The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-03

Roosevelt ana Dill GT6eu 10 pun
over truce" in the steel industry,
and to demand an organization
drive as the first step toward achiev-
ing demands formulated at the seth
convention last spring.
The meeting was Joint district
conference of all district committee
members. which district Chairman
Earl Forbeck did his best to sabotage
by sending calls out only four days
before the meeting. 1t bespoke the
growing tenseness Of the organized
steel workers today that such large
turnout attended.
International officials ThoS. ellis,
Edward Miller, and Shorty" Leo
nard president Mike Tighe was alb
sent) were helpless in attempting
to control the meeting, in the face
of a determined rank and file which
exposed the do-nothing policies of
the international officers and laid
down it's own program.
Red Scare Defeated
The old, outworn red scare" was
raised only to collapse on the head
of the one who raised 1t. Shortly
after the meeting was called to
order, Walsh, of McKeesport, rose
to point of order"
Mr.. chairman" he roared, there
are Communists in here"
All the delegates were Immediately
interested, and everyone wanted to
see one of these Communists. Cries
of Where is he" Which one is
him." were heard. Walsh singled
out ar her delegate from Mckee
sport, Here is one
Somebody asked, Does he have
q card?" The accused" pulled his
union card from his pocket. That
was all that the delegates wanted
to know. The workers dispensed
with further questioning. One
jumped to his feet to demand
whether the delegates were here
to discuss politics or organizing the
steel industry" and Brother Walsh,
his red scare" a complete flop, was
left to subside foolishly in his seat.
Reports were called for from all
lodges which had been involved in
negotiations with the Steel Board.
Each report was practically the
same. Delegates from Weirton, from
Mcdonald, Duquesne, Apollo, Hum
tington and others all telling virtu-
ally the same story, the Labor
Board has done not a single thing
for our lodge"
Steel Board Exposed
Each drew practically the same
conclusion, that the Steel Board
would do nothing in the future,
either, 50 the workers themselves
had better take steps to achieve
their own demands.
A delegate from Weirton, black
listed since the strike there, de-
scribed the situation in that city.
Workers who are in the A. A. are
demanding that a strike be called.
The do-nothing A A. national of
ficers' policies which have dis
gusted many of the union men and
led to the building of strong COM
The same delegate later stated
that they are in an awful mess"
down in Weirton, and if Commu-
nists can show them the way out,
they will be only too glad to follow
them. A burst of applause greeted
his declaration. The reports showed
strike talk among the steel workers
In more than one place, in each
case plants where the A. A. is strong
organizationally-in Duquesne, Ali
ouippa, Apollo Especially in plants
where cases of outright discrimina-
ton exist are the workers bitter
against the Board and Tighe's en-
dorsement of it.
In the little Apollo plant, the mill
was just reopening Sunday night
following short strike against
working Sundays and holidays, their
demands won. But their wage scale
agreement, which the company re-
fused long ago, has been referred
to the Labor Board" by Tighe
On one occasion, when Leonard
launched into an attack on dele
gate from Weirton, the latter jumped
to his feet, interrupted and made
devastating counter ATTACK on the
international official AS he finished,
regular demonstration was staged
in support of his remarks.
Meet Again Feb. 3
Concretely, the conference put an
official stop to further reliance on
the Labor Board Following the re-
ports mentioned above, resolution
was introduced and passed almost
without opposition, which points
out: a. The utter futility of rely
ing on the boards for any real bene-
fit to the steel workers; b. the con-
tinued sufferings of victimized
workers and the harmful effects of
six months inaction on the organ
izing campaign; c. that the program
of action (strike) was called off at
the June convention only on the
understanding that questions sub
mitted to the board would be sat-
isfactorily settled; d. the falling off
OF membership during this period.
1t then calls for another joint con-
ference in Pittsburgh on Feb. 8, to
consider steps for achieving de-
mands formulated at the seth con-
venJIon.
Demands
These demands included the six
hour day, the five-day week. an in
crease in wages, equal rights for Ne
gro workers, in addition to recog-
milton.
The resolution also called for the
issuance of invitations to local
unions of the United Mine Workers
and the aluminium Workers for a
l