foundation Of the Shop Delegate
and Shop Committee system Of uniol
management. Why?
Because under the Shop Delegat
system Of union management tn
workers control the Union through
their Shop Delegates directly!
It also means management b.
the workers, instead of the rule 0
Officials.
The workers in the shop elect
Shop Committee and a Shop Dele
| gate.
The Delegates Of oil the shop vii
meet. They will be the Shop Dele
gates Council, representing the Who'll
industry.
i This Shop Delegates Council Wi
elect the Executive Committee o
the Union.
i All office help and technics
manae ement needed for the Unio
may be hired and fired by the Es
ecutive Committee as they see fit.
The workers, through their Sho
Delegates, will be able to recall Q
dismiss any member Of the Execr
tvie Committee who Is inefficient Q
incapable or unwilling to serve III
J Interests Of the workers.
j The shop will be . sclid unit.
win remain organized For any eme'
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

is hard hit and the estimation Is
made that fully 500 of the business
power Of the country is paralyzed,
The government has prohibited the
use Of coal in breweries and distil-
leries and is urging the use Of oil
and wood for some industries. The
shortage of coal has hit even the
smart set who have been compelled
to forego-some Of their social events
due to the strike.
The Communist press is bitter in
its accusations against the betrayers
Of the membership of the Triple AL
lance, Thomas, Hodges and Co.
They are raising funds with which
to aid in feeding the miners children
while the strike lasts. The miners
show no indication of returning to
work under the conditions offered
them by the government and the
mine owners.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

powers that b1Jt action favorable
to them. BetW2Sn the workers and
capitalist govsknments is chasm
too wide to kridged by any such
democratic nzS61Rres. We are ruled
by capitalist relationship and moth
ing but a th1glt of that power to
dictate will c6] tel any attention to
our needs, r&Q PTS or demands.
The worker ltberals and all SYM
pathizers Of lmanitarianism have
been for swo tars petitioning tie
ruling class this country for the
freedom Of BAL prisoners. Their
petitions ha( fought nothing tan
gible to the oners and less than
nothing to Worker-prisoners in
the iails. M Debs, a host Of
III. w. w. IN ers and champions
all Of the ~ of the workers, lie
as deeply i6 talist prisons today
as at the Ing Of their prison
terms. Thq lions have brought
them only ed hope but no re-
lease, nd. hon Of the cruelty
practics5 them No let-up il
the constant jsifhg Of revolutionist'
has been brought about thru this end
less petitioning.
II 10 finna 70 adnnf naM measures
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

But now things are not the same.
The workers are organized. The
working class is finding itself. 1t is
becoming conscious Of itself in the
same way that the trading class
became conscious Of itself The trad
I ing class no longer breaches the
right Of revolution. That class no
longer needs d revolution. It has the
power. 1t will hold the power until
another class, the working class, led
by it's own philosophers and states
men, takes the necessary steps to
discard the "divine" government Of
the capitalists and establish the class
government, soviet government, fac
tory government, Of the workers.
Yes, the present government, es-
tablished after challenging the "di-
vine rights" of kings and lords, has
itself become divine. Thomas JEFF
ferson, who wrote the Declaration
Of Independence, said that "a little
rebellion now and then is good
thing. Of course he meant little
rebellion by property owners and
business men. not by workers. Never
theless, he acknowledged that the
government was human institution
and that he, Thomas jefferson, one
Of the founding fathers, was flesh
and blood and bone, and human. But
now he has become divine. He was
"divinely inspired. Mr.. Harding
speaks Of the "divine inspiration Of
the founding fathers.
The constitution is sacred. What
could be more sacred? It was "di
vinely inspired, it is legally strength
ehed by new laws whenever comms
| in the constitution begins to totter
it is judicially extended and guarded
by judges whenever it comes up fol
discussion. What is more sacred?
n Gitlow the first Victim.
After President Mckinley was as
sassinated Criminal Anarchy Law
was passed in the State Of New
York in 1902. Ben Gitlow was tn
first criminal to be tried unde
: this law. It was charged that h
"feloniously advocated, advised ant
} taught the duty, necessity and pro
! priety Of ovethrowing and over
turning organized government b,
/, force violence and unlawful means
: says the New York Law journal
It is perfectly plain to the editor o
3 that paper that Gitlow advocated tn
, overthrow Of the government Of tn
3 United States and Of all the States
: mot by the free action Of the major
: ity through the ballot box, but b
organizing the Industrial proletaria'
!, as soon as possible. into militant SC
a cialist unions, and at the earlies
o opportunity, through mass strike
and similar unlawful means, II M
: cessary, compel the government I
: cease to function, and then, throug
: Ia proletarian dictatorship, TAX
Y charge Of and appropriate all prt
a perty."
VI The New York Law Journal do,
Q not point out when and how the Vi
3 Of "foro, violence and unlawf'
=. means" was advocated. On the col
CONTINUED on page a.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

gency.
The Delegates being responsible to
the workers in the shops where they
have been elected, will see to It that
the Executive Committee which they
elect is composed Of members Of
ability.
Thus, under constant surveillance
the Office Managers will work as
regular employees Of the Union, who
may lbe fired at any time by the
Committee, and who will be our
servants instead Of our masters, as
they are now. ,ss
Do your own thinking!!l a
LONG LIVE THE SHOP DELE,
GATE SYSTEM OF UNION MAN.
AGEMENTl
LONG LIVE THE UNION OF
THE WORKERS.
The Shop Delegate
] Propaganda Committee
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
conserving SACRED INSTITUTIONS.
BY WALTER JOHNSON.

Justice has been defe. The New
York Law Journal, the official law
paper for the First Judicial Depart
ment, says SO, and says it is deligh-
ted. The paper stands for the consti-g
tuition and against change IN the
sasne way that government papers
= md E0vsifhiieiNs Il ddepafimsfts always
do. The conviction Of Benjamin Git
low for criminal anarchy has been
affirmed. He was found guilty Of ad-
vocating a change Of government, a
workers government. A change of
government is never legal, whatever
the laws may be.
It was quite illegal for the Amer
lean Colonists to declare their in
dependence. They owed their alle-
glance to King George III of Eng
land. But the economic interests of
the property owners and Of the new
trading class in this country re-
quired government, constitution,
a state, which would rule for them
and not for English landlords and
traders. The class knew what it
wanted and by the aid of its philos-
ophers and statesmen it took the ne
cessary revolutionary steps to get
what it wanted and to defend it.
In very much the same manner as
Woodrow Wilson led u to make the
world safe for democracy, George
Washington and his ADLER associates
led the people, the workers, to make
America safe for Americans. When
Woodrow Wilson got through he
tried to form new government, o
League Of Nations, by means Of
which the capitalists Of the most
capitalistic countries wNuld divide VI
the world and hold it peacefully fol
the capitalist class. But the capitalist
class is not united and will continue
to lead nations to war to settle thu
question Of the ownership Of oil ant
iron. So Wilson failed. But Wash
inpton succeeded in establishing
state, government, constitution
for the property owning and trading
classes Of America. And that consti
tuition, with certain Improvement
which make It work better for tn
capitalists, is more sacred today thai
Il ever was.
Il has become much too sacred
In fact. The Declaration Of Indepen
dence challenged the "divine right
of kings and lords. That was tn
object Of the declaration, to show u
the buncombe Of the old ruling clas
and to inspire the people, the work
ers, to help set up a new govern
ment.
The workers were not organized
they were not grouped together i
factories as they are now, ready I
form their own government as the
are doing now in Russia. Neverths
less, they could be appealed to over
throw a kings government, land
lords government. It As eas
enough to explain to them that
people had a right to destroy an
government which did not ser,
them. The right Of revolution wa
Y preached by the founding fathers
II RevoIutics< no longer "Divine".
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

Workers can put up buildings but
can't put up much of an argument
for living in them.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

The alarm clock is the workers
delight and the memployee's last
friend.
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14

delight and the unempioyee's last
friend.
Workers can put up buildings but
can't put up much Of an argument
for living in them.
Rockefeller worked once but found
there was nothing in it. He quit, got
others to do the work and now he
is Millionaire.
"a rolling stone gathers no moss
Just now there's many bare backed
home guard hanging round.
You can be a greenie and still be
short on the long-green.
Save one another on Sunday, skin
one another on Monday and keep IL
! up until Saturday night.
The tramp, pan-handler and crim-
| inal are with us again and In in
creasing numbers. "Normalcy" reigns
supreme.
f, Banks are quite full and the work
ers quite empty. That tells where
property is.
Holdups on the highways, holdups
in shop and factories--what diff
ference?
The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14
BRAIN TEASEkS
By SARGENT.

The job you have beats two in
the employment office.