The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-30

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request for information as to how
much Macdonald paid on the Herrin
assessment, the secretary informed
them that he did not charge those
members who were not then engaged
in mining for this assessment, this
being the usual practice. The audi,
tors found Macdonald in arrears four
months on the Herrin assessment, but
paid in advance on dues and other
assessments. This was in February
1923. In September, 1928, Harrington
notified the local to drop Macdonald
from membership, Notwithstanding the
fact that when he was notified Of his
arrears Macdonald paid up In full
Macdonald Intervenes.
The local refused to drop him and
the matter hung fire for another year,
Immediately prior to Labor Day, 1924,
Harrington notified the local to have
representatives present at a board
meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3, to
show cause why the charter should
not be revoked for failure to drop
Macdonald from membership. No
charges had been filed against him, so
the local refused to drop him. At
their next meeting they again refused
to comply with Farrington's demand
and Macdonald had to appeal to the
focal to drop him in order to save
their charter prior to the election.
They finally consented to do this.
Every provision of the constitution
had been set aside in this autrocratic
action. The laws of the union pro-
vides for the manner in which charges
snail be filed. The power to revoke
charters is vested in the International
President. On the question of sus.
pension or expulsion owing to failur
to pay dues and assessments the law
reads: ANY member becoming three
months in arrears for dues and assess
ments, unless officially exonerated
from the payment of same, shall for
felt his membership" etc. Macdonald
was not at any time three months in
arrears for dues and assessments
The secretary of the local offered to
pay MacDonald's assessment taking
the blame for non-payment on himself.
Special Convention.
An appeal has been taken to the
international Union and the local
union has asked for a special district
convention on the matter and has
notified every local union in the state.
Thus the autocrat of the Illinois
miners has succeeded in winning a
temporary victory over a men who is
hated by the coal operators as he is
esteemed by the rank and file of the
miners.
Not alone do the miners demand the
special convention for the reinstate-
ment of Macdonald, but they also
want an accounting of the $4,000, 900
Herrin fund and insist that something
be done for the unemployed, the
greatest problem confronting the min
ers today.
The following is an extract from
the letter sent out by Local 448 to
every local union in the district call
ing on them to back up the demand
for special convention:
The Legal Way
"Our Local contends that IL a mem.
Der gets in arrears it is the duty of
the local to drop him from member.
ship, but where member pays what
ho fc fafd 10 due tha fo.,Ik H. ...fkh
the Local officers and not the member
affected. IL any member is charged
with the failure to pay or other offense
there is provision in the law to gov.
ern this. Section two, Article XVIII,
provides as follows: when any Lo.
cal Officer or any member not an OF.
ficer is accused OF violating any of
the Organizations laws or OF ANY
transgression against the OrganiEa
ton or any Of it's officers or members,
the charge must be first lodged with
and prosecuted before the Local I'm.
ion of which the alleged offender Is a
member. etc" Up to this time no
charge has been preferred against
in compliance with the pro
visions of the Constitution.
IAN investigation made in many
parts Of the State as we'll as here In
Springfield, develops the fact that
many Of the Locals did not charge the
outside members for the much talked
Of "Herrin" assessment. One mem.
Der here was found to be seven
months behind in dues and was told
10 pay up and It would be all right.
One Local was year behind and
then was exonerated for part of II.
The Missing Doodle.
up to this time no one outside Of
\ very few knows who got the money
for the Herrin fund. Some
hing like Two Million Dollars was
and few know who were the |
benehciaries Of this fund. Before this |
case is finished we may find out who |
got II, how II was spent and how man,
automobiles II paid for as well az