davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06

the wages of the men 10 per cent
on January l, 1888. But there
were no cuts for the big shots of
the company The whole thing is
a slap in the face to the workers
by these dirty rats.
And now comes another cut out
OF our wages, on July l, 1884, of 3
per cent on account of the pension
for the men, which is a fake and
doing the old-timers out of part of
their pension, on the old system of
pension. This new pension plan is
compulsory for new men entering
the service after June 80, 1884 and
optional to employees in the service
before June 80, 1884. There are
reports out that the men that don't
join the new pension will be fired.
There is not an article in the
agreement on the pension that has
not got a catch to it against the
men. Article II says that this
money collected will not be put in
banks but it will be put out in
investments. So you can see there
never will be any money for the
workers. The men never had a vote
on the pension plan. The company
can do as they please and the men
have nothing to say. It's time the
dirty rats were shown up. In Ar
ticle 5 it says, if the payment shall
be less than 100000 for such years,
then the next year either an in
crease in the rates paid or a de-
crease in the pension payments.
This means grab between two OF
three millions of dollars a year for
the dirty rats
The Senate investigation COM
mittee from Washington, D. c..
made a report that the receivershir
was racket for the lawyers, on its
investigation here last week.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
Long Island Railroad
Breaks Overtime Pact
in Sunnyside Yard

By r. r. Worker Correspondent
LONG ISLAND CITY, N. VI
am a brakeman on the Long Island
Railroad in Sunnyside Yard.
All summer I have been able to
average only one or two days a
week work. due to the company
abolishing jobs and speeding up the
workers.
There is an agreement which
Railroad Co-ordinator Eastman
made for the railroads that the
company is not living up to. That
agreement reads:
On any job that has more work
than they can complete in eight
hours, there should be a relief.
That is, they should abolish over
time.
But this agreement is being vio-
lated every day on the second trick
ladder job. They have been making
from one to two hours overtime
every day for the last month and
a half. In doing so, the company
has been saving six and seven
hours day for whole crew. And
almost all the men that are marked
up to report out at 1870 pm. go
home without getting any work.
This shows us that we should not
have any faith in Co-ordinator
Eastman or the Roosevelt New
Dear' policy.
The Railroad Brotherhood lead
ers have not put up any fight
against the company violating these
agreements.
LAWN, our grievance committee
man, whom we are paying good
salary, has not carried a single sue
cessful fight to the boss to win
any of our demands.
We must demand that the Penn.
put a third trick on the ladder. We
should all get together and go to
Pirung, the Assistant Superin-
tendent, and demand this. Also we
should form unity groups in the
Brotherhood to force our leaders to
get up and fight against these jobs
making overtime. We should force
them to make special rate of dues
so that part-time workers could get
back in the Brotherhood. In that
way we would have a much stronger
organization under our control and
fighting for our conditions.
SUNNYSIDE YARD BRAKEMAN.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
EN 9
TN fIl<, Home
49, HELEN sslss;i ssas 49, If
CONDUCTED By
HELEN LUKE
Is Your Clothespin Handy?

Somewhere in the bourgeois press
appeared the remark, among other
charges, that the compositions
printed in the Daily Worker are
"odoriferous.' Hum. The bour-
geoisie doesn't relish what is said
about them in our paper: and all
we do is tell the truth. However,
if you can stand it, here's Whit
of the delicate fragrance of a little
bouquet of stinkweed that appeared
in an essay In Defense of Divorce
Among Our Ruling Glass, by that
doughty champion of womens
rights, Gretta Palmer, of the World
Telegram-a tract titled, Mrs.
Dalrs Reno Trip of Wide Signif1-
cance-It Proves Existence of New
Deal for Women. e" The most
aromatic passage goes like this:
ut would be Illuminating to
know how many people have be-
haved in a fashion excruciatingly
uncomfortable to themselves be-
cause of setting good example
to the servants. The servants,
AuAhg aCf4AoS having w oCb a SOOu
example to no one, were per-
mitted to be natural. Democracy ;,
at least, has brought in the
theory that one person is as bad
as another and that the pretense
of perfection on the part of the
upper classes is so much waste of
time. The servants, in this mod
ern age, do not require good
example. They aren't looking"
''Noblesse Oblige" is no longer
necessary, muses. Gretta, yet our
ruling class in the South is so big
hearted that "the son-in-law of a
white family's cook, after his little
experiment with razor, can al
ways count on the presence of the
white farnily's head in the court
room, prepared to defend him in
return for loyal service, he can de-
pend upon the Massa to look after
him in the more serious disasters
of his life. -"
She goes on to suggest that since
feudalism has gone, wherein the
educated protect the interests of
the ignorant and the poor" lis this
funny or is it funnyD it would be
nice if the great many sensible
and informed people" the ladies
with time and energy to burn, +"
should haunt the stations, the
court houses and the other centers
where the ignorant are apt to find
themselves in a dilemma that they
do not understand, and "offer their
services and advice"
The final paragraph Of the essay:
The RooseveltS do not live in
fear of the opinion of the masses.
But they are very feudal in their
willingness to help them out of
Jams"
Wrong On Both Counts!
AS 1 remember it Mrs. Roosevelt
made a nasty airplane trip to Reno
to dissuade her son from divorce.
The divorces took place not because
the elder Roosevelts were COM
PLEASANT, but because the kids were
determined. And as for the will
tngness to help the masses" out of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
PARTY LIFE
Literature Of ECCI PIenums
Poorly Distributed by Units
Only Small Number of Propaganda Pamphlets
Sold in Concentration Districts

of MarXist-Leninist classics, whose
publication should be considered
an event in the revolutionary move
ment. 1t stands to reason that
without such necessary populariza-
ton of newly published literature,
the circulation of literature, espe-
cially our theoretical and propa-
ganda literature, will not grow.
In the ranks of our Party we
often hear complains of lack Of
time for reading, and this is given
as an excuse for poor literature
sales in the Party. Very often we
hear active comrades say: I'VE
would like to get this pamphlet or
this book, but we have so many
meetings at night that we simply
have no time to read" Other ac-
tive comrades do not even read the
literature they buy. 1t is, of course,
not within the province of this arti-
Gle to advise how the Party men,
bers should organize their inn r
Patty and mass work and haze
enough time left for at least miri-
mum reading of the most essential
publications. The methods of our
Party work were distinctly outlined
by the recent district and nation IL
conventions. In fact, certain dis
trictS have set aside special nights
for no other work, but reading,
studying, and school attendance. In
general, We have already more than
once worked out some very good
plans for the development of Party
education and Party study What
is needed is not more new plans
but the efficient execution of the
old.
In conclusion, every Party MEM
Der must understand that in order
to continue to publish new litera-
ture it is necessary that the litera-
ture already published and which
is on hand should be sold. Other
wise when the money invested in
previous publication is tied up in
unsold literature it is impossible to
publish new pamphlets and books.
The funds of the Party publishing
houses are now in such situation
that unless the entire Party sells
literature already published, and UNI
less the district literature commit
tees and agents promptly meet their
obligations to the c. c. Literature
Department the publication of new
and more literature will be madc
impossible.
However, the sale of literature il
not just mere business question.
1t is serious political question az
was pointed out in the beginning.
1t is central taks in the political
education of the Party membership.
The district organizers and the dis
trict committees must therefore look
into the matter of literature sales
and make the entire Party con-
scious of its responsibilities.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
Subway Workers
Building Rank and
File Organization
Some Small Demands already " on, but Stronger
Fight Is Needed Against Wage Cut
oY a subWaY Morker Corresnondent

oy a Subway Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK-Most of the work
ers in the 98th st. I. R. T. repair
shop are disguised with the Broth
erhood." We have seen this COM
pany union betray our interests
time and again. It is now clear to
the workers that all the horse play
the delegates carry on is only for
show. 1t is the smoke screen to
hide their dirty work.
LaSala, who is chairman of our
local, tells us that he is with us
100 per cent, but he is helpless be-
fore the top officials of the Broth
erhood." We appreciate his frank
ness. But if he were really with
us he would put up a fight for us,
and not act as apologizer for the
official clique of takers on the
Brotherhood He would join with
the Transport Workers Union which
he knows darn we'll is the only
union that will put up fight for
the workers and win improvements.
This union is independent. 1t has
no strings tied to the company or
to any A. F. Of L. grafters.
The meetings Of our Brother
hood" local are usually poorly at
tended. AS few as 20 men show up
at times. However, several weeks
ago, when a meeting of the rank
and file was called without the
presence of the delegates, we had
a record turnout. About 300 at
tended it. At that meeting we
elected a committee of nine to
represent us. Very few among US
were quite clear as to what we were
going to do. We just knew we had
to do something to stop the abuses
and betrayals Of the company union
officials and the company.
But, as the Transport Union
Group in our shop pointed out in
our paper at that time, the activi-
ties and authority of this commit
tee were very limited. AS a matter
of fact, the Brotherhood officials
refused to recognize our committee.
In the Wire Department, the
workers made the management give
us steam to heat the water in the
washing pals. But that is about all
we got. There is still a scarcity of
lockers and many workers leave
their clothes around the shop or on
wrecked cars Like the workers in
the rest of the IRT. we still work
so hours a week. We get only a
half hour for lunch. The company
offered to reduce our hours but to
reduce our pay accordingly. We
want reduced hours without reduc-
ton in pay.
Lay-offs continue from time to
time. Some of the laid-of workers
are re-hired at lower wages. This,
of course, is method through
which the company is slowly re-
ducing the wages of all the men
The toilets are now washed twice
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
Worker Yarns Of Catches in
Nem I. r. Z. Pension Plan

BY Subway Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK. - AS I know the
workers on the I,R.T. and B.MT.
never did get square deal and I
will say they are getting worse all
of the time, on account of the dirty
-ats and the company union. The
sooner the men on these railroads
join a regular union the better off
they will be. I am for your union
and will do all I can to help the
drive along.
Company unions are the worst
things there are against the work.
ers, as the men never have a say
on anything that the company
wants to do. If they do say any
thing against the company union
o. company, they are fired as soon
as possible.
Just few lines in regards to the
receivership on the I.R.T. The whole
thing was frame-up between the
American Brake Shoe Co and the
1.R.T. The receivership was put
over on account of I.R.T. of a bill
OF $4,000 owed the American Brake
Shoe Co., and at the time the .I.R.T.
had cash of 100000 and could not
pay the bill. The I.R.T. paid the
lawyers for the American Brake
Shoe Co. to fight to put the re-
ceivership over. They paid the
lawyers $4,000. But still they
could not pay the bill of $27,00
The conspiracy was that the
I.R.T. wanted to break the lease of
999 years with the Manhattan Rail-
road and to cut the wages of the
employees. Of course, they did cut
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
GRAFT-UNDER ANY CAPITAL
IST PARTY

I thought that the previous Re-
publican and Democratic admin
istrations were reeking with graft,
and had no illusions about it
either. I am sure that most every
one who came into contact with
those politicians in charge of the
various license bureaus can easily
prove that the Fusion administra-
ton is not any different, whether
regarding plumbing, electricity, or
automobile licenses.
This is my story: I have been
driving car for two years with
a license for which 1 had to pay
SIS graft at that time. This graft
went straight into the palm of the
road testing officer, so went all the
rest of the IS bills lined up be-
hind me, because they all received
the same advice from the Curry
auto salesroom, namely, to come
across or you won't be able to get
a license" came across know
ing that would be cheaper than
coming several times.
Recently I found it necessary to
renew my license since it had ex-
pired, and forced to go through a
road test, in which I failed
twice. Having had two years OF
experience I didn't thing it was
necessary to come across" In
addition, I didn't have the 5-spot
Now 1 will have to make a new
application which will cost me a
dollar, and go through the same
routine and still have to pay the
five dollars to get the license, s.
1 am told time and again by diff
ferent people.
l think something ought to be
done about this graft business
and I think something can bt
done. propose that you give
publicity on this issue and cal
for similar signed aff1davits from
all who have similar experiences
There are thousands of them. Thi!
petty graft can be made a tremen
dous issue. &c. c.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
BY AGITPROP DEPT, &C.
Continued from Yesterdays
Daily Worker

Continued from Yesterdays
Daily Worker
The literature sales of the c. c..
Literature Department also shows
that our Party has not yet learned
how to take advantage of certain
publications, which are indispensi-
bic in our day-to-day work Take,
for instance, Comrade Knorin's
report on social-democracy. How
is it utilized in such districts where
the Socialist Party has a mass fol-
lowing? The sales of Knorin'S re-
port in Philadelphia was 102 copies;
in California 1862; in Connecticut 7;
in Milwaukee 26.
What are the reasons for the small
sales of propaganda literature and
what should be done to improve this
situation? 1t must be made clear
that the poor showing of Party lit
erature sales, does not mean that
the Party membership and the
revolutionary WORKERS are not inter-
ested in reading and discussing
political questions. The Party men,
bership and revolutionary workers
are eager for such literature. The
cause is not in the lack of inter-
est. The trouble is with our dis
tribution, with the organization Of
literature sales and sales methods.
1t is common knowledge that
when our Party plans a political
campaign, the sale of literature is
not considered important enough
to be included in the planning of
the campaign. Every phase of the
campaign is prepared and checked,
except literature. With the result,
that we very often have a campaign
without the necessary agitational
and propaganda literature to accom-
pany it. In the best of circum-
stances our literature comes late in
the campaign, making impossible its
effective use and distribution. This
situation is closely connected with
the fact, that in the districts our
literature distribution apparatus is
not an integral part of our Party
machinery as whole. Very often
our literature committees are Sepa-
rated from the districts, sections,
units and fractions. AS result
the leading Party committees very
seldom check, advise and guide the
literature distribution work in the
localities.
Political discussions and reports
in the Party units and fractions are
not always accompanied with the
necessary literature on the question
discussed. AS rule, the leader of
the discussion or the reporter, reads
and quotes from all the available
literature on the topic of discussion.
However neither the reporter, nor
the literature agent of The organi-
cation will, as a rule, take the
trouble to prepare for that particular
meeting suitable literature The re-
porter and leader of the discussion
must in advance and as a result of
the discussion stimulate individual
reading of literature pertaining to
his subject
The propaganda literature pub
lished by our Party is not suff1-
GENTLY popularized in the Daily
Worker and much less in the Ian
guage press. At best we have an
occasional review of a pamphlet
But we have no serious discussions
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06

a week due to the activity of the
union men in the shop. But they
are far from being clean.
Boss Hines is still peddling tick
cts to beer parties, corned beef par
ties and other 10 cent attractions
at dollar or more a shot to timid
workers in the shops. Some day we
will sell him a couple of tickets to
the Victory Ball that will be given
by our Transport Workers Union.
Wage Cut Still In Effect
Our wages are still trimmed 10
per cent. With the continuing rise
of prices through the government
imitation our wages buy less and
less. We have to get that 10 per
cent back and Is per cent more
to offset the increase in the cost
of living. We've got to reduce our
working hours as the only means
for stopping lay-offs But, of
course, we could only achieve these
when We are organized in our rank
and file Transport Workers Union
Some of the men are talking
about refusing to pay dues and as
sessments to the Brotherhood"
This, if done on maSs-scale, is a
good idea. 1t is about time we
stopped paying for being betrayed
and sold out, for having our wages
cut and for working long hours in
filthy, poisoned shops.
Many of our workers are strong
for our union but they are afraid
to join it. The company spreads
this fear purposely to keep the men
from organizing. The company
knows darn well that our organizing
will put dent in its huge profits.
The N.R.A. never got around to
us yet. But we all had our lessons
of what it brought to other workers
in this country. We witnessed the
fights Of the workers against the
NR.A. at Ambridge, Weirton, To-
ledo, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Birming-
ham, st. Louis, New York and hun
dreds of other places. Some of the
workers in our shop who in the
beginning fell for N.R.A.'s hokum
are now beginning to see Wall
Streets claws on the Blue Eagle.
One fellow said the lightning was
for Speed-up and the cog-wheel for
slicing wages. MIRA. won't do any
thing for us if we do not organize
and force the company to give bet
ter wages and shorter hours.
Considering the short time the
union is in existence and the big
job it is to organize all these men
in the industry, we have made big
Roadway. In our shop we may be
behind the men in the other shops
and lines but We are coming along.
The sooner the workers in our shop
turn to real constructive work in
building our Transport Workers
Union the sooner will we win con-
ditions to work and live like human
beings. 98th STREET SLAVE.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
What the |. r. T. Will
DO with Pension Fund
By An I. r. T. Workers Wifi

- ~ - y WIG
NEW K.-That letter
from a fellow worker regarding
working conditions on the I.R.T.
states the case of the workers
well.
The PETERBOROUGH workers got
10 per cent cut, and now an
other money grab will be made
on the workers wages by what
Thomas E. Murray, the receiver.
calls a pension system. The
capitalistic papers wrote this up
as a "kind-hearted" gesture, but
did not say how the money will
be used until pension time (65
years Of age) comes around-if
death from overwork and poor
pay does not come first! The
money will be used to give big
pensions to bosses who now want
to retire. like Frank Hedley, and
the other money the workers pay
in will be handed to lawyers and
engineers to figure out more
ways of getting rid of workers
or reducing their pay.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-06
Business Agent of
Brotherhood Local
Fights WOrkerSBiIl

By r. r. Worker Correspondent
CHICAGO, nI-At is last meet
ing, Local No. 227 of the Brother
hood of Railway Carmen of Amer
lea, rejected the call Of the ten
unions which met in conference
on April % and issued a Joint call
fer a conference Of all A. F. of l..
Railroad Brotherhood. and other
local unions to meet in a confer
ence to support the Workers IN
employment Insurance Bill H. r.
1898. There was a sharp division
in our local and the debate as to
admitting representative from one
Of the ten locals occupied an hour
and IS minutes.
Two or three brothers took the
floor in favor of admitting the rep
resentative of the ten locals. They
pointed out that the workers bill,
H. R. 1898, was the only proposed
legislation which offered any pro-
lection to railroad workers, that all
other bills were inadequate in the
sums proposed for insurance, and
that they Disseminated against a
large part of the workers.
Maurice O'Connor, business agent
of the local, led the fight against
admitting the delegation. He want
ed to know why the seal of the
Chicago Federation of Labor was
not on the Credential of the dele
gates. One member read off the
list of the ten unions which had is
sued the call and asked if these
were not bona -fide locals. The bust
ness agent then said that this would
be turning the organization over to
the Communists"
Another member spoke and said
that the business agents belly was
full, but how about the brothers who
were laid off with no means of liv-
ing? O'Connor resorted to all sorts
of constitutional lawyer tricks,
talked about their losing their char
ter, etc.
When the vote was taken there
were Is to admit the delegates and
IS against.
Then another brother made a
proposal that they propose to the
company a three-day week to give
the unemployed members a chance
to earn a living. This brother I'M
doubleday meant we'll, but why
should we all starve to please the
companies and our reactionary Of
ficials?
The Workers Unemployment In
surance Bill provides that the COM
panies and state either provide
work or wages and is the only sane
method of protecting ourselves
against the starvation and unem-
ployment that the companies are
trying to force upon us while at
the same time they increase their
profits taken from our labor.
But in addition to forcing the
employers and state to give us real
unemployment insurance we will
also have to put the toes of our
brogans under the rear ends of all
local officials who betray us. It
makes no difference if it be Maui
rice O'Connor, Al Whitney, Or Bill
Green, these takers will have to
be chased out and honest rank and
file workers elected if our unions
are to be anything but camou-
tagged company unions.
All railroad workers who are sick
and tired of being regularly sold
out should line up with the Railroad
Brotherhood's Unity Movement of
their lodge and establish rank and
file unity of all railroad workers,
regardless of craft or organization.