The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-16

In the first place, the N.R.A. COM
plant bureau was subsidized by the
richest and most reactionary en-
ployers in Brooklyn. 1t was the
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
that footed the initial expenses of
the swanky N.R.A. offices.
And the Brooklyn Chamber Of
Commerce is the organized force OF
the biggest employers in Brooklyn.
When they pay for something they
know that they will get their moneys
worth. They got it.
They paid for the telephones, the
rent, the Office expenses, etc.
And they installed as officers of
the Brooklyn NR.A. a group Of bust
ness men whom they could trust to
handle properly all the workers rev.
Citations of rotten exploitation and
starvation wages. They knew what
they wanted.
The N.R.A. chairman of the main
zone in Brooklyn was chosen to be
none other than G. A. Barnewen.
Who is this gentlemen that he is so
fitted for listening to the workers
exposures of starvation wages and
sWeatshop hours?
He is the pres dent of the Brook
Ign Chamber of Commerce and
leading official of the Brooklyn Trust
Company. A rich banker-that's the
man who had to listen to the work
ers' complaints brought to the N.R.A.
oflcest
The second man chosen to act as
the intermediary between the work.
ers and the Brooklyn employers was
john w. Roeder, leading official
in the Peoples National Bank, and
leading member of the Chamber
of Commerce.
The third man whom the MIRA.
picked to take care Of the interests
of the workers was James L. Meeks,
vice-presldent of the Lincoln Savings
Bank.
That's the way the names read
all the way down the line-big mer-
chants, bankers, manufacturers, bust
ness men, politicians.
Maybe that explains why the big
grocery chain, H. o. Bohack, could
ire its workers without their protest
to the NJ r. A. Office getting the
slightest response.
Because the Bohack Grocery COM
pany is a member of the Brooklyn
Chamber Of Commerce, which or
gan. zed and paid for the N.R.A. Of
tices!
Maybe that explains why a worker
in the Brooklyn Savings Bank who
came to MIRA. complaining OF 65-
hour week got not the slightest re-
lief Or action from the MIRA.
Because his bank is a part Of the
n. L. A. administration and the
Chamber of Commerce!
Maybe that explains why a worker
in the lsenburgh Milk Company who
works IS hours day for 81 week
got no action on his complaint.
Because the president OF the local
Chamber CT Commerce, Louis Stark,
is part Of the n, r. A. official ma
chinery,
THE Brooklyn NR.A. gave ban
quet to all the big merchants
and manufacturers. And one of the
companies represented was the Dress
Manufacturing Company at Sleeps
head Bey and 18th Street.
It is therefore no wonder that the
worker in this shop who complained
to the MIRA. that he works AZ hours
a week for $40 got no action on
his complaint
At this banquet the MIRA. official
for Coney Island boosted that his
district was 100 per cent organized
for the N.R.A.
It is therefore no wonder that the
workers in the Shaffer Auto Com
pany got no action when they COM
planned that they were working ~
hours a week!
This list could be extended for q
long way. These cases are not iso-
lated, unusual cases.
They are typical of the set-up be-
tween the N.R.A. and the very en-
ployers, against whom the workers
were complaining.
The tieup between the bosses and
the MIRA. was too tight, too close,
to permit of the slightest hope that
the MIRA. complaint bureau would
ever do anything for the workers.
There are supposed to be two sides
to the N.R.A-one side to protect the
employers, the other to take care Of
the workers.
The second has turned out to be
a fraud. 1t was never meant sei-
ously, anyway.
The employers side is growing
more active every day. In New York
Grover Whalen is increasing his
strikebreaking activities every hour
The police dubbed hundreds Of dress
workers who tried to visit the NRA.
Offices on Saturday to protest against
the non-recognition Of their union.
The MIRA. Labor Administration
Board, which breaks strikes, through
forced, compulsory arbitration - this
is func,ioning day and night. This
doned as the Complaint Bureau was
THE workers Of Brooklyn are be-
ginning to learn that the work
ers will never get any action on their
grievances from the MIRA. because
n. Il. a. machinery consists of the
ve;y people aga INST whom they are
complaining. 1t is the outfit Of the
employers.
Tdey are beginning to see that
it is only by organizing themselves