On the Illinois Miners Mooney Betrayal PARIS COMMUNE Howat.
The Weisman Case ourwhich (Continued from page 1)
finally run out of the leadership of the (The Militant publishes the following imposing the rottenest conditions ever im Frisco Labor Council for his treachery; letter from comrade Gerry Allard of Ill agined by a socalled 100 percent organized the camarilla of the Teamsters Unions. inois as a discussion article because it district?
Michael Casey, James Wilson, William Concannot agree with some of the statements Has Howat ever publicly denounced boy, Walter Dryer and Co. and from them expressed in it. We refer especially to the Fishwick, Nesbit, Walker and the gunman to the national hierarchy, the Greens and ambiguous remarks on working within the district board of the reorganized move Hold open Wolls, he takes us in the final step.
United Mine Workers of America, which, ment?
in its reorganized Fishwick section in They are scabs at heart, MenckComrade Angelo and the militant labor Illinois, has become the dominant factor, Saturday, March 21, 1931 en wrote to Moone once; and the latter movement waste their time if they focus embracing thousands of miners in the disadds: They are scays in action. Mooney their destiny on the actions of an indivitrict in whose ranks the Left wing is obligFOR THE PARIS COMMUNE jailers, those who framed him, received the dual. Instead of making Howat the tail constant support of these labor leaders; ated to work so as not to remain isolated end. there is a danger of making the prinMooney defenders received their constant from the masses and leave them at the ciples of our movement the tail end of CELEBRATION fire. The sentiment of the mass of Amermercies of the bureaucrats. The present This is absolutely in contradiction ican labor was deliberately ignored by llabor attitude of the official Communist Party to Leninism, on which the Opposition is organized by the fakercom, and leadership means to transform into a fetish activities in the defendfirmly based. Comrade Angelo greatly exants behalf undermined, because Mooney the empty shell of the Left wing union, aggerates the socalled respect and confidMine, Oil and Smelter Workers Industrial New York Branch, Communist and Billings had been trouble makers. ence of the rank and file. In Southern agitators and Reds in the trade unions Union, which has no foothold at all in IllIllinois. Howat is placed by the rank and inois. and a thorn in the side of the businessWith the remarks comrade Allar League of America (Opposition)
file in the same category with Lewis, Fishmen. Why, if you let his kind go about. makes concerning Howat we are quite in wick, et al.
John Connell, secretary of the Frisco agreement, except where he imputes to comrade Angelo the opinion that the Left wing The educational groups referred to Labor Council and chum of the Chamber of Commerce president, declared movement must be built around in comrade Angelo article receive a high one time, Howat.
consideration. Whether these educational no one be afe The article by Angelo contained no such. there is only statement on the contrary, it pointed out groups are so organized as to legalize one thing to do to put him away for life the need of the Left wing rank and file themselves in the face of the of where he can do any harm. This has constitution, do not know. However, From the Organizer, the weekly bulletin been the attitude of nine out of ten of the movement being built regardless of the of the New York Party district, we learn attitude adopted by leaders. past the outline of Angelo plan of work is inA. of leaders, from Connell up to and adequate. Not to neglect the rank and file the following in the section devoted to the Green!
present, of the miners who, consciously or not, have made themselves the instruments miners in the of is an imporControl Commission decision. That comThat is why Mooney is a hundred times of the Fishwicks and Farringtons. With retant thing.
rade Weisman acted in a most bureaucratic But to rely solely on boring right when he says in his letter to his felgard to comrade Allard, however, it should from within the of is just as manner in general; that specifically he, just low prisoner, Billings: Our struggle for bad as neglecting the miners in these re before his leaving (as self appointed deleremembered that firmness in principle freedom is inextricably bound up with the formist organizations and isolating gate to the rotintern Congress. ed. set should not be confined to a criticism of whole question of the future of the Amerthe Left reformists of the Howat caliber selves in sectarian dual unions.
up a secretariat without consulting the leadican workers. Our victory will be a guarThe main point our struggle must be ing union committee, and also has kept himin one particular field or industry. Such antee that they too must win there is a self aloof from the membership of the unfirmness must he manifested especially in to win over the majority of the coal miners leadership capable of strengthening the ion the Food Workers Industrial Union. the fundamental questions that have divto our cause. To rely mainly on capturing of and not keeping it stagnant or ided the revolutionary movement in recent the degenerated, corrupted, dying and that his personal conduct as to indulweakening it. Out of the present leadergence in alcoholics. etc. has injured years the very questions of is futile. The numerical inferiority ship, which is thoroughly corrupted, no of are such decisive consequence to every tactical of the of from a the prestige of the party and the union in national fundamental progress can be expected.
the eyes of the workers. In addition, the and momentary issue These lientenants of capital masquerading that arises for standpoint places is in a position where District Control Commission investigated our movement. Comrade Allard himself has other steps must be taken. If we can oras labor leaders should be exposed; they not always manifested this firmness, parti.
ganize the masses of unorganized miners also rumors about financial irregularities are the worst enemies of a real organized into the of we can organize and about personal conduot and found that cularly at the time of his capitulation from labor movement. It is our duty to help comrade Weisman went to the the Opposition. We are gratified to note, the masses of unorganized miners into the They are our Congress with the knowledge and permission expose their culpability.
however, that his recent position is being of we can organize real inworst foes. They are the foes of all milldeveloped in ever closer harmony to that dustrial unions. Why ultimately take over of the party, but that he pursued various tant workers.
maneuvers so. towards this end; that of our movement. Ed. the of and hinder our prestige hundred times right: For the battle and retard progress?
the finances of the union have been handled to liberate Mooney and Billings is not, as The absence of a real functioning Comin a most irresponsible manner due to which their liberal friends believe, a fight to ON ANGELO ARTICLE munist party in Illinois coal fields, after the union finds itself in a bad financial vindicate American justice. but a class condition. The final decision on Weisman, The situation in the coal mining in years of great influence and energetic work, it continues, severely censures him, removes struggle against American justice and its dustry in recent months has stendily be presents a calamity to the revolutionary him from all posts and committees, and beneficiaries, the capitalist class and its come worse. As in all basic industries, in movement. The best example of the weaklabor agents. Each one of the latter run searching for a clear policy to meet the prohibits his holding office for a year.
ness of our party is the fact that in Frankout of the labor movement means another deplorable situation, the Illinois district lin County, the largest coal producing sec Insignificant an individual though Weis bar wrenched, out of the sockets of the holds the limelight with various important tion, Freeman Thompson, president of the man is and has been, the case is never prisoners cells; every new fortification of events in the last year. The National Min rolled only 24 votes run theless not without instructive features. It the Left wing in the working class is aners Union, the Fishwick Lewis fight, the ning for Senator on the ticket. True, is an almost classic instance of the inter other stone crushed in the walls of the rank and file movement, occasional glimpses the results capitalist vote counters are nal régime of the party and the organizations penitentiary.
of the all these present to the not our barometers for gauging the degree it controls, and the disastrous consequences The latest declaration of Mooney, folcoal miners factors of tremendous import of class conscious, nevertheless, the comof this régime. How would it be possible, lowing upon the recent Supreme Court deance in the way of education. The arena pre plete collapse of the party apparatus and given a normal functioning of the party cision, is an invaluable document. It was sents various political groups in practical the non functioning of a single union local and the Left wing union, for an individual tardy in publication, because what it says struggles, where workers may deduce their is a clear out example of weakness in a under party and union control to manipu held true from the very beginning, and its various aims, tactics, policies, etc. as well county where over 400 party members once late finances in a shady, manner, that he re expression would surely have advanced the reveal the soundness or weakness, belonged and a year ago, ome 5, 000 members tain a post while conducting himself in a cause of the frame up victims to greater the food and bad points. As a whole, it were enlisted into the National Miners manner that destroys the prestige of the success than it has hitherto attained. But gives one a real sizing up of the various Union.
party, to act generally in a bureaucratic it is not too late. The workers movement tendencies, from the reformist to the ultra These facts must not be received sarcas manner, virtually to appoint himself the in this country has also been tardy, in letLeftist revolutionist, in action.
tically by the militant workers. It means representative of the workers to interna ting two of its best sons rot in prison for To the militant workers, the reaction a weakening of our fight in the face of sev tional congresses, etc. etc. and yet retain fifteen years without compelling their re ary Fishwick and Lewis groups which con cre complications in the capitalist machin his post as leader of the union, as Weisman lease. But that also is not irremediable, trol the remnants of the of ery. Thousands of miners are hungry, mil did? The answer is simply this: with a it is not yet too late to act.
are proved traitors, agents of the bosses lions of workers starve. Capitalism faces normal functioning this situation would be With this new turn in its struggle as and the first lieutenants of capital in stilling serious opposition on a world wide scale. impossible, or at the very least, most im a point of new departure, to which added real working class action. There cannot We must redouble our efforts, we must drive probable. It has happened, does happen weight is being given daily by new arrests under any circumstances be any excuse for the message home, we must put our party and will happen precisely because there is an of militants workers, new imprisonments, the colossal betrayals of these fakers on the right track.
abnormal, bureaucratie, irresponsible régime the burning need of the moment is a broad, through hard years of struggle on the part Christopher, In. GERRY ALLARD. Continued on page 7)
national defense movement to free all the of the rank and file.
class war prisoners, a movement that must Comrade Angelo, in his recent article break down the treacherous barriers of the on the Illinois situation apologizes in an open labor bureaucracy, that must reach into evway for Howat. Although Howat record ery labor organization, to the workers in has many high spots of sacrifice and courevery city and town, until it has gathered age in facing the enemies of the coal minsuch power and momentum that it can ers, yet his record is spotted with namerbreak through the walls that hold our class ous political confusions. weaknesses and war fighters. The initiative and spirit must discouragement in facing various tendencies necessarily be furnished principally by the on political issues. The actions of Howat Left wing and Communist forces. They are in the last four years prove beyond much under command and obligation. With indoubt his weakening, yes, and even opportelligent boldness, a power can be created tunistic motives. Howat to my knowlege in the labor movement reaching beyond the has proved beyond a doubt his disqualificaWORLD UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE FIVE YEAR PLAN confines of the strngglle for the class war tion to become a national leader of the coal Introduction by Arne Swabeck 10c.
prisoners, and accomplishing successes of miners. He does not possess the makings (Te in bundles)
gigantie dimensions.
of a general in the class struggle. Would The International Labor Defense, which be permitted to ask comrade Angelo these remains the only militant workers defense THE SPANISH REVOLUTION 10c.
questions?
organization on a national and internation(7c in bundles)
On Howat al scale, must set about its task immedi1. Was Howat elected by bona fide ately. It can and will be done, but the rank and file delegates at the Springfield COMMUNISM AND SYDNICALISM (The Trade Union prerequisite for success is to throw over reorganization convention, or he Question)
was board the disastrously sectarian chart by 15c.
Introduction by James Cannon elected by Fishwick and Farrington?
which the ship of the Left wing is now be2. Do you agree with Howat state(10c in bundles)
ing steered. That in turn is the task of ment to John Lewis executive board the more conscious and farsighted milstants.
They must proceel to solve this task so wherein he promises not to embarrass the Order from that Mooney. Billings, McNamara, the Cenadministration if it permits him to return to THE MILITANT the of tralia boys, the lozens upon dozens of Com84 East 10th Street New York, Has Howat ever voiced publicly munists and their prisoners of our class are liberated. Our aid is pledged in adhis opposition to a stolen agreement between vance.
the miners and operators which is today CHICO фнімі rrainiнiraniннисанизпілоклюшономиниринголын антисанномнотежна канонамникнимние THE MILITANT, Vol. IV, No. 4, Feb. 15, 1931. Published twice monthly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at 84 10th St. New York Subseription rate: 00 per year; foreign 250. Five cents per copy. Bundle re cents per copy. Editorial Board: Martin Abern, James Cannon Max Shactman, Maur ice Spector Arne Swabect. Entered as second class mail matter, November at the Post Ofice at New York under the act of March 3, 1879 (Ttotal No. 63)
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