Lehman Declines to Push Anti-Eviction Measure
H., S.
B, S. H. Lehman Declines to Push Anti-Eviction Measure Governor Deaf to Plea of Tenants' League to Aid Bill for Stay of Evictions of Unemployed. WIIIIIN a month after his assumption of office,...
...But tin' fact that he has not only refused to take the initiative in pushing such a law but has also refused to hear the workers' side, proves that his liberal talk is just talk—which Is what we Socialists have said from the beginning...
...The first blow earn* when Gov...
...In some instances the pay of the men was so low that one-third of it went for transportation to and from the Briggs plant The strikes started when the Waterloo plant of the Briggs Co...
...manifesto...
...5. Equal economic and social opportunity without distinction of sex, nationality or religion...
...These groups lack the membership and strength of the 500 local farm organizations that belong to the United Farmers of Ontario...
...Possibly the existence of this rather unfortunate situation will serve to rally fresh supporters to the Socialist and labor groups...
...The workers are giving a striking example of solidarity...
...However, they represented only a minority, and the vote was finally taken...
...This program, which some bodies have endorsed wholeheartedly and others with certain reservations, has been criticized for being too idealistic...
...Many claim that it is impracticable as a workable basis for transition to a more socialized state...
...The manifesto announced a program along lines similar to that of the C.C.F., but substituted some form of the word "cooperation" where the C.C.F...
...Its four main points called for a "recognition of the solidarity of mankind and the growing interdependence of all peoples...
...The program, as it stands, is almost word for word the program that has been adopted by successive annual conventions of the United Farmers of Alberta...
...But when it comes from a 'friend of labor' like Gov...
...Henry Ford, while threatening the Briggs Co...
...had the distinction of being the worst sweated factory in the city...
...No one expected that staid, old Ontario farmers would be swung so far to the Left without a struggle...
...Nevertheless, it soon became evident that the delegates were inclined to favor some sort of affiliation, and the repeated pleas of Miss MacPhail encouraged even the more timid to take the step...
...They had agreed to recommend affiliation to their respective organizations...
...The Socialists are a comparatively new organization in the province, and neither they nor the labor groups will have at their disposal anything like the amount of influence wielded by the powerful U.F.O...
...The strike ia spreading...
...ation by repeated slashes ia wages that never reached the point of sustenance, the workers of the Briggs Manufacturing Co...
...Wages paid by the Briggs Co., makers of bodies for the Ford Motor Co., have been as low as ten cents per hour for women and fifteen cents an hour for men...
...The strike at Briggs has result* •d in an epidemic of walkouta in •ther plants, not only in Detroit, but In other auto producing centers...
...2) the landlord ¦net shew that he has a prospective tenant for the apartment and that there are no vacancies of similar apartments in the house...
...and picketing is highly effective...
...have tied up production in a strike that has been rapidly spreading to other plants...
...The few who were determined not to affiliate next tried to prevent a vote on the proposal...
...This amazing manifesto by the most conservative of our farm organization was, needless to say, not quoted by our dsily newspapers...
...The hours change from day to day so often that it ia uncertain whether a man will return from work the same morning or any time that day or night...
...This "dead time" was not paid for by the company, and in some cases the pay of women and girls was brought down to four or five cents an hour...
...The provisions of the anti-eviction hill are as follows: Against Brktieas (1) a six-months' stay in dispossess cases of unemployed tenants unable to pay their rent, instead of the present inadequate five-day stay...
...Lehman denied that increasing homelessness and growing slums required his attention, and he replied that if the Legislature should pass an emergency bill, be would then grant a hearing, but not until then...
...The landlords of the Bronx have banded together and established a "war chest" of many thousands ef dollars to protect themselves against the activities ef organised working class tenants The office of the Bronx Tenants' Emergency League is in the Bronx County headquarters of the Socialist Party at 9 Wast 170th Street...
...In spite of this rebuff, the Broni Tenants' Emergency League is continuing Ha fight against evictions...
...that unless the latter made a settlement with its workers his plant would engage in the manufacture of bodies for Ford cars, be la nevertheless trying to force the strikers to return to work using methods the deflated auto king hss used in other labor conflicts...
...When that comes, cost or no cost, we are going to get what the people want...
...WIIIIIN a month after his assumption of office, the 'mu<h-vaum*d "liberalism" and '¦humanenes*" of Gov...
...telephone, Topping 2-6550...
...Notwithstanding that it drew its labor supply from the rural districts, mainly in the south, ita labor turnover exceeded that of any concern in the Auto City...
...evil the workers face would be an affront to the people on the part of a Governor who made no pretensions to being a liberal," Levy said after receiving the reply...
...Lehman, it is a tragic indication of the extent to which the voters betrayed themselves in the last election...
...Both groups at the conference resolved to accept as a basis of cooperation the entire program of the C.C.F...
...organization...
...must remain intact as a distinct organization limited by its declared policies in the U.F.O...
...Br W. H. C CoukWd Canada Organizes for Socialism How the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation Was Launched—A Fine Program Adopted...
...2. Socialization of the banking, credit and financial system of the country, together with the social ownership, development, operation, and control of utilities and natural resources...
...and monetary and banking reform...
...Women I seme cases are operating punch preaaea and doing ether week so hard that it should be done by men at men's wages...
...It showed a proportion of about forty to one in favor of affiliation...
...if necessary, it can be changed completely...
...The latter were sent to the scene of the strike by the Governor...
...Workers were compelled to loss time calling for raw material and delivering it when finished...
...Those who have been most active ia the League's work are: Aaron Leven stein, Alfred Belskin, Herman Saltxman, Samuel Orr, Anna Goldblatt, David Tulehin, PrisciUa Knowles, Meyer Levenstein, Al Breslow and Jack Diamond...
...It is, however, merely a proposed program...
...It has aided hundreds of tenants who have been threatened with eviction and has been instrumental in speeding relief for the unemployed working people...
...To the intense chagrin of his liberal supporters, he rt fused to admit the utter futility of- allowing Tammany district attorneys and a Tammany attorney-general to investigate the fraods of their own henchmen, bat rather acted as any ordinary machine politician would under the circumstances...
...The League is also resisting the efforts of the landlords to make tenants' organizations aad rentstriking illegal and to induce magistrates to impose severe penalties an rent-etrixers...
...frankly suggested "socialization...
...Naturally, such a program must be worked out in detail before it can be put into effect The criticisms that have been levelled against it come mostly from people that would rather not see it worked out In detail...
...Petitions for its anti-eviction bill continue in circulation and the Democratic Assemblymen and Stat* Senators in the Bronx have been challenged to introduce it in the Legislature...
...The men are unable to notify their wives or families when to expect them...
...THE gathering 1n Toronto which heard Miss MacPhail, Woodssrorth, and other speakers on the evening of November 30, 1932, overflowed two halls...
...program, paved the way for the affiliation of the two bodies...
...A Vaia Pica Through Matthew M. Levy, chief counsel for the League, the desperate situation of the tenants was explained and a hearing was requested...
...He may think he deserves credit for offering to do what the law requires him to do— give his approval or disapproval to a legislative enactment...
...Lehman refused to take effective action after revelations of wholesale vote-steaJinf by Democratic and Republican election official* in New York City...
...7. Socialization of all health services...
...It points out the interdependence of all classes of workers and shows why the situation calls for drastic reforms...
...Not only is the program subject to modifications...
...Use land"—bind used for productive purposes...
...The basis for affiliation was on the understanding that the U.F.O...
...Thousands are on the picket line daily and there has been practically no disorder despite the provocative tactics of the police and state constabulary...
...the abolition of all forms of special privilege...
...Farmera Affiliate The manifesto, which differed only slightly in its essential features from the C.C.F...
...He outlined the anti-eviction bill for which the League is agitating and sought to impress him with the need for immediate relief...
...Meanwhile, delegates' from Ontario labor and Socialist political bodies had convened in Toronto...
...the reorganization of industry and commerce along cooperative lines...
...TVre ia new a strike at Murray's one ef the largest aate body ntaarta ia the city...
...By • Sew Leader Correspondent) f\ETROIT.—Driven to despej...
...Large masses of the population in no way connected with the labor movement are up in arms aa a result of learning about the starvation wages paid by the Briggs and other plants in Detroit Even during the boom days of the automobile industry the Briggs Co...
...The following day, at the annual convention of the United Farmers of Ontario, a carefully worded manifesto was issued and endorsed by the 300 delegates...
...The prelude to this program is a stirring appeal to Ontario farmers for united action to avert a collapse of rural civilization...
...More than 20,000 are now out...
...who, by the way, posed as something of a "liberal" in ths last election...
...8. Security of tenure for the farmer on his use-bind and for the worker in his own home...
...His second offense against the workers came when he flatly turned down the plea of the Bronx Tenants' Emergency League to take definite action looking to the prevention of the thousands of evictions being carried out in thf city...
...When the question of affiliation was brought up a few voices were raised in dissent The members who protested were persistent in their efforts to block any swing to the Left by the U.F.O...
...Each speaker in turn pointed to indications that the capitalist system had broken down, explained the inherent unsoundness of that system, and outlined the proposed remedy...
...Levy acquainted the Governor with the fact that, according to official reports, 308,516 dispossess proceedings were begun in the courts of New York City during 1932, an enormous increase over previous years...
...S) state and city appropriations of ?20,000,000 each to pay the rent of such unemployed tenants aa are in danger of being evicted in spite of the safeguards ef the first two pro visions...
...To deny us even a hearing on what is probably the mo«t viciour...
...It greeted with deafening applause the various speakers who stressed the necessity for revolutionary changes in our social and economic structure...
...by implication no such guarantee Is given to the land speculator) 4. The retention and extension of all existing social legislation and facilities, with adequate provision for insurance against crop failure, illness, accident, ol3 age, and unemployment during the transition to the Socialist state...
...8. Federal Government should accept responsibility for unemployment and tender suitable work or adequate maintenance...
...AUTO BODY WORKERS STRIKE IN DETROIT (Special Wirt (e the New Lender) DETROIT...
...Working far Victory Woodsworth predicted: "A few more men in parliament under the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation banner and the revolution is going to be brought about...
...6. Encouragement of all cooperative enterprises which are steps to the attainment of the Cooperative Commonwealth...
...posted a 20% wage cut Included in the complaints of the strike committee, is the following statement: The mm are forced by the threat of dismissal to work aa fast at heavy labor that the older men are unable to work the fall number of beers and are seat heme...
...It ia not uncommon for men to work aa many aa 24 hours ia one shift, while others are unemployed who are able to do the same type of work...
...It reads as follows: The Proposed Program 1. The establishment of a planned system of social economy for the production, distribution, and exchange of all goods and services...
...By the time we get an actual majority in parliament the people are going to have wakened up...
...But it was in vain...
...Governor Lehman will get the thanks of the landlords for shutting his eyes in this matter so that they can go on with their evictions unmolested...
...Herbert H I^ehman ha« become a bitter illu'ion for the working people of New York...
Vol. 15 • February 1933 • No. 5
