MEXICAN LABOR'S THRILLING RISE TO POWER
MEXICAN LABOR'S THRLLING RISE TO POWER An Account of the Many Difficulties and triumphs of the Workers Movement South of the Rio Grande ' fFrom maavf source* we- are asked to gfrc-a smumuy of...
...A farewell dinner...
...was "wholly impracticable," nag.ea* gave up his endeavors in that direc-fi tien But all this m of minor importance...
...the opposition feamd^egaswa b> tha tonally, gojrehm certielists bad •the support of their .respective govorgesobts, ¦ . . i*y . To have pacified 'tow ssraotry without resigning any of the'sectsr pestetatso of the Revolution wfl* remote aa undying glory for...
...Especially is this the esse - in view of the feet - that...
...One hundred and ten delegates from all over, tho Republic, ^representing approximately 100,000 members...
...for councils of mediation .and arbitration...
...remaining 40 percent industrial workers, attended this Congress...
...not ofraht kowwsgr.^bl oati as often as tt is Bjsssssaay eso-saoal or general strike...
...Although:the first Labor organisation (a- union of railway meaf) was started in Mexico la'1888, it met with tbe meteoric fate which was to befall all similar organisations following it, .that of being suppressed imr^of,mr* onusWogad Labor organisations sad...
...curiously enough, like Prof...
...A. AT^uroen...
...Ths development of Industrialism in the 'lest quarter of the nineteenth century again brought e crisis In the social conditions of the country...
...General Obregon...
...from becoming entangled in sterile theoretical discussion...
...Article 1X8 of the Ctnstltutloa of 1817 hi equally as important as the regulations concerning- lead distribution...
...1919, the CROM became a real entity...
...This is seen in the fact that, while they who command capital grow rich, the laborer by but simple wages at best only obtains a bare subsistence...
...ssstsfmj gs* oral ef the British Transport aad Oeaeral Workers* Union, both members ef' ParitanMBt to Great Britain, made a •Mart visit to*Mexico as jitagaf of tbe British Tsade Untoa Cnagrsia et to-idwsfsriiWssT aad good wtD be THE AMERICANIZATION OF SOCIALISM The Need for Booting the Movement in Native Soil By Justus Ebert THE article in a recent issue of The NewXeader, treating of Orestes Brownson, and entitled "An Early American Socialist/' by James .Oneal, is an interesting one...
...that every pes sent -family win be able to live from the product of Its work and wffl either own in its own right a separate parcel of-land or wtu have tho right to use Jointly-owned village property In accordance with the old Spanish and pre-Corteslan traditional Indian taws, tbe specific •term tor such a system ot commonly owned village lands being "ejidos...
...to Mexico City to 103L wnUam Green, president of tbe American Federation of Labor, is now president of the PsaAmarican Federation...
...A preliminary meeting of the organizers of the CROM was caned to Saltiiio in 1*18 .at which time the basis snd general plan of the future organisation was' Worked out...
...He saw behind the political idealism ot Hancock, Washington...
...Christtai, Jew or Athlaat earn accept Christ as washer aad stm remain apologist far our...
...born in.Vermont in 1808...
...Among Its aatage* niste are the general Confederatloa cd Workers (Confederaetoa Oeasrst da Trabajadores) aa anarchist organ I ia-' tlon with some- 12,000 metobers, ths Communist organisations with soma S.000 members, and the CatbeMe organizations, especially aa the Feeing coaag with some 31.000 members...
...The international obligations ot organised labor have never been slighted by the leaders of tbe CROM.* For some years before IMA, the late John Marcay...
...the results that t a|med at, It was ] wherefore I opposed the whole banking and.credit system, snd struggled bard to separate tbe fiscal concerns of the government from the moneyed in-' terests of the country, and to abolish paper currency...
...Mi S IN other countries ol f\ Latin America, the War *» * of Independence, while freeing Mexico from exploitation by a. foreign country, failed to improve' materially the conditions of tbe laboring classes...
...The wages, as a general j rule, are never sufficient to enable the laborer to place himself orX* an equal footing with the capitalist...
...Calies follows aa the organiser...
...of the United Hatters...
...Perhaps a quotation dealing with Brownson from "American Industrial Evolution," showing these differences, may now be in order: ^First note Brownson, o famous writer and friend of the distinguished men of his dsy...
...The opposition of capital, both invaries* very--mtiiohf'¦ tatsrnal...
...for a, minimum wage...
...And it is here too that Socialism must and...
...as Secretary at Industry...
...The Constitution, as far as soda] legislation is concerned provides for o redistribution' of land so...
...bat not until the formation of the Oeafedowdun Regional Obrero MoTtoana (known now under the initial Jotters CRCH M.) did it present a real and malarial power...
...not understand the social problems'but suppressed any attempt of Labor to organise and better .its conditions, thus baring it to exportation...
...some 80 percent agricultural workers...
...Sotheran's work dwelt mainly with the Socialist side of Horace Greely's life...
...to- Max Zaritaky, the former president of tho union, was held at the Headgear Lyceum on'Wednesday...
...This Confederation was founded by Luis- N. Morenos, then aa ohm* triclan...
...This ideal, as a'matter of feet,- waa the inspiration which leg the CROM leaders to organise the political Labor Party (Partido Laborista> of Mexico, the Constitution of which expliclty states that the party depends upon and is aa Instrument of the organised Labor movement of Mexico and, is not Jiupposed to supersede tt...
...The Railway Union, while not aatagonlstto to ths CROM, guards Its autonomy...
...Ma thaw Wol], treasurer...
...Madero Vs...
...Hidalgo aad Aguasesjtoatos have Labor goveraora, While the great egmrveeceae* aasoag tha toborteg el.....of Mexico to to pe credited rllrsetty to the CROM aad tts sometimes cryataJBsed to other labor the CROM, others opposing, tt -Among its strongest allies to the Socialist Party of Yucatan (Partldo Socialist* dsl Sureate) organised by the lateFellps Carrillo Puerto, with some 260,000 members, an of whom are affiliated with tbe CROM...
...There la practically no town or village to Mexico where It has not some ramification...
...for social Insurance, etc...
...8. Hershkowltx secretary...
...Spaaish secretary...
...As proof, we have only to recall tbe great First of May manifestation when in Mexico City alone tt unions with over 160.000 members took part...
...thuaawtkmny...
...now Minister of Industry, Commerce and Labor ia President Calles* cabinet, Ezequlel Samcdo...
...for maternity and childhood protection ; for collective bargaining...
...redistrfbwte thai assong those dispossessed peas lata who could Make their uving onJ r oy working the oaU...
...UnJ happily, the reactionary movement plunged the country into a prolonged civil war which ceased only te 1820 when General OOregon was constitutionally elected president of Mexico...
...Morones with Ricardo Trevino, now.leader of the Labor bloc in the Mexican Parliament, and J- M. Tristan -were elected the first 'secretaries...
...Moroaes...
...Ia reality* the leaders of tbe Labor Party are also ths leaders of the CROM...
...Giving Socialism An American "Slant" The writer has also in "American Industrial EvoluUon," New Tork Labor News Co., 1907 (now out of print), made-some modest contributions to the attempt to give Socialism an American "alant...
...Such Siege) owners wore IWeed' to return these lands to the pi ople or to expropriate them (against indemnity) sad...
...The whole class'of simple laborers are poor, and in general unable to procure by their wages more than the bare necessaries of life...
...the fact that organised Labor decided the issue of the last presidential campaign, loyally tad whole-heartedly supporting General Ceiles...
...It is possible that Oneal read.the works...
...1917...
...With the Congress of Zacatecas ia June...
...December 80th, under jJjWJtwpi-dQJs of a-oanmdtteo of active ^boabora, ..eTC-*sj*bash 'toborgje -^tsV...
...WmmOr...
...It is here that industry and productivity expand at a rate that threatens ultimately to ruin us all, directly and indirectly, both at home and abroad...
...Chester Wright Eagilsb secretary, aad Santiago Igleeias of Potto Rico...
...the present secretary-general being Jsaa Rico, one of the founders of the CROM, while the Parliamentary Iseflor ts the asms Rtosrdo Trevino who waa oae of its -first secretaries...
...Later came' the work of Simons, whose "Class Struggles in the United States" gave American Socialist tradiUon a big boost, as did O'Neal's "The Workers in American History...
...of Brownson that were published before "Tbe Convert" and thus formed his favorable Socialist impressions of him...
...It is...
...In tho Cons Station :, Regarding > >or legislation...
...presiden t. *e...
...United Hebrew Trades, and President Green and Secretary Lawlor...
...tho factory system, whicb we were enacting tariffs'to protect and build up, to restore.the old system of home industry.'" Calls Brownson Ideas Reactionary To these paragraphs the writer added the following comments: "From this it wUl be seen' that, while Brownson was socialistic in his criticisms of embryonic American capitalism, ho was reactionary in his final aims...
...Accordingly, he had little or no faith in their alleged political disinterestedness, or any platform based thereon...
...Improved labor conditions In Europe, and -tho United States finally reacted est Mexico and en the rest Of Latin America when, on account of the demands of organised labor, the- increased wages Of ths European workman forced capital to turn for exploits tton more and more to countries outside of Europe where, because of the ignorance of the population, the entire lack of organization, and...
...much after the manner of the modern populists and - trustbusters...
...Last October...
...The system, of money wages, the modern system,' is more profitable to the owners of capital than the slave system is to tbe stavemasters, and hardly less oppressive to : the laborers...
...Such hi the political history ot Mexico...
...What the "CROM" Is the...
...Charles A. Beard in the substance and manner of his argument...
...The Joint budget ot the CROM ead tbe Labor Party exceeds $219,000 a year, this figure, of course, not counting the budgets of the affiliated unions...
...ta the yea* m» the fhtot ttogrerlsnf Labor or* ganisatiott **L» Coso del Obrero Hundley* <Tho Boose of the hrtsrnatior-U Workman) wag sstsbllshsd, its hopefur influence being immediately felt throughout the Mexican B^WhhUc, NotvAthshmdlng psrsseothm by «•> reactionary mmevTdiotsipr,Vletoriano Huerta ths Labor mevsmeot .began, to sense its possfotlltlss...
...thuaawtkmny...
...ln fact...
...evening...
...The passages here given are from his book, 'The Convert,' published in 1857, and reprinted In part In Volume VI of the 'Library of American Literature' under the ' heading, 'Some Practical Democracy.' Brownson was converted' by Owen in 1840, and it was at that time that he began to endeavor to make his economics square with his political democracy, only to meet the opposition of his great friends for bis pain's...
...Several congressss have been held since, the most important being the one beM...
...general basis' of orgaafacstieei and program of the CROM is not unlike that of other Federations of Labor in Europe and the United States...
...Though' scrapbook-llke, it contains much solid informa UouC Following this came the unsuccessful efforts of Herman Simpson to have the Socialist Labor Party rewrite its platform in accordance with the facts of American" economic history instead of the political idealogy of "the founding fathers," as contended by Daniel De Leon In opposition...
...foreign influence whicb in 1918 fomented: a short-lived rebellion .headed by Adolpho do la Huerta...
...ta the yea wAsanas aw am cms ta men...
...or again...
...preside t df the I. L. G. w. u...
...Berlin,1 and Joes Barragan Hernandez, who was later traitorously killed by paid murderers of - the reactionary government...
...This . article provides for the eight hour day...
...But let us not trust too much to these stupendous impersonal economic forces, let us, rather, root our UteraCAPMAKERS HONOR Y/OUTSKY The Cap and Millinery Cutters* Union...
...be would torn back, instead of going forward with industrial evoluUon...
...Obregon was the ^sectficetor...
...The Labor movement 'has been no hiss phsnomenal in Its advancemeaf...
...Today, they are being put into effect under government authority, the preseat cabinet et General csjl— being inspired to...
...after having been governor et tbe Federal Dtetrtet (Mexico City aad surroundings) tor three years, to now chief of the national factories, wane three statee Mexico...
...The First labor Organization Msdoro onusWogad Labor organisations sad...
...BgtotJo—with the amsfsrdsm Fsdsiatluaa of Trad* Unions are friendly...
...Jefferson, Hamilton, et al., the economic determinism of a rising bourgeois class...
...the despoiled •¦ peoples those targe tracts of Indian, communal and national land which during the years of oppression had been illegally taken over and held by some few bugs land owners...
...Dids Against .the, dictatorship of Diaz, Fransisco Madero, a visionary of great strength of character and exceptional honesty, started o successful revolution to ltlO, and succeeded in forming s governments which ¦ introduosd many valuable social laws...
...Late N. Mo* rones, leader of the CROM, to vtospresident...
...To effect this re-distribution of land, ft has been necessary to reclaim in the name of...
...General Elliao Calles, wss elected president by a majority of 1,800,000 votes over the opposing candidate...
...present form of satrttaal and insapmln civilisation...
...A small handful of big landowners got hold of all the riches of the country...
...Samuel Gompers aad Late N. Motrones planned for some eort of slossg contact Between the laboring etasec* oa the American continent but the World War and Internal revolution ta Mexico prevented tbe plan from being realised until ltlt...
...an its social dealings with the spirit Implanted by the CROM...
...Pagan...
...The progress and growth of the CROM during these first eight years of its existence has been enormous...
...impressions that are not warranted by thh quotation made above...
...will raise its head as it has never done before...
...General Diaz, dictator in Mexico for 84 years previous to l»U>, although In many r.-nys a great statesman, not only did...
...He wrote: 'Starting from the Democratic theory of man and society, I contended that the great, the mother evil of modern society, was the separation of capital and labor...
...Cenunsree and Labor, can see realised many of the reform* ho dnnsiid sad planned aa a poor electrician yho through vtotosftads*, self-sacrifice gad pelittoal persecution strove to assart the personality of Labor, organised, Colsettoo Geeoo, smother toadar of the CROM...
...The-capitalist employs labor that he may grow rich or richer...
...Labor odjsoorbna him oa...
...If sometimes, because of larking tho knowledge of the details ol routine, the CROM has blundered, this direct method has secured for it at toast the one excellent result of keeping it...
...Its membership has mounted from 40,000 ia mt to l,2SO,000 at the present time, the composition remaining more or less the same (to percent agricultural aad 40 percent Industrial workers...
...But even Obregon bad to fight against reactionary • and...
...St counts 'about 70.000 members...
...Among the guests were a number ot prominent leaders of the labor movement, allot whom expressed profound regret that ZSiilsky's valuable services eVe no longer ava^ "."jle in building and strengthening . < ' tabor movement...
...or tbe fact that one class of the community owns the funds and another and a distinct class Is compelled to perform the tabor ot production.' Tbe consequence of .Ah Is system ia that the owners of capital enrich themselves at the expense of the owners of labor...
...fdnectgr was chairman and...
...This necessity is a great one and cannot be too' Strongly, emphasized/ It has been recognized before...
...Aad you are now ready to Jobs aula the groat •truggl* for tho ttheratlen ot the salary olavos, from tb* atere arises ybu bav* will an year bit*Wo Hottentot...
...No one familiar with The shortcomings of the Socialist movement in this country will quarrel with the reason given for its appearance, namely, the necessity of giving American . Socialism _a domestic- historical back' ground—a tradition, as it were, rooted -i in United States origins...
...Undoubtedly, my plan would have broken up the whole modern commercial system, prostrated all tha great Industries, or what I called the factory system, and thrown the mass of the people back on the land to get their living by agricultural and mechanical pursuits...
...A. .C W. A...
...I wished to check commerce,.Ao destroy speculation, and for...
...they are decidedly> sound and of great value in the creation of an American Socialiat draditlon...
...Already Its general terms havs been approved by Parliament aad there to ao doubt that the moral prestige aad the reel power of the CROM will carry tt through...
...Local 8, of the Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers' International Union, passed tho following resolution at its tast meeting, expressing' their deep, regret in the resignation of Max Zaritsky...
...The fact la that at the beginning' of the twentieth century, out of a ^population approximating It millions, only about 48,00$ owned land, tnes*eel d%])Qfoi dfipg"*8' ^ 9f...
...Xa the walk of edueattag the Meatoaa masssa the plane of tbe CROM are far-rearhrng...
...the laborer sells his labor that be may not die ot hunger—he, his wife and his little ones—and aa tbe urgency of guarding hunger is always stronger than that of growing rich or richer, the capitalist holds the laborer at bis mercy, and haa over him...
...Simpson was...
...as in the ease of .Mexico, connivance with the authorities, cheap tabor was easily obtainable...
...Morris Sigman...
...It hi entirety free from, any theoretical or tralmtmnsd prejudices Such ss enry too often hamper similar bodies la Europe, notwithstanding that ths latter are often hotter, equipped and better organised The CROM is in no way an experimental body...
...Not in Russia, not In Germany, nor even in Great Britain is capitalism aa pivotal or aa crucial as here...
...Adoiph Held, manager of .the Amalgamated Bank...
...their International president: "Whereas Brother Max Zaritaky for a great number of years led our organization, successfully, and "Whereas, Through his efforts, energy and able leadership, the Cap Makers* Union reached its present stage, and "Whereas, Due to the sTate of his health he was forced to resign as president of our International Union, therefore be it "Resolved, That Local No...
...Better condition* of livelihood for the Mexican workman have become a reality due to the efforts of the CROM...
...whether called a slave or a freeman, the power of life and death.' "Brownson conUnues: To remedy, these evils, I proposed to abolish the distinction between . capitalists u and laborers by having every .man an...
...when at a preltmtaary meeting at Laredo oa tbe Mexican border tbe Paa-Americaa Federation, comprising eighteea Amerlcaa ooun tries, was organised...
...The CROM hi a class organisation working for full recognition of the rights of workers through consUtHUonsJ'*p»a> ceodlngs...
...The condition of the native laborers—60 per cent, of .them pure-blood Indians—did not improve in any 'way...
...The .thing to do is ts proceed, wfth all jthe hoots .possible, with the AmericSnixatien of Socislism as outlined in the ertiele by Oneal, now under discussion...
...The plutocracy was Mexican in -name only,' the wealth derived from Mexico being spent .in Europe and the United States, a procedure which impoverished the country instead of assisting in its twogresa...
...MEXICAN LABOR'S THRLLING RISE TO POWER An Account of the Many Difficulties and triumphs of the Workers Movement South of the Rio Grande ' fFrom maavf source* we- are asked to gfrc-a smumuy of the political and social condition* of Mexico refuting especially to labor question...
...ftnee in our, struggle for better working conditions, and a better life, and be it further-\' ~* , % ''Resolved, That a copy ot this resolution be inserted in the Forward, in The Leader, the Headgear Worker and that the original of this resolution be sept to Brother Max Zarftsky...
...Hugh FraynV of the N. T. State* Federation of Labor...
...However, Brownson's- . reactionary final aims need not detract from the value of his Socialistic criticisms...
...I know this well enough, but thie was one of...
...Several, months later the Labor candidate...
...At U would be impomUe m a short article to treat faBjf such a big subject, we bene endeavored to give the most important points hi the foU lowing article...
...2, Cap Cutters, assembled at this special meeting, held at our Lyceum, dp hereby express their extreme regret over the lose of tbe Invaluable services of Max Zarl'tsky and - hope that he will .speedily regain his health, remain an active member of the organisation and give lis the benefit of bis practical expert...
...Charles Sofheran, some 80 years ago, in fulfillment of this recognition, wrote "The Pioneers of American Socialism," 'published by the Humboldt Library, New Tork, in its Social Science . series...
...Labor odjsoorbna him oa...
...Moroaes aad Rloardo Trerria* havtog paid two visits to Amsterdam wane J. W. Browec oa* Of the sssrstollas ef the Amsterdam Federettoa, spent serosal months ta Mexico Studying condition...
...aresMsat ot thg International Pkdrratlsa at Trade* Unions, aad Baa Smfto...
...it never tries to solve a problem In the theoretical way but goes straight to the practical solution, a method etV procedure which has proved host' ta nine esses out of ten...
...the , struggles of t^s Mexican people, 'their objective being to collect the best interest possible oa their Investments...
...Short addresses were d» ^fped by Sidney Hillman...
...Never baa the CROM fallen into the trap of current politics which it considered always as an ana, never an aim...
...here that capitalism win either 'make or break" Itself on a world scale...
...WmmOr...
...need It now more then ever before...
...For the last fifty years, most 'new enterprises have boon-financed almost entirely by foreign . capital—British, American, French* add Belglan«-the owning promoters in most cases never coming to Mexico and consequently Paying no heed to...
...Morris Flnestone, secretary...
...tJ^nfswV gsv'JonBj 9^^huo9 98 percent of t be lead (owrtodlsgv of course, notions I lands...
...It is here that a world attack converges on a world imperialism, such ss tbe world has never known before...
...Capital sriD always command the lion's share of the proceeds...
...This ten years of struggle, however, bad brought about a straightening of the social structure in Mexico and sound social legislation embodied in the Constitution proclaimed .in February...
...While before tbe revolution the average salary waa- about SO cento a day, I today, to Mexico City, tt Is about three pesos, a a&nitar change being felt throughout the- Republic Collective bargaining Is a fact aU ever the Republic Now, under pressure of the CROM, Parliament la discussing the application of the new Labor Lew drawn by CROM leaders themselves...
...Ia ltZL gatiaiig Marttose aad Feraaaao Bodarte sat seat by the CROM to Buaato to study conditions there, thetr trra, however, givtag negaUve reeutta...
...died in Detroit, 1878...
...Its members are perfectly disciplined...
...owner of funds as weU ss the tabor on a capital ot his own, and to receive according to bis works...
...Contact with ahneyeaa Labor orafggdssttogs dates bask to' Hit, whew Moroaes made a trig to Europe esperialry to get teto toech wltk tbe French aad Itallaa mrioae...
...has written about Brownson, but with deductions different from O'Neal's...
...Brownson later concluded that the in-j traduction' of "hta*''economical system...
...new Labor attache in...
...This is s work that will yield results only in proportion to its seeeessful accomplishments...
...the center of capitalist gravity has shifted from Europe to the United States and' the world's' Socialism should shift accordingly...
Vol. 2 • January 1926 • No. 53
