The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-07
FOSTER EXPLAINS
DEMAND on HOURS
Exposes Black Bill AS
Boss Instrument
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
the expense of the government and
employers, with the continual deep
ening Of the crisis and the increase
in unemployment, the situation de-
mandS that the maintenance Of this
gigantic mass of workers and their
dependents who are forced down to
the starvation level be made the
responsibility of the Federal Gov
eminent, employers and bankers.
Only powerful organization and mill
liant mass struggle by workers can
force such action.
The T.UUL. favors and will suo-
port any shorter hour and shorter
work bill providing it stipulates that
all wage cuts or decrease of weekly
earnings are simultaneously prohib-
tied; and that there shall be estab-
hshed q definite minimum wage for
all workers In the u. S. irrespective
Of sex, color or nationality.
Bill Is Stagger Plan.
3.-The proposed bill as now for
INFLATED is nothing more or less than
a legalization Of the present stagger
system and share the work plan, in
tended by the employers and bank
ers for the purpose of evading the
cost Of the maintenance of the I'M
employed at decent standard and
placing the entire burden on the
wornerS. The bill is merely a legal
extension of the share the work sys-
tenn endorsed by both President Hoo
yer and President-elect Roosevelt,
and ofncially supported by the De-
partment of Labor and the Depart
ment OF Commerce over the sigma
ture Of Secretaries Doak and Chaplin,
launched by Walter @. Teagle, head
of the Standard OH Company of
New Jersey-which in itself was an
extension Of the Hoover stagger plan
and both of which were endorsed by
President Green Of the American
Federation of Labor, now one Of the
principal supporters of the Black
Bill.
Even If the Black Bill were rnodi-
ned so as to prohibit reduction Of
wages and earnings and if one can
conceive Of such a bill being passed
by Congress and escaping the veto
OF President-elect Roosevelt, 1t would
IN no way tend to solve the present
crisis.
Sows Illusions.
3.--Another main purpose OF the
Black Bill is to create or strengthen
the illusions among the toiling sec.
tons Of the population that such g
measure can be secured by purely
legislative action as against mass or
garization and mass struggle; X
create or strengthen the illusion thai
such measure can solve the ques-
ton Of permanent mass unemploy-
n1ent in the U. S. and restore so.
called prosperity.
Tries to Check Struggle.
A further purpose OF this bill
and this is corroborated by the fact
that 1t receives the unqualified en-
dorsement OF the leadership of the
American Federation of Labor which
has relentlessly INSTRUCTED, discour-
aged and sabotaged the struggles OF
its own members, Of the member
ship Of the unions affiliated with the
TU.U.L. and of the unorganized
workers both employed and unem-
ployed against wage cuts, against
speed up, for the shorter work day
and for compulsory Federal Unem-
ploy1nent Insurance and Relief al
the expense Of the Government and
the employers and bankerS-is to
check the rising tide Of struggle, now
the most immediate development OF
the crisis In both industrial centers
and in the agricultural communities
Need TUUL Amendments.
5.-The whole history of the labor
movement in the U. s. and in al
other countries shows that achieve
rnents for the working class and the
whole toiling section OF the popula-
ton in the field of social reform are
secured by the organized power and
mass struggles of the workers, Of
which elections and legislative hear
ings are parts, and not by the bene-
ficent action Of capitalist party leg
islators. In this particular case, that
Of the Black Bill for the 80 hour
week. 1t means that an attempt Is
being made to give official sanction
to the lower than subsistence wages
now being paid to the working class