The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-16
By ELLEN WETHERELL

money. A printer is allowed to spoil one sheet in
every hundred but if the sheet is lost the printer
is obliged to pay the face value of the note. Today
most of the printing of bills is done by hand presses
the printers claim that the work done by the hand
press is of superior finish over that done by the
power press. Superintendent Ralph favors power
presses. 1t is said that he is to receive bonus
each press introduced into the bureau. We know
that Ralph was urgent at the late hearing before
the congressional committee to prove that the power
press an improvement in every way over the hand
press. "And there is the economy to the govern
ment" he pleaded. But Ralph said nothing about
the money he could put into his pocket by the
Introduction of power presses introduced into the
bureau-and the discharge of a large number of
printers and their assistants
Of the printers against the power
presses The Printers Union took action the
matter at the hearing, but, the evolution Of in
dustry takes account of the individual neither
does the capitalist, the capitalist government.
There a compromise and small number of
power presses to be installed in the bureau.
The Glass Blowers Union claimed that never a ma
chine could be invented to dispace their hgh-grade
hand labor. They kings Of the craft. But,
evolution careful of the type is she, careless of
the single man, produced glass blowing machine
which enabled six men to do the work of 600. No
man or woman wants the bread taken from their
mouths-nor is willing to starve for the sake of
scientifically developed machinery, and the plate
printers and their assistants in the bureau of print
ing and engraving are no royal exception.
Dangerous Work.
was taken into the room where postage stamps
are made, and into the revenue stamp ROOM The
latter contains new power press invented by
Superintendent Ralph. This press does the work of
five men at the old hand presses Two girls run one
press. The machine numbers trims places the seal
and separates the stamps. One million sheets were
spoiled in testing the machine There are revolving
machine presses for printing postage stamps "a
stamps on sheet The engraved plates are polished
by the bare hand of the printer each plate must
be polished as it comes around after the sheet has
been removed by the assistant This is dangerous
work. the bare hand of the printer is in constant
contact with the chemically prepared metal ONLY
one sheet at time can be laid a postage stamp
press. One press print 10000 sheets of stamDs
day. There are over $4,000 postage stamps sent
out OF the bureau each day The noise made by the
presses is deafening
| passed into the room where the stamns arc
examined and counted. A girl expert can count H.
600 stamps day About to leave the building I
said to the guide: There is room we have not
been into" I had heard that this room was mar
tculary dangerous for visitors to enter because of
its crowded spaces, and the fumes from the chem
lcaIs. The guides answer quickly. "You will
not be allowed to go into that room" Capitalism
IS stronger than craft unions.
Craft Unionism Outgrown
Class unions are needed for government wape
slaves as well as for all wage-slaves The evolution
OF the machine is driving the craft union to bay.
The demand today is for the uniting of all unions
into class union, and also demanding for each
worker the full equivalent of his or her snecia1
product. This must be the program of all govern
ment employees at Washington and elsewhere. In
dustria unionsm thruout the world Workers
government Today the leaders of craft unions are
OF the pure and simple" kind. Said one of the
union men to me in Washington POLITICALLY am
a democrat-the democratic party first, last and
always"
Washington's streets and avenues are snacious
and beautiful It's trees and parks and sparkling
fountains are source of delight. It's marble build
Ings command the admiration of the world. and.
over ana above these stately piles of marble, against
the blue of the heavens floats the stars and stne
put beneath, liberty lies low and bleeding; and JUS
tice is thing of scorn