The Railroad Brotherhoods Meet Two Events in the Labor Movement best be able to move workers only toward a social reformist direction. The third step has now been reached in the complacent settling down to collecting signatures for this bill The mass propaganda, which should have preceded organization, was neglected.
Recently two events, little known and By ARNE SWABECK stage of development of objective condiThe councils did not grow out of a movelittle noticed, have rendered splendid proot tions, and be in harmony with the readinbut a hope to inspire confidence in govment, did not represent the unemployed, of increasing unentployment pressure by 163 of the subjective factors, becoming could not gain their adherence have ernment, respect for law, etc.
the rank and file, at least within certain sharper and bolder with the rise of the remained for all practical purposes almost sections of the trade union movement, to The Capitalist System is Shot level. In this instance, it means the devenon existent. The party proceeded from the point where some officials have felt The animated discussion, lasting a lopment of the economic crisis and the the premise, of a revolutionary upsurge compelled to endeavor to get into some sort whole session, brought out much sharp readiness for struggle of the working class of the American working masses and was of motion so as to stave off what they con criticism of the utter failure of the F.
in general and its unemployed section in stunned by the Democratic landslide. Will sider something worse. They have, of of executives, conservative delegates ex.
particular, The curve has been continuIt now jump back and endeavor to fill the course, been entirely overshadowed by the claiming: The capitalist system is shot, ally downward. The crisis has moved step gap; when there should be a sharpening din of the noisy charity campaigns to which we don do something, somebody else by step to greater severity, greater unemof its line and a greater balance?
capitalism has resorted in every city. But will. Others piped up: Yes, now we are ployment and, at the end of 1930, still Much of the necessary mass propagthey grew from the same cause, the unem all radicals and revolutionists but put moving in that direction. Unquestionably, anda and preparation must still be done.
ployment crisis, and likewise materialized heavy emphasis on labor party ballots.
general discontent is spreading among the Correct issues, demands and slogans are because of the fear of real working class Throughout, a sharp undercurrent of pregworking masses suffering the wants of unstill to be formulated and undoubtedly the action.
sure, with its reaction, some cunningly employment with wage cuts and more demand for the six hour day with no reThe Railroad Conference contemplating others merely hesitant, speed up for those having jobs. No let up duction in pay can become a powerful lever some willingly, but above all a fear of in the capitalist offensive but the workers to help set the into motion. conThe first event was the national conreal working class action.
discontent go far expressed, in its politicentrated propaganda campaign now could ference of some seven hundred general cal sense, Is chiony in the stupendous chairmen and executive officers of the five What the actual results will be of the soon lead to the organizational steps and railroaders appeal or of an of restep from the republican to the democrarailroad transportation brotherhoods, the become real preparations for the coming tie party. These demands for the shorter quest to Hoover for either proposals need Engineers. Firemen, Conductors, Trainmen stage of working class offensive.
workday without reduction in pay are the and Switchmen, convening in Chicago on not be the least in doubt. Designed purely early signs of their pressure showing conNov. 12 at the fashionable Palmer House, to prevent what has been named someIt is well, in this connection, to rememcrete manifestations, thing worse. it will mean for those workin the gorgeous main ball room, for a two ber the great movement for the eight hour ers who may cherish hopes, only new disThe Party Tactics weeks gession to consider the six hour day.
day of the Eighties. Following upon a The second event was the meeting of the appointments, but also added experience. The exact opposite of corresponding decade of unexampled growth and expanChicago Federation of Labor. Nov. 16th, Nevertheless, these manifestations of press with these developments have been the un sion of industry and immediately upon the are of discontent from the masses and the employment tactics pursued by the Com heels of a severe economic crisis. very adopting a resolution for the shorter workBlight response, no matter what the motive day for all federal employees.
munist Party leadership. It started from similar to the present moment it became or design of the latter, is significant. It the top and coming downward, not increas a sharp offensive struggle immensely adThe Palmer House gathering had a points but further to the beginning of the ing in boldness or sharpening its line, but vancing the working class movement of good proportion of paid officials, though upward curve of working class struggle in modifying it, turning to the Right and los those days. The Chicago revolutionists.
some were specially elected delegates, more the United States. It also propounds again, ing its revolutionary pasis. The very be the Haymarket martyrs commonly dubbed than fifty per cent being actual workers. rather forcefully, the question of just what ginning was made with the organization anarchists showed their ability to turn It came about entirely as a result of the part can and must the demand for a short of unemployment councils without pre this eight hour day demand into something growing pressure from below, from among er workday without reduction in pay play parations, without mass propaganda, with more than just a reform measure. They the railroad workers for relief in the prein revolutionary unemployment tactics. out mass basis but voluminous in demands. gave it militant content and made it an sent heavy unemployment situation. At Next came the concentration on the social Integral part of the general struggle against the inception, the conference selected a It is imperative that the tactics of the insurance bill (purely a parliamentary pro the capitalist system, committee of 25, representing equally all revolutionary forces at all times corre posal, of the kind which will most likely There is much for us to learn from the five trades present, to work out a prospond closely to the level and to every not even reach parliament and thus at this.
gram of action. This committee submitted a majority and a minority report. The majority report, which is most significant, recommended a campaign for the six hour ons day, without any reduction in the day pay. to be obtained by all organizational The developments in the Marine Work the workers political party for mismanage How characteristic it is that the Party measures possible. tho not the strike ers Industrial Union are an instructive les ment and for dominating the trade inton and Union bureaucrats made no attempt to weapon. It had the backing of the Fire son in the incalculable harm that can be with the rigidity, bureaucratic arbitrari answer the just and legitimate criticisms men, Trainmen and Switchmen. But dur brought upon the revolutionary trade union ness, mechanical and formalistic transfer and grievances of the rank and file Opposiing the days of sharp debate the represen movement by a policy and administration ence or the party into the union which is tion! On the contrary, hiding their own tatives of the Engineers and Conductors of bureaucratic Centrism in the Party, typical of Stalinism. We warned about blunders and protecting their own puppets, absolutely refused to go along with this which Inevitably exerts its devastating in such an eventuality months ago in our they launched the standardized campaign program and instead backed the minority fluence upon the Left wing unions. These comments on the Belleville conference. The of abuse and slander against the workers.
report which provided for a request that injuries réact upon the Party and upon the sudden spread of erroneous syndicalist Lenin did not fight syndicalism by venPresident Hoover call the raflroad execu movement as a whole. For years now the conceptions among the Illinois miners may omous atacks upon the workers who had tives, financiers, and bondholders together Centrists have been squandering the capi be put entirely at the door of the Party and endeavor to have them stop their prefallen victim to this inverted phase of optal accumulated by the revolutionary lead bureaucrats. Militant, March 1, 1930. Bent drastic retrenchment and lay off portunism. Instead, he hit ten times hardership of the early years of the Communist Anarcho syndicalism, Lenin justly obpolicy.
International. More than that, they have er at the opportunists whose crimes and served, is the twin brother of opportunism. stupidities were responsible for the maniMeanwhile, the Chicago Tribune ap been drawing heavily on the future, and At the same time it is the price the Comfestations. The tactics pursued by the peared with editorials paying some pious even the regenerated movement, purged of munist movement must pay for opportunist attention to the stress of the railroad the Centrist bureaucracy and its treacher policies and the abuse of Party authority.
Party and Union bureaucracy played the workers but admonishing them not to help game who ous policy, will be a long time restoring its of precisely those elements This phenomenon is revealed classically in tax the industry out of business and thus prestige and repairing the damage done.
the The danger was implicit sought to alienate the Communist workers kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. The events in the Marine Workers In in the whole situation, and what we wrote from the Communist movement and draw The railroad executives also managed, op dustrial Union are mainly a repetition of in the foreword to the Rank and File Marthem into a sterile, arti Communist sect.
portunely enough, to make their big splurge what took place before in other unions un Ine Workers Statement published a month And who are these elements? Aping the about an allegedly new policy of main der Stalinist direction, with the difference ago in the Militant, was but a restatement slogans of the Compers school, they raised taining and expanding present employ that they were longer in coming to a head of what we had said many times in conferthe cry of no politics in the union. meanment on the roads, which will eventually and therefore more violent in their explos ences with the proletarian Opposition in ing thereby no revolutionary politics. They turn into the opposite, like all the other ion. They brought out into clear relief the the Union. In every discussion with them, are people who aspiring to leadership golden promises. Evidently it helped. effects implict in the situation in all the we insisted that Stalinist Centrism cannot themselves, raised the cry of no leaders On the last day of the conference the five other unions. The adherents of the Left whatever. in order to protect themselves brotherhood presidents, always eager for be answered by the reactionary and bankOpposition in the sought rupt dogmas of anarcho syndicalism. Our from competition.
compromise and the eradication of class from the very outset to keep the revolt of But such slogans did not prevent these aim was to drive the legitimate protest of lines, threw themselves into the breach of the rank and file militants in Communist elements from shady dickerings with the the Communist and Left wing workers the sharp differences, proposing that all channels, and to direct it to the advantage deeper into the Party and the Union. We Right wing adventurers, and even other agree to unite on first trying out the min of the revolutionary movement undermined insisted on an appeal against expulsion by groups less savory, and this, in turn, did ority plan of appeal to Hoover before the by the bureaucrats. The task was render the Party bureaucrats, not prevent Lovestone from exploiting majority project of eventual strike is to appeal to the ed doubly difficult by the provocations of these reactionary sentiments to combat the Party workers, a resistance to the last of be further considered. It carried.
the officialdom and the machinations of expulsion from the Union, to carry the efforts of the Left Opposition to hold the The resolution adopted by the Chicago movement to a Communist road. Like their the Right wing liquidators who, here as fight to the last ditch in the organization Federation of Labor states that industry 18 always, fasten themselves on to the reacbrothers in arms of the French Right wing, so as to strengthen its unity on the basis paralyzed, commerce is bankrupt, unem tionary prejudices in the workers ranks.
Lovestone Co. leaped at the opportunity of a correct policy. In short, we stood for ployment is growing due to increased mass of making common cause with anarchoa Communist fight against the Centrist burproduction, a situation which can be met The Warnings of the Opposition syndicalist elements to fight against Comeaucracy.
only by the palliative measure of reducmunism and the Communist Party.
Almost a year ago, in writing on the tion of working hours without reduction The False Tacties of the Syndicalists bureaucratic course in the National Miners The Reactionary Role of the Right Wing in the standard of living. It calls attenThe Left Opposition was obliged to Union, we warned that one of its dangers At this point the provocations of the tion to the more than one million federal break with the elements following such a would be a recrudescence of syndicalism.
bureaucrats were grist to the mill of unemployees working as high as twelve hours IC syndicalism (that is, anti political principled and treacherous elements which course. We are in no sense interested in day and places this direct govern party: anti political action; belief in the calculated upon diverting a number of forming a united front of everybody against ment rosponsibility. From this it proceede Communism. On the contrary, we aimed to labor union as the all sufficing instrument workers in the Opposition from the path to petition the of to urge President unite the revolutionary workers for a fight of the working class) is the punishment of Communism into the stagnant backwaHoover to proclaim the shorter workday meted out to the revolutionary movement ters of syndicalism.
to regenerate the Communist and Left wing The manoeuvers of movement, and thereby to strengthen the and shorter work week in all government for the sins of party opportunism and vulthe Lovestone adventurers, also facilitated al employment, national, state and local, unity and resources of the Union. We disgar parliamentarism, it is also one of the the aspirations of the reactionary syndicalagreo profoundly and give no support what adding that this is not a radical measure ways in which workers frequently repay ist elements.
Continued at Bottom of Next Page THE MILITANT Vol. III, No. 34 Dec. 1, 1930. Published twice monthly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at25 Third Avenue, New York, Sub scription rate: 00 per year; foreign 50. Five cent per copy. Bundle rates cents per copy. Editorial Board: Martin Abern, James Cannon Max Shachtman, Maur toe Spector, Arne Swabeck. Entered 28 se cond class mall matter. November 28 1928 at the Post Office at New York, under the act of March 3, 1875 (Total No. 59.