The daily worker., 1930-09-17
JUDGES, GUNMEN,
AID LABOR fAKIRS:
Tammany Enlists Forces
Against Taxi Drivers

tSUlllLlUSu CiUHl Il age i.
unions books. The report was to
be submitted IL the association at
large on July 81. Becker and Ro-
senberg, who had been chosen as
the accountants via the phone book
method, read the report. No class
conscious worker would have been
surprised at the contents. He has
ben taught through brutal expert
ence that his only protection
against thieving leaders who will
grasp at any means of selling him
out is to join the Communist Party
and the Trade Union Unity League.
The members of the Amalgamated
are still naive to this necessity
although the costl yexperience they
are now going through is teaching
them something--and they raised a
godawful howl when they heard the
report.
Where Is s141,000?
Briefly, the accountants de-
clared that $153,000 had been col
lected by the treasurer, Frank L.
Putnam, since the inception of the
organization in 1922. Of this sum,
Sal, 900 had been spent, leaving a
balance of $4,000, of which only
$1,000 was in the bank. Now, how
was the S14l,O0O spent? Was a
vacation camp acquired where the
members might spend two or three
weeks during the summer at rela-
lively low rates? Was money do
mated to other unions whose strike
funds were being so terribly de-
pleted in bitter fights against rapa-
cious bosses? Were there sick
benefits, or unemployment insur-
ance? Not so that anyone could
notice it.
The meeting started, a motion
was again proposed that the Off
GERS be deposed from their jobs.
Immediately the motion was made,
chairs and fists began flying, with
the hard-boiled gunmen getting the
better of it. Someone yelled for
the two cops who had been paid
SIS each to keep deaf, dumb and
blind while the meeting was in
progress. They proceeded TO stroll
toward the meeting room at a
funeral pace. They took about five
minutes to traverse the SO feet or
so of hallway and the three flights
of stairs that let TO ne hail, and
leisurely inquired Of one of the
gunmen what the noise was all
about.
Tries TO Murder Member.
They then proceeded to "frisk"
one of the most harmless looking
of the members, who looked as If
he would be as unhappy with gun
as a cop would be without one.
While the cops continued their stroll
around the hall, glaring at every
one who didn't look like cut
throat artist, "foriila', who
couldn't have measured an inch less
than six feet three picked up a
member who had brought up the
motion to oust the officers and
diligently proceeded TO throw him
owe the banister to the hallway,
three floors below. Only by dnt
of frantic struggling did the cab
driver, who was about five feet
five, free ehimself.
Meanwhile, two detectives who
had arrived at the meeting at Don
nella's request were being refused
admission to the meeting room.
They didn't protest. There was
none of the fierce swinging of
blackjacks that is such common
sight on Union Square when un-
employed workers assemble to de-
mand work or bread. The detec-
tives politely left when they were
told they weren't wanted--by the
gunner. One Of the detectives was
kind enough to remarl' that he
didn't have his badge with him,
anyway.
The meeting was now over. The
gunner, cops, detectives and for
mer district leader, O'Brien, who
had attended the meeting, had COM