davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20

cOgniitiOn Of the unions by the
employers for the abolition of
the servicemen and all spy sys-
TENS and for the abolition of the
company unions.
4-FOr no discrimination in
wages and working conditions for
youth and women workers doing
the same work as men, for no
discrimination against Negro
workers and for their eqaal right
to be employed at all jobs and in
all departments.
5--For adequate cash relief 10
all unemployed, to be paid by the
manufacturers and city and state
governments, against the cutting
down and discharge of C. W. A.
workers and for the immediate
passage Of the Workers Unern-
pIoyment Insurance Bill III. r.
1899.
We propose that united rank and
file strike comittees be organized
Immediately IN all departments and
plants to carry through strike ac-
ton for these demands. We are
ready to meet with the locals of the
A. F. of L. and the M. f. S. A. ex-
ecutive and locals to work out
united action for the successful car
rying through of this program. But
in view of the fact that there is
little time to be lost, we call upon
the rank and file workers TO pro-
coed Immediately to set up their
strike committees and to take a
strike vote for immediate action.
We are calling a conference for
Sunday, March "a, at 10 a. m, in
Carpathia Hall, $500 Elmwood, to
which invited delegates from locals
Of the A. F. of L. and the M. E. S.
A., shop stewards, shop committees,
department committees and groups,
and from unemployed auto work
ers.
Automobile workers: upon you
and you alone depends the success
of your fight for a change in your
conditions. If you strike now, il
you unite your forces, if you fight
militantly, there is no doubt what
soever that your fight will be
crowned with success. The Auto
Workers Union and all militant
trade unionists will render every
assistance to your fight. Into &C.
ton for a might strike that will
force the millionaires auto mag
mates to grant decent conditions
and wages and your just rights
NATL. EXECUTIVE BOARD,
AUTO WORKERS UNION.
4210 Woodward Ave, Detroit.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
AUTO WORKERS! UNITE TO STRIKE FOR YOUR DEMANDS
Editor of''RaiHondUnity
NeaUS'' Tells Facts Behind
Rejection ofR.R.Pay Cut

Central demanded a return Of the
10 per cent cut. Plans are being
made to draw other lodges actively
into the fight"
Workers Ready for Fight
The action Of the railway labor
officials in rejecting the proposed
wage cut, wnen in the past they
accepted compromise" proposals
which resulted in ply cuts. follows
a series of strike rof~- f-1-i-~ re-"
past few months. Workers on the
Chicago & NortllTo-.---l, 49, "
City Southern, and Delaware &
Hudson have voted for strike.
The joint statement Of the rail-
way labor executive inadvertently
shows the tremendous advantages
given to the railway bond holders
through the wage cutting policies Of
both the Hoover and Roosevelt re-
gime.
Interest charges on bonds (and
one half of the capitalization Of the
railroads is in bonds have increased
from SSH 100000 in 1929 to $751;
100000 in 1898, under the Roosevelt
New Deal During this period a
wage cut of 10 per cent has been in
effect, and it is this wage cut Roose-
welt wants to continue to keep up
bond payments for the parasites.
Mr.. Whitney's stateme9t also
pointed out that under the New Deal
income for profits of the railroads
increased rs per cent, namely, from
s214,000,000 for the last eight months
of 1882, to $419, 0OO,0 900 for the cor
responding months in the eight
months of the New Deal. Besides,
the Roosevelt government contrib
uted around half billion dollars
through the R. F. c. to provide rail-
road profits.
The statement goes on to say that
the workers have contributed"
S380,000.000 by 10 per cent "tem-
porary deductions" But the railway
executives do not tell of their part
in keeping the men from struggling
against this contribution" to the
bondholders.
Conditions of the railroad workers
are becoming worse all the time.
they admit, to such an extent that
sweat shop wages are becoming the
rule "as a result of which the stand
ard of living of certain railway
classes have been reduced to the
level of Chinese coolies"
Wages Go Down
Examples Of the narrowing con-
ditions suffered by the railway
workers were given by the railway
labor executives without in the
slightest showing how they helped
put them over as follows:
"On the Southern Railway road
way section men received as little as
25 cents an hour and worked only
three days week in February From
this weekly wage of Sc the manage
ment deducted 90 cents under the Il
per cent arrangement, leaving the
men $40 for the week with which
to care for their families and make
their contribution to industrial re-
covery.
approximately 266, 900 railway
employees, over Is per cent OF the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20

and the Wagner bill, which SEEM
ingly Is against company unions.
but in reality aims to strengthen
the arbitration machinery and out
law strikes. Unless we take i'm
mediate steps to raise the political
level of our fractions we will not
be able to give real leadership in
the coming struggles of the work
ers.
The second reason TO account for
the shortcomings of our fraction is
the failure to properly understand
their role in the trade unions. While
it is true that the life of the frac-
lions today Is somewhat improved
in the sense that we do not occupy
ourselves to the same extent as in
the past with routine union matters
which chould be thrashed out in
the union, the fractions as yet do
not function Systematically as an
instrument for clarifying the funda-
mental questions of policy and for
winning the mass of workers in the
unions for these correct policies. In
most instances this is considered
the task Of the leadership of the
union and not the fraction itself.
We often find rank and file COM
rades criticizing the leaders for not
having correctly brought the view
point Of the fraction before the
union membership but at the same
time the individual members con-
slider themselves exempt from this
task. A specific illustration we can
cite from the shoe workers. At
one of the fraction meetings during
the strike the comrades severely
criticized the leadership for the fail
ure to bring forward the face of
the Party. But when the comrades
were asked how many of them had
recruited Party members, only two
or three raised their hands.
Neither do the factions fully
understand their role as the Party
instrument for bringing the cam
paigns of the Party into the unions.
The Party undertakes special cam
paigns such as the campaign against
war, the campaign in support of
the Communist Party Of Germany,
In support of the Cuban workers,
Scottsboro, press campaign, etc.
Since these campaigns involve the
most vital interests of the working
class the Party of course approach
es the trade unions and other mass
organizations on the basis of the
united front.
The same applies to the question
of building the Daily Worker and
the distribution of Party literature
which could be of direct assistance
to the Party fractions in carrying
through their daily tasks in lead
ing the struggles of the workers.
The Daily Worker in the past few
months has been greatly improved
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20

the protest Of large majority Of
the workers. The majority Of strik-
ers were Negroes.
The operators. however, we're
forced to concede union recogni-
ton, and ne right to elect pit COM
mittees, check weighmen, abolition
Of the vicious contracting system
and the ending Of child labor below
ground. But the starvation wages
remain unchanged.
There are many loopholes in the
agreement. The cheek-o system,
also. is so arranged that the miner
must individually request the
check-off, which amounts 10
blacklist. Negroes, who comprise
three-fourths Of the miners, are
especially concerned with this dis
elimination. The bosses say: The
niggers are striking for their
rights" and use this as an excuse
to fire them.
The agreement cabs for eight
hours at the mine face, which
means virtually a ten to eleven
hour day.
The state and federal govern
ments played open strikebreaking
roles. The union officials, COM
menting on the agreement. said:
Our agreement is subject TO any
change made by the bitJnninous
coal code commission or executive
order Of the President Of the
United States. We hope the agree
ment will result in better relations
between the operators and miners;
and we want 70 admonish the mem
bership now that Illegal strikes will
not be countenanced."
The anti-strike agreement re-
mains effective until April of next
year.
Unity Of Negro and White Workers
Although betrayed and misled by
their officials, the Alabama miners
for the first time actually realized
solidarity Of Negro and white In
1920 the operators divided and de-
feated the strikers, but the miners
got a glimpse Of their rising fight
ing spirit and strength.
The influence of the Communist
Party and its organization is grow
ing among the miners. Bigger
struggles are ahead. A field survey
shows that earlier strike figures
were understated by the capitalist
press. The miners claim that 80
per cent Of the 10000 were out when
the strike was called off.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Labor Board Stalls
FWIU Demand to
Reinstate Workers
g " ell Investigate, .
Official Tells
Delegation
(DsiRy Worker washington Bwreaul

Daily Worker Washington BWreau)
Washington, March 8.-Sdx strike
delegates Of the Food Workers IN
duStrial Union Of Pittsburgh, Pa,
came to Washington yesterday to
find out what the National Labor
Board intends to do if the Hotel
Pitt management continues to ig-
more the order of the National
Labor Board directing that all
striking employees be reemployed
without discrimination by March
"a. Charles Perraudin, strike chair
man, headed the delegation.
The strike was called when the
wages were reduced below the code
provisions. Three Kindred and fifty
workers struck. Thereupon the man.
agement hired scabs and paid them
the wage scale demanded by the
strikers.
Mrs. Frankfurter of the National
Labor Board told the delegation
that if the management fails to
comply with the Regional Board or
der, the strikers should wire us
and Wen investigate the case again.
Then If they don't comply we'll turn
the case over to the Department of
Justice" PerTaudin informed the
Daily Worker. In other words, the
usual Labor Board delay which
gives employers more time IN which
to attempt to break strikes.
I'VE are waiting the expiration
of the March "a dead line, but in
the meantime our strike activities
will continue solid" the delegation
declared in statement issued to
the press just before leaving Wash
inptOn
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Workers
Appeal for Funds
To Publish Paper
Plan Monthly Paper
Written and Supported
by Textile Workers

NEW YORK-The National Tex
tile Workers Union, through Anna
Burlak, secretary, is sending an
appeal to all workers in the textile
industry and to all sympsthizers to
send contributions for the publica-
ton of textile workers newspaper.
The paper is designed to voice the
struggles of the unorganized in the
mills, the rank and file members
Of the textile unions, and the
unemployed textile workers.
There are over a million textile
workers in the United States, scat
tered over 30 states" said Comrade
Burlsk. The textile workers in the
Northern mills do not know the
conditions and the struggles Of the
workers in the South The work
ers in cotton mills do not know
what is happening among their fell
low workers in silk, wool, hosiery
and rayon mills. Last year over
100000 textile workers in the coun-
try went out on strike. without
textile workers paper, the work.
ers in the industry do not know all
that is happening among all the
textile workers"
This textile workers paper will be
written, distributed and supported
by textile workers themselves, Bur-
lax states. 1t will first be pub
lished as a monthly paper of eight
pages. Workers in the textile in
dustries are asked to suggest names
for the paper. To the textile work.
err whose name for the paper is
chosen by the editorial board, a
years subscription of Labor Unity
and one years subscription of the
textile workers paper will be sent
free.
Contributions for the establish
ment of the paper and suggestions
for a name should be sent to J. J.
BALKAN, editor, 80 E. 18th ST., N.Y.C.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Call on Men to Form
Strike Committees of
AllW orkingi nPlants
Auto Workers Union for United Front Meet
on Demands and Action

DETROIT, Mich. March 19.-Circulated by the thou
sands Of copies among auto workers whose sentiment for
strike reaching high pitch the following united front
appeal calling for immediate preparations and organization
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Heads End
Ala. MineStrike;; Fear
Unity Negro, White
Few Concessions Gained Endangered by the
LoophOles in Agreement; Starvation
Wages Remain as Before
(speciaI 70 the DaiIy worker

BIRMINGHAM Ala. March 19-With remaining mines
about to take secret strike vote which would have brought
them out, the threeweek strike of $4,000 Alabama
miners called off yesterday by UMWA officials over
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Rank and File Must Act
Now to Avert Treachery
in Putting Cut Over

NEW YORK-NThe action of the
Railroad Brotherhood chiefs in issu-
ing a statement rejecting the con-
tinuation of the 10 per cent wage
cuts is an effort TO win back the
confidence Of the railroad men and
spike the rank and file movement
growing all over the country" said
Harry Shaw, editor of Railroad Unity
News, in an interview with the
Daily Worker yesterday.
"The men are not only demand
ing a return Of the 10 per cent
cut" he added, but are insisting
on wage increases TO offset the
rising cost of living"
Shaw exhibited copies of his paper,
published by the Railroad Brother
hood Unity Committee at 2003 North
California Avenue, Chicago, Ill, pre-
dieting the action of the Brother
hood Chiefs, and exposing their
maneuvers to keep the men from
fighting.
Rank and File See Through Takers
Sections of the rank and file
realize" he pointed out, that this
same loud talk was used until the
day the first 10 per cent cut was put
over. It was done in order to hide
the real Intentions and to prevent
the rank and file from mobilizing in
time to stop the cat.
TN the last few days, lodges in
every part Of the country are joining
the campaign not only for uncondi-
tional return Of the 10 per cent, but
for an increase Of 10 per cent to
Offset the steeply rising living costs.
They are also demanding increases
to Offset the indirect wage cuts, which
amount to over so per cent.
TN Chicago, the trainmen's lodges
on the Pennsylvania Railroad re-
jected the circular appeal sent out
by the Grand Lodge, at this late
date, asking for authority to nego-
tiate to any conclusion they see fit.
They have gone on record for the
unconditional return of the 10 per
cent cut. and for increased pay.
THE Overland Lodge of the Rail-
way Clerks on the Chicago & North
western, where the men have just
forced number of concessions on
Job issues, has gone on record for a
return Of the 10 per cent cut and for
an increase in pay"
Asked what action was being taken
to meet the new threat of a contin-
uation Of the wage cut, Shaw said:
Plan Conferences, Strike
plans are being laid in Chicago
and other centers for mass meetings
and the development and spreading
of this campaign in the lodges with
the perspective of local conferences
to plan a fight, and to discuss a
program for strike preparations to
force the demands of the men.
Tn Cleveland. the clerks lodge
and the f1remen's lodge on the N. Y.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Party Does Not Give
Sufficient Guidance
to the Fractions

between the sections, units and
fractions The following are the
proposals:
The Org. Dept. to designate a
committee Of three developed COM
rades to be in charge of trade union
fractions. Arrangements to be made
for one member to be in the dis
trict Office every night between the
hours of 5 and 7 to take up prob
lens with fraction secretaries.
All fraction meetin1s to be book
ed at the district Office. Org, De-
partment to work out regular
schedule Of fraction meetings.
Every fraction to designate a def
mite day for is leading fraction
meeting at least once in two weeks
and general fractions once a
month.
A brief report on the attendance
Of the fraction meetings and the
problems that come up to be given
to the district once month.
Each fraction to elect a special
committee for the Daily Worker.
Committee to be responsible for
mobilizing the fraction to work in
the particular union for increasing
the circulation of the Daily Work
er and workers correspondence.
Party recruiting to be placed as
first order of business at every
meeting and a brief check up on
progress made.
Fraction secretary to check up on
Party standing of members once in
two months.
Every fraction to be made respon-
sible for bringing various Party
campaigns into the respective unions
and to arrange for speakers when
ever it is necessary.
Leading members of the Org. De-
partment and District Bureau to
attend every fraction meeting at
least once in three months.
Org. Secretary to report at Dis
trict Bureau on fraction work at
least once in two months.
Joint meetings of all fraction
secretaries with section org. secre-
taries to be organized once in two
months. Important experience in
which fundamental policy is in
volved to be discussed at these
meetings and also at the special
fraction meetings arranged by the
org committee for this purpose.
If this plan is followed up sys-
tematically We will correct some Of
the basic weaknesses in our frac-
ton work and thus help to root
/ the Party in the masses.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
The Work of Trade Union Fractions Convention Disco
Ho We Can Improve the Work Of Party Fractions Trade Uno

union led the strike of 10000 work
ers who had never been connected
with our movement before, these
workers just like the workers in all
other trades had illusions about the
MIRA. Many of our Party COM
rades instead of being the driving
force for combating these illusions,
fell victim to them and permitted a
situation where the hopes of the
workers for a settlement Of the
strike were pinned on the NR.A.
In the cleaning and dyeing
trade our fraction, consisting of
comrades of long standing in the
Party, failed to expose the vacillat-
ing policy of the strike chairman
and his secret negotiations with
the officials of the A. F. of L. This
undermined the morale of the
workers and resulted in the loss of
the strike.
In most other trades where we
have an organized fraction our
comrades we're very weak in expos
ing the real character of the N.R.A.,
as for instance in the printers,
where our comrades working in the
left wing permitted an editorial to
be printed in the Printing Worker"
which not only failed to clarity the
correct position of the MIRA. but
even brought more confusion among
the workers In many trades the
Party fractions at times were afraid
to fight the illusions that existed
among the workers. They were
afraid to go against the tide.
Our fractions also underestimate
the effect of the subtle propaganda
of the renegade Lovestonites and
Trotskyists who under the cover OF
their revolutionary phrases fully
coopersted with the bureaucracy in
their support of the N.RA. This
underestimation came as a result
of our failure to understand that
the danger of the renegades at this
period lies not so much In their
organizational strength (Which is
very weak as in the reforrnist
theology which under cover OF revo-
lutionary phrases they spread in
the ranks Of the workers.
Thus we see that the Party frac-
tons have not as yet become a real
instrument for bringing the revo-
lutionary policies before the nom
Party masses. 1t is very important
for the Party to take note of these
weaknesses because we know that
in the coming period as the attacks
on the workers become sharper the
bosses and reformist leaders will
resort to even more subtle dema-
gogy by means of which they will
aim to crush the rising revolt OF
the workers Detroit strike, etc.,
This is already seen in the intro
duction of the Connery 3o-hour bill
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-20
Fractions Act in Too
Narrow a Fashion
i'm the Unions
BY ROSE WoRTIs

How Can We Improve the Work of
Our Fractions in the Trade Unions?
One of the most important prob
lens confronting the Party con-
vention is the improvement of our
trade union work. When we read
through the weekly Party letter in
the New York district we find many
fraction meetings taking place.
However, when we examine the
revolutionary work done by these
fractions in the trade unions we
find many glazing weaknesses which
were particularly manifest in the
recent period when real Commu-
mist leadership was necessary to
counteract the demagogue Roose-
velt's New Deal.
How can We account for this?
First because of the lack of politi-
cal education on the part of the
fractions. Despite the correct Party
analysis of the N.R.A., the poison
Gus propaganda carried on by the
government and the reforrnists
about the N.R.A. as new charter
Of labor penetrated the ranks of
our fractions. Although this did
not find open expression at the
fraction meetings it seriously af-
fected the Communist work of the
fractions and the decisivenesS with
which our fractions carried on the
struggle against the reformists.
Even in the needle trades where
we have the strongest and most
advanced fraction, many comrades
did not correctly estimate the re-
suit Of the strikes. The comrades
failed to understand that the i'm
proyements gained by the cloak and
dressmakers were the direct result
Of the militant struggle OF the work.
ers in the A. F. of L. under left
wing leadership, and the inde-
pendent struggles of the industrial
union. Our comrades did not utilize
these gains to strengthen the con-
fidence of the workers in their
ability to wrest concessions from
the bosses through struggles. In
stead many members in our Party
fractions became afflicted with de-
featism and permitted the Love-
stonites to take the offensive. This
greatly hampered our work and
made it possible for the bureaucracy
and the bosses to lower the condi-
tions of the workers.
Similar was our experience among
the alteration painters after the
recent strike.
In the shoe trade where our