The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-03

interest in local, state and national
politics is unflagging and always
lucrative for politicians.
There is still another hook-up
that cannot be overlooked. Since
the days of skinny" Madden
many A. F. of L. unions in Chicago,
chiefly in the building trades, have
been hopelessly enmeshed in the
gangster skein. Isl" O'Donnell,
Messy Enright, big Tim" Murphy
and corps of other gangsters have
subjected various unions to their
sovereignty until today, the larger
organized labor groups exist on the
basis of the unquestioned overload
ship of common thugs. Through
the racketeer and political connec-
tons of these mobsters who pose
as labor leaders, organized labor is
entirely bereft of its class purpose
and constitutes a rich field for
gangster booty and a handy play
thing for crooked politicians.
1t is for this reason that the
Federation News, ignoble successor
to the New Majority ISSUED during
period following the 1922 depres-
sion when the Chicago labor move
ment for a while regained some of
its traditional class spirit despite
the gangsters), must cynically de-
fend the assassination of member
of the Trade Union Unity League
by Painters union thugs. And it
is for this reason that President
Fitzpatrick and other once out
spoken leaders of the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor are now mere
cover-up men for the brigandage
and treachery that every day mark
the misleadership of Chicago work
ers by stick-up men holding union
office.
This sordid melange which in
cludes in its scope the whole gamut
of the so-called elected represent
atives of the people, the press,
organized capital and organized
gangsterism, also digs it's corrupt
ing hand deep into the labor move
ment. No wonder nobody is will
ing to lift the lid.
The same cover-up maneuvering
that hid the important factors in
the investigation of the Staying of
Jake" Lingle are now at work to
protect possible higher ups from
the Zuta revelations. This gangster
was a wise head. He kept records.
Every check, every note, every
letter that passed through his
hands he put in safety deposit
boxes. These were his clubs.
Judges, state, county and city Of
ficials were made to squirm.
But strangely enough, the only
documents that were released for
publication were those affected
smaller fry like the chief of police
of Evanston, Charlie Dawes home
town. ex-judge Eller, whose rec
ord couldn't be made blacker any
how and a few petty racketeers.
And more strangely still, no docu-
ments were discovered" bearing
dates subsequent to 1928. 1t so
happens that the statute of limita-
tons for conspiracy cases in Hi.
nois is eighteen months. Nobody
will be hurt, attention will be d.
verted from the details of the
Lingle killing, involving much
more important people, and another
crisis will have been hushed. The
election will soon be in full swing
and few if any politicians OF
newspapers will so far lose their
common sense as to in any way
connect up those seeking office
with the gang world.
There is only one political force
that is free to and has the courage
to expose this rotteness, in Chicago
and elsewhere, and that is the Com,
munist Party. What about the City
Club liberals and the cocialis,
party? These people are impoten'
and have consistently shown it
First they lack courage. They must
remain respectable. The only way
you can stay respectable in Chicago
is to keep your mouth shut. Every
time you open your mouth about
corruption you step on somebody's
toe. The City Club and the socialist
party can't afford to step on any.
body's toe, at least not hard. The
only possible role they can play is
negative one. They can shake
their heads. They are perfectly
willing to say: it's too bad. But
they dare not open up with seri-
GUS fire because they are afraid
of the consequences.
There are no consequences of
which Communists are afraid. They
have been beaten to pulps and
thrown in Jail by the gang-cops Of
the city and state administrations
they have been beaten and one OF
their number killed by union thugs
They have led organized unem-
ployed workers against police lines
and they have faced cops and thugs
at factory gates. At their peril
they have spoken to and organized
among the Negro masses of the
south side. These are consequences
that have already fallen with dead.
/ L.. = a L