Evening star., 1937-01-15
Workers
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effort to refute claims that IAN era
Of good feeling" exists. Still other
representatives were scheduled to visit
Vice President Garner and Speaker
Bankhead in an attempt to enlist
their support in the movement for
continued and expanded relief and
works program.
Addressing the workers before the
parade got under way. David LASER.
national president of the alliance, told
them I'VE inform Congress that the
$3.50, 10000 appropriation which has
Deen recommended by President
Roosevelt Is utterly insufficient and. in
fact. reputation of the mandate
which the American people voiced in
the recent election"
The people voted on November 3
for an adequate program for unem-
ployment relief" LASER said. land we
are determined that that program shall
be carried out.
We are asking that those on w. P
A. projects be continued on those
projects until private industry provides
jobs for them"
LASER urged the workers to con-
duct themselves In a militant but
orderly fashion during the demon
stration, to prove I'VE can conduct
ourselves on the same plane as those
on Capitol Hill
1T is only an accident that we are
not on the Hill and they are not in
our place" he added.
Another speaker at the assembly
was Herbert Benjamin, national sec
retary, who declared the fact that
1000 OF us have gathered here on
three weeks notice should be a warn
ing to the men in the Capitol, White
House and, particularly, the Chamber
! OF Commerce that We will not permit
an era Of good feeling TO be estab-
lished at the expense of misery and
suffering among the public"
The workers arrived here early to.
day by trains and busses, coming from
all sections of the country. New York
sent delegation estimated at more
than 700. while other stable groups
came from Philadelphia. Boston, other
Eastern cities and many parts of the
South and West.
All OF the male delegates Wore paper
bands on their hats. on which were
printed in large blue letters: w. P. A
Must Go On
1t was believed at first that a heav,
rain might disrupt the parade plans
after many Of the delegates arrived al
the auditorium in dripping clothes
but cheers greeted an announcement,
by LASER that the march would 20 or
as scheduled.
Following the trek to the Capitol, the
marchers were to reaSSemble at the
Labor Department, hear reports from
their leaders and then depart for
home.
Meanwhile delegates representing
striking seamen also were reported
descending on the Capital in prepara
tion for a demonstration of their
own, to be staged Monday. Their
numbers could not be accurately esti.
mated, but police believed there were
at least several hundred in town.
Twelve Seamen picketers have beer
marching around the Commerce De.
partment Building for several days,
Many of the Workers Alliance
marchers carried banners and placard.
when they arrived, and these also
were used in the parade. A mum
Der of floats depicting the progress oi
w. P. A. arrived from New York tc
take part in the parade, however.
To Counterfeit Propaganda.
A statement issued from Alliance
headquarters. at 827 Fourteenth street
said the delegates were here tc
ccunteract the false propaganda Of
the powerful big business interests
and their allies inside the nationa
administration who want to influence
public opinion and the Government
to curtail and liquidate unemploy-
ment relief without liquidating unem-
ployment.
I'VE want Congress to know We
who have been on w. p. A. and SINH.
useful public work and services.
I'VE want Congress to know that
| there are hundreds of thousands oi
us who are now forced to depend upor
inadequate local relief, although We
can and want to do useful work In
private industry or on public works.
I'VE want Congress to know that
there are millions more who are un-
able 10 secure either work or relief.
I'VE want Congress to know that
the wages now paid on w. p. A. are
less than sufficient to provide bare
existence, and that the constant rise
in living costs makes existence on the
present wages increasingly difhcult.
THAT is why we are pressing for a
program that will provide 2,800. 900
jobs.
THAT is why we are pressing our
program for an increase of 20 per
cent in the present w. P. A. monthly
wage and for a minimum monthly
wage of $40 for the South, where wages
are as low as S21 month"
The statement, while cautioning the
workers to act in an orderly fashion,
at the same time informed them that
in case of "dificulties with the police
while you are exercising your right of
visiting your Congressman or Senator"
q representative Of the alliance will
be In the office Of the Capitol police
to straighten things out.