The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-06-24

meDtS have occurred since this ar
ticle was written. The recent deci-
sion of the Railroad brotherhood
chiefs to accept the Roosevelt plan
to continue the wage cut of 10 per
cent for another year and the COM
plete passiyity of the Engineers Con-
ventiOn in the face of this situation
is not covered in this article. The
article deals only with the first per-
iOd of the convention sessions.-Ed.
By r. v. STRAN
CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 23.-An-
nouncement of the railroad COM
panies' demand fer 2212 per cent
cut revealed no difference between
the Johnston machine and the Job
hunting leaders who seek to replace
them, at the convention sessions of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neerS here. A resolution was unani-
mously adopted opposing any further
wage cuts and calling for the res
toration of the 10 per cent "deduc-
tom but there was practically no
discussion and rank and file elements
were not sufficiently organized or
prepared to seize the occasion to
denounce the giving away of wages
as in the 10 per cent cut and to
demand the adoption of real fight
ing policy against the present cut.
Both Johnston and his gang, and the
Ward, Rudolph bureaucrats are in
league when it comes to sitting any
discussion of the vital labor interests
of the members, such as is demanded
by the Brotherhood Unity movement.
Need for Unity Of Rank and File
Progressives
Crying need for closer organization
among rank and file progressives is
clearly in evidence. The corrupt
Johnston machine, although on the
defensive, is still closely organized
and capable of putting over a trick
or two on the opposition majority
That it has not yet been thrown out
bag and baggage is due to the COM
promises and treacherieS of the little
cliques of job-hunters organized
around ]. B. Ward, Carl Rudolph
and other bureaucrats looking for
promotion. Rank and file sentiment
has been strong enough to score
many minor progressive victories,
but it needs the closer cohesion adj
vocated by the Brotherhoods Unity
Movement to enact a worthwhile
labor program.
Progressive successes scored so far
in the present convention include the
defeat of Johnston's underhand at
tempts to kill the committee elected
by the convention to investigate the
Standard Trust Bank; refusal to &C
cept the reports of Johnston and
other Grand Officers; amendment
OF Section 70, one of the gag laws;
seating of opposition delegates whom
Johnston tried to keep from the
floor; reinstatement of j. G. Quigley,
expelled by Johnston for circulating
information about Grand Office cor
ruption: and the resembling of hon
orary membership granted to Judge
A. q. Newcomb and G. Stirling Smith,
president Of the Standard Trust
Bank.
Johnston Still Strong
Administration victories include
the notorious vote of confidence in
Johnston and Secretary-Treasurer
Cassell, following their indictment
with Smith for robbing the Standard
Trust Bank; retention Of the chair
for the Grand Office gang, and the
avoidance OF discussion and criticism
from the floor on the 10 per cent cut
sell-out and on the whole labor pro-
gram and policies of the leadership.
Each Of these machine victories has
been won through confusion and d.
vision injected into the progressive
ranks by leaders who differ little if
any in their policies from the John
ston gang, Of which they were until
recently part.
One OF the worst features of the
convention so far has been the boot
licking attitude in evidence toward
President Roosevelt, in spite of the
fact that he has provided the rail-
road companies with their best argu-
ment for cutting wages still further
by his Is per cent cut in the wages of
federal employees and in spite of the
fact that his railroad coordination
bill, as originally approved by him,
called for the laying off of up to
3O0,0O0 railroad workers to bolster up
profits-and even as amended, the
Dill provides for the killing Of some
10000 jobs a year through no re-
placements when employees die, re-
tire or resign. The men are already
becoming aware of many new
schemes OF the companies to enforce
such "retirements" through stricter
and more frequent health examina-