The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-13
Bear Mt. CWA Workers
. Treated, Cheate d
While Officials Craft
Daily Worker Exposes
Slave Conditions in
C.W.A. Camp


NEW YORK Facts uncovered
by the Daily Worker give ample
proof to the complaints of the
5000 C.W.A men at Bear Noun
tain that the treatment which
they receive at the hands OF the
C.W.A. authorities Is nothing short
Of barberic.
The status of these men, eSpe-
cially since the C.w.A. took over
the Interstate Park project from
the Emergency Home Relief, has
become that Of serfs, with the ma
licious and grating officials their
feudal lords. Given jobs that are
almost impossible to do, they are
faced with the alternative Of do
ing the work and collapSing from
physical exhaustion, or not doing
the work and being fired. In addi-
ton to this slave-driving, they are
| forced to work under insufferable
conditions, without warmth or SUI
fcient clothing. Although the
weather throughout the winter has
been especially cold, at no time
were more than two men allowed
to warm themselves at a fire. Re
Gently, despite the frigid tempera-
ture, the order was issued that
fires of any sort are no longer
permissible. The men are not al
lowed to wear coats while they are
working. One worker who pro-
tested at being ordered DO remove
his coat by a warmly dressed off,
cial in a heated automobile, was
discharged.
Indifference TO Mems Suffering
Workers who pulled branches
from trees to cover the snow on
which they were standing, in or
der to protect themselves from
frozen feet and other serious all
ments, were ordered to remove the
branches and forbidden to take
any more. This callous indiffer-
ence to the welfare of the men
displayed by Director J. NJ Tam
sem and Superintendents Higgins
and Koran, who issued these or
ders, is directly responsible for the
seven cases of frozen feet and ex-
posture at Bear Mountain IN one
week. And when worker sue
cumbs to the severe trials, the
same inhuman apathy is mani
tested. There is no medical at
tention for C.WA. men The first
a;J e+o tiooa Ioe I1oava ,-ay,neSyod onS
the assistance of army doctors
from the CC.C. camp three miles
away is refused them.
There is the case OF one worker
who collapsed on the job. His fore
man, without examining him, &C
eused the worker of being intoxi-
Gated and refused to call an anbul-
ance But this was too much for
the other workers who had gathered
around the fallen man. They COM
Wandered truck and carried the
man to the railroad station. in order
to get him to hospital. The rail-
road station was unheated and
gloomy. Notwithstanding this, the
injured man was refused permits
sion to take any but the regular
night train back to New York, al
though this train was not due for
five hours. He was forced to lie
in the cold station, despite the fact
that he was suffering intensely.
Upon examination at French Hos
pital in New York City both feet
of this worker were discovered TO
be badly frozen.
Even though the snow from the
recent billiards. is thick upon the
ground, and walking is very diff
cult, the men who work on the
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
shift are forced to walk twice daily
between their Jobs and the station,
distance of four miles each way.
In addition to their miserable
working conditions, these workers
have to combat graft and discrimi-
nation. They are openly told by
Superintendent Higgins that they
can have better jobs and better
working conditions if they will kick
back part of their salary to him
Three foremen, Miller, Farley and
Flynn, bought their jobs from Hig-
gins in this manner. When the
first two told the superintendent
that they could not pay him i'm
mediately, he told them that it was
all right, that he would allow them
to sell liquor on the train between
Bear Mountain and Weehawken,
and that they could make the money
to pay him off in this manner.
Another worker who was offered
foreman's job if he would pay
for it. ennphatically refused, tell
ing Higgins to go to hell" Hig-
ms thereupon told him he was fired.
The worker refused to leave, telling
Higgins he would expose him. Be-
cause Of this militancy and courage,
this worker was able to retain his
job.