The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-07
BY JOE. BENSON


Secretary of the Unemployed Council
Wide masses of Negro and
white workers are being reused
in support of the Workers Re-
lief Ordinance and the Tenants
Program of Action-both pro-
posed by the Unemployed
Council. The Relief Ordinance
demands weekly cash relief and guar
anteed security for all unemployed
and part time workers at the expense
of the city, large corporations and
the banks, pending the enactment by
the Federal Government Of the
Workers Unemployment and Social
Insurance Bill. The local bill has al
ready been presented to the City
Council. The bill was sneered and
the City Manager called upon the
police to eject the spokesman OF the
Council. But since then steps have
been taken to get into the white and
colored neighborhoods and into mass
organizations. The bill has been dis
tributed in thousands of copies and
hundreds of petitions are being en-
dorsed pledging support and struggle
for. the bill. With these almost a
thousand pamphlets dealing with the
Roosevelt Slavery program and the
need for Unemployment Insurance
have been widely distributed and sold.
Further special appeals have been
addressed to the white workers ap-
pealing for unity in the struggle and
showing very clearly how the bosses
and city had exploited color division
and prejudice to Systematically cut
down and finally cut off relief.
White Workers Respond
In the concrete steps we are taking
to follow up this work through can
vasing we are finding an unusual
response among the whites. On visit
ing white labor unions on behalf OF
the bill we again find a good response
among the rank and file even
though their leaders generally show
open hostility. At one of the meetings
of the Amalgamated Labor League
a new organization controlled by So
cialist burocrats and other insincere
elements, police were called in to ar
rest Joe Benson who had managed
to get the floor through some rank
and file members. The S. P. leaders
called for the police when Benson
began to expose the blessings of the
MIRA. in Norfolk. The cop had to
leave in the face of rank and file pro-
test. The bill was read and heartily
applauded. The leaders refused to
act on it, hiding behind the excuse
that they were against charity and
for work. Since this incident many
Vorke-s have become disillusioned in
THIS outfit, which they joined out OF
the burning desire for class unity and
rank disgust with the A. F. of L.
leaders In the City.
The Carpenters Union promised to
take the matter of endorsing the bill
up at their next business meeting.
Last week at the meeting of the Fra
ternal Order of Americans the reac-
tionary trustees tried to use rough
house tactics on Council spckes-
man, raising the Red Bogey," but
they were more than surprised when
they were rebuffed by some of their
members who thought we had right
to present such a petition. In this
way, linking this up with the fight
against evictions and the immediate
fight for needy families. a proper
foundation is being laid for building
the Unemployed Council and prepar-
ing for mass actions that will force
the City Council to come across with
decent relief and not degrading
charity. The City and the Bosses
have cleverly used the MIRA. bally-
hoo to slash most of the relief.
Hom.s Are Fire Traps
AT the moment, the workers OF
Norfolk are even more aroused over
the Tenants Program of Action which
calls for cheaper rents and better
housing conditions and the end of
evictions. The majority of the homes
in Norfolk are nothing but firetraps-
--vermin and rat ridden, miserably
-damp-as most of the city is below
water level. Being surrounded by
water, without sea or tide buffers or
proper drainage system, when big
gales blow in and around Norfolk
streets are inundated, bedrooms are
flooded with water mercilessly COM
ing through ceiling, floor and I'M
plastered walls, More than 20 work.
ers lives have. been lost through
typhoid as a result of this--the city
pays a million TO the bankers each
year. but not penny can be found
to protect workers from floods and
disease. For , and room shacks like