LABOR LEADERS AND BIG UNIONS CALL FOR LABOR PARTY
Labor Leaders and Big Unions Call for Labor Party William Green At^fjpe convention of the New Jersey State Federation of Labor in September, 1932, William Green, President or the A. F. of...
...One shudders to imagine what would happen to non-Communists in Russia who would attempt similar tactics...
...It is readopting IJoaJf, jn o^der to UkaAdj vantage of the new situation...
...I have frequently done so in past years and my standing as an honest trade dnionist was never questioned...
...Now that the government is becoming a positive party to all economic activities, labor is demanding much legislation and an enormous number of services...
...The officials of the A. F. of L. do not relish criticism any more than others, but there is little attempt to throttle criticism when mad* by ktose whoce motives are not the** of destruction...
...Massachusetts Labor The Massachusetts Federation of Labor, at its recent convention, unanimously took a stand favoring the participation of the workers in politics through a party of their own, but reserved action pending a lead in that direct ion from the A. F. of...
...await action and leadership of the K. F. of L. to definitely designate the direction our efforts should take in this matter...
...Henceforth these governmental functions will be extended and multiplied...
...The Commu' slats, despite past experience, are [ attempting tho same task and their «"d will be the ditch...
...We can have a real fighting labor movement on the industrial field if it is supported by ou work politically, and we can go out to the whole working class—not only to one group at a time—and discuss the class struggle with the whole working class and carry a message of the necessity of Aghting for the new social order on issues which are not limited to an individual group here and there, but which affect the workers everywhere...
...you Will become truly and actively the political arm of the working class movement of our land...
...Jos...
...Garment Workers The following telegram was sent by the delegates at the International Ladiea Garment Workers' Union Convention to the National Convention of the Socialist Party on June 1, 1934: ". . . We send you greetings coupled with an earnest wish that your national convention may result in a closer bond between the organized economic forces of the working class in America and the Socialist Party...
...On both matters there is a serious and ginccre difference of opinion...
...There the S<:• cialist Party is a part of t* farmer-labor movement...
...The resolution will be reported to the convention of the A. F. of L. Why Socialists Should Work With Unions ly Edward F. Cassidy THF American Federation of I Bpbor has been patient with I Hersistent sabotaging tactics I Bleed by the organized ComMM "cells" in the trade union ^Hpicnt during the past three ^Bof unprecedented unemPPpnrnt...
...L. The resolution adopted reads as follows...
...Considering our strength, this ii a task that will consume all our energies without attacking the acts of the organised labor movement, In Which venture we can only - ceive a sure knockout...
...Clothlnq Workers Joseph Schlossberg, secretarytreasurer of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, at the Socialist national convention, said, in part: "It is the duty of those who understand the true nature of the class struggle to do whatever we can to carry to the workers the message of independent political action...
...The struggle is not with the individual employers or even with groups of employers, but it is with the system...
...In the past the argument ran that labor could secure what little legislation it desired, and what few Rovern mental ssrvks** -ttLttfaJsi, through non-partisan political action...
...J*jM^X" of L. with all ita imfywns if the American labor P">ent, supported by the votes ^Ht«* barkbone^of the party, *nd in the meantime we have no other sane alternative than to be patient until economic conditions force the giant to move...
...There is a growing sentiment favoring Labor's participation in politics directly through the formation of a Labor or Workers' Political Party...
...It ii, therefore, now more important than ever that labor give serious thought to independent political action...
...It must recogi that since the government Is » party to all economic activities, political power of the workers i just as Important as their eeono: : nower...
...But It cannot hope to get maximum sulti without the proper polltkui organization...
...Government Intervention By David J. Saposs WIDESPREAD government intervention in the economic life of the country is an established policy...
...The developments in the p " year have given the Democrats politicians a sense of ownership in the labor vote...
...In the light of the changed situation it is certain that labor must have a proper political organization through which it can protect and promote the interests of the workers on the political Held...
...The Communists have I been and continue to be motived I by the one' desire to destroy the 'A...
...What else is to be expected...
...Schlossberg Jiees Need for tabor Party By Joseph Schlossberg General Secretary-Treasurer, Amalgamated CMhingt Worke/i of America 1 HAVE long had the conviction * that we need a labor party, to function in cooperation with t:« Socialist Party, The success of t.:« Continental Congress in Washii . • ton, which waa the creation of ti Socialist Party, seemed to hold cut the possibility of a labor party in the very near future...
...The Socialist Labor Party started •at bravely to destroy the FederatWB, and tjtere is scarcely a grease •Pot left of it now...
...Efforts are n ¦ ¦ being made to "deliver" that vers to them...
...Uninformed and heated criticism on the part of Socialists would build up a wall of suspicion and hatred that would alienate the trade unionist from us and leave us aa our only recruits pallid intellectuals and helter-skelter" elements without tact, judgment or experience...
...The Communist sneers at democratic procedure and if he gets a dose of his «tn medicine, should Socialists w*p...
...It is more important now than it ever waa to build np in this country a powerful political labor movement based upon the class interests of the workers...
...The American Federation of Labor has wisely recognized the inevitableness of government intervention in economic life...
...The Minnesota experiences have demonstrated the feasibility of a farmer-labor party...
...I urged the comrades who were in a posit.' a to act to help make it a reali Unfortunately that was not do r, and the best opportunity in a I / time was lost...
...The pi ¦ ent fighting spirit of labor on t~s industrial field is encouraging...
...In the decisive battle for power with the gigantic interests of industry and finance the workers will need the undivided support of the Socislist movement, conscious of its mission and destiny in the American labor* scene...
...What individual or organization would remain quiescent while enemies within are • preparing to dynamite his house...
...Recent developmenth, however, have unmistakably eatablithcd the fact thaf both are growing in favor among the rank and Me of labor...
...Let us confine ourselves for the present to the channels of political democracy in our attacks on the capitalist system...
...The Communists have two objectives—to destroy the Socialist Party and to smash the A. F. of L., and it seems strange to me, and even stranger to the non-Socialist trade unionist, to see a Socialist rushing to the defense of the Communist union wreckers...
...From a political platfo i only, not from an industrial pi .form, can the entire capita order bo indicted, and a call msJ« to the workers for a new socUt order...
...And labor must realise that j j «0 a« it cannot exercise economic V - • er to the maximum without Bid** pendent uniona, so must It acc the truism that it cannot use :t political power without inde]» cnt political organisation Furthermore, labor can t> Ig make the moat of Its polit . power when It joins with its tU'' ural allies, the farmers, the lov |I middle class and other progress!.'e elements in the formation of a p^' ¦ erl'ul political movement that » I fundamentally attack the pfobUo of economic insecurity...
...Wisconsin Labor The Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, on July 21, 1933, unanimously adopted a resolution expressly calling for independent political action on the part di' workers and farmers and called upon its members to proceed actively in that direction...
...A labor party ia even more urgently needed now than it was a year ago...
...In my own union—increasingly larger number of members are regarding Communists not as legitimate members but as malicious i enemies who should be expelled from membership and set free to organize their contemplated dual "industrial'' union...
...convention when the.general strike was called, declared that delegates to the A. F. of L. convention be instructed to fight for the formation of industrial unions, and also that they be instructed to fight for the launching of a Labor Party in the United States.' Pattern Makers^ George Q. Lynch, General President of the Pattern Makers' League of North America, has written as'follows: "Foremost among the Federation^ problems are the questions of industrial unionism and independent political action...
...It would be a tragedy If the la' : movement is allowed to be ehlo formed into inactivity by capita politics...
...F. of L.—not tp reform it [from within but to kill it from Obeying the law of self-preservation, she A. F. of L. now seeks is turn to destroy the Communist influence in the unions...
...s "We are looking hopefully forward that...
...The workers are led to 1 licve that they must help to perpetuate capitalism in compensate: ¦ for certain legislation, and th<* they must support one of the two capitalist, parties against the otha...
...But I just can: accept the fatalistic position t! : because capitalism has gained I tinner grip on the workers' poetical thinking we must abandon u I hope...
...We...
...It will be ¦•totr for the party to be on the ¦"•We looking out than on the out"•e trying to look in...
...It ia on the political field that we are able to see the class struggle in its true character...
...significance under present cor - tions...
...A labor party should be no it :. to the Socialist Tarty, but its 5 - worker...
...Labor Leaders and Big Unions Call for Labor Party William Green At^fjpe convention of the New Jersey State Federation of Labor in September, 1932, William Green, President or the A. F. of I.., waa greeted with a wild burst of applause when he said: "When the time comes, if ever, when the men and women represented in the federation believe that the interests of the workers csn best be served through the formation of an independent political organization, they wUl adopt such action...
...I am fully aware of * • obstacles, which seem almost U - surmountable...
...I sincerely that our young and inexperienced comrades will not be mis*<l by Comrade Gross' advice and 'tart out to attack the American Ubor movement, or the corpse of Socialist Party will be num•j*ed with the others...
...Oreqon Labor The Oregon State Federation of Labor, at its recent convention, passed the following resolution : "Resolved, that we instruct our State Executive Committee to join farm organiiatiena and ether progressive groups In building a political party separate and distinct from the two major parties dominated by bin business and financiers, for the purpose of gaining control of the state and eatablishing the collective ownership of the financial institutions and the basic industries of the state...
...While there is noth . new in that, it assumes spec...
...I hope that with the effort* now being made we shall he able to bring that abo«t.>^ • Textile Workers The United Textile Workers of America", at'tha...
...They are becoming convinced that their incessant advocacy of proposals that are ioipo-^ible of realization and which would only lead the union •into eWster, their studied attempt to shatter the faith of the members in the anion, its officers and ' copnittees, their use of democratic forms to obstruct legislation are bat a few of their activities whose intention is to weaken and demoralise the union...
Vol. 17 • September 1934 • No. 98
