davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
Negro Reformists
Help Cover MIRA.
Attacks on Negroes
Advisers" to Govt Silent on Jim Grown
Mass Firing

! On Labor Unions, the summary
says nothing Of the militant unions
which have drawn hundreds Of Me-
groes into the struggle against N.R.Av
and neither did it directly condemn
the American Federation Of Labog
leaders rank discrimination. It jVise
straddled the question:
can exposition is given Of the gen.
eral barriers set up by such organ
izations Oabor unions, though they
didn't name A. r. Of L. and this
consequent embarrassment to Negro
labor"
Silent On MIRA. Attacks On Negroes
Nor was anything reported Of the
colossal whacks the MIRA. has taken
at Negroes-by increasing discrinin-
alton against them on public relief
and works program: by countenanc-
| ing both direct and indirect wage
discrimination under MIRA. codess
and by allowing employers to use
MIRA. az an excuse for firing Me-
groeS.
Discussing business" the Board
was more frank. 1t complained that
Negro insurance companies (page the
insurance man Board memberD lost
profits because it was the Negro
worker who was the first to be
dropped from the industrial payrolIs,
when retrenchment set in" And, to
remedy this, the Board suggested
naively that Negro should be placed
on the Industrial Advisory Board Of
the NR.A.-a board restricted In
membership to heads of the q. 6,
Steel Corporation and similar big
fry.
ignores Plight of Share Choppers
Under Agriculture" the report
pointed out that 100000 Negroes are
farming and suggested that Federal
Farm Loan Banks and intermediate
Credit Banks should ease up on
credit to Negroes. (What of the
thousands Of Negro tenant farmers
and share troopers? The Board didn't
seem to think of then).
1.-THE report further expresses tl1s
feeling that the American Negro IS
being placed at a disadvantage, said
the summary, with respect to his
economic and social advancement.
through the cJrtailment OF the ele-
mentary school term, the inadequacy
Of educational facilities of the sec
ondary school level and the frequent
inability of the Negro parent to guar
antee his child an education ON the
collegiate level" page the Negro ed
ucatorS on the BoardD
Seek Crumbs From Masters Table
In other words, each member of
the Board, apparently, recommended
that some reforms ought to be forth
coming to make it possible for Ne
groes in his profession or business to
collect a few crumbs from the white
rulers table.
The Department of Commerce re-
fused to make public the entire re-
port. Jones was asked whether the
Board didn't demand that the entire
report be disclosed. He replied,
That's up to the Department of
Commerce" Asked why they didn't
go into the fundamental problems OF
the Negro under the MIRA, he ex-
claimed, ''This Is very good reportlS
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
Right To Strike,' to Be Issue at UNIV Convention

PITTSBURGH, Pa.-The right to
strike, despite the bartering away of
this right by Lewis to the N.R.A. and
the coal operators, will be the de-
mand of many delegates at the forth
coming U.MW.A. convention which
opens in indianapolis, Indiana, jan
uary %.
We print q series of resolutions
which many rank and file delegates
from UM.W.A. locals will present
against the NR.A. shackles, and for
union democracy. AL delegates to
this convention seeking to break the
slave grip of the MIRA. and the
strikebreaking Lewis machine are
urged to present these resolutions and
TO fight for them on the floor of the
convention:
Resolutions on the Right TO Strike
Whereas: The right to strike was
won by the American workers through
numerous struggles in which thou
sands Of working class lives were sac
rificed; and
Whereas: The strike weapon Is
the most important defense of the
miners against the coal operators and
Tor higher wages and for better living
conditions. and
Whereas: President Lewis, Inter
national Executive Board of the u. M.
NV. A. and all District Officers have
Iagreed together with representatives
lof the coal operators and the MIRA.
Board to take the right of the miners
to strike away; and
Whereas: The coal miners of the
United States without this most i'm
Eportant weapon, "the right to strike
ard picket" will be subjected to even
worse slavery and misery than they
Isuffer at this time; and
Whereas: The newly signed
agreements go TO the extent of provid-
ing penalty for the miners who come
ion strike to protect their rights;
therefore be it
Resolved: That the International
Convention of the United Mine Work
ers of America repudiates these strike
breaking provisions of the agree
tiicllboJ OSCldiCo bllCIi ulNdoO 6liu dC-
cides that the membership of the
U.M.WA. has the right to strike and
picket at any time to protect their
Interests against the attacks of the
coal operators, without being subject
to any fine whatsoever, and be 1t
further
Resolved: That all disputes be-
tween the miners and the operators
be settled directly between the rep
lresentatives Of the miners and the
Operators, without any interference
by the Labor Board or any other
outside agency.
Resolution Against Participation in
the N.R.A. Labor Boards
Whereas: The activity Of the NR.A.
Labor Boards In the past six months
has proven that their main purpose
is to break strikes Of the workers
conducted for the Improvement OF
their working and living conditions
land for the recognition of the union
Eof t1eir own choosingi and
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

and organize the convention for rank
and file action. But the unfortunate
part Of this whole situation Is that
the locals now have no money, In most
cases. The check-of which used to go
to the local unions is now, by arrange
ment, turned over by the coal COM
panieS to the UM.WA. district Or
CARNATIONS, who then decide how
much the local unions viii get to pay
local officials and approved bills.
The best preliminary step for local
union officials, mine committees,
elected delegates-yes, and all the
rank and file members to take, is to
study the constitution of the U.M.W.A.
and the agreement they are working
under. In these two documents, there
are clauses and sections through
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

which both the officials of the unior
and the local operators can hog-tit
and sell the miners to each othel
and must be changed If the miner;
ever hope to realize their demand.
for increased wages or improved work.
ing and living conditions, as well a.
their fond hopes for real unionism
And as they read, Of course, they mus
organize for action.
Full Of Tricks and Schemes
From the very first page and tht
preamble Of the constitution to the
last page, the tricks and schemes tC
defeat the aims of the miners can bt
seen. Contradictions stand out glar.
ingly. Even the preamble has beer
changed to meet the demands of cap.
italism as against the intentions OF
the founders and original builders Of
the union. At the founding cf the
U.M.W.A. and through the years until
John L. Lewis became the "Czar, p
there appeared in the preamble the
following words: "The miners are en-
titled to full social value of their prod
uet," etc. This is now changed to
read ''are entitled to protection
and an equitable share of the fruits
Of their labor" etc. And what worker
doesn't know what protection" and
equitable" means under the present
scheme of things?
Read and Act!
Turn page after page and let your
blood boil, but this only If you intend
to do something TO make the most
of the convention which convenes in
indianapolis on the fourth Tuesday
in January 1884.
Let me give few samples. The 5th
section OF article No. 2 international
Constitution, top Of page - finds Its
contradiction in section 8 of article
IA (Second paragraph on page 38),
Read also the whole Of article II
dealing with elections" but take par
ticuIar notice Of sections is and 90
The former mo. 49, tells how long g
time Is permitted to make local union
returns, and section % apprises the
membership of the time allowed and
other requirements for protesting cor
ruption and vote stealing.
Study the whole thing and IL you
can't figure it out, don't trouble to
get a Philadelphia Lawyer" for he
can't help you either, but prepare to
put the works" on the Lewis gang
at the convention.
Get Resolutions Ready
Get suitable resolutions ready and
get ready yourselves, also get your
delegates ready, TO fight for their
adoption by other locals and to have
them carried" at the coming con-
vention. They are supposed to be In
10 days before the convention, but
before you adopt any rules and order
of business, be sure TO provide for In
PRODUCTION Of any needed document
any time during the convention.
And for those Of the miners who
GET Snakes" Eggs" and
Kisses" ON pay days, let me refer you
to a reading OF Article 10 on page 20,
dealing with Lewis $4,000 a year
salary and the other 'plums" which
are paid from your money while you
starve. This alone should make you
ready to put the CREASED skids" under
the Lewis gang at 'the next regular
election to be held on the fourth
Tuesday In January 1884"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

Daily Worker Washington Bureauj
WASHINGTON, Dec. ga Negro
Advisory Board of the Department of
Commerce studied vital needs of
the American Negro" and today the
Department made public a summary
Of their report-a summary which
disclosed that they were driven to an
Inevitable" discussion Of new prob
lens created for the Negro by the
N.R.A., but had nothing to conclude
except that Negroes should be rep
resented on some OF the boards that
are executing the New Deal.
While this Board, composed of
colored men and women who had
gotten up In the world of the white
T ling classes, was studying in one room
Of the Commerce Building, another
Negro was just starting to work as
la Negro expert advisor to the MIRA.
This Negro, Mabel Byrd, was being
Jim Crowed and hamstrung in her
work Later, because she insisted
upon attacking fundamental problems
of the Negroes under the MIRA,
Mabel Byrd was fired and the whole
business of Negro advice dispensed
with by the MIRA; but OF this there
is no mention in the Advisory Boards
report.
Reformist Leaders Duck Issue
Eugene Kinckle Jones, executive
secretary Of tbs refornist Nationau
Urban League and permanent Ne
gro advisor Of the Commerce De-
partment, as well as a member OF
the Negro Advisory Board, was asked
today by the Daily Worker. why the
Board forgot about the Byrd case.
"Our report was written last Sep
TENDER" Jones replied, land the Byrd
case hadn't come UP then" It hap
pens, however, that the Jim Growing
of Mabel Byrd was known at that
time, and that many protests against
her being fired have been made direct
to the Commerce Department lately.
Besides Jones, the Advisory Board
includes Robert L. Vann, Assistant to
the Attorney General in the Depart
ment Of Justice: Harry Fl. Pace, Chi
Ieago Negro life insurance company
man; g. David Houston, principal Of
a Washington high school; Marshall
A. Talley, Negro preacher of India
napolis; DR.. Mary r. Waring, of
Chicago, president of the National
Federation Of Colored Women's Clubs,
and several others. All are, of course,
good Republicans and Democrats.
They are picked carefully by Secretary
of Commerce Daniel @. Roper-pre-
cisely because they could be depend
ed upon to tread lightly on conditions
which have brought more and more
of the 100000 American Negroes
closer and closer to militant labor
unions and the Communist Party
during the economic crisis.
Supreme Expedition Of Bosses
But they did their job better than
Roper could have asked. They were
more supine, more suppIcating, than
he could have expected.
The summary says they studied
business, agriculture, education, the
MIRA. program, Labor Unions and
the Federal Government "as each az
fects the Negro"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

OF his clever and crying" speeches.
The miners must not lose sight Of
some important facts If they are to
make this convention serve the pur-
pose OF meeting their needs.
Decisive Convention
Fact number one is-that when this
convention assemblies, it Immediately
becomes the highest-the one and
only-tribunal of the UM.wA. and
supersedes everything else. If precau-
tions are taken Immediately upon
converting and an early organization
of the opposition is effected. it would
not be so terribly difficult even to
unseat that supercilious tyrant Lewis
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

In attempting to liquidate such OPP
positions, Lewis has had much ex-
perience. He works In many ways. In
some cases he shifts forces and re-
places his known, discredited organic
ers with demagogic types who can
make speeches radical enough to
please his opponents. He did this in
Fayette County, Pa, shifting Feeney
and bringing in the ex-Socialist Billy
Hynes. In Somerset County, he shifted
the hated, police-protected Watkins
and put in a brand new local organ
izer named Martin,
Appointing otherwise unrlIly OPP
ponents is another of Lewis meth
DDS. These and many other tricks
are what the miners will have to COM
bat. They will have to be aware also
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

in steel, automobile and several other
industries, preventing the organiza-
ton of labor and resulting In the
growth of the company unions; and
Whereas: The NR.A. Labor Boards
are the official instruments Of the
government and the employers to en-
force compulsory arbitration, hated
by all the workers; and
Whereas: Large numbers Of the
United Mine Workers Of America Of
ficers are members of the NR.A. La
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
ny q Worked Correspondent

Night hundred members Of Local
voc, Branch /, American Federation
ee Hosiery Workers, attended a spe-
eaal meeting on Saturday. Dec. %.
OF the Kensington Labor Lyeeurn,
30 consider the revision Of the Hos
tary Code and the National Labor
Boards decision in the case Of the
American Federation of Hosiery
Workers vs.. the Hosiery Manufac-
tsUers of America. (The latter Is a
group Of about as ull-fashioned
hosiery manufacturers who maintain
eontractuas relations with the
! wnion.)
The Coda revision which wsS su-
s1ori1ed By the Code Authority on
&C. l6, consists of a eurtailment Of
hours from 40 10. a for all knitting
operations, TO be effective for not
lass than I'VE weeks nor more than
aaghts from Dec. Is. The National
labor Boards decision granted the
anion an increase Of per cent. to
he distributed by the union and the
manufacturers TO whatever crafts
and In whatever amounts they
Scantly decide. The unions demand
had been for g 1914 per cent increase
Tor every department.. The Labor
Boards decision was handed down
ene day after the Code Authority's
alrtaiIment decree. The Labor
Boards decision had been pending
since the beginning Of the season
ssept. u and was not handed down
Ill the end Of the season.
Rank and File Force Meet
Ehe special meeting held on Dec.
% was called at the instance Of
che rank and file opposition. At
the hearings conducted by the Code
Authority before 1t made It's cur
Eailment decision, Smith, the secre-
tary treasurer Of the federation, had
read of q paper demanding the 30
hour week, with no reduction in
weekly income. But when the cur
talfment became effective, neither
si1e federation nor local officials
would countenance any form Of mill
ftant protest.
Indeed, the special meeting was
only q few minutes old when Lead
ef, the vice-p president Of Branch /,
offered q proposal for adjournment.
ssThis meeting was called for no
good purpose" he declared, "and the
sooner we get 1t over with, the
better The local had spent over
500 for individual postcards for
every member. had expended SIS
for the largest HAN In northeast
Philadelphia, and before anyone had
even made any kind Of proposal, the
vice president of the local urged
adjournment. The rank and file
1vsrRh sirirgly voted the adjourn
ment motion down.
During the course Of the sub
aeQuent discussion an opposition
speaker made q motion that: Since
We cannot hope 10 wage success
lui strike while only 80 per cent OF
the mills In this area are operating,
move that we hold 8 one-day
striks on Friday, Dec. 29; that we
send q rank and file delegation of
fifty Zone from each mill, If pos
sible) TO Washington on that day
10 demand the introduction of the
50-holT week with a corresponding
increase In piece rates, so that we
shall make as much under a so
hour week as we made in 8 forty
hour week; that we acouaint the
ether branches Of the union With
CUR action and invite them to emu
S1te our example; that We issue a
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

PUBLIC NOTICE
/ GOREN IL no longer connected with the
Union Square Mimeo aervtea tos n 14tb
S. New York Olty.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
BY TOM MYERsCoUGH

1.-The next regular International
Convention shall be held on the
Fourth Tuesday of January 1884
ETC." reads Section No. /, Article IL,
Of the U.M.W.A. QnternationaD Con-
stitution and this means that on Jan
uary 23rd, 1884, miners from all over
the United States and Canada viii
assemble at Indianapolis, Ind. in what
may become one of the most historic
conventions ever held by this miners
union.
Tt is safe TO assume that the never
elected president of the U.M.W.A.,
John L. Lewis, and all of his bench
men look to it with considerable ap-
.prehension. And this because the re-
Gently acquired membership has been
behaving in 8 manner far from Lewis
liking.
Thousands Of these members are
new to the union and without knowl-
edge of how the machinery" of Lewis
works. Many other thousands used to
belong to the UMW.A., not only at
the time it was smashed by Lewis,
but many of these when it was real
miners union and before Lewis was so
much as known of by the miners,
except in the town of Panama, Ill.
whence he came.
What Lewis Knows
But Lewis and his henchmen know
that all the members, new and old,
are not contented with things as
they are. They know that recent con-
ditions in the mines are such that
many strikes have been and are still
called to correct the intolerable con-
ditions complained Of. And this in
spite of the opposition of Lewis and
his appointees, as well as in utter
disregard Of the threats of one and
two dollar-a-day strike fines" pro-
vided for in the Appalachian Agree
ment" which was foisted upon the
miners, under the code accepted by
the operators, the U.M.W.A. and the
National Labor Board created under
the MIRA. of President Roosevelt
Lewis and his men know too, that
all Of the membership Of the UNIV "A,
old and new, as well as the thousands
who have openly revolted to set up
other unions, are aware of his be-
traying policies being responsible for
the present plight of the miners. They
do not whisper the charge of Sell-out
in 1922 in Fayette, Westmoreland and
Somerset Counties of Penna.: miners
shout out loud. The same is true Of
the fatal steps which ended in the
loss of the Jacksonville Agreement"
and the complete ruin of the U.M.W,A.
as an organization capable OF defend
ing the interests of the miners.
These are only few of the reasons
for the grave apprehension which
Lewis has, as the fourth Tuesday in
January 1884 rolls around. But Lewis
is gambling on many things. One
thought is that the delegates will
come to Indianapolis as a struggling
army of individuals, disorganized on
methods of action against him and
lacking convention experience. Such
a delegation, Lewis believes, will be
easy victims Of the parliamentary
wiles of himself and his payroll
"steamroller" machine. And, since the
reorganization, the chances of pack
ing the convention with ':BIue Sky
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
Woll Woos Roosevelt Support
BY Birthday Affairs Racket

tional committee already numbering
more than fifty leaders In all walks
of life" William Green, chief teller
of the A. F. OF L. counting house, is
also on the committee, while promo
tor "Matty" is secretary.
VOLTS Rackets
"'When President F. D. Roosevelt
stepped into the White House," con-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30
Militant Miners at UMWA Convention to
Fight Experienced Strikebreaker, Lewis

(non-exiStant) local union delegates"
will be greater than ever, for the
reason that nobody but the Lewis
gang knows what mines are organized
and which are not.
Time to Organize Opposition
There is still some time, however,
for the rank and file to overcome
these advantages which Lewis now
has. That wide discomfort and con-
siderable open revolt prevails is a
foregone conclusion, and if this is
harnessed for action immediately,
much can be done.
Lewis realizes this and all the min
ers must be gotten to realize it.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

Whereas: AS a result of the N.R.A.
Labor Board policy the H. c. Prick
miners and other miners in the cap
tive mines, who struck for the recog-
milton of the U.M.W.A., are being
driven into contemplate company
unions, depriving the UMW.A. of
tens of thousands of members and
laying the basis for company unioniza-
ton OF the miners; and
whereas: The MIRA. Labor Board
has approved the open shop codes
Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-08-04

NOW THAT showers of
ALL KIND may be held,
N WHILE we are wishing
FOR w let US
RECALL THE story of
THE LITTLE girl here
IN SALISBURY who once
WENT TO a pool in a big
CITY SHE fed the stork
SEVERAL PIECES of
CRACKERS F knowing
WHAT KIND of bird it
WAS. AS it bobbed its
HEAD TOWARD her in friendl
SEEKING
MORE CRACKER, she asked
HER MOTHER what kind of d
BIRD IT was. And upon
BEING TOLD that it was
A STORK she quickly
= \
REMARKED, "OH, dear, is
+ = =
THAT THE stork? OF course
| + y 4
me-"
+ = +
II A YOU.
Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-08-04
Recovery Plan
Wins Support
Continued from page one)

S~AS
other place or miner, for more
than forty hours in any one week
and not to reduce the hours of any
store or service operation to below
hfty-two hours in any one week,
unless such hours were less than
hfty-two hours per week before
july l, 1858, and in the latter cas-:
not to reduce such hours at all.
90 Not to employ any factory
or mechanical worker or artisan
more than a maximum week of thir-
ty-five hours until Dec. 81, 1888
but with the right to work a max
mum of forty hours for any six
weeks within this period; and not
o employ any worker more than
eight hours in any one day.
10 The maximum hours fxel
n the foregoing paragraphs ~
and 81 shall not apply to en-
,loyees in establishments employ
ng not more than two persons in
town of less than $500 population
which towns are not part. IF a
anger trade area; nor to registered
pharmacists or other professional
persons employed in their profess
ion; nor to employees in a mana
gerial or executive capacity, who
now receive more than SIS per
week; nor to employees on erer
gency maintenance and repair
work; nor to very special cases
where restrictions of hours Of
highly skilled workers on continu-
Gus process would u%navoidably re-
Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-08-04
SNAPSHOT

Once as we passed along
the road we passed a crowd of
trudging boys. At first we thought
they were Boy Scouts, so young
SO active, so full of pranks were
they. But at the next village
there was a bus waiting in front of
a restaurant. While we drank 9
glass of beer, the BOYS we had pass
ed on the road piled boisterously
in. 1t turned out they were men,
bers of the Civilian Reforestatior
Corps, working in the nearby ma
tural forest reserve. I've never
e a better-looking, jollier group.
They had great difficulty buying
beer, drinking it, making love to
the mattresses in the minute or two
before their bus left, but they
managed it. The incident had a
sort of foreign air about it. One
doesn't ordinarily associate such
gayety, such debonair insouiance,
such assurance, with American
youth.
ga Tourist" in The Baltimore
Evening Sum-