Party Members Called to Action Against Usurpation of N. E. C.
Party Members Called to Action Against Usurpation of N. E. C. Committee Representing Interstate Conference Condemns Refusal to Return N. Y..Charter—Hits Violation of Party Democracy and Scores...
...We i appeal to you to get to work in : ycnir branch, in your local, in your state—this is a fight for Socialism j —in the Socialist Party...
...These organizations represent a membership of 9,000—about i hekf the present membership of the • Socialist Partv...
...H o l d i n g thai...
...Hoan did not vote on either issue...
...working class a n d to combat the c r a z y ideas that have obsessed, even party members, the members decided that they could do n o b e t t e r service for t h e Labor and Socialist movement than to increase tike circulation of The New Leader...
...The dusty t r a d e s , " continues the Review, "offer the g r e a t e s t single h a z a r d in American industry...
...It confirms the fact that the • present National Executive Committee majority, having built a factional machine within the party, ! is determined to control the national convention and continue its j domination of the party...
...Smash Ike Sweatshopf Northward from Canada the same cry counts in French, Far west to the Golden Horn, in San Francisco cellars The Chinese workers stir And where the Atlantic frets New England shores, Boston Crusaders charge to battle...
...Their bodies made a bridge for you to higher Let winged hnaginaHon soar away From alt our songs and speeches here— There in Laredo on the southern frontier Sounds the cry in Spanish...
...The starved, the kicked, the beaten outcasts Have paved the way for you...
...There was no I change from the former alignment ! with the exception of Hoopes, who ! on the new motion refrained from I voting...
...j At the New York conference it j was hoped that a strong plea to I restore the charter to New York State by these organization would ; be heeded by the National Execu': tive Committee...
...It has also helped the Socialist Party in all its campaigns...
...The dull routineers in legislative bodies take l i t t l e more t h a n a languid interest in protective measures no matter how m a n y investigations and official reports are made which show the human devastation that may occur unless measures are enacted...
...Always i n this country tames has been money-tar mors and more study: never Ian t h e r e been similar encouragement for legislative action...
...The celebration of tils fifteenth a n n i v e r s a r y of the organfeatibn of t h e Dabs branch has been1 arranged for Saturday night, Feb...
...This is t h e i n d i c t m e n t brought by t h e American Laber Legislation Review in a n editorial a r t i c l e on " T h e Scourge of Silicosis...
...Ia most of the states it has been impossible a f t e r all these years of workmen's accident compensation to extend this modern protection to those who are incapacitated for farther work as a result of b r e a t h i n g the poisonous dusts and fumes of industry...
...With a million workers daily subjected to this hazard in a long list of employments—including sand blasting, the making of pottery, metal grinding and polishing, work in iron and steel foundries and in glass and asbestos plants, as vsell as in roek drilling—the task of preventing challenges the ingenuity of America's boasted individualism...
...I t is only in t h i s way, declares the Review, " t h a t we have secured adequate escapes from fact o r y fires...
...We hope that this example wiH inspire other branches t o undertake a similar job...
...the majority of the National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party does not wish to adhere to democratic Socialism or restore democratic practices in the party, as indicated by its refusal to reverse its previous decision and return the charter to the Socialist Party of New York State, tince turned over to a secessionist greop...
...I t wiH appear, a s amaU, neut week...
...Sere the members and their friends will meat a n d h a v e a good time.' A number of speakers are on the banquet program, including James Oneal, editor of The New Leader . Laws Demanded Against Plague I Of Silicosis Labor Review Assails Neglect of Victim*—Charges Legislators with Responsibility for Continuance Of Scourge...
...Academic dandies far from the death toll exacted by capitalism to the production of commodities may sneer at "reformism" while they dream of overthrowing capitalism with powder puffs and perfect manifestoes, b u t the working sSats victims of this terrible SCOOTS* and Socialist, as well will fight to end this slaughter of t aw wesMag masses...
...Composed" of active Socialists, many of whom have had yeare of experience in the class struggle, the members recognise in The New Leader the one clear and reliable English Socialist weekly we have in this country...
...Recently the branch decided to make a drive for a thousand' new subscribers to The New Leader...
...Hoan and I Hoopes not voting...
...About half of...
...The branch has served as a Red Cross to many labor unions in times of strike, has given cheerfully from its meager treasury for every good cause...
...On charges and accusations never brought before the Grievance Committee of the rive locals comprising the New York City organisation or before the New York Sate Committee, two-thirds of the Membership of that state are declared out of the Socialist Party ef the United States...
...Debs sent us his consent and his greetings to the branch...
...We not only wanted to form an English-speaking branch, but we r.iso felt that this branch must become a living monument to Eugene V. Debs, the man who devoted his entire life to the principles and ideals of the labor movement...
...This committee was elected at : the Conference of Eastern States 1 and Foreign Language organiza| ti$ns held at the Hotel Pennsyl! vania in New York on January 1 18-19...
...D o y o u s e e t h i s , Fellow Worker, high up on those Madison benches...
...Set free of hate and greed and war...
...The time has come for the I membership to speak...
...William J. Van flssen and Emil Limbach (Pennsylvania) and reads as follows: : "The National Executive Comafttee has spoken on the resolution of the Interstate Conference...
...for the motion, Oneal and Graham...
...I l l e g a l Action "By constituting itself a Supreme Court on testimony never h m s ^ r charged or presented Sgairlst the New York organization, and acting without legal warrant in the National Constitution, the National Executive Committee revoked the charter of New York...
...This decision, violating democratic and constitutional procedure attain the party, destroys the very fsundat::- on which oar organization rests...
...a n d St Nicholas Ave...
...F o r more than twenty years in this country government officials and independent experts h a r e studied silicosis...
...FTTSBURGH...
...The motion was d e f e a t e d . Voting j against was Krueger, Thomas, | Allen, Coolidge, Daniel, Kryzcki ; and Hapgood...
...t h e rock-dusting of coal mines, and some measure of safety at sea...
...In serving the membership of the branch in times of need, the Debs branch has done it in a spirit of charity, but always with the feeling of fraternity...
...We therefore set OUT goal at a thousand new subscribers arid this' work is* going on continuously...
...At t h a t t i m e , a s s e c r e t a r y of t h e Association far Labor Legislation, I arranged an informal hearing and irrtrodaced an impressive group of silicosis e x p e r t s before the New York S t a t e Industrial Board...
...United we're strong, let us march toward the dawn Of a brave new Workers' World . . " Good Book 0ffice Sale for Rand: school Coacert Suuday, March 15 The Rand School benefit con' cert which will feature outstand~ ope~ Mars a-t the Metropolitan Opera House on f Sunday evemng, "Tela 10th, : may be some weeks oft bot ali ready the box office at the • school reports tb.t ticltets an going so fut that all well: wiabel's of the school ue hereby : warned...
...Despite the action taken by states and organisations representing not less than half of the membership or' the party, Comrades Krueger, Thomas, Allen, Cooljdge, Daniel, Krzycki and Hapgood have affirmed their stand taken in Philadelphia...
...It was toward the end of the year of 1920 when a group of idealists, all active in the Socialist Party in Harlem, began to think of the importance of organizing an E n g l i s h - s p e a k i ng branch of the Workmen's Circle...
...The Review declares that it is "just one of the shameful instances of disregard for the health of wage earners,'* f or this history has been repeated over and over again in t e a labor struggle...
...For technical reasons t h e enV nmn of Siegfried Lipsehitx had to be omitted front thie haws...
...Several meetings were held until the required members to obtain a charter were obtained...
...k proves that simultaneously wrtit t a s infiltration of Communists sad Communist principles the party atraetnre and policies are being Modified, bringing us closer a tar Communist Party and farther awav from the organized labor movement...
...Thus after nearly three decades of study, reports and protests, the victims of silicosis are just beginning to get a hearing and some serious attention is being given to measures to protect workers from this fearful scourge...
...If demo: cratic Socialism and democratic I practices are to prevail in the 1 yarty, every member must begin immediately and do his utmost...
...James D. Graham, j president of the Montana Federation of Labor and a member of • the N.E.C, initiated a motion to reverse their former action...
...We communicated with Debs in his prison cell and asked for permission to use his name...
...a committee representing the Interstate Socialist Conference gad comprising five eastern state organizations and the Jewish and Finnish' Socialist Federations, issued a statement calling upon the membership to "speak...
...Now when celebrating our fifteenth anniversary, let ua all pledge to carry on so that this branch may perpetuate the ideals and principles begun fifteen years ago when the branch was firs* organized...
...It has been announced by the secretary* of the Interstate Conference, Emil Limbach, that the Interstate Conference will maintain an office at 100 Waldorf St...
...They clothe the world with shining hope— A world of international solidarity...
...Madison Square Garden Febrary 17,1983 BY Mark Starr YOU Ocean of Faces, stretching up to tht far horizon Where the roof-sky meets you, mounting row on TOW You Dressmakers in your tens of thousands, triumphant in solidarity, ' W h a t a r e y o u t h i n k i n g ? Do you remember your forefathers m union...
...The flaming human sacrifices, of the Triangle fire, The gallant Twenty Thousand of i9oo, The unsung heroes of i9io arc with you in spirit...
...Recall those deathless, nameless pioneers Who kept the faith and live forever in tlte International...
...that if they woant to get ' their tickets, they should re: member the story about the early bird and the worm...
...Jew, Negro, American and Spaniard, Italian, German, Pole and all the rest— Tlieir* birthplace accidental, their Union-Mother one of choice...
...To measures are often difficult to apply and they cost some money...
...Shaking off the tyrannical dust of the Old World, Streaming down the gangplank into the liberty and opportunity of the New, Only to be herded into the vile dens of the sweatshops— The sporadic, desperate protests Crushed by murderous gorillas, bullying cops, And the ky contempt of wellfed fudges Trying to quench the biasing send of revolt in their dungeons...
...As your Victory Song now sivells...
...And yet deaths as a result of occupational silicosis are unnecessary...
...In February, 1921, the Workmen's Circle granted us a charter and from then on this branch has continued to carry on its fraternal and labor activities which have proved to be a credit not merely to the Workmen's Circle, but valuable to the labor and Socialist movement...
...t h i s goal has been realised, the branch is determined' to fulfill the complete ejuote, and i t will certainly do so...
...B»e statement was issued by the Conference over the signatures of Joseph Bearak (Massachusetts), ehairman, Louis Waldman (New Terkh Fred Schwartzkopf (Connecticut), Dr S. M. Neistadt (Maryland), J. Rot hen berg (Rhode Bland) and Dr...
...Garment workers, in this hour of power-throughunion...
...We are abo adrued that "" "contrary to all box office teeil" niques, the Benefit Committee "serves tbo&e " better who come fir.It...
...Pittsburgh, and that a call will shortly be issued for a reconvening of the Conference to which other states will be invited...
...BGISLATIVE measures protecting life, health, and limb of workers in i n d u s t r y "languish for , years in legislative halls until suddenly some dramatic event—a fact o r y fire, a mine catastrophe, the sinking of a n ocean liner—spurred t h e public and t h e i r representatives to insist upon protective legislation...
...Of many races, yet their aims are one...
...As an educational medium for reaching the...
...lead and zinc mines of Missouri, in t h e copper mines of Butte, and in t h e a n t h r a c i t e region of, Pennsylvania, have furnished appalling evidence of the deadly silicosis...
...32, with a banquet and dance in P a r a m o u n t Mansion, 183rd St...
...Party Members Called to Action Against Usurpation of N. E. C. Committee Representing Interstate Conference Condemns Refusal to Return N. Y..Charter—Hits Violation of Party Democracy and Scores Communist Tactics—Another Meeting of State Organizations To Be Called to Consider Situation...
...On a scran of paper, the reverse side of an envelope...
...It was necessary to photograph the deformed victims of t h e match workers* 'phossy jaw," a n d t h e n finally to lead one of them into t he puHic hearing room at Washington, before Congress would take t h e simple step necessary to abolish that occupational disease," t he editorial continues...
...It was referred to, under an earlier name, at the F i r s t National Conference on Occupational Diseases held under the auspices ef t h e American Association for Labor Legislation a t Chicago ia 1910...
...Eugene V. Debs was t h e n a political itentiary in Atlanta, confined for the ideals and principles he advocated...
...Buffalo Yipsels Affiliate With the Socialist Party The largest YPSL group in New York State outside of New York City, the YPSL of Buffalo and Erie County, passed a motion, without a dissenting vote, to affiliate with the New York State Federation of the Young People's Socialist League Debs Branch OfW.C.toMark 15th Birthday Will Celebrate Event with Banquet and Dance on Saturday, February 22— Backs The New Leader By Bernard Schub •"THE Debs Branch of the Work* men's Circle is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary S a t u r d ay night, Feb...
...Let the Inter national's Anthem ring out to the rafters of the sky— "One Battle is won, but rV fight's just' begun And tlie Union flag's unfurled...
...The most widespread of all occupational diseases in America today is silicosis...
...In 1909, N ew York City, in the midst of drilling a twenty-mile waiter tunnel from Yonkera to Brooklyn, found tact 57 p e r c a n t of the workers examined were afflicted with this occupational disease...
...An official committee was appointed, b a t its ndat recommendations have not yet bean promulgated...
...Elabo r a t e r e p o r t s and monographs have been published and have gathered d u s t Physical examination of the workers in the...
Vol. 19 • February 1936 • No. 8
