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age THE MILITANT Autorst 1a, 1929.
The End of the Cloakmakers Strike osses.
even to the Schlesingers and Dubinskys provided that the Left wing would simultaneously carry on a per.
sistent agitation for such uwity below, in the ranks of the workers then selves. The Left wing had a The New York cloakınakers strike was primari industry will convince the veriest child that this is splendid opportunity to agitate for and form joint an expression of the fact that they are beginning not the case.
strike or action committees in the shops, composed recover from the disorganization, indifference Why was the Right wing able to carry through of workers belonging to both unions and those standd defeat and aspiring to reconstitute their organi their betrayal with such comparative ease? The ing outside of either. There were mumerus other tion and reestablish the union conditions which explanation is not entirely with the answer that they weapons at the command of the Left for the organiere wrested from them. Due to the combined were in a shameless united front with the machinery zation of the unity of the workers, but they chose rength of the bosses and the Right wing leaders of the capitalist state Tammany Hall, from Albany none of them.
ad the state and city authorities who intervened to the City Hall) and the cloak bosses. That was un Instead of placing the stigma of division where tively, and thanks to the great errors of the Left doubtedly a powerful factor. But the other factor it belongs, on the Right wing leaders, instead of ing leadership, this new movement of the workers that contributed mightily to the success of the Right showing the workers clearly where the responsibility as diverted for the time being into class collabor wing fakers was the enormous errors of the Left lies for the split in the workers ranks, the course ion channels and failed of its object.
wing. These errors must be condenaned precisely followed by the Left wing enabled the Right wing to The strike called by the International Ladies because they played into the hands of the Right wing escape from under and to burden the Left with the arment Workers Union was brought to a shameful and strengthened the latter.
responsibility for divided action. The test of the coronclusion by the Right wing union leaders. With le exception of the closed shop, not a single one ERRORS OF THE LEFT WING rectness of the policy lies with the results: the Right is today stronger and the Left weaker than either of the important demands announced at the begining of the strike has been achieved in the final set specifically of the Communist Party which acted them has been for the last or years.
PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE ement between the union and the bosses associa through the Needle Trades Workers Industrial Union This ominous act, the result of the irresponsible on. The socialist pillars of the union, Schlesinger. displayed eminent confusion; where it did have ubinsky, Ninfo and Co. have not shown improve a policy it was the wrong one. The Left wing showed ultra Left course of our American Stalinists, is ent over their treacherous record of the past, and no initiative in the struggle. Its position was that if market. Unless it is taken into serious consideration in the le situation is pretty bad when even the yellow New the Right wing called a strike then the left wing by the Party and Left wing union leaders, and their ork Forward is constrained to admit (July 17, would transform it into a real strike. By this act tactics changed accordingly, the Left wing will be in 929. It would be wrong to maintain that the alone they automatically gave the Right wing the still worse position. The starting point for such a oakmekers got everything they were entitled to in first word; they surrendered the head of the move change is a recagnition of the unpleasant truth that se present strike and settlement.
ment to the right and left theneselves the role of so far as the cloakmakers are concerned, the Right Here are the results of the first skirmish in twil end.
wing now has the upper hand. The Left wing must Je new period of rise of the Right wing leadership The Left wing did not issue the slogan of unity proceed to win back those workers who now follow the ladies garment industry: in the struggle, and it was under this slogan that the Right eithey hecause of conviction or job comThere is no provision made in the agreement the Left wing gained its big strength among the needle pulsion. Despite every effort of the Right to isolate or an increase in wages for the workers, despite trades workers, reaching its height in 1926 27. In the left wing, the latter must find ways of establishjeir present straitened conditions, and the assur stead of the slogan and practise of unity, the only ing the closest contact with the workers in the shops.
nce of the leaders that the strike would result in a demand of the Left was an appeal to the workers to age raise.
make it a real strike. by walking down from the workers will have to submit to the necessity of joinIt must be recognized that in many cases Left wing.
There is no provision made in the agreement shops and coming to the Left wing halls. The work ing the Right wing union in order to be able to work or the establishment of the unemployment insurance ers did not understand this brilliant maneuver, side by side with the less advanced workers and mound, a burning need for the workers. Like the wage this novel way of uniting the workers to struggle bilize them in the shop and in the Right wing union crease, the prospect for it is dangled before the against the bosses in a strike. The result was, despite for a renewed struggle for unity and against the class yes of the workers for some future time when the all the self deception and exaggeration of the official collaborationist Right wing and their policy of berbitration commission will deem it necessary and Party press, that the bulk of the workers went to trayal.
dvisable!
the Right wing halls and not to the Left.
The cloak strike movement was only a hesitant What the Left wing should have done was to beginning, a sign and a promise of deeper struggles FACTS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT Organize concerted actions of all workers organ to come for the actual realization of the aims which There is no definite and unmistakable abolition izations and take into consideration that in coun the workers failed to accomplish under the Right the malevolent piece work system, and no guaran tries in which there are several trade union head wing. The growth of the militancy of the workers and ees are established for wiping it out of the industry. quarters, every action of the workers, particularly the strengthening of their spirit can be safely relied romises on paper serve as guarantees only for the in the event of the general strike, is threatened with upon. The question of tactics and leadership will great danger, if the trade unions will not fight joint have a decisive bearing on the results of these comThere is no positive assurance of the institution ly; that the revolutionary trade union officials ing struggles. The present failure is not a permanent the 40 hour week (5 day week) in the industry. should taken upon themselves the initiative to create one. With the help of correct tactics and resolute The infamous reorganization right is still the united front, as is correctly stated by the sec leadership on the part of the Left wing the advance ranted to the bosses in the new agreement. What is ond Congress of the of the Rights can be pushed back and the present ven worse than this is the right granted to the bosThe Left wing, as soon as there was a prospect situation turned into a mere episode. Only by beconies by the union to discharge any worker. except of a strike by the Right wing, should have made ing an undetachable segment of the needle trades or reasons of union activity. subject to appeal proposals for joint action to guarantee the solidarity masses will the Left wing make progress and finally o the impartial commission. The Right is trumpet of the workers front against the bosses, guarding defeat the Right. The militant tradition of the workng this point as a victory for the workers, when in at the same time its own independence and its right ers and the unsavory record of the Right are a gua.
reality it is aimed directly at the workers, and at the of criticism and agitation. Proposals for unity could rantee of the victory. The word lies with the Left nilitant, class conscious workers in particular. Uni have been made even to the Right wing leaders, yes, wing workers. Ms.
on activity under the regime of the Schlesingers, is the workers have learned to know, is limited to activity against the opponents of the bureaucracy.
Che discharge right is aimed at those workers in the shop who fight for the rights and interests of the In the last days of May was held the convention atttacked Soviet Russia and the American Communloakmakers, who dare to tell the boss where to get its as spies and provocators. For the off at, and above all, at those workers who dare to of the Independent Workmen Circle at Chicago.
The Independent Workmen Cirkle is a radical last few years we have done everything for the left express any criticism of the leading clique of the anion and its misdeeds. The discharge right signifies and fraternal organization which has been in exist. wing movement. Now the Communist Party came to joint control by the bosses and the union bureaucrats ence for the last 28 years. It has always been in Chicago after the wonderful work we have done for over the job of the workers who can henceforth open opposition to the Workmen Circle because the For the left wing movement, after we have accepted the his mouth only at the risk of having to look ward clique always had the control over the latter left wing workrs, where they were expelled from for work elsewhere. It is the old game played by and would force it to adopt its methods. The best the as individual members and as branches in organization. Now the Communist Party came Lewis and the operators against the militant miner, part of the was that members of any political our by Hillman and Co. against the Left wing tailor, and party could join it and preach openly their ideas. The to Chicago and made a pogrom and tried to discredit by Schlesinger, Sigman and Co. when they were at left wing had a free field for propaganda there. our active members as counter revolutionists, enethe helm in the past. Many have been the workers The Workmen Circle suppressed the left wing mies of Soviet Russia. We were helping to build the who were left broadless or driven out of the industry movement because that was the order of the Forward new needle trade union. We are organizing an I, after such a victory as this and the With the impractical work of the Com Village in Russia.
To cap the betrayal of the workers by Schlessin munists in the Workmen Circle they were absolutely When the chairman tried to introduce the next ger is the unconcealed spirit of class collaboration defeated. Now the same impractical methods are used speaker, Mr. Wilcon (the first chairman of the that characterized the course of the strike and that in the Before the convention the tried comrade Marx, manager of the Freiheit, who is now fastened on to the backs of the cloakmakers to organize a few ymall branches of left wingers with is a member a few month in the and was through the settlement. The entry of the Lieutenant the aim to capture the convention of the one of the steering committee, stood and with a few Governor Lehmann and Mayor Walker, two of the With majority of nine votes they adopted resolu of his sympathizers made so much noise that it was best wheel horses of Tammany Hall, into the strike tions that would be good only for a party convention brought to a fist fight. Thus the meeting was brokas arbiters of the dispute was gleefully hailed by and not for a non partisan fraternal organization en up and adjourned.
these pocialist leaders who have long ago duw. ped whore membership is composed of left wingers, naThe steering committee had prepared in advance the class struggle from their train as excess baggage. tionalists, small husiness men and workers who don a hall downstairs. The Freiheit manager shouted, The workers were asked to offer up thanks to these belong or sympathize with any political party. all the left wir. gers should go downstairs in the Tammany Hall standpatters as the saviors and pat As soon as these resolutions were accepted at the hall. But only a few followed him. The left wingers rons of the oppressed. Furthermore, the settlement Convention a revolt began in the The first who were in the hall did not agree with the hooligan calls for the establishment of a permanent impartial revolt started in Beson and a meeting of more than methods of the steering committee. By these methods arbitration commission to which all disputes will three hundred people was held Wednesday, June 26, the Party is being discredited among the sincere syn:be refered. The impartial chairman who will sa in the American House with Mr. Oripow as chairman. pathizers in the left wing and the right wing reactioncrifice himself to this work at the miserable salary The chairman began his speech with the following aries gain ground in the Jewish labor movement of 25, 000 a year is Mr. Raymond Ingersoll, another words: Last Monday Freiheit editorial and today L. Schlosberg, Tammany hack.
editorial of the Freiheit attacked me as a right wingEx Nacional Executive Committee, ORGANIZING THE BOSSES er and an enemy of the working class. shall state Independent Workmen Circle.
Worst of all, the union obligates itself to force since was 16 years old became a worker and all independent bosses to join the bosses associations am working in a shoe factory today. gave away my That is, the union of the workers is supposed to be activity for the working class and am doing so at THE MILITANT come the agent, the organizer for the unions of the the present. was never a right winger. always was bosses. The workers are to become the instruments a sympathizer with the left wing movement. When Published twice a month by the Communist League for forging a solid, united front of the bosses so that the Freiheit made the first appeal since its publicof America (Opposition)
they may the better be able to break the unity of the ation to the C1 made a motion to the National Address all mail to: Box 120, Madison Square workers. Schlesinger in the role of a procurer for Executive to support the Freiheit with 300. That Station, New York, the manufacturers Industrial Council. that will show that the slander of the Freiheit is not true.
Publisher address at 332 East 18th Street, living portrait of the socialist trade union leader few telegrams and letters were read to the mass New York, in his prime.
meeting declaring their support. Especially it should Subscription rate: 00 per year. Foreign 50.
There is not the faintest excuse for this treach: be mentioned that, telegram of the second largest 5c. per copy Bundle rates, per copy.
ery to the workers, At decisive majority responded to the call of the considered to be a left wing branch, pledged its supAssociate Editore: Editor Martin Abern Right wing union. few thousand others went down port to the new revolt for a free platform and nonJames Cannon Max Shachtman in reply to the call of the Left wing Industrial Uni partisan organization.
on. The Right wing was in the position to hold out Maurice Spector We were never afraid to fight against the trio: for the demands of the workers, to gain a far better the Forward the and the trade union bureau VOL. II, AUGUST 1st, 1929.
No. 12 settlement than they did. if they had been inter Te loft wingers in the Jewish movement pas Entered as racond class mail matter November have donated 800 to 28, 1988, at the Post Office at NY. under a War in the Indep nt Workmen Circle