The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-11
Al Smiths Record Is Anti-Labor

compulsory arbitration schemes.
1--WE believe in the peaceful adjust
ment of industrial disputes by nego-
tiation, mediation and voluntary
arbitration" says the democratic
handbook. Yet this same handbook
also says, Intervention by the
president in disputes where labor is
so strong as to seriously inconveni-
ence the public, as in the past, is
necessary, but the president ought
to be just as ready to intervene in
nationally important industrial
dispute where labor is in a weak po-
sition." The last part of this state
ment is demagogy-the platform
and the record is for intervention
against the workers, in behalf of the
employers. In 1926, Smith came out
openly for compulsory arbitration in
the garment industry.
Commissions"
Smith has always been strong for
commissions to investigate, as a
solution of labor's problems. "Stay
at work until commission makes
decision" The commissions are al
ways anti-labor and always give
anti-labor decisions. In 1919, in the
milk drivers strike, Governor Smith
personally persuaded the drivers not
to strike, and in return, he gave
them commission. In 1922, the
workers in the Buffalo public utili-
ties threatenedto strike. Smith again
warded the strike off and gave them
commission. In 1922 the same
thing happened in the threatened
garment strike in New York City.
In 1924, Governor Smiths commits
sion on the Garment Industry had at
its head the manufacturer R. V. In
gersoll, as impartial chairman. The
commission rejected all the impor-
tant union demands and used in
fluence with the right wing to crush
the union struggle.
Smith and Tammany support the
present naturalization program of
the capitalists which causes unem-
ployment and misery for hundreds
of thousands of workers. Rascob is
head of company notorious for its
speed-up. Smith is simply making
football of the unemployment is
sue. He attacks the republicans on
this issue, but forgets to mention
that the democratic Wilson admins
tration did nothing to solve the un-
employment crisis in 1913.
Smiths remedy is "public works"
during periods of heavy unemploy-
ment. But we know that this policy
which may very slightly alleviate
the problem at a particular time,
does nothing to touch the root of the
problem or do away with the causes
of unemployment.
1t is interesting here to note the
legislative proposals of the demo-
cratic senator Wagner on the prob
lem of unemployment. He proposes
as solutions the same accurate sta
tistics", coordinated system of pub
lie unemployment offices, public
works-again nothing that even re-
motely or to the slightest degree
attempts to eliminate any of the inn
portant causes of unemployment.
Statistics Don't Give the Unem-
ployed Jobs.
When we remember the record of
Tammany in their treatment of the
terrible unemployment problem in
New York last winter, we know that
we can expect nothing from the
democrats on this score; that they
are not interested in this problem,
and, as firm believers in the capital
list system, can do nothing to remedy
it. The New York Council Of the
Unemployed was not even permitted
to appear and present it's program
before the unemployed hearings,
held in this city before the Tam
many Industrial Commissioner Ha-