davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
"Can't Stand Carroting for More
Than Tevo Years." Says Fur Worker

cent cut made only $3.50 q day of
9Es hours. while the majority were
able to earn barely $780,
AS the skins are ripped and flung
aside, fur flies into the nostrils and
Is inhaled into the lungs, causing
coughing. sneezing and nose-blead.
Sometimes an opener rips open a
finger or thumb along with the skin,
and then a case Of blood-poisoning
may develop. At best, some precious
weeks are lost from work.
We followed the opened skins into
the clipping department, where the
skins are fed into machine which
clips them. Sometimes finger or
hand gets caught in this machine,
and is badly smashed. One young
striker had recently lost two months
from work in this manner. The air
is so thick with fur in this section
that many Of the young girls and
men tending them tie handkerchief
around their noses. But oftentimes
the foreladies tell you, you got to
take those handkerchiefs off, Its
against the law" some Of the strikers
told us. 1.-THE real reason is, they
don't want those coming for work or
outsiders to see how bad it Is"
Next the skins travel to the car
rioters, who working in long rubber
gloves, brush them down with mer.
curry, urosol, nitric and other poison
GUS acids that are so strong thai
eyes swell and wet from its effects
hair Is Redeemed or bleached, teetf
fall out, gums develop sores. ane
throat and lung chronically infected
which in time leads to the dreae
tuberculosis, and a general breaking
down of the various systems of thu
body.
Recently new acid was introduced
which is stronger and even NOR
deadly in its effects than any usec
before. The employers refuse to re-
veal its nature. which the worker'
have nick-named bleach acid" II
order to try and stimulate trade and
increase ORDERS" TAT manufacturer,
have decreed that mems hats THU
spring shall be In light gray. THAI
means the brown skins must b,
bleached white, hence the new acid
AL! those who work on the skins
during and after its treatment by thi,
bleach acid find eyes actually closed
blinded. by its fumes. For this ter.
rifle work, caroters get around forty
five cents a basket. averaging from
thirty to thirty five dollars a week
They are the ''aristocrats' Of tn,
tradeI Others ct fifteen to ssvenl
+7t p ~ ~ -sHf +. ~ sfsss \.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
3IE MASS MIGRATION TO SOVIET
UNION AS WORLD CRISIS WORSENS

but we could use twice that num-
Der, and do not forket, foreign COM
rades, this is a workers country
run by and for the workers"
AS the Five-Year Plan speeds ahead
in the Soviet Union, Duranty envi-
sages a wholesale flood of emigration
to the Workers Republic. He writes:
"When the day comes that for
eign workers here may write home
and say, Things are pretty good
here. why don't you come along?
There are jobs for everybody and
plenty to eat. Russia Is not so bad
n place in which to live and there
are no lay-offs or short time and
you get all that is coming to you
then immigration to the Soviet I'M
ion will begin to rival the flood that
poured into America.
"At the present rate of progress
that day Is not far distant. The
Bolsheviki themselves do not yet
realize 1t, but unless world ccono-
mic conditions improve more rapid
ly than now seems likely this coun-
try may soon find It necessary to
create a special immigration COM
missariat to handle the surplus
labor Of the capitalist world. for
which Russia has an almost unll-
mited demand and unlimited op-
portunities."
The Soviet Union is forging ahead
building Socialism, but even the pre-
sent number of over 25,000,OO0 un-
employed in the capitalist countries
could not be absorbed in the Soviet
Union. The task Of the workers in
the capitalist countries is to smasl,
capitalism and do what the workers
in the Soviet Union have done-es-
tablish a workers government and
run industry in a planned manner in
the interest Of the great masses Of
workers and poor farmers.
In the United States, heretofore the
pride Of the capitalist world, 10000, 900
workers starve. The huge industry
that the workers built and can run
is idle. 1t can be set in motion I'M
der workers control, in the interest
of the workers. by overtlnrowing cap
italism and establishing Soviet
state in the United States. The path
followed by the Russian workers is
the only path that will enable the
American masses to free. themselves
from starvation and capitalist misery.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
2-3 JObless in Gum
Kings FlOphouse Die
Daily; Filthy Place
(By a Worker Correspondent

(By a Worker Correspondent
CHICAGO, III.-Charity, Death
for unemployed workers.
Every day 2 or 3 bodies of dead
unemployed workers, who died of
starvation. are removed from flop
house at 500 Union Street.
This flop house was Thrown
open" by Mr.. Wrigley, millionaire
chewing gum king, owner Of
Cubs" baseball players, etc. etc.
Dirt vernin and fOulty air is
for comfort for the workers who
are occupaing this charity insti-.
tuition" Rules: if an inmate comes
in after 2 or o'clock pm. to warm
up and take rest after walking
streets he can not go out any more
or else he will lose his right TO the
shelter.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
BY MYRA PAGE

This is the fourth of five articles
dealing with fur workers condi.
tions, as typified by the situation
I'm Danbury. There are approx
mately 10000 fur workers in the
United States. of whom 10000 in
round numbers are employed in the
fur-felt branch of the industry.
The industry is concentrated In the
states Of Connecticut, New York
and New Jersey.-Editor.
ITO work in fur plants is to give
your life, and quick, too. We know
it." 1t was carroter speaking, one
of three who sat crouched near their
bowls of acid and putrid-smelling
rabbit skins. eating iasty lunch.
Two of us had managed to sneak in
to the plant during the noon-hour,
in order to see at first-hand the con-
ditions inside, about which we had
heard so much.
"Yes," another broke in, "a man
can't stand carroting more than two
years"
''How long have you been here?"
Going on five: I lost forty pounds
since / came, and my lungs is bad.
But what can poor man do? We
gotta earn our bread. But to give
your life, that's one thing; to give
it for nothing, well, man can't
stand for that" Talk Of union and
strike followed everywhere one hears
the workers talking Of moro strikes
against starvation wages and killing
conditionS), our eyes smarted and
frequently we coughed and sneezed
from the strong acid fumes. All win
dows are kept closed, in order to save
the fur.
The half hour for lunch was soon
up, and work began once more. A
worker directed us to where the first
stage Of the process took place-that
OF preparing the fur for use In hats.
IF you run into the boss" he eau
toned. tell him you're looking for
job" In a narrow, musty- colored
room with its low ceilings, walls and
floor covered with acid laden fur dust
and lint, were number Of middle
aged women surrounded by piles Of
brown rabbit skins. Here the skins
are ripped open and tails removed.
Openers received before the threat
ened cut, twenty cents basket, each
one supposedly containing two hun
dred skins. But they always slip
In an extra ten or fifteen skins"
the girls tell you. The fastest work
ers, before the Threatened twenty Per
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
March In Barberton.

BARBERTON, Ohio. Feb. S. - The
Bsrberton Council of the Unemployed
led hunger march here Feb. 2 to
the city council where demands for
immediate relief were presented.
The march started at the Central
High School grounds at $50 p. m. and
after some speaking about 300 in the
line of march and hundreds walking
on the side walks proceeded through
the two main streets of town to the
city hall where delegation of was
sent to see the city council. There
were about $500 workers in front of
the city hall the largest mass Of work
ers ever gathered in Barberton which
has population of $1,000.
Many of the shops here are work
ing with small crews and there are
1000 unemployed. The workers were
militant, singing and shouting slog-
ans, in spite Of the mayors threat
when the committee went to see him
about the permit that If there was
singing and shouting of slogans he
would set cannon in the middle OF
the street and blow the jobless into
the canal. The mayor changed his
mind when Sc saw the nilitancy of
the workers. The police made no at
tempt to arrest the speaker or to in
terfere with the march even when the
speaker very well exposed the fake
relief measures and the mayors ges-
ture to laid the unemployed work
ers". The demands were SIS weekly
relief to those jobless with depend
ents and SIS to those that are single;
no eyictions, no shutting of of light,
water or gas; for free street care fare
and against the forced labor in effect
in Barberton where the unemployed
must work for the city in order to be
able to get 50 worth of food per
week. Some Of the unemployed have
worked a week for &c an hour.
Those that refuse to work under
these conditions are cut off from re-
ceiWng the 81 per week.
The city council elected special
committee to investigate the unem-
ployment conditions in Barberton and
promised an answer in a short time.
However we are building our unem-
ployed council stronger every day
and If the city will not do anything
for us we will continue the struggle
with larger mass demonstration on
February 10.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)

advance of the Five-Year Plan in the
Soviet Union in the surrounding of
capitalist crisis in all other countries
has made this process even conceiv-
able.
Duranty starts off by saying:
"The Soviet Union will witness in
the next few years an immigration
flood comparable to the influx into
the United States In the decade be-
fore the World War. unless present
indications prove faulty.
"The success so far of the five
year plan and, perhaps, to an even
greater degree the distress in cap
italist countries have already prod
uced unexpected phenomena In the
shape of investigatory visits by
groups or delegations of foreign
workers. They now come not as
heretofore, from curiosity or SYM
pathethic interest i'm a Socialist
State, but with the deliberate pur-
pose of discovering whatever they
can and whether their fellows at
home would like to live here.
ct is only the beginning as yet
of this movement, and the first
swallows Of the coming migration
are still scarce-so scarce that Rus
slams themselves with few excep-
tions have not grasped the possible
consequences. But it has begun and
will have to be reckoned with in the
future"
"A Workers Country"
He shows that automobile workers
from America have already establish
ed themselves in the Soviet Union
and are advising their friends to fol-
low them. This movement is en-
tirely aside from the problem of con-
tracing for $4,000 engineers and
technical experts already announced
by the Soviet government.
The basis Of the movement, Duran
ty points out, is the increasing misery
Of the workers in the capitalist coun-
tries
"When the League Of Nations
Labor Bureau announces that there
arc 100000 unemployed in the
United States, Britain and Gcrma-
ny, the Soviet can answer:
"'This the third year under the
five-year plan requires from two To
three million new qualified workerA
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06

teen dollars, except the cutters, who
make twenty-five to twenty-five.
Young girls and men then spread
the wet furs to dry; also are sup
posed to wear gloves, which the COM
pany has to supply, bu toften we
don't get them; or our old pair wears
out and they keep promising you
new ones, but keep forgetting to get
them" Acid burns on the arms and
hands and face are common. as well
throat and lung trouble from the
fumes. Recently one young boy
tainted in the plant and when his
mother and father. also fur workers,
called a doctor, he warned them that
only sunlight. plenty Of milk and
nourishing food, rest and a change
Of occupation could save his health.
But what could we do2" his mother
explained, tits the one trade along
with making hats. which is Just as
bad" He stayed out fe wweeks and
then went back to work.
Finally we went into the cutting
and blowing departments, where the
pelt is removed from the furs. along
with all loose pieces. The cutter and
five girls who work along with him
are especially exposed to the acid
fumes.
Because OF the dust and acids,
those working in fur shops must
drink a large amount Of water. How
ever. water from the shop facets Is
impossible to drink because the acid
fumes have corroded the popes 50
drinking water is brought into the
shop from outside, but workers get
it only if they pay fifteen cents for
each woman and twenty-five. cents
for each man. you Cas- faint for
lack of water. and still not get a
drink; and the forelady calls you
tight wad," one woman told us in
dingnantly.
Another matter which the workers
are rightly very angry about Is the
lack Of decent lunch rooms, and
toilets and washing facilities. Fur
thermore, In most Of the plants the
women are required to dean the
toilets, and in one shop the EN-
ployer actually sends them up to his
bookkeepers' house during working
hours to clean house for her. And
If we refuse, we're told we'll be fired
How unnecessary these health haz-
ards are will be explained in tomor-
rows concluding article, along with
the unions proposals r. sdmanaaon
q them .sss43ass n - Hs.ssaus4sita. u .is.k
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
HEAD OF SOVIET LOGGERS UNION
TELLS OF REAL CONDITIONS OF
TOILERS IN SOVIET TIMBER TRADE
Work Under Union Conditions; Receive Free
Transportation to and From Work
Loggers Are Fully Insured; Hit Forgeries Used
in Campaign: of Lies

MOSCOWIn interview given to press representatives
the leader of the Soviet timber workers. Comrade Becker dealt
with the campaign against the Soviet timber trade and the
charges of forced labor etc.
Becker declared that the charges based perured evil
dence and forged documents The central committee of the
Woodworkers Union which organized 1000 workers protested
against the dishonest ISLANDERS and declared caegorcay that
nowhere in the timber trade either at the camps the
harbor forced labor of any kind employed The timber
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
Western Penna. Conference

PITTSBURGH. Pa. by MaiD.--
he district conference of the Metal
Workers Industrial League of West
ern Pennsylvania held here concluded
its two day session by sending a
fighting message of solidarity to the
striking miners in the Milman Coal
Co, Dendell, Pa, under the leader
ship of the National Miners Union.
The conference which was attended
by % delegates from the largest steel
mills in the district was marked by
real enthusiasm for the rapid devel-
opment of struggle in the steel in
dustry. The conference adopted a
plan Of action for future work and
elected a district committee Of nine,
mostly steel workers from the import
ant mills, to carry on the work in
the district. The conference selected
Frank Hill, young worker from Me-
Keesport as student for the NATIONAL
Trade Union School to be held in
New York beginning March 2. r.
Woods was elected District Secretary.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
$500 BANKS CLOSE IN TEN
YEARS.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-John w.
Poole, comptroller of the currency,
disclosed in his annual report that
in the last ten years $500 banks have
closed their doors, tying up nearly
S2,00o,0oooo0 in deposits.
During the first ten months of
1880 he said. 742 banks, with deposits
of $30o,000,000, closed their doors.
During the same period in the pre-
vious years there were 522 suspen-
sions with deposits of $2O0o0O,0oo.
Nearly as many failed in the last
couple of months of 1880.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
Arrest 6 in Newark
for Opposing Eviction
of Negro Family

crowd by police followed, the meet
ing was broken up by force and a
Negro worker, whose name could not
be secured at the time, was arrested.
Others arrested at the same time
we're Isabelle Stall and Bernard Ro-
zanski, both members of the Young
Communist League; Tom Myers
cough, H. Silverman and A. Kruz-
painter, who is the delegate from
Newark to the committee presenting
the Workers Unemployment Insur-
ance Bill to congress in Washington
Feb 10.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06

Some of the workers are very mill
tant and are ready to strike as soon
ss they are better organized by the
Metal Workers Union. Four girls
were told they were not needed any
more and were paid off.
The Unemployed Councils of Can
ton will struggle with the workers
i'll this shop if they strike against
this cut in wages, for the en-
ployed and unemployed workers see
the need of organizing and fighting
together for better conditions.
The Republic Steel laid off rs
clippers last week and there are
more to be laid off later.
On Feb. &c the drop forge laid off
the entire shop.
"A Canton Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
TO DEMONSTRATE III 1IIEVV HAVEN,
MILWAUKEE, AND LAWRENCE

60 that the unemployed will not
{ re.
son'2 of the supervisors stool
-7- sc attempting to whitewesh
'''--? l}rtos in charge of the stations,
"-'4 an inVeGtigation was called mt
= irrc-ti~ation the witnesses were
II and the workers were accused
= Ge.ting too much food. But so
'->0ny came to protest that they were
led to register some of the COM
plants.
An unemployed council has been
built nthe South Side.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
CHI. FIRST TO ORDER
DISTRICT PAGE; OTHER
DLST'S MUST FOLLOW

Chicago lost little time in taking
advantage of the Daily Worker offer
for weekly district page. A release
from the Chicago district announces
a special Daily Worker meeting for
Sunday, Feb. is at Peoples Auditori-
UNI, 2457 w. Chicago Ave, at 3 p. M,
from which we quote:
The only way to build the Daily
Worker in Chicago. and to make it
the organ of the workers in our dis
trict is by discussing its editorial
problems, and at the same time deve-
Top the group of workers correspon-
dence."
From February IA on there will
be a weekly page of the Daily
Worker issued for Chicago. The
success Of this weekly edition will
of cour3e, mostly depend on the
support of the readers and OF the
Daily Worker itself.
The Chicago district, choosing We'd
nesday for its special issues, will gain
permanent circulation by means of
the district page and at the same
time develop contacts which can be
drawn into the movement.
There is no reason why every dis
trict in the country cannot follow
this excellent example of building the
Daily Worker circulation. Especially
should such districts as Cleveland,
Detroit, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Seat
tie and California organize district
machinery for handling a weekly
page. They should make arrange
ments to do so without further de-
lay. -Four columns OF space on the
second page is offered, districts COM
ng first have a choice Of any day
except Saturday and wednesday. We
expect immediate action
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
HOLDS 4 FARMERS IN rEoNAGE

SHREVEPORT, La.--Ardis Waller,
farmer, is under $4,000 bail on charge
Of holding four Negro tenants in a
state Of peonage, forbidding them to
leave his farm, which is a few miles
from Shreveport. This is the third
peonage complaint filed recently by
federal authorities.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
DAILY SWINGS
VOTE IN AFL LOCAL

From a comrade in New York
City, we received a report of Paint
ers' Local 400, AFL, attended by
800, during which a proposal was
made to add IL organizers at $3.50
week each, plus expenses even
higher than salary. The comrade
quoted from Allen Johnson's series
of New Jersey corruption in the
Daily Worker exposing BRANDED,
president of the Hudson County
Building Trades Council, made
motion that I'VE don't need Or
ganizers because they play together
with the BOSSES" and the vote was
carried by an overwhelming maj
GRITTY, with only two opposing.
The Daily" is the best club to use
over heads of grating officials in the
A. F. Of l.. unions. Workers should
thus arm themselves in laying bare
future proposals forNgraft Jobs in the
locals.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
FORKS PART TIME,
. ENDS RENEWAL.

I'm spite of the fact that I am
part time unemployed" writes c.
FRIEDMAN, Los Angeles, Cal, Il
thought it necessary to keep the Daily
Worker in circulation, being the only
working class organizer in the U. s.
A., which fights against capitalism
and the mislabor leaders in order to
protect working class interests. En-
closed is $3.50 check as renewal Of
Daily Worker subscription"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
WORST PERIOD IN HISTORY

MILWAUKEE,, Wis.--"We are in
the midst of the worst depression in
the entire history of the world, and
there is no relief in sight" said Fred
w. Sargent, president of the North
western Railroad, at a Milwaukee
business mems banquet.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
ACTION TAKEN"
WIRES SEATTLE

After cutting from 400 to $50 in
bundle orders, we received the fol-
lowing wire from William Phillips,
Daily Worker representative:
"Action taken. Increase bundle
fifty copies except Thursdays" kt-
ton is what we want! How about
a Red Builders News Club, Seattle?
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
ASKS ABOUT PRICE
OF DAILY IN WEST

eve Red Builders News Club work.
ers hear a rumble" writes F. Black
stone Of Reno. New. Several COM
rades have spoken to me about Red
Builders charging SC for the Daily
Worker in Salt Lake City"
1t is. The Daily Worker may be
sold for sc in all Western states, since
this is the usual price of most news
papers there. Reno Red Builders
may follow this example if they wish.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
STEEL CAMPAIGN
STARTS IN OHIO
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE,

cuts were instituted at the same time
that Farrell, head of the giant;United
States Steel Corporation, hypocriti-
cally announced through the capital
ist press that "the wages of the steel
workers must be maintained at the
present level"
Half Are Jobless
Approximately one-half of the steel
workers in the industry are today
unemployed. Those still working are
forced to exist on part time pay
which averages IL to ID hours week.
In spite of this miserable pay under
the double crew "stagger system" the
steel trust is Constantly cutting the
wages and introducing vicious speed
up systems which result in more
workers being thrown into the ranks
Of the jobleSs. In many company
towns in the Youngstown area, at
least two-thirds Of the population is
unemployed and facing starvation.
Giant mills of the Youngstown Sheet
Tube, Carnegie Steel and the Re-
public Steel Corporation in the cities
of youngstown, Warren. Campbell,
Farrell, Niles, Struthers and New
Castle have been cutting wages sys-
tematically from department to de-
partment ever since the beginning of
the crisis.
Cuts Approved BY "AmaIgafated"
These wage cuts are being sane
toned" by the takers of the Analga-
mated Association of Iron, Steel and
Tin Works, which works hand in
hand with the steel manufacturers
Many workers from the rank and
file of this organization have Joined
the MWIL. In Warren. Ohio, the
stronghold of this reactionary COM
pany union, the capitalist press has
been defending this corrupt organiza-
tion openly against the ATTACKS of the
MVYIL.
The steel workers are coming into
the MWIL in all steels towns Of the
Mahoning Valley due to the con-
centration program of the Metal
League The Foster meeting will be
the opening gun in the Steel Organ
ization Campaign