The Butler County press. [volume], October 16, 1925, Image 1

About The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
*••1 £... /,. 4^C
C"
&*" "f
&
kr.
i-
K-
VOL. XXV. No. 27
By International Labor News Service.
Atlantic City, N. J.—Friendship
between the workers of Germany and
the workers of the United States was
renewed and greatly strengthened at
the second day's session of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor convention,
when a German trade union delega
tion of fifteen presented German la
bor's message to American labor
through Fritz Tarnow, woodworker.
As Tarnow, chairman of the dele
gation, arose to speak following his
introduction by President Green, the
delegates stood and gave him a re
ception that breathed hearty enthus
iasm for the great German trade
union' movement.
Republic Safe, He Says
Tarnow declared that the German
republic is safe, the monarchists can
not come back, communism is but a
shell, and that the army of five mil
lion German organized workers stands
ready to defend the republic.
"In Germany only fools and polit
ical blockheads believe it is possible
for the republic to be overthrown,"
he said.
"We have made great headway
through the abolition of the old royal
and autocratic state. Had we given
the old rulers a chance they could
have overthrown the new democratic
republic, but we did not give them a
chance."
As to bolshevism, Tarnow "said,
"Bolshevism is a very good religion
for starving men. In the unions we
do riot want this despair. We want
PUBLIC PRINTER
OUSTING
Urged in Three Resolutions
Before A. F. of L.
Convention
By International Labor News Service.
Atlantic City, N. J.—Three resolu
tions presented before the annual con
vention of the American Federation
of Labor urge the removal or investi
gation of Public Printer George H.
Carter at Washington.
William S. Sampson, of the Pitts
burgh Central Labor Union, declared
Mr. Carter had been guilty of actions
detrimental to the printing industry
and urged that the executive council
take such steps as it deemed neces
sary to aid in his remvoal.
James M. Lynch, president of the
International Typographical Union,
introduced a lengthy resolution de
manding investigation of charges
against Carter. The convention un
questionably will support Lynch and
give all possible support to his de
mand, which is a repetition of the
demand made by the International
Typographical Union in its own con
vention.
The Federation's legislative strength
pi-obably will be thrown against Car
ter to bring about inquiry by Presi
dent Coolidge and possibly by con
gress.
After citing the charges against
Carter, the Lynch resolution demands
"that we, delegates to the forty-fifth
annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor, assembled at At
lantic City, N. J., hereby respectfully
request President Coolidge to investi
gate the serious charges made by the
Typographical Union against Public
Printer Carter, and should his excel
lency decline to do so, the executive
council of the American Federation of
Labor is hereby instructed to demand
of congress that an investigation be
made by a committee of senators and
representatives."
ACCIDENTS
Killed 124 Coke Workers
Last Year, Report
By International Labor News_ Service.
Washington, D. C. Accidents to
persons engaged in the manufacture
of coke in the United States in 1924
resulted in 24 deaths and 1,645 in
juries, according to statistics made
public by the United States bureau of
mines. The figures show a lower death
rate and a lower injury rate for the
coke industry than in any other year
on record. Reports from operating
companies show that 20,451 men were
employed in the industry in 1924, and
that they performed a volume of
work equivalent to 6,204,448 man
shifts, an average of 303 work days
per man. The death rate was 1.16
per thousand men employed (full
time or 300-day workers), and the
injury rate was 79.54.
As compared with 1923, the number
of employes in the coke industry in
1924 represented a decrease of 14 per
cent the number of man-shifts, a re
duction of 91 per cent the' average
work days per man, a decline of 6 per
cent. The number of deaths was 21
less than in 1923 while the non-fatal
injuries were 948 fewer ilk number
than in the previous year.
".«'1
1
m''7W*Pf
v'^
Tarnow's Speech Strengthens
Friendship Between Workers
6f Germany and United States
to increase wages and improve living
conditions.
To Study Conditions Here
"We have come to study economic
and social conditions. German em
ployers "fi&ve several times equipped
expeditions to this country. These
have returned to report a lot that
seems very curious. We have come to
find out for ourselves. They told us
that America was a rich country that
could afford to pay high wages, and
that therefore the German workers
must work longer hours. We believe
these German employers wore bad
spectacles when they were seeing
America. We shall begin our report
just where the German employers
closed their mouths."
Tarnow paid glowing tribute to the
memory of Samuel Gompers, whose
grave the entire delegation visited im
mediately upon arrival in New York.
World Solidarity Urged
Striking indication of the feeling
toward the German trade unionists
was given by President Green when,
to a round of applause, he said:
"Let those on the outside divide,
let them sow the seeds of discord as
they will, but let the trade unionists
of the world stand together."
Coming, as it did, after both Green
and the Germans had repudiated
every fad and fancy, every dogma
and ism except straight trade union
ism, it was of high significance in re
gard to their international relations
into which the American Federation
of Labor is willing to enter.
SOCIALISTS ACCEPT
NON-PARTISAN PLAN
Milwaukee.—Socialists in this city
—their sti'onghold in the United
States—are abandoning their "no
compromise" attitude and are accept
ing the A. F. of L. non-partisan plan,
This was indicated at the recent spe
cial election for United States senator.
John M. Work, socialist candidate,
was defeated by Robert M. La Fol
lette, Jr., in every ward in the city.
Work polled but 7,563 as against
31,102 for his opponent. In the 20th
ward, the strongest Socialist section
in the city, the vote was: La Follette,
2,542 Work, 726.
In Milwaukee county Work polled
but 8,519, as against 37,354 for La
Follette.
CHARGE MONOPOLY
In Aluminum Field Where
Mellon's Control
Boston.—A $15,000,000 suit against
the Aluminum Company of America
has been filed in the federal court
here by George D. Haskell, of Spring
field, president of the Bausch Tool
Company.
The plaintiff alleges that he entered
into a contract with the Quebec
Aluminum Company and that the
Aluminum Company of America con
spired to have the contract repudiated.
The defendants include Richard B.
Mellon, of Pittsburgh, brother of the
secretary of the treasury.
Washington.—The aluminum kit
chenware trust, controlled by the
Mellons of Pittsburgh, which is again
in the public eye, started in 1888 with
a paid-up capital of $20,000, according
to a speech in the last congress by
Congressman Rainey. The Illinois
lawmaker said that the actual invest
ment was later increased to $1,000,
000, "and that is all they have ever
invested in it, and that is the $20,
000,000 aluminum company of Amer
ica which we have today."
In 1921 the company was paying 12
per cent on its capitalization, or a
profit of 140 per cent on the original
capital and reinvested capital and a
profit of 1,000 per cent on the money
they originally put into the business.
Congressman Rainey said that when
the present tariff law was being con
sidered a representative of the com
pany asked that the 7 per cent tariff
duty, provided in the Payne-Aldrich
bill, be restored, as this would "offset
every diffei-ence in labor cost in pro
duction."
"They gave him 9 cents a pound,"
said Congressman Rainey, "because
Mr. Mellon, who owned these com
panies, was the secretary of the treas
ury, with all the power and patronage
that went with that office."
NON-WORKERS
Spend Their Wages Under
Orders of Feudal
Masters
Charleston, W. Va. Antiunion
coal owners in this state are compell
ing their serfs to sign an agreement
that they will purchase no union-made
article and maintain no relation with
union men or with friends and sym
pathizers of trade unionism.
These non-union workers, who have
reached the lowest level of serfdom.
"V?:
5AV,H0WVW
&0IN'TO (SET TWS
1HIH&THR006HTHE
VJHEN 1^5 WIPER
THBN1HE 0P£NlN(j
ITSELF—TELL
tte THAT
1
3*Wrt«M.W.N.V.)
By Staff Correspondent, International
Labor News Service
Chicago.—Officers and members of
the International Seamen's Union of
America are deriving a great deal of
amusement over the collapse of the
so-called "world strike" of seamen.
The strike, which was "on" for sev
eral weeks under the direction of the
American I. W. W., was called by the
latter organization to aid George
Hardy, leader of the outlaw commun
ist strike of seamen in England, Aus
tralia and South Africa.
The "picket line" in New York,
where the I. W. W. claimed to have a
large number of ships tied up, con
sisted of one man, who stood in front
of the I. W. W. headquarters on
South street and passed out handbills
to men, women and children.
Strike Failure in American Ports
Not a ship was tied up in any
American port, it is claimed, notwith
standing the many grandiloquent bul
letins which were issued.
The American end of the attempt to
disrupt the International Seamen's
Union of America and the Sailors and
Firemen's Union of Great Britain and
Ireland has been declared "off" by the
I. W. W., and the outlaw strike in
Australia has gone flooey. George
Hardy is still hanging onto the ropes
in England at this writing, but is cer
tain to go down to defeat.
International Labor News Service
can rightfully claim a big share of
the credit for defeating this world
wide attempt by the Red International
of Labor Unions of Russia to disrupt
and capture two great international
unions of seamen.
Union Asks 1. L. N. S. to Help
International Labor News Service
was asked for help when George
previously signed "yellow-dog" con
tracts, in which they pledge not to
join the miners' union.
The "yellow dog" is now extended
to the few dollars the employe may
receive after the company store has
helped itself to his low wage.
These non-union workers live in
houses that are surrounded "by gun
men and guards. During the night
electric lights destroy all privacy.
The purpose is to make it impossible
for a trade unionist to visit the non
union miner.
With injunctions ^Without number
issued by subservient courts, the anti
union coal owners have established
complete serfdom in this state,
though their publicity agents issue
propaganda on the "free and inde
pendent" workers who cannot join a
union, who are paid low wages, who
are told who can visit them, and how
they may spend their money. When
they enter the non-union mines they
take their lives in their hands because
of the coal owners' disregard for the
West Virginia mining laws. Last
August 41 of these unfortunates lost
their lives because of lack cf tim
bering and other safety devices.
DEPARTMENS ELECT
Atlantic City.—With one exception
three departments of the A. F. of L.
re-elected their presidents and secre-
.- S v .- i y
v
'f-Y
The Fall Problem
v
fc
Abortive "Strike" Quickly
Ends as I. L. N. S. Reveals
Facts on Revolt's Leadership
Exposure of Hardy 's Record Big Factor In
Collapse of Red War on Seamen's Union
Hardy had l-eached the zenith of his
power in misleading British seamen
all around the world.
International Labor News Service
knocked the props from under Hardy
within ten days after it got on the
job. The task was simple enough, but
it took some rapid thinking and ener
getic leg work here in Chicago for a
few days.
Officers of the Sailors and Fire
men's Union of Great Britain and Ire
land cabled to the International Sea
men's Union of America asking who
in heck this fellow Hardy was. The
British seamen knew that Hardy had
lived in America for a long time, but
they did not have any exact informa
tion concerning him.
Victor A. Olander, secretary-treas
urer of the International Seamen's
Union of America, turned the matter
over to International Labor News
Service for investigation. After two
days of examination of United States
government records, research among
old newspaper files and interviews
with former acquaintances of George
Hardy here in Chicago, a story was
cabled to the Seamen of London, offi
cial publication of the British sailors.
Story Cabled Around World
The seamen recognized the story as
the real goods and relayed it to Aus
tralia, South Africa and the Orient.
The immediate result in Australia was
that the communist strike leader
there took to the tall timber and the
strike collapsed.
The officers of the Sailors and Fire
men's Union of Great Britain and Ire
land very generously appropriated
$50,000 16 take care of the destitute
families left in the wake of the Aus
tralian fiasco.
Over in England Hardy yelled,
taries at their annual conventions
here. President O'Connell and Secre
tary-Treasurer Berres, of the metal
trades, President Hays and Secretary
Treasurer, of the union label trades,
and Secretary-Treasurer Tracy, of the
building trades, were returned to
office. President Hedrick, of the latter
department, declined to be a candi1,
date. W. J. McSorley, president of
the Lathers' International Unjon,
was selected.
i
MNERniEAD
Speaks at Union's 25th
Birthday Celebration
By International Labor News Service.
Indianapolis, Ind.—John L. Lewis,
prseident of the United Mine Work
ers of America, was the principal
speaker at the celebration of the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the found
ing of Local Union 1536, Coaldale,
Pa. Vice President Murray and Sec
retary Thomas Kennedy, of the in
ternational union here, were also in
attendance and spoke.
A feature of the meeting was a big
parade in which 300 charter members
of the union participated. There were
big delegations present from other
local unions in the hard coal fields.
President Lewis discussed the pres-
K'
WEU IT
CEKTAtHtV
went in
CHROUifcHj/
THAT
W0R
Communists Make Abusive Denials
Publication of the story in England
enraged the Third International gang
over and their publications came out
in abusive attacks and loud denials of
the truthfulness of the statements
contained in the International Labor
News Service cablegram. Hardy him
self was the loudest in these denials,
and he threatened to sue the Sailors
and Firemen's Union for $25,000
damages. He denied his identity with
the man who had served time in Lea
venworth prison as a result of his
conduct in this country during the
world war., and claimed that he had
been a "gob" serving on a war vessel
during that time.
Officers of the British seamen ca
bled Hardy's statements and denials
to International Labor News Service
at Chicago and asked for another
story. A 60-word story was promptly
sent by cable, and that cooked Hardy's
goose properly. His stock isn't worth
one cent on the dollar now.
Worker Admits Truth of Story
A comical angle to the situation is
the attitude of the Daily Worker, offi
cial organ of the Russian soviet gov
ernment in America. The Daily Work
er admits in a first-page article that
Hardy is the man that International
Labor News Service has said he is,
but claims that it was a dirty, low
down, mean^trick to tell on him. The
Daily Worker points the finger of
scorn at Victor Olander, Andrew
Furuseth and J. Havelock Wilson,
head of the British seamen, and
charges them with having made a "de
spicable attack" on Hardy, the belov
ed "comrade" of Foster, Ruthenberg,
Trotzky, Zinoviev, et al.
ent coal situation and assured the coal
miners of the justness of their cause
in demanding an increase in wages*
and better working conditions in the
anthracite fields. The members of the
local union were felicitated upon their
loyalty and in the service they had
rendered to the cause of trade union
ism.
This local was organized in 1900
and is one of the oldest in the hard
coal fields. It has enjoyed a continu
ous existence since its founding.
NAVY YARD WORKERS
MEET
Washington.—N. P. Alifas was
elected president of the machrinists'
navy yard and arsenal district of the
International Association of Machin
ists for the tighth consecutive term
at the biennial convention here.
The convention urged that all gov
ernment work be performed in gov
ernment industrial establishments.
Increased retirement pensions were
favored and changes were urged in
the efficiency system which will elimi
nate discrimination against union em
ployes. The convention declared for
a definite understanding with govern
mental departments for shopcommit
tee recognition and the right of com
mittee men to perform their duties
without suffering in their efficiency
markings. v
inVyiL k«%,
'i ''.
HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1925 ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR
.KNOW,POT
wm.
60T (T
'v® THERE
v
LASr
'PR I NO
•f^'Liar, murder, watch, police!" when
the cabled story from International
Labor News Service was made public.
The British seamen not only published
the story in their official organ, but
they also had printed many thousands
of handbills containing the full story
and played up with big headlines.
These bills were passed out in large
quantities in every British port, and
a great number of them found their
way to all parts of the world on out
going ships.
life
JC'
.- ..-/ ••--1* .' •*,-*-' .-*. '-'V '."'* -,. „r
-\f
•*•.
By International Labor News Service.
Atlantic City, N. J.—A warm trib
ute to the life and work of the late
Samuel Gompers was paid by Presi
dent William Green, in opening the
forty-fifth annual convention of the
American Federation of Labor here.
Mr. Green urged labor to keep the
faith as expounded by Mr. Gompers,
as a tribute to the great leader's mem
ory. He said, in part:
Now, fellow delegates to this con
vention, I am sure that while you as
semble here with hearts and souls
full of expectation and hope, while
you come to this convention happy in
the consciousness that you are hon
ored by being privileged to represent
a great constiuency, that your assem
bling here on this occasion affects you
very, very deeply. It is a solemn
moment, because we are conscious of
the fact that for the first time since
1885 the great leader who led for half
a centux-y is not here to preside over
your deliberations.
Leader For Forty Years
"For over 40 years, at each annual
convention, with the exception of one,
he was an outstanding figure, a pre
siding officer, one whose name is syn
onomous with that of the American
Federation of Labor. He is not here
for the first time. Many of you who
attended the El Paso convention last
year will remember how sad and sor
rowful we felt each day as we looked
into his weary face and observed there
the waning strength, and we felt that
surely he could not be with us much
longer. That was the most solemn
TAX ongasolm
Imposed in All States But
Four
By International Labor News Service.
Washington, D. C.—There are now
only four states which do not make
the automobile owner pay a tax on
gasoline, according to the bureau of
public roads of the United States de
partment of agriculture, which re
ports that gasoline taxes collected
by the several states yielded a rev
enue of $60,108,734 in the first half
of 1925 of which $53,814,240 is ap
plicable to road work. At the begin
ning of the year there were 13 states
which did not tax gasoline. At the
present time a tax is imposed in all
Green Urges Labor to Fight I
For Gompers' Principles as
Best Tribute to Dead Leader
October Officially
Fall and Homes
is
Must Be Decorated
Autumn obviously is the
time to see that your home is
freshened up.- There is much
to be done. There is the
question of furnishing a room,
adding a bit of furniture here
or there, perhaps a rocker,
rug, etc. You will plan these
things with an eye to beauty,
comfort and how much of it
can be bought reasonably.
We're here to tell you of the
wonderful offerings now
available for choosing the
kind of merchandise you
will be proud to have, so
priced that you won't even
know you've spent the money.
K-R-E-B-S
Third and Court
Buy Your Stove Now
1
A
15si *«r
jAm i
in
U *.
W
sv $
"%*i
-1 Vv
f*"1'
*s"
3
x. *rv
i/'\/ Y
1,5 k
if
die
and impressive convention of
American Federation of Labor I ever
attended. And as we gather here, sol
emn, serious, we reflect and think over
the pleasant days when he was with
us and was privileged to associate
with us.
"A great leader, a great crusader,,
the man who with a few associates
laid the foundation upon which this
great movement rests. And I think
many times as I refleet on his record
his association and his service, how
little perhaps we appreciated his fore
sight and his vision. The regrettable
feature of it all is that in this day and
this age we find men here and there
who still question his philosophy and
the basis of the trades union founda
tion that he laid so securely and so
well.
His Spirit Still Present
"I can not help but think that even
though he is not here in person his
spirit is with us, and, speaking for
myself, and I think 1 represent the
sentiments of the overwhelming ma
jority of trades unionists associated
with the American Federation of La
bor, we prefer the philosophy of Sam
uel Gompers, we prefer the trades
unionism which he preached, we pre
fer the doctrine he propounded rather
than the vague theories that are offer
ed therefor.
"And let us resolve as a tribute to
his memory that as he fought so we
will fight, as he kept the faith so we
will keep the faith, and as he served
humanity so we will s«rve humanity."
states except Illinois, Massachusetts,
New Jersey and New York.
On July 1 the tax per gallon was 5
cents in one state, 4 cents in two
states, ZV2 cents in one state, 3 cents
in twelve states, 2 Vz cents in one
state, 2 cents in 23 states and 1 cent
in five states.
LABOR BANK GROWS
New York.—An oversubscription of
the authorized increase in capital of
the Federation Bank of New York is
announced by Peter J. Brady, presi
dent. The institution has accumulat
ed resources in excess of $12,500,000
since it was launched a little more
than two years ago. The bank is the
largest labor bank controlled by
unions affiliated to the A. F. of L.
lC*V fei*
it
•I
UtM
1
F»
3
•:4\
1
i
'i
y.
"V*
v..