davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
By BILL GEBERT

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Nov. 30.-The COM
bined forces of the government,
N.R.A., Chicago Federation of Labor
and officials Of the Livestock Han
dlers' Union, Local SIT "a. F. Of L.
succeeded temporarily to drive 1000
striking livestock handlers back to
work after a three-day strike. But
the struggle Is not over. 1t rather
signifies the beginning OF the struggles
that the stockyard workers are taking
up against starvation wages and
speed-up.
This strike came after the strike
struggles in Pittsburgh, Pa, South St.
Paul, Austin, Minnesota and Los ALI
gcles, and after the national con-
ference Of delegates OF the Packing
house Workers Industrial Union,
which was held two weeks ago in the
city of Chicago. The strike of the
Livestock Handlers Is one of a num-
Der Of strikes recently broke out in
the Chicago packing houses which
further indicate the growing mill
fancy and resistance on the part of
the workers to their worsening con-
VIC DAdAihSt tONtC Va OliC
N.R.A., which the packers signed.
The first series Of strikes was the
Oppenheimer Casing Co., which was
a spontaneous strike of so Negro and
white workers a few months ago and
the strikers accepted the Packing
House Workers Industrial Union.
The strike was broken by the buro-
crsts Of the A. F. Of L. who succeeded
by dividing the Negro and white
workers by arrest and terror against
union organizers. thereby, defeating
the strike.
Cause Of Livestock Strike
At present, there are two small
strikes going on In the Illinois Pack
ing Co. and Northwestern Packing
Co. of workers organized in the
unions Of the A. F. of L. These
strikes involve about 25o workers
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
Detroit Youth in
Mass Meet, Dec. 4

DETROIT, Mich-With the central
demand Of cash relief at the rate Of
$3.50 a week, the Unemployed Youth
Council and. Young Communists
League here. are calling all youth to
a city-wide demonstration before the
City Hall at pm. on December 4.
According to joint statement of the
two organizations, the city admi-
nistration and Common Council must
be compelled to recognize the miser-
able conditions of the youth.
Eight of the 50 youth arrested for
demanding relief on Nov 10 were
sent to a psycllopathic clinic to see
whether they were insane. The Others
were released. In the judges opinion,
representing the boss class, anyone
who fights for relief must be crazy
The militant boys, however, were
found to be perfectly normal by the
examining physician. They were
given suspended sentences.
Increasing rehabilitation Of the
youth is taking place among the
thousands that are unemployed. Only
100000 actually are given any re-
lief, nothing whatever is done for the
girls. Negro youth are viciously dis
eliminated against.
The demands Of the youth include,
besides cash relief, winter clothing,
free rent, lunches. no discrimination
and establishment Of Youth Relief
Stations in all parts Of the city.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
Mitancy Brought Wage Increase Chicago Stoyad Strikers


to quit the job. This was done be-
cause of the militancy on the part OF
the number Of strikers who disre-
garded the union burocrats, who we're
against mass picketing and proposed
only sandwich picketing" Of two
persons around the gate. This was
the official picketing, but unofficially,
the strikers were active around the
gates. The officials further agreed to
permit other employees to handle the
stock. They signed truce, permit
ting the company to handle the i've
stock, providing that no outside help
will be hired. They permitted the
unloading Of two million dollars worth
of stock that was shipped here for the
international livestock show which Is
to open in Chicago soon.
Demands Issued by Industrial Union
The Packing House Workers Indus
trial Union Immediately issued leaf
let to the strikers and workers in the
yard, calling upon the workers in the
stockysrds to spread the strike, to
organize themselves. formulate de-
mands, preparing to broaden the
present strike. TO the strikers. the
Packing House Workers Industrial
Union offered united front to
broaden the strike. The united FROM
offer was rejected by the burocrats OF
the A. F. of L. union. In the leaflet
issued to the strikers. the Packing
House Workers Industrial Union, is
sued the following proposals to carry
on the strike:
81. Election OF. . ranI and file
strike committee.
20. Mass picketing
20. Spreading the strike to all
stockyard workers.
a. Unity in action of all stockyard
workers organizations.
49, No settlement of strike with
ont vote Of all strikers"
Effect Of United Front Proposals
The slogan of spreading the strike
created quite a sentiment among the
workers. The bosses and foremen in
the yards were very much excited
about the spreading of the strike and
undertook a counter campaign against
1t. ss.
In the meantime the whole mach
inery of the government, the MIRA,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

Chicago Federation Of Labor and Of
ficials of the Union Stockyards and
Transit Company were busy to bring
the strike to an end. Secret negotia-
tions we're carried on without the
knowledge OF the strikers. They
wanted to conclude the strike for fear
of spreading the strike and If the
Livestock Handlers would remain on
strike, it would cripple further pro-
duction.
Strikebreakiug Terms Rejected
In the late afternoon of Tuesday,
November 18th, the Chicago Labor
Board Of the MIRA, headed by lib
erap' Prof. Hutchins, OF the Chicago
University, and conspiring Of such
burocrats as John Fitzpatrick, Presi-
dent OF the Chicago Federation Of
Labor, Sam Levine, Amalgamsted
Clothing Workers Union Levine al
ways claims that he is "Socialist")
formulated demands around wrich
the workers were to return to work.
The demands included:
1. That all strikers to be reem-
ployed without discrimination.
2. That the Union Stockyards and
Transit Co. will carry on negotiations
with the representative Of the union.
3. That in case both sides will dis
agree. the whole matter to be referred
to the Chicago Regional Labor
Board for mediation" And II that
failed, 4. Then IAN arbitration be
selected" The objective for all this
was:
s. THE men are to return TO work
tonight"
When these proposals of the MIRA.
were submitted to the strikers, the
overwhelming majority OF them re-
iectsd and declared that they will re-
main on strike, will Immediately
spread the strike to the rest OF the
Stoclsyards workers, organized and
The fear Of spreading
the strike was so big that Jerry
Cronin, Secretary OF Local SIT Of the
Livestock Handlers Union stated
that about 1900 more men were going
TO strike" However, he unde~estim-
ated. More than that would go on
strike.
The defeat of the proposal of the
NR.A. created q fear among the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
10000 PLEDGE TO DEFEND u. S. S.R.
AT HUGE SOVIET RECOGNITION RALLY
Danger of Imperialist
Attack Stressed in
Speech by Olgin

on all Jewish friends Of the Soviet
Union to join the organization which
he represented, to spread the truth
about the u. S. 8. r.
All the speakers emphasized the
achievement Of the U. S. S. r. and
the danger Of inperialist attack
against 1t.
Between the clasped hands OF the
Soviet Union and the United States"
said Or. Harry p. Ward, author Of
the excellent book on Soviet life to-
day, I'm Place Of Profit" there is a
half-dug grave-the grave OF Ameri-
can capitalism"
Corliss Lamont called particular
attention to the anti Soviet activities
OF jingoist groups in the United
States. mentioning specifically the
American Alliance, the leadership OF
the American Federation of Labor
Ralph M. Easley, Hamilton Fish, etc.
The success Of the drive of the
Friends of the Soviet Union for 1o0,-
900 members was more than ever
urgent, he said, in order to counter
act the vicious anti-Soyiet activities
being spread through the United
States by these groups. Herbert Gold
frank, acting national secretary Of
the F. S. u announced the national
convention Of the F. s. u, to be held
probably in Madison Square Garden
on Jan rs, 81 and 2s, 1884.
At midnight, the 10000 workers
who had heard the program opened
by the Freiheit Gesang Farein wit
messed the Duncan dancers in group
Of revolutionary dances before leav-
ing to undertake the work OF spread
ing the movement for the defense OF
the U. S. s. r. among their fellow
workers.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
Now Preparing for Bigger Struggles; Indus
trial Union Leaflet Giving Rank and File
Demands Had Big Effect

Sify its organizationsl drive, 10 e.
tablish itself as powerful factor IN
the stockyards to build its locals Ano
the members OF the union to b In
strumental in setting UP committees
in the departments, uniting workers
Of different unions and organize.
In addition to the p. X. ". I. q.
there are A. r. Of L., Stockyards La
Dor Council, and some independent
unions. None Of these unions today
are determining factor among the
workers. The Overwhelmingly major
ity OF the workers are entirely -un-
ganized. These workers can be or
ganized and powerful united 'front.'
from below can be built on the basis
Of setting up committees In the de-
partments, working out demands.
cementing the unity Of the Negro and
white workers and special demands
worked out for the Negro, young and
women workers. Around this the
Packing Workers Industrial Union can
be organized. The P. II. W. I. q.
showed in this strike that 1t v ca
pable to influence workers who are
members OF the A. r. OF l.. It's ieaflet,
activity of its members among the
strikers we're primarily responsible for
getting the 10 per cent increase. We
must establish very close unity Of the
member Of the Livestock Handlers
Union with the P. H. w. I. U. The
workers do feel the need Of united
action. 1t is our task, through daily
work, to establish the fighting unity
Of the stockyard workers in struggle
to increase wages. against speed-up,
discrimination. etc. and in this
struggle to defeat burocrats Of the
A. T. of L. ard Stockyards Labor
Council
The work Of the p. H. w. I. q. must
receive the support Of all the working
class organizations In the city OF
Chicago. This Is the most important
task confronting the Chicago wording
class
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

The tremendous illusions held by
the mill workers in the N.RA.-illU-
SionS which our union did not suffi-
GENTLY help them to overcome in the
early days Of the operation of the
N.R.A.-haye been shattered by the
wage-cutting N.R.A. steel code, re
cynical smashing Of the Steubenl-
Weirton, Ambridge, Creensburgh, In
dianna Harbor strikes, by the refusal
Of the MIA. Board to support the
locked out and blackliSted clippers
in the Republic mill here, and by the
terrific drop in production (and en-
ployment) in the industry.
Rehabilitation Marked
Production in the industry is low
er today than it WIS a year ago, and
there are few steel workers who ex-
pect very much chGl &c in the near
future. Mass unemployment, starya-
ton while working psrt-time-this is
the perspective for the steel workers.
The resulting rehabilitation offers
tremendous possibilities for the build
ing of our union.
The rapid progress of cur union
in the mills Of this district, which
resulted in the addition of close to
1000 members in the two months up
to October !, has been sharply checked
by % failure to sufficiently consoli-
date our gains and cnergetically ex-
tend them; 90 the reaction to the
mistakes Of the second Republic chip
pers strike and the blacklisting IN
the galyanizing department OF the
same company; go the failure to de-
velop a mass struggle against lay
offs, for relief, etc.
The convention viii have to do
more than merely register these facts,
however. It will have to adopt a
workable plan for overcoming them.
The foundations of this plan must be
I'd mass campaign for relief for
the unemployed and part-tine mill
workers, accompanied by mass re-
cruitment Of these workers into the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

bosses and burocrats Of the A. F. OF
L., so much 50, that in a hurry they
arranged another conference for
Tuesday midnight, and in addition to
the five points they included q sixth
which provided for 10 per cent in
crease in wages. Only when shis
was done were they able to get the
ma ority OF the strikers to vote TO
return to work. When final vote was
taken after midnight only 300 strikers
were In the hall. On wednesday
morning the strikers returned to
work.
This brief sketch OF the events show
clearly that the workers are ready to
carry on d strike struggle and carry it
on to a successful conclusion. The
granting Of the 10 per cent increase
in wages did not satisfy the strikers.
They also know that arbitration will
bring no satisfactory results to them.
We can look toward further struggles.
In this strike, the role Of the NR.A.
and particularly. the liberal" Pro-
fessor Hutchins and such experienced
labor takers like John Fitzpatrick and
Sam Levine were exposed as arch
enemies of the workers. These men
were united together with the bosses
to drive the workers back on the job
without any concession whatever. It
was only the fear of the spreading Of
the strike, only the m!litancy Of the
workers. t'>at forced them to agree to
a ten per cent increase.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

WAS IOuB4lt LII 1879. dCVLldlly SpCh6 c.L
a recruiting meeting recently urging
all workers to join" And in Valdes,
N. c.. the superintendent of the VAL
desc Mfg. Co., was reported to have
urged the workers to get in touch
with the U. T. W. headquarters.
Although many southern workers
have been thus induced to join the
U.T.W. in recent months, the report
states also that these same workers
ARE beginning to grumble about the
failure Of union officials to do any,
thing about grievances, such as dock
ing, cuts through style changes, the
stretch-out and the like, and are
beginning to demand action"
While economists, manufacturers,
and other former supporters Of the
MIRA. admit that the keystone of
the New Deal is failing, the leaders
of the U,TW. remain unperturbed in
their enthusiasm for the Roosevelt
program. Speaking in Baltimore
recently, Francis J. German, Inter
national First Vice President, stated
Il want to announce both publicly
and privately that we are well on the
way to recovery. There is absolutely
no doubt as to the success Of the
program so far, and am confident
Of its results in the future" Il con-
slider the cotton code the greatest ac-
complishment Of the United States
in generation" DAILY News Record,
l, 1889.
And while some A. F. of L. leaders
are beginning to see in N.R.A. the
seeds OF fascism, and the Monthly
Survey of Business of the A. F. of L.
declares, IN. R. A. wages have not
brought higher living standards to
the average worker" President Nc
Mahon blandly writes in the Textile
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

Worker: 1.-THE National Recovery Act
will not fail, and when the two years
allotted to it by Congress have passed,
newer, stronger and more perfect
MIRA. will come forth"
A report to the Daily News Record
from Greenville, s. c., october %,
stated that John Pell, U.T.W. south
ern organizer, said operatives at
several mills had wanted to strike,
but that labor leaders had managed
to-keep- them at work, and hoped no
more strikes would be necessary"
But wouldn't be surprised if we do
have more strikes" he warned
In attempting to organize workers
of the Huntingdon Speciality Co.,
Huntingdon, Pa:.1 subsidiary Of the
Susquehanna SILK Mills, the A. f. of
L. committee inserted an advertise
ment in local newspaper, intro
ducing Mr. William F. Kelly, Inter
national Second Vice President of the
U.T.W., as a member of the commit
tee "in the making up of the silk
CODE" 1t declares that 1--WE want this
union to be so conservative that the
management win join with us in
making the Huntingdon Speciality Co.
the best in the state
Commenting on the speech OF Gen
eral johnson before the recent A. F.
of l.. convention, in which he de-
clared that strike is economic
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01
Mass Fight Begun
by |. [. D. to Save
Negro from Chair
John Edwards, Framed
by Police, Sentenced
to Die Dec. s

CHARLOTTE, N. c., Nov. 30.--A
mass fight Is being organized
throughout the state to save 18-year-
old John Lewis Edwards. Negro youth,
framed on murder charges, from the
electric chair on which he has been
sentenced TO die Dec. 8.
Meetings are being organized in
the principal cities, and a delegation
Of workers and liberals is being pre-
pared by the International Labor
Defense to call on Governor Ehring-
hauS and demand that he stop this
legal lynching
The success OF the Baltimore, Bir-
bingham and Norfolk anti-lynch
conference in focusing the attention
OF the white and Negro workers of
the country on legal and gang lynch
terror, has spurred the work of Or
ganizing the defense of Edwards.
Edwards, charged with the muir
der of street-car n,otornan, was
indicted, tried and convicted in IL
hours by an al-wiite jury. The
l. L. D. through a mass fight won him
a sixty-day reprieve while papers for
an appeal were being prepared.
Before the papers had been per-
fected, the state supreme court, con-
spring to defeat the defense, the in
complete appeal, confirmed the death
sentence and set the date OF execu-
ton only two weeks ahead.
Steps are being taken to force
re-opening of the case before the
state supreme court by the I. L. D.
There were no witnesses to the
actual murder with which Edwards
was charged after the Southern Public
Utilities Corporation offered $1,000
reward to police for a conviction. A
white woman, however, told news
papermen that she saw two white
men running from the scene of the
murder, and that they told her not
to go there.
Forty-five minutes later, another
notorman, on street-car at the
other end of the town, shot and
killed Negro, named Winifred.
Though police refused his relatives
and friends permission to see the
body, 1t was discovered that his face
showed signs Of terrific beating.
Edwards was arrested at the height
of a reign of terror against Negroes
by police, who arrested more than
100 in frantic effort to find the
most suitable frame-up victim so they
could collect the reward.
Lawyers appointed by the court to
defend" Edwards, repotred TO I. L. D..
representatives investigating the case
that all they knew about the case was
what they read in the papers. They
filed no appeal. One of them was a
Negro attorney.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

the union and the strengthening OF
the unemployed branches of the
union; ~ the most energetic cam
palgn inside the mills to develop de-
partmental struggles on even the
smallest issues, using them to build
the union in the particular depart
ments, to establish the unity in action
Of the SM.W.IU., "A and unor-
ganized workers, to build the con-
fidence Of the workers in their fight
ing power and their ability 10 win
concessions from the steel trust, and
to spread these struggles from de-
psrtment to department.
Struggles Developed Union
The convention will have to clearly
record the fact that, where our or
ganization has conducted struggles
without making too many mistakes)
it has grown. Where no struggles
have been conducted. where it failed
TO respond to the desires Of the steel
workers to fight, it has stsgnated,
and declined.
A burning problem facing the con-
yention will be the complete failure
to have done any real work, and &C
complish any results, among the Ne
gro workers. The results of this fail
ure have been to endanger whole
locals Of cur union and to greatly aid
the trust in its fight against US.
The delegation from Steubenville
and Weirton will bring to the con-
Yention serious questions as to just
what their line shall be now.
The policy must be flexible. In
those departments where the A. A. Is
strong. they must be INSIDE the a.
A Wherever A. A. lodges exist, they
must be inside. At the same time 1t
is not our task to prevent the whole
sale exodus from the A. A which may
well come following the December IL
elections decreed by the National Is
Dor Board
If there is such an exodus, we
must be with it, we must try to dia
rect it. For the workers to leave
the A. A. without joining the S. NJ.
w. I. u, is no gain for them. 1t is
no gain for our union. And, even
| if great numbers leave the A. A, We
cannot desert it entirely-work inside
Of it must be continued-the lessons
Of Warren (where we allowed all tie
militants to leave the a. A. and
carried on no work among the more
conservative workers remaining In
side), must be remembered.
All our work in SteuYenbile and
Weirton must be directed towards es-
tablishing the fighting unity OF az
the workers there, through patient,
detailed explanation Of the lessons
of the last strike, the difference be-
tween the policies in that strike OF
the A. K. and the S. M. w. I. u, and
especially to prevent large-scale de-
morali5ation anonk the workers. Oct.
1888 was the FIRST battle in the
Weirtcn Steel Corp. mills. We must
begin to orientate the workers towards
the NEXT battles and take the steps
necessary to insure that the next fight
viii be won.
A new district executive committee
will be elected, more authoritative
than the old one because it will rep
resent real organization in the mills.
Tightening up of apparatus, the
proper meeting Of the red scare,
by explaining the legal role Of the
Communist Party in the workers.
struggles, serious beginnings OF youth
work, the organization Of women's
auxiliaries as a task Of first-rate i'm
portance-all Of these questions must
be discussed and clear line form
ulated.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-01

earnings IN Inc manufacture Oh
1@'g and rayon goods averaged 1853
sea1ts per hour and $1i.8S per week
in 1883. as compared with 406 cents
per pound ard s1347 per week in
1891
Bigger Drop In Real Wages
The drop per hour in textile wages
amounts to 1871 cents or 1877 pei
cent, while the decrease in weekly
dollar earnings totals $6.62 or 35.S
per cent. The percentage loss OF
average earnings per week" says the
Labor Review, was more than for
average earnings per hour because Of
more lost time or more part-time
work in 1888 than in 1891
In the light of the present greatly
increased cost Of living, as compared
with 1881, the worker can purchase
much less food now than in 1881 for
a dollar---in other words, the drop in
real wages is much more than the
1862 decline in weekly wages.
Covers 81 Cities
In the section on Union Scales of
Wages of Labor in 1888, Average
Wage Rates, by Trades" the report
states:
THE 1888 survey Of union scales
Of wages and hours OF labor. recently
completed by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, covered nearly q half mil
lion organized workers, in CT i'm
portant industrial cities.
The present article shows the
average rates per hour OF certain OF
me principal time-work trades-bak-
err trades, building trades, chau1-
Teurs end tcamsters and drivers,
frantic Grd stone trades, laundry
workers. linenlep. longshorsmen, end
the p~ir;ilg trades Cbook and iot
and neUSpapsr), where such trades
we're found to be organized and
maintaining Ga effective scale.
The average hourly wage -ate in
1898 fer eli CT the trades indicated
vac S1.oG2, a3 compared with Sill
in 1882, a decrease CT 40 cents an
hosr, or - par cent. OF the 90 sep
crate tiIr,e-'7or!, trades, nine showed
slight incr3accs and so showed de-
creac:g n - 2~-2-'-~'e v-age rates per
houv.
III 1892. baGa ue-e paid an av-
erage wage per hour OF s.o51, as COM
pared with $3.50 in 1898, a drop Of
16 PEI cent. according to the survey
The average hourly wage in the build
ing trades dropped from s1.216 to
sl,2ol, or Ia per cent: for cnauffeurs
tsau1ter3 and drivers, from S,722 to
$3.50, or 81 per cent; for the granite
and stGce trades. from $12e3 to
Sl-2S4, o. IS FER cent; for laundry
workers, FROM s.As7 to s.435, or 1917
per cent; for linernen, from s1.o91 to
sio34, Or Sc per cent; for the long
shoremen, from $.se8 to 1897, or $50
per cent; i'll the printing and pub
fishing group, the book and job from
sf.06A to sl.0o6, or Sc per cent, the