The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-18
Communists List
Demands atDetrOit
Continued from Page y

guarantee OF a real annual income"
Prepare for General Strike!
Phil Raymond, national secretary,
spoke for the Auto Workers Union.
Raymond showed how the Ford
slave driving system resulted in a
large number of accidents and ex-
posed the swindling of the workers
in compensation cases. He also re-
vealed that women in the automo-
bile industry we're being worked far
beyond the maximum hours pro-
vided by State law and the State
refuses to prosecute the violators.
THE A. F.. of L. leaders," Ray
mond said, have talked here about
the employers and workers being
partners. If this is so, it must be
the partnership of a hold-up man
and his victim. This committee that
is conducting these hearings, like
the Winant Board in the textile
industry, is designed to prevent the
workers from taking action. But
the only way the workers can bet
ter their conditions is through organ
ization in one industrial union that
will prepare for a general strike in
the industry. The only code that
means anything is one written on
the picket line"
Ford's Blacklist
Testimony was heard from the
Mechanics Educational Society Of
America, independent union of too
and die makers. The high point
was the speech of Maurice Sugar
noted labor attorney. Sugar, who
was frequently interrupted by APP
plause from the audience, charsc-
te.ized the situation in the auto
plants as industrial slavery" laid
particular stress on the black list
and industrial spy systems by which
the companies terrorize the workers
and smash labor organization. He
exposed the fact that the companies
had photographers at the hearings
and were trying to photograph wit.
nesses. After the Ford hunger
march in 1882 in which four mer
were killed and from fifty to e
hundred wounded because they
dared to ask for bread, workers ir
the Ford plant who tried to raise
money to bury their fallen brothers
were discharged"
Proposals for guaranteed an
nual wage" Sugar said, may read
lily become fraud and a delusior
unless supplemented by real unsm-
ployment insurance. There must BIZ
established wage which is not &
mere subsistence wage, but which
will give the American workers {
living plus the comforts of life.
Recognition Crucial Question
Sugar struck at the MIRA. Com.
mittee's exclusion of all question,
relating to Section IA and declares
that the testimony given by worke.
after worker proved that his ques,
ton was the most crucial of al
and lay at the heart of the prob
lem of improving conditions.
1.-The only way to improve condi
tions," he said, is through labol
organization, and this question ha
been ruled out; this hearing i
therefore childish and sterile; it il
merely staging a show for purpos,
other than that of improving th,
conditions of the workers"
Matthew Smith, general secretar,
of the MESA. revealed the slay.
conditions in the shops for the high
ly skilled tool and die makers, tn,
"aristocrats" of the industry. HI
declared that the average annua
wage for these men during the pas
six years was from $500 to $7oO
Smith echoed the militant senti
ment of the MESA. rank and file
indicated by the testimony of sew
eral members who spoke after him
and attacked the codes. He CAV,
no explanation, however, Of why n
himself last year created all kind
of illusions about the MIRA, VIII.
he tried to substitute negotiation
in Washington for militant st-ug
gle, why he served on the N.R.A
Regional Labor Board and why h
helped knife the general strik
movement last March by wiring tn
National Labor Board that a genera
strike would be "a national calam
ity and severe handicap to IN
Presidents recovery progra
Smith is leader of the Socialis
Party