davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
REVELATIONS ON
OIL GROW WIDER
Lessons for Workers in
Every Hearing

WASHINGTON, April 17-Fur-
Their important revelations showing
the relationship between the Coolidge
government, the republican party and
controlling groups in American bust
ness, were expected today at the SEN
ate's inquiry into the Continental
Trading Company's s3.O8O,OOO Liberty
Pond "slush fund"
Mrs. John T. Pratt, widow of the
late New York capitalist, and C. G..
Chase, Ell Paso, Tex, banker and SON
in-law of Albert B. Fall, were to take
the witness stand along with Thomas
w. Miller, former alien property Gus
todian now under a Jail sentence.
All three were summoned in an eff
fort to learn what became of the Con-
tinental Conpany's bonds, $1,000
of which already have been traced to
Fall and S260,000 of which were given
by Harry F. Sinclair to the repub-
lican national committee.
Miller Handled Bonds.
Miller was looked upon as the most
important witness as the committee
has been informed he handled some
Of the Continental bonds for the re-
publicans.
Mrs. Pratt was called in connection
with the story of VIII H. Hays, for
mer republican national chairman.
who testified $4,000 of the Sinclair
Londs were turned over to her late
husband. Hays said Pratt gave a
$4,000 check to the republicans in
return for the "put and take" bonds
and later refunded the bonds.
Democrats Involved.
Democratic senators meanwhile
were said to be planning a new de-
bate on the oil scandals in reply to
the latest attack on their party by
Senator Robinson, (R) of Indiana.
The Indianain read into the record a
memorandum, written in 1921 by Rob
ert C.. Bell, a democratic assistant at
torney general, protesting against the
leasing Of the Salt Creek oil fields.
The Bell memorandum charged the
claims of the Midwest Refining Com
pany, a Standard Oil subsidiary, were
based on fraud and recommended that
the Salt Greek fields be kept intact.
His memorandum was ignored by the
Wilson administration.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
BUILDING TRADE MISHAPS INCREASE
Grow IN Pennsylvania Ne1O York; Fen State REGULATION

"hGAIN the construction industry
H ranks among those where acct
dents are on the increase, accord
Ing to reports of industrial bulletins
of New York, Pennsylvania and Ill
inois," states the Workers Health
Bureau of America, 1893 Broadway,
In emphasizing the need for trade
union action to remedy this con-
dition.
"Ninety-one deaths and 1926
non-fatal accidents on building con-
struction were reported for 1927 by
the Pennsylvania Department of
Labor and Industry. The construc-
tion and contracting industry
showed the second largest increase
In fatalities, reporting 217 in 1926
and 235 during 1927, gain of IS.
Falls Of persons caused 221 deaths,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
Unused Power

WASHINGTON, April II. - The
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence deep water
way is again on the high shelf. Water
power rights are the principal OBJ
stacle. Potential bydro-electric energy
involved in the project is estimated
at 100000 horsepower, half of
which belongs outright to Canada.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
6-Hour Day Urged

BALTIMORE, April 1.-THE es-
tablishment of a six-hour working
day and employment insurance was
advocated yesterday by DR.. Irving
Fisher head of the political science
department Of Yale, at a two-day con-
ference on labor conditions held at
John Hopkins University.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
Bakers Revive Locals

CHICAGO, April II (FP). = The
Bakery & Confectionery Workers In.
ternational Union announces granting
of charter No. 33 to bakers in Tulsa,
Okla, and of No. 81 to Fall River,
Mass. In each case the new local is
revival of previous organization eff
forts.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
To Save Miners Union.

at means penetrating still farther
into the trade unions of the city. 1t
means more revolutionary agitation
upon larger scale than ever before.
The establishment of Workers Cen
ter will be Of assistance to all dis
tricts and to the Party as whole.
lit means stronger fight to save the
miners union. 1t means a greater
fight against Schlesinger and Sig
man. It means greater support to
our Negro work, to our women's
work, to our youth work-to all ac-
tivities of the Workers (Communist)
Party.
"The Central Executive Committee
halls the plan to establish the Work
ers Center and calls upon all men,
bers of the Party in the New York
district and all revolutionary work
ers to throw their full energy behind
the drive to raise $4,000 and to es-
tablish this Communist center in
Union Square. The comrades must
not only give their full share but
must give it quickly. The drive must
reach the shops and all labor organ
izations. All support to the estab-
lishment of the Workers Center!"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18

ANTHRACITE NOW
PREPARES TO Join
BIG Mine BATTLE
Save-Union Forces Lead
the Way
lContinlled fron Paae Onel

Continued from Page One)
has been wavering and has been try
ing to arrive at compromise with
the Lewis machine.
After calling a meeting for 2:9O
when they knew that the rank and
file of the miners could not turn out,
the opposition led by Brennan tried
to put over on the membership at this
meeting the election of committee
to go to Indianapolis to see the re-
dictionary president John L. Lewis,
more commonly known to the miners
turnout the country as "the union
wrecker."
Try New Trick.
This was defeated and instead
maneuver was put over which de-
manded that John L. Lewis call
special District Convention; but it is
well known that Lewis will not act
on the letter.
The followers of the Save-the-Union
Committee introduced a resolution
which tho it was defeated by the
machine, forced Brennan to take a
stand. His stand now is openly
against calling the convention. The
reason seems to be that he is afraid
at what the membership would do at
such a convention. The resolution
called for a special district conven-
ton on May Is.
Vital Issue.
The whole session was practically
taken up over the discussion of the
convention. 1t is now becoming clear
to the membership that Brennan does
not want a convention or convention
date set where the rank and file will
rule. Every constructive action thar
was made at the meeting last Satur
day was forced because of the fear
of the rank and file on the part
of Brennan. The Save-the- Union
forces are modifying and are taking
definite steps to force a special dis
trict convention in District l. More
definite action will be taken in the
next few days to force the calling of
a special district convention. In spite
of the machine-rule general body
which met, opinions on the contract
system were Forthcoming. Especially
when Thomas Davis, the federal
mediator who is trying to intimidate
the miners of Local Union 1903 tried
to force the miners to go back under
the old conditions and under the rul-
ing of the Cancellation board. But,
the rank and file opposition to the
Federal Mediator resulted in reject
ing his plan to iIftimidate the work
ers into going back to work.
Fear Miners.
Brennan and his group do not want
to come out clearly and take a stand
on the trouble in Pittston in Local
Union 1903; they dare not oppose the
rank and file miners. 1t should be
emphasized that there is trouble in
Pittston not only because Of these
grievances, but approximately 800
miners employed at number and 8
shafts of the coal company went out
on strike Saturday morning because
OF other grievances and because the
company fired a miner recently. Lo-
cal Union 1859 members are those
who went out Saturday morning.
Only recently the Hudson Coal Co.
collieries on the Loree division were
out on strike which involved 5000
miners, but the grievances were tenn
porarily adjusted, but the miners
from that part of the region will
again be heard from in a few DAYS.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18

''The New York district has been
a center of mass movements of var
ious kinds. The last Lenin memorial
meeting in Madison Square Garden,
the Freiheit Jubilee, the November
9TH demonstration, were achievements
of major Importance and show that
our district has attracted the support
of tens of thousands of workers. The
educational work has likewise been
on a mass scale and the Party has
assisted in the establishment of the
Workers School with over a thou
sand registered students.
"All of these activities call for the
consolidation and strengthening of
the Party organization itself, which
is provided for in the plan for the
establishment of Workers Center.
THE establishment of such a center
means more members.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-18
C. {. C. URGES AID
FOR new CENTER
Tells Communist Part
in Labor Struggles
(Continued from Pape one

Continued from Puge OTte)
for the establishment of union to
defend the interests of the workers is
still under way, marching on to sue
cessful struggle against the Sigmans
and the Schlesingers and against all
the agents of the employers.
Home of DAILY WORKER.
within the New York district is
the home of The DAILY WORKER.
The Strengthening of this organ and
the spreading of its influence among
the workers of the United States in
the first place rests upon a strong
Party organization in the district.
The New York membership has re-
sponded time and again to the ap-
peals for assistance and has shown
that it understands its task in a real,
revolutionary sense.
"The New York district is the
largest district in the Party. At the
same time it has understood its duty
toward the rest of the country and
in the miners campaign has shown
an example of solidarity by being the
district that has assisted most in
raising relief funds for the strug-
Cling miners. In the campaign
against intervention in Nicaragua
our Party in the New York district
helped to establish the All-American
Anti-Imperialist League, and has
conducted widespread agitation gen
orally against imperialism. q.
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Nine. Rasch's Ensemble.
NEE. ALBERTTNA RAscH, premi'

NINE. ALBERTTEA RAGCH, premier
osnseuSe. who Is represented by
Gre Of the best trained dancing tF0upes
IN Ziegfei6s Rio Rita" has been de-
voting most Of her energies TO her
sekaooi, instead Of continuing her own
career sz a dancer
Several seasons ago she decided 70
present her advanced pupils 10 the
public yis the vaudeville circuit She
constructed al art that was ney 70
vaudeville. Che presented SeB1i-classi-
cal toe dancing IN ballet routines.
Among the many unique dance Wig
nsttss she offered 10 the varieties we're
The PsAteile Ballet" The Dancing
GiYlB. Rhythmic Toes" ana The
FoEpadoUr Ballet"
Modern zoe enhancing enSembles are
ssasethiBg new 10 the footllghts There
have beer clssslc Baileis before but
dnae. Rsseh has produced a type ~
ballet which IL neither strictly classical
1ssr entirely JAZZ. bit a smart eomblna-
tioo of the two. There Is classical tech.
Yisue ~ the work ~ her pupils and 81
the same time syncopstIon % their
STEPS which lk decidedly modern
kfy ZggfelG ssiectsd personally the
!g members of tne AlbeTtlns Rs&ch
dancing troupe n Rio Rita" for their
bsz9ty - veil 81 for their dancing
ab.ilty. The girls perform dlfheuJt toe
steps with H2stlcQioUs military preei.
Es0r-
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Introduces New JinXeS.

THE we'll accepted notion that actors
have a corner on superstitions was
dealt a knockout blow In Hollywood. It
is said when Richard Dix made the
discovery that base ball players lead
the world when 1t comes to fighting off
jinxes.
According to Dix the baby pig OF
Pola Negri; the rabbits foot of Emil
Jannings; the shamrock of Clara Bow
and the gold coin of Florence Vidor
all fade out OF the picture when the
base ball player gets busy.
Dix made the discovery while max
ing his base ball romance. Knocking
En- Over" the diamond sequences of
which are being photographed at Wrig-
ley Field. the home Of the Los Angeles
Base Ball Club. Surrounding the star
in the picture are many famous play
ers and their stories on how good luck
is attracted kept Dix wide-eyed with
amazement between shots"
For example. there is Mike Donlin
cx-Giant and the idol of the country
few years ago. On the first trip to
gether. Almost unconsciously the lat
ter tipped his hat as they passed under
the portals and Dix did likewise, think
ing. of course that Donlin had spoken
to a lady. Not soul was within 100
yards and Dix looked at his companion
blankly
''Just a little custom of mine" Dom
lin explained. 1T keeps the witches
away"
on the diamond when stepping into
the batters box. Donlin always pulls
the visor OF his cap down over his right
eye.
That's the way to bring base hits. Sc
Is his argument.
Chef Thomas, one-time member of
the Red SoX and player who has
other who Is being used in knocking
En- Over"
Whats your complex" asked Dix.
I've got the best of the lot" said
Thomas Simple but effective. II you
always leave the dugout 70 the right
you can't go wrong"
Bob Murray, ex-Kansas City and Mil
waukee star. fights for number "i3'
When a trip is started he always makes
dive for rack l3. and mis- locker Is
marked with that number even II he
has to do it himself.
Mike Ready. the oldest living base
bail player in the United States. who
plays the role of the groundkeeper in
the pTOuucLlon. says lnat SUPERSTITION
among the players was not so prevalent
during the old days. He played for
the Elgin Club In 1872
The only thing remember" says
Ready, lis the dread of black cats. OF
course, this Is also true Of individuals
who never saw base ball diamond.
However, I have seen old-timers refuse
TO enter park because q black kitten
crossed their path"
Waliy Hood, formerly with the Brook
lyn Club and now in Knocking En-
Over" has peculiar habit wnen bat
ting. With two strikes on him he in
variably takes out his chew ing gum
not tobaceo-and sticks IL on the but
ton on the top Of his cap.
Sure fre," is his laconic reply.
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Join Fox Park Row" Staff.

On Park Row. New York City, the
new structure in the Fox West
Coast studio which Winfield Sheehan,
vice president and general manager,
mas named in honor of the famous New
YORK newspaper street, where ne got
MS early training, a number Of new
races are now appearing among the
writing stan quartered there by Fox.
Chief among them Is Wilson Miner,
VINO has shaken of the dust OF that
Broadway where he attained a memo
rable reputation as a Wit in favor OF
Hollywood. Miner Is a seasoned play
wright, having written such PLAYS as
The Deep Purple" and THE Crev-
hound in collaboration with the late
Paul Armstrong. Until the Florida.
boom subsided he and his brother we're
among the leading real estate operators
in that State.
Another we'll known writer is velya
Darling. feminine humorist. She Is
the authoress Of Hey Hey, Henri
etta!" a nationally syndicated comedy
feature which Fox Films will turn TO
picture use.
The group also is being augmented
by Charles Francis Coe. author Of Ne
Gangster" and The River Pirate" who
recently left New York 10 assist in the
screen translation OF these stories. and
Berthold Viertel, noted German author
and playwright.
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Spirit of "The Crowd"

At Pittsburgh, Pa, he used thousands
of employees of the worlds greatest steel
mills. and at Rochester, N. Y, he work.
ed against background of the great
Kodak factory and the Eastman labora-
tories.
Coney Island furnished its great
crowds OF merrymakers and Niagara
Falls was used as location where he
filmed the honeymoon sequence, much
Of 1t against the scenic backgrounds of
the falls that have been visited by
countless honeymooners for more than a
century.
At the great automobile factories OF
Detroit quotas of human beings con-
tributed. unconsciously, to impress upon
the screen audiences the futility Of one
mans puny struggles against the world
The Crowd" is King Vidor's first all
American story since "The Big Parade, +"
and was written by himself. Some have
said 1t is the greatest human interest
tale ever screened
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Never Loses His Head.

IlEhRY Kihd. director ~ Norma
= Tsinsdass rev United Artists fsa-
fgfe. The Woman Disputed" = mild.
snannsree. well gfoonaed man, never be-
comes hilStefs6 during the direction oi
esan It4e biggest and most eNaetiDg
scenes. and he never permits any one
else ~ get "temDegsmentsi"
A. business man S. we'll 81 an artist
King has won ti9e respect ~ the ua0tlon
FyAefI are INDUSTRY from the biggest Stars
ard producers down ~ the ngHDissi
extras ard property boys by his pne
falling courtesy sne csimEsss 81 eli
times,
Among the outstanding pictures W
elaie direftnFE credit are Lillian G1sh .
UYrs white SISTER filmed IN ItAly
wsehsra EsrthelmssE slVsys rsInemeeree
&c. f!s Dan6 ACC ktslAa DallaE."
Evening star., 1928-04-08
Moving Picture Album
BY ROBERT E. SHERWOOD.

/ loose with his songs and his wise cracks.
| AL JolSon knows what To sing and what
| 10 say. But the supply of Al Jolsons
| is limited.
! When, as in "Tcnderloin," Dolores
| Costello and Conrad Nagel are merci-
! leSSly exposed In a stretch of dialogue
prepared by a subtitle writer, the re-
suits are not so happy.
The main problem Of the talking
movie is not a mechanical one. but an
artistic one. The burning question at
present is not. How are the pictures to
! learn to talk?" They have learned that
already, 1t is, What are they going
, TO Say?"
Years and years and wears will have
passed before that question has been
adequately answered.
Warner Brothers seem To have taken
the lead in the production of talking
movies. They have announced that all
their releases from now on will make
use of the Nitaphone, as 1t was used IN
The Jazz Singer" and "Tenderloin.' y
| The Fox Film Corporation is the only
other big company that has indicated
an intention 10 mix conversation with
its screen dramas.
If the MeSSrS. Warner and Mr.. Fox
propose to 60 at this thing seriously,
they will have to import TO Hollywood a
number of writer's who know how to
write dialogue.
There is a vast difference between
the printed and the spoken word. This
fact is known to any novelist who has
ever tried TO write a play. Stilted or
ultra -fiowery speech may appear to dis
tinct advantage in novel, as in the
works of Theodore Dresser. for instance,
or of Joseph HergeShelmer. When such
speech is spoken out loud on the stage,
it becomes unnatural and absurd.
The same rule applies, but with much
more vehemence, to the subtitles in
moving pictures. The boys and girls
haven't the faintest idea of how normal
people normally talk
Assuming that the aforementioned
boys and girls are thrown out of their
lucrative Jobs, and experienced play
wrightS put III their place. the problem
is still unsettled. For the playwrightS
will have to accuStom themselves 10 the
new and utterly alien medium of ex-
preston: and that will be the most
difficult process OF all.
A play can be rehearSed for four
weeks and then thrust before the pub
lie. Within that rehearsal period, the
playwright usually does a certain
amount of cutting and rewriting tun-
less he happens to be a George Bernard
Shaw,
In the production of q talking movie,
the four weeks would be extended 10
four months or more of incessant and
frightfully complicated work At the
end of that time. the author would have
become so befuddled as to have for
gotten what it was he was driving at
when he first started TO write his story.
II took 20 years from the inven-
ton OF the movie camera and proiec-
tion machine for the photoplay TO
achieve an appreciable degree of merit.
I doubt that the development of the
talking movie will be as slow as that.
But it won't be accomplished until the
movie makers have mastered the art of
dramaturgy, and until the dramatists
have mastered the art of making NOV
ing pictures. You can figure out for
yourself how long that viii be.
tConvriEht, 1aeSA
Evening star., 1928-04-08

%HE future Of the talking movie i
a fayorite topic Of conversation
these days. 1t is freely dis
III cuSSed, pro and con, by all whc
are identified in any remote way
with the great and glorious MIN m
duStrv. 1t is discussed also by the
minionS of the spoken drama factors
playwrightS and producerS~-and in the
attitude OF these worthless Is detachable
q certain note Of nervous apprehension
Actors and actresses who don't screer
well are beginning 20 wonder where
their means Of livelihood is to come
from few years hence, when the stage
has been entirely or largely cclipseo
by the screen,
Plsyvrishts who have hitherto di-
vtaed their time between New York
London. Paris, Budapest and the Cote
DAxur arc now contemplating the hor-
rid possibility Of enslavement in south
eTn California. They who have been
gentlemen of leisure are afraid that
they will be converted into mere mill
hands in the Hollywood celluloid fac
tories
Theatrical managers are beginning
Go wonder what 10 do with their the
aterS, which are far too small, far too
unpretentiouS TO be available for the
expansive demands of the movies, Al
res6y this particular situation has be-
come acute in New York. where many
theaterS are dark and cherries. be-
cause there is an insufficient number
Of theater eoers 70 keep them open.
Five years ago the supply of the
aterS was painfully inadequate. To-
0sy the supply is at least twice as
large as the demand. Five years hence
We shall see that a goodly proportion
cg the Broadway playhouses have been
converted into garages, or have been
torn down 10 make room for more
useful and profitable structures.
All this talk about the decline OF the
drama and much Of II, l might add, Is
the shcereSt nonSenSel is inspired oN
the success that the Warner Brothers
have achieved with their picture, The
Jsxg Singer" in which Al Jolson acts,
speaks and sings.
The Jazz Singer" has been an eye
opener as well as an ear-opener. It has
proved that the Vitaphone is . force
OF ineStimable potentalities IN the
world Of entertainment.
The Warmers subsequent talking
movie, "Tenderloin." has been consid-
erahly less impressive In fact, some
of It's attempts at spoken dialogue are
lu6icrouSly ineffective. But this is due
10 the quality of the dramatic material
in "Tenderloin" rather than 10 any de-
fects or insuflcieneies in the mechanical
apparatus.
Any one who has seen The Jazz
Singer" or the shorter subjects recorded
on the Vitapfone and Movietone knows
that these contrivanceS are rapidly ap-
preaching perfection. Many Of the best
minds in the General Electric Co, the
Bell Telephone Co, the Radio Corpora
ton Of America. the Victor Talking Ma
chine Co. and other imposing organiza-
tious are concentrating on the talking
movie and devising new improvements
n IL
The Gay is imminent when ii viii be
possible TO make a feature picture in
which every word and every sound are
HawieSsly recorded.
Granted, however, that mechanical
perfection viii soon be approXimated.
what assurance have We that talking
films viii be worth listening 10?
Il is al very vel 10 turn Al Jolson
Evening star., 1928-04-08
In a Talkie Studio.
THE atalkies" are becoming the vog,l

THE "talkies" are becoming the vogue
nov And movie fans are in for
something new Ia the way OF news
about their fayorlte players.
For instance. there are many and
varied reasons for retakes In a movie
studio, and I5T more excuses for re-
peats In a "talkie" studio where both
SOUND and picture are being registered
upon film.
Movies are still being made In dear
old New York City, and this incident
transpireo at William Fox's movietone
studios, where James A. Fitzpatrick was
directing a scene for In Music
Shoppe" story about Stephen Foster,
synchrenlzed with his music.
Little Joe Donohue. playing news
BOY, was called upon 10 enter the shop
and say 10 Consueio Fi0werton:
Hello. Bsttyl Here's the latest
newe"
After several reheareals. Fitzpatrick
called for silence. the camsranan
pressed MS switch, the soundman twist
ed his dials and the scene started
Hello. JeSsiel" shouted littis Joe,
eager 70 register his words in the
"taikie
cut" called Fitzpatrick. wen DO
Il over What mads you say Jeasis
instead u Betty. Joe7"
AN, she's the girl trisnd" piped the
lad.
Q