davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
PARTY LIFE

The strike Of ITO young Penn
Electric Switch Co. workers against
lockout, union discrimination
and low pay, gave a unit of the
Party in Des Moines. Iowa, its first
lessons in a struggle for strike
leadership.
The accidental discovery of the
strike forced the unit to make an
immediate decision to take part in
the strike. The fact that the strik-
ers were locked-out; the fact that
the strike was under A. F. of L.
leadership, the unit had to find
ways and means Of entering and
leading the strike.
We ent~~od the picket line by
mingling talking with the strik-
ers, thereb' finding out the policy
CT the A. F. of L. leaders and the
sentiment of the workers. This was
necessary in orGer to formulate the
needs and demands of the strikers.
The strike was under the leader
ship of the A. F. of L. One hundred
and thirty seven strikers belonged
to the Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers. There were no experienced
A. F. of L. officials leading the
strike, 1t was left entirely in the
hands of an inexperienced strike
committee of two.
A labor board conciliator, called
in by the A. F. of L., was in ses-
sion a full Gay on the first day Of
the strike, with Mr., Penn. Prom
ises were made that report would
be made of the conference. But
nothing was reported
The picket line was not organ
lied. The demands of the strikers
were not clear. Some we're salts
fled with union recognition alone.
Others wanted to add the increase
Of pay.
The militancy of the strikers was
at a high pitch, but due to the I'M
organized picketing a few scabs,
nevertheless, got in. A few skilled
mechanics, Office workers, in all
about 80, continued to work The
company ordinarily employs 200.
At a mass meeting of the strik-
ers in the union hall, the govern
ment conciliator, with the help of
the A. F. of L., succeeded in be-
traying the interests of the strik-
ers by telling the workers to stay
away from the picket line; that
Mr.. Penn would not hire anyone
until the question of arbitration was
settled. This was called a gesture
Of peace"
The picket line was withdrawn.
The vigilance of the workers, how
ever, found that scabs came into the
plant unmolested and that workers
on the county relief roll were sent
to take the jobs away from the
strikers. Negroes from the relief
roll were, without success, used to
scab.
After being off the picket line
and informed that scabs continued
to to be hired and worked, and that
the Welfare Bureau was sending
out workers, dissension arose among
the strikers.
After the refusal of Mr.. Penn to
arbitrate, the strikers went in
body to the picket line.
In the beginning of the strike the
Party took advantage of the weak
leadership by holding mass meet
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Union of Artists
Models Needed to
Improve Conditions
(By a Worker Correspondent

NoJ VViheT correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. Cover the
entire country the government has
been working on the Public Works
Of Art Project. Edward Bruce. who
first became famous when he broke
strike of the Philippine railway
workers, is in charge of the P. w.
A. P. The funds are now running
low, and it seems that this "un-
planned economics of art" will
suddenly stop with various build
ings adorned with unfinished
muralS and bare walls.
From the beginning the P. w. A.
P. was closely related to the art
and philosophy Of Edward Bruce,
viii received most of his culture
and economics from Fascist Italy.
In the beginning, artists received
a good wage for their work. A few
weeks after the project began all
artists and helpers were given a Is
per cent cut. In addition to this
cut the artists were expected to buy
most Of their needed materials, such
as canvas, brushes, clay, paint. etc.
The artists models received the
lowest pay, $3.50 per week. Al
though the models were on the pay
roll as P.W.A.P. workers, large
number of artists we're not notified
that models were available, and had
to pay for models out of their own
salary. Consequently, this caused a
lot of models to be laid off after a
few weeks or months work under
the excuse that there was no work
for them.
Previous to their lay-off the mod
els had been Disseminated against
in various ways. They were forced
to keep track of the number of
hours per week they worked, and
when they were not posing they
were made to do carpentering work
and other forms of manual labor
that was in the $26 week class,
and the models had to do this work
for $3.50 a week.
An artists models union would
correct these abuses to models.
Such union could not help the
models if it were controlled by the
scab A. F. of L.; it must be con-
trolled by the models.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Shoe Union SpIiHers Fail
To Impress auburn Workers
McKeen and Frank Costello Try in Vain To
Disguise Themselves as Militant Leaders

capitalist reporter-on every mill
tsnt worker who is opposed to his
tactics, and dramatically called out,
They are prosecuting me for my
past and because he was against
the Communists before. Instead of
answering all the charges made
against him from the floor. his only
answer was that he is a victim Of
Communist persecution.
would challenge again, the rank
and-fllers in Boston, the new eXecu-
tive board of our union, to take
them out of our place-and let us
go on with the organizational work.
We do not want any splitters
around here.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
PARTY LIFE
Unit Learns Valuable Lessons
From Participating in Strike
Must Expose Fully the Danger of Betrayal by
American Federation Of Labor Leaders

ing of the strikers on the company
grounds. The Party came forward
with a program Of revolutionary
trade unionism, warning against be-
trayals pointed out the failure Of
the A. F. of L. to help lead the
strike; failure to formulate de-
mands: the use of a government Ia
Dor board conciliator for interview
ton in behalf of the workers in
stead of the workers themselves.
The Party stood for mass picketing,
election of broad strike commit
tee and the organization of relief.
Daily Workers and MIRA. PAM
phlets were given out. We fought
against the gesture Of peace; the
withdrawing Of the picket line.
Here, the comrades came into open
conflict with the leaders. We were
already entrenched among the
strikers. The leaders only succeeded
in keeping us out Of the union
meetings.
The Unemployment Council Is
sued a Ieaf1et giving its support to
the strikers. This had the effect of
crystallizing the break with the
A. F. Of L. leaders. The strikers did
not want to keep the gesture of
peace" anv longer. They went back
to the picket line.
The latest report showed that
these young workers we're sold out
after the leading comrades we're
drawn away to a district conven-
ton. The Party has learned some
lessons in this strike:
1. Pay attention to rumOrs Of
lOck-outs. The Party knew Of the
lockout two weeks before the
strike.
2. Take full advantage Of weak
leadership by holding meetings
on picket line. This was not ade-
quately done.
8. Did not expose strong enough
the danger of strike betrayal by
the A. F. of L. Tendency to avoid
mentioning the possibility Of the
A. F. Of L. to betray strikes.
4. Failure to establish contacts
for the purpose of building mp an
opposition.
S. Failure to consistently sell
Daily Workers on the picket line.
Only one distribution carried out
in the five-day strike.
6. Leaving strike in the hands
Of the A. F. of L.
In conclusion, the Party should
not hesitate to take part in any and
all strikes, to Use every means at
its disposal to win over independent
leadership. H. S.
Omaha, Neb.
District No. 10.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
WORKERS ENEMIES
EXPOSED


Henry Harry J. WOif, of New
York City, formerly known in San
Pedro, San Francisco and Los An
geles, Cal, has been exposed as an
agent prOvocateur and spy.
In 1928 he came to New York
from the West Coast as one who
had been imprisoned at San QUEEN
tin on charges Of criminal syndical-
ism Gin connection with longshore-
mems strike at San Pedro, in 1920,
in which he claimed to have taken
part as an I. w. w. organizer)
and as one who had been released
en- parole.
For a time, until the end Of 1929,
he worked for the Active Press as
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
By Textile Worker Correspondent

By Textile Worker Correspondent
ROCHESTER, N. Y. - Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers members,
who intend to visit Rochester, N. Y,
as delegates to the conventions in
May, should know conditions here.
The headquarters will be engulfed
with flowers; you will be told the
workers in the shops gave freely
to buy the flowers. Nothing is fur
Their from the truth. We we're COM
PEELED to give IS to so cents of our
measly wage by force. Here's how
it was done.
The shop chairman approaches
each worker separately and de-
mands a quarter or a half-dollar
with the threat that if you don't
you will not be called in to work
when your turn comes. Our unem-
ployment fund has not been issued
this year, the excuse being that the
convention fund was low and needed
for that purpose, on top of assessing
each member $40, also for that pur-
pose.
Brother Abraham chatham, our
manager, is a regular gangster type;
he has surrounded himself with
former foremen, former contracting
shop bosses, and the worst types in
the clothing industry, the yes men
you find everywhere. These men
and women are placed in the choice
jobs, sometimes doing two opera
tons at the expense of the other
workers. The manager at all times
is protected by an armed gangster
who acts as his body-guard.
A few years ago one of our bust
ness agents openly stated at our
local meeting that if the manager
and his kind were not removed i'm
mediately they would ruin this
clothing market. Time has proved
that. Well, this business agent was
transferred to a different city short
ly afterward.
The bosses at all times demand
quality work; they take the heart
out of the worker. The henchmen
of the machine are seldom bothered.
Wages for cutters average about $38
per week, that is, those who are
lucky to get in, and they must pro-
duce. The cutters at Fashion Park,
the largest shop here, averaged So
$12 a week in 1888; operators about
Sc; and others in proportion; we
have suffered a cut of 35 to so per
cent, since 1929, on top of better
quality workmanship. Every shop
owner demands reduction in force.
Workers at Braeburn who have
loaned the company $4,000 of their
wages are told everything has been
lost, and to forget about it. They
have averaged IS to So per week.
Hickeys and Levy's workers are not
much better off. Highly skilled
hands are lucky to earn S25 for a
full week. Keller euman-T homp-
son, the house that turns out a
cheaper line of work, is working
about four days per week. Prices
and earnings are low.
The rank and file movement is
weak at the present time, but we
are not entirely discouraged.
The best and most capable leaders
have been removed from their jobs;
sluggers are brought in frequently
to beat us up. Peter TEEN was
a capable worker and leader, who
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
PhiLG. Tanners
Tied by to
Speedily He'll
Local 81 Formed In
New Attempt to
Get Action
By a Leather Worker CORRESPONDENT

BY a Leather Worker Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-The con-
house, in the Philadelphia district
dition CT the leather workers tan
is deplorable, and the reason is
plainly evident-because of the A.
F. Of l.. misleadership. There is
plenty of dissatisfaction among the
workers, but it is held in check by
fear of the blacklist.
The speed-up since the introduc-
ton of the N. r. A. is terrific, and
it is practically impossible to make
a decent wage. They have done
away with machine fixers in the
shops and the men have to fix their
own machines, which causes the
workers to fall behind with their
work.
The men have to clean the ma
chimes in some departments every
clay, and this is done at the ex-
pense Of the workers. The glazers
clean only on Friday for Is min
utes, but this alone in one year
equals IS hours for which they
do not get paid. There are no de-
cent places to wash and never any
hot water to wash with. Also, in
glazing rooms at Foederer's there
is a cnocrete. floor and this room
is swept while the men are at
work, causing fog of dust in the
room.
Local Ga of the United Leather
Workers International of America
is responsible for this condition, as
the union committees are afraid
to make any real demands upon
the firms, because Business Agent
Quinn tells then that they cannot
back up any demands with a strike,
because we would be going against
the government, and this is not a
red union. 1t is not necessary for
him to tell the men that his policy
is not red" It is plainly evident
that it is of deep yellow.
Conditions are so bad in Phila-
delphia, and the reputation of the
leadership of local 81 is so foul that
many workers refuse to have any
thing to do with No. 81 and so
they are being organized in differ
ent locals, but Quinn still gets into
their meetings.
The Druiding shop was organ
lied into what they call Local ST..
The men in No. 81 want to keep
Quinn out of their meetings if they
expect to accomplish anything, and
keep out of office any sign of
"Ouinnism. The workers in this
local should start right out by de-
manding that no committee be
appointed but that all committees
shall be elected from the floor, as
this is one way in which you can
help defeat the enemies of the
workers, and keep them from build
ing a machine in the union which
would work to defeat the best in
terests of the workers. The work
ers in Druiding's have had no real
benefits from the N. R. A., but the
boss has.
Since the N. r. A., a worker has
not only his own work as a beams
man, tanner, stalker or glazer to do,
but anything else that the boss
chooses to put on him, he has to do.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

pired. The workers welcome him.
They subscribe to the Daily" Old
subscribers renew their Subscrip-
lions.
Through the efforts of class-con-
5cious workers like Comrade Peter
on, the revolutionary influence of
he Daily" is being spread in
hops and in workers homes.
tOckford has ordered 1000 copies
+ the 24-page May Day edition.
Follow Comrade Peterson's ex-
2mple. Ask your friends and fell
ow workers to subscribe to the
Daily A trial sub for one month
the daily edition costs only so
;ents. Every worker subscribing
now will be sure of getting a copy
Of the 24-page May Day edition
delivered to his or her home.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
WORKERS MUST FIGHT
FASCISM
Alexandria, Va.

AASAdllulldj va.
Dear Comrades.
Enclosed clipping is an excellent
example of how the people are be-
ing fooled, and led into fascism by
the lies of fascist-capitalist press.
1t is for the conscious workers
and intellectuals to expose and
fight this subtle transition into fas-
cism.
Within six months we should
meet the crisis-either we are sub
dued, as in Austria and Germany
= or we ride the crest of the
wave" We know that conditions
are just as bad,-if only we can
convince, others of the cause"
j. G. r.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
ORGANIZE ON c. W. A. JOBS

ORGANIZE ON c. w. A. JOBS
Auburn, Wash.
We are still on the c. W. A..
Last week we had a SO payday, this
week an So one. We are paving
and can't work when it rains. as
you know it really rains out here.
Tomorrow is our last day on c..
w. A. then couple of weeks on
P. w. A. finishing the job-then
what? x Y. z. perhaps!
A local of relief workers protec-
tive association is being formed.
And last week a good sized F. S. u.
was formed due to DR.. Harry F..
Ward touring and speaking here in
the West. We are now making
plans for an unemployed council
and C. P. unit.
We believe the working class is
getting fed up on the alphabet!
Last week meeting was called
by a former c. w. A. foreman
(aided by Chamber of Commerce)
to protest layoffs. A hand picket
committee was sent to G. w. A.
headquarters in Seattle (they came
back empty-handed, of course).
mo organizing" No politics!
Gracious no! No trouble, just pre-
sent our grievances like men"
Such were the answers I got to a
plea for organized action. Well, the
workers already see through the
mockery, and we are organizing.
100 Voice of Action" were distrib-
uted, and they went over big.
IT 6
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
E.~4CN 8
49,, fllt, Ha,llle6
-lSs#AN HELEN s LUKE - A
- 1sN1 81 ~ -AzJ -
HELEN LUKE

tible to damage through chemical
reaction; it is not just a stone back
ground on which we may paint with
abandon with any and all chemicals
the commercial wolves are anxious
to sell us. Since legal protection
against injurious substances is UP
to the present time inadequate, our
best defense is knowledge of the in
gradients, and their properties in
beautif1ers.
TO Be Continued.)
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
To Demand Cut in
FOOdStuff Prices
Committee Calls Mass
Demonstration, Wed.

NEW YORK.-The action
committee against the high cost
of living is calling all the organ
zations of Brownsville, East
New York and Crown Heights
to take part in the demonstration
on N'05~o~7~r ALL 1H'I &c.
NJ, at Suffer Avenue and Bristol
Street, where a delegation will
be elected to visit Alderman
Hart to demand lower prices on
all necessities, and especially of
EC-' 81
uct
The committee is alsD calling
on all the workers, consumers
O. these products to tax Fart
in this demonstration. All or
PLANTATIONS are urged to bring
slogans against the high cost O.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Says We Must Have
Bolshevik Ambition;
Proves His in Action

I'VE must have Bolshevik am
bition," writes B. Peterson, of
Rockford, III. THE workers will
subscribe to the Daily Worker if
we are active and approach them
with our paper"
Comrade Peterson isn't just
talking" He has already secured
q new subscribers for the Daily"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

and is still hot
after more new
subs.
H 0 W about
Y o u, conrade?
Have you Boil
S h ev ik ambi-
ton? Take a
revolution a r y
tip from Com
r a d e Peterson,
He visits h is
friends, his fell
low workers, he
calls on Daily"
SubScr i b e r S
whose subscrip-
tiHrnE hnrn ~
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Root and Butler Lead
Fight to Maintain
Child Exploitation

NEW YORK. = Comparing the
Child Labor Amendment to the
18th Amendment, state wide
committee, headed by Elihu Root,
Nicholas Murray Butler and Will
liam D. Guthrie, called the amend
ment a constitutional curse" in the
State Legislature today.
Guthrie, who presented a As
page pamphlet to the Legislature,
written in answer to a recent state
ment of lawyers urging the ratif1-
cation of the amendment, quoted
Alfred E, Smiths article in the
March issue of the Outlook, as a
point in favor of his committee.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
NOTE

We publish letters from textile,
needle, shoe and leather workers
every Wednesday. Workers in
those industries are urged to write
us of their conditions of work,
and of their struggles to organize.
Get the letters to us by Saturday
of each week.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
|A.C.W. Henchmen Keep
Rochester Wages Low
Unemployment Fund Is DrGlVn on to Pay the
Expenses of the Coming Contention

was beaten up and taken to the
hospital for three weeks.
Brother delegates: How long must
we stand for these abuses? Only
by replacing the present machine by
honest workers can we improve our
conditions.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Shotgun Remedy for Catarrh,
rheumatism and Blood Disease

rheumatism ana BLOOD disease
Howard S., Decatur, Hl.-The copy
of the prescription you sent us
represents one of those shotgun"
remedies which are so dear to the
heart of the unscientific physician
or quack. OF the ten ingredients
eight are known to be absolutely
inert, the ninth one is a laxative
and the tenth has no action in the
dose prescribed. The remedies are
prescribed on the principle that if
one of the ingredients does not work
one of the others might. Scientific
physicians rarely prescribe more
than two or three ingredients in
any one prescription. They prefer
to prescribe one drug at the time
and when more than one is used,
the additional medicine should be a
"synergist" which means that it's
action is similar to the principal
drug and that it increases it's eff
feet. When synergists are used, the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
rs BRIEFS

.l..S BRIEFS
A meeting of great Importance is
the coming Annual Conference of
the United Councils of Working
Glass Women, which will be held
Sunday, April %, at Manhattan Ly-
ceum. There will be two sessions.
the first beginning at 10 am. Plainly
it will be big day, for there will
be banquet by the same organiza-
ton, same evening, same hall.
All trade unions and workers or
CARNATIONS are earnestly requested
to send delegates. The question of
organizing women to fight against
the high cost of living, war and fas-
cism, will be the central issue.
The Forthcoming May Day issue
of the magazine, THE Working
Woman" will feature anti-war ma
terial. Sample copies will be sent
on request)
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Can You Make EN-
Yourself?

Pattern 1926 is available in sizes
8, 10, II, IA, Is and 10. Size Is
takes yards 36-inch fabric. Illus
trated step-bp-step sewing instruc-
lions included with each pattern.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

Send FIFTEEN CENTS (15c) in
coins or stamps (coins preferred)
for this Anne Adams pattern. Write
plainly name, address and style
number. BE SURE TO STATE
SIZE
Address orders to Daily Worker
Pattern Department, 243 West 18th
Street, New York City.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

What is your Unit, trade union,
mass organization doing to get
new subscribers for the Daily
Worker? Help put the sub drive
over the top.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

In sending ir new subs to the
Daily" please write the name
and address of the new sub
scriber clearly.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Letters from Our Readers

lend to the cause of world peace to
be attained by recognition. Some
negative cases that I listened to
were disgusting beyond recall. At
that time I happened to be taking
a course in current world history,
so when we came to the discussion
of Russia I inveigled my history
professor into passing some con-
struction magazines, economic re-
views, ETC., around the class room,
and I am sure from the resulting
discussion that number of young
people got new insight into the
Soviet Russian way of life"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
30 D0cEot>
kGA1iAaQe)g
QdA,GAe4:
Omaha, Neb.
District No. 10.
By PAUL LUTTINGER, MD.

dose of the principal drug can be
cut down and much smaller guam
tity prescribed. For instance two
aspirin tablets are often prescribed
for headaches, but if one takes an
aspirin and one pyramidon tablet,
more rapid and more lasting &C
ton is obtained.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18
Ton Many Ailments

IOO 1dIIy AIInitIIIs
Mildred H. S.-You have too
many ailments for diagnosis and
advice in this column. Before we
can express any intelligent opinion
you must be given a thorough ply
steal examination. If you have no
money, you may come up to our
office for free consultation. We
do not understand your lack of a
permanent address. Where do you
keep your three children?
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-18

Make sure that your greeting
will appear in the May Day edi-
tion by mailing it at once, adj
dress, Daily Worker, so East 18th
St., New York City.