The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-26
explosions FROM.
CARPENTERS Stir.
RANK AND FILE
Officials Use Police to
Control Union


william Reynolds by the general exc
cutive board Of the United Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners, pre-
sents one of the most fragrant out
RACES on trade union justice which
the history of trade unionism sets
forth. The trade union movement
has been the victim Of persecution
and nurtured in the struggle, and as
result a rugged sense Of Justice and
fair play has been developed in their
theology.
These guarantees of rights have
been secure from attack during per
iods Of militancy in the past, but the
wave of class collaboration now
sweeping the whole trade union move
ment has weakened the morale of the
rank and file so that Huteheson's ex
pulsion policy, which is but the car
penters' edition of the comprehensive
drive on the left wing In the whole
labor movement, has made consider
able progress before the rank and
file have become alive and aroused
to the situation. RI
Unjustifled and Illegal Expulsion.
On January 9Th the @. e. B. Of the
Brotherhood expelled VIM. Reynolds
president of L. U. No. 2140 for alleg-
ed membership in the Trade Union
Educational League. There was no
charge laid against Reynolds. He had
no opportunity to defend himself.
None Of the constitutional guarantees
were observed by the G. q. B.
Section IS Of the constitution which
protects the rank and file was totally
ignored. The first Reynolds knew OF
the expulsion was a notification sent
him by the secretary of the district
council four days after the action was
taken. rs D.
Local 2140, to which Reynolds be-
longs, has in its two meetings since
the expulsion, taken action to sustain
and protect the rights ri Reynolds.
The action of the G. ". y. has been re-
pudiated. A circular letter has been
sent to all local unions in the Broth
erhood and many favorable answers
have already been received.
The various local unions have, with
one exception, taken favorable action
on the case and in the exceptional To-
cal union favorable action has been
forestalled by the arbitrary runng of
its president James Shamrock, as vel.
low a one as ever called out the police
or got out an injunction.
The district council IS overwhelm.
ingly against the expulsion and has
also been thwarted in expressing its
will by the would be car, Shamrock,
fortified by a contingent of police.
Police and InIunetions.
At the inception Of this struggle
an Injunction was secured against
Reynolds restraining him from attend
ing his own local union or any other
meeting of the carpenters in Detroit.
This Injunction was prayed for" in
bill of complaint signed by Sam
Botterill, general organizer; James
Sharrock, president of the Detroit
district council, and Harold Fish, Sec
rotary of the district council. The
Injunction has been violated dozens
Of times but the spineless ours who
secured it lack the CUTS to enforce it.
The police have been called by the
reactionaries on many occasions to
guard them from the wrath of the
rank and file. At the Feb. IL meet
ing of the district council a shift Of
five police worked from eight to
eleven, and similar shift from IL to
the end Of the meeting.
At the meeting Of Local Union 214O
held Fri. Feb. Is, General Organizer
Botterill tried to read the minutes Of
the local union to police sergeant to
convince him that Reynolds had been
expelled and should be elected from
the room. Instead, Reynolds and an
other member elected a shyster law
yer, sent to Detroit by the general
office, when he refused to keep order.
Bribery Tried.
Hutcheson's tools have tried brib-
cry in the shape of offers of Jobs on
the general Office payroll. threats of
further expulsion, injunctions, police
and open club welding thuggery, but
they stand today utterly discredited
and defeated before the rank and file.
Let us Hear FROM othersl
The carpenters of Detroit expect
those carpenters everywhere who are
militant in defense OF the right OF
trial and other constitutional provis-
ions to rally to the defense OF the
members Of Los Angeles, Chicago,
Philadelphia, and Detroit who have
been expelled without trial and whose
cause rests with those who have
fought against the reactionaries in