The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-02-09
Unemployment as Capitalist Political Football

Breadnes in New York City reached such proportions
that they longer confined the Bowe and the lower
East Side Even the parasites of Park Avenue and Riverside
Drive who live off the wealth the unemployed have helped
produce have been forced to recognize it. Those branches of the
capitalist political machines phlanthropc societies have
begun heir work trying turn the misery and poverty of
millions of workers and their families into political football
Governor Al Smith, Tammany Hall boss and of the Wall
Street favores the for presidential Nominations Is trying
capitalize the widespread unemployment and has issued state
ment outlining his alleged policy which as far as the
concerned no policy but only dirty gesture IN oena OF
his political ambitions Basng his statement figures pre-
sened by conference unemployment attended by representa-
yes New York social service agencies and called by the
Welfare Council of this city, Smith requests the state industrial
commissioner make of the situation and determine
whether he state of York. with its public works
any other way do something toward relief for
this situation
The history investigations that they become
which certain politicians and their
parties AS far the working class concerned nothing what
will be by Smith relieve their suffering The present
program of Smith threefod political purpose Q) It
enables pose the friend labor deeply concerned about
the unemployed ~ He calls attention to his public works
which in Tammany fashion not designed to benefit
the inhabitants the state but IS schee TO enrich sun 1uref
the dealers material for such work 81 1t aids
the democratic machine its attacks against the republican u
sion of Coolidge prosperity.
important the workers connection with the
Smith attempt make political capital of their agony that
the agencies of capitalism have been forced to admit that there
the ruling admits that the unemployed number four million
it is safe bet that it far exceeds that number.
should fooled by the Smith eques.to his
survey the unemployment situation
Even attempt made to utilize workers for public works
programs only small portion of the hundreds of thousands
York state alone could be herded like cattle into miserable
dlprovised barracks to carry such work
The only effective program for the unemployed situation
tie demand that these millions of workers receive full union
curing their period of unemployment that the industries that
have piled billions because of the exploitation of the American
workers be taxed sufficiently the unemployed
insurance.
Workers everywhere should drive in their organiza
TONS trade unions fraernal societies. etc. to demand nothing
less than for the unemployed Undoubtedly the Tammany
labor takers of New York city and WILL always the
aid the Smith forces in their attempt to turn the misery of
the workers into political profit Such enemies of labor be
asad and unmaskd by the rank and file of the workers the
unions and the demand raised for the workers break with the
old parties of capitalism republican and democratic alike
raise the banner class party of labor that will fight for
labor for relief of the unemployed workers and the
time demands relief of the impoverished
who vegetate tenant and morgaged land the grain
trust the railroads. the harvester trust and the bankers
Let not the industrial depression of 1928 be used aid
enemies of labor but to create powerful class political
of labor which alone will have that will the prob
lens arising out of present conditions.