The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-09-05
GITLOW SPEAKS
TO Big MEETING
IN CANONSDURG
Steel and Mine Workers
Hear Communist

The most successful meeting
yet held on the Gitlow speaking
tour was at Canonsburg, Pa,
on Labor Day. This meeting
was highly successful in spite
of the fact that the Washington
County labor fakirs and poll
ticians had arranged a rival af-
fair at Washington, the county
seat. The principal speaker at
the Washington demonstration
was James Maurer, president OF
the Pennsylvania Federation of
Labor.
An attempt was made to get the
platform for the Communist vice presi-
Dental candidate, Benjamin Gitlow
but when the attempt had almost sue
ceeded he was prevented from speak.
ing, it was reported, by the personal
Intervention of Maurer himself.
Meeting Well Managed.
The real meeting and demonstration
of Washington county was held al
Canonsburg, under the auspices of the
Canonsburg Workers Party. The ar
rangements for this big meeting were
the most complete and best organized
of all those arranged for Comrade Git
low on his eastern tour.
Not only were Washington county
steel workers and coal miners of Can
onsburg at the meeting, but large del
egations from faraway places like
Galloway, w. Va, and McKeesport anC
several other large steel cities were
present. The chairman was S. Stose
steel worker. His conduct of the
meeting was admirable and deserves
the highest praise. A large collection
was taken up by bevy of cookbook
ing girls, all members of the Workers
Party.
Quitting Socialist Leaders.
Gitlow spoke for two hours to al
audience that gave the closest anC
most enthusiastic attention. Canons
burg is an old socialist stronghold ii
Pennsylvania. Many former socialist
were present and expressed them
selves as having followed Eugene V
Debs in the past. But after the en-
dorsement of LaFollette by Debs the.
came out unqualifiedly for Foster ant
Gitlow and the Workers Party.
One of them, former admirer o
James Maurer, said: "Maurer, too, ha,
gone the way of Debs and the labo
takers" The Workers Party brancl
at Canonsburg that organized thi
meeting deserves great credit. TIL
large and interested audience of stee
workers and coal miners proves tina
with an intelligent and well-organize,
effort. great masses of the worker
can be reached
Rank and File Meeting.
The meeting at Canonsburg was
gathering of the rank and file. TIL
affair at Washington was gathering
of the labor takers, capitalist polit
clans and their hangers-on. The dii
ference in the spirit of the two gather
ings was plainly evidenced.
In spite of Maurer's lip service t
'progressivism," his little audience a
Washington had no real enthusiasm
For this. audience knew that some G
the labor takers present who said the
were "for" aFollette-several G
whom had gone to the democratic cor
vention at New York-were in realit
for" no one but themselves and thei
own material gain.
Gitlow in Fine Fettle.
The Canonsburg meeting, on tn
contrary, was filled with an enthusiast
tic and revolutionary spirit. AS Gil
lows powerful voice rang out dc
nouncing the old parties and LaFol
lette, the audience cheered wildly
Many new members toined the Work
ers Party and subscriptions wer
taken for the DAILY WORKER. Al
| together this was a real successful
election demonstration for the entir'
party in this Pennsylvania domain o
the steel trust.
The next big Gitlow meeting will b.
at Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday evening
Sept. II, at Bricklayers' Hall, Eas
21st st. and Prospect Ave.