davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
REGARDING DAVID PLATTS
MOVIE REVIEWS
New York.

Dear Editor:
Comrade Platt's brief review Of the
past years dOings in the movie in
dustry deserves unquestionable praise
1t was concise, clear in its altogether
too brief pungency, and as uncom-
primising as is expected.
Still, am slightly displeased with
the criticism of washington Merry
Go-Round." If I remember cor
rectly, Maxwell Anderson bitterly as
sailed the Senatorial villain and gave
the lobbyists th2'-' lust desserts, and
If there was ,4-lything about pan
handling" 1t was certainly exterior to
the central theme.
Truth to tell, the bonus marchers
were given the final swing at the
fade-out, and the Senator was prop
erly subdued by the embattled Con-
gresham, who was the hero of the
bonus-marchers. OF course we know
that their gain was nothing, but to
say that Anderson's trick was to de-
pict the n1archers as panhandlers Is
not uncompromising, but slight dis
tortion to say the least.
At any rate I think It wouldn't
be out Of place for our comrade to
continue with more comprehensive
review, including the foreign film
scene as well. with natural emphasis
on the q. S. s. r. And please touch
on the Palmer Raids, OF which am
shamefully uniformed.
GEORGE 0EHH,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Chicago Postal Workers Protest March
Wins Demands For Extra Christmas Jobs
Anger of Subs at FavOritism by Politicians Leads
About rs to Join in Demonstration
fBy a Post Office Worker
Correspondent

CHICAGO, Ill.-For the last twelve
months, We, the regular subs of the
Chicago Post-Oh1ce, have been aver
aging less than So a week. But all
this time only one thing gave us
good hope; the promise of getting
more working hours during the Xmas
rush.
When Christmas came, however, we
were utterly disappointed. Instead of
working to 10 hours each day as we
were promised, we were not getting
more than four hours a day. While
this was going on, the political subs
temporary workers, hired with the
aid of local politicians, were getting
from 8 to 10 hours a day.
This situation created quite a great
deal of discomfort among the day set,
which was affected by it. But there
was no leadership to give direction
and guidance to this discontAntment.
A few of us, more class-conscious
workers, got together on a day when
one Of the bosses granted us five
hours out Of the goodness of his
heart" We got ourselves together
and organized march inside the
Post Of1ce-right through the work
rooms, under the eyes of the bosses
and the other workers, direct to the
office Of the Superintendent of the
Delivery Division. Almost the entire
DAY set (about rs in alb, participated
in this protest march.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Keep COaStwiSe
and Deepwater
Workers Divided
(By Marine Worker COrresuopdent

| tby Marine Worker Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-The Moore
Mccormack Steamship Co.. with
ships running coastwise and ocean
going, has coastwise men working
coastWlse ships, and deepwater men
working ocean-going vessels, both
organized in the International Long
shoremen's Association (1291 deem
water local; 1880 coastwise and car
gang local.
Dick Curl, head foreman for the
company, hires for all ships. Dick
does not recognize these laws. but
hires his favorites with the support
Of the LILA. officials, who. in turn.
urge the men to have Local 1850 but
tons for coastwise work and 1891 for
deepwater. This guarantees the Of
ficialA Polly Baker and company.
double pay for dues
This discrimination hits the Ne
groes hardest, due to the little work
and many men.
The bosses and I. L. A, officials
desiring division among the workers,
not only organized two locals deep
water 1921 -coastwise and Gag gang
1900, but utilize every means to
direct the fight among the nation
alities and races as to lob, rates of
pay, etc. This fight between the two
locals is the big weapon to lower the
standard Of living of both deepwater
and coastw1se men. When the deep
water men refuse to work coastwise
ships for go cents per hour they are
blackliSted from all ships of the
company. Deepwater pay is IS cents
per hour.
The fight between the foreman.
Dick, and the truck driver, Bobbie,
against the LILA. officials for greater
graft is long one. When there is
no compromise and Polly Baker Is
trying to settle the matter in order
not to expose the rackets, Kurtz-
berger, the knife artist and strong
arm body guard OF Polly Baker, who
has also cut several Of our COM
rades in 1881, steps up behind Polly
Baker at SO and stabs Robbie" with
out warning. Donald Krutzberger is
under 5000 bond waiting in jail for
trial. Bobbie Is in the hospital crit
ically wounded.
Krutzberger, delegate for both 10
Gals, is hated by both rank and file
LILA. locals. He is known as GRIM
inal racketeer and gunman with a
long record Of betrayals.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Police MObiised to Fight
c. ". A. Workers in Detroit
StOOIpigeOnS Also Used to Prevent Struggle
When Officials Break Promises

lightning we were surrounded by g
hungry pack Of wolves. StoolIsgeons
Collins, Davis and Jackson got busy
again, and started to point out who
they thought were the ring leaders
or who they thought they could get
rid Of because they did not buy them
any drinks, accusing them all as
agitatorS. Four more were taken in
the Black Maria to the Garfield sta
ton.
At the station, the workers were
baWled out for not being Democrats
and for demanding what they were
promised. They were then told that
they were fired, and to go back to the
Welfare. These four Immediately
went down to c. w. A. headquarters
and demanded to see some one at
the head of c. w. A. projects in
Detroit. After telling their story, the
bosses finally decided to put them
back to work, to avoid a possible
strike.
In the meantime the police kept
guard all day on the job. When the
afternoon shift was coming on to
work, an extra force of police were
on guard for the rest of the day.
VIM. Wright was still held, the
bosses we're still trying to find some
knife, or at least some witnesses,
but when they heard that the work
ers dared tell the truth, they finally
let Wright go. But they would not
take Wright back to work again.
Police Keep on Guard
On Thursday morning they still
had the police on guard to beat
down any attempt Of the workers
to strike for the release of VIM.
Wright (the men did not yet know
that Wright was to be released that
morning.. Later they moved the
police guard into a nearby alley
where they could not be seen, but
ready for a possible emergency call.
Fellow workers, the use Of the po-
lice so suddenly and so brutally Is
alone proof enough of how they fear
to have the workers organized.
So let us organize into union and
elect a grievance committee on the
job. Show the bosses that we are
human beings and have right to
live, show them that we can and
will organize.
Stop all this police brutality, strike
for the reinstatement of VIM. Wright,
On Thursday morning they still
strike for the higher wages that have
been promised us, for the removal of
the police guard off the job. We are
no chain gang to have police guards
over us.
Only if we organize sondly can we
win any Of our demands, for better
conditions. Only through struggle
can we obtain what is rightfully ours.
This can be seen from the little
struggle we had, that the bully now
permits us to have fires on the job
and has cooled down to a certain
extent. Only by organizing soNdly re-
CARELESS of political or religious be-
liefs, regardless of color or nation
atty, native or foreign born, can
concessions be obtained.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19

in the neighborhood. All the com
rades expressed great satisfaction
with this procedure. While this unit
presented an exceptionally bad situa-
ton, we find great need for similar
action in our other units.
The very fact that our Section Is
showing signs Of growth, in spite Of
these shortcomings, proves the cor
rectness Of the Open Letter, that the
workers are ready for Organization
for struggle-for leadership. Wher-
ever our Party members, working in
the shops, do correct work, they find
workers who are ready to join the
Party. Our five new shop nuclei (or-
ganized within the past two months)
have all sprung up IS q result Of
the initiative of our Party members
working inside.
The main current of the Open
Letter has not yet been felt by our
concentration units; shop concentra-
ton still remains an abstract phrase:
Our Party membership in the main
is still not convinced that the work
ers are ready for struggle. They
cling to the belief that the G. w. A.
illusions must first crack before we
can organize the workers to struggle.
They as yet fail to see that on the
G. w. A. jobs open revolts are taking
place daily and because we are not
alert to them we are not yet Lead
ing these workers in their daily Strug-
giles, for their immediate interests.
We have made a beginning by this
discussion, but it is necessary to
finish the Job We are not aiming
at any ideahstic perfection In the
Party-but at practical improves
ment in our work. Every member
should realize the tremendous task
before us in the present period-we
must now begin to really understand
the Historic Role of our Party and
steel ourselves to become the Boil
sheYiks Lenin called the Vanguard
conlrade Stain, in his book, 'Lenin-
ism" says, "a combination Of revolu-
tionary zeal with the practical spirit
constitutes the essence Of Leninism
in Party and Public work" Where
we have made a beginning, In the
units, with which we have met, we
have fist Of all drawn In to the
Buros the best forces. At the same
time we have sent into our concen-
tration units the best forces In our
Section, not merely to act as reps,
but to work consistently with the
comrades.
In our Section Committee there Ia
more clarity on the question Of our
relationship with our membership
and on our approach to the work.
In the units we are making our mem-
bership feel that this is not q mere
gesture because we are actually going
below and working more closely with
the comrades. We feel confident that
we have accidentally" struck the
main artery of the Open Letter and
that by ar1ning ourselves with these
organizational measures and follow
ing it through to the end that our
Section will greatly improve its work
at the shops Of concentration and
among the masses Of workers in our
neighborhoods
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Company Unions
Help in Firing
Railroad Workers
By a Railroad worker Correspondent

BY Railroad Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK.-Tn the Morris Park
engine house, shops and yards is an
example. A check-up is kept of the
Speediest workers, driven to the point
Of exhaustion, and then this time
record is held up to the workers as
the specified time in which certain
work should be done.
Unless the worker gives in to every
whim of the boss and takes abuse,
and cheers every remark of the
yellow-dog union committee, he is
ushered into the office for a state
ment. He is asked to sign state
ment in which the worker is always
wrong. These are the first steps in
railroading a worker out of his job.
This the boss calls a reprimand,
and the worker is given to under
stand that he is being let off easy
without getting fired. But the speed
up and abuse continues The worker
protests. Already the company union
committee is passing the word around
that this worker Is no good, that he
is only q trouble maker.
Another week rolls by. The worker
is told that he Is furloughed because
another man furloughed somewhere
else bumped him.
Coordinator of Railroads Joseph B.
Eastman, in accordance with the
Railroad Labor Act, Section IA and
B, stated that there would be no
further layoffs after May /, 1888.
However, the layoffs continue
through a steady process of elinaina-
ton.
On the D. L. & w. R. r. the work
ers pay IS cents month dues to the
company union. On the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad
the workers pay SO cents month.
On the Pennsylvania railroad and the
Long Island Railroad these same
yellow-dog union committees are de-
manding that workers pay in 81 a
month dues to sustain the company
unions. These company unions hold
conference with Eastman, Railroad
Coordination, and use terroristic tao
tics to force the workers to line up
and remain in the company unions,
with such remarks as, "You know
what to expect If you drop out Of
the company union"
L. H. Davis is general chairman OF
these company unions, elected by W.
w. Atterbury, president of the Penn
sylvania Railroad. Any agreements
entered into with the companies or
government on behalf Of the workers
with these company union commit
tees will not be considered binding by
the workers themselves,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Make BMT Keep
Promise, Urges
Subway Worker
By SUBWAY Worker Cnrresnondenl

By a Subway Worker Correspondent
NEW YORK.-About a year and a
half year ago, all B.MT. workers re-
ceived 10 per cent wage cut. But
the bosses were afraid that we would
protest and perhaps organize. They
promised us, therefore, that when
earnings increased, our basic rates
would be restored. For the first 10
months Of 1888 the BM.T. reported
the largest earnings in its history:
SIS, 1906
Have the bosses kept their promise
to restore our 10 per cent cut? No
The policy of the BN-.T. is: Greater
profits at our expense, through
further wage cuts and speed-up. The
conditions in our shop are becoming
more and more unbearable. Fore
men are made and broken almost
every day, so that we are always
working at breakneck speed.
The company has eliminated all
depot repair shops. Oug shop at
Ave. Y is the only train repair shop
in Brooklyn. WE must now do ALI
the work that was formerly done by
five or six repair shops-and at less
pay.
The company representatives are
the bosses men and they will do
nothing for us. WE OURSELVES
must do it. We must organize.
"A B.M.T. WORKER.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
tBy a c. ". A. Correspondent

ny - ~ n correspondent
DETROIT, Mich. - On Tuesday
Dec. 19. upon coming to work on a
c. ". A. Job No. 13A Piquette and
Brush, We found about one half OF
Detroit's police force. They re-
manned for about an hour, then they
left, and all the rest Of the day there
were scout cars chasing through
about every half hour. Police were
doing special duty on special beats
through the alleys and streets keep
ing an eye on the C. W. A. workers
expecting. I suppose a strike And
here is why they expected a strike.
The work done here is the same
as most other c. w. A. jobs (pick
and shovel yet most workers are
skilled men such as, specialized auto
body workers, carpenters, craftsmen,
auto mechanics skilled machine
hands. tool and die makers and even
preachers are slated as laborers, get
ting so cents per hour.
When these G. w. A. jobs began,
we can all well remember the promise
Of $3.50 per week and then found
out that We receive only SIS per week,
IF weather permits.
Well most men, as you can see by
their previous line of work, are not
Used to such work, so the bosses on
the job promised the men so and
S. cents per hour, for those who
Wuold work on the concrete mixer, or
around the mixer, such as spread
ing the concrete, pushing the wheel
barrow, with cement or gravel which
IS extra heavy work. They also prom
ised the hammer men 65 cents per
hour. Men who swing heavy ham
mers to break concrete, which is
hard work too.
Pay Day Brings so Cents an Hour
But when pay day came (after
working hard and hearty they found
out that they only received so cents
per hour, again being fooled. Is there
any wonder why the police force
were on the job the next day, just a
day after pay day, just day after
the men found out how they were
fooled?
Stoolpigeons Collins, Jackson and
Davis and their flunkies were busy
bringing in information as to how
The feeling was among the workers.
On Wednesday morning a new
bully (boss) was imported on the
Job lie Immediately began to get
hard. although the men did not
know who he was. A fire was started
IN barrel as usual, the bully came
over and kicked the barrel over,
which fell on a worker standing near
by. This worker, not knowing who
his new boss was, made a pass at
hin. Then stoolpigeon Collins went
TO call the police. They then tried
TO frame ID a story Of using knife
but, Of course, no knife was to be
found. Just the same they locked
him up (Wn. Wright, because VIM.
Wright happens to be a Negro.
The workers then began to gather
and discuss the matter of refus-
ing to go to work until VIM. Wright
is released. But like a streak of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Letters from Our Readers

phlets on the Scottsboro and Negro
questions.
The I. L. D. admits its weakness
where speakers are concerned. Wher
are they going to do something to
correct this?
Helen Michaels.
The district Office of the 1. L. D.
agrees with the writer that they still
have no functioning spakers buro.
To correct this, the following steps
have been taken:
II A list of speakers and the
dates they are available is being
prepared.
q Self-addressed enveloped will
be sent to speakers, enabling them
to answer requests Immediately.
81 A responsible comrade will be
in charge of the speakers burO
hereafter.
District Org. Dept, /. L. d.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19

When the Big Shots in the Super
intendent's Office saw the crowd OF
angry faces, they became panic
stricken. They hurTiedly asked us
who our spokesman was. We imme-
diately elected two spokesman from
our midst to represent us-while the
rest of us waited outSide-in front of
the Office. A few minutes later our
spokesman came out and told us our
demands we're granted. From that
day on We all got 10 hours a day
throughout the entire rush period.
This shows what organized action
can do. It's the first time that such
thing has happened in the history
of the Chicago P. o., inasmuch as
each year for the past four years,
subs have been taking this sort of
treatment suomissively.
By this we see clearly the need for
militant rank and file action to get
our demands
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
N. Y. 1. L. D. SETS UP SPEAKERS
BURO TO AVOID FUTURE
MuSHAPS
Dear Comrade Editor:

Dear Conrade Editor:
One of our present tasks is the re-
building Of the Sacco-Vanzetti Eng
disappearing branch of the I. L. D.
in OSsining. At the first re-organ-
Rational business meeting, at which
six members we're present, plans and
arrangements were made for Scots
bore Anticipating Meeting at the
Full Gospel Tabernacle, a Negro
Church in Ossining, which was OBJ
tanned through the efforts Of Negro
and white delegation.
The night of the meeting, Dec.
Il, about fifty people turned up at
the church, many of whom were old
members Of the I. l.. D. who had
drifted away from the organization,
and several potential I. l.. D. mem
bers from among the church con-
gregation.
Our appointed chairman opened
the meeting while another comrade
went to the train to get the I. L. D.
speaker, who was due at 1926 but who
didn't show up. The chairman con-
tinued with her talk, hoping that
the speaker would turn up on the
9:18 train-but he did not! This was
a keen disappointment to the SYM
pathetic audience and to our COM
radeS who had worked hard to get
these people together.
We noticed in the Daily that the
I. L. D. had two rallies in Brooklyn
on Thursday, Dec. 81, and Friday.
Dec. %, for which they managed to
corral a great many of their best
speakers, but they could not manage
to get us one. One of our COM
rades was In the I. L. D. Office over
a week before the meeting to arrange
for a speaker; letter was sent Dec
49,. informing the I. L. D. Office of
the definite meeting place, and again
asking them to arrange for q speaker,
also Stressing the Importance of hay
ing speaker there, and on the day
before the meeting, the comrade
again visited the I. l.. D. Office and
was assured that there would be a
speaker at the meeting.
There was no excuse for the fall
ure Of the speaker to appear, par
ticularly when the I. L. D. Office had
had three reminders of the occasion,
and the Importance of rebuilding this
branch was stressed In all commu-
nications and conversations.
At this meeting, thirteen Labor De-
tenders were sold besides some PAM
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-19
Brooklyn Postal
Subs, Victims Of
Bosses Politics
By a Post office Correspondent

BY Post Office Correspondent
NEW YORK-The substitute work
IS of the main post office in Brook
IN were given a swell Christmas
resent when they reported for work
he day after Christmas. They were
aid off and told not to report until
Jan. 2. The reason given for the
lay-off by the supervisor was that all
the substitute time allotted for the
quarter (Sept. dec. u had been
used up.
This does not mean that there was
no work for the subs; just the OPP
posite. The Christmas rush had as
yet not entirely died down and there
was plenty to do. But there was no
money appropriated for the sub, with
the result that the sub was laid off
and the regular men given three
hours overtimee nightly.
A committee appointed to see the
postmaster in Brooklyn was told the
postal authorities cut the appropria-
tons for the quarter to economic.
Ecoomy, hell The substitutes get
about So cents an hour for night
work; the regular, whenever he is
called upon to work overtime, makes
from 80 to IS cents per hour. Where
is the economy when the government
lays off its substitutes and pays the
regulars more money for working
overtime2
The public also suffers because the
mail is delayed.
Two Answers
OF course, when the subs were laid
off and given time to think the
whole thing over, they found two
answers to the question. The first
answer was that too many hours
were given to the temporary help
used during the Christmas rush.
These temps" many of whom were
politically active in the last city cleo
ton, had to be rewarded by the
Brooklyn postmaster who has much
influence in boro politics. The more
hours given to the temps meant less
hours given to the sub.
The second answer which suggests
iself is also political one. Post
master Sinnott is Democrat: his
assistant postmasters are Repub-
licans. Naturally, Mr.. Sinnott would
like to bring some of his personal
friends (also Democrats into the
post office and have them take the
places of the Republicans. The lat
ter he could only get rid of by point
ng to their inefficiency. If the mail
could not be gotten out in time, then
he has case of inefficiency against
his Republican assistants. BY laying
the subs off and thus delaying the
mail, the postmaster has some
grounds for their removal. And while
this is going on, the subs have to
suffer.
What is to be done? 1t can be
readily seen that nothing can be ex-
pected from the major political par
ties. Only action on the part of the
men themselves can help the pitiful
plight of the sub. This may be
brought about by the building of a
militant trade union to force the au-
thorities to give the substitute what
he needs. Organization in the Brook
Ign post office is now very weak.
When these men will realize the role
Of militant union then they will
unite and fight against any such &C.
currence which took place last Christ
mas.