davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
Big Numbers Of.
Railroad Men Won't
Ever Get Job Again
sy a Railroad Worker Correspondent

BY a Railroad Worker Correspondent
PEORIA, Ill.-Chances for reem-
ployment for hundreds of thousands
of unemployed railroad workers are
practically nil, it is admitted by the
Monthly Labor Review Government
publications. for December, 1888.
Plant equipment, personnel, Z etc,
are of such a nature that a far
greater load of traffic units than
handled at present could be ade-
quately taken care of without any
increase in personnel whatever. In
fact the tendencies are towards fur
ther inroads among railroad workers
due to the mergers, consultations,
etc. on the horizon, together with
the increased tempo and extent OF
the chronological changes.
These factors spell untold misery
and suffering for the employed rail-
road worker as well as the brother
already unemployed. Any one of US
may be next. It is of the most ur-
gent necessity that all rank and file
railroad workers employed or unem-
ployed, organized or unorganized,
join together in the support OF the
TTnono"'oyed Councils and the Rail
road Brotherhood Unity Movement.
Let us give the railroad employers,
our reac5ionary brotherhood officials,
and the Wall st. government, the
"washout' sign, then forward over
a detour toward one powerful union
oF ali y.o;lronA xunrLorS
II. K. EDWARDS,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
How Marine Workers Industrial Union
Helped Grew of Munindies Win Back Pay
Rallied OUer 800 on Picket Line at Baltimore,
Dock While Men Strike on Ship

By Marine Worker Correspondent
BALTIMORE, Md.-On Jan. % the
S. S. Munirdies arrived in the port
of Baltimore. Two delegates Of the
NJ, W I. U. went aboard to learn
from the crew the conditions under
which they were WORKING. They
found that some of the crew had not
been paid for SIX MONTHSl The
captain had the same old stall for
the men in every 0ort: well, boys,
we cannot pay off here, but you can
have a IS draw and you'll get paid
off in the next port"
The delegates spoke to all of the
unlicensed members of the crew and
they stated that they wanted to
STRIKE at once for a payroll, and
the delegates told them that they
would be given the full support
ashore Of the NJ. w. I. q. and the
w. U. c. here in Baltimore if they
would stick it out aboard the ship
until thew won Their demands.
They elected a Ships Committee
and sent them TO the CAPTAIN with a
statement of their demand for a
pay-off. AS usual, the captain was
hostile, and told them that he could
not paw the crew off.
The crew then refused to turn to
and went on strike at about 4:3O pm.
on Jan. %. and remained out on
strike for about 40 hours. Ear'v on
the morning of Jan. % the M. w. 7.
U. bad a strong picket line ground
the Fell st. dock, where the Munin-
dies was berthed. There were about
so seamen on the picket line carrying
No "ar6S reading. "NIUNTNDIES OUT
ON STRIKE, DON'T SCAB!" etc.
The seamen on the Munindies. see
ing the strong support thew were get
ting ashore, stood Pat. The pickets
were on the lob all day and until long
after dark with the usual strike ban
ners.
30 Cops On Scene
About 30 police were on the scene
as usual to try to terrorize the pick
cts. but every seaman stood firm and
refused to be terrorized, and. as the
po'ice knew that there were about
300 very militant seamen on the
beach here who were ready and will
ing to back up their fellow workers,
they made no effort to break the
strike by force.
The captain in the meantime was
running around ashore to the COM
pany office. and to the Commission
er's office, trying to get the money
to pay the crew off. About pm.
on the 23rd the cautain told one of
the M. W I. q. delegates that he
could not get the money to pay off
the crew, because the records Of some
OF the crew had been MISPLACED. He
asked that the crew turn to at once,
promising TO pay off in full on the
following day. The crew, however,
were fed up with his promises, and
fatty refused to turn to until every
man was paid off in full without any
discrimination.
The following day, Jan. a, things
started to happen fastl Early in the
morning all Of the M. w. 1. U. dele
gates we're chased ashore and the
police patrol was increased on the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
By a Worker Correspondent


( DETROIT, Mich.-The infirmary
at Eloise, Mich, secure stronghold
Of butcher Doctor Gruber, is again
janmed beyond capacity. Between
5000 and 5000 unemployed and I'M
attached young men and women have
been sent to this alleged 'infirmary"
for the crime Of failing to find some
sort Of job.
This institution" is located 16
miles away from Detroit. The I'M
employed apply for welfare relief"
and are sent TO this nut house In
truckloads. Rain or shine, warm or
zero weather, these trucks ply be-
tween Detroit and Eloise, transporta-
ton furnished one way OnIy-to
Eloise.
A pass is issued once every 80
days, valid for three days. Doctor
Cameron is in charge Of several
horse doctors" as they are gen.
orally called by the inmates.
The writer had spent six months
ct the place. If an inmate of Eloise
desires TO come to the city he must
walk 16 miles. did 1t myself every
time I'd come to town. To walk 16
miles means an all-day journey
stiff as a board, tired and exhausted.
The next day person can scarcely
move, the day is taken up by rest
ing and nursing up the blistered feet.
On the third day "nolens volens"
back to Eloise.
Upon admission to this institute
OF social scrap" each entrant is
required to present a Detroit tax
payers form, duly signed by a bona
fide taxpayer, stating the applicant
is personally known to the signer
and is a resident of the city for at
least one year A complete card
index record is taken of each per-
son. They are then herded from
butcher Gruber's office to Mr.. Fox's
office and each victim is thoroughly
finger printed upon regular, standard
Detroit police card index forms.
AS some of the victims remark,
IT'S all the same as a jail, except
that a rap or charge is not en-
tered against them" Following this
humiliation, all are ordered to strip
naked to determine all possible
VI Q1llA1l4A4GoS. AL tllC NAO1Il6o DIS well
as the body are given careful in
spection, followed by a shower bath.
When this is done, a meal ticket is
procured at DR.. Cameron's office and
each ''pogey" receives a slip, desig-
mating the location Of his flop.
damned in Like Sardines
The ward boss directs them to their
beds" And here ones eyes per-
ceive a picture Of incredible doom;
dismayed, outraged humanity, gath
cred into wards, equipped with the
double decker hunks, from 800 to 500
to each ward. These hunks are made
OF frail angle iron sections, loosely
riveted together.
Could anyone possibly hope to get
any sound sleep in a place of this
sort? Think of the distraction, dis
fturbances, foul breath, smelly feet,
coughing, walking in aisles to and
from toilet and so on. "a young
Polish fellow slashed his throat with
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16

misSal We have TO pay rs cents a
month for this. Also we have COM
pulsory insurance Of 81 a month
There is another scheme OF taking
our money. A camp supposed to be
for the workers children, Camp
Sheeran, named after the president
You send your child there for two
weeks. We pay 10 cents a week
all year round regardless of whether
we have children or not. 1t is
taken out of youI pay. Once you
send your child there, you never
send your child again. The food
there is very bad.
Also, every year they have a ball
and entertainment regardless Of
whether you want a ticket or not.
They give you a ticket and take out
a dollar. This year they took out 16
cents a week for 10 weeks to pay
for the ticket.
Discriminate Against Jews.
In the last year and a half, they
have cut OF the forces. They
won't hire certain nationalities any
more. They don't come out and
say so, but they won't hire Jews
We work by the run. We never
know how long the run is so we
never know how much we will make
We are only paid for the time We
work.
Workers are fired constantly on
the slightest pretext. We have
what is called "speed-up schedule"
Our lines must be and are the
fastest in New York City. They
have notices up right along. Any
one caught beating the lights (they
do this to make up for lost time,
is laid of for few days, and then
put back on the job. If he does il
again, he is often discharged. They
want men with iron nerves.
People that have been used t.
ride in automobiles are now using
the trolley cars on account Of the
depression. They are very arrogant
and If you tell them to step up
they report you to the company
which means two or three days OF
no work. Too ..-&ny reports, anc
you are discharged.
They have inspectors and spot
tiers all along the line. Anything
they say goes. II they tell the CON-
pany that they saw you take q
nickel out OF the box, nothing you
can say in your defense helps. Nc
conductor ever steals a nickel. They
know they don't stand a chance
And yet these spoilers are contin-
ually making examples" and get
ting men fired just to make sure
it won't happen.
In the last year, since they
changed these officials, like inspect
ors, they want the regular men tc
take days of as much as possible
The reason for this is that extras
only get 46 cents. If you don't
take days off, they make you get
of. They say. your shoes are not
shined."
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
Cs:~%r9 8
izzlZl fIlGe II mes
-zsafssHaA ...sy.,.s q. - @
CONDUCTED Bk
HELEN LUKE

A darling Chicago conlrade, who
wishes to remain anonymous Cfor the
present at leaSt) wrote us some high
ly interesting, partially personal let
teES while back. Some paragraphs
from one that arrived weeks ago:
What made me so busy and over
worked was teaching assignment
-. pre-School, kindergarten, design
ing and dressnaking, artcrafts, man
ual training, tood talks, and cooking
demonstrations; any one subject de-
serving a LIES preparation.
Then-innocent4y, I walked right
into nest Of Young Pioneers. I
shall try not to explode entirely right
here and now about it, but it bub-
bles down to this: I sounded and
duplicated for counter-bourgeoi ac-
tivities for our workers for so long
that just at this time a troop leader
brought me tidings of meeting
place.
Il promise you there were no ques-
lions asked. I got together an outfit
Of apparatus, materials, and equip
ment for complete course Of han
dicraft, medium that could handle
and that would recruit and hold the
youngsters.
Talk about per asperasl Its a
table--I've often thought if could
get the two semi circles spread out
We could at least have a teeter-tot-
ter AS it is, g kerosene lamp is Jug
gied from one half % the other to
my bloodcUBdling shrfeks Of "Fire!"
babies are trampled underfoot,
while others mix our papier- ma.che.
puppet material into feathers for
fowl figurines. tarring them together
with gum arabic dyes.
my ONLY suit for winter was
nobly so decorated and now hangs
in the closet representing a frieze)
1T looks like only a lucky few
gets in here says one fine, ener-
getic boy who came with a delegation
of a hall-full Of boys. Eff the Pho
neers got no time for US the Carney
Club sure Is, and a hall, too, only
we likes to come here; could we get
IMP So, as badly as I feel after
parliamentary speeches, and as hard
as it is to park my child, went to
Buro and Central Committee meet
ings, and rank and f1leless represen-
tations only to hear final pro-
nouncement, that "a place is not SO
important, comrades, if one only has
the right spirit one can build their
own or even go out under 8 tree
SO (the second lacking such coura-
geous, rugged individualism I have
found neither the right spirit nor
the right tree. So (the third the
most difficult thing I've ever tried
to do is to go ahead with those
eager little Negro children toward a
proletarian culture, art, and ideol-
ogy."
This minor note, however. has
scared right up into rich full major
paean Of triumph in q letter that
arrived just the other day, which
would seem to indicate that Comrade
Active Gf she doesn't mind being
80 christenedD, not only had the
right spirit" but in the meantime
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
Illinois Railway
Bosses Break
Wage Promises
By a Railroad Worker Correspondent

By Railroad Worker Correspondent
PEORIA, ul.-Street car and bus
workers of the Illinois Power & Light
Corp, Peoria division, members of
Div. 416, Amalgamated Assn. of Street
and Electric Ry. Employees of Amer
lea, filed suit in circuit court here
Monday morning against the COM
pany for its failure to live up to the
wage scale agreement with the work
ers.
These workers had already suffered
two wage cuts; February, 1882, a
reduction of five and one-haR cents
per hour for motormen and conduc-
tors, and a 10 per cent reduction on
the wages Of shopmen and garage
men; July, 1882, an additional cut Of
five cents per hour for motormal
and conductors, and another 10 per
cent of the wages Of shopmen and
garagemen.
A board of arbitration had deter
mined scale for motormen and
conductors in service less than one
year, 48bc per hour; men in service
one year and less than two years,
501sc per hour; and men in service
two years or over, 521ac per hour.
Operators of one man cars and
buses were to receive SC per our
additional.
After the second wage cut in July,
1892, the company had agreed to
restore the second reduction from
January l, 1888, to May LIST, 1888;
but failed to restore the reduction
to the present time.
The employees in their court petit
ton point out that the company is
at present paying the following scale:
car men less than one year, 38c;
more than one year but less than
two, 40c; two years or more in SER
vice, SIC, with SC additional per hour
for operators Of one-man cars and
BUSES.
Garage and shopmen have been
paid at the rate of 20 per cent below
the agreement from May list, 1888,
to the present. The company has
failed to live up to the agreement
Of the arbitration board.
The Peoria st. car workers are
making a grave mistake by putting
their faith in arbitration boards
(Which the company flouts) or
bosses courts, which can equally be-
tray them. A strike vote of the rank
and file strike committee, and the
determination to fight against such
VIGOROUSLY low wages will give them
the power to force their demands.
The Illinois Power and Light
Corp. operates city railway and bus
lines in many midwest towns. 1t
is a subsidiary of the Illinois Trac-
ton Co., which in turn is controlled
by the North American Light &
Power Co., and the latter by the
North American Co. These are part
Of the insult group and include in
their directorships such notorious
"paytriots" as E. N. Hurley of the
U. S. Flag Assn, rabid 'Red-baiters"
and war-mongers. Today the writer
was told by street car worker that
he had sunk $1,000 in the company's
stocks. Where it went, we all know
page Sammy insult over in GreeceD
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16
EA-OFFICIAL CONFIRMS ID. W.
EXPOSE OF AVIATION INDUSTRY

Washington Bureau,
Daily Worker.
Dear Friends:
From 1927 to 1881, 1 had a high
executive position with American
Anyways, as maintenance ana stand
ardization supervisor, and nartici-
pated in the juggling of air lines
during the period OF mergers and
consultations.
1t was a disgusting mess and your
article in the D. w. was an inspira-
ton to me beca'.se when I returned
to N.YC. f~Cal the West, wrote an
article exposing the vicious system
OF patronage existing in aviation and
submitted it to the then editor of
the American Mercury.
Although I stated my connections
over my own name in aviation and
my position as recognized expert
In this field, the article was returned
by H. L. Mencken.
The Halliburton incident as stated
by you is absolutely correct and his
company, the Sideways, was bought
out after a malodorous fight in
Washington concerning his attitude
of threatening to expose the whole
rotten mess by a government inyes-
tigation if necessary. He was bought
out at a big price by Aviation Corp.
They Immediately padlocked the
hangers and shops and flying equip
ment at Tulsa, Okla.
Mr.. E. L. Cord, the big bad boy
Of aviation, now president Of Avia-
ton Corp, after puking his person.
alities all over the advertising pages
of the N. Y. press, was also put on
the spot with his Central Air Lines
of Chicago at the same time. His
past record, particularly during the
strike in Central Air Lines of the
pilots, will never be forgotten.
Aviation is still in q mess-and the
answer is obvious organization in
dustrially.
I congratulate you on your splen-
did work in Washington and wish
all power to your very efficient pen.
Comradely,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16

contrived TO find the right tree as
well, for here are the latest develop
ments on this American Road to
Life:
Gould you get me the Daily
Worker announcement rates, and
send me the information, pleasea
How far in advance must notice be
given?-I had all the dope and lost
it.
I'VE CTHE SOLIDARITY HANDI-
CRAFTERS) have prepared a very
fine program with puppet show, a
shadow play, and a movement fea-
ture-specialty songs-revolutionary-
just splendidly done. Little tiny
Negro kids and my own child. Even
big-voiced ballyhoo farce. Q'm
so proudD
1.-The Workers International Relief
will have a hall when we've every
thing ready, in about two or three
weeks. Is that too soon for an an
nouncement? We've had every or
ganization in the movement involved,
even the Home Owners typewriter
Amt that everything?
II envy you New York comrades
all the material you have to see. I'm
green over it as I read the New
Theatre" But then I don't even set
to see what's going on here-T.d SO
tied down with the boy. I DR. what
I can at home or sonewE ere that
I can take him along"
No, dear Conrade Active, it isn't
a bit too soon fer an announcement,
sc just send along the dope. Where,
when, the price of admission, and
all the CORY detailsl And we think
Chicago will sit up and take notice.
Our congratulations on such splen-
did achievement in the face of SO
great difficulties.
IF I ever get some projects worked
up and out of the technique stage
into creative work, I'll be glad to
pass along something of the pro-
cedure for your column II you'd
like to have it," Comrade Active fur
Their stated.
We sure would like to have it; our
children are being neglected again.
If Comrade Active can make a few
rough sketches to illustrate the pro-
resSes she will describe, we can make
finished nk-draTings here for re-
production in the column, unless
she can do that too, which would
not surprise US!
I had a little toy theatre when
I was a kid, for which I used to
make scenery and such, and which
gave me more pleasure than any
other toy I ever possessed. 1t was
one Of the ambitions Of my life to
make puppet show, but it has not
materialized to date. A Cleveland
woman, Helen Haiman Joseph, has
given puppet shows here and there
about the country, using puppets
which she makes herself. Mostly
she uses the well-known fairy tales
for themes for her plays.
I think we need in the movement
more puppet shows of a revolutionary
character So another toast to Com
rade Activei
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16

dock. -Four pickets, carrying the fol-
lowing placards, IS. S. MUNINDIES
ON STRIKE! DON'T SCABP'
'MUNSON UNFAIR TO SEAAIEN! %
"SEAMEN ARE HUMAN. NOT MA
CHINESE" 'MUNSON REFUSES TO
PAY CREW SIX MONTHS BACK
WAGES!" They went up to the cor
ner Of Calvert and Redwood Sts., in
front Of the Keyser Building, in
which the Munson Line office is
located, and started a picket line
there. They we're there at 1850 in
the morning, and at 8 o'clock a police
lieutenant arrived on the scene and
tried to intimidate them, but, when
he saw that they would not be ter
rorized, he changed his tune and
asked them what it was all about!
One OF the pickets explained the stu
alton to him and he said. az don't
blame you boys a damn bit, I would
feel the same way if they held my
paw back on mel"
About 80 minutes later an official
Of the Munson Line came out and
esked the lieutenant to chase those
damn radicals off the street." but
he got no satisfaction when the lieu
tenant told him that we were legally
entitled to picket as long as we
walked a full city block and kept
moving so that we did not obstruct
traffic.
100 On Picket Line
Meanwhile, over 100 seamen went
out on the picket line around the
dock, and the police Immediately
tried to terrorize them, but one of
the NJ. W. I. U. delegates went to the
front and told them that we would
not be terrorized. that we would keep
fighting united front, that we had
a perfect right to be there and that
there would be no trouble unless
Munson tried to ship a scab crew
and he made 1t plainly understood
that as long as there were seamen
on the beach able to stand on two
feet no ScabS would set foot on the
deck Of the Munindiesl
The cops saw that the searlen
44ACdA4O OuS1liSoo anu oSIlI III Call
for reserves, and the seamen sent
for more oickets!
When the reserves arrived they
found over 800 pickets around the
dock, so they wisely let us alonel
A delegation Of four M. w. I. U
members went to the I. L. A. Local
$50, at Locust Point, and asked them
for support in this strike, but they
we're fatty refused by these fink
labor leaders,"
Six M. w. I. q. members asked
the I. L. A. Local 825, on South End
St., and they got the same answer
At about 80 pm. on the oath one
Of the crew came ashore and told a
M. w. I. U. delegate that the crew
were being paid off in full, so al
2:30 pm. the picket line was with
drawn.
We had won another victory over
the lousy Munson Line, and, as usual
this strike led by the M. w. I. u. was
won without the support Of the Fink
I. l.. A., which helped Munson by
working cargo on q ship the crew OF
which was on strike!
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-16

Union. This is my experience here
in Kansas City.
Instead of there being too much
said in the Daily Worker about the
Soviet Union, there should be more
and want to suggest that:
Along with reports of Congresses,
speeches by Stain, ETC., there be
given more space to day-to-day hap
peningS Of Socialist construction in
the U.S.S.R., with concrete data and
human interest stories.
On every page of the Daily Worker
every day, we should have statements
about building, farming, mining, con-
Struction of hospitals and cultural
centers, wage-increases, increase of
food, clothing and shelter for the
maSses-all events in the Soviet
Union which are Of special interest
to American workers and farmers,
and as much as possible this should
be concrete.
There was report recently in the
capitalist press about big, modern
hospital, very unique, indeed, to be
built at Leningrad and another still
larger, of the same kind at Moscow
Have heard good deal of talk about
this in Kansas City; among workers
and intellectuals. I don't remember
having seen anything about this sig
nificant news in the Daily Worker.
Certainly, the Daily Worker is now
becoming a glorious, powerful news
paper, a paper that is threat to
the robbers in Wall Street and one
that all toilers can and do love.
FRANK BROWN.