The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-09-03
PROGRESSIVES
DEMAND ACTION
FROM u. M. ". A.
Militant Miners Slate
Gets Endorsements
BY KARL REEVE
staff Writer, Daily Workerl

Illinois Will be swept by
series of mass meetings of the
miners protesting against UNI
employment, this fall, ArIey
Staples, candidate for Interna-
tionaI Vice-president of the
United Mine Workers in the
December elections, told the
DAILY WORKER today.
"The miners thru-out Illinois,
where over 10000 have been out
of work for many months, and
over the entire country, are al
ready passing resolutions de-
manding more aggressive ac-
ton on the part of the official
family against unemployment,
Staples said. 81 look for thou
sands of unemployed miners to
form special unemployment
councils, and to demand of the
bosses that the industry take
care of the unemployed work
ers."
Unemployment Grows.
Every month that goes by means
that the industrial crisis becomes
more acute. In the large cities fac
tories are closing down daily. There
is less demand for coal. Unemploy-
ment is growing more acute and will
not get better this winter, but worse.
"The miners in southern Illinois re-
alize that the worst period of unem-
ployment in our history is turning not
INTO period of prosperity, but into
period when the entire capitalistic eco
nomic structure is being shaken.
They are waking up to the fact that
the only way to completely solve their
problems is to take over the mines
and run them for the use of the work
ing class and not for the profit OF mil
uonaires, as is done at present.
harrington Idle.
while the miners are starving in
southern Illinois, while the coal oper-
ators are attempting to force wage
cut after starving the miners by clos
ing down the mines, Frank harrington
and the entire reactionary oficialdom
Of the miners union is doing nothing
% relieve the situation.
81 am running for international vice
president on the program Of the mill
tant miners. The militant rank and
file miners demand that a conference
Of all local unions on unemployment
be called by the United Mine Work
ers' officials. They demand that a
drive be Immediately started to organ
ize the unorganized coal miners of the
south. They demand that the shorter
work day be instituted as a solution
for unemployment. They demand that
the coal operators and the govern
ment pay unemployment benefits.
"The progressive miners of this
country insist that the miners Off
Gals take immediate action to solve
unemployment and institute immedi-
ate and organized measures for real
relief of the suffering unemployed
miners.
Vote for ProgressiVes.
There are two ways the rank and
file miners can make their voice heard
in Illinois. One is to instruct their
delegates to the eoria convention on
Sept. 8 to fight for this program. An
other is to elect officers in the Deem
Der primary who are pledged to this
progressive program"
Staples declares that the miners
have arisen in protest against inaction
Of the officials before and they are be-
ginning to do it again. He referred
10 the time when harrington misman-
aged the affairs of the Illinois miners
in the 1922 strike
The FIVE Christopher local unions,
Nos. 1921, 1876, 246s, 2S2, 1913, and
many other locals turnout the state,
demanded of President Lewis the i'm
mediate removal Of Frank harrington
as president of District ~. Earring.
ton, who had been playing for a sepa-
rate district agreement with the coal
operators for the Illinois miners, be-
cause Of opposition TO his policies
among the miners, took a right about
face at the reconvened Peoria conven.
ton.
Endorsed In Nova Scotia.
Staples has been. nominated by all
the Christopher locals. He has just
received the following letter from New
Waterford, Nova Scotia:
Dear Sir and Brother--I take
great pleasure in informing you OF the
fact that this local union, No. 4527,
No. 2mine, New Waterford, has nom.
mated you for international office as
vice president. Hoping that you have
every success in your campaign, also
to cheer you with the knowledge that
District 26 will vote TO a man, re-
main, Yours fraternally,
"(Signed) ROD r. MCNEIL.
New Waterford, N. s., P. o. Box