The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-09
| Wages in Scrip
Is S. p. Plan
in Milwaukee
BY FRED BASSETT- BLAIR

H. 1--WE Vic 4dSO elections, DANIEL
- W. Hoan, mayor for 16 years on
the Socialist Party ticket, was he
ralded throughout the country as
one pilot who guided his ship of
state--the Milwaukee city govern
ment-through the stormy seas OF
the crisis to safe harbor. Mil
Waukee is solvent" said Dan Hoan.
because of the influence of the
Socialist Party, and the application
OF its policies of municipal Social
ism, in city government"
But now there is a different
story. The city budget for 1888 is
being made up. The mayor of the
miracle city, is finding it hard
to get any more cash out Of the
workers and small property hold
ers. He is proposing a method of
meeting the city's obligations, in
Guiding wages" 75T6 in cash and
$50 in scrip. Is this municipal
Socialism, Mr.. Hoan?
THE Milwaukee Sentinel, organ Of
L Paul Block and Hearst, COM
mentS Sardonically in its Dec. 81
issue: "Only year ago, the city
was being touted all over the coun-
try as having huge cash SURPRISES,
and being, as a result of careful
socialistic management (our en-
phasis) in the most enviable stu
alton of any large community in
the country. Now Milwaukee ap-
parently is to issue scrip like some
other cities, and is proceeding to
this extremity in advance of many
large cities whose condition was
somewhat individually compared
with ours just before the municipal
elections"
MANY PROPOSALS
The scrip proposal of the mayor
was followed by many others, in
troduced both by Socialists and
non-partisans CRep. or DEM One
ambitious proposal sponsored by
aldermen Thompson and Brown
(non-partisan proposes to put all
employees in the city-both public
and private-on scrip with the 30
hour week and various wage-cuts.
The Socialist aldermen only diff
fered with the -partisans as to
whether scrip should be imme-
diately adopted or be sent to a
committee for further investiga-
ton. There was some doubt in
their minds as to whether it would
be legal to deduct 10 per cent from
the city employees wages for "un-
employment relief" (this was an
other municipal Socialist" meas
ureD when the employees were
paid in script.
The city's financial difficulties
we're barred by the debate on this
question. Soref mon partisan) was
for immediate adoption of a
scheme similar to Hoans, because
I'VE must conserve our cash as
SETS, If we pay part in scrip and
part in cash, the taxpayers will
have more faith in us than if we
pay all cash now and all scrip
later. We shall have payless pay
days soon"
COMMUNIST PARTY
ALONE OPPOSES SCRIP
Alderman Dietz, the Socialist
floor-leader socialists are in the
majority in the Council with the
help of two -partisan) said:
we must conserve our assets. The
longer the depression lasts the
more we shall need them. But we
must review the plans for scrip
it may do more harm than good
if we are hasty."
THERE was no opposition to the
l scrip schemes from the Social
iSt leaders. The first and only OPP
position came in a communication
addressed to the Council by the
Communist Party. In it's con1mu-
nication, the Communist Party pro-
tested emphatically against the
adoption of any form of scrip pay
ment. 1t pointed out the strug-
giles Of the American workers a.
gainst scrip, and that wherever it
had been in use, it was used to
cheat the workers.
The Communist Party pointed
out that scrip will mean the fol-
lowing for the workers:
4. A reduction in wages for city
employees, and employees of priv
ately owned and operated indus
try.
2. An increase in the cost Of liv-
ing, through the imitation which
the issuance of scrip money en-
tails.
WOULD MEAN STARVATION
8. The adoption Of form OF
the Teagle share the work. sys-
tenn. This means in essence starry
alton for all workers. 1t reduces
the wages of those still employed
to below subsistence levels; it puts
the unemployed to work at such
wages, and thereby cuts them off
the relief list, and forces them to
1--we on less tnan even the mlSer~
able relief al1otments they now re-
ceive.
4. The spread of forced labor
Canother example of Milwaukee
municipal Socialism, to include
all workers, those at present EN-
ployed, as well as those on the re-
lief list.
S., Along with these huge profits
will be gained by spectators in
the scrip money. at the expense of
the workers and small property
holders.
6. The scrip proposals cannot
be separated from the proposals of
Comptroller Koteckf to take over
millions of dollars worth of tax
delinquent properties of small