The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-14
Will LABOR
BREAK WITH
SAM insult?
Streator Convention to
Test Officials
Continued from page u

COA POI alum, supplies buOuodlluS VI VOA
lars to put over Frank L, Smith for
United States senator in the repub-
lican primaries. He also donates
money to the democratic primaries to
be on the safe side.
other utility magnates donated
money to the Smith campaign. Frank
L. Smith is chairman of the Illinois
commerce commission and the slush
fund investigation brought out the
additional fact that these utility cor
porations had applications pending be-
fore the commerce commission relative
to traction rates and other benefits
sought for their corporations.
Open Shop Grove Machine.
The Crowe-Barrett political machine,
headed by States Attorney Grove,
who has attempted to break strikes,
who put trade unionists thru third
degree methods and tried to smash the
unions, supports Frank L. Smith, the
insult candidate. The Chicago Trib-
une selected Smith as its candidate.
The Illinois labor officials gave him
official endorsement and put it over
in number Of unions.
Whether or not this is deliberate,
the political alliance has become ex-
tended and made complete. From
Samuel insult of the utility corpora
ton thru the Illinois corrupt capitalist
politicians to these officials of the
trade unions.
Non-PartIsan Bunk.
This is the inevitable result of the
so-called non-partisan policy. It's con-
sequence in all cases has become one
of complete partisanship to the candi-
dates selected by the money powers
of the capitalist tickets. These candi-
dates pledge loyalty to none but cap
italism, they carry out their wishes
and naturally in any situation of con-
flict between capital and labor they
take their place unreservedly on the
side of capital against labor.
One striking example has already
been furnished in this instance. In
the case of Frank L. Smith and the
fare rate hearing of the Chicago Street
Railway Lines before the Illinois Com
merce Commission. The result of this
hearing has been printed in an official
statement issued by the Chicago
Street Garments Union, from which
we quote in part:
Smith Plainly Anti-UnIon.
During the extended fare rate
hearing affecting the street railway
lines of Chicago before the Illinois
Commerce Commission in 1921 and
1922, hearing was prompted solely
by political motives costing many
thousands of dollars of the tax
payers money. Frank L. Smith, as
chairman of the commission, by his
attitude assisted in every way the
political representatives that were
demanding a reduction Of street car
fares by reducing the wages of the
employees, increasing their hours of
labor and demoralizing the condi-
tons they had established thru their
union after a struggle for many
years.
"The whole burden of this demand
for fare reduction was placed upon
the employees and their families, and
thruout it all the attitude of Frank
L. Smith was against the employees
and with the political forces that
were using the situation to perpetu-
ate themselves in power"
Must Come Clean.
After this slush fund exposure, will
the officials of the Illinois trade union
movement who are responsible for the
political alliance with capital, have
the courage to repudiate their en-
dorsed candidate, to repudiate their
alliance and at least on this point
square themselves with the labor
movement? This should be the i'm
portant question before the Illinois
state federation of labor convention
now in session at Streator, Illinois.
The welfare Of the trade unions is
involved in this question. Their
future existence as Independent or
CARNATIONS of the workers at liberty
to conduct their rlghtful struggles for
better conditions Of their members is
at stake. If the officials do not repudi-
ate their alliance, further developments
will compel the rank and file members
to take action.
For a United Labor Ticket.
Undoubtedly the present situation
offers a splendid opportunity to the
labor movement to give an appropriate
reply to the corrupt capitalist politics,
exposed at the slush fund hearings.
A further alliance with politicians Of
the old parties and with their sup
porters, the big corporations, win not
only increase corruption. but prevent
the trade unions in their efforts to
gain better conditions for the work
ers; and IL carried to It's logical con-
sequence, even lead to the breakup
Of the unions.
The proper reply has been given by
the progressive trade unionista In