davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
Waterfront Slaves Who
Are "Barge Captains"

The Daily Worker today begins
the publication Of series of feature
articles describing life on New York
barges, by John L. Spivak, vet
eran newspaperman and author of
Georgia Niger"
BY JOHN L. SPIYAK.
THEY call them barge captains but
L they are really laborers with a
Understanding title, and there are
1000 of them in New York harbor
Half of them have their families or
board with them, emaciated women
and sickly children. Most of them
live in indescribable filth and Squalo1
and all of them exist from hand to
mouth.
They are the forgotten people Of a
great city. They are as cut off from
life by the ropes that moor them to
the docks as though they were in an
other world, for barge captain must
never leave his boat lest tug comes
to tow him, and not finding him
ready wait, and thus increase the cost
of the tow to the barge company
There have been barge captains who
were fired because they left the boat
to buy food and a tug came while
they were away.
10000 Men, Women, Kids
No one has taken a census of these
waterfront people. They are at one
pier today and another tomorrow but
a conservative estimate places their
number at some 10000 men, women
and children.
1t was at the foot of 95th Street
and the East River that first saw
the inside Of coal barge cabin. The
huge, wooden bulk lay on the full
tide straining at its tight lines. It's
matches were filled to the brim with
coal. at one end was typical cabin
some Tx feet by ten of pine planks
pointed dark green and four tiny
curtained windows to supply light
and air to the occupants.
IN the doorway was a two-year- old
L child, its faces, legs and arms
covered by a mass of sores. Another
boy, four years old, in a ragged pain
of overalls and with face so grimy
from coal dust that it was difficult tc
tell whether he was white or black
peeked out from behind a greasy door
at the strangers approach.
The mother was a scrawny woman
looking far older than her years
Through the omen door 7 could see
her bent over washtub placed or
the kitchen table. without looking
up from her work she kekpt crying
shrilly to the children not to go tor
near the low rail. The year before
1 learned, the boy had fallen over thu
rail and the swift tide had almos
carried him away. The father sat OF
the bit used to hold ropes, staring
modoily at his bare-footed children.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
March to Bronx City
Hall Today; Protest
School Conditions

NEW YORK.-A protest parade Of
teachers, parents and students against
conditions in Public Schools which
are destroying the mental and ply
steal health OF cur children" will be
2,ted today from wilkins and In
tarvsle Ave, Bronx, and march to
the Bronx City Hall.
Free clothing for children of I'M
employed and part time workers, no
over crowding in classrooms, building
OF new schools, appointment of more
teachers" and other demands will be
made.
The protest was called after a
Joint Conference of Parents and
Teachers last Thursday.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
PATERSON SILK
STRIKE CALLED
FOR MONDAY
M a yor's Committee
Asks Workers to Wait

PATERSON, N. j., May 19.-The
Associated Silk Workers met repre-
sentatives Of the Chamber of Com
merce, the Mayors Cancellation Board
and the Manufacturers Association
at a meeting on Wednesday, May
nth to confer on the silk workers
situation. A delegation from the
National Textile Workers Union at
tended also.
Baker of the Manufacturers ex-
pressed satisfaction after Schweitzer
who represented the Associated Silk
Workers, spoke that mo disagree
ments" exist among US" But he did
not count on the delegates from the
NTW., Stone and Brown, who de-
naanded wage increases for the work
ers. The bosses refused this demand
emphatically on the ground that the
industry could not afford it and the
workers must suffer along with us
(the bosses). e"
Finally the Mayors Committee
then voted unanimously, with Sch
Weitzer's approval to investigate con-
ditions in the industry and to wait
Tor government legislation to go into
effect.
Following the meeting on Thurs
day night, workers at mass meet
ing called by the Associated, demand
ed that a strike be declared. The
Associated officials forced to take a
stand announced that a strike would
be called on Monday. The workers
also demanded unity. Speakers for
the Associated left the hall hastily
and the meeting was then taken over
by the workers who elected COM
mittee of 9 to demand unity with
the Associated.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

continued across Shawano county tx
Brown county, IA miles east of Green
bay. The battle is far from finished
as 1000 guardsmen have been moved
into Shawano territory, and are nov
using fixed bayonet attacks to repulse
the farmers. A hundred men belong
ing to the machine gun company
from Appleton, has just swung into
action with instructions to use all
force necessary to break the strike.
Shot in the Back
The use of firearms is booming
more prevalent. 1t now transpires
that Heiding, the 18-year-oh farm
boy who was shot in the spine, re-
ceived bullet from the rifle of Cap
tain Veste Jensen.
Two hundred and fifty pickets were
trapped between barbed wire fences
and attacked with clubs and gas
bombs by two troops of military. The
field was soon filled with wounded
farmers, moaning in pain, many Of
them bleeding profusely. The worst
beating was given to a 65-year- ole
farmer who didn't run fast enough.
Farmers Disarm Ganman
At Durham Hill, in the Milwaukee
milk shed territory, there was a furi-
Gus battle lasting two hours, between
guardsmen and strikers.
Bayonet charges were made, anc
a dozen gas bombs used against the
farmers. The farmers were ordered
to leave Durham Hill, which they
have held for five days, but they re-
fused to bulge. This started the
fight.
One of the most vicious of the
guardsmen, Harry Wolf Of GAINESVILLE
was put out OF commission when II
farmers pounc on him, and took
away his revolver and equipment
This tactic is L ecoming more frequent
and many Of the farmers are obtain.
ing arms and ammunition in this way
Police Trickery Useless
In addition to using the mos
brutal violence against the farmers
the authorities are also resorting tt
trickery of every description. FAKE
telephone calls are being sent out by
the police and deputies to pickeI
captains, stating that the strike ha.
been called off, or giving misinforma.
ton about the routes followed b,
milk trucks. In spite Of these ruses
hundreds Of farmers who did no
believe the reports that the strike
had been called off, crowded into thu
Wisconsin capital, Madison, today fol
demonstration. More than thou
sand farmers. are expected by noon
Singler Exposes Himself
Such trickery on the part OF thu
authorities are aided by the weak ane
yacillating leadership OF Singler. Thii
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

| spoken louder than words. But the
attitude Of these leaders Is not one
of indifference. They have actively
worked against united struggle. In
numerous cities the members of the
YPSL, and even certain local leaders
have entered into united struggles
with the Young Communist League
and other organizations, in spite of
instructions to the contrary from
their National Committee and the
Socialist Party. This was the an
swer of the rank and file In the Up
81 TO the call Of the Young Com
mmlist League for united action.
These sincere acts have been met
by explosions and threats.
In Chicago the YPSL City Com
mittee, in accordance with the desires
Of most Of the YPSL members, voted
to approve the proposals of the Com
munist Party and Young Communist
League for one united May Day.
They voiced this opinion at the sep
arate May Day Conference called by
the Socialist Party. What was the
answer OF the Socialist Party and
YPSL leaders TO this response to uni
ted action? -Four members of the
City Committee were expelled from
their organization. The City dele
gates body of the YPSL voted is
to TO reject this expulsion. The So
cialist Party then revoked the char
ters Of all YPSL branches. All meet
ings Of the branches were forbidden
under threat Of expulsion.
Even Geo. Smerkin, National Sec
rotary of the YPSL came under the
Socialist Party sledge hammer. He
was recently expelled because he at
tended the Tom Mooney Congress in
spite Of the Socialist Party boycott
Of the Congress. At the Congress,
Smerhn spoke against the disrup-
tive policy of the Socialist leaders.
Following the Congress, he sent out
letters 10 all YP5L branches asking
them to support the fight 10 free
Tom Mooney. This incident indi-
Gates the depth of the sentiment for
united struggle, and shows the vici-
GUS measures that the Socialist Par
ty leaders will take 10 disrupt the
ranks of the workingclass.
The Socialist leaders reasoned that
no crime was greater than welding
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

leader" of the Milk Pool stated yes
terday that picketing should stop,
and that the farmers should use
peaceful persuasion"
Instead Of mass action, Sinsler is
advocating that the strikers should
60 from farm to farm asking the
farmers not to ship. At meetings
where he has been scheduled to speak,
Singler has not been showing up. He
is trying 10 run out on the strike,
but this leader from behind" will
not be able TO stop the movement OF
the farmers, which is surging forward
with an impetus which rs growing
every day. rt
Farmers Strength Grows
The farmers, far from slowing down
the struggle, are receiving new &C.
cessions Of strength hourly. Farm
Holiday units in the north are re-
pudiating the leadership OF 0iIberts
and Milo Reno. and are Joining the
pickets. Indians from Oneids Reser-
walton, Outaganie county, are Join
ing the picket lines.
This strike and reports that the
farmers are arning have struck fear
into the ranks of the exploiters. They
do not know what to expect next.
The strike is moreover costing the
state $4,000 a day in payrolls, trans
portation and equipment.
The Communist Party is more and
more taking the leadership In this
struggle, particularly in Racine, and
in some Of the northern counties. In
the former place, the farmers are
bringing in milk to be. distributed
free Of charge to the workers, and
the Communist Party has opened two
distributing stations. The Socialists
are paying lip service torthe cause Of
the strikers, but the rank and file
finds 1t increasingly difficult to ex-
plain why their leaders have been
sending Milwauee police to act as
strike breakers. 49,
That the socialist rank and file
is coming rapidly to the conviction
that the sincere supporters Of the
farmers and workers struggles are
the Communists can be seen by the
news (printed elsewhere} OF the ac-
ton Of the Milwaukee Trades Council.
which overwhelmingly voted to back
the strike with all means possible,
and criticised bitterly the Socialist
officials of the city.
Given fighting leadership, and
with all the support that Is forth
oming from the workers, and from
farmers of other states, the Wiscon-
sin strikers must win their fight.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
SEABURY WILL
BE CANDIDATE
FOR N. Y. MAYOR

NEW YORK, May 19.-It is likely
that Samuel Seabury will announce
his candidacy for mayor Of New York
on fusion ticket within the next
twenty-four hours. All the anti
Tammany forces are pretending to
be united behind Seabury. The lat
est addition of strength was the ac-
ton Of Samuel Unterneyer, for years
one of the foremost members Of Tam
many's board Of strategy"
Untermeyer wrote plea to Sea-
bury in which he referred to his fifty
three years connection with Tam
many and said that present condi-
tons are such that party loyalty
becomes too great a strain for me to
endure"
Strong Wall Street Backing
Bankers and bondholders represent
ing powerful section of Wall Street
are back of Seabury and it is their
influnece that has crystallized a pow
erful anti ammany mahine. They
put forth Seabury in order not to be
embarrassed with such a weak can
didate as the many times defeated,
Fliorella H. LaGuardia, who is wait
ing an opportunity to again run for
mayor on the Republican ticket.
The reason for their support of
Seabury is that they regard Tam
many government with its tremend-
GUS list of hangers-on that must be
paid as too expensive. After paying
off the machine there is too little
left for the bondholders, 50 the bond
holders want less extensive
machine.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
ScOttsbOrO Trial Movie
Will Be Shown at Town
Hall Meet Tomorrow

NEW YORK.-For the first time
a New York audience will have an
opportunity to see moving pictures
Of the trila of Haywood Patterson
in Decatur, Ala.
The f1An will be shown tomorrow
night Sunday in Town Hall, l1S
w. 4Srd ST, at meeting arranged
by tse National Committee for the
Defense Of Political Prisoners.
Speakers will include John L.
Spivak, Joseph r. Brodsky, and JOS
hua Kunitz Haywood Broun will be
chairman.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
Pennsylvania Home
Owners Must Pay
Taxes or Be Jailed

BROOKvILLE, Pa, May 49,
Thirty-five owners Of small homes
in Knox township have until to-
night to pay their taxes, or else
be remanded to- jail for non pay
ment.
Most OF these residents have
been unable to pay their taxes for
the last two years. The town tax
collector has issued this ultimatum
because he says that he wants 70
meet the payments on = surety
bond which are soon coming due.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
3 NINE LEADERS END JAIL TERM
Welcome Thompson, Raeefsks, Getto

PITTSBURGH, Pa.-Leo Thomp-
son, leader Of the 1881 strike in the
Cannonsburg Washington County
section, has been released from Blaw-
nox, after serving his two-year SEN
tence, together with Stella Rasefske.
Adam Getto, who served two years
IN the Allegheny Workhouse for his
activities in the strike at Ellsworth,
Pa, was also released.
These sentences were given by the
coal operators Judge Cummins, after
these militant workers had led the
miners in the smash-up of the United
Mine Workers attempt to break their
strike
While in prison, Thompson was
particularly singled out for punish
ment. He was confined to the dun
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
SPECIAL SCoTTsBORO MARCH
Frs MEET

NEW YORK.-All Scottsboro march
captains have been called to a special
meeting Monday, 2 pm. at 119 w.
l35th st. to prepare for mass meet
ing Friday night. The mass meeting
will plan q campaign in support Of
Eugene Williams and Roy Wright
youngest Of the Scottsboro Boys who
come up June l for habeus corpus
hearings at Decatur. Alabama.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

tie earned a uOildT a udy IOI WOTk-
ing "a hours a day, seven days week
and no holidays at any time. Out of
this he had to feed his family, clothe
and dress them. That is why most of
the furniture on a barge is picked up
at the city dumps and the clothes
from the refuse scows.
Despite the four windows the cabin
was dark and gloomy. That may be
because it was painted the same dark
green that the boat was for the coal
barge companies rarely supply their
captains with paint for the inside of
the cabin and since the captain can
not afford to buy paint, he usually
uses the boat paint for the inside of
his home.
There was little space to move
around in. The cabin was divided by
green planks into a sort of living
room and kitchen and q bed room
where the father, mother and the two
children slept on one large double
bed There were no sheets on the
mattress and the blankets were
dirty gray. There is no use trying to
keep things clean, the woman ex-
planned, what with the coal dust sift-
ing In always and the husband and
children bringing in dirt and dust on
their persons.
IT is not the coal dust that bothered
1 her the most. 1t was the cock
reaches and bed bugs that they could
not seem to get rid of. Once they had
spent some of their hard earned
money for bucket of sulphur to
funligate the place three times, but
the barge tied up near another and
the reaches and bed bugs swarmed
over to them again. So in their help
lessneSS they decided not to try to
fight the vernin. They always came,
like the myriadS of ants come every
summer and swarm over the food and
the children in the night.
There was a time not so long ago
when young men would not take a
job on a barge even for q hundred
dollars month which the company
used to pay. The hours were too
long and there was never holiday.
Young blood would not stand the
prison life" as the captains call it.
Single men found it hard to cook
their own food and keep the cabin
clean.
Only old men, those over fifty who
would normally work as watchmen,
would take the job of barge captain.
but since prosperity" hit this coun-
try like southern tornado and young
~ AffFtNt,1f n s11,
younger men were taken and the
older ones fired. Barge companies
want young men, especially family
men, for rather than risk being fired
and being left homeless with their
wives and children they will do car
penter work around the boat and thus
save expenses for the company,
Ought To Be Grateful
From 500 a month the pay slid to
$50 and so on down the scale until
now, depending upon the company,
the average pay is less than 50 day
when loaded and being towed and
one dollar a day when the barge is
empty and rocking on the river front.
And with prosperity as it is today
most of the barges are empty.
There are companies which, know
ing that most of their captains are
either too old to look for another job
and dare not leave, pay the dollar a
day when loaded and nothing when
unloaded.
''They ought to be grateful we give
EN- a place to stay" one barge COM
pany official explained
Life on dump by the Harlem
River will be described in John L.
Spivak'S article in Mondays issue.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
FURRIERS DO NOT WORK
SATURDAYS!

NEW YORK.-The Fur Department
in a call issued yesterday stated that
the Fur Trade Board decided that
no furrier Is to 60 in to work on
Saturday and that this decision will
be carried out 100 per cent. The fur
fiers are again urged not to work
on Saturday. In addition to that the
union has arranged for active mem
bers to patrol the fur market.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
10000 Fired from
Relief Jobs

MINEOLA, L. l., May 19.-Ter
thousand unemployed will be dis
charged by the Nassau County Emer-
gency Work Bureau according to the
announcement of its chairman, AL
income for these workers most OF
bert S. Roberts. This was the only
whom have families to support.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
MONTHLY MEET OF UNEM-
PLOYED TODAY

NEW YORK.-The next regular
monthly meeting of the Unem-
ployed Councils of Greater New
York starts today at 10 am. at
Irving Plaza Hall. Irving Place
and 18th Street. It is composed
OF regular delegates from the local
unemployed councils, city bodies
Of workers organizations and trade
unions.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
ANTI-NAzI MEET IN BROOKLYN

The Brooklyn Committee Of Allied
Professions to Aid Victims of Ger
man FasciSm will hold mass meet
ing at Franklin Manor (F'ranklin and
President Streets on Sunday even
ing, May 81, at $50.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20
Milk Strikers Battle
Guards in Wisconsin,
Farmers Give Unemployed Councils Milk Free
for Jobless Relief Stations

from the Daily Workers Special CoreponAenA)
In sf
battles which
pckets and
sumption of milk shipments Cenetery
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

NEW YORK-With the first
groups leaving the camps for the for
ests, an additional $4,000 young job
less workers will be recruited from
this area, including New York and
New Jersey. AS in the former drive,
recruiting will be in the hands of the
army.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

Have you approached your fsl-
low worker in your shop With
copy Of the Daiiy7' II noA - -
TODAY
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

SUBSCRIBE yourself and get your
fellow workers TO read the Daily
Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-20

Life on a dump by the Harlem
River will be described in John L.
Spivak'S article in Mondays issue.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-11-14

gave out that he was an English.
man, but he's not. He's d Russian.
and his real name is Karakhan. Igor
Karakhan. I'll give you bit of his
background; Lord knows 1t cost us
enough work. During the Soviet
Revolution in II he got out of Rus
STA and went Toto" Marlin
reached into his pocket for the docu.
ment--.'and went to-"
Germany" Curt supplied lacon.
ically. He had glanced up with sud-
den interest at the mention OF
Karakhan's name. Now he smiled at
AXIS sudden start. I'm Berlin. In
1890" he went on. coolly taking the
story away from Marlin. "Karakhan
had a hand in that Engelmeyer
money-printing scandal. In Paris he
swindled his fellow-emigres on .
confidence game and then cleared
out for Buenos Aires"
"Wait a minutel" AK gasped.
"Why. you must know the mani
Where hen-how under heaven
did you get this data on him?"
From the Justice Department of
the States. ! used to trade informa-
ton with them"
Marlin leaned back. looked at
Curt with amazed eyes. WELT
thought was pulling something out
OF the bag thst'd be new I'd you. and
then you begin telling me things
about it, D'you know what Harak-
han did in the Argentine?" he de-
manded. as though he expected 20
stump Curt.
Eyes. 1 know. AK. And I know
what he did afterward. too. The
League of Nations investigators got
too hot after him, so he skipped
north to Mexico and ran whisky 70
Los Angeles. The States nicked him
for two schooners. and he came on
to Vancouver. was keeping tab on
him there when burned out and re-
signed"
Marlin did not speak till the wait
er had refilled their water glasses
and withdrawn. Then: "I've got q
departmental report on him here.
but there's no use showing 1t to You:
you know as much about him 81.
ready as our men who've worked
nine months on the case"
"Let me see It"
| Marlin handed over q ten-page
| dossier.
| fCepsrtekt, 1855, wilAasa 3. Mo,esrvI
ToRcrrcss, Curt takea AKA ~.
utast under advtsement.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-11-14
RELIEF DEFEATS
LIGHTHOUSE TEAM
DIAM0NDBALL GAME YESTER.
DAY RESULTS IN SCORE
OF 4 TO 2
By JoJo

Well. they met again. The hard
hitting crew of the Tug Relief
and the aggregation from the Key
West lighthouse departmnt, and
the Relief won by score of to
2, at the Navy Field yesterday
afternoon.
Chief Peterson of the Relief
hurled good ball throughout the
session, allowing but three scat
tered hits. 1t looked for a time
like a shut out, but in the fifth
frame two errors allowed the
Beacon boys to push over two tai
lies.
The winning ten and the team
of the S. S. PARROT are schedul-
ed to meet tomorrow at Bayview
Park.
The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-11-14
EXPERT ROUTS PESTS
FROM PICNIC GROUND

PORTLAND, Ore, Nov. IA
Chasing mosquitoes away from a
picnic ground is the latest unusual
job performed successfully by an
expert of the department of agri-
culture.
When the Oregon democratic
general committee organized a
picnic near here it was not dis
covered until almost the eve of
the date set that the selected site
was swarming with hard-biting
mosquitoes.
In response to an IS. o. s." call
the local office of the depart-
ment's bureau of entomology
rushed an expert to the spot.
Routing mosquitoes from canyon
half a mile long and a quarter
mile wide even for one day seemed
an insurmountable task, but the