The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-06
Mass Delegation
Forces Interview by
CWA Administrator
Continued from Page u

tCOntinued from Page u
When asked BY the Daily Worker,
What is your position on the Work
srs' Unemployment In~urance. Bin"? !
Hopkins asked, who first proposed
this blu?
"The Communist Party" was the
reply.
Send it to me, will you7? Hopkins
aclisd, I'D like vc-y much to red it"
Thus Hopkins "so-t so2ped" the
delegates, rs Phil Frankfeld stated
n his summing up. Hopkins made
general promises and tried to evade
any additional relief appropriations
by Advocating unemployment insur-
ance" but lin genera"
The delegates demanded an end to
the widespread firing, graft and A.
F. Of L. racketeering on C.WA. Jobs.
They demanded the right to organize,
They demanded an end to discrim-
nation against Negroes and single
men and gave documentary proof TO
substantiate their charges.
II will look into the complains at
once against race discrimination, -
Hopkins said, The charge has been
made here that Civil rights were
Haunted and abused,
II believe everyone has the right
OF free speech, the right to kick, to
complain and organize. I will look
into the charges very carefully. T,oe-e
is nothing more important than the
maintaining of, civil rights under all
circumstances. I don't care what your
political views or complaints, YOU
have perfect right to express them"
Phil Frankfeld answered, "on the
way here, the police broke up our
march several times. We got here
only after the police broke us up
into groups Of six. We had d.f1clilty
in seeing Mr. Hopkins. This doesn't
look like civil rights. Mr.. Hopkins
tells us we have the right to organize.
The answer is, we will go back to.
night and organ:ze, and we win win
our demands for c. w. A. jobs and
adequate relief; the delegates broke
out into spontaneous applause.
HOPKINS said he would 'gook into
the charges Of graft in Pittsburgh
He said the proposal of the United
Shoe Workers Union of New. York
for project to supply shoes to the
unemployed "has merit" He said he
didn't like the kick back" and de-
plored the "iradeuuacy of RELIEF" in
some places. He said in answer to the
damning charges. of delegate Posek.
of New Orleans, a seaman, that sea-
men are headed into forced labor
camps and treated as transierts, Il
will explore into that question" 4
He said he believes in cash relief
and not grocery orders" II will
look IN the charges Of Irregularities
this afternoon" he said. The young
workers spoke demanding relief for
s-ng-e men. There is no answer
to that argument" he said. Hopkins
admitted that a person can't live
on $3.50 week relief. I don't be-
lieve in half starving the unem-
plcycd to DEATH"
"NSg investigating them to death
eithsr," Frankfeld interjected.
Hopkins said the refusal r to To- permit
c. w. A. fires On the job, Of which
ample proof was given by the dele
gates, was absurd" When the dele
gates told Of detectives working as
G. W. A. bosses, he SAID, II don't like
that"
Then came Hopkins conclusion.
He believes tRelief can't solve the
problems Of the unemployed; He
thinks unemployed insurance or re-
serves is the only way to achieve it,"
Frankfe.d wildly portrayed the
miserable conditions Of the C. w. A.
workers and the unemployed in his
opening speech. He gave facts and
figures, newspaper clippings, state
ments and documents to prove every
point.
Read it, Mr.. Hopkins, read It,"
he said, handing Hopkins clipping
showing that salt pork is spoilinT
while stored in warehouses by the
Government, while the workers
starve, THE seventy-four C. w. A.
workers delegates here, from %
states hold you responsible Mr.. Hop
kins," said Frankfeldt on behalf of
the delegates. Specifically demanded
an end to the lay-offs on C. w. A.
Jobs, graft, A. F. L. racketeering.
discrimination against Negroes. wo-
men and single men, he demanded
on behalf Of all the unemuloyed. ade-
quate relief for all UNEMPLOYED.
workers. The delegation demanded
the right of the C. w. A. workers
and the unemployed to have their
elected committees on the relief and
C. w. A. administration boards. They
demanded an immediate end to
evicticns.
The delegates living in Washing
ton spoke, showing that the C. w, A.
workers here get no back. pay, many
have been fred, and thousands get
no jobs or relief. Fright tle-e. in
the Capitol, where your Office Is, these
conditions prevail; we want to know
what you are going to do on all
these questions" Frankfeldt de-
manded. Delegates from Boston and
Lynn, Pittsburgh, West Virginia.
Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, New
York, the South, women, youth, and
Negro delerates, gave evidence in
support of the speech of Frankfeldt
Hopkins is now investigating and
considering" the charges and de-
mands. The delegates are going back
to organize and force Hopkins to
Keep his promises, and to increase
relief and c. W. A. jobs.