The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-14

Unless the others had signed proxies
for the opposition also, their votes are
valid for the machine.
Several weeks ago Joe Wokral,
president, sent a challenge to debate
the leader of the opposition, Jim Stir
ling. Stirling cleverly set the date
Of the debate for the annual meeting
Great hopes were expressed by most
of the drivers that thru this debate
Wokral would be overwhelmingly de-
feated. The fact that the election
was to be held under the jurisdiction
of Judge Denis E. Sullivan made most
of them feel they would have a fair
election, despite his infamous record
as an injunction judge. But even with
a court officer as chairman of the
meeting the dirty tactics of Wokral
ct al. were successful. To one new
to machine politics the whole thing
was amazing.
Rush Thru Rel Sorts.
With every aisle crowded with dep
uties, police and highway police, the
meeting was opened with a sicken-
ingly sweet speech of praise by the
"disinterested" counsel for the com
pany. Assuring the drivers that in
she eye of the law all men are equal,
the officer representing Judge Sulli-
wan was introduced. He took a back
seat for the time. The secretary, Bob
Mclaughlin, received an ovation from
one corner of the room by his
claquers when he rose to whisper
hru reading of the minutes of last
ears meeting. Half way thru a mo-
ton to adopt them without reading
was adopted without taking the
trouble to count nearly even show
of hands. Resentment against this
type of ruling by Wokral later arose
to such storm that order was only
restored by the court officer taking
the gavel. This move was made after
the treasurer's report was read in a
very hasty manner and adopted by an
estimate Of the volume of noise made
by each. On every oral vote the
machine was aided by an accordion
manned by one enthusiastic job
seeker.
The new chairman started off fairly
by awarding the floor to Stirling, who
announced himself ready to prove
charges he had already made by letter
to every driver. Half a dozen officials
and job holders shouted counter
charges, every one was shouting, and,
with the attention of the opposition
distracted, motion was put and car
ried, by vote of not more than one
fourth of the men, to proceed with the
next order Of business, which was the
balloting.
Fear Vengeance.
Machine ballots were green. the
others white. A gauntlet was formed
of the former extending to the ballot
box. The ballot in the hand of every
man was carefully scanned, the color
proclaiming his convictions. Many
whites" wrapped their ballots in
green paper, thus protecting them
selves from the subtle vengeance sure
to follow.
The basis of organization of the
company is fundamentally bad. Driv-
ers function as stockholders only once
a year. when the directors are elected.
AS stockholders they are influenced
by the treatment they receive as en-
ployes. Rules are enforced or not, &C.
cording to the political stand Of the
men. Eventually an excuse is found
TO expel a driver who has opposed
them unless he is very careful not to
allow himself to be framed. In that
case things are made so uncomfort-
able for him that he usually gets out.
II has been less than year since two
directors who opposed Wokral we're
mysteriously shot and crippled
The trend is from crude graft TO
more subtle moves to gain control.
The next year will bring new devel.
opments, undoubtedly in line with this
tendency. and once again the drivers
are helpless and without any organi-
zation to fight tho officials.