The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-04

An theological offensive is part of
it-smashing down the remnants Of
white chauVinism, the remnants of
the old mad practices Of the UNIV
days, the winning of ever broader
masses Of non-miners to the support
of the miners strike.
The second offensive comes from
the fact that the strike needs require
it, that the counter offensive of the
coal operators have been checked.
that the men forced back to work
during the counter offensive are
ready almost without exception to
come out again, and that actual solid
organization has spread so far now
that planned activity is possible. It
comes directly from the national
conference held July 1915 at which
a program of unity and action was
adopted that is rallying thousands
and forming central point around
which the deep dissatisfaction with
conditions and which the UNIV can
crystalline in all the coal fields.
The bosses counter offensive: in
functions, widespread arrests of the
strike leaders and relief collectors,
newspaper campaigns against the
National Miners Union, conferences
to rebuild the strike breaking United
Mine Workers, wage cutting Settle
ments" with the UNIV, attempts at
murder, frame up-are failing be-
cause wherever the UNIV appears
the takers find such realization of
their treacherous role that they can
not be fooled any longer. They fail
even where for a time some thou
sands of workers were forced back
to work because the miners find con-
ditions not better but eevn forse in
the mines than when they came out
the first time. They fail because ter
ror is not more terrible than starva-
ton. ,
The Second Offensive in the West
ern Pennsylvania field, with which
the meeting of the Central Rank and
File Strike Committee yesterday
mainly concerned itself, m ans
planned concentration in each sec
ton on one or two selected mines,
to strike them solidly, then to use
these additional forces to move on
and strike solidly other mines In the
section which are trying to work.
The discussion on the actual carry
ing out of this program was vital
and realistic. The discussion, and the
grasp of the situation shown by the
Central Rank and File Strike Com
mittee improves from meeting to
meeting, as the more able members
find their way into the committee,
through the rapid reorganization OF
the strike committees in the sections
and at the various mines. Also, the
leadership of the strike, as repre-
sented at the Central Rank and File
Strike Committee meetings, is learn
ing rapidly from the two months old
strike.
The first results Of the planned
concentration appeared at Hammer
vile, Vesta and Westland. Yes
terday there we're $50 men, women
and children on the Har1nerville
picket line, practically double what
had been modified that first two
days Of the concentration. There
are eleven state troopers and four
teen deputies, commanded by he
chief deputy Of Allegheny County,
and with q patrol wagon ready to
carry miners away to Jail. In spite
Of this, the pickets were very mill
tant, and more scabs we're stopped.
There are not many left in the mine
now, and it will probably be closed
down this week.
A delegate from Brownsville section
told how the Vesta picket line was
built up. Monday morning there were
only hundred and fifty. Undaunt-
ed, these pickets and local miners
who could be modified held meet
ing. The local there Of the National
Miners Union held a meeting. A
committee was organized to go out
and win over to the picket line those
who had failed to participate Mon
day, and on Tuesday morning there
were just twice as many pickets, and
over a hundred scabs were stopped
from going into the mine. This was
not done without some Nosses, of
course. This is war, and the oper-
ators have the state machinery in
their hands. The state troopers at
tackled and broke up a meeting of
the picketch, although held on pri-
vate property, and three were ar
rested. But this only encourages the
picketing, for everybody can see that
such attacks are made when the
picketing begins to seriously hurt the
operators who give orders to he po-
lice.
In Westlsnd, where the first de-
tachnlent Of pickets, Monday, about
$50 of them, settled down on farm
and erected their own soup kitchen,
meanwhile sending out trucks to
bring in relief, the coal company has
resorted to the most desperate en-
ergy to stop he concentration process
The company, by buying or leasing
the ground on which the pickets
camped, has driven them from one
point to another. Meetings in fields