Meaning and Lessons of the Coal Crisis By William F. Warde and M. Stein THE - See Page 3 - MILITANT PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE
VOL. V II—No. 20 NEW YORK, N. Y„ SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1943 PRICE (5) CENTS Protest Against Mine Leaders Predict Walkout The Davies' Film Dewey-La Follette Natalia Trotsky Unless Contract Is Negotiated Letter Reiterates Appeals to Honest ft> Commission's Verdict Public Opinion The film “ Mission To Mos Natalia Sedov Trotsky, widow Govt. Tries to cow’’ is an example of the kind of Leon Trotsky, last week ap Union Members Are Prepared of "propaganda which falsifies pealed from Mexico "to all history through distortion, those who hold the truth dear, Head Off Militant omission or pure invention of all those who refuse to assume To Fight As Truce Nears End facts," according to a letter in moral responsibility for Stalin’s the May 9 N. Y. Times written crimes, to speak out in protest Action By Meager W ar Labor Board Crisis Sharpens and byjohn Dewey, noted American against ‘Mission To Moscow/ ” educator, and Suzanne La Fol the Davies’ motion picture ‘Roll Call’ Move AFL, CIO Call Emergency Conferences lette, liberal writer, who served which presents a 100% GPU By Philip Blake respectively as the chairman version of the Moscow trials. By C. Charles and secretary of the Interna Her full statement follows: May 12 — A new coal stoppage can be expected tional Commission of Inquiry “The film ‘Mission To Moscow’ Obviously intended as a no into the Moscow trials. ought to have depicted the Mos tice that the wage demands of at the end of the 15-day truce on May 18 if a con The Dewey-LaFollette letter cow trials with full and genuine thè miners and other workers tract is not negotiated by that time, leaders of the also declares: documentation and veracity; but would be denied under the pre “ ‘Mission To Moscow’ deals in reality this film merely under United Miné Workers in several important mining w rite s the lies and crude forgeries text that prices are being “ roll essentially with three things: ed back," the Office of Price districts warned this week. Soviet history since January, of these trials, the most outrage 1937; international relations since ous in the annals of history. Administration this week an On May 7 President Roosevelt told his press con “By terrorization, by threaten nounced that starting June 1, that time, and American history ference that he regards workers in the mines which since 1939. It falsifies all three... ing injury to the relatives and prices of seven items would be “In this synthetic trial (shown families of the victims, Stalin ex reduced by 10%. The items in have been taken over by the government as govern in the film) the accused confess torted admissions from people clude meats, butter and coffee. whose entire lives had been de ment employes who have no right to strike. This that their alleged crimes were The “roll back” in prices is to voted to the revolution — in par directed by Trotsky. What is be achieved through a subsidy to was understood as a sign of the administration’s readiness to use ticular, the admissions of the. mon omitted is the testimony in the the meat packers, dairies and cof every means at its disposal to break another coal strike and to strous charge that, they were in actual trials to specific alleged fee processors. uphold the authority of the greatly discredited W ar Labor Board. Hitler's service. All this was per meetings with Trotsky abroad— At. the same time the OPA pro But Roosevelt was answered only a few hours later when John testimony immediately challenged petrated prim arily because of fear of Leon Trotsky, his authority, his mises stricter enforcement of P. Busarello, president of District 5 of the U M W i declared that' in the world press and con price ceilings. unless an agreement covering the Appalachian mine field was clusively disproved by evidence political integrity and heroism. These promises w ill not succeed reached by midnight, May 18, “there will be no bituminous fuel offered in rebuttal before the in It was indispensable for Stalip to discredit Leon Trolsk.v in ad in the least in changing the produced in this district at. least.” He reported that the union’s ternational commission of inquiry workers’ minds concerning the of which the undersigned were vance in the eyes of the masses, district board, covering the de-S- to make him the target of the urgent need for wage increases to cisive Pittsburgh area, had voted respectively chairman and secre Utah, Missouri, ¡Kansas, Wash dirtiest, slander, before proceeding, meet the ris in g cost, of liv in g . to carry out “the traditional po tary. It is not irrelevant to men ington. Colorado and New Mexico as Stalin later did. with the as licy of ‘no contract, no work’ ” tion here that the commission, COMPLETELY INADEQUATE have also signified their intention after painstaking investigation, sassination. My husband, I^on after the truce deadline expired. Trotsky, was murdered on August First of all, the workers know of not "trespassing" on the mines concluded that the Moscow trials 20, 1940 by one of the< agents of that the increases in the prices “IF THIS IS NOT DONE. . .” if no settlement is reached by were frameups— a conclusion en of necessities have been far midnight of May 1®. dorsed by intelligent world Stalin's GPU. Since then a number of other “The production of ‘Mission To greater than 10% on a few items. opinion at the time of its an important sections of the uuion UNION ACTIONS Moscow’ was needed by Stalin in Reductions of a cent or two on havp adopted the same position. nouncement.” No word has been issued by the order to present a semblance of items »which have increased in Among these was District 6 in UMW policy committee since last justification for this vile crime. price by 20 and 30 cents will not Ohio and the West Virginia week when Lewis announced the I thought there was one course mean much to the workers. Panhandle, whose president, John 15-day truce following .the agree Five More Unions open to me: to turn to the courts The American Federation of La Owens, long know n as an im ment he claims was reached with in order to lay hare the colossal bor lias made a study of real portant lieutenant of the Lewis ad Ickes, but the position of the forgery of ‘Mission To Moscow,’ prices of goods used by workers. ministration in the unio n, union is clear nevertheless. Not Aid Kelly Postal its distortion of facts and of his The AFL survey shows that declared: only the statements of district of tory and its abysmal slander. But prices of food in. many cities have “We assumed when President ficials, but regretful reports in the to my great disappointment, I increased by over 100% since Jan Roosevelt instructed the solid Charges Condemned capitalist press that the miners was informed by my attorney that ua ry 7, 1941. fuels administrator (Ickes) to support the Lewis policy, attest As a Frameup and the legal code of the United And prices continue to skyrock seize the mines and operate them, to the fact that the miners are States does not provide for court, et. Price increases granted by the that they would negotiate wages ready to fight if no agreement is Stab at Labor's Rights action in the case of defamation OPA in February were douUle and conditions of employment reached. “It is essential at this time that of the dead. those in the previous month (in during the fifteen days of exten “Only one other course is left This was shown also by the labor unite for the defense of creasing by 1% as against the sion of the old agreement. If this me: to appeal to honest public prompt walkout of a number of Kelly Postal in order to hit hard Zi% of January). On May 4, is not done, the miners are de opinion. I appeal to all those locals after some of the mine against the anti-labor forces in OPA officials admitted that food termined to cease work.” Who hold the tru th dear, a ll those operators served notice they in the state of Minnesota. Our local prices were "practically out of The union locals in Wyoming, who refuse to assume moral res tended to fine each miher $1 for understands the situation and it con tro l.” ponsibility for Stalin’s crimes, to DUNNE ELECTION CAMPAIGN Senate Adopts each day they were out during is the opinion of our membership speak out in protest against ‘Mis PAYING FOR SUBSIDIES MINE PROFITS the recent strike. that the whole affair was a sion To Moscow.’ ” And it was demonstrated again frameup and a direct stab against According to the OPA "roll ROSE IN 1943 COMES TO SPIRITED CLOSE Anti-Labor Bill when Tow er H ill Local 7674 in labor’s democratic rights. On be back” plan, the meat packers, dai Prosperity continues for the the Pittsburgh area fined 25 mem half of the members of our —BULLETIN— ries and coffee processors w ill be mining companies. bers $5 each for working when union, I sincerely trust that Connolly Bill subsidized by the government to MINNEAPOLIS, May 11 (By wire) — V. R. Dunne, Social According to the April issue tho union walked out after the Kelly Postal will be exonerated Earl Browder: the amount, of 3300,000,000, so ist Workers Party candidate for mayor in yesterday’s primary Passes Senate By of the monthly bulletin of the contract expired on April 30. This of the charges, and be free to that the industrialists will be election, was credited with 779 votes In the first election returns. National City Bank, 30 lead was a sign of the disciplined continue his activities on behalf Overwhelming Vote able to meet increased costs with The primary vote was the lowest in the city’s history, constituting out cutting profits, or raising ing coal mines received 16% attitude of the union, possible of labor.” Strikebreaker more profits in 1942 than in only because those' flouting the a decline of 27% from 1941. Dunne’s vote represents a substan The Connally anti-strike bill, prices. Where w ill this money for 1941. Theyy got $23,980,000 in organization’s decisions consti By M IC H A E L CORT tial percentage increase over what he received as mayoralty the subsidies come from? United Steelworkers which if successfully enforced 1942 as against $20,623,000 in tuted a very small minority of candidate in 1937. He finished eighth among the ten candidates. The answer is nor. difficult, to The mine workers are now would go far toward the creation find. In tbe city of Washington, the previous year. These prof its members. Donate Generously The incumbent Republican, Kline, and H. Humphrey were nomin observing a 15 day truce in of slave labor in America, passed where the OPA is planning to it. figures are computed after These remarks accompanied a GOVERNMENT MOVES their fight with the operators, ated for the regular election to be held next month. the Senate on May 5 by the over maintain capitalist profits by giv the payment of all taxes, re: generous donation from Local but there is no truce in the ing huge subsidies to food corpor serve funds, etc. Meanwhile there were many 2431 of the United Steelworkers MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., May 9. — In winding up a live whelming vote of 63 to 16. As ations, Congress is now discussing It is to protect these profits signs that the government too was o f Am erica, Chelsea, Mass., to strike-breaking campaign of now constituted, the bill empow ly and spirited campaign as the Socialist Workers Party candi tax legislation. that the mine operators are preparing to stand fast in the the Civil Rights Defense Commit the Stalinists. The Daily Work ers the President, to seize any In the Congressional chambers mine wage dispute. tee which is conducting an in er ' is continuing its attacks date for mayor of Minneapolis, V. R. Dunne, at a final election fighting the mine union. I t was war plant or mine whose produc a tax program is being drafted to help protect these profits The Connally anti-strike bill, tensive campaign to defray the against Lewis and the mine m i rally today challenged “ the other candidates who ask for the upon the basic principle that the which was clearly aimed against legal expenses of the Kelly Postal tion is suspended because of a that the powerful forces of the litants; C. P. organizers are support of the working people” to state their position on the workers must, bear heavier tax the United Mine Workers, was appeal which w ill he heard before labor dispute, and fixes criminal government and the daily busy organizing anti-Lewis miners’ fight. '£>------press attacked the miners. the Minnesota Supreme Court on meetings in the mine areas; penalties on union leaders if Speaking before an enthusias periences in the turbulent, labor (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 3) May 17. unions strike in those plants or Max Yergan of the Stalinist- tic working class audience in the movement of the West as a mem Other Organizations dominated National Negro Minneapolis headquarters of the ber of the Western Federation of mines. Congress is attempting to get Socialist Workers Party on the Miners and the Industrial Work Once a plant is seized by the subject, “The Fighting Miners Give to Defense the 100,000 Negro miners to ers of the World; his early em executive, labor relations would ALP Council Asks Unions To scab against their white broth Show the Way,” Comrade Dunne ployment as an express wagon Among the other organizations charged that, “The people’s be frozen, and no wage ad ju st which contributed to the Kelly ers; and now Earl Browder driver; the fact that he was one democratic rights are being vio of the first truck drivers on the ments would be allowed except Postal defense fund during the himself is stumping the coun lated every day. Witness the vi streets of Minneapolis; his those ordered by the WLB Organize On Political Field last week were the American try in an effort to cut o ff the cious campaign launched against victimization during the anti Since this anti-labor body is com The trade unions should unite in these states are drastic beyond war emergency to attain their Youth Committee, Los Angeles, miners from labor support. the hard-pressed men in the coal union drives at the time of the mitted to the “Little Steel For precedent. ends. Calif.; UAW -CIO Fisher Body Browder spoke in St. Louis on mines who fight for nothing more their forces and begin im First World War; his work in the mula,” it means: no wage in “In Congress, the Hobbs bill, Local 45 and UAW -CIO Local May 7, in Milwaukee on May 8 and than the right to a living wage. mediate organization on the NO TIME TO LOSE coal industry for fourteen years creases. which responsible labor spokes 243, both of Cleveland, O.; UAW - in Buffalo on May 11, hurling the The miners’ families are ‘ill-fed, political field to combat a grow and his discharge in 1931 because Moreover, the essence of the men have denounced for infring “There is no time to be lost. So C IO Local 942, Detroit, Mich.; most vicious slander against the ill-clothed, and ill-housed.’ The “ he and his co-workers were meet bill is that all collective bargain ing anti-labor offensive, the ing on labor’s established rights Car, only certain sections of the State, County & Municipal Work miners and attempting to sow coal bosses live in wasteful lux ing with increasing success in ing rights would be wiped out. As Trade Union Council of the under federal statutes, passed the country have b'een affected, but ers of America, Minneapolis, discouragement and defeatism ury.” organizing the overworked and “employes of the government,” American Labor Party stated House early last month aud is let no one say that, his state or Minn.; Brewery Workers Local throughout the labor movement. Applause greeted his forceful underpaid coal yard drivers and workers would receive only those last week in an appeal ad now before the Senate. Other his community is immune. Un Mo. 9, Wilwaukee, Wise. The Browder line is the same as declaration: “I stand to the end laborers” were all described. wage and hour adjustments and bills, even more vicious, have less the organized workers This last week was designs led the D a ily W orker’s which wrote dressed to the trade unionists with the miners’ union and its working conditions which were been introduced and referred to throughout the country, together as Kelly Postal Week by the Na editorially on May 5, “There are OUTSTANDING UNION of America; The council repre leadership against the greedy handed to them by the govern various Congressional commit with the rest of liberal-minded tional Office of the Civil Rights no circumstances in this war BUILDER sents over 500,000 organized coal operators and the people in ment. Under such conditions it tees . . . citizenry, mobilize their forces to Defense Committee, 160 Fifth which can justify a strike. . workers in New York. high places who do their bidding.” Himself a pioneer of General would be impossible for unions to “A nation-wide conspiracy is resist the offensive of the labor- Ave., N. Y. All friends and sup Think that one. over! No informed Drivers’ Union, Local 574, and one function in protection of (heir The appeal begins by noting under way to hamstring the labor haters, no state, no community porters of labor's democratic worker doubts that it is fear of D U N N E ’S RECORD of those wounded in the famous members. that “for the last, six months re unions and to undermine the will be safe . . . rights are urged to send in strike action which today slows The long and honorable trade strike s of 1934, H a rry DeBoer Should such a h ill he adopted action has been rid in g high over social achievements of the past “The Trade Union Council of contributions to aid in reversing the boss offensive against the union record of the Socialist spoke with real feeling of Dunne’s and enforced, employers would be a large part of the United States.” decade. the American Labor Party, rep the conviction of the militant unions. Should the workers follow Workers Party candidate for contributions to the drivers’ move able to intensify their own of As a result of legislation adopted There is evidence that the so- resenting over 500,000 organized trade union leader, Kelly Postal. the Stalinist line, the unions mayor was recounted by Harry ment.: fensives against the unions, se in various states and presented lo called Christian American Asso workers of New York State both would be smashed within a month. DeBoer, campaign manager, in “With the firm establishment cure in the knowledge that, no Congress, “the very existence of ciation. a vicious reactionary out AFL and CIO, appeals to organ-, WHAT BROWDER introducing V. R. Dunne to a radio of General Drivers’ Union, Local matter how they violated the sign an effective trade union move fit that has been described as ized labor throughout tbe country READ DEMANDS audience on Friday, May 7. 574, he became an organizer for ed contracts the workers would ment. is at. stake.” Tt. continues: just another form of the lvu Klux to take immediate action to meet In his St. Louts speech Browder “Since 1909 when lie came to the union which he had played not dare strike under pain of be Klan. is behind tho drive. Cer the danger that is threatening us ANTI-LABOR OFFENSIVE said that strikes would “let loose Minneapolis to live, Vincent Ray such an important part in build coming “government employes,” tainly the campaign has the sup all. THE FOURTH explosions of class struggle in mond Dunne has been an active ing. The mighty role of Local that, is, stripped of all rights. “In Kansas, Colorado and Tex port of all reactionaries, labor- "The first and most, essential America.” But the facts are that worker in trade union and work 574 —■ later Local 544 — in aid The bill is now before the as, in South Dakota and Arkansas, halers and open-shoppers in the requirement is unity of action on INTERNATIONAL' the class struggle is going on every ing class political movements,” ing the workers of Minneapolis House, whose Military Affairs in Idaho and Mississippi, the country. They mean to cripple the part of labor. As long as la- said DeBoer. Committee has voted to make the anti-labor crusaders have tri the trade unions and they do not (Continued on page 3) Dunne’s early organizational ex (Continued on page 2) bill even more drastic. umphed. Some of the laws passed serupple to exploit the present (Continued on page 2) TWO — THE MILITANT SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1943 OPA Whitewashes Violations O f ALP Urges Unions To Organize Politically (Continued from page 1) form the backbone of the Amer Price Ceilings In Mining Areas ican Labor Party in the State of bor remains divided against itself, NeW York, urge our fellow-work The Office of Price Administration on M ay 9 made public its official report of an in -® its enemies will have an easy ers everywhere to unite their vestigation into the price of food in the nation's coal mining areas. tim e. forces politically into independent By Michael Cort The OPA survey of prices jn the coal fields was ordered by President Roosevelt after “Let all labor organizations, political organizations in each John L. Lewis declared that the cost of living fo r miners had soared to such heights as to Govt. Tries to AFL, CIO, Railway Brotherhoods community and state. You cannot One thousand UAW-CIO dele- case to the WLB and return to make it impossible for them to obtain primary necessities without wage increases. and United Mine Workers, join block the plots of the labor-haters gates, representing virtually every w ork. T h e ir case was th a t the The OPA report on the mi-® hands nationally and locally in unless you have political power, aircraft and automobile plant on WLB had failed to act on a wage Head Off Militant combating this growing menace and to have political power you ning areas is a whitewash of they made no attempt to actually were, by the admission of the in the east coast, met in New York raise granted thqm by a referee. to our common interests, to our must organize. Take a tip froin buy goods at the listed prices. They vestigators, at least 5% over legal on May, 6 for a regional con Thus the WLB becomes the Jhe food companies, company very existence. Let joint coin- us in New York where our party arrived at their conclusions by ceilings. The miners expect that Action By Meager ference and voted support for the Jury and the judge of its own and retail stores. Released a mittees be established in every taking the posted list of OPA shortly after the investigation has polled over 400,000 votes and miners in their struggle to Win sins. few days before the expiration state and in every community to maximum prices as the real prices prices w ill be hiked up again. is a power to be reckoned with a living wage. The other strike wàs conducted of the 15 day truce in the mine defend the labor movement a- in the state. Labor everywhere and by taking the storekeeper’s The resolution said: by Local 669 UAW-CIO against dispute, the report is above all A GIVE-AWAY ‘Roll Back’ Move gainst attack and to bring the can do the same or even better. Wright Aeronautical Corporation word for it that these were the “Whereas the miners are now (Continued from page 1) case of labor before the public. an attempt to confuse the Amer prices actually charged the The statement that prices miners “ But for that it must have unity engaged in a bitter struggle for in Paterson, N. J., and was broken Here in New York we are begin ican working class as to what customer. pay are not out o f‘line with those and organization, on tlie political a decent living standard, and when the striking workers in the ning to build up such a group is going on in the mining re But every consumer knows that Of Uearby cities is a dead give burdens, while the rich are fav as well as on the industrial front. whereas this struggle may con magnesium foundry were con in our Trade Union Council. the OPA ceilings are not Worth away. For what are the prices in ored. "Fellow-unionists! The time is ceivable break out into industrial demned by the UÁW top leaders gions. Something of the kind must be the paper they are printed on. nearby cities? short. Tomorrow the Colorado, warfare of the old kind, and and informed by the employer The most brazen conclusion of The OPA subsidy will merely developed everywhere if labor is The ceiling prices may be posted the Kansas or the Idaho law may where as the miners will be op that they would be fired if they the OPA report is that “actual The AFL in a study of prices increase the tax burden of the to have the strength to weather all over a store, but unless the be adopted in your state. Then posed in their just demands by did not return to work by May 5. prices on the commodities check in two typical towns, showed that workers. At best, the workers the crisis. various anti-labor forces, and the Thè s trik e Was over a cut in ed” average “about 5% above customer is willing to pay far prices of food at the end of March may perhaps pay slightly less for it will be too late to prevent it. fight against John L. Lewis is incentive bonus pay. Once the ceiling prices.” above the listed prices, he or she averaged 110% over thp January, a few food items, but proportion POLITICAL ACTION NEEDED The time to act is now. Unite to cannot buy any goods. This fact defend 'the labor movement a- not the issue in this particular workers áre tied to thè incentive Tbe report further asserts that 1941 figures in Canton, Ohio, w h ile ately greater taxes. And in all seems to have escaped the in “Labor’s enemies are carrying gainst the reactionary offensive! case, and whereas it is evident system, they are open to all sorts while substantial violations of food and clothing prices together likelihood thè workers will be their campaign to Congress and vestigators. that the miner’s fight, involving of chiseling from thè employer OPA maximum price regulations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, averaged loaded with 'higher faxes, and the state legislatures. Labor can Organize your forces politically in as it does the struggle against (Earl Browdèr notwithstanding). were general, food costs were “not FOR THE TIME ONLY 79% over the January, 1941 still be paying current or in answer only through political every state and community of * * i figures. lowering the living standard, is out of lin e with prices in nearby It likewise seems that they creased prices for food, even action. We, trade unionists who this country.” actually the fight of every work Chevrolet foremen are now or cities.” made no effort to discover if the By the assertion that miners after the subsidy. ing man and woman of America; ganizing under the UAW-CIO. prices had been lowered simul pay prices not “out of line”.w ith HOW THEY “INVESTIGATED” V a l u e o f o p a p r o m is e s therefore be it resolved that the This news was contained in the taneously with the announcement those in nearby cities, the OPA delegates here concerned go on lead story of the April 28 issue of The investigators limited them of the investigation. investigators help to underline Can the OPA’s promise to “roll THE PROBLEM OF record as endorsing the demands The ^Searchlight, official organ of selves to surveying stores com The M ilitant’s correspondent in the fact that living standards, back" be realized? If the OPA of the miners.” Local 659 in F lin t. plying with OPA regulations; the coal fields, A rt Preis, reported not only of the milters, but of all could not enforce previous price The conference also condemned “At the first meeting more than they made no attempt to discover last week that no sooner was the workers, are being forced down ceilings, w ill it be successful in POST-WAR ITALY incentive pay plans now being two months ago only seven men the total (legal and illegal) price news of an impending investiga by soaring prices and frozen the much more difficult task of pushed by the Stalinists. were present,” writes the paper, increases since January 1941. tion announced than the stores wages. Not only the miners enforcing the lower prices? By A. ROLAND * * * “while 51 were in attendance ai Furthermore, the investigators In the mining areas hurriedly should receive wage increases, Since the OPA operates, with a For the first time in the stormy the meeting held last week." frankly admit in their report that reduced prices. Even then, they but other workers as Well. very small staff, on the basis of The w a r is entering a crucial root and branch. The way to crush While 51 foremen is not a large 100 year h is to ry of textile s in policies designed to defend capi phase not only in the military fascism is to replace it by social New Bedford, the workers have number, considering the size of talist profits, the answer is clear: ism. the Chevrolet plant, it Compares sense, but in the political as forced the employers to sit around the OPA cannot enforce the new well. The end of the campaign Capitalism can be maintained the collective bargaining table favorably with the attendance price ceilings any more than they in post-war Europe only by Dunne Election Campaign in North Africa places on the' and adjust wages and hours and set at meetings of the auto work could enforce the old. preventing the workers and working conditions. The Textile ers when they were first organ order of the day for the Allied peasants from freely and demo izing. A t the Same tim e the capitalist Workers Union, CIO, has finally class is by no means united be armies the problem of knock cratically uniting to carry out backed the New Bedford Cotton The union is maintaining the Comes To Spirited Close ing Italy out of the war. While their own aims. Capitalism can h.e hind the subsidy plan. A group Manufacturers Association to the utmost secrecy concerning its upheld only by using many of (Continued from page 1) Communist Party in 1929 for ments. I stand for equal pay for of capitalists, represented by the the first landing in Europe may wall and forced it to surrender a plans for organizing foremen, those very same elements that demanding democracy Within the equal work for women, for the farm bloc” and the food proces not be in Italy itself, that coun Union shop, check-bff of union since these men are unprotected previously supported fascism. H it party for Leon Trotsky and his lowering of the voting age to 18, sors, are against the subsidy try will be invaded in a not- dues, seniority grievance machi by union contract and employer and, in fact, of the entire north ler and Mussolini were dictators, followers, he is at present one of for trade union wages and the plan. nery and pay for time lost by vengeance would fall swiftly and west, to obtain higher wages and too-distant future. If the poli .true enough,'but they Were after the national leaders of the Ameri right of the ballot for the mem These dissidents figure that al Shop stewards and committeemen surely if their names were reveal better working conditions, is well tical steps taken by Roosevelt all only the spokesmen for can Trotskyist movement.” bers of the armed forces, for lowing prices to rise freely is the in adjusting grievances. ed prematurely. known. To northwest workers and Churchill in North Africa monopoly capitalism. Churchill militant industrial unions, for best way of increasing their prof 12,500 te x tile w orkers are covered Meanwhile Congress has al the record of Vincent Dunne is D U N N E ’S RADIO SPEECH proved dishearteningly strong and Roosevelt have no desire to democracy in the labor movement, its. It is this group which a few by the new pact which was ready received a number of em completely identified with the destroy the monopoly capitalists In his radio speech addressed for an Independent Labor Party.” weeks ago successfully opposed medicine for the liberal and negotiated on April 30. ployer inspired bills aimed at glorious record of Local 544.” of Italy. Quite the contrary, they to working men and Women, V. the Farm Security Act, designed social-democratic supporters of The national union is meeting denying “the non-commissioned In describing the candidate’s OTHER CANDIDATES wish to enlist these same big R. Dunne declared that “the to aid small farmers with loans. the war, they stand to be sadly in convention this week in New officers of industry” the right of active participation in working bankers and industrialists on the establishment of a Workers’ and Dunne’s forthriight declaration A few months ago this group cast down indeed at the poli York C ity. collective bargaining. class political movements DeBoer side of the victorious Allies to said, “Along with his trade union Farmers’ Government in the in support of workers’ rights is in caused the termination of .subsi cies to be pursued in Europe. * * * “ * # * carry out a regime more to the organization work, he took an United States will mean the marked contrast to the feeble dies to m ilk producers, which re The Neio Leader recently sent Brewster aircraft Local 365 of Many industries fled to Canada liking of the United Nations than active part in organizing workers beginning of the end of world pronouncements of the so-called sulted in an Immediate jump in out a questionnaire to many the U AW -CIO , has withdrawn d u rin g the 1930’s to escape union that of Mussolini or Hitler. into the revolutionary socialist capitalism and along with it the labor candidates in the primary milk prices. Italo-American labor leaders and from the Stalinist-dominated organization (and of course to How will the leaders of post movement. Expelled from the end of imperialist war and election campaign. H. Humphrey, to some Italian anti-fascist re Greater New York Industrial exploit the Canadian market). THE PROGRAM NEEDED war Italy be chosen? Emphatically fascism.” the candidate endorsed by the fugees. They were asked to answer Union Council. The local charged This week another of these not according to the will of the He warned that "American AFL Central Labor Union, is The workers would stumble the questions: Are the Allies at that the Council was more con ¡fugitives from union wages and Ita lia n masses. They w ill be open-shoppers and trade union quoted as saying, “ I have not made into a pitfall if they supported war with “one man.” Mussolini— cerned with “political maneuvers” conditions was cornered by the chosen according to how safe they Stassen Leaves busters long for a system of fascist any commitments to organized one or the other group of capital or against the entire hierarchy or than with wages and conditions United Electrical, Radio and will make Italy for capitalism. It control in this country. They labor or organized capital. I am ists. Instead they should fight to fascism—its roots and develop Machine Workers, CIO, and forced is clear already that not the for the workers. dream of a ‘Nazism without H it not a stooge for anyone.” defend their standard of living ments? How shall tbe leaders of Top union bureaucrats, with to sign a contract.. Genelco, Ltd., Office Same Way slightest effort will be made to ler’—a ‘Fascism without Mus In the name of "unity.” the CIO by a completely independent pro post-war Italy be chosen?- Shall the aid of the WLB and the em a subsidiary of the General Elec dethrone the Italian monarchy solini’—a ‘Military dictatorship unions, controlled by the Stalin gram . the United States government ployers, broke two more strikes tric Company, surrendered in and substitute for it a democratic without the Mikado’.” ists, had agreed in joint con take steps to render immediate this week. International officers Peterboro, Ontario, on May 3. He Entered It The workers must first of all republic. How could one expect The necessity for independent ference with the Central Labor fight for the rising scale of wages help to the underground groups of the International Association This is the first time in the that from leaders who even M IN N E A P O LIS —One of Gov working class political action was Union to support Humphrey as in Ita ly ? of Machinists, AFL, forced strik history of Canadian GE that the So that every increase in prices proposed (perhaps still do) to ernor Harold Stassen’s first acts strongly stressed by Comrade the labor candidate for mayor. They did not direct these ing workers at the A ir Reduction company has fully recognized a w ill be m et by an increase in restore to power the most reac when he became the head of the Dunne. “It is high time that labor Only a week before the primary questions to the Allied lead Sales Company to submit their union. wages. All labor should support tionary of all monarchies, that of Minnesota state government back challenged the Republican and election, the CIO repudiated its ers. whose opinions in the the miners in their present strug the Habsburgs? What the Allied in 1938 was to maneuver past Democratic machines with its own former position and announced matter, it would seem, count a gle to raise wages in the face of command proposes is to set up the state legislature the notori political party! The election of that it was supporting ho bit more heavily than do those of increased living costs. a totalitarian regime based on the ous Stassen Slave Labor Law. representatives by a nation-wide candidate for mayor. CIO spokes the 'New Leader correspondents. New York Sunday Forum The w orkers m ust of course de power of armed might. Of course This law provided for a lengthy, Labor Party would open up the men informally told newspaper The British and U. S. governments mand that prices be stopped from thè worst of the fascist leaders waiting period before a union is possibilities for the workers reporters that the Republican have already answered the ques going up and be rolled back. But w ill be ousted, perhaps punished. permitted to strike, and was op locally and nationally to legislate incumbent for mayor, Marvin L. tions. Churchill said it was only Ends Successful Series this cannot be accomplished by But the real masters back of the posed by the union movement. in their own interests,” he stated. Kline, is being favored in some one man that the English were the im p o te n t 'ÓRA. fascist politicians, the big finan With last week’s lecture by sessions and future activities of One of Stassen’s la st acts be He cloSed his speech w ith a CIO circles. fighting in Italy, Mussolini. Roose Instead, price control and ra ciers, w ill not be touched. In fact William F. Warde on “Roosevelt the school. fore he resigned office last month scorching attack on the “flag- Out of this maze of confusion v e lt has hot been quite as ous- tioning must be placed under the any Italian who tries to harm and the Coal Crisis,” the Sunday While the forum last Sunday to accept a berth in the Navy as waving profiteers who are today and betrayal, V. R. Dunne emerges spoken as his colleague, hut the eóntròl of mass committees of un these figures or their system w ill Night Forum of the New York was the last to be scheduled in a commissioned officer, was to attempting to wipe out the gains as the only candidate worthy of inferences are all there, plain to ions, working farmers and house ‘find himself in need of Allied School of Social Science completed the regular series, there Will be sign, and thus enact into law, two made by a militant labor move the support of Minneapolis Work be seen. re-education. its highly successful spring series important single lectures given more viciously anti-labor bills. ment.” Counterposing the SWP ing class voters. wives — dedicated to the defense CAPITALIST ROOTS of lectures on labor problems. during the summer. One of these S.F. 612, requires election program to such an òf thè people’s living standards Of course, these answers to the OF FASCISM It was the aim of the school to The Winter series given by the that a vote be taken before a attempt, he said: and opposed to all moves of Big naive questions of the 'Neio Leader bring leading Marxist speakers to School included talks on "Ameri strike can be called, and makes “I stand for a rising scale of Business to maintain and increase The political strategists of have been given on the assump the public on important questions can Economy at War,” by C. it unlawful for one union to aid wages to meet the rising cost of Student Problems their profits by raising prices. demdcratic capitalism, must of tion that the aims of the demo of the day. Among the speakers at Charles and "Colonial Peoples and another in disputes involving the living. I stand for increased necessity draw a distinction be cratic capitalists are carried tìut the forum -were Albert Goldman, the Second World War,” by John processing and transportation of benefits to the families of men tween capitalism and fascism. But in life. -There precisely lies the E. R. Frank, Felix Morrow, C. G. Wright. The series on “Dialec food. The second Stassen-backed in the armed forces, for higher Left Unsolved in their actions they are forced worm of doubt that disturbs the Charles, W illiam F. Warde, John tical Materialism” by Warde law is even more vicious, provid pensions for the aged and the N O W IN IT S to deal with the reality that innards of the capitalist politicos. G. Wright and others. The at attracted record crowds add ex ing for a “labor referee” to be mothers of dependent children, for capitalism in Italy and Germany Can the masses of Italy, later of tendance was excellent and tended over 9 week's. appointed by the governor, with free day nurseries for the children By Conference SECOND PRINTING Was the creator and supporter of Germany, be made to sub m it to reached a high point at Albert The lectures on “The Soviet powers to “disqualify” a union of working mothers, for an in The first annual conference of the fascism. Without the brutal and their ruling class? After all, no Goldman’s lecture on the Erlich- Union, 1917-1943,” given by F e lix from representing its member crease in the appropriations of the United States Student Assembly unbridled dictatorship of Hitler other ru lin g class can be Sub A lte r case. Labor problems, v ita l Morrow every Wednesday evening, ship. The “referee” has the fur Education and Health Depart ended in a defeat of the Stalinists and Mussolini, capitalism in Ger stituted for the one which led the political issues, and the discussion w ill continue for two more weeks. ther power to stick his nose in who attempted to take over the many and earlier in Italy -would nation into such suffering and around the film “Mission To Mos The New York School of Social all union affairs, to subpoena organization. The conference was have gone under and been sup defeat. Some new surface of this cow” drew a new audience which Science w ill reopen its regular witnesses, etc. held at the YWCA in New Yoi-k planted by socialism. ruling class will be presented as expressed a great interest in the Sunday Night Forum and lecture •Sander Genis, state CIO presi City oh May 7-9. The roots of fascism are neither though it were entirely different work of the school and signified series in the fall. Watch The dent, has publicly charged that A conflict occurred between the more nor less than the roots of from the old brand, but w ill this the intention of attending fall M ilita n t for future announcements. Stassen double-crossed the union liberal bureaucrats who run the capitalism in utter decay. Does deception take? bureaucrats by signing the anti organization and the Stalinist the Neio Leader mean seriously to B u t the New Leader manifests £ ~ ...... labor measures after giving his bureaucrats who’d like to run it. imply that Roosevelt and Chur the greatest of faith in the masses Despite the Post Office cancellation of our second-class mail word that he would not. There was no real ideological con chill desire to destroy these roots, —in words. What does its support rights, this paper continues to be sent through the U. S. mails. “The bill which you permitted flict between the two groups, both to crush capitalism in Italy? No of long-term occupation of the Be sure to get your copy regularly: to become law is as damaging of which agreed on supporting doubt we will be told that even fascist countries after their defeat to free labor as it was in its the war. This was demonstrated these social - democrats know mean then? It means just about SUBSCRIBE NOW original form when it was pro most forcibly by the fact that better, that what they expect is the same th in g in th e ir case as posed in the state senate. . . You despite the shellacking of the the restoration of democratic in that of the outright capitalists. Read have let us down and we have no Stalinists at the Conference, the capitalism. But What do they mean It proves their fear and distrust way of explaining to our consti Daily Worker for May 11 hailed by this? Italian defeat in the war of the masses of toilers. Social- tuents why you as governor have it as a “victory for the war w ill bring in its train the greatest democracy shows in this way that not lived up to your commit e ffo rt.” crisis in Italian history. How Will it knows it cannot rule withòut THE MILITANT ments,” whined Genis. Students, and youth in general, the Neio Leader suspend the class the aid of thè capitalists against W eekly Even the AFL Teamsters’ lead will find nothing to solve their struggle that is bound to burst the majority. For the sake of the ers, who have zealously sought to problem in this conference which \ NEW, REVISED EDITION forth when Mussolini flees the plums of power, social democracy Six Months ...... $ 1 .0 0 protect Stassen from the rank abounded in generalizations about country? is willing to deceive thè masses One Y e a r...... $ 2 .0 0 and file workers’ hatred, speak a “dynamic revision of society," OF THE POPULAR 32-PAGE The question as to whether the and uphold capitalism. But bitterly in the Minnesota. a “new America,” etc. U. S. government shall take steps capitalism cannot afford to turn Combination offer: Teamster about the need for labor No really progressive and m ili PAMPHLET to help the underground move to social democracy in the im to “ defeat those reactionaries who tant opinion was represented ment in Italy is laughable. Roose mediate post-war period. That 1 y e a r o f The Militant and 1 year of the pretend to represent the interest except possibly for John Loeb, a v e lt gave his answer in the case would be much too dangerous, be of all the people.” They also delegate from California, who was by C. Charles of France when he recognized cause social democracy would be m onthly magazine, Fourth International . $3.00 threaten to challenge the latest hardly able to represent a work Giraud who refused pointblank to entirely too weak to hold back the Stassen laws in the court. tide that must inevitably sweep (Clip and Mail This Coupon) ing class viewpoint. Loeb was 5c PER COPY have anything whatever to do with In a parting effort to defend unable to get a resolution put the French underground. The over Europe. All the policing In his anti-labor measures Stassen forward warning liberal and labor Girauds, assisted by the Allied the world w ill not stem this tide. THE MILITANT PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION claimed that "they will promote groups against the Stalinists, nor 3 */2 c IN BUNDLES armies, will make every effort The questions of the Mew 116 University Place, New York, N . Y. democracy within labor organiza was he allowed to present a resolu rest assured, to suppress the Leader have thus been answered. tions.” This is the same Stassen tion. defending civil rights for underground, the most important The very posing of the questions I enclose $ ...... Please send my subscription to: who used all the powers of his minority political parties. section of Which includes the shows that the social-democrats office in .1941 to prevent the Among the many reactionary labor and socialist elements. Just are preparing to step from under Minneapolis drivers from ex resolutions passed was one calling how the social-democrats can ask the responsibility of having sup N a m e ...... ercizing their democratic right to John L. Lewis a "psychotic labor Order from for aid to the underground, and ported the war on the basis of select their own union. leader” and bracketing him with at the same time support the idea aims that never existed. The war Address...... Stassen left office as he en the anti-labor Eddie Rickenbacker PIONEER PUBLISHERS of policing Europe after victory, is entering a period when the real tered it — the relentless foe of as “discrediting labor.” When will not be explained clearly by aims will- become clear for all to unionism, the tool of tbe wealthy see. City ...... State ...... Loeb tried to protest and defend 116 University Place them. Back of the policing of the labor-haters in this state and na the mine workers, he was not "new” Europe lies precisely the gle and suppressing those who tion. recognized by the chairman. aim of preventing the class strug- want really to destroy fascism, THREE SATURDAY, MAY. 15, 1943 T H E MILITANT
"LABOR WITH A WHITE) SKIN CAN Government, Bosses, Press NOT EMANCIPATE) ITSELF WHERE Lessons Of The Coal Crisis The LABOR WITH A BLACK SKIN IS BRANDED" — KARL MARX. By William F. Warde Another argument: “The nation them back to conclude a settle breaking attitude of certain AFL needs production at all costs.” ment with the miners? No. he and CIO officials, the bulk of rank welcomed them to Washington and file unionists support the And Radio Vs. The Miners (The following are extracts Last year the miners produced Negro Struggle from a speech delivered on May 9 more coal than ever before in his and placed the machinery of the miners. Thanks to his aggressive By M. Stein before the Sunday Night Forum of tory. They are wearing themselves WLB at their disposal. and independent policies, I-eivis has done much to rehabilitate his the New York School of Social out in the process. To maintain But When the miners were The n a tio n ’s coal diggers vs. geney.” But once the workers fire reputation.