The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-08-29
By FRANK HENDERSON

The National Trade Unity Conven-
ton to be held in the city of Cleve-
land August 31-September q is of
great Importance to the working
youth of Ohio because it will launch
fighting progrom for the organ
lzation of the unorganized young
workers who are shaving under mis-
cradle conditions in the basic indus
tries of the state. To the young
workers in the basic industries-in-
dustries which can be turned over
night into factories producing de-
structive war Observation-Disclosures
which are highly rationalized-to
these young workers especially will
the program for organization be
welcome.
Heavy Work in Steel.
In the steel mills of Youngstown,
Warren, and Canton the young
workers are found doing the heavy
and dangerous work of adults for
much lower wages. In the coal fields
of East Ohio, through the betrayal
OF the Lewis clique of the A. F. of
L., the bosses have smashed the old
miners union and forced the young
miners into open shop conditions of
low wages, long hours, and slavery
under unhealthy conditions, doing
dangerous underground work. With
the check weighman gone, wholesale
robbery through short weight is
source of great profit to the oper-
ators. Many of the young miners
have tried to escape the hell-holes
of coal mining only to find the fires
of exploitation much more fierce in
the other industries. The rubber
mills of Akron have become the
colleges" of the youth of Ohio.
The Goodyear, Goodrich, and Fire
stone rubber mills yearly vomit
hundreds of young workers who
have become prematurely "old" in
rubber mills which they entered only
a short time ago-the vitality of
youth burned out by the production
must come out" slogan ofs the rub
Der kings. In the metal, auto, tex
tile and other industries of Cleve-
land the working youth are found
shaving under indescribable condi-
lions.
Fight Docility Poison.
Although the young workers are
filled to the brink with "docility"
pumped into them from the time
they enter the schools and when
they are forced out by poverty they
are again caught in the web of the
bosses through a network of radios,
movies, press, and literature--re-
CARELESS Of this the young workers,
through bitter experience, see the
value of organization and have
played an important role in many
struggles. On a national scale one
has but to point to the coal, textile,
and needle trades strikes to find the
youth in the forefront of many
clashes between the workers and
the agents of the employers. The
heroic. fight of the young textile
workers of Gastonia is a splendid
example of the militancy of the
youth in their fight for the right
to organize.
Leading the Fight.
In Ohio, during the miners strike,
the youth played militant role
leading picket lines and fighting
against the combined attacks of the
coal barons and the Lewis thugs.
Today they are fighting for organ
ization of a militant miners union
the National Miners Union-to
replace the operators union of the
Lewis gang.
In the city of Cleveland the strike
of several hundred girls of the In
dustrial Rayon textile mills was be-
trayed by the A. F. of l.. who
through it's local officials persuaded
the workers to return to work and
wait for more favorable opportuni-
ties. At Akron the attempted or
ganization of the Goodyear rubber
workers several years ago was met
by combined attack of the Fire
stone, Goodrich and Goodyear who
through spies, lay-offs, and a $4,000
fund succeeded in smashing the or
ganization of the rubber workers.
Spontaneous walkouts, small strikes
in Cleveland shows intensive exploit
alton of the workers and fertile
field for organization in the basic
industries of the state. The young
workers under the leadership of the