The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-04
By LENA ROSENBERG

By LENA ROSENBERG
I EHIGH VALLEY has quiet variety of city adj
ministrations, beginning with the vicious
terror stricken Bethlehem down to the socialist
Reading"
In Bethlehem the conditions Of the workers
are daily growing worse. Every day brings new
lay-offs, cuts in the rates and cuts in time Of
work, which means wage-cuts, since when a
worker is forced to go on two day week work
instead Of three it means that much less money.
While Schwab talks about the wonders of science
has done, there is developing settlement among
the Bethlehem Steel workers against new ma
chinery. just as at the beginning Of the machine
age in Europe the workers cursed and attempted
to destroy the machines that have thrown them
out of their homes and caused them starvation
and misery, so do the workers in Bethlehem talk
about machines being the cause of them losing
their homes, the cause of starvation for them
selves and their families. What the Bethlehem
steel workers must realize is, that not the ma
chimes are stealing their homes and bread but
Schwab and Grace through the ownership Of
those machines.
In an address to the American Iron and Steel
Institute Mr.. Schwab said that 6 months ago
he promised not to cut wages, and he didn't
nor does he have any intentions of cutting them
now. Only about a month ago among the many
operations on which rates were cut, there was
one operation for which they received $780, this
operation was cut to ST. This happened in Steel
Works Open Hearth No. 3. In letters from
workers to the Bethlehem Steel worker issued
by the Communist Party Shop Nucleus we are
told that on many operations, they can't even
make the day rate which is 43a cents an hour.
In the same address he states "The past IL
months are the first real test we have had OF
our new American prosperity-by which l mean
the basic factors underlying cur higher standards
Of living, including mass production and dis
tribution and high wages" emphasis mine L. R)
Does Mr.. Schwab mean the high wages of him
self and Mr. Grace? or does. he consider the 81
a week on which many Of his slaves are forced
to live, high wages?
In order to keep the Bethlehem workers from
learning the truth about the causes of their mis-
cradle conditions. the City Administration is en-
forcing reign of terror. When we applied for
permit to hold Communist Election meeting
in Bethlehem the mayor gave it to u.s. providing
Of course nothing is said against "our institu-
tons, etc." However, day or so before the
meeting a rumor issued from police head
quarters to the effect that the hall would be
raided. Thus while forced to keep up semb-
lance Of free speech the administration has man
aged to scare the workers away from the meet
! ing So
| In Allentown we have a so-caled liberal ad-
| ministration. This simply means that instead
| OF open terrorism like in the case of Bethlehem
they try other means of preventing the Commu-
mist Party from bringing the true facts to the
| workers. Such as the arrest and conviction OF
| the Communist speakers on September first on
| pretext of them not having formally applied
| for permit. However when permit was ap-
! piled for, they named about half dozen relief
societies. which never have any meetings on the
Square who presumably have standing permits
| for every evening in the week, and therefore the
Communists cannot get the Square On any
evening.
There are over 10000 workers unemployed
here. The largest factories, the International
Motor Co., and the Wire and Steel Mill work
their men only from one to three days week.
The silk mills are also mostly working part time
and those that work full time have cut the wages
to such degree that weavers who have been
making as high as $45 and $50 week, now work
| two weeks for from $25 to $35 for full time
| of from 46 to SO hours week. In the Arcadia
Knitting Mill women work for as low as ST a
week. In the dye house they work from in the
morning till at night often including Sundays
| They get all sorts Of deceases but they dare not
| leave for fear Of having to go without work. It
| 1t any wonder that this so called liberal admin
istration Of Allentown which is controlled by Mr.
] Trexler who makes the workers slave for Is cents