davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
BRIGGS BODY CO.
HIRES BACK A
FEW-WACES CUT
Put Fake Ad in Boss
Papers for 10000
(Bv q Worker Correspondent)

by a Worker Correspondent
DETROIT (by Nail. The fol-
lowing clipping was received from
capitalist newspaper headed,
Briggs Recalls 10000 Workmen":
Another big alluring advertise
ment in the paper which is mis-
leading. The body of the article
states that a couple of thousand
men will be hired, which they put
under the headline of 10000 men
wanted" Are there not enough men
here starving now?"
Since receiving this letter, fur
Their reports have come in. Not
more than 1000 men were actually
employed. Second, these workers
were greeted by wage cuts and new
speed-up methode.
Back-hangers were getting Ice
before the lay-off, now get lac.
lacking sides-four men used to
get Sc a job-now get 7c.
Top-reed-three men on job, used
to pay 81 per hundred, now pays
$3.50.
On many jobs the men were able
to make not more than 30c an hour.
Briggs makes no attempt to mask
his vicious exploitation of labor and
starts out the Christmas season with
a wage cnt of from 10 to 10iz per
cent. iE M 3gg 5e s.sse.s ,
Briggs workers are facing a year
of drastic wage cuts, more vicious
speeding up and worsening of condi-
tions. Workers nj the Briggs plants!
Now is the time to fight back! Or
ganize yous shop locals. Build the
Auto Workers Union.
Briggs Slave.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
McALESTER, WHERE 60
DIED IN DEATH MINE

5ance, and on being informed that
there was a small policy, they told
this expectant mother that she had
better make good, for this was all
that she would get.
7 AS soon as the Mexican. Consul re-
ceived the $4,000 that the govern
ment had sent to be distributed to
these victims, he also came, but all
he did, was to tell these victims.
not to talk to anyone. | did not see
for what reason he did not want
them to talk, unless he too was fig
uring on a share in the spoils. In
any case, he did not ask, if any
thing was needed. And in some
cases, there was not coal enough to
last "a hours. If it had not been
for the neighbors, some of these
children would have suffered from
cold.-W.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
THE MEN WHO SLAVE TO
ENRICH ROCKEFELLER

be in so long before you get that,
A man getting SO or 641a per hour
can't meet his bills and do it. Do
they really give you anything at
that. After you have been in a
year, you cannot afford to quit, for fl
you do, you get only 6 per cent. So,
therefore, they don't give you moth
ing, for they save by keeping you
on the job. They save on labor
turnover. And if you ask for a
raise, they can come Sack and say,
you don't need it, for you are saw
ing SO mucn. Also, after you are In
a year, you will take pretty near
anything, to keep from losing that
so per cent they give you.
These are just few of the con-
ditions in the plant, that you know
that exist there. Other plants are
Just as bad, in fact, Sinclair Is
worse.
But the only way out is through
organizing into real union. And
that Union is the Trade Union Unity
League, it's for the workers of all
races, founded in Cleveland, Ohio last
August 31st and September LIST and
Ina 1929. militant fighting union
that fights for higher pay, better
conditions, five day week, seven hour
day, and for the things that make
life worth living.-Oil Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
By a Worke, Correspondent

tDY w OTke1 C0TTeSpOHueHtJ
WHITING, Ind. (By MaiD. -
l started on the labor gang at SOC
per hour in the Standard. | had
worked in lots of shops and plants,
but that was the first job I ever had
where a small time foreman was on
your heels every minute of the day.
Also, he never said anything, he
was there just the same. Not rest
or anything, only just work.
Then at the end of two weeks |
was transferred to the paint gang.
| thought the labor boss was bad,
bue he could not hold candle to the
pushers on the paint gangs. The
company promises that seniority
counts, but at the end of four months
on the paint gang, was set back to
the labor gang, and two or three
fellows that know that had not
been there as long as l, were left
on the paint gang, altho there was
nothing the matter with my work
or the amount done, for the foreman
said so.
Now | have seen the same thing in
the pipe department and other de-
partments. The first two years were
not SO bad. But the last year, you
cannot do enough work. / have seen
men bawled out for stopping to get
drink when they were passing the
water bucket and for cleaning when
they got smes-ed up with paint from
the spray.
Also, when they were building the
5th row of stills, ! heard the Super
raise hell with the labor foreman
because five men were wheeling from
the concrete mixer. He only wanted
four to do it, said there were only
four loads going in, when there
were five, two of sand, two of rock
and two sacks of cement, which is
one wheel-barrow load. l heard our
labor foreman cuss hell out of a
man with one Of the big boys stand
ing alongside of him, and this is no.
supposed to be allowed there.
In the three years I was there, |
know Of four killed and severa. BADLY
injured So that shows that the
work there is dangerous. And that
the workers take big risk work
ing there for their so to ga nc per
hour, which most of them get. Al
though more pay would not do away
with the danger, but it is worth it
to work in an oil refinery. Suppose
a still blows up with a bunch of
men working around it. Or fire
like that at Al to IS receiving house
a short time ago, which cost two lives
and badly burned three others.
Yes, you can buy stock. You put
in so much. and the company puts
in half as much. But you have to
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
PH!LA. TRUCKERS
DEFY OFFICIALS
They Wouldn't Be Tied
By Phony Contract
(By a worker correspondent

tDY d WUIhSI CUIIGSpOnuSIltJ J.
PHILADELPHIA, ia. (By MaiI)
Have you ever heard of a Thomas
O'Brien, organizer of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Transfers
{ seIrs, etc.?
Fourteen. drivers were fired six
months ago by the Philadelphia
Daily News for being members of a
union. After few weeks a fishy
settlement was made by this J. O..
Brien, organizer, whereby only 6
out of the IA were returned to work
with the right to organize. These 6
militant drivers in one week back
in one week in the shop surprised all
by organizing all the drivers, and
even helpers 100 percent.
Three months later a wage-scale
agreement was drawn up by the
local and endorsed by the Interna-
tional. This agreement was pre-
sented to the Philadelphia Daily
News. The company refused to me-
gotiate on this new agreement,
claiming that former agreement
existed with j. O'Brien, organizer
of the international and was made
in the presence of the state and fed
eral conciliators and Frank Burch
of teh Central Labor Council.
Following is the former agree
ment: "That this local cannot ask
f a. increase in wages or changed
working conditions until such time
as II Philadelphia newspaper drivers
We're 100 per cent organized"
Hows that for an AFofL agree
ment. The Philadelphia Daily News
expected these workers to live up
such a ridiculous agreement. The
workers heard of it before and re-
volted. Organizer O'Brien was at
the meeting of these drivers at the
time they voted 100 per cent to
strike. He left the situation in the
hands of the executive board of the
local and left town. After q confer
ence the men struck. During the
strike the organizer left this newly
organized group drifting, he being
n: tly cut of town.
The strike lasted two months un-
til the workers were starved out, not
receiving bit of aid from the In
ternational.
Forward to a Newspaper Workers
Industrial Union!
Newspaper Truck Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
(By a worker correspondent !.

McALESTER, Okla. (By Mail. -
The local papers carried a news
item on December 22nd that the
general manager of the Old Town
Coal Co. that killed so miners was
going to shove up the payday, which
would be. tidy sum which would
assure these victims against any i'm
mediate need. Find enclosed voucher
for one of these victims of bosses
greed, and let the voucher speak for
itself. There is no ruse these muir
derers win not use to hide the
crimes they are daily committing
against the slaves who have to work
for their mere existence,
The miners and their families are
at the mercy of these operators and
the grating state officials working
hand-in-glove with these vultures
that parade under the cloak of char
ity. .4--As'ff
! visited f6 families of these VIC
Tins of boss-greed. In every case /
found the Red Gross had made their
usual investigation and up to De-
cember both I did not find any place
where the Red Cross. had used any
of the 100000 to help these victims
in any way And the best encourage
ment they had given them, was: If
you can live till Jan. LIST, 1880, we
will send you some groceries.
In one case tkey made inquiries if
the victim had carried any insur-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11

headline came out in the press
t. ling what The c. Of G. was doing
for Labor" The men went out in
the country to the main office of
the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil
Co. and took the acid test from the
company doctor, who passed all -
but SO out of 100. The rest walked
back 20 the town. The company
pays the doc so per head for all
men examined. That makes 5000 for
100 men and IS them 60 to work.
! suppose, anyway, they are having
lots Of luck.
The average wage in Oklahoma
City ranges from So to $3.50 and Sd
for 9 hours, on the job, and ride a
truck from 10 to Is miles in cold,
| have been in the oil field all my
life and was in the strike in the
Mcdonald Field about 188S,--OIL.
WICKER.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
WOULDN'T INSURE
McALESTER Mine
That Shows, What a
Death Trap 1t Was
BY a worker correspondent

(By worker correspondent.
McALESTER, Okla. (By Mail) -
This is the location of the Old Town
Coal Co., which at its Little Bolars
Mine on December II snuffed OUT
the lives of 60 out of a crew of &C.
miners, at North McAlester. The.
miners here want to know more
about the National Miners Union.
They receive the Daily Worker
With much enthusiasm, always in
quiring if it is a Union paper. And
being assured it is, the next inquiry
is: Are you going to organize US;
if nothing is done for us, the oper-
ators will have us all killed.
These miners have the most de-
plorable conditions imaginable, even
the firing of shots in these old gas
filled mines, while the miners are
at work. All miners are agreed that
it was this very thing that snuffed
out 60 of the miners lives of q
crew of sc at Little Bolan mine Of
the Old Mine Coal Go.
A miner who was one Of the
rescue party said, one miner could
have been saved if the pulmotor had
been used, but they have the pull
motor at the office. have been in
formed, but what was the use of get
ting a perfectly good pulmotor
soiled on ''damn nigger."
The average wage in little Bolen
mine is less than $500 for an 8
hour day.
This death trap was so danger
Gus that even the insurance COM
panies would not take the risk.
There are two circulating fans in
this mine, one small fan and large
one. But the large fan has not been
used for three years; till after the
explosion. -.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
WHERE OIL KINGS RULE
Okla. City Worst Open Shop Io101

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. tBy
Mail). This is the worst open
shop town ever was in in my ex-
perience as al. oil man. The Okla
homa Gas and Electric owns the bus
lines and street car system. They
pay track men IS cents an hour
for ten hours and no overtime pay.
,s.arfare: is s cents or 2 for Is and
there is none that exceeds 10 miles.
The gas rates are c5 SCENTS for 1000
feet and there are millions. of feet
Of gas Blowing to the four winds at
tie edge Of The city. ''sH1 F4ssa
The Chamber Of Commerce shoots
big STICK here. From their open
shop labor bureau they hire all the
men for the indian Territory Illu-
minating Oil Co., the Doheny sub
sidiary ofsJellh D.. Hafjf pt4
Tho &. Of G. hired 100 men last
Friday fer this company. A big
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
kIDNAP LUMBER
STRIKE HEADS
Ontario. Woodsmen in
Hot Fight

fBy q Worker Correspondent
PORT ARTHUR, Ontario (By
Mail) For some eight weeks 800
lumber workers in the Port Arthur
District have been on strike battling
against the most intolerable condi-
tions and low wages that prevail in
the lumber camps of Canada.
The spirit of solidarity among the
strikers has been splendid and the
Lumber Workers Industrial Union, a
fighting union of the Canadian
workers, has been determined that
the strike shall be successful and
shall spread to other camps where
the conditions are equally rotten.
The union, therefore, sent out two
organizers on November the. 18th
through the Onion Lake District
(Ontario).
Previous to the organization trip
of these two workers, the lumber
bosses of this district, particularly
a man named Maxi had threatened
that if any lumber unions organizer
made their way into these camps, he
would be shot. By all indications
the lumber barons have carried out
their threat. Voutaillainen and Ros.
vail, the two organizers that left for
the Maxi camp have disappeared"
nli that day, these men made their
way towards Makis camp. They
got Us far as small island in Onion
Lake, when they were, called by
MAXI and some of his men to come
over to the camp fire and warm
themselves (this. is according to
Maki's story. After staying a
while at this camp fire, they left
with the men walking after them a
part of the way. They were never
seen after this. The trappers camp
1t contained their provisions was
never reached by them. OF course
the theory propounded by the lum-
Der bosses is that they were lost or
drowned in the frozen lake. This
theory is very shaky, for these two
men were experienced bushmen,
who knew that part of the country
thoroughly and moreover the depth
Of the lake is only from to 5 feet.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
N.M.U. HAS
Got To come IN
TO MCALESTER!"
Writes Man From Coal
Town, Disaster Scene
by a worker correspondent.

McALESTER, Okla. (By MaiD.-
When the Old Town Coal Co., Little
Bolan mine was blown up, there
were cars half full of coal. The
operator, not wanting to pay dam
age, turned said coal over to the Red
Cross and in turn the Red Cross told
some of these victims that if they
shad money to hire a truck to haul
the coal, they could have some of the
coal, their dead husbands and faith
ers had dug and paid for with their
lives. s.-.s-
One, miner that lost his life went
to the superintendent days before
the fatal blast and pleaded with him
not to have any more shots fired
while the miners were below. The
satisfaction he got, was: work or
get the hell out.
Now we will pass the victims to
the state and let them rub more salt
into the wound. The State Peniten-
tiary lays up against this death-trap.
So the warden sent out a bunch of
prisoners to Gs graves, and l
guess, he decided it would be more
convenient to dig one hole instead
of "a. Anyway, that is what was
done. "a damn .greasers" in one
hole, with some dirt on top of them.
Talk is going around that the
operators are going to let the mine
stay closed till the Red Cross and
the rest of these human vultures sue
coed in starving these victims till
they have to leave the country. Then
they can open UP this death trap
again and kill some more damn
slaves. 1t will then be easy to open
this trap, without even having to go
through the formality of law suit.
With the aid of the state officials
they can whitewash the thing with
out any trouble. The N. M. U. has
to come here!-Okla. Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
COLT ARMS A MURDERER
And Generous? = Ask the W0ykeysl
By a Worker Correspondent

By Worker Correspondent
HARTFORD, Conn. (By MaiD -
In the Colt Repeating Arms, in the
production department, men over 45
are seldom employed. The tempo of
production is SO, fast that sooner or
later you break under the strain.
The poorer ones are soon weeded
out and faster ones hired. After a
while they get to make the limit
$50 a week, then the limit is re-
moved. They work harder and get
$40 or SO for a few weeks, then the
rates are cut again, and they have
to work like hell to make $50. This
has happened lot of times, but be-
cause we aren't organized, we don't
do anything.
In the forge room, where amidst
the noise and flames Of the FORCES
the half-naked men work among the
flying pieces of iron; if you have
ever had an idea of hell, here is
vivid realization. If a man gets
careless or sleepy, if his hand
slips, it means instant death. But
for this the kind Colts Factory
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
j0BLESS AUTO
SLAVES STARvE
Girl Workers Among
Hardest Hit
by a Worker Correspondent

by Worker Correspondent
DETROIT (by MailD Editor: l
have been out of a job now for some
time. ] was laid off at Murray's and
tol dto come back. after Tbanksgiv-
ing. After Thanksgiving l went
back and found there still was no
hiring. I have been going there each
morning to try to get in and every
time ! get there I find bigger line
of girls looking for work. At Hud-
sons and at Fisher Body, and Nc
Cord Radiator the lines are some
times longer. And now girls who
worked in stores and offices are
looking for any kind of work and
help add to our lines. What are we
goingt to do? Starve?
! think we should al; get together
and fight for better conditions. If
tire bosses can't give us work--then
let them pay for our food, clothes
and rent. We want work or wages.
And if we all fight together and or
ganize, we can get our demands.
Auto Worker
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
NMU ENEMIES
DO NIB HALL IN
LIVINGSTON, ILL.
Bombers Shielded BY
Town Officials
(By a worker correspondent.

(By a worker correspondent.
LIVINGSTON, Ill. (By Mai). -
The Club Hall where the NMU local
meets was dynamited or bombed in
the night from Monday to Tuesday,
Dec. 31st. The damage done was
slight, except for the windows. They
were all blown out, save for two
large ones. The bombers were not
found. But the town administra-
ton did not inquire or send for
bloodhounds from Springfield as
they always do when little other
damage or robbing is done in other
homes. There are threats made
against some of our active members
to chase them out of town, deport
them and so forth. So you will hear
some more news in the near future.
Illinois Miner.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11


Board of Directors decided that III
case a worker is killed while at
work, he gets the enormous sum Of
$500, provided that the fault was
that of the machine. .M
Now, that's what we call real
,benevolence,. charity, kind-hearted-
ness. In order to get compensation.
for accidents AMI injuries, you must
be out at least two weeks and then
you get 81 day-maybe. You have
two weeks vacation in Summer.
without pay. Also holidays are
given without pay. AZ
The, most any man can make is
$50. The assembler, the sheetirg. in
spector, the grinder. machine ana
drop forge men all get the same
$50 and when you figure the time
off for holidays, layoffs and sick
ness as a result Of the. speed-up,
they average only about $23. The
men are worse than slaves.
"A Young Fighter.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11

Editors N0te:-The example OF
politi> al diekering by the. A. F.
of l.. officials has also been shown
un by other Navy Yard workers,
from Philadelphia and Brooklyn
Yards, as the typical method of
the A. f. of L. craft union takers.
These misleaders boast of their
being close pals, with the secre-
tary of the navy, and other gov
ernment officials. And what is the
result? Secretary of the Navy
Adams refuses wage increase. +.
Navy Yard workers, the Trade,
Union Unity League uses one
method to get what the workers
want-fight the bosses whether
they be private1bOsses. or govern
ment bosses. Mare Island Navy
Yard workers can get in touch
with the TUUL at las Turk ST.,
San Francisco. 81 sti
The Trade Union Unity League
has started work in the Brooklyn
and Philadelphia Navy Yards,
where many workers have learned
that it is a fighting and honest
organization. ag s
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
F. IN POLITICAL DEALS NAVY YARD MEN GET NO WAGE RA
MANY IN MARE l..
SORE AS RAISE
IS TURNED DOWN
Sub and Cruiser Are
Being Built for War

VALLEJO, California, (By MaiD
i am writing about the conditions
eff the workers in the Mare Island
Navy Yard in Vallejo. @
The workers in the Yard are
working now on winter schedule,
hours per day, 6 days and As
hours per week, The summer sched-
ule allows Saturday afternoon off
with pay, 4 months. As you know,
80 days vacation are allowed, pro-
vided a man works there a year.
This yard is at present construct
ing a submarine, the VIC, and
light cruiser, number 80, the U. S.
S. Chicago. A force of 1890 is at
present at work. e..
About 80 boilermakers and ship
filters have been laid-off recently.
There have been nsbig lay-offs as
yet, but when the above work is
completed next April, there may be
lay-offs. aaa L liz slyssg
The A. F. ofeL. craft4unions are
petitioning politicians to see to it
that the Government builds a bigger
navy to provide more work for the
yards workers.
The petty-5 bourgeoisie of the
town, Vallejo, through the Cham
Der of Commerce, have the same
object and use the same methods.
A great part Of the employees at
the yards are ex-service men. Some
of the ex-service men are members
Of the Reserve Corps.
There are about $500 organized
workers under the A. F. of L. Due
to pressure exertcd by the unions.
and for other reasons most OF. the
employees of the rsheps in town
are organized by the employers.
The chief economic demand OF
the Navy Yard workers at the pres
ent time is the Saturday half holl-s
day with pay all year around.s The
A. f. of l.. will use political dlcker-
ing to get this concession. :
Some of the craftsmen are sore.
because the Favorable data, collect
ed by their committees, was thrown
out by the Secretary of the Navy
and all raises proposed cancelled.
MARE ISLAND NAVY
YARD WORKER.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
And This Is What They Shaved For
OLD TOWN coal COMPANY

Read the letters this page McAiester Oio ac,e the
Old ToWn Coal Co. bosses murdered
H. Photo above shows bodies the being from
death-trap mine. f-t+ s* ys$asaFA7
Bow pdycheck of McAlester miner
IN ah1ck 60 of has feto'o corkers killed.
figuring youH that this at the
dew e1ocy
ooed the bosses q little
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11
Write About Your Conditions
for The Daily Worker. Become a
(. Worker Correspondent.

Organize Shop Nuclei.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-11

Every Factory a Communist
Fortress! Build Factory Nuclei.
The Washington times., 1930-01-23

strange women slop all over
him like that-and get away
with it!
I'll fix him! she told her
self furiouSly, I'll show him!
When the game broke up at
2 o'clock she went straight to
Steve Oglebay.
TITS so hot and close in
here, Steve" she said to him,
laying her hand on his arm.
Take me out into that nice
cool hall for a minute. I'm
dizzy"
The hall was dim and quiet.
There was a big bunch of pink
roses on a table against the
wall, and they smelled like June
in the country.
Someone had turned on the
radio in the living-room. and
everybody was dancing. Through
the long curtains in the door
way, Loyejoy had a flying
glimpse of Tom dancing with