Analysis of the Akron Strike And the Role of the CIO and the Task Ahead board any terms.
one high point in the class struggle for vious week. Admittedly also they them as they came to the meeting That we will not stand for. We will find healthy or fitting in the labor conduct during the convention.
entire recent period in American minimum (of assurance, for exam this in spite of the fact that the er. Wind it up at anycost. And Fures of the convention which retional union, they closed down the they had laid down in a como eral days to study the proposals, the 36 to 40 hour week although the absence of firm, consistent and should also be such as the Farmer. expertness that comes from years in PAGE SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1936 wishes and the lead of the much more might have been won.
It taxes our credulity to pretty near the breaking point to believe this. An organization with prestige and money offers a victory and a anion to a group of new and ambitious union leaders on a silver By MUSTE Industrial Unionism in platter, and the latter decline the ing agency which just wanted the gift. Continued from Page 1) Report of the Recent French imperialism. Are the Stal The analysis of the recent strike in the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Mass Production strike prolonged so as to make mon But let us assume there is some tions, poliiles in general, can or Convention at ists against imperialist war? Ab.
ey by cracking workers heads. It basis for the argument, then what should be excluded from the organ solutely! They will vote against it plants in Akron centers about three Industry was in such an atmosphere of hys follows? That these weak kneed ization of the unemployed or of any points: tbe role and temper of the Washington any day in the week and twice on strikers themselves; the role of teria that the strikers voted to ac leaders and their course must be other group of workers. It would Lenin birthday. But, if the imunion officials and in particular tion year in a key state. But this the strike, after the more militant ing campaing Germer of the among the jobless than almost any. the relationship of forces and their against another imperialist governperialist government lights a war John Lewis Committee for Inlehet horking clasat pojaticed that let itude votes are to be coralled for the terms and indicated their pret Workers Tauched the rolling age trade untouist directly controles renowned skit at manipulation ment in alliance with the Soviet would permit.
the working class political parties Roosevelt and for another thing erence for continuing the fight, but hours of the strike? That the heat his individual boss every day in state Militants Disorganized longer an imperialist war. Or, if In tackling the Goodyear Com ed so that the politicians may ally whatever decision might be the militants among the strikers to only infreqeuntly, the the capitalist government is alTo the extent that the organiza pany, the strikers were pitting their plausibly contend that there is real taken by the majority.
force them against their will to ac worker fuces the political state. tion of the unemployed must deal Hled with the Soviets in a war forces against the biggest of the ly no need for calling out the milNow in the first place any chil cept this situation? Obviously, it the government every single day with such problems and it is im against another capitalist gorLire and rubber companies, which ita. Obviously, too, it is fantastic can see that the terrific effort that the job of organizing the basic in of his life. This important fact. possible and incorrect to avoid emment, the former somehow ceasrecent strike most company unions, and which had possibly push employers in the ba vate, to put the settlement over dis genuine and competent leadership to fudicate how exceptionally pre convention to counter the tactics a capitalist war. successfula base themselves upon Roosevelt can to be laid down in public and prl then in such a crisis a (supposedly) to the convention, should be enough the progressive elements in the ernment and its war is not quite very important connections with sic industries to a settlement that poses completely of the argument must find means of rallying the posterous it would be to attempt to of the Stalinists. More easily said Is this merely a question of petbig corporations in steel and other costs them anything ty factional bickering between StalAnd this that either the general run of strik masses as against a false and inrule out political questions in thon done, however!
industries. Thus Tom Girdler of point is of crucial importance in ers or the more conscious, militant competent leadership. We may sur such movement be they ques The Stalinists came to the con Inists and Marxists? If it is, then Republic Steel is on the Goodyear considering the strike settlements elements were tired or discouraged mise that John Lewis who still tions of capitalist politics, the cap, vention in the usual manner. They ing less than the life of the labor directors and offered his which the will support or be or for whatever reason wanted to maintains arbitrary provisional Italist government, or working were prepared in advance to act strike breaking troops to Goodyear. forced to make in situations like get back to work on pretty much presidencies under his own direct class politics.
on every question, and what is movement, and literally, the lives On the other hand, the intensely Akron.
control in most of the soft coal dis The convention was divided, so more, to act as one man. In a of millions of workers in the world It is such a tritle competitive situation existing in the The McGrady Arbitration How the Agreement Carried tricts of the W, is not likely to speak, into two parts. The first word, they were a disciplined po war to come.
Stalinists industry was favorable to the strik to see eye to eye with the rank and was devoted to the sessions of the litical force. The same cannot be that the hawk eyed ere in that Goodyear could not. af.
Now the was prepared to Secondly, it disposes of the argu le or insurgents as against officials old Workers Alliance, which cul said of the Socialists. Except for promptly pounced upon it, with the ford to lose business to other com accept the MeGrady arbitration ment that the terms themselves result that the phrase underlined pantes. From another standpoint proposed at the beginning of the were so clear and no desirable from in such situations. But that is an minated to all intents and purposes Lieberman of Pittsburgh and above was deleted from the final it was this very competitive situ strike, The effect of accepting it the strikers point of view that any other reason for concluding that he when the resolution in favor of or two others, the old Guard of draft of the resolution. The Stalover the was not even represented ation leading the companies to de would unquestionably have been a criticism or opposition could spring cannot be relied upon to see the unity was adopted by an at the convention (work among the inists were vigilant, aggressive, orThe militants were not, Vise means to cut labor costs which betrayal of the strike. The role of only from dense ignorance or actual job of organization in the basic in whelming majority of the votes The second part was participated lowly jobless is hardly a dignified ranized.
brought the combination of waste the representatives in the treason to the union. The Rubber dustries through.
There is but one logical conclu. In by all the fusing groups and it occupation for a respectable social with the result that they ceded cuts, speed tip, increased hours and March 14 settlement which was Workers officials and the National Executive of the Socialists in the A, are where they should, instead, have layoffs by the Goodyear Company rejected is not wholly clear. That were able to put them over only by sion. Whether in so many words was here that the elections of the democrat. But while the bulk ground where they had no need to advanced.
against which the workers revolte is not the case with regard to the hosteria and without giving the Roosevelt and the interests and Board and the adoption of resolu supporters, in the of the Militaking a vote in an atmosphere of or not, Lewis real master, Le officers and March 21 terms, the acceptance of tions took place. Apart from the tants, and even count among the The Independents Vigilantes Crushed which brought the strike to an end. strikers a minute for real study of forces which he represents made it The contrast of Armness and The militaney and solidarity of the terms. Two large sheets of clear: This thing has gone for fact that every single session was best Left wing elements, there was Admittedly these terms were an mimeographed material of very enough. Goodyear is giving all it presided over by the same chair. Do noticeable unity, and certainly Lockeness, manifested in these two situations, was not absent in other convention fields. The Councils No Unity in Action at Meet acted as a unit, as did the On those questions in which the stooge organizations in the 80Stalluists are vitally Interested called Independent caucus which frem Wheer assured of support even finance the company union, nor recfore that they would be given ser companies, Goodyear included. hnd tial and every serious weakness and rightly so; everybody else was rigged and ramed with all the which Goodyear plant and militantly andmise proposal, from which already sented by defenders of the C1. led flatly that there was no excuse tion itself, on which the leadership and unity. Barring isolated cases, the convention, and the Millsuccessfully defied an injunction, certain One argument that has been pre only month before a US Depart. de prende de la location with feae Labor party, the representa of stalinist training. The tives showed both aggressiveness acted like anything but a unit in Immediately thereafter the workers been eliminated, the previous week Important demands had role is that funds were low, money for the abandonment of the 30 hour of the took a positive and the representatives of the tants acted like anything but a the Firestone and Goodrich It is also a matter of public record for feeding strikers was running week. Furthermore, the companies seuerally correct stand, its sails showed neither quality. It was eviunit in the Result: the plants and in most of the other in that the representatives sud out and the strikers were afraid to laid the basis for recouping only every other convention gues. dent to the observer that not only were set in such a manner on vir work of the Stalinists was facilidustries Akron as well as the denly Inunched the most vigorous, go on under these circumstances.
did the Militants at the con tated both politically and organizaProject Workers Unions were mob. even feverish, public activity in or. One unwillingly admits the audac losses and fattening profits by an vention display a deplorable lack tionally. Even flagrant (and char.
winds from almost any direction.
of unity of opinion (which is far acteristie. acts of disloyalty of of the plants en masse and insti the acceptance of these terms and here it is generally agreed that uet!
What the Stalinists Wanted tute a general strike at ang at wind up the strike. If the The with some of the might Parties in the Strike from a vice providing the prevail the Stalinists such as was involved tempt by any agency to break the opposed acceptance of the March 14 ist unions in the country attached Finally a word about the role of With the bulk of the National ing opinion is a correct one. but in the violation of agreement made When In one of the last wecks of Anced it to make such crantie et dollars to the strike fund. Let us local in Akron is small and at into the Workers Alliance even nious view was translated on the pendent cancus could not be Goehto oneketine la force terms, it has to explain what in to it gave a paltry few thousand political parties and groups. The employed Lengue having merged what is worse, this lack of harmoon representation from the indethe strike, the company inspired forts to put over slightly im restrain any indignation which the tempted no distinctive role. The prior to the general amalgamation, convention floor, in negotiation counteracted by the unorganized the ornniention of a vigilante or proved terms a week later. There Mituation might occasion, and sim. leaders in Akron were attach the essential problem before the committees and in other commit. Socialists.
convention boiled dowy to the fu tees, into a lack of unity in action This is not only an indication of ganization on a Inrge scale and is not the slightest indication of Ply observe that no group which od to the 1o. and played no inpublicly appealed for sion between the Alliance, led by. that is, into an absence of disci. the road that must still be trayviolence any important change during that thinks that the employers elled by the Left wing in the SoAgainst the strikers and their lend interval either in the general ob. sie industries in the in the ba dependent part.
country can The Stalinists had some influence militants of the Socialist Party, pline The entirely proper sentiments of cialist Party road which the er thousand strikers gathered fective situation or in the temperbe licked on the basis of putting a on some of the militant rank and and the Unemployment Councils, on the picket line openly armed of the strikers. In the effort to put few thousand dollars into a strike Mers. When the red baiting start. led by the Stalinists.
many of the Militants to or presence at the convention of splenwith clubs and other weapons and over the Starch 21 terms the io. against Goodrear Tire and Rubles Sed in the closing hours of the strike, would oprosennification with the resulted in remedying conditions in high promise that they will take Now, although only a reactionary Ennixe a unity of action, while it did rank and file workers gives challenged the vigilantes to do their representatives who hnd themselves involving fifteen thonsand workers Stalinist representatives took Councils becalise they are headed worst. After all their loud talk. Heen the object of Nelson can expect to be taken seriously. to crawling on their bellies before by Stalinists, at the same time on some measure, did not prove suff. But it is also a matter which jus.
the so called forces of law and or Sparks. red scare campaign dur.
the Timidity of Local Leaders ciently effective in attaining that tifies apprehensions about the mon bureaucrats in the abu a miraculously naive person wond weessary level of discipline par collect which the distal period will der decided that their aim was ing the week put on red scare still another argument used by feet manner which has become so throw prudence and vigilance to ticularly demanded by the presence take in the immediate period to simply to rally public opinion for against the Workers Party, Commu the defenders of the role familiar by now and so easy for the winds when effecting such of the organized Stalinist phalanx, follow, during which arrangements an early settlement of the strike wist Party, radicals generally that the local and national officials them. They declared critically unification. For a grown up perThe Farmer Labor Party are to be completed for the holding of various unification conventions and their spirit to the very end. stooping lower than of re wenk and timid, did not want a viging them and ind any opposition bumility and amicableness of Ben We limit ourselves to a few illuson state wide scales. repetition Whatever was gained. In the strike. Betionaries have ever gone in simorous and large scale struggle that was being voiced at the door Jamin, who represented the Countrations.
and that was considerable, was lar situations in which have been would not ask for money which had spite the fact that one who reads Stalinists are motivated in of what happened in Washington, This, de cits, is really inexcusable. The There were really three views on an even more injurious scale, gained because of this.
their represented in the convention on is inevitable, unless its lessons are Role of must be acting for a strike break al. If they had only followed the between the lines of the Daily conduct by the interests of the in the Farmer Labor party. the learnel and steps are taken acThe role of Lewis Committee for articles following the employed to approximately the familiar Stalinist view the cordingly.
Industrial Organization in the Akstrike, gets even there a confirma same extent that the writer is ani militants view in favor of a gen.
ron strike. as in other situations in tion of every criticism we have mated in his actions by his concern wine Farmer Labor party but not this period, was not a simple one The Delegation made in this article. In exchange over the flora and fauna of sunken in 1936: und the revolutionary and no simple and completely final the received an apology from Atlantis.
Marxian view held by many of the word remains to be said about estimate of it is possible. There is Vice President Burns of the Rub. Continued from Page 1)
on the one hand, no question that this is the kind of labor Party factional struggle be in the faller cluded them among the critics of in the movement of the unemployed of their hypocritical meekness when women from the dead made an ime plane. Only in this way will the ber Workers Union for having in squarely, the statinists today see nemployel League Aroused out clegation of closeta 100 men and To put the matter bluntly and delegates of the former National the ranks of the former Its the IO. made contributions to which conld alone be built on a sense educational and invigorating his conre. To date they seem notas in every other movement (1) the question nrose toward the very five showing especially by the its unit counted for a gond den understands that, under present for the party as a whole. And only vote of confidence from John Craudulentos Barmer Lahororists stormed and shouted from floor are resource to Stalinist Councils the strike: The moral internet or mass hosis in this contry. And it instead of pretty and disintegrating, yet to have gotten a similar publie a vehicle for the formation of their end of the convention, the Stalinwide the lincalls fofinitely Akrom the Committee had an imtion can be well as ly for to the firm lasis for broader and deep but perhaps these will also be obrating ground for the war of the standpoint. few Sorialists also wore it attendance de lamentable portant are in building up the met effective weapon against the er let ward developments in the tained eventually for a price!
excellent strike organization. The progress of revolutionary ideas anys ahead.
Part of corsement doubtless among the masses and the strength For this reason, there is occasion iron has for two years been in close alists, presumably in the Interests views. But the representatives of secretary of the and Related The Workers Party group in Ak against the box bellicose imperi sweches in line with their own by Arnold Johnson, former national helped in setting financial support oning of revolutionary organization. to be concerned over references to touch with the militants among the of the defense of the Soviet Un the third tendency sought from mom buties throughout the The old Guar, then, is fighting tewibilities of conciliation with rubber workers. Through them they ion. That is why their energies for even the five minu es allotted Fourth International. Despite all vain convert to Stalinism after months country, though that riven of protestations of fealty to the the a principled and uncompromising the old Guard which have been played a highly creditalbe part in were bent so exclusively towards to discussion speakers. the unions additiated with fight. On the whole, it has been a made sluer the Primaries.
it was atterly insignificant.
Natur: the strike in line with the policies committing the new organization important for our theine, how Ballyho behind him. Johnson was well fought light. The occasional ally, individual workers who hola sketched in this article. The Ak to their views on these subjects, or ever, is the fact that, leaving apart ly able to muster a good baker There is however, much to be anders and exaggerations are per reformist positions are and should ron strike, like all the recent strike preventing committments to con the principle differences we have dexen from nowhere in particular said on the other site. The haps the inevitable concomitants of be eligible for Party membership struggles, demonstrated the key trory views, and, to further these with the militants on the question for his convention, which prompt came out in support of the strike much political struggles. The trou. 17 from whatever motive they are position of a gronp of progressives ends, towards obtaining as firm of the they are entirely coronly after the workers had shut ble with their fight has been not the prepared to work loyally within the and militants including conscious even if anonymous measure of rect in their resistance to any comdissolved into the independent down the plant. It made no effort, Inck of principled character, but framework of the Party. But here revolutionary elements. The better control of the new organuntion as mittments that would tie them to the former after a report caucus. The business meeting of although repeatedly urged to do so that their principles were wrong. it is a question of the Old Guard organization of these elements is by militant strikers, to extend the And, in this case, not merely wrong as such. The Old Guard, it is true, a crying need, SESSESESSESESSERE the kite of a Stalinis Farmer Labor y strike to Goodyear plants in other from the point of view of the his makes clear that the only possible Pary hoax in the 1936 elections. tre which heard both Johnson and special investigating commitcities, an elementary step By torical interests of the working conciliation from its point of make every rise that can be made To summarize: Militants must APRIL ISSUE OF THE Nevertheless, even though they the loyal officers (Ramuglia. Netatives sought to tone down rather wishes and opinions of the majority and its ideas and consequently any specific correct measure for unani IS OUT convention the Stalinista virtually monsly to endorse action of the than capitalise to the ntmest upon o Serinlist Party members and en there is little probability that any which the LO. may stand, for Articles by Trotsky, Sidney shouted through a substitute mo officers mentioned in removing the militancy of the Akron work rolled voters.
kind of artnal organizational con example industrial as against craft Hook and many others.
tfon by their spokesman, Welsman, Johnson from office in the emerers. They agreed to permit tires eriti worded in such a manner as Lessons for the Militants ciliation could be arived at under unionism. At no time can they cism by George Soule, editor of leave the door wide open for the ing forces with the Workers Allto be moved ont of the plant though gency he had created, and in jointhe strikers were against it and militants won in the Primary con in talk of conciliation is not an selves with the or foster the But, in spite of the fact that the any formala, But the real danger simply uncritically identify them the New Republie, and a reply agents in the to man.
there is every reason to believe that test, there are lessons for the Mil organizational question.
illusion that the as such can by George Novack. Will Roose enver the organization into prerailroad en wonid not have moved itants to learn from the general The delegates present at the any freight ears if a picket line character of the fight which the Danger of Conciliation be trusted to carry through the ter velt be Re elected by John not want to take. How? Mainly convention could count them had been maintained across the old Guard conducted. The cam such talk there can readily creep to see in the basie Industries.
The real danger is that behind rifle struggles which we are bound West; What Is this Business because the Stalinists acted on the selves among the most devoted and track Revivalt by Arne Swabeck; and rule of every man as one, while the experienced front line fighters in An Ageney for Roosevelt paign of the Socialist Call compares a tendency to conciliate with Old The solidarity and militancy dismuch other material Socialists acted mainly on the rule the movement of the employed, in many respects unfavorably with Guard ideas and policies, a tenden played by the Goodyear strikers of every man for himself.
and for that matter, in the labor Order from The New InternaThat the is an agency for the campaign of the New Leader. cy to retreat from the leftward and their fellow workers in Akron movement generally. Their entry rallying Roosevelt support from During the months preceding the front so far won, and march back achteved substantial results. They tional, 55 East 11th Street, New The War Question into the ranks of the united organamong the unions and the workers Primaries there was only one sub along the road of disaster. What tied up the great Goodyear plants. York, Similarly on the question of war. ixation, reinforced by the election generally has been openly demonstantinl article published in the has been won can be held only by They smashed an injunction. They With trifling exceptions in formuonto the new National Executive strated since the close of the Ak Call making a principled political buldness, not by timidity: social made a farce out of the vigilante 3 3. lation, the resolution originally Board of such well known militants Ton strike with the organization by attack on the old Guard. In the forces are in continual motion, and movement. They forced Goodyear IMPORTANT NOTICE drafted by some of the Militants in ns Ted Selander of Toledo and Sam Lewis, Hillman, Berry etc. of the time intervening before the national positions can be maintained only by to negotiate with a union committhe Was flawless from a Gordon of Allentown, brings to the Maurice Spector will speak on Non Partisan Labor Committee. The convention, the Call has a chance to further advance and attack, never tee. They won some concessions in working class standpoint. It pledged merged movement the best of the Akron strike furnished an illustraremedy this defect by setting itself by resting in the trenches. The Old the settlement. They laid the foun the Changing Line up in Euro the organization not to support the traditions of the National Unemtion of the equivocal role to which the task of clarifying political 18 Guard has suffered a severe set dation of a union, having proved to pean Diplomacy, dealing speelfcapitalist gorernment of the ployed League, the best of its this lends in strike situations. It is sues, of stating and exposing before back organizationally; now is ex themselves that they could stick to cally with the question of Sane in any war it may undertake. refighters, its experience, its ranks generally understood that the in the party membership the precise actly the time to follow the blow up gether and fight. They are carry tions, at Irving Plaza Hall, gardless of who its allies may be constituting, all together, one, and fluence of Lewis and other trade political character of the old with others still stronger, and to ing their struggle forward now in Now, this last clause is far from not the least, of the guarantees for unionists with Roosevelt had an Guard and its policies, of lifting the add to the organizational the more the plants well aware that the Sunday, May THERE a trifle, for if you wish, it is around the great future of aggressive important bearing on keeping the struggle determinedly from a mere powerful and more lasting political fight has not ended but has just be WILL BE NO MEETING ON this tride that the stalinists are struggle that the new Alliance has militin out of Akron in an elec ly personal and organiational weapons.
gun in real earnest.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26.
already recruiting troops for before it.
The Primaries. NEW INTERNATIONAL were presentemente sustamisest pealthy Kinney. Selander. voted to ance.
NEW TRENDS IN LABOR STRUGGLES SPEAKER: MUSTE GERMANIA HALL: 16th St. 3rd Ave.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19th, at P.