The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-26
United Front of Traitors in
Wilkes-Barre Election
By P. FRANKFELD.

IN the Dec. issue of the Anthracite Miner
official organ of tn United Mine Workers
of District Z; the results of the court contest
between the republican candidate Gerlach, and
the democratic socialist U. NV. A prohbtionist
candidate Harvey are dealt with. The "Anthra
cite Miner" announces in glazing headline the
fact that "Court Return Elects James Harvey"
as mayor of Wilkes Barre.
Says the "Anthracite Miner Throughout
the contest, while committed to the cause of
Mayor Harvey, the Anthracite Miner has
sought to evade personalities The "Anthra
cite Miner" then engages in answering the
charges of the supporters of Gerlach. One of
the republican papers of Hazelton, the "Tele-
gram" declared that "every hacker of Harvey
was an underworld denizen.' The United Mine
Workers of America officials then proceed to
defend themselves and the adherents of Har-
vey against the charge of being gamblers,
rum runners and plug uglies.'
The Anthracite Miner in turn questions
GerIach's supporters and record in polite
fashion
Undoubtedly, there are more than grains of
truth in the charges of both capitalist agencies.
But the basic point in this struggle is the
fact that each candidate represents another
group of operators interests in Wilkes-Barre
and the anthracite. One-the republican
party hackers of Gerlach-are openly for
smashing even the corrupt, company unionized
U.M.W.A. The other-backers of Harvey
are for collaborating and using the U .M.WA.
as its tool in reducing the conditions of the
hard-coal miners.
The open alignment of the U.M.W.A., of
the socialist party, with the capitalist demo-
cratic party is further sign of the fascination
of social-reformism. The U.MW.A. burocracy
helped to mobilize the miners to vote for Har-
vey, and the socialist party label helped to
give the decisive balance to Harvey's being
elected. The vote follows:
w. D. Gerlach, Rep. 4,309.
Harvey, Dem. ticket, 3,774; on pro ticket,
rs; on Soc. ticket, 448; on N. P. ticket, 16;
total for Harvey, 4,316.
By it's action, the socialist party endorses
the whole black reaction that has prevailed
in Wilkes-Barre for years under Mayor Har
vey. In Wilkes Barre street meetings are pro-
hibited. The Communist Party's activities have
been constantly interfered with in the past
Colnrade Jennie German was arrested in
Wilkes Barre and charged with sedition for
distributing leaflets. German, who came to
inquire about his wife, was also arrested and
charged with sediton. During the strike in
a textile mill last summer in Wilkes Barre,
Comrades Nicholson, and Zaldokas were ar
rested by the socialist M. w A democratic
prohibitionist candidates police of Wilkes
Barre.
And the reaction will become only stronger
in Wikes-Barre as thruout the entire anthra-
cite With the miners going into battle against
the operators, the Lewis-Boylan- Kennedy ma
chine, in Sept. of 1880 when the agreement
expires; the terror against the National Miners
Union, the Communist Party, the Young Com
munst League will become greatly intensified
Especially as the N.MU. succeeds in mobiliz-
ing the hard-coal miners for this great battle,
and as the Party succeeds in building itself
up, will the "pug-uglies" of the U.M.W.A as
we'll as the uniformed police Of "genossen Har-
vey" come into prominence.
This broad united front of the traitors in the
last election in Barre is no accident at
ALL 1t is logical development of the class
struggle under present conditions Here the