The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-01
MILITANTS OF
THE TRI-CITIES
FOR RED STAND
Greet Communists at
Davenport, IOWG
BY DAVID coUTTs.
Especial TO The Daily worker.l

DAVENPORT, IA visit to the
TriCity Federation Of Labor meeting
disclosed the same aimless. hopeless
attitude that prevails generally thru
out the labor movement. There were
about 20 delegates at the meeting in
Rock Island, representing the trades
unions of Davenport, Rock Island and
Moline with a combined population
Of 131, 200. The session was presided
over by the editor of the local labor
paper, while his assistant acted as
secretary.
A resolution was passed endorsing
the ratification Of the child labor
amendment. Individual members were
requested to write the Legislators
from their respective districts 10 ths
same effect. and that was that A
number Of communications were read
from the state legislative COMMITTEES.
labor lobbyists" regarding pro
posed legislation or bills introduced.
One pertaining to workmsn's oompen-
sation and another TO farm and mutu-
al credit associations were refaEred
to the local committee on Legislation.
No discussion Of a constructive ma
ture appeared during this part Of the
session
Brother Molder Passes tho Buck.
A delegate from the molders' local
made complaint against city alder
man who had put IN an Unfair fur
mace in his house. the delegate re-
Quested that everybody take notice
and act accordingly when the said
alderman wanted his Job back. Just
about then the sheet metal worker
got the floor and stated the furnace
in question was installed by union
men, therefore the said alderman was
fair to his craft. And further, the
furnace made by the union molders
was being installed by non-union fur
mace men, therefore the work was I'M
fair.
The molder insisted that the fur
mace made in Rock Island was union
made, and home product, and should
have the preference. His local and
international had no jurisdiction over
the furnace after it left the foundry,
and so the sheet metal worker would
have to clean his own workshop.
The argument continued for some
time, then a carpenter butted in. He
wanted to know If a certain big sash
and door factory in Rock Island en-
ployed union men. He was informed
that they did not.
Then the carpenters use material
from that mill and they are Just Hike
the sheet metal worker with the IN
fair furnace. There is one small mill
that is union, and another mill has a
few union members, but the carpen-
ters do not make any distinction be-
tween them" he said.
Spells Of Political ~VIotory~
Davenport was at one time great
socialist stronghold. They succeeded
in electing their ticket In the city
campaign. The result was disaster
Gus to the faithful, and this no doubt
gave strength to the non-partisan.
non-principled and non-compos-mentiS
posers in the labor movement The
meetings of the socialist councilman
was the best show In town" Il
finally resulted IN an orgy Of graft
that left the workers politically bank
rupt
About this tine = semi.IaSor a6min-
istration was elected In Rock Island.
This was the signal to the Tabor lead
ers' to make their harvest CorTup-
ton entered into the Labor Temple
and gambling and vice was charged
against the officials. It finally result
ed in a shooting ARRAY and two Lead
ers were indicted. This threat Is ap-
parently stu being held over their
heads as they have never been prose
cuted. State and city machinery Is
so corrupt that only expert crooks
are capable OF conducting such AZ
fairs. AS soon as a worker tries hts
band at capitalist government he is
at once exposed.
Davenport and the Tri-Cities have
apparently lost their desire 10 strug-
gle further and now drift with the
tide.
The mayor, who was elected on the
socialist ticket and who had been a
democrat, like Constantine who saw
the christian cross, suddenly saw the
light paraded by the socialists He
made two or three radical speeches
and was taken to the bosom Of the
comrades. When It came to appoint
ments the faithful comrades were for
gotten.
Glass Conscious Need Inspiration.
In the Tri-Cities there are quite a
few class conscious workers who have
been trained in the European school.
They lack leadership and initiative
which the Workers (communist)
Party must supply thru series Of
meetings that will bring inspiration.
There are quite a few militants In
the unions who are not organized and
have no program. The meeting at
which Comrades J. L. Snyder and