davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27

to visit Washington Ito explore
with me personally all questions
between our countries" President
Kalinin answered on Oct. IT, ac-
cepting the invitation and inform
ing President Roosevelt that Lit
vinov had been selected to proceed
to Washington.
1t will be recalled that at the
World Economic Conference held
in London several months ago, Lit
vinov announced that the Soviet
Union was prepared to place or
ders in capitalist countries for
goods amounting to 81, 000, 000, 900.
The moves of the Roosevelt adj
ministration toward recognition Of
the Soviet Union are made to
smooth the way toward the secur-
ing of large orders from the So
Wet Union. 1t is estimated that
such trade would give jobs to
100000 men in this country
MOSCOW, Oct. 21-News of the
interchange of notes between
Presidents Kalinin and Roosevelt
and the possibility of United
States recognition of the Is year
old workers and farmers govern.
ment of the Soviet Union, were
received enthusiastically here.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27

The Producers News is the
best organizer and agitatOr
for United Farmers League.
Order a bundle. Get a bundle.
Get subscriptions.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27
Roosevelt Invites Envoy
of Soviet Union to u. S.
. to Discuss Recognition
Ltvinov Soviet Comissar for Foreign Affairs Selected
to Conduct Talks With u. S. President
in Washington

WASHINGTON D. c., Oct 21Pesdent Roosevelt announced
yesterday that Maxim Lvnov Peoples Commissar for Foreign AT
fairs of the Union Soviet Socialist Republics will arrive shortly in
United States discuss with President Roosevelt the establish
of formal diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27

United States.
At the same time, Roosevelt
made public an exchange of COM
munications between himself and
Mikhail Kalinin, President of the
Soviet Urion. President Roose-
welt wrote President Kalinin on
Oct. 10, inviting a representative
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27

want initiation.
The demands of the strike are
cost of production and refinancing
of farm debts under the terms of
the Frazier Bill.
The call to strike was made with
out warning and without consult
ing the rank and file of the Holt
day Association. Absolutely no
preparations have been taken for
making the strike effective, nor
are the demands announced as the
object of the strike the result of
any expression of the desires of
the Holiday membership.
Sincerity Doubtful
i The manner in which the strike
has been called and the total fail
ure to make any strike prepare
lions, cannot but lead to the con-
viction that the Holiday leaders
are not sincere in their strike call.
1t is apparent from Reno's actions
that he has been forced to appear
to take some kind of action by
the rising revolt spreading nation
wide among the impoverished farm
population.
On Friday, Oct. 20, Reno held q
conference in Omaha, not with the
farmers to lay plans for beginning
the strike, but with big business
leaders of Omaha. In this meet
ing Reno achieved the stupendous
victory of securing the agreement
of the busiress men present to q
verbal resolution which stated: cit
is the sense of this meeting that
we favor guaranteeing the farmer
cost of production"
Representatives of
Big Business
/ Those who attended the meeting
included the representatives of the
biggest business interests and
trusts in Nebraska, such as the
head of the Nebraska Power Co.
the chairman of the Chamber Of
Commerce, the president of the
Federal Land Bank of Omaha, anC
representatives of two big grain
companies.
To assure these enemies of thu
, farmers that Reno and his herch
! men did not mean business whel
they issued the call for strike, H
|, c.. Parmenter, Reno's lieutenant il
|, Nebraska, said: "The creates
dread of Holiday officials is com
> mnrist activity. Only those un-
, friendly to our cause will be tn
! ones who will cause picketing."
Against Picketing
Parmenter thus utilizes the pref
: udice that many farmers hav
against communists to steer ther
: away from the only form of &C
tivity which can make a strike Ell
= fective, which is mass picketing.
Reno himself issued statement
! saying that picketing is not cor
templated. Tom Horsford, presi
: dent of the Montana Holiday, an
; mary other Holiday leaders hav
:. expressed themselves as agains
violence. BY violence, they mea
mass picketing.
Although he called the strike {
begin on Oct. 81, not until ths
very day did he mail out any cal
to his Holiday organization
= throughout the country. The wa
they are responding is good II
dication of how the Holiday work
Nowhere has the strike starte'
yet, except for the report that
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27
FRED B. CHASE.
MILITANT FARM
LEADER DEAD

% HIE5LsBoRo, N. H., Oct.
S ~. :. B. Chase, one of
s ave live members of the
FT1, s,1lv committee of the
TO- LINERS y National Commit
nioL lor Action, died here last
~gSt at the age of 81.
II RED Chase was one of
fieie leading revolutionary
am, ; l I e rs and organizers
s ~tnOng farmers for the
siou sgle against the oppres-
tn M, Of the banks and the
es Ts.s, and against the whole
apt capitalist system. In III" his
r mo,. the militant farm
blow. suffers a serious
VIE e leaves behind him a
/ w ~Ile and two sons, all Of
The ~, lar. are active fighters in
revolutionary movement
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27
RENO CALLS FARM
STRIKE WITHOUT
PREPARATIONS

o.,ards of Strike are Cost of Production and Re-
O'''D financing of Farm Debts Under the Terms
of the Frazier Bill
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27
Chicago Workers Pledge Aid In
Farm Conference Arrangements;
Offer Solidarity In Struggles
WORKERS INTERNATIONAL RELIEF
2552 West Division ST.
Chicago, III.

Lem Harris, Executive Secretary
Farmers National Committee for Action
1922 H Street N. W.
Washington, d. C.
Dear Friend.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1933-10-27

pc IN. ual's Cancellation Of Seed
S'G'4 T,.ed loans by the federal
government
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
Worker Needs Shoes; Social
Bureau Sends Him to Police

NEW When Marvin Alt
field, an unemployed worker, applied
at the Jewish Social Service Associa-
ton for a pair of shoes he was given
a sealed envelope containing instruc-
tons to the police to Jail him, and
sent to a police station after having
been told that he would be taken
care of there"
Altfeld, @ 24-year-old worker, has
been unemployed since May, 1880.
During the summer he had worked
occasionally at various odd-jobs.
Without money or the chance Of a
job, he had been forced to live at
the flop-house of the Hebrew Shelter
and Immigration Society at 245 La
fayette st.
Early in October Altfeld first ap-
piled at the Jewish Social Service,
welfare agency supported by contri-
buttons, for pair of shoes. There
was nothing unusual about Altfelds
request; giving shoes and other ar
ticles Of clothing to the unemployed
Is supposed to be one of the functions
of this agency. At this time Ralph
Ostrofsky, director Of the agency, re-
fused him shoes.
Altfeld returned again for shoes.
Fifteen times he came back. Finally,
the soles being entirely gone from
his shoes, he simply asked that the
old shoes be repaired.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
NRASeekS TOBreak
Porto Rican Strikes

SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, Dec. a.
N. r. A. officials have interviewed here
to break a strike Of taxi drivers and
sugar workers.
Boaz Long, N. r. A. coordinator, is
''nediating" in the taxi strike. The
taxidrivers are demanding lower gas
oline prices and an end of the gaso-
line monopoly maintained by Amer
lean and British oil trusts, mainly
Standard Oil and Shell Oil. The men
are charged IS cents gallon, when
the government pays only IA cents,
and big corporations 16 cents.
Efforts are being made by the work
ers to call q general taxicab strike
throughout the island.
Workers OF the largest sugar mill
in Porto Rico, the Guanica Central.
are striking for higher wages and
shorter hours. The N. r. A. coor-
dinator will intervene to break the
strike.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
Mass Funeral Held
E RK q n ~ y
fOr MarSnuk, F0rd
GangSters' Victim
To Answer Attack by
Building Stronger
Party and Union

DETROIT, Mich, Dec. 2s--George
Marshuk, Lincoln Park Auto Work
erS Union secretary, murdered by
Ford gangsters a week ago, was
buried at Chapel Cemetery wednes-
day.
One hundred and fifty workers at
tended the funeral in the bitter cold.
Flowers were sent to the murdered
workers home at 209l College St.,
Lincoln Park, by the Ford section of
the Communist Party and the local
branch of the Auto Workers Union.
Short speeches were made by Max
Salzman, organizer of the Ford Sec
ton of the Communist Party, Bud
Reynolds, Vogel Of the local Auto
Union branch and Russian speaker
Salzman pointed out that Marshuk,
a leader In the work of the Party and
the Auto Workers Union, was mur-
dered by Ford's gangsters and XXX.
members for these activities. Salz-
man called for greater effort in
building the Communist Party and
the Union as answer to the Ford at
tack.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
1OTH
ANNEvE RSARY
pailv.eS gorlke:r!
oehfsA osss zprSs fssss hnss ussA
<ELEBRA <oNS

DISTRICT
AotwELr. Msss.---Jan. at $40 Central st.
Dance Concert and speakerE. Adm. 15c.
LAWRENCE, Massr--on Jan. at Loom
F4xsrs Hall, IS Margin st. Entertain
nent and Dance. Adm. 2Sc.
lrNovIDENcE, r. Lon Jan. at Swedish
Hall, 50 Chestnut st.
MAYNARD, Msss.-on Jan. 8 at 30 Pow
derni.n Road.
DISTRICT
NEW YORK crrY.--on Dec. 80 as Bronx
Coliseum, z. 177th st. Concert and
Dance.
HoBToN.--on Jan. 6 at Workers Center in
Worcester, Mass
DISTRICT
PHIIADELPKfA.--on Feb. at Girsrd
Manor Hail, oil W. Girsrd Ave Good
program arranged.
ALLENTOWN. Pa.--on Jan. 2.
WASHINGTON, D. Con Jan. 10
DISTRICT
ROCHESTER, N. Y.--on Jan. 2 at Workers
| Center, 443 Ormond st. Negro Boys
Trio Songs by Lithuanian Workers
Club; Al de Grandis Dance Orchestra.
DISTRICT
satfL SECTION. Pittshurg h.--an, 10.
-HtOO41s1 sS4JE, 1lttbVuE B1i,---Jail 10
NORTH SIDE, pittsburgh-Jan. 10.
YUKON, Ps.--Jan. 1s
TURTLE CREEK, Ps.--Jan. 49,
LIBRARY sECTIONs---Jan. sis.
NEW KENSMGToN, Pa.--Jan. 10.
McEEEsPoRT. Pa.--Jan. is.
DISTRICT
DxTROrI, Aiicn.-On Jan. IA at Finnish
Hall, 5e6s--i9th ST a. w. Msrkof,
from New York. sill be the main
speaker. Musical' program arranged.
Dance vii follow.
DISTRICT
SUPERIOR, Vision Jan. Z at workers
Center, 1908 N, 9TH st. Musical pro-
gram and dance.
DISTRICT 10
AHA, Melon Jan. 9 IN SO. Omaha,
DISTRICT ~
ERDEEN, wash.--on Jan. 10 at Workers
Hall, Ti3 e. First ST., at p. m Good
program. Admission 10c in advance; 15c
~ at door.
DISTRICT Ii
zwARK, ~ Jon Jan. at shs I'M
H.A. Auditorium. Robert Minor, main
speaker. Excellent program arranged
Adm. soc: in advance 25c.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
by HARRY CANNES

81 BSOLUTE power is given to the
n National Labor Board" blurted
the headlines of the capitalist
papers. Strikers of the Weirton Coal
Co., of the Budd Auto Body Manu-
featuring Co. and of the Ford Co.,
we're smarting under the blow Of the
trickery Of the National Labor Boards
mediation" They had been hoaxed
back to work with promises. Their
strikes were shamelessly betrayed.
Franklin D. Roosevelt had Just scrib-
bled his name TO an executive order
granting new powers--I,lore terrifying
powers-to the National Labor Board.
From all shades Of Roosevelt's sup
porters come interpretations Of the
new powers Of the National Labor
Board. "They are aimed at the re-
calcitrant chiseling Bosses" spouted
the A. F. OF l.. leaders Amen"
echoed the Socialist leaders.
The new teeth are hardly set into
the jaws OF the MIRA. when they
begin to bite. And they bite the
workers. Under its new powers the
National Labor Board makes de-
cision In the strike OF the 1000 taxi
drivers, Of the Philadelphia Transit
Co. The men are foolish to insist
on the right Of wearing union but
tons, say Senator Wagner. It's not
SO foolish to the men. 1t is a symbol
Of their organization, OF their ability
to fight for better living conditions.
The company is told to take the
men back without discrimination.
Union rights and wages will be
"abritrated" afterwards. The COM
pany officials laugh up their sleeves.
Weirton, Budd and Ford are land
marks Of the MIRA. which they very
well understand.
Past victimization
In past strikes ia Philadelphia
other transportation workers have
been victimized. All are indignant
and outraged. Eight A. F. Of l.. To-
Gals Cleaners and dyeN, drivers,
laundrymen, milkmen, railway ex-
pressmen, hackers, two teamsters
locals) and the meat wagon drivers
of the Trade Union Unity League
decide to Join In a general strike.
Ostensibly, the strike is to compel the
p. r. r. to abide by the National
Labor Board Decision in the taxi
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
1870 of Mortgaged
Farms Are 500 i'm
Debt, Survey Shows

DAILY Worker Washington Bureau)
WASHINGTON, Dec. %. - On
Jan. / of this year approximately
$500, or 38 per cent of the mort
gagged farms operated by owners
were indebted for one-half or
more of their value, according to
a survey by the Bureau Of Agri-
cultural Economics covering about
$4,000 farms.
The figures on both debt and
valuations are those reported by
the owners of the property.
The survey shows that 24.8 per
cent of the mortgaged farms OPP
Grated by owners were indebted
for % per cent or less of their
value; 1876 per cent were mort
gagged for between 25 and so per
cent of their value; 20.6 per cent
were mortgaged for between so
9.6 per cent were mortgaged for
and rs per cent Of their value;
between 70 and 100 per cent of
their value, and 8.4 per cent were
mortgaged for more than 100 per
cent of their value.
The West North Central States
showed the largest proportion of
farms with high debt ratios. In
these states 12.1 per cent of the
mortgaged farms reported debt in
excess of the farm value on jan
uary /, 1888.
The proportion of ratios above
rs per cent Of value was greater
than in 1882, being 10 per cent
for 1888 and 1877 per cent the
previous year. Reports from in
dividual farm owners indicated
that the proportion of mortgaged
farms indebted for more than
their value was A. per cent in
1928; So per cent in 1881; 5.3
per cent in 1882 and 81 per cent
in 1888.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29

THIS new situation requires that in
every district special attention be
paid to this phase of trade union
activity, with view towards building
up rank and file opposition groups,
with Communist fractions to lead
them, for a battle against the Off
cialdon, to win these workers away
from their betraying leaders. In the
many struggles now going on, In
volving A. =. OF L. workers, this Is
imperative, as there Is the greatest
opportunity Of tearing the deinagogic
masks from these betrayers.
Furthermore, In Philadelphia, we
saw that 1t was not q question OF
separate activity within the A F. OF
l.. In the truckers general strike
our work was intimately connected
with activity in the revolutionary
trade unions and the A. F. of l..
Even in the meat drivers local OF
the T. U. U. L. we did not arouse
the workers sufficiently for the
struggle and lead them as the most
militant core in the strike.
WHA III ~ = "a II. ana l.C.O.Lk
Work within the A. r. Of L., as
was shown In Philadelphia, means at
the same time the greatest strength
ening OF our revolutionary trade
unions and building them as the
leaders In the fight for the united
front which we at the same time
agitate for within the A. F. of L.
To achieve this end, under the new
situation presented in the A. F. OF L.,
1t requires more serious attention to
the organization Of opposition work,
actively participating In all local
meetings OF the A, F. Of L.. the
establishment Of permanent system
attic Party fractions, to fight for cleo
tive offices. for winning over OF lead
ership In the locals, to develop the
initiative of the membership (which
Philadelphia showed was not hard).
taking the leading role in drawing
up OF demands and in the leadership
Of strikes.
Accomplishing this sufficiently, we
will BIO able to write different
chapter to the close Of such strikes
IS the general strike Of the Phils.
delphia truckers
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29
Roosevelt Executive Order Used Break Pha Truckers General


strike-which the A. r. of l.. and
Socialist leaders tell us Roosevelt has
now empowered to carry out against
back batting bosses. But the strike
is more. It is the accumulated griey-
ance and then discomfort of the men
against the MIRA. deeds which forces
the local A. F. Of l.. leaders to agree
to the strike.
Here we might point out that the
Philadelphia district of the Commu-
mist Party, though it has been doing
good work among the A. F. of l..
workers, has not sufficiently en-
trenched the rank and file opposition
to be able to sense the heights of
the workers indignation and desire
for struggle. The Party moved too
slowly to face this rapidly developing
situation which opened the possibility
of q general strike involving the
street car men and subway. The gen.
eral weaknesses of lack of systematic
work within the A. F. of L. OF the
whole party is showing itself here in
Was nvAAhC oiVQdbiOIs AiCM
workers have come into the A. F.. OF
L. with a desire for struggle. This
makes 1t necessary that the Party In
its work should pay the most serious
attention to the organization Of OPP
position work within the reformist
trade unions.
IN the taxi drivers union the So
cialist leaders are entrenched due
to many of our mistakes. We
make united front proposal to them
which they flippantly toss aside. But
our united front action and proposals
have not been sufficiently dissemin-
ated among the rank and file before
the elimination Of the general strike.
For the first two days the strike
was quite effective, over 10000 taking
part. There was every prospect Of
tying up the whole transportation
system of Philadelphia, including
street cars and subways.
Having done what 1t could in the
way OF strikebreakipg through the
National Labor Board, the A. F. Of l..
officials began a direct attack against
the striking drivers through the
Brotherhood of Transfers, Chauf-
feurs, Stablemen and Helpers and
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29

a very enjoyable and enlightening
one" Norton, auditing conferee at
large, obsequiously discovers that ito
sit in the conference room with the
company officials brings more per-
sonal interest"
This is all very well, Vercellino,
Norton, and all the rest of you, but
what we workers want to know is
Did you bring back even slight in
crease in pay? Did you bring back
double pay for Sunday work? Did you
bring back pay for all legal holidays?
Did you bring back sickness benefits
pay to 100 per cent instead of so per
cent as at present? Did you force
the company to assure every en-
ployee his job in case of a merger?
Did you force the company TO stop
its cruel suspension policy in the traf-
fic department?
Did you force the company to recall
traffic simplex operators from fur
Tough and use them in place Of new
ly employed simplex students in the
commercial department? Did you
bring back vacations with full pay? =
And finally did you bring back
your decision to the members of the
A.W.U.E. for discussion and ratifi-
cation2 To all OF these questions the
answer is an emphatic mol" And
yet by ramming this outrageous SELL
out down our Threats you expect us
to be loyal to company union.
Employees Of the Western Union
Company, the AWU.E. stands ex-
posed before you in all its viciousness.
1t is up to us to remedy this situation.
Other workers faced with similar
conditions have taken matters into
their own hands and acted. Is there
any reason why we can't do the
same?
Ed. Note. Send all communications
to Daily Worker which will be glad
to assist these workers in lettering
their conditions and solving their
problems.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29

prevent the sell-out and expose the
role of these takers from the start.
At the same time, the developments
in Philadelphia provided a fine OPP
portunity for the widest propaganda
and agitation among the street car
men and subway workers of the P.R.T.,
for support Of the transportation
strike, and for the idea OF struggle
against the company union and for
their own demands.
The street car and subway workers
were the key to forcing action on be-
half Of the taxi drivers, as well as
against the Mitten Plan company
union In the p. r. T. There is little
doubt that at this time there was
a great deal of discussion and agita-
ton within the ranks Of the street
car and subway men. But no special
leaflet was directed to these work.
ers to convince them of joining the
strike. or urging them to organize
their committees as a means OF or
ganizing to take strike action. No
special demands were raised for
them.
In fact, as one conrade put it in
Philadelphia, well, they are a reac-
tionary bunch. They think they are
bosses because they own some stock"
This opportunist approach to these
workers was one OF the greatest bars
to reaching them and organizing
them for struggle.
Forget the Daily Worker
rvn- v>t-s = =
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-29

through the local A. F. OF l.. off,
ciaIdom.
What the Bosses Wanted
The Philadelphia Evening Public
Ledger, closely associated with the
big banks of Wall Street, as well as
the p. r. T.. gave the view OF the
bosses, which was later shown to be
the same position taken by the A. r.
Of L. leaders.
In an editorial on December 23, the
second day Of the strike, the Ledger
said:
"The attempt TO regulate local la
Dor difficulties through the National
Labor Board has not only failed in
this city in the taxicab strike but
has produced worse effect in the
sympathy strike called yesterday in
the trucking industry. A National
Labor Board representative here
earnestly warned union officials not
to call the general walkout, but his
voice was not needed. -.
Now other labor elements, allied
with the taximen, seek by the ex-
traordlnary and dangerous device
of general strike to enforce The
decree Of the Washington Board
Their effort Is out Of spirit with
President RoosevcIt's program. The
National Labor Board should tell
them 80, promptly, and outlaw this
and all other general strikes"
THE workers did not heed the Ma
! tional Labor Board. Strikebreaker
Green had another arrow for his
strikebreaking bow. His flunkey Daniel
j. Tobin Of Indianapolis, president of
the Transfers International Union
began to act in the spirit Of the J. p.
Morgan and P.R.T Philadelphia
Ledger"
He wired the teamsters' local OH
cials that the A. F.. OF l.. Is against
general strikes, and this one did not
receive their approval.
''As representative Of the interna-
tional union. I instruct you to 50 In
form the leaders in this movement"
he added. land make the contents OF
this telegram public II necessary"
At the same time, the Socialist lead
ers among the taxi drivers and other
A. +. OF L. unions came to the assist
ance OF the strikebreskerss They sp-