davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06
WILLING, PLUS

Jack Slow-May I-er-kiss your
Miss Sweet-What do you want,
written permission?
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06

basis of current reports and the fig
ures Of the Bureau of Mines, it ap-
pears that the entire Pennsylvania
anthracite industry about the middle
of May employed about 10000 work
ers or nearly 48 per cent more than
in May last year.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06
Tho Significant Confederation

II want to get an idea Of how our
friends political prospects are coming
along" said Senator Sorghum.
''Well," replied his secretary, "he9e
is the scrapbook. He has been saying
some very interesting things"
sT don't care so much about what he
has been saying. With what people
has he been taking luncheon"
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06
Elastic Prescription

Doctor-I would advise you, madam,
to take frequent baths, get plenty Of
fresh air and dress in cool gowns.
Madam's husband (an hour later)-
What did the doctor say2
Madam-He said ought to 60 to
the mountains, and that must get
soma new light gowns at once.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06

A subtle effort is being made to
eliminate the union label, shop card
and working button. The way to de-
feat this is by demanding them at AL
times.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1934-07-06
Matrimonial

Matrimonial
Bill-Do you talk in your sleep?
Jim-No, wish did.
Bill-Why such nutty wishf
Jim-Well, 1 have no past and no
secrets to reveal and II talked in
my sleep my wife would lie there
quietly listening to hear what I was
saying instead of jabbing me in the
ribs for merely snoring, as she does
now.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
ockton Chamber Of Commerce ues Industry With Cheap Labor Promises

pleyment the rule in the industry,
the living standards have dropped
tremendously.
mo Real Increase in Pay
Paper wages have increased since
the industry was codified,p John r..
Reilly, secretary of the Chamber of
Commerce here admitted, "hut there
has been no real increase In the pay
envelope"
Reilly, giving the Chamber Of
Commerce viewpoint. naturally unv
derestimatsd the actual conditions
though II was q great deal for the
Chamber TO admit that much Ac-
tualiy since the code went into eff
feet, wages have decreased.
The code allows a 10 hour week,
but specifies that for eight weeks
out of each six month period the
factories may operate IS hours a
week. This is for the rush season
and benefits only the manufacturers
because the shoe industry, due to the
seasonal nature Of its work, never
worked an average 40 hour week
oven in the days when it had 48
hour week. So the effect of the
code has been only to insure the
manufacturers available labor dur
Ing the rush season.
The code gave the shoe workers
. ten per cent increase in wages
when 1t dropped Q hours from the
working week. Earnings in a 40
hour week-if they worked 40 hours
week-should have brought a II
per cent increase. All that the code
actually did was drop eight hours
from the working week which were
never used anyway In the long run
and give them 10 per cent increase
u wages. Since cheap shoes are
now being manufactured and labor
,ests have been reduced in accord
,nce with the cheaper grade Of shoe,
he ten per cent nowhere equalizes
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

the wage scale.
No extra people have been put II
work since the N. r. A. has gone
into effect because there was ar
abundance of labor in the shoe in
dustry even in good times.
So dazed is the town by the de.
preston that few have troubled te
gather figures on average weekly
earnings. The State Department Of
Labor gathers them, but by the time
they are made public they are usually
year or two behind time and thu,
useless as an indication Of what the
workers are actually getting at tbs
moment.
In general, the wages last year
1889 were lower than the 1889
wages, though there was an increase
in the manufacturers business This
is due partly to the steady decline
in the price of shoes manufactured.
Cheaper grades are being turned out.
A So shoe is now manufactured by
skilled workers who used to turn out
a $40 shoe. And wages have been
reduced commensurate with the value
of the shoe; and the worker has to
put In longer hours and harder work
10 earn any kind CT wage.
Even the Brotherhood of Shoe and
Allied Craftsmen, the new union
which seized power from the old A.
F. Of L. Boot and Shoe Workers
Union, have no idea of what the
average wage Is.
During the busy season. John
Murphy, president OF the Brother
hood said, skilled labor could earn
s3s week and unskilled some SO
less-n they worked q full weeks
tsNote: Manufacturers and the
Chamber Of Commerce. In trying to
estimate current weekly wage aver
ages placed theirs below the figre
Murphy gave. L. 81.
But they rarely work f,Ai week,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

and when you reduce the wage DUR
ing the slack period when there is
no work, and add to that the loss
by the stagger system, the average
shoe worker Is lucky if he gets SIS a
week during the busy season.
Workers Bludgeoned BY Crisis
Most Of the shoe workers walk
about as though they have been SO
hludgecned by these years Of depres-
sion, unemployment and wage re-
ductiesas. that they are completely at
sea. Most Of them place their hopes
in their union leaders even as the
manufacturers place theirs now in
Roosevelt's activities. For years the
workers have been accustomed to
union control and they still have
that, though it Is a new union, but
there is snaouldering resentment ap-
parent when you pierce the fog in
which they view their living and
working conditions - a resentment
erected particularly against the NJ
r. A.
1--WE call the N. r. A. Not Really
Anything" enc ri9dle aged shoe
worker sitting in the brotherhood
headquarters said. "It ein't done a
damn thing fer us except reduce
wages more than before"
There is psyc.loloyic factor here
which has left It's effect upon both
worker, retail dealer and manufae-
turer. The great hullahalloo raised
about the N. r. A. before and I'M
mediately after it went into effect,
built up confidence that things
would get better. Workers thought
wages were going UP; retailers
thought stock would start moving
and the manufacturers thought BUSH
ness would pick UP.
Now they are confronted with a
state Of affairs under the N. r. A.
where the worker has had his wages
reduced; the retailer dealer cannot
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Many AFL Locals
Send Delegates To
Fight InjunctiOns
Irving Plaza Meet on Sat
urday To Mobilize
United Front

NEW YORK-DeIegates from or
ganizations of varied afhliations will
meet today at / PM, at IrYing
Plaza Hall to plan steps in the fight
to outlaw injunetions. Credentials
received by the United Shoe and
Leather Workers Union indicate that
many A. F. Of l.. and independent
unions will respond to the call to
organize united action of the work.
ers against this rapidly increasing
menace to the existence of workers
organizations. Many shops ere send
ing representatives to the meeting.
The objective of the conference
will be to establish permanent COM
mittee Of representatives from trade
unions, from the International Labor
Defense, fraternal and liberal organ
izations which will organize united
front struggles against injunctions
and force the passage of a bill TO
prohibit the issuance Of injunctions
against strikes.
Among the unions which have re-
sponded to the call to action against
injunetions are the Laundry Workers
Industrial Union, Bakers local 140,
Neekwear Workers local of the A. r.
Of L., Radio Photographers Associa-
ton. Amalganated Food Workers, all
departments of the Furniture Union,
the fur department OF the Needle
Trades Workers industrial Union.
All unions and shops are urged TO
arrange for representation at this
important conference.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

sell his stock, a great deal of which
he bought speculatiyely in hopes of
a rise in prices, and the manufac-
tHer cannot sell to retailers who
cannot move what stock they have.
The result is a snouldering resent
ment which seems to be directed
more because Of the disappointment
to their hopes than because conG-
tiofls have not hettered
According 10 John Murphy, sa.oe
factories even under the code are in
a number Of instances net paying the
minimum wage.
zone factory" he said, saade the
workers sign cards before they were
paid The cards gave the number
Of hours the workers were supposed
to have worked. According to thess
hours the minimum wage was being
paid, but actually the workers put in
more hours than they were compelled
to sign for. We have skilled work
ers who are not getting the minimum
wage. We complained to the State
Compliance Becrd in Boston, but
hav neve~ did thing about it."
What e. you intend to do about
to" ssl.ad.
Wen rive them a little more
time and then wen do what we cid
with one factory. In that case the
manufacturer told me bluntly that he
did not intend to pay the minimum
wage, I couldn't see any sense in
complaining again TO the Compliance
Board so I told him that If the
minimum wage was not paid by next
week we would take the next step.
I didn't say 50, but he knew that
we'd call out the shop. The mini
mum wage was paid" ~
Exhauzting SpceA-Up
The decrease in hours established
by the code does not mean a thing
so far as the shoe industry is con-
cerned. Most operations are csa q
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Mass Hearing in
Chicago Feb. Il on
Police Brutality
Public Trial of Police for
Brutal Attacks Upon
Negro Workers

+ CHICAGO, Feb. s.-A mass open
hearing and public trial on police
brutality against the Negro workers
on the West Side, with jim-erow de
Rial Of relief to unemployed Negroes,
will take place this Monday evening,
Feb. IL, at 1880, at Alabama Hall,
i709 ". Lake st.
Workers who witnessed the police
attack on the mass funeral of Sam
Williams, Negro worker, who died of
starvation last January after he had
been refused relief by the authori-
ties, will testify. Others will tell
their experiences in relief diserimina-
ticn. The hearing will be addressed
by speakers from the League Of
Struggle for Negro Rights, which ar
ranged i'll speakers from the Com
mHAist Party, the Urban League, the
Chicago Civil Liberties Committee
and other groups.
The alderman of the 2Sth Ward,
and the captain Of the local police
district have been challenged to at
tend the meeting and answer the
charges Of the workers.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
KenOSIla Furniture
Men Vote to Strike
for More Pay, Union
Picketing Keeps Scabs
Out; Officialdom
Fought Strike

KENOSHA, Wis, l7eb. e.-The A. F
Of L. Federal Union 1886 of the
Vtneent-dcCall Bed Factory, located
here, voted to go on strike last Fri
day for higher wages and recognition
Of the union. Approximately IS men
are enlpolyed at the plant, which is
almost 100 per. cent unionized. The
strike took effect Monday morning.
The union elected a strike commit
tee of five and arranged for picketing
at all hours, with each man having
AN eight hour shift. No seabs have
as yet tried 10 get into the plant.
After Monday morning, even the fore
men were kept from entering the
building. On Monday morning. how
ever, one Of the foremen jumped over
the back fence in order to get in to
work.
In previous meeting called to take
strike vote, where the men we're all
in favor of striking, the A. r. of L.
officials who came in from outside
attempted to brighten the men with
stories about how their families would
suffer in case of a strike, about how
cold 1t was to be outside pieketing
and even went 50 far in their efforts
to prevent the strike, as to say that
such a small concern as this, really
could not afford to pay any higher
wages than they were paying-a4c ar
hour. On top of this they claimed
that the bylaws of the A, F. of L
called for a three-fourths vote in
favor OF striking before a strike coule
be called THE result. of the vote in
this meeting was Al to II in favor
Of going on strikel And because Al
was not three-fourths of the total
vote .he strike couldn't be called, &C
cording to these officials! The state
secretary of the A. F. of L., Hadley
was called in to give a talk, and in
stead of telling how to win their
demands, how to successfully conduct
the strike. ETC.. he did nothing but
try to scare Them into passiyely ac-
cepting their miserable wages, so low
that they couldn't live on them.
The Communist Party of Kenosha
fully supports the efforts Of these
workers to gain decent wages and
recognition Of their union. 1t points
out to them, however, the danger Of
arbitration, calling upon them to re-
fuse to return to work upon .'proH-
Use" of settlement by arbitration. II
was in this way that the Nash work
ers were tFicked into returning to
work without winning any Of their
demands. Only a militant and deter
mined struggle will win for the Vim
cent-McCall strikers. To depend on
the Regional Labor Board, or any
other governmental agency to dc
something for them. when every ex-
perience of striking workers, not sonly
here in Kenosha but throughout the
country, has proven these agencies
act only in the interests Of the manu-
facturerEthis would be suicide.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

piece work basis and in some fac
tories where they are busy, a speed
up system is employed to make up
for the lost hours, that almost ex-
hausts the worker.
Some % miles from here in Mills,
Mass there is the Hermann Shoe
Co.. said Murphy; They are work
ing day and night shifts making
shoes for the War Department and
if ever yea want to- see = speed-up
system that kills rnens go there. No
machine can keep up the pace those
workers are forced TO keep up.a
IN the harder operations in the
shoe industry older men are being
replaced by younger and faster
workers despite the new union. On
the other hand, in some operations
where men whose years have been
given to q factory and who, with
advancing age cannot keep up the
pace, have appealed to the union,
the factory and the Department Of
Labor, to be allowed to stay on the
Job even though they cannot, in piece
NO-h, lllr4>S l4-C wage.
These requests have usually been
granted.
Work In the shoe Industry is con-
trolled more or less by the union so
that none have been discharged
since the N. r. A. has gone into eff
feet to be rehired at minimum wage
rates. But in other industries and
particularly In stores and resaurents
workers who were getting more than
the minimum have frequently been
fired and others rehired at the mini
mum wage.
Within recent weeks the A, q p.
stores here fired I'VE clerks who were
getting SIS . week and reaired five
others Immediately at Sf4 week.
This procedure Is quite common here
where the open shop prevails IN all
but the shoe industry"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
WHAT'S ON

Tom Mooney Br. LID, aa3 e. 18th s.,
P. NJ. Admissions free, discussion
JOHN REED CLUB, 400 sixth Are. sym-
postum on Recent TFendE in the American
Theatre" With John wesley, Albert Maltz
and Liston Oak. $50 P. NJ
Development Of the Revolutionary Dance. "
at n Fifth Ave, $3.50 P, NJ. Auspices Youth
Com. and Dance Group Of F.T.WIu.
EUGENE BLoNDELL lectures or wal 81
Invsdes Cuba" Dora Quicker lectures on tbs
Revolutionary Students in Cuba West
Side Workers Forum. ac42 Broadway, near
Tooth St, P. M. Admission ioc, unsm-
ployed free.
MOVIE SHOWING Of ''Potsmkin" and lee.
turs on The MIRA. and War;" under
auspices Of Ind. Smoking Pipe Makers Union
Of America, Carpenters Union, Sheet Meta
Workers Union, $40 broadway, at p. N.
MODERN CULTURE CLUE, Reunion Dance
at Damasek Mansion, IL st. Marks Place
between Second and Third AYES. tao p. NJ
Professional entertainment and dancing
Contribution 35c.
OAKLEY JOHNSON leads class in A.B.C
Of Political Economy. from II to ] every
Sunday, at 4046 Broadway. Room 2.
LECTURE, Can Capitalism Solve Unem-
ployment7" Also report OF rank and nlC
delegates to the Washington Unemployed
National Convention at Yorkville Workers
Forum Labor Temple. 34a z. saith st., 81
8 p. NJ Admission Toe. Unemployed free
Ii WEI, Of the Frienas OF the Chinese
People, lectures on "5oviN China and thu
Liberation Of the Far East" at Fordham
Progressive Club, so5 =. Ferdhan Rd,, PM
DANCE at Prospect Workers Center, I15i
Southern Boulevard. Admission free fol
good standing members.
MOVIE SHOWING of Maxim Gorkp,
Mother" fremont Progressive Club, se6 e
fremont Ave, p. NJ. Subscription ir
advance only 25c.
LECTURE AND REPORT on National I'm,
employed Convention at Brighton Beach
workers Club, 5000 Coney Island Ave, $3.50
P, NJ. Auspices Wemens Council No. II aat
uHempleyed Council, Benjamin, speaker
Admission l5c
FORUM war and Pascism," auspiee.
Rose Pastor stokes BF. lid, 7e43 ". sStt
ST., Geney Island, $50 P. N. Conrad,
Percy, speaker, Admission free,
MILTON HOWARD Daily Worker star
lectures on 'Rooseyelt's Policies in the IiRial
Of Leninism," at Brownsville Workers School
1855 Pitkin Ave, $40 2. N, Admission 15c
RABBI BENZ. GOLDSTEM lectures on
''Fascism and Persecution of Jewish Massei
in Germany" Brownsville Workers Culture
Club, i44o East New York Ave, sis p. N
DANCE at Boro Park Workers Club, lstf
Ave, and 47th st., Brooklyn, $3.50 P. NJ
Good jazz band.
CONCERT AND ENTERTAINMENT b,
Workers Laboratory Theatre at affair siver
by Womens Council No. IS at 1859 Libert,
Ave, Jamaica, L. l. ASH p NJ
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Continued from Page y
By JOHN L. sPIvAK

O3 JOnN II. SYLVAN
ductions which now make possible
the manufacture of any grade shoe
at competitive price lists.
ANY manufacturer contemplating
removal to Brockton is assured of
labor costs which will permit hira to
operate comparatively with any Sec
ton OF the country.
Considering the percentage OF
total Manufacturing cost attributable
to labor alone Vday, it is important
to see what advantageeus labeF een-
altiorls are present in Broekton."
The booklet here offers sunlna-
ton of the type Of workers, emphasis
ing that there are 1900 foreign
born white and some 500 Negroes
available besides the $4,000 natives
Of native parentage. and continues
with the quotation given above about
the abundance Of female labor
To other than shoe manufacturers
the Chamber of Commerce calls at
tent.on that:
Most industries, other than that
OF shoes, operate on an open shop
basis"
The Chamber summarizes the labor
situation with three slogans:
Wages are cheap"
Skilled labor Is abundant
Female labor Is plentiful"
The cost Of living In Brockton, the
city where wages are cheap" is
somewhat greater than in other New
England industrial cities. The work.
ers here have a rather high standard
OF living, or rather had q. high
standard OF living. This was in-
herited from the boom days OF the
shoe industry when skilled workers
sometimes made as high as $50 and
$50 week. Since wages are cheap"
and unemployment and partial en-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Workers to Honor Memory Of
Frederick Douglas, Feb. 18th

their allies, such as the leadership of
the National Association for the Ad-
Ivancement OF Colored People and
other misleaders, will celebrate Lin
coins birthday. IN their attempt to
fool the Negro masses they teach that
Abraham Lincoln was their true
emancipator. The L. S. N. R. needs
the support Of every organization in
its campaign to disprove this false
hood"
The role Of Frederick Douglas will
be contrasted with that of Lincoln by
prominent speakers, including Richard
B, Moore, Executive Secretary of the
L. 8. NJ r., and Herman McKawain,
assistant secretary.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
300 Coal Drivers,
Yard Men Strike in
Minneapolis, MINI.
Demand Higher Wages,
Better Conditions
and Union

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI. Feb. g. -
About 900 drivers and coal yard
workers struck this morning for
wages, improved working con-
ditions and the recognition Of their
union. All coal deliveries we're tied
up. Fifty yards have been pieketed
since the strike began. The strike is
led by the Minneapolis General
Drivers and Helpers Union, A. F. Of
IL.
There are all signs that the A. F. OF
L. leaders are following a policy Lead
ing up TO the sell-out Of the strike, as
was dope in the recent upholsterers
strike here.
In statements TO the press the
leaders of the strike have already
placed the question OF wages and
working conditions as, unimportant
and are laying the main emphasis on
the question of recognition Of the
A, F, Of L. Deals with the strike
breaking Regional Labor Board for
arbitration and breaking of the strike
have started by the A. F. Of L. even
befor- the strike was called.
The coal yard workers can win il
they follow a policy of militant strike
struggle and united mass action OF
all workers in Minneapolis, both EN-
ployed and unemployed and by Rank
and File control Of the strike. The
Trade Union Unity League and the
Unemployed Council Of Minneapolis
have already offered their full sup
port to the strike.
All strikers are urged TO come o
10 South Srd Street Room 10 or
literature and consultation in regards
to strike policy.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

NEW YORK-February 10 will e
celebrated by Negro and white work
ers as Frederick Douglas Memorial Day
with a mass meeting that evening at
the Grace Congregational Church,
300 West 13eth Street.
The League of Struggle For Negro
Rights has organized the celebration
as a counter-demonstration to the
Lincoln Day celebration by the i'm
periRlists and their reformiSt allies.
The League outlines its purpose in the
following statement, issued yesterday:
THE revolutionary teachings Of this
anti-slave leader constitute one Of the
underlying principles of the L, S. N.
r. On Feb. IL the ruling class and
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Democrats Seek Aid
OF Civil Employees
Maneuyer in Statement
for Political Support

ALBANY, Feb. 9.-In its efforts to
secure the support OF dissatisfied
New York city workers, the Demo-
cratic leaders, Daniel and Edward
O'Connell have gathered the Albany
County Legislature to oppose the
LaGuardia Economy Bill in its pres
ent form.
The bill, according to Assembly
men Hayes, Cahill and McDerlnott
and Senator Byrne-all Of the AL
bany representation - ought to be
changed SO that it will exclude
teachers, police and firemen from its
jurisdiction.
With these changes, Assemblyman
Hayes declared, I'VE believe that the
mayor will have sufficient power to
effect economies in New York City's
government"
Aside from this statement, the
lne-up seems all ready, after divi-
sion of spoils agreement between the
Democratic and Fusion forces, to
effect the Bill's passage when 1t
comes up next before the State
Legislature.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10
Workers Oppose
NewReSt'r rant Code
Chicag 60 Workers Elk
pected To Force Hotel
Strike
special 70 the Daily worker

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Feb. 9,-Rank and
lle opposition to the new Hotel
Restaurant Code is expected to force
leaders of the Workers Alliance local
%, with $500 members, and the Al
lied Hotel Restaurant Employees
Union with 10000 members, to call q
general strike here, "a hours after
presentation of the code OH Feb. 10th,
The new code will be outlined by
Edward Fiore, president of the Al
lance Union, at a mass meeting on
Feb. s3, at the Garriek Theatre. The
old code provided for a minimum
wage scale of $i5.12 week, but with
deductions Of IS for meals, $3.50 for
linen, and $2,50 for sleeping quar-
tiers whether they sleep on the prem
ises or not" bring the wages down
TO STA weekly.
The strike, If called, would affect
walters, bartenders, cooks and mis-
cellaneeus help.