davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
THE END OF A GOLDEN DREAM

I Newcomb called "the sternest ar.
raignment from lawyer to client l
have ever read in my experience. y
Delegate McIlvenny of the Committee
of Ten sounded the general opinion
when he said: "Some years ago a
man came out here on this platform
(Stone) and said that banking was
just as easy as running a peanut
stand and. by God boys, that's the
way she has been run"
The loss from the many wrecked
| institutions runs into the millions. No
very definite totals were developed,
The Committee Of Ten submitted 30
general balance sheet. After study
ing the financial maze for several
weeks Del Van Pelt of the Commit
tee Of Ten said: Docs anybody know
what we owe? Does the Committee
Of Ter know? Not by a damned
sight" Some approximation of the
loss can be made, however. from the
emergency measures adopted by the
convention to meet pressing obliga-
tions. First. the convention plastered
S4,O00.O00 mortgage on the two
Cleveland office buildings; then it put
on . $7.200.000 assessment on the
membership. After all this, Chair
man Myers Of the Committee of Ten
said: II want to say that at the end
Of two years the committee will be
badly mistaken # we don't find our
selves with an Indebtedness Of approx
imately 100000 hanging over US"
Thus the loss would be at least
100000. And this does not take
into account millions lost by members
in buying stock for which the B. Of
L. f. cannot be made directly respon-
sible, Del Nnrr;man even suggested
total loss of S30,000,O00, and no one
rose to contradict him. That the
losses are huge, possibly as much as
$4,000 900. was further indicated by
the PROPOSALS Of Mitten Ito be dealt
with later) which required that the
B. of L. E. raise 100000 to cover
its bad investments. How hard the
u ~ w illiN lICIl uIllOIl Is itlt was HUI
Gated By a statement of Del. Huff. a
financial trustee: con July 18th we
owed 100000 to the Corn Exchange
Banl; in New York and we didn't have
a thin dime to pay it with"
Business institutions wrecked, union
finances Quilted officials discredited,
themselves tricked and robbed, the
union itself menaced,-it was not a
beautiful picture for the delegates.
Judge Newcomb rubbed more salt into
thci" wounds when he pointed out
that the individual union members
we're responsible for all the bankrupt
institutions in which the Brotherhood
held a majority Of the stock or where
it had guaranteed the investments
and loans. He said they We're in the
same position as the Danbury hatters,
and declared: "Tf there is any dc
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

quarters il Harlem. A few mutual
orga iz7tio1s sDrang up which prom
- ~.".} - we'll as political rights to
their members not through struggle
but through the political influence of
THEN leaders.
For Tammany these creole work.
ers constitute fertile source for an
increase in number of votes, in time
of election. Hence the appearance of
demagogic leaders in these organiza-
tons who aid the workers in deviat-
ing them from the real issue, i. e.
class struggle.
There are two Porto Rican candi-
dates on the democratic ticket for the
November election. It is doubtful
whether Tammany will gather many
votes in spite of the demagogy of
the political leaders of the organiza-
lions. Yet, promises and illusions
may deviate good number of these
proletarians who belong only to the
working class.
Porto Rican workers must under
stand that if Coolidge and his admin
istration are responsible for the
ruthless imperialistic policy towards
the Latin American countries, it is
because they are the agents of Wall
Street. The republican party as well
as the democratic party is the party
of the capitalist class. 1t is an error
to look upon the democratic party as
the expression of a more liberal at
titude towards these subjugated coun-
tries. If the democratic party were
in the White House today, the same
militaristic policy would have been
pursued by its leaders.
The Porto Rican workers and all
Latin American workers must realize
that their national independence can
only be gained through the downfall
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

fault on any Of these guarantees
which have been made they can track
you back to your homes and follow
you down personally and individually
to your last dollar"
The Morning After.
As the full force of the disaster
hit the delegates they began to get
an inkling of what the left wing
meant when it had declared in season
ana out that trade union capitalism
is fatal to trade unionism. Let few
quotations Illustrate the way the con-
vention was flattened by the news
II liken this situation p great deal
to the San Francisco earthquake,
when the city was shaken down and
burnt up. 1t has hit us something
like that earthquake" Del Burbank,
"You are still, in my opinion, going
to have to pass through 2 baptism
Of fire; you are simply in the midst
of it at the present time" Del. Smith.
owe have been in the worst condi-
ton it was possible for US to get
into" Del Hedges.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
BY ALBERT MOREAU.

For the last few years New York
has witnessed the greatest inflow Of
Porto Rican workers that ever i'm
migrated in this land of Wall Street
Imperialism. Porto Rican workers
are leaving their native country
where once life was easy and wage
slavery unknown.
At present, there are over $4,000
Porto Ricans in this city, the great
est number of whom are centered in
the heart of Harlem.
Since American Imperialism set its
iron foot on Porto Rico in 1898, the
economic life of that country under
went thoro change, always for the
betterment of the plantation owners
and worse for the native workers.
Eager of possession of the tobacco,
cane sugar and coffee plantations,
the Yankee trusts sought prosper
Gus field that would increase their
capital in reducing the island with its
100000 inhabitants into an Amer
lean colony. From 1898 to 1920 the
wage workers were shifting from the
tobacco factories to the sugar and
coffee fields with the periodical I'M
employment. Men worked in tobacco
factories in winter while their women
in the sugar plants in summer. Men
and women had their seasons respec-
lively. The rapid development Of the
American technic in production, re-
sulting in an intense exploitation of
the working masses, brought about
the awakening of their class con-
seriousness with the sequel: spasmod-
ic strikes. A general strike took place
for the first time in 1919 which was
ruthlessly crushed. Since 1920, over
90 per cent of the total production of
the Porto Rican tobacco, coffee and
sugar is imported in this country by
Wall Street spectators. Fleeing
from the hungry and misery stricken
abodes, the workers are entering the
u. S. A. wherein they find a discrim-
ination against their race, more eX-
ploitation and low wages. Most of
them are unskilled workers; hotel
workers. especially dish washers with
an average pay of 10 to II dollars
per week. Those who work in the
tobacco factories are little better
off but the chronic unemployment
makes them join the hotel and res
taurant workers sooner or later. Still
others toll in shoe and electric fac
tories and constitute easy preys for
the employers as they work in open
shops and know not of the benefit Of
unions.
Segregated as a race in a limited
neighborhood, the Porto Rican work
ers have to struggle with high rents
which have reached the peak in Har-
lem. The sanitary conditions are
dreadful as they crowd themselves in
an apartment in order to meet the
monthly high rent.
Porto Ricans have been given thu
right of American citizenship and
political freedom" in return for their
economic freedom. In spite of that,
they deeply feel the rude expatr'a-
ton. The. colony has its raaia head
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

own financial plans in mind cultivat-
ed this panicky feeling. Said letter
from Attorney Squires:
eve do want to impress upon you
that in our judgment you are rapidly
running to ultimate destruction of
your Brotherhood itself and that no
measures can be too heroic to be
taken by you at once to save the stu
alton"
And Judge Newcomb:
! 'If in this matter I was represent
| ing private corporation 1 would say
Let the law take its course, but I say
to you men that I believe you will
never under heaven save this organi-
cation unless you protect the finan-
cjal end Of it."
One thing the delegates learned
that they have had a sufficiency O.
trade union capitalism. All voiced
that sentiment. It would have takeD
brave "labor-b banker" to face that
disillusioned and enraged body Of en-
ginccrs and spin to them the fairy
tales, formerly gospel in the organi-
zation. about labor becoming capital
and the workers winning compe-
tence by investing in labor banks and
similar, concerns. Even the most re-
( dictionary of the leaders had to yield
to The spirit Of disgust towards labor
financiering that animated the rank
and file Del. Mcclure Of the Com
mittee Of Ten sounded the keynote
when he said
81 have been giving all my time
for several weeks to studying this
problem and it has resolved Itself into
three or four words, and they are:
Get out Of it, and the quicker you get
out of it. why the better off you will
| be-"
The leaders who managed to save
their skins in the house cleaning
hich took place all came forth, for
invention purposes at least, as
'rcng opponents of trade union CAPT
! alism and IT'S works. They tried to
get fresh hold upon the rank and
file by capitalizing the Indignation
and resentment in the latter's hearts.
Thus, Assistant Grand Chief Engi-
nee1' Burlington, himself all involved
in the financial disasters, put into
voice the determination of the body
of delegates when he said:
~ hope to see the day come when
we can forget about investment COM
panies, holding companies, realty
companies. and get back to the
old brotherhood as labor organiza-
tioo "
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

imagined. The only adequate ex-
PLANTATION why the story was resur-
rected in the present form is that
Marion Davies needed something in
which she might be cast to advantage.
The story is of a gentle maiden
who has a lover who leaves for
twelve years of war" and upon his
return finds that the maiden has be-
come matronly and unappetizing
schoolmarm. The rest of the picture
deals with the willy efforts of the
feminine pedagogue to recapture the
affection of the handsome officer.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

This article is chapter in new
book now on the press-'Wreck-
ing the Labor Banks" by VIM. z.
Foster. The chapter, itself an as
founding presentation of the newt
able tragedy and danger of class
collaboration policies, is but part of
the full exposure in the book, ,hc
facts of which were taken from Of
ficial convention proceedings and
other authentic documents.
BY WIN. z. FOSTER.
THE golden dream IS now quite al
an end. The disillusionment came
during the :. of L. F. convention held
IN Cleveland from June 6 to July p.
1927. The delegates got the shock Of
their lives. They suddenly discovered
their union to be plunged into one of
the greatest financial failures in
American history. The vast network
of banks and investment companies,
which they had thought to be sucn a
glowing success, turned out to be
nothing but a ghastly ruin, the whole
thing lettering on the brink of bank
rupty. with sheriffs knocking on the
door and lawsuits mcnacinr from all
sides. Their trusted and brilliant
leaders they found out to be charla-
tans and graftcrs when rot incredibly
stupid and incompetent Thov learned
that not only were their banks and
other financial concerns broke. but
also that the union funds were gut
ted, and that they. personally, could
be held liable for millio~= # dollars
squandercd in the Incredible financial
debauch. The confronted q desper-
ate situation thraatenin~ the very life
Of their organization. 1t was indeed
2 rude awakening.
Faced by this crisis the deerest in
the Ga years history of the r. IF 7. f..
the delegates practicable turned the
convention over tc a roceivership, the
Committee Of Ten with an attorney.
Judge Newcon7b, at it's head to find
a way out Of the shamblas. Then for
SIN, anu Il nan NNt-'tkS. TX lf1IlEFSl CUtl-
vention ever ha'd by the p. Of 7. F..
end at a cost Of about 81 100000,
they struggled to rid themselves Of
the herd Of financial white elephants
thrust upon them by their leaders and
TO find a way to save their organiza-
ton
Finance a IA Peanut Stand
The convention showed practically
every enterprise Of the p. of L. f.
to be bankrupt. Judge Newcomb said:
"The building OF the home for the
Brotherhood in Cleveland we think
could be regarded as q wise move.
Everv other movement since that
time impresses us as of very doubtful
character" The lawyer, Squires. en-
rloyed by the Brotherhood, condemned
the whole system of financing in what
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

James Barrie orig
n a lily produced
here in 1902.
Those who like
The whimsical jul
emilia Of t h a t
Britisher will I'M
dou BITE dly be de-
lighted with the
present production
which is about as
far from substance
or meaning as any
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

SANTA BARBARA, Cal, Nov T.
A slight earthquake shock was felt
here at 3:42 o'clock this morning Re-
ports from Ventura and San Luis
Obispo said the tremor was noticed in
those cities. Recently severe damage
was done to Santa Barbara by an
earthquake.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
" DRAMA IN
Quality Street"
Marion Davies in Sir
James Barrie's Mild and
Innocent Comedy

IN that cozy little theatre the EN-
bassy, Marion Davies is on display
in the new movie, Quality Street."
l pictorial version of play by Sir
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
Porto RiCan Workers in New York

of capitalism which can be accom-
plished by the organized action of the
workers on the industrial and political
fields.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

to the cast of "Spellbound," the play
by Frank Vosper in which Pauline
Lord is starred which opens next
Monday at the Earl Carroll Theatre.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

Al Jolson is to continue with "Big
Boy" He opens his season in Albany
on Nov. %.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
Broaaway Briefs

"lolanthe" and "The Pirates of
Penzance" is now in rehearsal and
will be restored to the Gilbert and
Sullivan repertoire at Chanin's Royale
where the 'Mikado" is now playing.
Fay Compton, noted English act
tress is to return to New York this
season to appear in Queen Victori,.
the Louis N. Parker play.
Alison Skipworth has been added
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

Left Sibiriakoff, Russian opera
star, will make his American debut
under the banner of Hurok Attrac-
lions this Sunday afternoon at the
Century Theatre Mr. Sibiriakoff,
during the past five years has been
singing in the principal cities of Eur
ope. HIS program will include arias
from Life of the Gar" Boris
Godounoff," ''The Demon" "Faust,"
end "Mephistofeles."
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

Winthrop Ames announces that
George Arliss will act Shylock in
Shakespeare's "The Merchant of
Venice" here early in January. This
will be Arliss' first appearance in
Shakespeare.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08

Alison Skipworth has been added
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-09-16
History
100 YEARS AGO IN THE UNITED
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
AND CHRISTIANITY

Extract of letter from E. s.
ABBY, ESQ.,:
The other day I was introduced
to. the Turkish charge d'affaires. /
asked him if there was any prejudice
IN his country against the blacks.
His reply was that no Turk ever
despised anyone on account of his
skin.
II have African slaves" he said ,
when they behave i'll | do not sell
them, as some do; dismiss them
from my service. They take their
meals in common with those of their
own rank in life, without distinction
Of color. 1t would be against the
principles Of the Mohammedan relig-
ion to treat any human being with
disdain, or to suppose that God was a
eapricious or partial parent in be-
slowing various forms and tints on
His children.
Ought not Christians to blush AZ
the contrast? Among the Turks and
Persians Negroes rise to the highest
offices in the state"
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-09-16
Can You Tell?

|. What is the approximate Negro
population of New York CITY?
z. who is the president Of the Ma
tlonal Negro Business League?
S.Who was the first Negro wom-
an to be awarded an interneship at
Bellevue Hospital?
4. How many Negroes were there
registered in the United States Army
during the World War?
5. When did the PRESBYTERIAN
church first begin it's mission Sunday
school work among Negroes in the
South?
8. How many Negro Presbyterian
churches are there at present.
z. What is the Villas beauest?
3. What was one of the outstand-
ing acts of +. M. Bannister?
Q. What was the first Negro news
paper published in the South?
10. Who is the author of Harlem
Shadows?
Answers
/. Two hundred fifty-one thousand
three hundred forty.
2. DR.. Robert Russo Motion.
3. DIR. Agnes Griffin of New York
City.
a. Two million two hundred ninety
thousand five hundred twenty-seven.
5. In 1890.
s. Two hundred and sixty.
z. Under the terms of the will. of
the late Senator William F. Villas of
Wisconsin ten scholarships and ten
fellowships for persons of Negro de-
scent are tosbe awarded at the Uni
versity of Wisconsin.
8. He was the founder of the Prov
ldence Art Club, the leading art or
ganization in Providence.
>. The Colored American, which
was published, at Augusta, Ga.
10. Claude Mckay.
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-09-16
No Real Shriners,
Says Egyptian Priest

Continued from Page One)
7th, the United Grand Lodge OF
England has. at no time. recognized
either a Coloured Lodge or a Col
CURED Grand Lodge in the United
States. The only American Grand
Lodges and subordinate Lodges
which are recognized by this Grand
Lodge are the Grand Lodges Of
the 40. Independent Jurisdictions in
to which the United States is d.
vided. e r.
You must have been misinform-
ed as to the alleged Louisiana
Grand Lodge because the United
Grand Lodge of England has never
held any Congress in Switzerland.
or associated itself with any, inter-
national Masonic gathering held
in that country. 4
This reply may be communicate
ed TO the three signatories with
yourself to the letter of July 18th
asking for information as to the
position taken up by the United
Grand Lodge Of England in regard
to Coloured Masonry in the United
States of America.
"Yours faithfully.
(SignedD &c CoLvER SMITH,
Grand Secretary
"Dr Abdul II. Sulyman,
"213s Seventh Avenue, ~
New York
From Lodge i'm Egypt
DR., Sulyman's home lodge. he
says, is. in the City of Carton,
Sudan, Egypt, and he claims to
have worked up to the 96th degree,
operative masonry. ranking as an
ex-high priest. Although he has
not affiliated with the American
lodges. he states that he has been
IN touch with high officials of the
Prince Hall fraternity. and that he
had been of vital service to that
body in its legal fights before the
United States Supreme Court to
establish its legitimate right to
operate in this country.
In 1924, DIR. Sulyman was an
important witness before the Su-
preme Court. his dispositions going
far toward clarifying the question
and bringing about favorable de-
cislons for the colored masons of
Kansas, Florida and Massachusetts,
and in the Texas case now pend
ing
DR.. Sulyman declares that he
made proposition to Imperial
Potentate Caesar r. Blake of the
Mystic Shriners. offering, to trans
nit to the colored Shriners legiti-
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1927-09-16
The Biggest Negro Business

The National Benefit Life Insur,
ance Co., OF Washington, d. c.. Ii
not only the largest of Negro in.
surance companies, but the great
est Negro business enterprise OF
any kind in the United States II
net in the world.
The National Benefit now has
over seventy-fiye million dollars OF
insurance In force with a premium
income between three and four mil
lions of dollars. There are over one
hundred agencies scattered over all
parts Of the country with an operat-
ing staff of over two thousand per-
sons. The report of 1926 which
does not include the new addition,
shows the legal reserve of over one
million dollars with three-fourths OF
million invested in bonds and
stocks. The total assets amount to
million and half dollars.
Since the foundation of the
company there have been over six
hundred thousand policy holders,
over three hundred thousand OF
whom still survive. These figures
would have taken high rank in the
circle of big white insurance bust
ness few decades ago. And vet
this young giant is not only not
over-grown. but is not fully grown
for II is not yet OF age.
The field of Negro insurance has
not been covered or worked to an
efficient depth. This company with
its wide-awake management and
seasoned policy OF procedure may
be expected to expand until II
reaches still more startling pro
portions.
The idea of the National Bene-
fit Life Insurance Company was
conceived in the mind of s. w.
Rutherford more than one-fourth
of century ago. From the begin
ming he saw the whole scheme un-
folded in his minds eye Begin
ming at the zero point. twenty-eight
years ago, he threw his whole soul
and all that there was in him in
the scale for the unfolding of his
great idea. He worked and shaved
and starved while nursing the in
FAINT enterprise and nurtured 1t with
more than parental care as 1t grew
up before him like a tender plant
and root out of dry ground. BY
the unerring instinct of sound bust
ness he knew that the new venture
must be built upon sane and scien-
tific methods. He had the good
sense to borrow from the accumu-
lated, actuarial experience and ap-
proved method of accountancy es-
tablished by long usage in the bust
ness world.
The National Benefit Life Insur-
ance Company adopts and applies
any Improvement in machinery or
method which has been soundly
tested and proven to be of advan-
tage in the world of insurance.
The home office at Washington
employs one hundred and seventy
five expert Negro men and women
in the various forms of the insur-
ance business. Where, one won
ders, do. they all come from? The
keen managerial. eye scrutinizes the
Negro schools and colleges and Ne
gro pupils in white institutions, for
trained business talent and effici-
ency.