Voice Of Action

Lockwood Economy Plan Would Mean Lay-Offs

Elections draw nearer. Politicians are a menace to pedestrians at every cross road. Fortunately for the workers this is the time when political wolves may be caught in the act of changing to sheep's clothing.

In between times they can soft soap the voters, prey on the citizenry behind a smoke screen of honeyed promises and high-sounding vague appeals to this or that American tradition.

But now as election campaigns are about to begin, candidates and their backers—the old line parties and the newer more insidious groups crusading for bourgeois class-interests—all must take a definite stand of some sort. They are driven into the open, issues arise and must be met. Promises must be made to the voters, though no one of course, except the voters, expect the promises to be kept.

This article takes apart the machinery of Cincinnatus Council, man Lockwood's "recommendations for economy" to the city council" are a sample of this crusading crew's treachery to white collar and manual laborers alike.

Of twenty points submitted by Lockwood, half are undisguisedly fascist in tendency.

First, the council should be reduced—cutting down the representation of citizens in their government, consolidating more power among fewer men, giving minority groups—less chance of having a voice in city management.

This measure would prove an economy only to the big interests—the fewer men, the less any opposition to capitalist influence, the cheaper and quicker the process of selling out the workers, the little business men, small tax-payers.

Second: A long list of measures to centralize correspondence, accounting, auditing, licenses, the board of works' stores department—all designed to eliminate expense simply and completely through the elimination of employees and the lessening of wages through the familiar plan, a fascist commonplace, of speeding up the work, lengthening the hours, lessening wages, letting out the "extra" employees, giving the remaining workers two or three jobs to be done in the same time and for the same wage formerly allotted to his one job.

Most flagrant betrayal of this scheme is the plan to shift employees from between departments to meet peak demands rather than hire extra help.

Police and fire department salaries are to be placed in the power of the council—a power giving free rein to the most vicious political abuse.

A measure directly affecting the future welfare of every citizen: Lockwood's proposed change of plumbing inspection from the health department to the building department. Under the existing administration the public has every chance of insurance against epidemics, the health department has a real chance to force the condemnation of faulty installations and to discourage laxity of inspections... What would we have under the building department?

Two more blows aimed at working class citizens of Seattle: The discontinuance of pass privileges on street cars, the investigation of City Light with a view to cutting down the plant and office payroll.

Lastly, Mr. Lockwood suggests that our eminent mayor, arch terrorist and cossack bully of the Pacific Coast, shall name a committee to survey governmental methods and management with an eye on needed reforms. Who shall be on the committee? Workers? Technicians? Intellectuals? Liberals? Left-wing sympathizers?

Nothing so crusading, so revolutionary—Mr. Lockwood proposes that Mr. Mayor Smith name for his sanctified committee such prominent business and professional men as may be suitable.

The same old tactics. The same old gang. A new name. But the old ideas—economy means nothing to them but cutting wages, dropping workers into the ranks of the unemployed.

Judge the Order of Cincinnatus from this sample, Workers! After election will be too late to stop the betrayal of the working class. Now is the time! Know the truth! Sweep the polls! Workers unite! Fight for victory of all workers by Voting Communist! Show our strength, Workers!