While the Blue Eagle Sreams, Just Think of These Things
By Gertrude Weil Klein While the Blue Eagle Screams, Just Think of These Things They've Already Made a Man Kiss the NRA Flag—And Here Are "OuUide Agitators" Already—Is Thii a Recovery or a...
...Funny thing in that Newburgh drive...
...i by the So-wa$ a mere im< of good produced a ttool-pigeon, 'Itolen from M. id have the f any sense ' could see ling such a ; in public...
...D the Com-nited front...
...For ten years this has been the Socialist experience with Communists...
...to Washington demanding the recall of Major McKay...
...Yes, there's a heap of business going on under that blanket, and I won't be sur-prised if some of it is dirty business...
...Ift iz-rf-mr- sans!**-j KSBEi ~~ uiitw t 1 ^laBaaaaci Tf^ M/'^r Mxar - am...
...Communist or Com-munist-app.entice as he is, was forced to write a letter, asking for a corn '.inn and the printing of a more truthful story...
...The crumbling of the ages, the det>ravation Of man by man...
...r- — '.¦itT w.tit aaaaMHt...
...Thei-e was another statement in that Socialist anti-war manifesto...
...On the arrangements committee the Communist representatives, by and large, played a conciliatory role...
...What do you mean...
...m- mmmmaamm mkx^ iiui'Tiii ^ ¦mmmamamr r- ar^ « . mta...
...On that date, July 25th, the Socialist sub-committee wired ita National Headquarters, asking that the calls be held up tentatively since the subcommittee was considering steps which might change the situation...
...Can you blame me for being somewhat crabby about the whole New Deal...
...Go in for a lot of strikes...
...mmKi...
...The charge of Communist bad faith could not have been better proven than in the performance of Minor following the reading of the Socialist statement...
...Here also the informer did not do his job well My correspondence files, as secretary of the Socialist sub-committte on the anti-war congress, will show a letter from Henderson on July 20th, asking that the Socialists purchase a quantity of calls, a letter on the same date from my.self to the National Headquarters transmitting the request and adding instructions that the call go to all Socialist branches at an early mailing...
...And all the labor leaders sitting on the advisory boards with the labor-hating sons-of-capitalism...
...asked Joe...
...One Treaty of Social Peace "/^H, just a little World War in which many workers gave ^ their bones to fertilize the fortunes of big capitalists and bankers, a war in which union men unwittingly agreed to a treaty of social peace and after the .var was over they came out of the little end of the horn...
...What mil the lasses do when they find their lovers Seared by infernal liquid fire, faces Once aglow with youth now seamed And ivrinkled in masks of hideous seiiilityf By Edward Levinson Who Are the Betrayers of Unity Startling Revelations of Duplicity The New Leader receives occasional letters from readers who wonder why Communists and Socialists do not act together...
...Do you remember what the Socialist Party did regarding this issue...
...And yet the innocent u n concern with which the boycott laws are being sunk leaves me gasping...
...I'm a Socialist as well as a unionist and I cannot forget some history...
...Wages went up, didn't they...
...Follow this rule regarding those birds," said Bill...
...oscaK' .mac 1 xuaur -aao...
...And up in Newburgh where the Amalgamated is making a stiff figh...
...In our anti-war program we said, and I am quoting, 'the Socialist Party emphatically rejects the proposal that in time of war the workers should suspend their struggle for better conditions.'" "Why the Communists are saying that your position was the reverse of this regarding the war and social peace," said Joe with surprise...
...Bill paused and Joe continued to stare as though overwhelmed and Bill continued...
...TKI'^Y'RE putting it up to the women again...
...amma^ai...
...The facts of the disruption of the united front should be broadcast among all sincere members of the labor movement so that responsibility may rest where it belongs—in the inner circle of the Communist Party...
...That isn't the...
...Thi ing except tkj Socialist Partj action of the 1 titioning, ai t consideration « withstanding I July 22nd, nW had elapsed • taken no sctloi revelation of 1 tera from thl was an easy ti further fslie the Socialist Pi In these li Donald II«nd< the arrangems accused the S( ing publicity calls to its brt gates...
...WffAT is this tune, that you should liiten to And knit your youthful brow, with hps So recently singing madrigals Now crying murderf You sfuill see mankind shudder, and naturt Doomed to black sterility...
...When we think of NRA let's interpret it as No Running Away from the Struggle...
...The conditions were accepted by the entire arrangements committee...
...The Communists played a dual role...
...The chairman rapped for order and the union proceeded to consider a NRA code for the industry To The Generation M they take these ntoitstcrs to them* ) this our paramount of cultured If tins the noble sentiment of we who are the favored onesT Alas I for they who shudder at the hawk Slaying the sparrow, and then Destroy comrades in thousands, lay waste To the gifts of the Cod they tremble before...
...He was informed that General Johnson does not interfere in local "squabbles...
...He has had to rely on the help of the radical elements and ward off the radical taint...
...Not that labor hasn't some of the most astute and hard-headed men on its side...
...asked Joe...
...asked Joe...
...BBaast amnsRisa ' «-• noaaMij' iW" .4...
...And Green is the one who leaves...
...Unholy paradox, unmitigated calumny...
...iiiiai II nm a •mis- ¦¦ -a-—- x 3'ini«» 3 '. c...
...The Socialists pledged themselves to protect the masses 'from the pressing danger of starvation which the war in Europe has brought up^n them.' This danger now threatens as a result of the depression...
...Agreement Violated After the first of these attacks the Socialists served notice that repetition would bring withdrawal of Socialist endorsement...
...There's almost a war-time spirit in the air and any day now w« can expect to see Sister .Susie knitting neckties for the Narrs...
...I know that the Socialists here adopted an anti-war program and they got it in the neck...
...The calls were purchased immediately and were about to be mailed from Chicago, when the fourth or fifth disruptive article appeared in the Daily Worker...
...General Johnson said that was Miss Perkins' "party...
...mam ¦. www ei'v-v ammmmmru w...
...Joe's Enthusiam for Social Peace Oozes Out When Bill Recalls War-Time History By Aut()ilyciu " A S a good gesture it might be well to agree to no strikes till this NRA program gets going well," said Joe as he met Bill in the union hall...
...The Socialist Labor Party for the first time in years held a street meeting and told the employees of the clothing factory which the Amalgamated is trying to unionize that jtrikes are futile, that the Amalgamated was a fake and that the only thing that will help the workers is the abolition of the capitalist system...
...There were few difficulties which were not ironed out...
...Two conditions were laid down: 1) That the Congress rh.iU be devoted primarily to a fight against international war and not to an attack on the policies of the constituent orgnizations...
...Only if the facts are known will the wreckers of the united front receive their just deserts...
...Let's do what we can to restrain the greed of the enemy, not to restrfiin our mil to power...
...They are unfair to labor" (for instance...
...Even old Sam Gom-pers started out as a Socialist...
...If we get anything out of NRA we'll need our freedom to act' to protest and even to strike if necessary...
...But don't you want industrial recovery...
...The entire committee, Communists included, voted to send a request to the Socialist Party ^ to reconsider its action and once again join the congress...
...Ain't we got fun...
...ri» aaaaoaric b...
...But no sooner would a meeting of the arrangements committee adjourn, than the next day would bring fulminatioTis from the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party and from the Communist Daily Worker against the Socialiat Party and its representatives on the arrangements committee...
...Jo« Jhquired with exultation...
...Beginning July 23, the Daily Worker dropped any possible restraint of which it might be capable.- The stupidest lies about the Socialist Patyr's war record were dished up...
...In fact I'm prepared not to be surprised at anything any more...
...The following article tells the story of the latest attempt to cooperate...
...to organize some 900 clothing workers, the commander of the NRA, a Major McKay, addressed a meeting of the workers called by the firm and warned them not to listen to "outside agiUtors" but to be loyal to their employers...
...Out in St...
...We not only urged the workers to continue the struggle for better conditions but we recommended, and I'm quotinj...
...They are liable to criminal action if they do...
...Did they say anything about social peace, too...
...The first condition was promptly violated by the Communists...
...iiv" aiMtt...
...This was the first effort to establish unity on a national scale...
...and only by facing the bitter experience of past failures can a real and lasting united front be possible in the years ahead...
...They did," Bill replied...
...Attaboy," said Bill...
...had )i Utar- the t l««f let• »'«*e it ^ brtdadd > Icainst >1 bt by * mtrr of M "l)lM.They >« " labotag• Miing up '« «lftkdele-U that the Nir^ the mder f#»<a Office itlThs^story lishcd a first story which was so iiaccurate and unfair that Henderson himself...
...petitit withdraw fro\ letter, said 1 reuKons for i the xtatetnenl cinlist rcpreil subterfuge...
...b of honor th» nothing wron] letter and re What a coiM munists desite For a month sentatives sit Socialists pi problems of I stration...
...The charge that the calls were being held up by national headquarters of the Socialist Party was also based on stool-pigeon information carried to Henderson and the Communists...
...Here we have the miners going back to work with nary a word in the agreement with the Frick Co...
...The Socialist Program of 1917 "IVE opposed the war and al.so social peace and warned " what would be the results for the workers," said Bill...
...way tg build an army of liberation...
...A labor leader in this country has to be something of a tight-rope walker and something of a magician and very much a diplomat...
...4R to end war...
...He has had to sell the idea of collective action to a people already sold on rugged individualism...
...To the surprise of all,\ Minor proceeded to read a letter sent by Local New York of the Socialist Parlu lo the Socialist N.E.C...
...What's in your noodle now...
...Not-t Uoa, dated » tUD weeks uilUfeC...
...By Gertrude Weil Klein While the Blue Eagle Screams, Just Think of These Things They've Already Made a Man Kiss the NRA Flag—And Here Are "OuUide Agitators" Already—Is Thii a Recovery or a War...
...the second proved inadequate...
...Here we can oply summarize it briefly...
...Well, what did you guys do about it...
...jMiai'JUtm...
...Will you have all this for but the S7veelness Of fratricide f Then you, too, shall have The blood of those you slay Darkening the fallen stones of the house your father builded...
...What do you want to do...
...lOtaaaw- iaM9...
...again, 'Extension of the campaign of education among the workers to organize them into strong, class-consciouas, and closely unified political and industrial organizations' Now in the perspective of what followed the end of the World War were we Socialists Justified or not...
...They show that it ¦s time wasted to confer with Communists.—Editor...
...Robert Minor for the Communists gave assurance that the attacks would cease...
...The stories and articles that followed in tht Daily Worker were .it all times venomously false and could have no other effect than to confuse and eventually disrujit the united front...
...I No Running Away "II/E'RB not involved in a war now but this depression " has brought measureless misery to tens of millions of workers and yet you talk to me of restraint, that the workers should abandon their freedom of action by not striking no matter what injustices and extortions they may face at the hands of the exploiting classes...
...The bosses conceded un a stick of candy while they accumulated carloads of sweets and then they wrested much of the candy from us...
...The telegram asked for reconsideration on the "assurance that this arrangements committee takes ¦ - ¦¦ at- •¦ ¦wwtmoir r ti-.ar...
...Its failure is a setback to the class-conscious section of the American working cjass as well as to the cause of peace which requires such desperate efforts at this state of world affairs...
...Likewise in the Green controversy...
...The I first story ott pearcd in TlK Socialist weel eously was il Socialist and i the imprint of of the Socislirf was factual I] satLstactory to ments commit...
...Withdrawal The reasons for Socialist withdrawal from the Congress are fully set forth in the statement "To the Workers of the United States and All Opponents of War...
...We're to buy only where we see the NRA sign, and brigades are being formed in real military fashion to snoop around and see that we ail do our duty by the Blue Eagle...
...tkeir repre-I table with li solving ront demon-tisie they ike Social-ITS in their s of corresDud the Com-Ung the So-r of better loved noth-I teal of the r UNd to the pe^ t, for re* WoB...
...ar Wi...
...That's the road to another serfdom, not to a stronger unionism or to n Socialist Commonwealth...
...afeir m'-iBr- l CTir-iiir r~rr ^¦aaaam...
...Nevertheless, the National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party considered the necessity for struggle against war so imperative that it voted to attempt cooperation...
...Especially when you consider that labor unions daren't say in so many words: "Don't patronize Rogers Peet...
...snj have planted ist Party ofle possession itl spondence...
...hand, the Con it the parly ijre...
...The resolution it adopted, was in fact a confession of guilt, on the Commo-nists' part, and a promise of good behavior In the future...
...This m the real withdrawal...
...Out in Mississippi a nice, Nordic organizer for the Amalgamated by the name of Carlson was badly beaten up by the sherllT and finally run out of the town...
...And I didn't even know there was a Socialist Labor Party any more...
...I want to restrain you and other workers from signing t treaty of social peace with the bosses," Bill re|)lied...
...Copies may be obtained from the National Office of the Socialist Party or any local office of the party...
...J ; - •:»" - ¦atB-: . aaaMaBB..^ wam^<mmmm~ ' mmBLit 9Baar-" sr.r saatte xr -aak...
...Wurkeia always gel ike worst of such bargains...
...Joe stared at Bill for a moment, hesitated as though he intended to speak, and Bill continued...
...isked Joe...
...G>mmittee Moves Too Late Minor's and Henderson's false charges were repeated with embellishments in Communist accounts of the meeting of the arrangements committee...
...i^'We got it in the neck, as you put it, by being Utacked by the reactionaries, but did the workers ward off any bloWs by signing a treaty of social peace during the World/War...
...They did for a time, but when the big row was over the bosses went down tho line in the biggest fight against the unions that we ever faced and company unionism grew rapidly...
...Ka am^r.-r ^mmrr...
...Stolen E Such dili|i munists displl cialist files w results...
...You shall witness stark disaster...
...asked Joe...
...I'm fed up on such arrangements...
...about a union...
...And the prospect of being policed when I go out to spend my hard-earned pennies opens up perfectly terrifying vistas of administrative control and inevitable abuses...
...The violation of the agreement was plain...
...nr sanr-' ~i r-a»r»- _i rrr' :rr-::7j:tB mig ¦ - lae ¦ c» ¦ xr...
...i.j - amm-r a ji ttti- at;-: UMcm im^¦m'' i, WM, ,ii..ijii i asant-s -t j- ¦! , as»' «»¦ ' & ^. A ¦'iTyiniiiawMft '. v^v >- U« MMMIII 11 ' ¦tgr HI*--: t'- *»«!•' «-r»-' SBC-'* aaiiii mm iMati ' - -HaaK- ¦ aMT a. wumgt ••we...
...And union men are being fired right and left...
...I faith, the Cm letter which t or common tK the Socialiit i So complete Communist...
...aab " Twr - a>« aanwr* ¦>.-ii •¦ ¦..aas'ig.iirj .i ' :¦•> nnr^ -iaic»™ir •• -aiiBasr-1 at . mm - w-mr-siti- mtnr - t tor ant^ - .oiueaiBai aa...
...It has...
...I want working class recovery first of all, recovery of Its fighting spirit, and as it is coming back in many industries you come along with a bottle of chloroform that would deaden it," said Bill...
...What followed should prove beyond a doubt that the Communists were working to disrupt the Congress in order that they might again raise their stock-in-trade cry of "Socialist betrayal...
...But the committee itself, after the Socialists had left, tobk steps which proved the justice of the Socialist charges...
...aaaai ' mr - wm mx' muc...
...The Socialist Party entered the united front although its central vehicle—The American Committee for Struggle Against War—was Communist in inspiration, direction and control...
...He has had to use revolutionary weapons and remain respectable at the same time...
...At the meeting of the arrangements committee of July 28th, the Socialists announced the end of the united front...
...In German a Narr is a fool...
...Are you going to combat it by restraint or by a willingness to assert, our interests in strikes if necessaryV "It you keep that up you'll have to restrain me from taking the war path," said Joe...
...No, I'm not for strikes just for the sake of striking," Bill replied, "but I don't believe in tying our hands at any iinie...
...Scorn the base overtures of those who live within themselves ! We are rearing our brotherhood in peace, wc must cry to the killers at as their hands are red ours shall )e clasped, that there shall be no more ior...
...Ho emphasized to the people that he spoke as an official of the NRA...
...It won't hurt to restrain ourselves in the meantime...
...I'm hot for restraint, Joe," said Bill, "but restraint of another kind...
...If they say something nasty about Socialists just reverse the meaning and you'll have the truth...
...And aren't they (the labor leaders) going to have the pants traded off them...
...And the steel men refuse to sit in on a conference with William Green, though Green was appointed to sit on the conference...
...Louis Waldman acting for the Amalgamated sent a telegram...
...The incidentt, cited differ little from previous attempts at united fronts...
...Louis the owner of a quick lunch room was beaten and forced to kiss the blue eagle because he was still selling breakfast for, a nickel and dinner for fifteen or twenty cents...
...I was a youngster then," said Joe...
...But his promise did not bind the Communist higher-ups...
...2) That the arrangements committee and all sub-<fommittees shall be so balanced as to guard against domination by any single group...
...TPHE "united front" of the Socialist and Communist parties in the projected "United States Congress Against War" has come to an end...
...YOUTH, reject this hateful heritage...
Vol. 16 • August 1933 • No. 8
