The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-19
BY M. CKILDS


THE Milwaukee Leader" is the off,
cial organ of the Socialist Party in
Wisconsin. In fact, it is the only
Socialist daily paper in the United
States Thousands of workers sup
pert 1t through personal contribu-
tons. Many unions take money out
Of their treasures to support it.
These Socialist workers contribute
to and support the Milwaukee Leader
because they assume that it Is fight
ing for what they are fighting for
for the destruction of capitalism and
the creation of a Socialist world
But these workers have been, and
are becoming. more and more shock
ed by the things that they find in
their paper.
Last February, for example, during
the Wisconsin milk strike, when the
long suffering farmers were fighting
heroically on the roads against the
thugs and police of the big milk
monopolies the Milwaukee Leader"
blossomed forth with half page adj
vertisenent by the Milk Trust, be-
smirching the striking farmers, and
praising the glories of capitalism and
the benign rule of the Milk Trusts.
OF course. many Socialist workers
rushed at once to the Offices OF the
Socialist Party in Brisbane Hall
violently protesting against this open
support of milk scabbing against the
suffering farmers. But the Socialist
Party officials tried to smooth the
matter over by saying, that while
the advertisement may not be In lire
with the teachings OF Socialism, 1t
was only paid advertisement, ETC.,
etc"
Workers Get Wage Cuts Under the
Codes
This was last February. Since
then many things have happened.
With the coming of the Roosevelt
administration and the Industrial
Recovery slavery Codes, the capt.
talist class of America has begun to
cut down the living standards Of the
workers more than ever before. And
in Milwaukee the workers have had
plenty of proof of it.
In the big A. o. Smith plant the
workers have taken a SO per cent
CUP. their work time having been cut
without any corresponding increase
in wages.
In the George Meyer Company the
Industrial codes brought wage cuts
of seven and nine dollars week
In the Pressed Steel Corporation
the codes brought rise of few
cents per hour. But the reduction
in amount given to each worker, re-
suited in a wage cut of a dollar and
a half day. And on top Of this
the company has cut out all pay for
dead work." as they call it. This
means that all the time that work
ers have to wait around while
machines are not being repaired,
their pay is being cut.
And in the plants of the Allis
Chalmer Company, the MIRA codes
paved the way for the introduction
of the "stagger plan" all IS hour
shifts being reduced to Is, with a
consequent cut in wages.
In nearly all the factories, the MIRA
codes have brought about similar re-
suits. At the FISHERMAN Shop
the workers are on strike against the
Needle Trade MIRA code, since 1t has
lcgalized the wage levels which re-
suited from the long series Of wage
cuts, so that now the workers are
expected to accept a permanent re-
euction Of 80 to 40 per cent in wages.
THAT'S what the MIRA has brought
l to the workers in Milwaukee. And
50 it can be imagined what shock
it was to Socialist workers to pick up
their papre and find the Leader in
full support Of the hated Roosevelt
MIRA codes, Haunting on the front
page cartoon showing Roosevelt
leading the masses out Of the dark
ness Of poverty" etc.
Some rubbed their eyes and said:
Maybe this is an accident. We will
wait until tomorrow and see what
the Leader has to say" But the
next day brought another cartoon,
showing beneflcent Uncle Sam driv-
ing out the Company unions with
gun labeled MIRA.
The workers were astonished, for
IN this very day the Allis Chalmers
Corporation organized q company
rsiion under NRA codes, and another
company, the Falk Company fatty
FUSED to permit the workers to or
,nize their own union under the
odes, or elect their own representa-
yes in the shops.
The workers knew from their own
-rerience that this was the case in