The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-01-26
SPAR
from the
N E w S

WE are indebted to Mr.. Lever OF
Z" South Carolina, for contribution to
the political enlightenment of the
workers. Mr.. Lever, the workers will
recall, is the author of the notorious
Lever Fuel and Food Control Act, one
of the worst of anti-labor war meas
ures of the Wilson administration. 1t
was on the basis of the Lever act that
the injunction against the United
J Mine Workers was secured by Palmer
in 1919.
Mr.. Lever has come out with dec
laration for Al Smith. 1t is a political
gem. Mr.. Lever, formerly chairman
of the House Committee on Agricul-
ture, and now head of Joint Stock
Loan Bank in South Carolina, said of
Smith 81 am for him, too. He has
made the greatest governor New
York has ever had and he is man
of the people. He comes from the
people.
with all that, he is conservative
man, one that will appeal to the bust
ness elements of the country. He is
the one man in the democratic party
who has an appeal to the magma
lions of the American people,"
That's the secret of Mr.. Smiths
success. Mr.. Smith is big bourgeois
fist in small capitalist glove. That's
why the New Republic is for him.
That's why so many liberals are for
him. And that's why thousands of
good socialist" voters will vote for
Smith and Norman Thomas.
"EROM Puddler to Cabinet Officer"
runs heading in one of the Hearst
sheets in describing Secretary of La
Dor James j. Davis.
Hearst now stands convicted even
by the United States senate of being
a forgerer. The above heading is an
other forgery. The impression Mr..
Hearst would give out is three-fold.
One: Mr.. Davis became cabinet of
ficer because he was a puddler. Sec
ond: Ergo: the American puddler and
other workers can likewise become
cabinet officers. Third: From the
overalls to the presidency is still
short road in America.
ulti-millionaire Davis interview
shows why Hearst gave us this salu-
tation. Mr.. Davis says that the
American workers of today are better
off than the kings of yesterday.
Speaking of America, he says at
has baths, plumbing, fine furniture
and piano and photograph and radio,
the American owns car"
| We propose that Mr.. Green should
have the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor pass
a vote of thanks to Mr.. Davis for in
forming us that neither baths nor
plumbing nor the monograph nor the
radio and not even the automobile
were invented in King Johns day!
OF course, Mr.. Davis might have told
us that nine out of even ten 100 per
cent American farmers do not have
bath tubs in their homes. He might
also have told us that at least half
the American workers do not have
bath tubs in their homes.
But there is no limit to what Mr.
Davis might have told us or might
have not told US in view of what he
has said above. Such phrase-iug
cling, such ridiculous talk, such abys-
NAL ignorance camouflaged by out
bursts OF braggadacio won't get very
far with the intelligent worker. The
average intelligent working man
knows that the world has moved for
ward quite bit since King Johns
Gays despite the fact that Mr.. Davis
IS still a member of the United States
cabinet.
The standard of living of the work
ers OF any one country must be Judged
on the basis of the historical condi-
tons prevailing in a country at a
particular moment: that is. in reIa-
ton to the previously existing condi-
lions within this country. If we want
TO know whether the American work
ers are better off today than they
were 70 years ago, we should not talk
about King John, King David. Christ
| SoD VIC SHOulQ TALK ahOnf
the relative, the proportionate share
received by the workers of the wealth
they produce.
Inc American workers are the most
intensely exploited. Industry in Amer
lea is most efficient. The American
workers are most productive. In
America more commodities are pro-
duced than anywhere else in the world
Let Mr.. Davis prove that the real
income of the American workers tbe
share received by the American work.
ers OF his total produce, in comparison
with the development of industry ~
the United States, has gone up. Let
MN not call on the kings of vester-
day for help. He has plenty of kinds
industrial monarchs and financial
overlords on his side TODAY.
! Mr. Davis is muddler. He cannot