Page THE MILITANT Saturday, December 7, 1929 Is the of Becoming Progressive?
HOOVER BUILDING PLAN SWINDLE In some respects the forty ninth annuBy Arne Swabeck al convention of the American Federation of Labor reflected the pressure of growing and the failure to get Justice. the editorworking class discontent and of developing lal queries: economic conditions. But only to the ex But after all what is the of tent of taking on a more pacifist face mask for. The truth is the of is ing the same reactionary policies which failing miserably in its stewardship. Every become ever more hostile to working class year its weakness is more apparent.
militancy and progress. This is what the The southern textile situation is Socialist Party and the leading Musteites vivid example of that failure, but it is only gloat over as the new born progressivism one of many examples. For thirty years the of the of of has ignored the field except for Characteristically, the convention ses easy resolutions and a handful of organizsions were held in the fashionable Royal ers. The job has been left to the ComYork Hotel, non union from top to bottom. munists, while the hungry southern mill (The rent of the convention hall alone cost hands are facing alone the organized 60, 000. There was less heresy hunting employers and hostile authorities, beaten than usual because the Communist menace by mobs and shot down by sheriffs, the always paraded in the past before a frightsleek of officials sit twiddling their ened audience, has become with the present thumbs at mahogany desks in Washington growing working class discontent, someor are making patrioteering speeches to the thing to be dealt with in a more serious National Security League or at West Point, manner. Not that the audience changed.
No, it was the same old diamond glistening The of is accurately described fat boys playing the master game, even to the extent of heavy speculation on the stock market or on the curb. Perhaps many of them are now preoccupied in nursing burnt fingers received in the last stock crash.
Continued from Page Lewis and Woll the Rear talist men of almost every known indusThe two usually most militant spokestry and trade, by bank presidents, electric men for capitalist policies, conceded to be power heads, railroad magnates, automobile barons, and others, to show what busthe real wire pullers behind the baptist iness has in mind to maintain Business Green, secretly and openly the most adored ones of the payroll grigade, Mathew Woll as usual. stagger the imagination, cerand John Lewis, did not assume the comtainly those of a layman, and are meant to be impressive and conclusive. The tigmanding position witnessed at former conures run into billions of dollars that are vention since the death of the immortal to go for construction, new activities and Gompers. Lewis, in the past always the increased production and maintenance and bellowing star red baiter, did not perform repairs in almost any sphere of producThe frightful destruction wrought by him tion that one could name. The daily and in his own union evidently made it unwise other papers and magazines are filled each to bring him too much to the fore. Woll day with these astronomical figures and spoke in somewhat softened tones of how stupendous proposals that are to be. But he had been misunderstood in the past, their weakness is that the proof of securiparticularly with regards to old age penty they are supposed to show are too consions. As a matter of fact he claimed to clusive in some respects. Even casual have always been in favor of it. His coninspection of these gigantic figures or are nections with the Civic Federation, the supposed to, the immediate needs of a high tariff lobby, the employers campaign given industry or trade if there is not to for compulsory arbitration, etc. were be a collapse. Increaed figures are meant considered perhaps a little too open, Some for realization, but only in rare instances of them had incurred the displeasure of is there shown specifically how the par progressive capitalist politicians, liberals, ticular job 1s to be accomplished: how Professor Dewey, yes, and even the Socialmany workers, at what wages, working ist Party.
hours, etc. The figures sound grandAnyway the convention showed but are hollow, so far certainly for that change of face and of public front as requir which they are supposed to portray.
ed by present policies of the big employers The New York Times is hopeful of and the capitalist government at WashHoover schemes, but by no means cerington, It gave more than usual tain. It says (12 29. It will be some attention to the south because of the time (how much. before the projected general capitalist fear of the establishoutlays by great corporations can be made ment of unions there under left wing concrete in actual employment. In every leadership. It went on record for old age case preliminary studies will have to be pension laws to be enacted by the various made, blue prints submitted and each destates. It particularly utilized the stereo tall worked out. Is this business as typed phrases of the capitalist press of a usual. Moreover; this mobility of lahigh standard of living for labor, keeping bor is not in actual practice so facile as it up consumption, and co operation in mainis in economic theory, so that time must taining prosperity. This to soothe the growelapse before workers who may be dising dissatisfaction of the workers while placed at one point can find jobs at antying them more effectively to the mur other.
Apparently Mr. Hoover himself deous speed up, semi company union system, contemplates some such slow. develYet some of the convention actions also opment of his plans.
reflect the pressure of growing working class discontent and pressure from sharpPublic construction, however wide the ening industrial conditions. The Executive program, does not eliminate the features of Council report indicated the fear of growthe capitalist system that make for reing technological unemployment as it calls curring crashes. True, governors, senait, meaning workers thrown upon the tors, businessmen, bankers, and also the streets displaced by machines, and partiA. of fakers may Co operate. But cularly the fear of rapid disappearance of that will not cary on production unless trade skill in this machine age. Naturally, profit 18 produced; will not hire labor unthat would eliminate any last excuse for les there is profit therein. The construccraft unionism and spells its final doom.
tion of public buildings, subways, houses, etc. are one way of applying Hoover The Scripps Editorial proposals. Yet, these forms of building Nothing, however, excited the delegates construction have been on the decrease in as much as an editorial on the failure of in 1929 and the total values less than in the of published by the Scripps 1928. Hopes for 1930 may be high and Howard chain of newspapers on the second good wishes of men expressed in conferday of the convention. The weight of its ence but no substantial economist has yet criticism hung like a pall over the gather stepped forward with figures to prove a ing. Bluntly it projected the miserable better case for 1930. In the last analysis career of the federation stating in part that capitalists seek for the key to unlock it will have to report failure to make any the door to profit.
gains in membership, being now below 3, 000, 000 as compared to 5, 000, 000 and more The Publle Works Panacea in 1920; failure to be a factor in the labor Governments, national, states, local, awakening in the south; with increasing may tax for public works. But it will not technological unemployment, failure to then be long before the hitherto publicobtain a government unemployment or old enlightened citizens or capitalists will beage pension system; the basic industries gin to squeal and will try to do business entirely unorganized and failure to devise where their profits will not be affected so constructive program to prevent suffermuch by governmental and political exiing in other industries, growth of the anti gencies.
labor injunction evil; handcuffing the Mr. Julius Klein, assistant Secretary unions and helplesness to protect the rights of Commerce and the closest economic of the workers. Then after citing that these collaborator of Hoover may buoy up the things are happening in the most pro spirits of the property and wealth ownsperous country, the most enlightened ing classes with his references to the democracy and blaming both the country general and dominating role of American and the A, of for the workers misery cap talism in capitallet world economy.
of course, nothing about the treasonable record of the leadership.
The Convention and the South The convention decision to map out as the aristocracy of labor. All aristocracplans to organize the South will not serve as an inspiration to the workers. Such conies are subject to dry rot.
vention braggadocio we have become used The Scripps Howard papers have a to. The results have done nothing but serve circulation of about fifteen million. The the employers to prevent organization. Yet convention felt the lash and squirmed. An today, the National Textile Workers Union inquiry was made by Green whether this has set an example of militant policies and represents a set policy with an answer organization in the South Communist from the editor in chief that it was merely leadership, as far as the issues of the friendly criticism. And so it was. It meant struggle are concerned, has found a rein plain words: Get busy; stop the re sponse among the workers. The of bellion now in the offing; try to lead the leaders have been given a task by their workers, or the Communists will do the masters, the employers, and they will unjob.
doubtedly endeavor to organize into safe channels to stem this developing tide of Perhaps on account of this a few extra militancy.
speeches were made on the problem of The Executive Council report recomorganization of the south. McMahon, presmended the usual policy of rewarding ident of the United Textile Workers, elofriends and punishing enemies among quently described the radiant beauty of the southern mill villages, extolled the splendcapitalist politicians. As as appropriate answer to the appearance of Premier Mac id efforts of the of made a Donald, still in his role as a missionary slight remark on the low wages prevalent, of peace by the way, he was greeted with but said nothing about the struggle and, tumultous applause it evidently considered its high surung claims of labor control of Congress, set forth in the report as follows. The election of members to the House in 1928 resulted in the success of 135 reHe may further point out, that this expresentatives with 100 percent legislative pansion of American capitalism influrecords on measures of interest to labor.
ence on an international scale will be on There were also 110 members elected whose the increase for a time, yet and that this records were exceedingly fair. It is not factor will also be of aid domestically. But generally known, but it is a fact that 39 it is also necessary to point out that this members of the United States Senate also increased aggressiveness of the United have 100 per cent labor records. Fifteen States increases the rivalries and diffiother Senators are considered most fair.
culties with other nations; that ultimateIt will be seen that a majority of the ly and quickly these international economembers of the House and the United mic and poltiical rivalries produce naStates Senate, irrespective of politics, are tional domestic discord. unemployment, friendly to labor. But, adds the report so rationalization methods, lower wages, inas prevent any too great expectations, some creased and sharper class conflicts between of the leaders are powerful enough to the employers and the working class.
prevent remedial measures from enactAll the measure sponsored by Hoover, ment.
are only stop gaps at the workers expense.
On the serious problem of anti labor Others of the enlightened capitalists and injunctions the council emerged with a their political agents, such as Lieutenant draft for a socalled injunction limitation Governor Lehmann and United States Senbill. It represented a stupid effort to acator Wagner of New York, sense even bigcomplish the impossible, namely to devise ger crashes to come and add their bit a bill that could be acceptable to capitalist in the hope also of permanent dapitalist lawyers and capitalist courts. The debate stabilization.
on this draft revealed a number of long The emergency brake may work, but winded barristers clashing over the techeach time it is tried again, it works less nical intricacies of capitalist laws, practicsimply and easily. The working masses ally obliterating all traces of labor are slowly now, and more swiftly in the gathering.
future, learning that though the roads, are here and there lined with trees and hotFuruseth Bursts Out dog stands, the road of capitalism leads The chief performers were Andy Fuover a clift. They will clamber out, as ruseth, Matthew Woll and Victor Olander.
many already have, and look for another The head of the seamen union, Andy Furoute of socialism or communism, Hoov ruseth, as reactionary in outlook as any er prosperity reserve being deplet of them, got somewhat animated by the ed.
debate and shot a few well almed darts Organize To Fight!
into the armor of the hidebound standThe workers in the United States still patters. At one point, in answer to Woll he said: Was it a pettyfogging lawyer have the task in the main to see the capitaking the other side because his case was talist as their class enemy, to organize as class to defeat the employers. Hoover weak, who used just what he wanted and waning prosperity reserve can only be sopped the quotation where it would not do effectively answered by a new social systo continue, or was it possibly the president tem which substitutes social production of the Civic Federation who was defending and use for capitalist anarchy and misery.
the equity power in injunctions and labor It can only be met now with a militant disputes? At another point, referring to the convention held in Toronto twenty years resistance to his enormous construction program swindle, a meaningless palliaago with its lofty resolve pledging the tive for the growing unemployment among delegates to go to jail in the fight against the workers, the prospect of heavy wage injunctions, he blazed forth: But even the cuts, of speeding up the already intensivebest of you will not. You will not fight.
the general attack on their standard of liv Then again, referring to the shame of ly exploited American working class, and Indianapolis the submission of John Lewis to the Anderson injunction aganst the ing The Communists must lead in this task of education, organization and strugminers strike he related how one judge gle.
had exclaimed: Oh, that miserable coward, that miserable coward! However, this time it all happened to THE NEXT ISSUE fit in well with the slight change of face Lack of space forces us to omit a of this coterie of labor leaders. who thus great deal of important material. The next hope to serve their masters more effectiveissue will contain a very timely article by ly. Otherwise the high strung debate and cvomrade Trotsky on Communism and the long, detailed draft of the injunction Syndicalism, an opinion on the role of limitation bill amounted to exactly naught.
Communists in the trade unions. Very Not the slightest leadership will be given Important for the Left wing in this country. by the of officials to fight the Workers will do well to subscribe now injunction system. For once Furuseth was and not miss a single issue of the Militant right.
which will be an intellectual treat Naturally it would be entirely useless worker besides being a guide to action.
to expect any change in policies from this upper crust stilling the of This, however, does not in the least alter the NEW YORK fact that the Federation embraces masses JAMBOREE of workers and represents today all there is of an organized character. Moreover, for the benefit of the history has given ample proof that periods WEEKLY MILITANT of depression with consequent increasing working class discontent and sharpening SATURDAY, December 14, 1929, at struggles will invariably witness subat the stantial growth for unions, even under the MILITANT HALL, 25 Third Ave.
most reactionary leadership. There are Musical Program. Entertainment signs aplenty of such developments here.
Yes, even in the South the of will Auspices: New York branch, undoubtedly yet become a factor. To the Communst League Left wing this should indicate, clearly its tasks.
a every