The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-22
Union Members Driven
Out, Especially JObless
Who Couldn't Pay
By WILLIAM L. BELL

AAnNADAAdL aim AOSAA 1AAANIAD ehAN ~
Tending each others loot and how a
strong local union was wrecked, the
membership expelled and driven out,
he should look at Local 1877 Of Sheet
Metal Workers Of New York City.
Only a few years have elapsed since
Local 1877 has had T50 standing
members. However, since then, 500
members were suspended and driven
out Of this local union. Some were
suspended because they were unem-
ployed and could not pay the SIS
monthly dues. Others were suspended
because the financial secretary,
Smith, collected dues and kept them
in his pocket, while others were
forced out voluntarily" from che
local.
Two incidents uncovered Smiths
thieyery.
y When the members caught
Rosen-tlle candidate for president
in the 1882 elections = depositing
more than one ballot, they decided to
call new elections. The Interna-
tional office was Immediately in
formed by the clique about the locals
decision, and the I. A. Informed the
local Immediately that it was not in
good standing; and that unless the
local pays $500 in cash the local would
not have new elections. 1t was the
rank and file who raised the $500
BY receiving its loot, the I. A. was
'pacified" and did not ask why the
local was not in good standing.
Insurance Swindle
p The second incident that un-
covered Smiths crookednesS was
Geath Every member OF the Inter
national ives insured in case OF
death. 1t happened that d few
mem1ars died. The families Of the
dead requested from the I. A. the
amount OF insurance their departed
friends carried. But the T. A. in
formed the families Of the dead that
they were not entitled to the inSur-
ance because the deceased was not
in good stanGingl The I. A. asked
no questions ard did not bother theil
friends in the office Of the local.
Il was these two incidents thai
stimulated the battle cYy--Oust the
corrupt clique from. the office
From It's first day in office, the
new administration started to in
yestigatae and trail the deeds of tbs
cid gang. THIS investigation forced
the dislnited groups of the old de-
featod clique to unite. They quickly
found out thar Siskind, whom they
helped to reject as business agent
and Rosen, the defeated candidate
fo- president. organized a new club
in order to fight them, the new adj
mialistrGtion.
These two gentlemen raised" 9
petition and sent it to Washington tC
the Y. A. The petition accused tho
rev administration of being Reds
whose desire was to destroy the y. S
government. But behind their peti.
ton was good reasoning, namely they
were determined TO stop the inves-
tigaticn. NTH knew their activities
toe. Smith would not stand being tht
scapegoat, Sis,-i,2d realized it anc
tried his dan1ncs5 10 stop the inVesti-
cation. The /. A. heard the voices o.
their friends who were il need. anc
sent in their heIchmen to put the
finishing touches in destroying Loca,
l5I.
Charges against Smith
The new administration preferred
charges against the financial secre-
tary Smith. When the trial commit
tee was ready TO render its decision
two I "A. re ntatives-Vitcom anC
McIntirc ca ne to the meeting, ano
while Smith was supposed to be
busy receiving dues, these two
gentlemen grabbed the financial
books and, ran away with them
Meanwhile, Smith disappeared ano
nobody knows" where he is.
A few days later the two I. A
"0rgani5erg' came to the newly
elected -Abramowitz, and
ordered him to appoint Rosen, the
defeated candidate for President, and
who was caught filling the ballot
boxes with fake votes-as financial
secretary Abramowitz refused to dc
this. They then ordered a special
Executive Beard meeting where they
made the same demand. They were
refused again. This was already tee
much for the I. A. Organizers" They
dissolved the Executive Board in the
name of the T. A. 1t was here where
the new administration began to play
into the hands of the I. A. wreckers
Instead Of mobilizing the rank and
file and fight back the combined at
tack on the local by the Interna-
tional wreckers and the local graft
ers, they ran to consult a man-a
member of Local 20, sister local OF
1877, who while being the Secretary OF
Socialist" National Labor Commit
tee, is the Ia. brains in local %.
They ran to consult man who de-
tends the I. A. on each issue in local
SO. They ran to consult a man who
fought-and is still fighting the
battle of the old corrupt clique, the
clique that was found guilty in Local