THE TWO SIDNEY HILLMANS
THE TWO SIDNEY HILLMANS Hillman off 1940 and Hillman off 1944 On November 20, 1940, from the platform of the National CIO convention in Atlantic t lity, you, Mr. Sidney Hillman, offered a plan to...
...You distrusted them and you warned the CIO delegates against their tricks and maneuvers...
...I* it because the* Communists are taking order* from you today...
...membership not to l» misled by the fine speeches they will make and by their professions of loyally...
...Hillman ? In 1940, Mr...
...Hillman, you declared: "Every tnnindrrl in thv labur movement uai all right as long a.i he jttineil tho 'United Front.' " To add punch to 1 liis (bought, you recounted a rejoinder you had made to a certain "Bob," a prominent Communist leader who came over to seduce you into an alliance with the domestic lolalilai > ans: "I want to aay that I am not willing to belong with yon fellows...
...Today, not only would you admit Communists into unions: not only would you do business with Communist-controlled unions —today, you VMH'in admit communists into the american labor party to share leadership with you...
...We have not forgotten that, when it suited their party "line...
...We never wanted the Communists in the American Labor Party, and we don't want them now...
...liiliman...
...But your thoughts about a political "I nili-il Front" with (Communists were sound, hascd no douht on your personal experiences...
...I'o us, the struggle against Fascism never was a matter of "taste...
...We have not forgotten how the same Communist crowd which you are now clutching to your bosom, Mr...
...they attacked and smeared the National Recovery Act back in 1933 as "rank slavery...
...Jekyll-Mr...
...Page 1^1), winch you delivered not merely as President of the Amalgamated t llothing Workers "oti leave" hut as member of the l.»l»oi Division of the National Defense Advisory (Commission, yon tillered some plain, candid word* about I lie American • ommunisU when you said: "Their loyally is to an organization within an organization...
...I l(» meeting*, you open your arms wide to embrace the name fellow* lor whom, in your own word*, vou had *o "little respect" on 11 three years ago...
...And a political nomination tainted by the Communist stamp would prove a bear's hug and the kits of death to any national candidate who would accept hi • O O A parting word, Mr...
...They are an evil weed and palson in any democratic body...
...Sidney Hillman, offered a plan to exclude all (Communists from it" unions...
...count nie out from any 'United Front.' " You had some clear, puiigeul idea* about the place of the C.onimuni*t* in the labor movement in those days, Mr...
...Hillman, at the ri*k of reiteration: In 19441 you declared: "Every *coundrel in the labor movement logs all right a* long as he joined the 'United Front.' " That Hill hold* good, leopard* never change their tpott...
...In that same speech, Mr, Hillman las recorded in Daily Proceedings, 3rd CIO convention...
...Today, you want Communists as your political partners, and you want them there in the name of "labor unity," in the name of a "United Front...
...From "Scoundrels" to Bedfellows Today you havi a different plan, mr...
...We well remember their savage cl.iiiim ia-tion of the Wagner Labor Act, the law that gave American labor its first real opportunity for recognition and growth, as "fascism...
...That "United Front'' From that same platform in Atlantic City, in •peaking of the Communist...
...The answer is inescapable: In 1940 you had a public duty to perform...
...What ha* happened that made you utterly, baticaUy change your mind about the Communi*l$f What ha* happened to change the 'Scoundrel*' of 1940 into Hedfellow* of 1944...
...Today, you hobnob with Communists...
...We even recall the name-calling and the savage abuse they heaped on you, Mr...
...il always has been a life-and-death issue in 1933, 1939, as well as in 1941 .and 1944...
...What belter evidence is there of this Dr...
...Hillman characterized in 1940 as one that "cannot par tin pole in the democratic processes" of America...
...Hillman, picketed the Whjte House in 1940 and 1941 and denounced President Roosevelt ss a "warmonger" because the late unlamented Comintern had ordered them to do so...
...As one who had an opportunity lo wateli at close range the ugly, disastrous record of Communist sabotage of our defense preparations, of Communist duplicity ami deceit, you were performing at tli.il time a public service in branding the domestic breed of Communists for what they really are...
...We still vividly recall how our domestic totalitarian*, only a bare couple of years ago, were eager to sell America the revolting doctrine that Fascism was only a "matter of taste" at a time when every vital democratic force in our country was feverishly preparing to meet the onslaught of the deadly Fascist menace...
...Todav, when you m.I.Ii...
...today, they are your allies...
...In ill- face of vnur own deeliiraliun* thai Communist "loyallv" is so much blarney and piffle...
...We could not quite agree with you about expelling Communists from trade union* because we lielieve that no person, no matter how obnoxious his political views may he, should he deprived of ihe right to make a living at his trade...
...Wo Don't Forgot On our side, we reject the 1°44 Hillman Plan of a political junta with the Communis...
...Our memory concerning the record of the American Communist* is keen and clear...
...Hillman, you deliberately and publicly declared that you have no faith in Communist uhue speeches" and "professions of loyalty...
...Tho "Kin Off Death" Our stand and our aliunde with reganl to political cooperation with Communis!* a I ways has been outspoken and consistent...
...Whether their orders rome from Home, Berlin or Moscow, it's the same thing...
...today, without such responsibility, you are indulging in a reckless alliance with the same Communists whpm you had so sharply excoriated...
...is it because thev have become "loval" to you, Mr Hillman...
...In arguing for your plan you said: I hr olde$l organisation in our labor movement ha* incorpttraled a $ound provision into its conililu-tion excluding V.ommuniu* from memberthip, and I lay what i* food for the United Mine Worker* it good enough for me...
...1 don't have to call them by name...
...Communist presence in the administrative councils of our party would spell quick disintegration tor the only Liberal-Labor political homo in the Empire State...
...Have the Communitt* undergone a change, or have you, Mr...
...They will lake order...
...Sidney hiij.man...
...We will have no truck with the element which Mr...
...in ihe face of your own statement that "their loyallv i» to someone else" and we are quoting vou *ueh a somersault would strain to a breaking point the credulity even of thiwe who might be willing to grant you a measure of political integrity...
...Their loyally is lo tomeone el*e...
...Sidney Hillman, when il suited their orders and their true loyalties...
...Ilvde performance than the fact that a* a high official of llie CIO vou would not permit, for seven vear* and until recently, your own New York Joint Board of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers' Union to join with the New York City Industrial Council (CIO) for the reason that this Council is no- 1 toriously honeycombed with and dominated by the Communist element...
...You said: "We muat warn "in young...
Vol. 27 • March 1944 • No. 13
