davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
RAIL EMPLOYMENT FAR
BELOW 1892; FURTHER
LAY0FFS ARE PLANNED
Soviet Rail Road Workers Get 20 to 60
Per Cent Increase
Improved Machinery in the United States
Takes Away More Jobs

NEW YORK.-While the Roose-
velt railway co-ordinating scheme
which will lay off additional thous-
ands of workers is being worked
out, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission reports that there are nearly
$4,000 less men at work in the rail
system than the low average of
1882, when quarters Of mil
lion men had already been laid off.
The total for June was 957,330
workers, many of them on part time.
These men are working under the
10 per cent wage cut put over by
the Brotherhood chiefs in coopera-
ton with the government, made in
creasingly severe by the ever-rising
cost Of living.
In contrast comes the simultan-
eous announcement that the Soviet
Union has decreed wage increases
of 20 to so per cent for railway
workers.
1t is already well known that
there is no unemployment among
rail workers as we'll as other work
ers in the Soviet Union. So broad
is the field of industrial develop
ment opened in the USSR it has
been estimated that if the big Mag
nitogorsk steel works in the Urals
devoted its entire output for the
next 10 years to providing steel for
the Soviet railroad system, the re-
quirements would not be fulfilled!
Naturalization Serves Capitalists.
Soviet rail workers themselves
benefit through chronological i'm
provements. Who gets the benefit
of such methods in a capitalist
country such as the United States?
The July issue Of Railway Age gives
an eloquent answer in an article en-
titled, ironically enough, Easing
the Burden of Labor" A picture is
reproduced of four tie adzers now
enabled to do more and better
work than 20 men, by means Of new
equipment.
Railway Age boasts that more
than one road has been able to re-
duce laying rail costs as much as
go per cent per mile through use
of power tools.
An even more striking example
is shown in wedding the road bed
which formerly required from 300
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
Marine Workers Describe Hands
Dealt Them in the "Neav Deal"
Union Doesn't Help
Winchie Get Job But
Takes His First Money
By a Marine Worker Correspondent

BY a Marine Worker Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, Pa am a
stevedore and winch driver and sea-
man, just arrived here from the
Pacific Coast, out of work. I went
down to the International Long
shoremen's Association Hall to see
the secretary, if there was any
chance Of getting on the ships to
work, but the secretary said that
they did not hire the men. They
had to get their own jobs.
The Lueckenback Steamship Co.
uses only one man for driving their
gear, so I got job driving aboard
their ships. When we finished one
ship, the ships walker told me to
come back Friday morning to work
the next ship. 1t was pay day that
day. I received my money for the
first ship that 1 workd in this port.
After the men we're paid off, they
started picking the gangs for the
ship. The delegates were there to
see that the men did not go to work
if they had not paid their dollars to
the I. l.. A. Now I found out that
come of the men paid as high as
S25 to join the union, some s5.82. So
they made the grand rush to me to
Join up right there. 1 said, let me
get in shift or two and that I
would join them. Because 1 did not
give them my first few dollars they
just froze me out. saw them go to
the ships boss, so that proved to me
that something was sure going
wrong in Denmark. 1 was not
picked.
The last ship that I drove gears
on, the boss said to me, "Winchie,
you are all right; you will get on
here all right now But you can see
how they try to pull the old stuff
on the poor workers that are trying
to make an honest living. I went
back to the delegate and said that
thought the worst thing that one
man could do to another is to de-
liberately take the bread right out
of his mouth when he had no pro-
lection at all. E.J.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
Dock Worker Pays
Is of Pay in Graft
BY a Marine Worker Correspondent

BY Marine Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK; am dock work.
er. The other day I got job on
the Munson line In the two days
I worked there I made $12. Out of
this $12 I had TO 50 to the racket
eers. (This is the only way to get
job on the Munson Line.) In addi-
ton to this 81 graft, I had to pay
an additional dollar to the same
racketeers for changing the check
given to me instead of cash by the
company. ......
+ In addition to this So graft, I had
to pay an additional quarter because
three longsfloremen got hurt on the
job, one Of them having broken a
leg. These accidents happen very
often, due to the speed-up. However,
the injured longshoremen never get
anything out of these collections,
because the gang is keeping this
money.
Out of crew Of 290, only about
35 men are insured. In case of in
jury, these insured men are supposed
to get s17.50 a week However, even
these few men who are insured never
get any compensation. The long
shoreman who are injured are
threatened by the racketeers at the
point of gun not to apply for any
insurance. AS you see, on this job
made $12, out of which I had to
pay $3.25 graft, which left me $8.75.
At the same time, the racketeers
collected s1,050 from the 280 long
shoremen who worked those few
days, collecting from 1925 to S375
graft from each longshoreman.
The contractor for the Munson line
is j. 7. Clark g. Son, q big politician
of the City Democratic Club. The
International Longshoremen's Asso-
citation delegates are working hand
in hand with the racketeers. These
are the conditions under which the
longshoremen have to work at pres
ent.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

helping to lower the earnings of the
employed miners and relieve the
bosses and the government from
supporting the unemployed. For
this they are rewarded by the fact
that the code provides for the deduc-
tion of the dues to go into the pock-
cts Of these corrupt officials, through
the company. These officials already
know that the miners have no conf
dence in them and will have even less
when the recovery bill" begins to
work in practice.
They therefore in reality are agree
ing with the operators to cut down
the workers wages definite sum
which the operators will then pay to
the leaders of the U. M. w. A. for
their service to the company. The
very principle of the checkoff is that
the leaders are in the employ of the
operators and not of the miners.
These leaders further agree to diff
ferent wage scales for North and
South in order to keep the miners
divided and thus be able to better
attack all Of the miners.
Miners Not Represented
The rank and file Of the miners
were not represented in the work
ing out of this code. Nor will they
be represented in the administration
Of the code The government will
name the two labor representa-
tives on the committee of five. This
machinery, with the full backing Of
the forces of the government, will
decide all questions over the heads
Of the miners. viii attempt to out
law strikes, disrupt the genuine or
ganisations OF the miners. In fact
the rush of the operators finally 10
present tAfefr code and tlae4r wfllAn9-
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

propose a scale Of IS, s4.75 and "a for
outside workers. This in itself fixes
a scale downward from that prevail
ing In the organized fields in the soft
coal industry, and will without doubt
if carried through also affect the
wages OF the miners in the anthra-
cite whose wage scale is much higher.
But even aside from this surely the
UMWA officials that propose this
wage, scale know that already prices
have gone up considerably and are
still rising. The whole program of
the government openly admitted not
withstanding certain demagogy, is to
raise prices to the 1926 level that is
to increase them more times than has
already been accomplished. At that
time the miners had a basic wage
scale under the Jacksonville agree
rnent Of $3.50 day.
More Operators Schemes to Lower
Wages
Furthermore, there are no provi-
sionS in concrete form in the code
that would make it impossible for
the operators to raise their prices of
supplies, rents, ETC., and in this way
further lower the actual wages of the
workers. The code specifically states
that the operators have the right to
make such deductions. 1t is true the
code states that the operators can
not force the miners to live in COM
pany houses. But this is an empty
gesture. Where shall the miners livep
They are compelled to live in these
company houses since there are none
around near the mining town within
easy reach of the mine to choose
from. And once in the company
towns the miners are delivered to the
nercies Of the operatorS
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

The code calls for payment of wages
in cash and also states that the
workers shall not be forced to buy in
the company stores. But this again
is mere gesture. The operators
through their low wages and the stag
ger plan create the situation in which
the miners are compelled to ask the
company for credit and become even
in some cases indebted. In some
cases they even have to work off the
relief they receive. Under such con-
ditions the workers are compelled to
trade in the company stores and will
not be paid in cash, but will con-
tinue to receive envelopes with three
zeroes.
No Provisions for Unemployed, for
Negro Workers Rights
The coal code does not provide for
the relief to the unemployed and
also evades entirely the question OF
social and unemployment insurance.
1t does not provide for accidents,
sickness and other evils from which
the miners especially suffer. There
are no provisions to guarantee equal
rights to the Negro miners, the right
to all jobs in and around the mine
The code says nothing about the
hundred and one abuses from which
the miners suffer in the company
controlled and state trooper pa
trolled towns.
U.M.W.A. Leaders Partners In At
tor tack on the Miners
John L. Lewis and the other U. NJ
w. A. officials, who are responsible
for the present state Of the miners,
are in agreement with the code
as proposed. They claim 10 have
differences on one point. They wish
to further staeger the miners. thus
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
BY J. sTACHEL

The coal code for the soft coal in
dustry that has already been sub
mitted jointly by the operators and
the UMWA officials to the govern
,nent represents under the guise of
improving the conditions Of the min
ers on more and very substantial
attack on the miners. What are the
main features of the code regarding
the conditions of the mines? They
are:
/. That there shall be established
the 8 hour day with the further pro-
vision TINT no miner shall receive
more than 4 days employment for one
part of the year and no more than
5 days the remaining period Of the
year.
2. That wages are fixed at IS for
inside workers except for helpers who
receive $4.75 per day and a q day
for outside workers. Provisions are
also made for per cent less in the
daily wages of the workers in the
Southern mines.
3. That the employers shall con-
tinue to have the right to deduct for
rent, supplies, etc. as before.
4. That the operators shall deduct
from the wages of the miners the
dues for the union.
5. That committee Of all OF
whom are appointed by the govern
ment shall have charge Of the ad-
ministration Of the code.
No Fixed Minimum Wafe
Much noise has been made by the
Roosevelt government about minimum
wages. This code for the miners Just
like the cotton code already approved
by the President are in no ways 4
guarantee Of any fixed minimum
wage. Regarding the hours this code
does not In any way change matters
except to provide definitely for an
extension Of the Hoover staeger plar,
to all mines Already the staeeer
plan is used quite extensively in the
industry. The code does not quar-.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
NINE OPERATORS AND LEWIS MAKE NEW ATTACK AGAINST
MINERS THROUGH THE RECOVERY ACT

ness to recognize the U. M. w A,
is due to the fact that the strikes
Of the miners are increasing. The
workers are resisting the company
unions and are rallying in larger
numbers to the National Miners
Union and the rank and file opposi-
tions in the U.MWA.
But the miners will have some
thing to say to all this. Already
they are speaking through strikes in
many parts of the country. They
will also be heard in Washington
when the hearings of the code come
up The National Miners Union is
now taking up with the miners the
working out of their demands and
will bring rank and file miners to
the hearings. The oppositions in the
U.M.WA. are also working out their
proposals for presentation. The
miners will not be so easily enslaved
by this new deal"
Miners Demands
The demands that the N. NJ u.
will submit are now being formulated
by the miners. But it is already def :
inite that they will demand higher
wage than provided in the code.
They will demand a guarantee Of
not only q maximum but also a
minimum number Of days per week.
They will oppose the stagger plan.
They will demand relief and unem-
ployment insurance for the unem-
ployed. They will demand that the
Negro miners be given full rights
and the right 10 all jobs. They will
demand safety devices. They will de-
n,and an end 10 the company town
exploitation and terror. They will
demand the recognition Of their own
elected mine committees. the right 10
belong TO the union Of their own
choice and will oppose the U.M.W.A.
check-off. Behind the demands n
the miners will be mobilised the
masses OF the miners who are 10 be
reckoned With and who WI deter
mime much In the futuse conditions
d the miners,
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

to 800 men hours per mile at
cost of from $40 TO $500. Today the
same track can be cleared of weeds
in two or three hours by means Of
chemical applications or burning for
as little as $3.50 to $40 a mile. The
answer to cile question as to who
gets the benefit of these changes is
obvious: the owning class with its
unearned income derived from rail-
way stocks and bonds. The work.
ers get laid off.
Eastman Appoints Speed-up Men.
Eastman, (the Roosevelt rail CO.
ordinator) has just appointed Is as
sistants lin the work of coordina-
ton in three main divisions of the
country and to study potential op-
Grating economies and methods Of
increasing operating efficiency" On
the rail cars research staff TO help
in this "modernization" scheme will
be Otto S. Boyer industrial engin-
eer" who assisted in putting over
the B. g. o. plan and in selling the
ers policy of efficiency (speed-up)
schemes to bosses.
Eastman's federal committees and
regional advisers are to operate par
allel TO similar committees set up
by the railroads themselves. In
other words, csle workers are to get
it in the neck either way. Duties
of Eastman's appointees will in
clude the u1ification of terminal
operations the joint use Of shops
and various other facilities, the
pooling of train service and the ell
mination of unecononical routes"
The Chicago Rock Island and
Pacific Railway Co. received nearly
S14, 100000 in R. F. C. funds up to
the time of its going into bank
ruptcy. But directors of the COM
pany had voted a dividend of 81
share on the company's common
stock in 1880 when earnings were
reported at 100000 short of meet
ing the payment. In 1881 they au-
thorized another disbursement OF
$2.25 making the deficit run into
nearly $4,000,000. Now, after the
coupon clippers and stockholders
have gotten theirs and the r. F. c.
has pumped in it's share five COM
mittees of bondholders have been
chosen to protect their interests
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

was according to the Department Of
Commerce, July business survey,
1889 was 29, and the index of the
workers employed was 56. In May,
1893. the production index jumped up
to 4e, but the index of workers en-
ployed dropped to A. Result: Great
er production with less workers and
at less Nhours per worker.
Question: How does cheap Gn-
flated) dollar give the U. S. foreign
trade advantages?
Answer: First, cheap dollar cuts
real wages (the amount of food,
clothing, ETC., the worker can buy)
and gives the bosses an opportunity
of lowering their costs of production.
In the world markets it acts in this
way: For example, a French exporter
who formerly bought American COM
modities, at price, say, OF 81 each.
He paid the American manufacturer
IN American money. Therefore. at
the former gold standard he had to
spend rs francs for the 81 article he
imported. Now the dollar has drop
ped in relation to the franc. He has
to pay only 20 francs-a drop of
francs. This gives him an oppor-
tunity to make extra francs. or to
sell the article cheaper than a SINH
lar one manufactured in France, or
purchased from another country.
Every time the dollar gets cheaper,
the process of penetrating the mar
kets in this way is intensified In
England and France American goods
already are cheaper. That is why
France puts on new tariff against
American goods, and Britain prepares
to lower the pound sterling-to act as
tariff against American goods The
battle is on
Question: How and to what extent
will the Industrial Recovery Act af-
feet the farmers?
Answer: In many ways Briefly, 1t
will raise prices on the manufactured
goods they buy, clothing, machinery.
oil, coal, etc, etc. 1t will cut down
the amount of food the worker cor,
buy. contracting further the market
for food.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
FEDERAL AGENTS
SENT TO SALEM
National Textile Union
Calls Mass Meeting
for Today

SALEM, Mass.-A1lna Weinstock
and r. H. Dunnigan, U. s. Commits
siorers of Cancellation from the de-
partment Of labor in Washington are
now in Salem In an attempt to break
the Pequot strike. They met with
the mill management few days
ago, and this week are meeting with
the strike committee Anna Wein-
stocks betrayals are known through
cut the textile centers in both North
and South, and the National Textile
Workers Union is warning the strik-
ers against her.
Although the Pequot mill manage
mef1t had advertised that they would
open up last week, huge picket line
every morning prevented them from
doing so. The company is also de-
pending upon these labor conciliators
to do the dirty job Of breaking the
strike In the name Of giving the Ma
tional Recovery Bill chance to
operate.
The strikers are determined that
no conciliator settles" the strike for
them.
The National Textile Workers
Union is advertising an open air
mass meeting for Monday evening
July 1Tth) ut which June Croll,
N.T.W.U. organizer from Law
renee will speak on the National
Recovery Bill and how it will affect
the Pequot strike. There Is tre-
mendous interest involved around
this coming meeting, and a large
number Of strikers are expected.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
OPEN End MARINE
CONVENTION HERE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE,

in the unions paper, the Marine
Workers Voice, organized 900 Long
shoremen Of his city who then elected
him delegate to the conference was
made chairman of the afternoon ses-
sion.
Roy Hudson, national organizer
of the union, made the first report
of the afternoon session. He was
followed by a ship delegate, Italian
longshoreman, Negro loneshore-
man from Norfolk and a represen-
tative from the West Coast United
Conference in Seattle.
Greetings continued to pour in on
the conference. Greetings from So
Wet marine workers, entire crews
Of American ships, from nine sea-
men being held for deportation on
Ellis Island and greetings from the
International Of Seamen and Har-
Dor workers and from the rank and
file opposition group in the Interna-
tiona1 Longshoremens Association
at Superior, Wisconsin.
The main reports to the conven-
ton should come from those who
are out in the fields" stated Hud-
son in his opening remarks. He
pointed out the intolerable condi-
tions the marine workers are faced
with today, the low wages.
He stressed the need for action
to resist the National Recovery
(Slave) Act. Hudson compared the
actions OF the refor1nist unions to
the militant class struggle role Of
the Marine Workers Industrial
Union
Negro and white, native and for
eign born must stand united against
the ship owners said Hudson.
The conference ADJOURNED at $50
to reopen at Z D. m.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
It's a Tough Life
for the WMkaWay
BY Marine Worker Correspondent

BALTIMORE, Md.-A workaway
on the "San Anselmo" sure led a
swell life. The crew advised him that
the reason he was on the ship was
to speed up the crew and help cut
wages. But it seems that this work
away would pay no attention to what
was told him, and appeared willing
to help the shipowners in their
drive on the conditions of the sea-
men.
Even the officers were opposed to
the workaway system on this ship,
but the company ordered that work.
aways be carried, So the crew de-
cided to take a little action against
this workaway. They refused to let
him sleep in the foc'sle and made
him sleep out on deck among the
cargo Of lumber The workaway
didn't like the idea of using IL lbs
for blankets. but nevertheless he
stayed on the ship,
When the ship arrive,l in Baltimore,
a port delegate of the Marine Work
ers Industrial Union went aboard
and had a discussion with the ships
delegate on the ship about this work
away. Nearly every member of the
crew advised the workaway to get
off the ship, or things might come
about where he would find himself
in a delicate state of health.
Well, the workaway was not signed
on the ship, and was left behind in
Baltimore. And the seamer1 on the
beach in Baltimore have no use for
workaways, so this workaway was
probably advised of this, because he
has never showed his mug around.
The crew on the San Anselmo"
have sounded warning to the ship
owners, and don't think the ship
owners will not hear it. H..
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

cents day for IL hours work. They
work IL hours straight, grabbing
their lunch on the fly.
The pay for longshoremen Is 10
cents an hour, and 20 cents for over
time, carrying 35o-lb, bags Of raw
sugar.
At one time the longshoremen had
a union in this island and got good
pay. Then an International Long
shoremen's Association official came
down and took charge When the
time was ripe, he took the cash and
vanished
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
Strike Won by 400
at Providence, RI.
Intern'l Braid Co.
Get L')-Hour Week, 10
to 20ao Pay Increase

PROVIDENCE, R. L, July 16.-The
strike of over 400 workers at the In
ternational Braid Co., Al Charles ST.,
ended yesterday in a big victory for
the strikers. The demands OF the
strikers were won, including a 40
hour week instead of 81 hours, a
minimum wage of $13, and wage in
creases of 10 to 20 per cent. Previous
wages for 81 hours work at this plant
ranged from 81 to SO.
About 300 workers joined the Ma
tional Textile Workers Union, which
led the strike. The strikers gave Nat
Kaplan, NTWIU. organizer vote
of thanks.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17
DO YOU CALL THIS EATS

= .ty Marine Worker Correspondent
paiNEW YORk.-Beckman, shipping
raYaster Of the Bull Line, came out
u his ONCE the other day and asked
0 Or two men to work the SIS. Jean
, for board and room" for two trips.
The work is there, all right, but
mo ever called that stun eats on
he Bull Line2 The passengers get
raporated milk out OF cans. You
an imagine what the crews get.
The daily worker., 1933-07-17

Photo shows members working class organizations
leadership demonstrating
against the lies spread
guardist fascist organizations
vigorous demand the recognition the
by the
of the FsU, addressing parade