The daily worker., 1933-10-30

New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Is
land, etc. Between forty to forty-fye
thousand silk workers and fifteen
thousand workers in the silk dyeing
industry are on strike, believe it
is necessary to examine how this
strike came about.
1t was proposed to include rayon
dyeing and weaving in the cotton
code, and to apply the cotton code,
to the silk industry in America, with
It's minimum of $l2 and $13 a week.
The silk workers Immediately took
up this challenge. They closed down
the mills, declaring a general strike.
This strike was aimed at the NRA,
as well as the employers. These silk
workers at one time constituted the
highest paid section Of the textile
industry. Now they had imposed
on them the wage levels of the low
est paid section of textile industry
in this code. They are also striking
against an accumulation of griev-
ances, against speed up and wage
cuts. During four years of crisis they
suffered hunger, want and humilia
ton. They found themselves thrown
upon the streets. The manufactur-
ers forced them to accept one wage
cut after another. This is true of
every industry.
How are the small manufacturers
affected by the NRA and the codes
proposed by the NRA? This industry
employs 10000 workers, making
rayon and silk goods.
Most Of the silk manufacturers
operate with very small capital. 1
intend to show here. Mr.. Senator, that
the NRA code is designed to exter-
inmate The small manufacturers in
the interest of more powerful and
centralized capital and to impose
upon the working class a slave stand
ard Of living. This gives the lie to
the stated purposes of the NRA and
contradicts the propaganda of the
President Of the United tates. We
are told that the NRA is designed to
re-en1p,oy the unemployed and to
raise the workers standard of liVin9.
l say that this code against which
the silk workers are striking pro-
vides coolie wages to this industry
and is drawn up in the interest Of
four or five large powerful rayon
fibre producing companies. The Du-
Pont Company Of Wilmington, Del,
the so-called powder trust; the Ram-
berger -Glanz5off co. Of Elj"eb2tl1.
Tennessee; the Celanose people; the
American Viscose Co. These four
great powerful industries are war in
dustries and closely associated with
the chemical trust. They are power
full in the political and economic life
Of the country.
This strike, Senator Wagner, is
highly political in its character. 1t is
a strike against the NRA. Under the
NRA, the government assumes re-
sponsibility for all the evil economic
conditions under which the workers
suffer More specifically, the Roose-
velt administration assumes direct
responsibility.
General interruption: tfrom U.T.W.
and manuf2cturers) He is talking
against the President of the U. S.
Rallam: The Presidents moves,
every one of them, has been against
the interest of the working class.
(Applause).
Senator Wagner: That is not true.
While I was very much interested in
what you are saying, why can you
not be cooperative. Why do YOU say
things that you can't prove. Try and
confine yourself to the question. Per-
haps we can get on better.
Ballam: 1 intend to continue my
analysis of the set-up in this strike.
Now as to the question Of who is
leading this strike. We have many
unions in the silk textile industry.
The Associated Silk Workers Union
affiliated with the United Textile
Workers, A. F. of L., are at present
leading a majority Of the broadsilk
strikers in Paterson. The dye strike
of $4,000 are led by the National
Textile Workers Union.
In the city Of Allentown, the silk
workers are organized in, the A''0"-
town Silk Workers Union. This is
an independent union and includes
in its membership the majority Of
the silk workers in that city and leads
the entire strike in Allentown of over
5000 workers.
Judge Panken: represent the silk
workers in Allentown.
A Voice: represent quite a num-
Der of silk workers in Easton.
Rallam: Judge Panken claims To