davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27
The Political Contents OF Our SHOP Papers

House Worker, April and May, Steel
Worker II-6), Liebknecht Memorial
(Ford Worker II-15), Ruthenberg
Memorial (Ford Worker, March
1929, Russian Anniversary HAT
tie Carnegie, October, 1928, Head
light, No. ~
The only paper to write anything
at all on Ruthenberg is the Mascot,
District 2, IL. 1t uses the occasion
to explain what the Party stands
for by explaining what Ruthenberg
stood for. There is need to estab-
fish our leaders as traditions in our
own working class. 1t is not done
nearly enough in our Party.
en- Agitation for Soviet Russia.
Some papers did not even men,
tiors the Russian Anniversary to the
extent of printing notices of meet
ings. The Harvester Worker, Dis
trict 8, giving an excellent article
on the anniversary, lilo, failed to
link up Soviet Russia with shop
articles, although, for instance, there
was campaign on in the shop at
the time for vacations with pay.
Many times the comrades are
anxious enough to talk about the
U. S. S. R., but references are made
without explanations of the kind of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27
White ChQMuiniswl IN California

white chauvinist. This time he was
more diplomatic, but nevertheless
Unchanged, only he used different
tactics.
In District Thirteen, the most no
ticeable evidence of white chauvin-
ism is the absence of a single Negro
comrade on the District Executive
Committee despite the fact that in
the district there were two Negro
comrades who had been identified
with the radical movement for sew
eral years-one of them an old
Party member. Comrades Davidson
and John Owens were both living in
important Negro centers and use
could be made of their experience
and training. Comrade Owens in par
ticular was then living within ninety
miles of Los Angeles, where more
than seventy-five thousand Negroes
raside-the largest Negro group west
of Chicago. This comrade was al
lowed to rot, SO to speak, while vari-
Gus white comrades were trying to
organize Negroes into the Party,
which because of the wrong attitude
Of the District leadership was
nothing more than a waste of time
and effort.
During the political campaign last
summer, no use was made Of Com
rade Owens. Had the d. o. made use
of Owens as the Party speaker,
at the sessions of the National AS
ISOLATION for the Advancement of
Colored Peoples Convention, which
was held at Los Angeles on the 21st
of last June, there is every reason
to believe that the signatures for
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

District 7, January 10, did very well
in running items on Nicaragua, but
missed good opportunities to teach
the workers the nature of imperial
ism.
Articles on company profits too
seldom lead to the conclusion of the
necessity of the overthrow of the
capitalist system, of an economic
explanation of who produces profits
and how. The average worker
draws no conclusions of his own
simply by reading of his company's
profits. The Harvester Worker,
District s, is guilty of this neglect
in two issues, lilo and III-5-6. In
the Packard Worker, District 7, LIP,
the article on company profits leads
to trade union conclusions.
Workingclass Calendar and Shop.
Often we find that notices are
inserted into papers of mass meet
ings to be held, but the occasion
which gives rise to the meeting is
not deemed important enough for
the insertion of an article into the
paper on the subject in question.
This has occurred in connection with
Lenin Memorial Meetings dodge
Worker II-6), May Day North
western Shop News ~, Packing
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

The incidents mentioned in this
article are all directly chargeable
to the former D. o. of California,
although the outrageous attitude
and actions of Levin could not exist
without whole group of supporters.
Numerous other instances of white
chauvinism of lesser nature could
be charged to the D. o. and the case
cited, could be expanded several
times without leaving out single
fact. From the standpoint of the
Opposition groups Interpretation of
white chauvinism everything is run
ming smoothly in California, but
from the standpoint of the Negro
work in California, the actions of
the former D. o. have been contrary
to Communistic principles. FROM
what has been enumerated it is clear
ly evident that the D. o., in his ac-
tions with regard to work among
Negroes and of the immediate prob
lens that arose at the time, DELHI
erately acted according to his own
personal desires and not according
to the expressed policies of the
Workers (Communist) Party.
Comrade Levin deliberately tried
to discourage any signs Of aggres-
siveness on the part of the Negro
comrades of the district who wished
to offer suggestions regarding work
among Negroes. Every suggestion
that was made by the Negro COM
rades was ignored by the D. o.
Anything that would in any wise
bring the Negro comrades to the
front was shelved and he failed to
make use of every opportunity to
do effective work in California,
among the hundred or more thou
sand Negroes of the state, by Ne
gro comrades.
1t is clearly evident that he feared
that if too many intelligent Negroes
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

getting on the ballot would have
been much larger than was actually
obtained.
This matter was called to the at
tention of a D. E. c. member who
in turn transmitted it to the Dis
trict Organizer. Nothing came of it.
The seven thousand Negro delegates
to the convention, and most of them
were residents of the state, returned
to their homes without knowing of
the existence of the Workers (Com-
munist) Party or of the difficulties
under which the Party had to work
in order to be placed on the ballot.
They voted in the primary election
and were thus disqualified to sign
Cur petition. Comrade Owens would
have carried the day had he attend
ed the convention, because the Ne
groes were not very cordial to the
various capitalist representatives
who were proferring patronage.
At the Party Convention last Au-
gust, the Negro comrades were
made much of and were patronized
and that was all. No Negro COM
rade was placed on the Political Com
mittee to advise on Negro work.
However, the various comrades who
were on the special committee gave
the Negro comrades all kinds of or
ders about getting out and bringing
Negroes in, ETC., it was plainly in
timated that they were to go and do
what they were told to do and not
ask questions. No effort was made
on the part of the District Organ
izer to prepare anything special for
the Negro voters Of the California
district, although the necessity for
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

were brought into the Party, he and
his group of white chauvinists would
be exposed. He and his group in the
camp of the Opposition, either by
tacit agreement or a general under
standing, acted in such a manner on
suggestions by Negro comrades as
to so discourage the Negro com
rades so that they would either re-
main silent or finally drop out of
the Party. He wanted few Ne
groes in the Party for show pur-
poses, that is, the "Uncle Tom" type
who, on occasions when members
from headquarters happened around,
could be exhibited as evidence of
Negro work.
The former D. O., on various oc-
casions, pretended to be the pro-
tector of the non-white comrades
where open white chauvinism cropped
out in open meetings, but in spite
of this pretense of protection, his
inner feeling Of white chauvinism
asserts himself. That white chau-
vinism is rampant in District Thir-
teen, there can be no question. Also,
there cannot be any doubt as to the
open manifestation of white chau-
vinism throughout the district in the
Opposition group.
The former District Organizer,
Levin, was aware Of this condition
and failed to stamp out this cpl
denic, which will certainly continue
to demoralize the entire activities
of the Party unless drastic action
is taken to destroy every sign.
1t is also evident that the rank
and file of the district has become
infected with this virus of white
chauvinism, and in the following ar
ticle, we will tell of some of the
open exhibitions of white chauvin-
ism by various members of the pres
ent Opposition in the district.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

celebration, an outline of a leaflet
was prepared by a Negro comrade
for distribution in the Negro dis
trict of San Francisco and Oakland.
The outline was submitted to the
D. 0. and as usual, ignored. On the
following day, bundle of leaflets
were sent over in Oakland to Ne
gro comrade for distribution. Not
single suggestion which was made
by the Negro comrade wss used nor
was there any explanation made.
Although this particular Negro COM
rade had been reserve army Of
ficer and was thoroughly familiar
with the facts which he presented to
the d. O.
Upon his return home from the
Farty convention, Comrade Owens
was faced with a situation which
made his continued residence in the
Palo Verde Valley no longer neces-
sary. During his absence, the water
had been turned off his cotton, which
oOOll uIlCu ups INC IdSlS ISS dIQliiS
his conditions and position were COM
municated to the D. o. and sugges-
tons made that effort be made to
get Comrade Owens and his family
in another place where he could be
of more service to the Party. A
series of evasions and apologies
began and continued until the first
of February before Comrade Owens
was finally enabled by the assist
ance of another comrade to get out
of the valley. Absolutely no use was
made of Comrade Owens duriyg the
entire period of the election cam
paign nor the period thereafter. An
other evidence of white chauvinism
on the part of the D. o.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27
By A. BUSCH.
Article 2.

t general membership meeting
the Loa Angeles Sub-District,
nrade Emanuel Levin, former
trict Organizer of District Thir-
4, made a direct charge against
&c Negro comrades of the district
they were guilty of "black chau-
ISM" A more stupid statement
Id not have been made by Cole
ase or Vardaman on the floor of
United States senate or in any
ton of the Nordic south. Even
)erson wholly unacquaintcd with
nmunism would not dare express
mselves in such a manner, rnuch
an official representative OF the
rkers (Communist) Party.
1t the sessions of the Sixth World
lgress of the Communist Inter
ional, at Moscow last year, the
m white chauvinism'' was adopt
by various delegates to express,
one phrase, the various forms Of
e prejudice that exist in the
nmunist Party of America. And
many such phrases of foreign
gin, it was seized upon and used
bout an understanding of its real
MITIGATION. But it remained for
trict Thirteen to place its own
expectation upon the use and ap-
cation of the term.
n District Thirteen, white chau-
ism has developed to an amazing
ent. But the mere mention of the
m to the more active disciples of
recent District Organizer, Eman-
Levin, had the same effect that
rag would have upon an en-
red bull in an arena. Like the
ing class southerner who is guilty
mistreating the Negro, the expon-
is of white chauvinism resent the
,rge and, when pressed too closely,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

struggle, only shop conditions and
organization.
The papers giving well-balanced
explanations of their existence are
many and cannot be specially men
toned.
The official demands OF the
paper, enumerated and repeated in
each issue, also reflect the tendency
to orientate TOO exclusively on shop
demands. This is alright in cases
where it is specially mentioned that
they are "shop demands" as in the
Wright Propeller District q and
the Mascot District q, but, where
this is not done, it gives an impress
sion to the workers that immediate
demands is all we are concerned
with. Some OF them Headlight,
District 49, include the labor party,
as a demand, but no revolutionary
demand whatever. Those which
cover all demands are the Workers
Blade District y and the Soss
Worker District q. In some the
economic demands are very def
cient. In the Ford Worker ca, for
example, Ills, includes no demand
on the speed-up, no union recogni-
ton, no wage scale and no insistence
en- the enforcement of their nominal
eight-hour day. At least Is papers
carry no demands whatever as a
regular feature of the paper.
The third of the series of ar
ticles on shop papers will con-
tinue the subject of the Political
Content. dealing with errors in
the election campaign, labor
party, anti-war campaign, etc,
and pointing out the need for
more careful supervision by the
districts of the political line of
their papers.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

even though the paper pays lip serv-
ice by issuing in the name of the
Party, probably under compulsion in
many cases. There is a tendency to
ignore the ultimate aims of the Par
ty and the class struggle, and push
ing to the fore only the immediate
shop demands.
Wheeling Corrugating Toiler dis
trict 81 in explaining the Communist
shop group, says: "Our immediate
aim is to organize a mill committee,
our ultimate aim is fighting ma
tional steel workers union which will
organize all steel workers in the
country" Not a political or class
struggle word in the entire article.
The Haddock Miners Light dis
trict 81 gives as the only purpose
of the paper to better working con-
ditions and fight the takers in the
Miners Union. The fact that this
paper was born in the course of the
struggle in the old union may ex-
plain this overemphasis, but this
must be remedied in future.
Some papers simply ignore the
question altogether, failing to ex-
plain who is issuing the paper
Kilby Worker District g., Harves-
ter, Milwaukee District 81, puts
out its first issue under the "Shop
Committee" and the second under
the Communist Nucleus" with no
explanation of either one or the
other. The Sparrows Point Work
err District 81, explains that the
paper is issued by "a group of steel
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

special information was called to his
attention. An outline for a leaflet
was drawn up by a Negro comrade
and submitted to member of the
District Executive Committee who
asked that he be allowed to submit
same to the District Organizer who
was absent. Upon the return of the
D. o. it was turned over to him and
after lying in the office, the D. o.
made the claim that he did not have
the necessary office assistants to get
the leaflet out and the matter ended
there.
No matter of any kind was pre-
pared for distribution among Ne
groes in the district. Yet, in the
face of this, there were many prob
lens of vital Importance to the Ne
groes of the state that should have
been exposed by the Party. Chief
among the problems is a law that
permits Negroes to own property in
white districts but forbids Negroes,
even if they are the owners, to live
on such property; the attempts at
racial segregation of Negro chill
den in the public schools in remote
sections of the state; and in Oak
land, an attempt to GUST a very COM
petent Negro teacher from the public
schools. The plan to re-zone the city
of Los Angeles so as to break up
the growing potential political pow
er of Negroes. These were only some
of the problems that face the Ne
groes of California, and yet, the
D. o. failed to make use of the
Party organization to expose these
conditions.
| At the time of the armistice day
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

they say that 'the Negro comrades
are new in the Party and must be
held in linc." Or, like the southener
would say, they must be "kept in
their places"
Those who have lived in sections
OF the United States where race
prejudice is especially strong, know
all too well that prejudice can be
expressed in a thousand different
ways OH the surface, but beneath the
surface, matters can be very bad
indeed. So with white chauvinism,
the surface may appear calm out in
District Thirteen, but beneath the
surface, conditions are rotten to the
core.
The greatest expression of white
chauvinism i'll District Thirteen has
its source from the top-from the
former District Organizer, Comrade
Levin, who perhaps stands out as
the greatest active propaganda of
white chauvinism in the entire dis
trict. However, he is not the only
Party member who has openly shown
his colo-s as a white chauviniss in
the district. Comrades dickson,
Manus and Pilgrim of San Francisco
and Nat Prayer of Los Angeles are
some of the outstanding white chau-
vinists in the ranks of the Opposi-
ton.
Beginning with Comrade Levin:
when | first met him several years
ago, he suggested that l get 3 group
of Negroes together and bring them
into the old socialist party. These
Negroes would meet at a separate
meeting hall, according to Levin.
Of course | would have nothing to
do with the reactionary anti-revolu-
tionary, Jim-Crow proposal, and
nothing came of the matter. Ny
next meeting was several years
later, and found him the same
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

only to the Negro for class solidar-
ity in asking him not to scab, and
makes no appeal to the whites on
their attitude toward the Negro.
The Sparrows Point Worker, Dis
trict 3, gives an article on segrega-
ton and super-exploitation of Negro
workers, with the proper slogans
and demands.
When a worker is fired for union
activity and alleged participation
in the shop bulletin, the Northwest
ern Shop News, District 8, inserts
an inconspicuous item with no poll
tical conclusion and no concrete
demand that the trade union step
in, whereas the Ford Worker, Dis
trict 9, and the Hattie Carnegie
Worker, District 2, get out special
bulletin on similar occasion.
Some papers use terms way above
the heads of the average workers
and the language used and the poll
teal analyses are often too involved.
The Harvester Worker, Chicago
District 81 is especially guilty. For
example, in issue III-10, the phrase
"the workers are robbed at the point
of production" is casually used with
out further explanation.
The Packing House Worker dis
trict 10Y has a novel solution for
fighting the Kansas City fare steal
Organization.
The Party Face.
In the articles on who is issuing
the paper, we find strong tenden-
cy to conceal the face of the Party,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

, ton at meeting, $3.50 -. Il
Sent in by A. Lehto, Nor
wood, Mass.-A. Lehto, 81;
A. Ahler, 81; U. Santa, Soc;
A. Lamininen, 25c; Hannule,
25c; Heinsa, $25c; J. Cha
porti, $25; F. Juchala, Soc;
w. Perki, Soc; M. Kaski,
Soc; A. Hurma, Soc; N. vi
jak, SOC; J. Weik, soc; J.
Korhonen, soc; J. Naihela,
50c; J. Lonko, Soc; w. Rim
tala, Soc; F. Anderson, Soc;
A. Saarela, Soc; H. Ruat-
sala, 25c; E. Sarita, 50c; J.
Jlekela, 10c; N. Ghomso,
Csc; I. Sulonen, rs; M.
Heino, 10; L. Lindpass, %;
A. Pellompas, Csc; L. Wuk,
25c; M. Sulonen Csc; Arnio
25c; E. Newman 25c; F.
Lehto, 25c; Kahita, Csc;
Solomon, 25c; S. Maxi, 25c;
E. Aho, 25c; ]. Maxi, 25c;
J. Salmi, 25c; J. Wahala,
Csc; Lehtonen, 25c; A. Hal
ner, Csc; o. Davidson, Csc;
K. SANTA, 25c. ........... II
L. E. c., Akron, Ohio $500. 1.
Collected at the home of Com
rade Blasser, Bronx, N. Y.
at a farewell party ....... II
American Lithuanian Work
ers Literary Association, Br.
IA, Minersville, Pa. ....... II
Collected by John L. Koracs,
| Garfield, N. John Chud-
zy, Soc; N. ~, 25c; D. Elut-
chik, Csc; J. Lapotyk, SOC;
S. 10th, 10c; A. Krehich,
15c; S. Rupert, 10; T. Kish,
SOC; J. Sostec, 25c; Wright
Aero, Employees, $1.3O; J.
l.. Koracs, 5Oc; 5. Sesetar,
Csc; J. Szabados, 81; 7.
Kolinger, Csc; N. N, &c; T.
Weglowski, Zoe; P. Kopala,
Csc; J. Kaladen, 25c; j.
Haider, Soc; N. N, 10c...
Collected by H. Timonen, H.
waco, WASN'T. Timonen,
81; N. Lakkado, 25c; L.
Greenwich, &c; S. Rennell,
zoe; G. Suomela, 10c; T. D.
Yhdistys, 81; W. Tampa,
35c; M. Falme, 25c; J. Flo,
25c; Ladies Section, 81; C.
Mikula, Csc; H. Pitkanen,
Csc; M. Setback, 40c; II.
Simit, Csc; A. Heitala, CSC;
Mrs. A. Surn, Soc. ........
Sent in by Frank Butorac,
Tillamook, Oregon: T. But
orac, P. Delich, T. Prasce-
. vich J: PsRQff. I. Nechoff.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

John Mix, Nick Damjanov,
Mike Miller, D. Maneff, A.
Tafferi, M. w. Neateas, M.
Pallari, E. Dirjka ..........
Collected at Workers School
Forum, New York City -.
Be, ST, New York City 80.
Collected by j. Toplensky,
Brooklyn, N. Y: E. Sojoke,
81; Mrs. ]. Kulky, So; L.
Kaufer, So; D. Brady, 81 :.
Sent in by E. Miller, Toledo,
Collected at a party given by
girls of the Moon Hat Co.,
New York City ............
Anton Bittner, Chicago, Ill. =.
M. Auerbach, Roxbury, Mass.
Collected by a comrade, Gin
cinnati, Ohio: Sympathizer,
Soc; 7. Sorpas, 81; A Friend,
Soc; Ada Dacey, 81; R.
Toran, 81
John Halabrino, Akron, Ohio.
Collected by P. B. Cowdery,
Oakland, Calf. ............
Collected by B. Gross, Bronx,
N. Y: P. Widder, Csc; ].
Kolin, 25c; M. Widder, 25c;
S. Egri, 25c; A. Eysinney,
25c; M. Denychlexi, ST.; A.
Bruss, Soc; c. Talert, 25c; A.
Kiss, Soc ..................
Collected by Geo. Bloxam,
Spokane, WASH: E. Pelether,
SOC; J. West, Soc; L. Phlippi,
25c; A Friend, zoe; G. w,
Parish, 81 -. 49,.
Collected by Street Nucleus
10, Detroit, Mich: S. Quar-,
81; S. Dulozky, 81; A. Siler,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

The first article of this series,
Iblished in the ''Daily" the day
efore yesterday, gave sum-
AIRY of the number of shop pap
s since the last convention, the
dustries they are in, and dis
uses colonization, organizational
suits, and departmental coordi-'
alton,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-02-27

ST. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 800
Collected by M. Haarala, PEN
acook, N. H.: C. Nivala,
SOC; o. Broman, Soc; o.
Dixon, Csc; A. Lehto, Soc;
M. Saari, Soc; F. Nuniaras,
Soc; Anon, 15c ........... BOO
c. J. Brown, Louisville, KY. zoo
Collected by Clara Fisher,
Chicago, ILL.,: Clara Fisher,
81; L. Singer, Csc; B. Fisher,
Soc; J. Malarsky, 25c; M.
Corngold, 25c; J. Cooper, 25c 2.5(
Sent in by E. Panasiuk, Wat
ervliet, N. Y: D. Wujcik,
Soc; M. Halajko, 50c; M.
Lilinski, 81; M. Apostol, 25c;
P. Katanko, ST.; R. Opalko,
25c; A. Spiak, Soc; A. Law
oski, SOC; E. Panasiuk, 50c.. 5.0(
Collected by Workmen's Circle
375, New York City: S. S.,
25c; I. Schatzkamen, 25c; S.
Spector, 25c; H. Spusisen,
25c; S. Finkenberg, 25c; M.
E., 25c; D. G., 25c ......... 2.0t
Mr.. F. Helmreich, San Fran
cisco, Calf. ......... 2.0'
Collected in cell of arrested
dressmakers strikers, City :. FL
D. Prus, Fondu Loc., Wise. 10
A. Dodek, Grand Rapid, Mich. 10
H. Penozich, Milwaukee, Wise. 10
Sophia Kimmelfield, City -. 10
C. R. Bartela, Chicago, Ill.,. 10
E. Elliott, Detroit, Mich. 80. 10
E. Fraiman, New York City,. 10
R. Railing, Phoenix, Ariz. 80. 10
w. H. Whessy, Phoenix, Ariz. To-
I. Hanlin, Phoenix, Ariz. -. IS
O'Brien, Phoenix, Ariz. $50. s.