The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-08
Los ANGELES
BUNK NOW DRUG
ON The MARKET
Brisbane's Boom City
Becoming a MOrgue
BY FRAPIESA.
(Worker Correspondent

OTus OIL DdukrLOtCy curing the past
week surpassed all previous ones.
Businesses involved we're hotels, res
taurants, bakeries, miscellaneous small
stores, etc.
Indications are that a continued
sharp decline in trade will follow. The
bottom has dropped out of the boom
and there must ensue a general eva
cuation of the vehicle, resulting in
what somebody described as vacuum
Prospects are that the city of Los
Angeles will be more pronouncedly
vacant from an industrial standpoint
in the future than in the past.
Chamber of Commerce Bluff.
Placards bearing the legend "Busi
ness is good" are being given by the
/ Chamber Of Commerce to commercial
houses for display This is part of the
policy of the boomsters to whistle to
keep UP their courage. The CONNER
cial people know only too well that
business is so far from good that it
might properly be branded as putre-
flying.
Statesmen of real estate agents are
instructed to never use the word
"slum" and it is very probable that
the Realty Board originated the idea.
which is suggestive of Coueism. But
the slump refuses to be ignored.
nevertheless.
Bunk Discounted.
Building operations continue to be
active. Why? Because lots are being
sold at reduced prices. But this
makes an artificial boom in construc.
ton of office structures. hotels. apart
ment houses, etc. AS vacancies are in
creasing in such buildings, the build
ers will slow up suddenly at an early
date.
No factories are being built. For
a long time the Chamber of Commerce
and allied boomsters have been un
4bie to induce Eastern manufacturers
o establish plants here. The reason?
several years ago the boosters led
Easterners to erect great factories but
the lack Of water restricts operation.
L viii be five or ten years before the
water supply will be increased and
until then no more factories will h
Established.
Boom is Leak.
The gas is escaping from the Los
Angeles boom. Those Fasteners who
AVE been victimized by the exagger,
ited advertisements are now advertis.
ing the cheapest labor market in the
United States to its disadvantage
The usual adjustments are being
made. Depreciation of Los Angeles
bunk is bringing that questionable
commodity down to its face value.
Thru the DAILY WORKER East.
ern workers are being disillusioned
and investors are also benefited. This
paper is in the unique position of fur.
nishing the public with the facts as
to California. 1t gives the news that
debates the advertising balloons that
are blown up by the gassy mounte-
banks of this boom burg.
Incidents Of Stun.
During the past week suicides ranged
from three to five per day. The DO
lice use the term epidemic of sui
cides" to describe the peculiar condi
ton. If the Examiner" and Times
should comment on this they would
cautiously remark Strange, passing
strange" without attempting to ex
| plain.
Nine out of ten of the suicides are
due to restitution, nothing more Oh
less. That should not be hard to un
derstand when the fact is considered
that one child dies every week Of
starvation in this city year in anC
year out. For the overlords of the
place that fact is comforting because
1t shows just how cheap humanity is
Uniformly the stories of suicide,
are all on this line: Men, who hav,
dependents, come here in search o.
employment, fail to get it and xii
themselves in desperation when the,
see their loved ones starving. In thi.
time of slump the suicides increas.
rapidly.
4 Alarming Symptoms.
Fasteners are not coming to Lo.
Angeles. Passenger trains arriving
here are rs per cent empty.
Along the ten blocks on Broadway
from LIST to 18th street, which is abou1
| all the metropolitan city there is t.
this town, the effect of the slump is
marked. 1t is significant fact thai
most merchants rents due in that sec
1 ton for the month past remain in
arrear.
Continuance of this condition will
not cause banks to break, because
those institutions flourish on bankrupt
cy Of others, but It will cause panic
among those who have mortgaged rea
estate, small stores, etc. Hence
workers must understand that "the
cheapest labor market in the United
States" is becoming cheaper and the
best thing they can do is to give thi,
town wide berth or, If already here
join the Workers Party.