The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-10
Scrip Plan Is
Fought by C.P.
in Milwaukee
By FRED BASSETT- BLAIR


IN opposition to the scrip pay
ments, the Communist Party
puts forward the following de-
mands.
l. That all city and county
wages be paid in full in cash
with a reduction of all official sal
aries, including the mayors, to a
maximum of $4,000 a year. That
no system of scrip payment be
considered for either public or
private employment.
2. That no delinquent tax
properties below $4,000 value own
ed by workers or small property
holders be taken over by the city
no matter how long in arrears.
PROPERTY TAX
3. That in order to raise the
funds necessary for cash payments
OF wages, a steeply graduated
property tax be levied upon all
property valuations over $4,000;
while all properties below this val
uation be tax exempt.
T. That in order to provide for
more employment of workers now
unemployed, the city budget pro-
vide for an expanded public works
program with full cash wages I'M
ion scale for all labor employed
(nO scrip That the police budget
be cut three quarters to provide
for this public works program:
that no interest or principal be
paid upon the city's bonded in
debtedneSs and the money saved
go to the public works program;
that the city apply to the Recon-
struction Finance Corp. for loan
sufficient to cover all cash wages
and costs above what is realized by
these measures.
THE Communist Party stand
a created stir, and some divi-
sion in the ranks of the politicians.
After its appearance, many dema-
gogues began to pretend "opposi-
ton" to scrip.
IN Wednesday, Dec. 2S, there was
" a public hearing on the budget,
at which many interesting things
came to light in addition to what
was brought out by the scrip argu-
ments. The 1888 budget of Mil
waukee Is cut over 100000 as
compared with the 1882 budget.
Two things stand out with
reference to the budget: a. While
in the debate on the scrip system,
Mayor Hoan and the councilmen,
both Socialist and non-partisan,
demagogically spoke Of ''unemploy-
ment relief" it is precisely this
item which suffers most from the
budget cuts; b. The police depart
ment, mayors Office, city attorneys
Office, courts, and other organs of
repression are cut either sparingly,
or not at all.
NO CUTS FOR POLICE
AND HOAN
The police department, taking
up 8 per cent of the total budget,
was cut only $16,500 (about half of
one per cent? though the total
budget cut was about 10 per cent.
This cut represented the cost OF
maintaining the city's mounted po-
lice. The mayor has been trying
to hide the great police appropria-
ton by staging a mock-war with
police chief Laubenheimer over the
six horses.
The mayors department was cut
only $95-cigarette money. The
mayor receives $l3,5oO a year Che
donates 10 per cent to "unemploy-
ed relief '-making his wages "on-
ly" $12,150).
Chief of Police Laubenheimer
argued for the mounted police.
1.-THE horse is mans best friend
and has been from the dawn Of
history" he said, and told how
gentle the horses were. But he en-
phasized many times the real rea--
sons for the horses There will
be riots in these times of unrest.
One policeman on horseback can
do more against mob than Az
patrolmen.' He showed how on
March 6. 1880, the mounted police
dispersed over 10000 unemployed
workers in only few minutes
time. Don't take the horses from
me for the next three years" he
pleaded.
The debate at this hearing upon
Laubenheimer's horses brought out
sharply the class nature OF the
budget. The Communist Party and
T. U. U. L. speakers, coming IN
Immediately after the police CHIEF,
were unable to seize upon the bud
get cuts, and expose particularly
the role of the police and the
mayor.
rONTRASTED with the favorable
y treatment which the police and
the mayor received in the budget
the public employees and the I'M
employed workers Of Milwaukee
are being bitterly attacked in the
1888 budget.
BIG CHUNK OUT OF RELIEF
There are over 100000 unerl-
ployed in the city Relief has been
promised them, and before cleo
lions temporary Jobs we're given
out. The 1888 budget cuts the
Public Works Department almost
$1,000, 0O0-about Is per cent. "All
new construction work has been
eliminated" the invitation to the
hearing read; 100000 for unem-
ployment relief projects and $780,
900 for snow removal, have been
eliminated from the budget en-