The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-04
Strikebredker George
L. Berry Wants to
Hold J0ckGss' Tail
BY MAX SHACHTMAN
editor of Young Worker)

Maybe you don't know it, but Ma
lor George L. Berry, president of the
international Printing Pressmen and
Assistants Union, is out for the
Democratic party nomination for
vice-president, in an effort to give the
Democratic ticket "labor" tinge.
Dear Sir and Brother Berry has the
backing of the American Legion, of
which he is a past Vice-Commander
and Of Sam Gompers, head of the
American Federation of Labor.
And so, his, campaign manager
among the American Legionaires, a
Mr.. John A. Mccormack, is sending
out publicity buncombe about the
Unreasonable qualifications of Berry
Don't think that Berry has no quail
ficationsl Indeed he has plenty and
they are of no mean order.
A Great Soldier!
For example, the letterhead states
that he is a veteran Of the World
War;" (he served in Washington I'M
til the war ended, then he went over
to visit the battlefelds) and Ameri-
can Trades Unionist, is respected by
all the newspapers, one of the foun-
ders of the American Legion, founder
of Home for the Aged, and so forth.
Besides, to quote the blurb, he 'made
a great fight in New York in Septem-
Der to uphold contracts and to oppose
radicalism in organized labor"
This last is interesting. The fine
language is intended to clothe the
fact that he acted as a strikebreaker
in New York against the members of
his own organization. This act was
surly enough to fit him for life mem
bership in the association for the saw
ing Of the republic, first founded by
Calvin Coolidge. Not that our an
xious supporters of Major Berry's
candidacy are opposed to labor! Nav!
Of course there is the little matter
of the leaflet which is sent along
with the campaign letter which does
not happen to have the union label
on it. But that's of minor import
ance. Suffice it to say that many in
ternational unions have endorsed
Berry's candidacy. What's a Union
label or two between good friends?
But don't imagine for a minute
that we have exhausted friend Berry's
qualifications. He is the owner of
newspaper, too. We have hurried to
look it up and see to what extent it
supports union labor and as we go to
press we are still looking-hopefully.
Hal Hal He's Bore
George L. is also the director of a
bank. You see we have here no or
binary labor leader. We do not hold
this against him, understand. He is
probably a director of the bank in
order to bore from within, to super
wise the savings of the workers
when they have any.
With all these excellent features
we take a determined stand in favor
Of the Berry nomination on the jack
ass ticket. He would make an ex-
cellent running mate for the presi-
Dental jackass, with the possible
drawback that his ears are not long
enough, but that deficiency in ap-
pearance is offset by a fine vocal
equipment which reveals the donkey
in human garb whenever Berry brays.
To prove it we could go on quoting
his abilities, especially in breaking
strikes and opposing radicalism. But,
as the campaign letter says, his &C
tions "have created world wide at
tention and commendation;" and
commentator from such sources
should be recommendation enough to
the workers of this country.
If we were to quarrel at all with
the list of his qualifications, we would
comment on the boost he is given be-
cause he is an Extensive farmer"
But on second thought, we can see
that after all Major Berry has un-
deniable ability in spreading manure.