The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-02-03
I'M no. KENNEDY


big Heutenants. Phil Murray of
| Pittsburgh, vice president OF the IN
ternational, is the main push next toI
Lewis himself. Drilled thoroughly
in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh poll
teal gang methods, Murray is a mas
ter hand at the throttle. He chokes
off debate with neat dispatch, but
can below as loudly as the big bull
] himself when some obstreperous
young delegate stands pat on his par
Elementary rights. The gavel pounds
Justify, the head flies off into the
audience, but Murray keeps on pound
ing with his fist, making the prog
ressive's voice inaudible in the
hubbub
Secretary Thomas Kennedy, green
on the job, is not the brutal conven-
ton boss. But give him time. He
ruled the anthracite with heavy
hand in the days before his elevation
to take Bill Green's former job. Ken
nedy is the liberal front Of the
Miners Union, as Frank Morrison is
| of the American Federation of La
Dor. A former socialist, he speaks
impressively Of "even the socialists"
/ joining the war against the left. Ken
nedy does the anti-red stuff nearly
as effectively as Murray, although
both fall far behind the Emperor.
Hall FavOrite Son.
President Lee Hall of Ohio is being
primed Tor advancement. Chairman
OF the committee on officers report,
he licked Lewis boots with louder
smacks than any other administra-
ton hound. Nevertheless he falls far
below the masters level of general
ship.
In the uproar following the $4,000
salary grab for Lewis, Hall peremp-
torily cut off all demonstration. But
the tumult on the floor gathered in
intensity until the air was blue with
opposition. Hall floundered badly I'M
til Lewis stepped up to him. Give
'em chance at roll call" the mas
ter whispered But a roll call Of
1000 delegates, consuming a day and
a half and costing some $4,000, is
a prospect faced with reluctance by
al except determined enemies of the
machine. So the demand for the roll
call is asked, an insufficient number
respond, and once again order is re-
stored.
President Harry Fishwick Of Him
ois is another pinch-hitter for Lewis.
A point Of personal privilege, when
a progressive has been accused Of the
worst crime in the union calendar.
means nothing to this czarlet. He
points the gavel at the progressive, a
half dozen plug-uglies make a flying
tackle, and "order''-such as it is
is restored. Fishwick is also given
to cussing, and with an appalling ig-
norance Of the radical movement. he
makes slashing attack with all the
finesse Of bull in china shop.
Featherbrained CapelIini.
President Rinaldo Capellini of An
thracite District No. l is an impetu-
GUS gangster whose mental hghtness
rules him out altogether as a top
notch machine leader. But how good
he is on appeals to personal violence!
Being One-armed, Cspellini has an I'M
doubted advantage in this sort of
thing. He is cordially hated in his
own district by progressives and re-
dictionaries alike for his vitriolic
tongue, his INSCRIPTIONS fascist-like
tactics and his utter lack of any trace
of personal honor.
The big machine men have undoubt-
ed abilities, in marked contrast to
President Pat Pagan Of District No.
5, Pittsburgh alley gangster who
resorts to crude beat-'em-up methods
at any and all times for want of a
brain to think up anything better.
The progressive movement has at
tanned its greatest strength in his
district, western Pennsylvania. Work
ing in close collaboration with the de-
partment Of justice, he engineers
drives on the lefts far outstripping
efforts along this line in other dis
tricts. A low type of Irish ward poll
tician, he attempts TO spread terror
among the South Slavs so numerous
around Pittsburgh. The degree of
his success is measured by the sturdy
left movement which the South Slavs
and other miners OF other national-
ties have created under his very nose.
The Prize Boot-heker.
Van Bittner is probably the most
disgusting exhibit that clings TO En-
peror Lewis machine. This boot
licker's slobbers over Lewis out
slavers all other sycophants. He or
ganized the packed West Virginia
delegation. The entry Of those 166
delegates into indianapolis was the
most pitiable spectacle furnished by
the entire convention. a motley
crowd Of unsuspecting, peasant-mind-
ed mountalncers, they trudged along
the main stem from the railroad sta
ton In the wake Of a brass band