THE MILITANT Saturday, March 1, 1990 The Mining Situation and the Tasks of the Left Wing ganized Left wing, must be met with deeper penetration of it. This work within the ranks of the National Miners Union goes hand in hand with the widest possible proclamation of these views in the ranks of the and independent agitation for them.
By steering a firm and steady course As Bolshevik fighters along these lines the Opposition Communists in the mining fields can bound forward. They can render great service to the interests of the miners and bring a new prestige to the banner of Communism which has been sullied by the Party bureaucrats. Conscientious work for the policy indicated in this statement is the road to this accomplishment.
National Committee Communist League of America (Opposition)
vention as possible, establish a Lett wing Operators Speed Up Illinois Coal Diggers (Continued from Page One)
ate themselves from the latter. The Left the infon (1. e. for capitalist politics in ranks while the old union is numerically wing must put to the progressives in for reality) or into the hands of the pure and mal public statements and by widespread simple industrial unionists (I. antimany times stronger its fight cannot conagitation in the ranks the question of their political actionists. slat exclusively of a frontal attack against the but of the mobilization position on various issues: Democracy in Not only the convention, but the Left of the broadest possible sections of the the union, National vs, local and district wing miners now, must reject the course minors to conduct a struggle against the agreements; the organization of the unorproposed in the TU. Board stateottensive of the employers and the betray.
ganized miners and a fight for regaining ment. Dally Worker, Febraury 20, 1930. als of the officialdom. For this a twotheir lost standards; the reinstatement of which states: The calls upon elded policy is necessary: the extension expelled miners; the Lewis plan to run the miners to quit the Lewis organization and consolidation of the National Miners 300. 000 miners out of the industry: the and to eliminate Fshwick and his whole Union on the one hand and the establishright to Independent thought and action and crew of progressive fig leaves. Send no met of a firm base in the ranks of the expression for minority groupings; indedelegates to this fake convention. That pendent working class political action, etc. old union on the other.
is no method of eliminating Lewis and FishUnder the new conditions that have etc. By working in the ranks of the miners wick, but of strengthening their position.
been created, the particularly in along this line, the Left wing will clarity The Left wing miners must, on the contrary, view of the fact that its generally weakthe situation; it will be able to draw the miners to its side and prevent them from ened position throughout the ndustry has been further aggravated by the Illinois falling under the complete influence of the bloc there, force the progressive leaders to defeat, must in all fields where the Fishwick Farrington machine and those who the wall on the burning issues of the day, embraces the majority of the aupport and strengthen it in any way, and challenge Fishwick and Co. for the miners and particularly where the checkThere are, however, certain pre requis. confidence of the miners. The proposal to off system prevails maintain and constitute ites for such a drive, which must be accom leave Fishwick an open, unhampered field itself as a Lett wing in the plished by the Pittsburgh conat this convention must be repudiated out of without at the same time dissolving the vention. The must become a forum hand by the Left wing.
N, In Illinois, this is especially im.
for the rank and file members, who should The Left wing is confronted by the be made to feel that it is their union. The perative because of the practical illegality most serious tasks. Its present line is a of the and the conditions of checkN. must declare for the unity of the rope around its neck that must be ruthoff that prevail. The organization of a Left Left wing, which means that all elements lessly cut before it chokes the breath of the wing minority in the UM. especially must be given tull opportunity for particimovement among the miners. new course in Illinois, has a favorable basis and is pation and expression of their views. Up must be steered.
till now, the party leaders in control of the The Left wing must necessary as a counter agent to disintegrise to its task and be capable of mastering rating tendencies.
union have used it for a faction battleit.
field against their party opponents. united The Coming Convention of Left ving, however, is a pre condition for successful influencing of the new move The members of the Communist League the ment. The must throw overboard in the mining industry, and the non party the whole narrow line with which it has militants co operating with them, have be.
The Left wing at the coming conven been operating, arbitrarily foisted upon it fore them now exceptional opportunities tion of the in Pittsburgh should by the party leadership, and certain it per and responsibilities. In carrying their work set for itself the goal of re uniting the sisted in, to doom it to a futile sectarian forward it is particularly necessary for the miners on a national scale in a single or existence. It ihe Left wing is to fight suc. Opposition Communists to bear in mind ganization. This does not exclude but cessfully for trade union democracy in the the differentiation and relation of forces presupposes temporary agreements with it must first establish such within the Loft wing as well as within the progressives and semi progressives, which a regime in the This does not miners movement as a whole. The Left is one of the most effective means of estab exist today. All opponents and critics of wing, organized primarily in the Nat. onal Iishing broad contacts in the ranks and the Party policy are mercilessly crushed Miners Union with all its defects and advancing the Interests of the workers and without the interests of the workers and weaknesses, and the false policies of its its most progressive vanguard.
The eletheir union being considered. The leadership, is the main dynamic force for ments in and around the must es must reject the party theory of purely me. progress in the industry. The adherents of tablish connections with the new movement chanical, strangulating control of the unions the Communist Opposition are but a faction in Illinois and push it persistently to the by the P. and replace it with ideological at present a small faction of the organLeft. They must demand of Howat, Brophy and comradely guidance, advice, influence ized Left wing. From this follows the and others who base themselves on the and aid of the working class party, The central task of the Opposition Communists: progressive minded workers, that they ex present relations of the Party to the union to struggle within the Left wing to unite it press themselves on the record and program only plays into the hand of the Lewis on this program. All provocation and slanof Farrington Fishwick Walker, and separ Green Gompers theory of no politics in der, aimed to 19olate them from the orSPRINGFIELD, II. Speedup in Illin.
ols mines 1s on the increase month by month, according to official state figures.
For January the statistics show that more coal was dug than in December. This was done with fewer miners employed than in December. And each miner worked fewer days in January than in December. When an Illinois coa miner told Michigan college professors three years ago that the mine was turned into a goddam factory that was only a very modest beginning of the underground speedingup.
The actual figures are given by state director of mines and minerals John Milhouse as follows: Tons of coal dug in Illinois in December, 6, 415, 838 in January, 6, 590, 275; number of miners employed in December, 51, 265, in January, 50, 664; average days employed per miner in December, 20. 1, in January 19. days.
Ten men were killed and 1, 399 Were injured seriously enough to keep them from work a day or more in January mine accicents in the state, the director adds.
HAMMOND Ind. Surge hands and electricians in union theaters in Hammond, East Chicago and Indiana Harbor won a raise of 50 a week to 72. 50. Operators were raised 16. 25 a week to 95.
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. Union painters have won a 5c increase to 850 an hour in a contract with the employers asWAR GLORY By Peter Hansen Brr. brr. went the field telephone in the dugout in trench No. where a group of Russian officers shivered in the cold of an early morning of the winter of 1915.
Brr. went the telephone, and the operator lost no time in answering it. Lieutenant Orloff! he called out. Division Headquarters on the wire. tall, blond fellow with a mild peasant face that harmonized little with his military bearing strode forward and seized the receiver, frowning. He listened intently for a moment, and his face cleared as he wrote down the message. At eight o clock sharp you will attack enemy trench No. Two hours of artillery preparation will clear the wire entanglements. Occupy the trenches and hold them at any cost. Thank God! he exclaimed. We re going into action. Similar cries of relief came from the assembled group, and one after another the officers leaped to their feet to receive their orders. The Lieutenant, breathing quickly, read of the message. It just five minutes of six, he concluded, consulting his watch. You ve got two hours to get the boys ready. Each man to his post now. They saluted him gravely and turned to go. Just a moment! he called There one thing more. He smiled. See that all the men have a good stift drink before we go into action. They re going to need it.
The smile still lingered on his face as he entered the trench for his morning inspection, The dawn was breaking and the forms of a long line of khaki clad men, still shivering from the night intense cold, were just barely visible. Orloft spoke a few encouraging words as his men saluted, but as he passed along a little inward voice kept asking: How many of you are going to be missing at the next inspection. To Orloff his men were not interiors, but fellow fighters in a common cause.
Inspection over, he returned to the dugout, listening intently the while for the familiar booming of the Russian artillery from the lines in the rear. It would announce the beginning of the engagement, but now, at ten minutes after six, it was already overdue. Two hours are hardly enough to destroy the entanglements, Orloft muttered to himselt. And still they are delaying. Scarcely able to contain himself, he re entered the trench, and another quarter of an hour passed while he strove to hide his gnawing agitation. His subordinate officers looked toward him as it to question him, but military discipline held them back.
Orloff bad kept up a nervous pacing. At seven o clock he came to a halt, took off his cap, and wiped the sweat from his brow. He could hear the roar of cannon in the far off distance but from his own sector not a sound. My God! Only one more hour, he groaned. What can the matter be?
He hurried into the dugout. Was there call from headquarters? he asked the operator.
No, sir. Not a word, was the reply.
Orlot turned away. His face was pale with rage and fear, and as he raised his field flask to his lips his hand shook. Some more of their damn blunders that we must pay for with our lives. he wheeled around again to say.
With this he rushed out into the trench. But in a moment he was back. look of dumb appeal on countless human faces was more than he could bear. He took the telephone receiver in his hand. He hesitated but a moment. Then. Damn the discipline, he said aloud, and when a voice answered his ring his volce had the same edge of angry protest in its tone. What the delay? he demanded. am to go over the top at eight and the artillery hasn started firing yet. Orders have been given, came the reply. The voice was a grey monotone. But what am to do? protested Orloff. Obey orders, mechanically returned the voice, and there followed a sharp click as the receiver at Division Headquarters was hung up.
The soul of Lieutenant Orloff was at that moment a battlefield; and his face showed it. There the unquestioning obedience of the seasoned soldier fought with the passionate revolt of youth faced with death for himself and his comrades. Once more Lletenant Orlott hurried into the trench; once more he faced the mute glances of his men.
Second Lieutenant Osol saluted him What the order?
Their eyes met. All too well they understood each other. But Lieutenanat Orlott resumed the military mask. You have your orders. Eight o clock. All the men o carry snippers. Wire snippers. is that clear?
Osol repeated the order and withdrew. Orloff looked despairingly at his watch. Only ten minutes of the hour remained. His glance swept up and down the ranks of men, waiting, with fixed bayonets, for him to give tho sigal. He thought of what awaited them and a sob of pity tore at his throat.
Sharp on the hour of eight he raised his signalling whistle to his lips. shrill note rolled along the line and with a shout, For the zar and the Fatherland, Orlof leaped of the trench. thousand voices echoed the cry as the Russians followed their leader. short and furious run across No Man Land and they had reached the wire entanglement. Down and cut through, shouted Orloff, panting for breath. Ra ta ta ta, angewered German machine guns, and the Russians began to drop, while those who escaped the bullets cut feverishly at the wires. Terrific explosions now began to sound from the rear of the German lines and shells to plow the ground around the attackers. shell burst over the head of Lleuteant Orloff and his face contorted with fury. Damn you! he shouted. Damn you! You re two hours too late!
His men wavered. They were caught in a curtala of fire, the barrage from their own cannon. Their retreat was cut of Forward! shouted Orloff, and his order was repeated down the line. Again the men threw themgelves upon the wire entanglement. In cutting through it lay their only hope. Ra ta ta ta ta! The enemys machine guns ceaselessly spit death, Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! and the Russian shells burst over their heads, raining deadly fragments among them.
Ramloft was on his knees, the blood streaming down his face. He staggered to his feet and shook his fists toward the Russian lines.
Fools! Murderers! You have betrayed us. Ra ta ta ta ta ta! And Orloff crumbled up. Boommmmmmmmm! roared the Russian artillery, tearing up the wire entangleents.
Too late. Forever too late. For Lieutenant Orion and his men obeyed orders.