The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-14

AAAAS
another method of forcing the bur
den of relief for the unemployed or
the shoulders of the employed work
ers, similar to the so-called voluntary
"eheck-of" made on the workers
wages to provide relief funds. HI
says: THE net result Of such Law
therefore in the majority of cases
would be that those who today have
work would have the burden placed
upon them of carrying those who
now are unemployed. Such a bill
would mean not that industry is pro-
viding for the unemployed but that
laborers themselves are meeting this
charge"
Roosevelt Forced Labor Standard
for Employed.
From all this Robey concludes that
the Black Bill will impose the
Roosevelt forced labor standard or
the whole working class employed as
well as unemployed. "Of more sig
nificanee however is the fact that
such wider distribution of the ex-
isting wage would have the newt
able effect Of lowering the standard
Of living of the American workers"
But lest we get the false impress
sion that Mr.. Robey is shedding tears
about the working class we are as
sured that his first concern is for
business. Mr.. Robey can see nc
way Of preventing the lowering OF
the living standards except through
an act 10 prohibit the reductions OF
wages and this he condemns Vigor-
ously. TT this prohibition were at
tempted, there would be widespread
bankruptcy among business organiza-
tions because certainly the employ
ers are not in a position at present
to carry heavier wage burden"
The fear which prompts Robey to
unmask the real purposes OF the
law is that the working class will
not stand for the reduction Of their
miserable wage standards, that they
will struggle against it and that the
hopes which the law was designed to
create will be speedily shattered,
The Black 3o-hour stagger bill was
dangled before the unemployed starry
ing masses in order to arouse hopes
and faith in the ability of the cap
italists to find way out for them.
In creating the illusion that a
shorter work week could solve the
unemployment situation it was serV-
ing as means of counter acting the
mass movement for unemployment
insurance. At the same time under
the guise of benefltting the masses
1t was aimed to force the workers to
divide up their meagre pay envelopes
with the unemployed while the maj
/ GRITTY of the starving jobless woulc
| be left unprotected against starva.
ton. 1t was for this reason that the
bill called forth support from the
employers and loud praises from the
A. F. of L. officials.
The shorter Work-Week whit no re-
dBction In pay is an important de-
fnand for which the workers must
fight. But legislative measures fol-
the shorter work-week will not liqui-
| date the crisis which has brought the
present widespread unemployment
and misery to the masses and fol
which the bosses are responsible. II
will not start the wheels of INDUSTRY
turning and provide Jobs .for the
masses OF unemployed Every scheme
thus far proposed by the demagogic
Roosevelt administration is for the
purpose of making the workers meet
the costs Of the crisis. Unemploy-
ment insurance paid by the govern
ment and the bosses (Which Roose-
welt has thus far ignoredD and moi
the 30-hour stagger plan will pro.
vide the means Of satisfying the i'm.
mediate needs OF the unemployed anc
this can only be achieved by united
mass struggle.