davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Reaction of Building
Employees to Daily
Rr a Worker Correspondent


NEW YORK. is to let you
know of the response amongst the
service employees Of the real estate
firm of Meyer and Steffens, to the
stories that appeared in the Daily
Worker about conditions amongst
them.
Some Of them were greatly en-
Unused. Gee" remarked one
fellow, IT did not realize how bad
my conditions really were"
They should have been exposed
long ago" said another, But the
guy who wrote it forgot to say how
one janitor runs two houses" said
still another-an so on.
Their deepest concern, however,
has been to find out who wrote the
letter.
The reaction Of the bosses was
more palpable. They fired the nom
union plumbers and now the work
is done by licensed men. Besides
that, they made move to break
the solidarity of the employees by
making the isnitor Of each house
the boss over the elevator operators
quite a new thing with us.
Many other new systems are
limited at and am waiting for
things to break.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
N.S.L. Exposes
Hearst Writer
In Chicago
By a Student Correspondent

CHICAGO, III. - The National
Students League at the University
of Chicago has carried on some good
work during the past three months.
We have extended our influence
more broadly than ever before.
Our latest activity was the eX-
posture of R. w. Child Of the Hearst
Press when he spoke to a large
audience of students. professors and
neighborhood people Everyone
who entered Mandel Hall was pre-
sented with a leafet revealing
Child as an avowed fascist, After
the lecture, questions were asked
which aroused the audience from
the Stupor induced by his heavily
sugar coated fascist speech.
Our questions showed him as a
fascist lobbyist for the utilities trust,
an open and lying apologist for the
fascist regime in Italy and as an
avowed enemy of every liberal,
revolutionary or enlightened idea.
He resorted to every mean low trick
to confuse the questions and evade
those that he found so embarrass-
ing to answer.
Remarks caught among the dis
persing crowd showed that we had
done much to shake the liberal
complscence and indifference of
the audience.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Letters from Our Readers

spleen, he characterized his pro-
posed anti-Soviet SANDER drive as .
"virulent" campaign. If Mr. Levine
will take the pains to inform him
self as to the real meaning of the
word "virulent," by consulting any
reliable dictionary, he will find
something like this: very poisonous
or venomous; bitter and malignant"
Needless to say, its use in the con-
tent to which he assigns it happens
to be so apt that it might fairly
be described as felicitous. Mr.. Levine
has in recent years repeatedly ex-
posed himself as a gutter pen
prostitute of so filthy and truly
"virulent" sort, as to be thoroughly
worthy of a high place in the
retinue of that master scoundrel and
arch enemy of progress, civilization
and humanity, William Randolph
Hearst himself.
If perchance there may have been
any faint and lingering doubts in
my mind as to the wisdom or right
eousness Of Soviet retribution for
the murder of PROV, they vanished
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Joplin, Mo.
Council Wins
Concessions
BY a Worker Correspondent

JOPLIN, Mo-Here we are in
Joplin, MO. - the gateway to the
Ozsrks - the land of a million
smiles-isn't that richl Who in hell
can smile under these deplorsble
conditions2 Unless it is the capital
lists watching us wiggle and squirm
under their iron -shod heel like a
worm that has been stepped on.
We, as a committee from the I'm
employed Union, have been pretty
successful in getting relief for those
who were denied by the relief.
Sometimes we would have to make
two or three trips before we got
results, but constant plugging is
our motto.
One case in particular was that
of Mrs. Martha Frazier, q Negro
woman, 203 N. Cox Ave, Joplin,
Mo. She had been denied groceries,
bed linen and medical aid. We
finally forced the relief to come
across much to the delight of the
Frazier family.
One difficulty that confronted us
was the problem Of doctor. The
Frazier family wanted DR.. Chap
man, but Miss Arnett, the head Of
the welfare, said they would send
any other doctor except DR.. Chap
man because the said doctor did
not belong to the Medical Society
here. According to Miss Arnett, If
anything should happen they would
blame her for sending him. please
pass the buck).
than any other doctor here. AS far
than any other dostor here. AS far
as could learn, he does answer a
great many calls of the poor with
out the damnable question, Have
you got the money!"
Saturday evening the doctor
called and prescribed a diet for
Mr.. Frazier which will be filled by
Miss Arnett, the tender hearted
lady from Kansas City, Mo. Her
father is a big politician there, so
you can see that she has lived in
want and poverty all her life and
knows our needs and wants, and
works in harmony with us Just like
Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller,
and j. P. Morgan.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
U.C. Exposes
SalyationArny
PrOyOcatiOn
By a Worker Correspondent

CINCINNATI, Ohio-The unem-
ployed workers of this city sure
have the bosses and their welfare
racket on the run. For the third
time within the past three months
they have tried to frame up our
spokesman of the delegations to the
welfare.
Failing in this, they have tried
something new. Sunday, Dec. 3rd,
the Salvation Army was sent to our
headquarters, 1927 Clay Street, to
hold church services at 2::30 pm.
When the crowd had begun to
gather, right in front of the door,
a speaker of the Unemployment
Council opened the door, and in a
voice louder than the music thor
oughly exposed the Salvation Army.
He explained that it was not al
together religious organization
but was registered under the law
as a rag picker's association, be-
sides being licensed beggars. They
we're also charged with being sent
for the purpose of provoking
trouble.
BY this time, the police had ar
rived They, too, were roundly
scored by the speaker.
The Salvation Army and the
police all went away whipped and
no arrests were made.
Mr. C. A. Dykstra, in refusing the
Unemployment Council permit to
hold a street meeting at Court and
Vine Streets, made the statement
that the Salvation Army would not
be permitted to hold a meeting just
anywhere on the streets.
Mr. G. A. Dyckstra, just why the
change of front? Just why did you
send such an outfit right to our
door?
Only by organizing can we force
the bosses and their lickspittles to
cease their activities against the
working class.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Aged Woman
Fast
ByCOnlnunists
NV a Worker CORRESPONDENT

ABERDEEN, Wash.-Mrs. Gritten,
1909 w. Market st., Aberdeen,
Wash, was cut off of relief about
2 months ago. She is 81 years old,
a widow and in very poor health.
GA certificate was received from a
doctor stating that she is unable to
work.
Repeatedly she went to the We'll
fare Board asking that she either
be given relief or work. Eunice OF
terstein. stenographer of the county
INDECENT department had the gall to
give her contacts for 2 housework
jobs. Mrs. Gritten. at the point Of
starvation, applied for both but was
refused work. The Welfare Board
condemned her to starvation by re-
fusing to nut her back on relief.
Mrs. Gritten appealed to the Com
munist Party for help. The West
End unit of the Communist Party
called upon the workers in her i'm
mediate neighborhood to rally to
the Welfare Board
As a result Of the struggle carried
on Mrs. Gritten has been trans
ferred tn the Countv INDECENT he
partment and IS rettirg SITS per
week on the voucher and l quart
of milk daily.
Two individuals in particular have
come out cuenly In support NJ
system which condemns the working
class to starvation and death. As
allies Of the caoitslist class they
have tried to Influence this old
woman awav from the Communist
PARTY and its leadership. Mr.. Ken
Won, investigator Of the County in
digent department. stated to her.
Whenever YOU need helm lust let
ma know end I'll sec that you oct
what you need. Don't go to the
Communists" DR. Milton Graham,
doctor to whom she went for ply
steal examination. also brought for
ward to her a "red batting" lire.
asking her to stsy away from the
Mrs. Gritten remains firm in her
belief that the Communist Party Is
the only political psrtv which leads
in the 6eht for the daily needs Of
the working class,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
BY a Worker Correspondent

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The police
and the white Legionaires here are
making an openly combined at
tempt to smash the growing move
ment Of rank and file workers for
control in the unions and for I'M
employment insurance.
Saturday, Dec. LIST, City Detec-
tive Bryan, and two other plain
clothes men who were not intro
duced but who were later found to
be Gullidge and Rosdick, two red
bounding white Lesionaires, strut
ted into tine A. F. OF L. Rank and
File ONCE demanding to know If
there were any Communist litera-
ture around,
When Louise Reese, the Office sec
rotary, answered that there wasn't
any, Bryan gave orders to search
the place. When asked if he had
warrant, he answered, Nav, don't
nesd no waSrant. Who do you think
you are anyway? Now, you can save
yourself some trouble, little girl. if
you don't try to get funny. I've
got a gun and q badge"
Gullidge and RoSdick started rum
maging the desk, pulling out rank
and file literature, Unemployment
Insurance Bills, reviews and calls
Tor the National Congress for IN
employment and Social Insurance.
AS Bryan looked over the htera-
tu-e, he questioned Louise. When
he asked her where she was born,
and she answered Alabama. three
pairs Of eyes bulged out, and Bry-
an blurted, That's a liel Our wo-
men don't go in for such rotton
stuff, they got better blood. You're
from New York or up east"
Louise answered that she had
never been to New York or up east,
and Bryan again accused her Of
lying, saying that he knew better,
that she was a New York Jew.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
YuIetide
Greetings
In MUcy'S
Speedily ,LayOf, Macy's
Xmas GifttO
Workers
By a Macy Worker Correspondent

ny NAdCy VuthCI SNAACSpVANCAt
NEW YORK Christmas for the
Macy workers means layoffs, speed
up and staggered hours.
Many old employees making $1S
week will be fired along with
thousands of other workers after
the Christmas season and hun
dreds Of new employees making $14
per week will replace them.
The speed-up is so tremendous
that each employe does the work
of two and three. Take the case
Of a merchandise packer, young
girl Of 18, working on the fifth
floor. toys. which is now the bust
est floor in the store, who sud-
denly slumped down to the floor
in a dead faint. Instead of I'M
mediately rushing to her aid, two
section managers Of the depart
ment stood by snickering and the
following conversation took place;
First section manager: DO you
think 1 should make out hospital
report?"
Second section manager: "Oh no,
if you had to make out a report
for every one of these little things,
you'd have twenty of them a day
Let her rest while, she'll come
around"
Finally, few of the sales clerks
hAlned reViVe this OyerWOrked
packer.
BY constantly keeping the pack
ers supplied with work every min
ute OF the day with the exception
of one hour for lunch and fifteen
minutes during the afternoon for
relief for which they have to beg,
these young immature girls are
overworked so that their health is
impaired.
At many bargain counters, where
there should be at least six clerks,
we find only two. Stockmen and
markers in the receiving depart
ment are running around madly
to fill orders. They aren't even
given q fifteen minute relief period.
Are we going to permit these con-
ditions to go on? The answer is
NO! We must organize against
layoffs, against speed-up, against
low wages. We must build rank
and file union. We must join the
ONCE Workers Union, 504 9Th Ave.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
SeOnIen Hit
Waterfront
. o. C K e is
Initiate Fl hit For
Eliminating Them
From Relief
By Marine Worker Correspondent

BY Marine Worker Correspondent
PROVIDENCE. R.I.-Unemployed
seamen, led by the Providence I'm
employed Seamen's Committee,
have presented demands for the
ending Of relief rackets conducted
for some five months against the
unemployed seamen with the knowl-
edge and consent of McKenna,
Director of the State Transient
Bureau of Rhode Island
Within the past few weeks the
seamen have demanded food,
clothing and proper shelter as per
the instructions sent by Aubrey
william last July from Washington
to the local relief administration.
McKenna has been winking at
the boarding house racket which
has been conducted here at the eX-
pense of the seamen. The Office of
Irving Richter, Seamen's Relief,
Washington, D. c. has been PIE
sented with the following demands:
1. For the right Of a seaman to
live and eat three meals day in
any place of his own choosing,
Minimum allowance to be Is cents
per meal and 25 cents for nights
lodging. Against forced labor for
relief.
2. For the immediate issuance of
winter clothing.
3 Against any discrimination and
for the recognition Of the Sesmen's
Committee.
4. For all seamen eligible for relief
to be also eligible for entrance into
the United States Marine Hospital
5. Against relief racketeers and
crimps.
s. For Centralized Shipping
Bureau to be controlled by the sea-
men themselves.
Concluding these demands, the
committee placed full responsibility
upon the shoulders of Richter with
the declaration
"These are our demands at
present. McKenna can not hedge
any longer and pass the buck to
Washington as he has done in the
past. Our committee has a copy OF
the instructions issued by Aubrey
Williams from Washington on July
5th and we are in a position to know
what the seamen in other ports are
doing and just what they are get
ting in the way of relief. We de-
mand the same consideration in
Providence and we call upon your
Office to abolish the abuse COM
planned Of and definitely end the
racket of one, Sullivan, who is be-
ing supported by McKenna against
the will of the majority of the sea-
men. We are of the opinion that
the Federal Relief Administration is
now in possession of complete in
formation and there can be no fur
ther delay in taking McKenna in
hand and instructing him to comply
with the ukase which we shall ex-
pect your Office to issue.
These matters have been called to
your attention before. We do not
intend to carry on endless CORE
spondence. If no change results
from these letters we can only take
it to mean that you don't give a
damn for the life and health of
men who are supposed to be Federal
charges, and we will be compelled
to turn to more effective methods of
fighting for our rights.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17

Only two more weeks are left for
the membership drive Of the Inter
national Workers Order. The ex-
press provision in the limitations Of
the drive were that the new mem
bers recruited during the drive shall
figure in the growth of our Order
for the year 1884.
We set out to achieve $4,000 new
members exclusive of the children,
Only two weeks of the drive are
left and we have not yet reached
the halfway point Of our total
quota. The total members re-
cruited, including those of last week,
are II ,267. With the 2, 89S children,
the grand total recruitment amounts
to 14,165.
We recognize that the elimination
of the States Of Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts, somewhat limited the
possibilities of recruiting. We had
hoped, however, that more intensive
activity in the remaining concen-
tration districts would make up for
this loss. This hope did not ma
terialize.
Yet. even discounting these two
States we are hardly justified in
eliminating more than one-fourth
of the quota. That would still leave
us 1880, with the liberal allowance
of Is per cent discount for the two
eliminated States. Our quota still
would be 1880 adult and youth
members. Since we have only re-
cruited 1857 we still have 1900 to
go. For the recruiting OF thesc
1900 we have two more weeks. By
decision of the Organization Com
mittee the incoming applications ur
to December 81 will be counted a,
belonging to the results of the drive
although these latecomers could M
longer figure in the growth for 1884
because these members could not bt
billed before February /.
This is a last call for action! Al
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Conducted by the

Cost Of Subsistence" Diets Goes Up
At THE clinics of New York City
"A so many of the complaints of
the unemployed and relief workers
were found to be due entirely, or
in part, to insufficient food, that the
dieticians decided a year ago to
show the unemployed how to buy
their food. They went to the neigh
borhood stores, noted the prices of
foods and then constructed diet
which was sufficient to supply the
worker with enough Galleries, vita
Minis, etc, to sustain health-or, If
not sufficient, we'll then. very nearly
sufficient; for the diet is apparently
at least somewhat deficient in pro-
teins, meat and fish. OF course. it
is not to be praised for its appetiz-
ing qualities, and in no way would
it be considered treat for variety's
sake by hospital trustees who are
simply bored to distraction by eat
ing day in day out at the Ritz and
Longchamps.
A year ago the dieticians found
that their feast would cost a family
of five, $3.50 a week. if bought with
the greatest care. But since then,
conditions have been improving I'M
der the N. r. A., business has been
getting better and prices have been
going up, SO that the unemployed by
the latest figures from the dieticians
should be glad to find that this
subsistence diet costs $3.50 a week
for family of five-glad because
they know that this increase of 20
percent means increased profits for
those who got used to real profits
in the old days before the crisis and
now simply can't do without them.
This diet (among others fo- spe-
cial diseases) is to be found in
pamphlet on low-cost diets pub
lished by dieticians connected with
the institutions supported by the
Jewish Federation of Charities.
However, for the unemployed this
increase spells another story. With
relief checks growing smaller and
relief-work providing pitiably small
wages, it is no longer possible for
hundreds of thousands of families
on relief to buy even this subsistence
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17

We have no doubt that the Chill
dren, the English and the Jewish
Sections will go over the top We
know that even though it will be a
hard job the rest of them can still
go over the top. We appeal to all
members, to all Sections, and to all
leading committees to do everything
within their power in the remain
ing two weeks to lift their Sec
ton over the top. In plain num-
bers, the necessary recruitment Of
the various sections, other than
those which have nearly reached
their quota, is as follows:
Roumanians still have 800 to go.
Italians still have 713 to go.
Youth still have 1913 to go.
Polish have 91S to go.
Ukrainians have 1872 to go.
Siovaks have 1884 to go.
Hungarians have 1852 to go.
Comrades, to work, Forward to
$4,000 members!
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Birmingham Police Raid AF of L. Rank and File Office
I8c Per Hour Jobs
Offered in Chicago
BY a Worker Correspondent

BY a Worker Correspondent
CHICAGO, III. - For the past
three weeks the Chicago Daily News
help wanted columns contained the
following:
Is Men Wanted
Unskilled work; steady employ
ment until Christmas. Good Pay.
6305 S. Ashland Ave, room IL.
1925 Lincoln Ave, room 32l
225 N. Crawford Ave, room 210
When the applicant applies for
work he is informed that the wages
are eighteen cents per hour, eight
hours day, which makes a grand
total of one dollar and twenty-four
cents a day. After paying his car
fare he hasn't very much left.
Sometimes I wonder what the
boss class is trying to make of us.
Perhaps a nudist colony. The peo-
pie who work for these wages can
not possibly purchase clothes. The
price Of clothing material is going
up, ask any merchant.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
Greater Effort Is Needed
Last 2 Weeks Of IWO Drive
English, Jewish and ChiIdrens Sections Lead
AS Others Lag Behind
BY MAX BEDACHT

sections must mobilize their last
ounce of energy to bring the grand
total OF returns for the remaining
three weeks of the year and Of the
campaign, up to several thousand
per week.
A check-up of the results Of the
various sections shows that with
very little additional energy con-
siderable improvements can be
made. The status of the various
sections at this date is as follows:
Total
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17
FATHER CoUGHLIN AND WALL
STREET"

New York, N. Y.
Dear Conrade Editor:
Although l read your paper every
day, I am sorry to tell you your
headlines do not come out effec-
lively, such as Father Coughlin's
trickcry by Milton Howard, am
very positive if you had headlines
such as Father Coughlin and Wall
Street." and such, am sure when
people see it they will buy it to
read.
Even Though I am Catholic I do
not agree with This enemy Of work
ers.
w NJ
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-17

I'VE print today the letter of a
" Southern woman, mother of
children. The letter came to the
Committee for the Support of
Southern Textile Organization.
whose work is to send money to
the South for the support Of rank
and file textile organizers.
The letter is full of a seething
anger 1t is an emotional out
burst against the hold the mill
has on the textile workers life.
The Committee is helping in the
South to turn this woman, and
other workers of the South, in the
direction of organization, the re-
suits of which will make such an
ger against the mill owners, as is
displayed in this letter, effective.
RE and my husband were in the
lsl strikes in 1880 and 81. We were
barred from the mills on account OF
the strike. I went to the employ
ment Office ever so often and tried
to get them to put me back to work.
But it was the same old story. They
always told me they did not need
spinners. They always told me to
keep coming back to the office. 81
I went as much as two times every
day.
FINALLY, I seen that they were
1 not going to give me job, so
thought of a plan. would lie,
before I would see my little girl
suffer. So I vent to the office
once more. asked them did they
have a Job for me. told them If
they we're keeping me from work
on account of my husband that
me and my husband were not liv-
ing together.
Prom then on things was diff
ferent. 1t was Miss this and
Miss that. Old Murray asked me
if I ever intended to live with my
husband any more so I told him
that if I did. I would have to
change my mind. He told me to
60 and see Broone, who I last
worked for. went to Broome. and
he let me know that if ever went
back to my husband I would lose
my job. I went to work, and l
worked every day that could.
OUT one day my husband and
ID were seen together on the
street. From then on, things did
not go so good with me. They went
to sending me out to rest. When
they went on eight hours, they sent
me back, until I got tired OF going
back. They said I could not run ten
sides. So lost out little by little
after I was seen with my husband
NOW think it is damn shame
IN that any one will have to
leave their husband. before they
are allowed to work. l did not
know whether to believe it, for l
did not think that anybody could
be so rotten in what they call
free country. 1t is not free for
the workers. I think there ought
to be some way out!"
This kind of freedom reminds me
of the freedom of some OF the steel
towns I have seen. The company
owns the houses, the stores, the lives
of its workers. If a strange car
comes to town, it is reported, and
possibly stopped to know what bust
ness it has in town. All workers
gatherings are investigated. And yet
organization grows. Under the very
noses of the company, the workers
ere organizing, their union growing
The company cannot, despite all it,
power. stop that, no matter how
much it attempts to interfere.