The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-04-26


Jessie Knowes Seligman, member of
family whose wealth was gained
thru the slavery of thousands of
Southern workers.
The Harmony Banquet"
The disqualification Harmony
Dinner" given by the Metal Trades
Department of the navy yard, was
held in the afternoon. The Navy
Yard workers were intimidated into
putting up So apiece to attend it.
The object of the dinner as planned
by the A. F. of L. officials was to
promote "good-feeling between the
government and the Navy Yard
workers"
James O'Connell, president of the
A. F. of L. Metal Trades Depart
ment, acted as chairman and toast
master. 1t was O'Connell who led
the cry of the A. F. of L. mislead-
ers at their last convention in New
Orleans, in demand for a huge
navy.
Jingoists Praise Green.
William Green was thanked by
the naval officials and the labor
traitors named above. The first
speaker was the commandment of
the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Admiral
L. R. De Steiguer, who had nothing
but praise for William Green, who,
he said, had performed history
making act in putting the first rivet
in the Pensacola" High praise for
Green was indeed the keynote of all
the naval speakers at the "Har-
mony Banquet"
Secretary of the Navy Adams
having been unfortunately" called
away to Washington, the assembled
workers were next addressed by
Secretary of Labor Davis.
Davis Shouts For War Navy.
Following the usual bunk about
his having "been worker once him
SELF" Davis told the workers that
a huge navy was to the advantage
Of all the workers, as sit gave work
to thousands of workers not only
in the Navy Yard here but also to
the workers in the mines and steel
mills" Davis expressed his confi-
dence that if the miners were given
to understand this, that they would
be enthusiastic over the building of
warships designed to blow workers
to smithereens. Indeed, he was in
favor of spreading this propaganda
to the miners and steel workers, he
said.
Davis had the highest praise for
the labor traitors Green and O'Con-
nell. He grew lyrical over the fact
that 'labor, in the person of Will
lam Green, has sponsored the Pensa-
cola" He revealed a bit of the past
history of the betrayal of the Ameri-
man workers by the A. F. of l..
officialdom, when he stated that at
a certain labor conference on labor
affairs (not stating which,, he had
told President Harding that he
would refuse to attend unless Sam
Gompers was there.
Green Inspired by Jingoes.
Then came William Green, stat
ing, "My heart is so overfilled on
this great occasion that I cannot
express my feelings and hopes, so
moved have l been by the addresses
of the previous speakers" (among
whom were admirals and notorious
foes of labor.
During his speech, in which he
expressed himself as proud of the
part he had played in the launching,
and thrilled, and called on the work
ers to "be loyal to the American
constitution and the existing Ameri-
can institutions" he was interrupted
by workers in the audience. More
expression of disgust by the Navy
Yard workers, most of whom were
still carrying in their pockets The
Daily Workers they had received in
the distribution, was cowed down
by a menacing array of armed
marines.
Green called for huge navy, and
asked, What would happen if we
had no police force? Robbery and
crimeW
Green Attack U.S.S.R.
Green did not omit the usual at
tack on the workers and peasants of
the Soviet Union, stating, Labor
does not accept the theory that it +
lower class, and will not permit
itself to be isolated by philosophy
born in the land of hate. By the
'land of hate" he meant the Soviet
Union, he explained.
Workers Face Lay-Off.
With the completion of the Pensa-
cola, hundreds Of workers of the
Brooklyn Navy Yard are slated to
be laid off, workers stated. Already
many workers in the foundry of the
Navy Yard have been given "30-day
furloughs" without pay. the usual
procedure in the Navy Yard before
a huge lay-off. Many drill-press
hands have also received the "fur-
loughs."
Demonstrate on May Day your