The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-02-06
special Correspondence


nETROIT-Ths question is being
" asked by many workers. The
new Wage-cuts which took place
among the maintenance men in the
Pressed Steel Building on Decem-
Der 14th which established q. scale
Of $3.50 per day for sWeepers, 1920
for Crib men, $3.50 for REPAYMENT
and $500 for bricklayerS and other
skilled men, show that Ford is
planning a new general wage-cut.
That is why this question is being
asked.
Ford workers are showing a deep
hatred for Ford. They want action.
They want to be able to stop the
cuts at Ford's. In their minds, a
number of points arise. Some of
these are:
l. You cannot win strikes dur
ing a crisis.
2 The Ford Company is strong.
3. There are too many unem-
ployed.
4. The workers will not unite.
S. The service system will pre-
vent organization.
will try to answer these ques-
tons briefly.
CAN WE WIN STRIKES
DURING CRISES.
The leaders OF the American Fe-
Iteration of Labor say no. So do
the Socialists and other reformists.
What are the facts? The Briggs
Waterloo workers and Motor Pro-
ducts workers won their strike.
Only recently, the steer workers in
Warren, Ohio, by a strike prevented
wage cut from going thru This
is also true of the Doll workers
strike in Trenton, New Jersey. In
Germany during the SIX weeks be-
ginning the list Of october, 500
strikes we're won by tho German
workers. In Poland and other coun-
tries, similar successful strikes took
place.
Strikes can be won NOW. Those
who tell the workers a strike cannot
be won in period of crisis, are
helping the boss by preventing the
steps necessary in preparation for
strike action being taken.
is FORD COMPANY TOO
POWERFUL TO BE DEFEATED
BY ORGANIZED STRENGTH
OF WORKERS?
That is what Ford wants us to
believe. What are the facts? The
Ford Co. is in a very difficult
situation. The production of Ford
cars has steadily declined. The
figures for the first 10 months of
1891 show 59l, 296 cars sold; COM
pared to 273,374 cars sold in the
same period of 1882. In 1881 Ford
sold 304 out of every thousand cars.
In 1882 Ford sold 246 out Of every
thousand.
Competition in the auto industry
this year is more intense especially
for the low priced cars. In lead
ing article on the automobile page
of the Detroit Times, it was again
stated that go per cent Of the cars
produced in 1888 would sell for
less than 5000. This means more
difficulties for Ford. The new
Chrysler and Chevrolet cars have
many Improvements which Willforce
Ford TO adopt new improvements
as a means 10 sell his car. Both
Chrysler and Chevrolet are backed
with Wall Street money which is
also backing the new Continental
Motors.
TIE difficulties of the Ford Co.
L can also be seen in the fact
ohat the chief source Of finances
for Ford, the Union Guardian
Bank group, borrowed 2,767 900
from the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation, a fact which was not
published in the Detroit papers.
The battle between Ford and the
auto firms controlled by General
Motors goes on, with Ford suffering
one defeat after another. Ford
workers can take advantage of this
to stop the wage-cuts. A strike that
will tie up production will increase
the difficulties for Ford. That will
MAKE victory easier for the Ford
workers.
THERE ARE TOO MANY UN-
EMPLOYED-THEY WILL TAKE