The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-11
Scrip Plan Is
Fought by C.P.
in Milwaukee
III.
BY FRED BASSETT- BLAIR

BY FRED BASSETT-BLAIR
ALREADY the bath houses in
n workers neighborhoods are be-
ing closed down, for varying peri
DDS; social centers will be stag
gered" like the bath houses. Though
cases Of pellagra are appearing
among workers on the relief list,
though influenza and pneumonia
are on the increase, the Health
Department is cut. The "city OF
good sewers, clean streets and al
leys," as Hoan used to praise it,
has cut the appropriations for
these items from IS to 40 per cent.
The budget slashes in all depart
nents will be at the expense of the
workers in them-the highly paid
big officials will not suffer wage
cuts.
The health and living standards
of Milwaukee workers cannot help
suffering from such drastic cuts
as are being put through in sani-
tation, health and other depart
ments; while their cultural and
recreational facilities also suffer
severely.
The School Board Is cut almost
10 per cent-meaning wage-cuts
for the teachers, refusal to give
free hot lunches and milk to the
children.
ANOTHER institution of "muni-
n cipal Socialism" in Milwaukee
is the city attorneys office-now
run by Max Raskin, elected on the
Socialist ticket. He has many
other Socialist lawyers, including
William Quick, whose son is
prominent Upset, assisting him in
prosecuting unemployed workers
for fighting for bread. The city
attorneys office receives a raise of
$1,325.
Six million dollars of the budget
goes to pay interest and principal
on the city's bonded debt-to the
bankers of Wall st. This debt
must be paid" by the Socialist
leaders, who loudly shout at Wall
Street-while they recommend,
along with their non-partisan
friends, most drastic cuts in items
affecting the workers.
TO sum up-the debate on the
scrip system and the proposed
city budget of Milwaukee for 1893,
bring to light several important
things for the workers:
u The city government is pass
ing into a state of bankruptcy
Municipal Socialism, did not save
it from the fate of other large
cities.
q The Milwaukee bosses,
through their Socialist-controlled
city government, are preparing
drastic wage-cuts for city en-
ployeS are intending to lay off
thousands of public workers, are
giving up all pretense of "unem-
ployment relief" At the same
time, they are linking up the at
tacks on the city workers with the
attacks against the standards of
living of all workers in Milwau-
kee. And the Socialist officials
propose and carry through their
plans.
81 The health, living standards,
cultural and recreational facilities
of the working masses (the boast
Of Milwaukee Municipal Social
ism"O are to be attacked for the
sake of saving taxes for the big
bosses and the wages of the higher
public officials.
a The city is going to dispos-
SeSS thousands of small property
holders for delinquent taxes--to
appropriate them brazenly in order
to spare the big property holders
and the high officials.
81 The bosses expect the work
ers to struggle against these at
tacks, and are preparing their
forces Of repression-police, courts,
etc.
g. But open terror will not be
enough. The beneficial influence"
of the Socialist Party leaders, par
ticularly Mayor Hoan, their most
influential one, must be main
tanned, and his salary even must
not be touched, to make sure Of
his loyalty to the bosses.
Upon the Milwaukee Communist
Party rests the task of mobilizing
the workers and small property
holders against the Infamous scrip
system, and the intolerable condi-
tions that are bound to result from
the budget Slashes in the items
affecting the lives of the workers.
The Socialist Party leaders, and
the leaders of the A. F. of L. have
completely accepted the bosses
program of starvation and terror.
The bankruptcy of Milwaukee
Municipal Socialism" is now ex-
posing itself.
Only the Communist Party will
give leadership to the workers in
resisting these attacks of the bour-
geoisie and will carry out the task
of defeating them. 1t calls upon
the rank and file Socialist work
ers, and supporters of the Socialist
Party. to desert the traitorous
leadership of Hoan, Raslsin 81
Co., and join in a united struggle
against the bosses and their agents,
to fight the budget cuts In social
services to the workers, and the
police terror being prepared.
fTIyI rAynk