SOCIALIST APPEAL September 18, 1937, Union Progressives Condemn Reading Old Guard Joins In Fight Against Trotskyism Union Splitting Moves of Stalinists All the attacks made on the ty of the At the same time. Trotskyists by Thomas Alt in sweet, dulcet and democratic MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 11. Two By Carlos Hudson out that the move to the CIO will man Tyler are poor imitations of tones for which cops are famed, weeks ago, the Stalinist leadergive the bosses the excuse for a the arguments of their former the YPSL was ordered not only ship of the three Machinists renewed fight on the union. Al comrades, their political brothers out of their Labor Lyceum but locals in Minneapolis and Hop that curse the movement else ready, this is being borne out.
and future leaders, the old out of the vicinity.
kins Nas. 382, 1037, and 1313 where.
By going CIO now, the auto Guard. Not only the democratic induced the membership to mechanics and machinists isolate arguments but also the democOld Guard ve. Trotskyism Stalinist Tricksters vote to withdraw from the Inthemselves from their machin ratic acts follow the same paternational Association of Ma Yet here, as in every union ist brothers internationally. By tern right down to the use of the The Old Guard in Berks Counchinists and join the cio. So where they have power, the Stal going CIO, the machinists do not democratie cops against the ty is strong against Trotskyism.
that militants in the American inists have used that power to improve their organizational set Left wing.
In that graveyard gazette, tho labor movement may understand abuse, mislead, and cheat the up they face a much poorer We shall not delve into the Reading Advocate, one of those the backround of this move, and union membership. Hilliard Smith, set up under the CIO. At pres democratic methods of Honest dull gray sheets that are the why it has been condemned by a Stalinist organizer, for many ent they are chartered in the Jasper McLevy, head of the so curse of the labor movement, the the progressive forces in the months has spent all his time, Radio Electrical Workers. But cial Democratic Federation and editor, Hofses, for a change droptrade unions of the Northwest, while on the union payroll, at it is known that the Steel Work mayor of Bridgeport. Strike ped his scissors and put his pen we present here a brief story of playing with reform politics anders Organization Committee and breaking has an odor all its own and imagination to work on an the case.
People Front maneuvers. Mau the United Auto Workers, at the and when combined with democ article on the Crisis in the The Auto Mechanics Local 383 seth, another Stalinist leader, very least, are going to claim ratic sewer socialism, it is a bit received its charter in 1927 has time and again made un jurisdiction over some of the much. May after has Editor Hofses charged that the when the trade union movement necessary compromises with the former members of the been sprayed with the fellowship Trotskyists were responsible not in Minneapolis as well as through bosses. For instance: in case machinists in Minneapolis.
of freemen and whitewashed only for the present split in the out the United States was at its atter case, where Joe Pease, a By going CIO in this manner editorially by Gus Tyler, he ll be but also for the split in lowest point. For six years, ap machinist business agent and and at this time, the progres ready for inclusion in the all (ex Reading in 1986. On the other to 1983, this unit remained al progressive, has made a good sives pointed out, the machin clusive of revolutionists) inclu hand, his democratic co worker, George Rhodes, will inform any most inactive, never having more settlement of some grievance, ists make it possible for certain sive party.
than 60 members. Like many Mauseth will go to the arbitrator reactionary International officials Instead, as an example of one who asks that Charlie Sands another local union, it received and accept a settlement on much to compel locat unions to with. genuine, home grown American alone is responsible for the Read powerful stimulus from the worse terms.
hold support from them, support democratic socialism give you, ing split, and God knows that smashing victories of the Gen The Stalinist regime has been which has not and could not be the Hoopes Stump gang of Read Sands is no Trotskyist. Hofses eral Drivers Local in 1934. Its criminally wasteful of the union denied if a truly responsible trade ing, Pa. They are forever in and Rhodes should get together membership grew with amazing funds, in a way that any in union policy were carried out. toning praise of democracy on one story, otherwise historians speed.
formed trade unionists anywhere Move Lacks Basis and rejecting the language and will have difficulty in determinWin Strikes in the country can readily untactics of force, violence, seizure ing what motivated our democderstand. When Mauseth took And what possible point can of power, illegality and meddle ratic heroes. Certainly the moOn midnight, January 3, 1935, over the leadership, the union the ci have in taking in the some attitudes towards trades tives were of the highest. These a joint Twin Cities strike of auto had 15, 000.
Mauseth put a machinists of Minneapolis. Every unions. look at their record gentlement are always moved by the highest motives. Any nummechanics was called. Officials squad of his henchmen on the progressive unionist supports the will be instructive.
bers racketeer in Reading can of the Minneapolis General Driv, union payroll, bought cars out of campaign to organize the unorOld Guard Democracy testify to that.
ers Union placed themselves at union funds for Communist Par ganized of America. But that is the disposal of the strikers, and ty leaders from New York, etc. hardly the question in this terJust over a year ago the Readritory. The of because ing Old Guard democratically Primary Fight functioned actively on the picket lines and in the strike headquartIll Advised Sympathy Strike here it is led by progressives, took over the Pennsylvania State ers of hoth Minneapolis and St.
At the present moment the has already organized such an Convention of the by the Paul. The strike was settled in advised and ill organized auto workers in Minneapolis that this making themselves the creden bitter fight in the Socialist priIn. August of this year, an ill overwhelming majority of the simple democratic method of pain Reading is engaged in a about two weeks and resulted in salesmen strike was called in city is acknowledged by the u. tials committee, rejecting suf maries with the Old Guard. The victory which gave the unions the Twin Cities. Follow firm foothold in their indus their People Front line of kow. best organized city in the United to secure a majority and then dred city jobs. They have outs.
Labor Department to be the ficient undemocratic delegates go with control of several huntry.
towing to the white collar work. States. Organizing the unorgan. calling the convention together weekly paper and În 1994, the Machinists Inter ers, the Stalinists took the auto ized is one question. Raiding the and proceeding to organize it.
monthly national had chartered Local 1313 mechanics out on a sympathetic of in this situation is it might be worth recording that sheet which is given away fren.
in Minneapolis, with jurisdiction strike.
Now this pin itself was another question. By taking in they also. democratically char. They have weekly pienics and over the ornamental iron indus not wrong, but the method of the machinists, the CIO will tered new branches the night be mass meetings at Socialist Park, try. In the summer of 1935 a going about it was decidedly only serve to confuse and dis fore the convention met and elecTheir candidates are in the main strike was called in this indus wrong. The machinists had hun rupt the local labor movement. ted additional delegates as a sort more widely known. The importry. On the morning of July 26, dreds of grievances against the The progressives stated that the of reserve army of democracy in a strong campaign Farmes Labor Mayor Latimer industry bosses (who are very interests of neither the workers case of need.
against such a well entrenched and corrupt machine is obvious.
appeared at the struck Flour well organized. The logical thing in the of nor in the CIO City plant with a squad of 68 to do was to fight for a settle can possibly be served by such the above means was just a beThe democratic victory won by Yet not one line in support of police and escorted 30 strike ment of these grievances. This a blundering, irresponsible move. sinning. se on returning to Read: Local Berks has appeared in the breakers into the plant through was not done. Subsequently, the small and surprised picket line. bosses organized company unions What Behind the Move, ing they found an obstacle of Socialist Call and not one finger The General Drivers Union mob to supplant the unions of the auto The real reason for this shift cords of the local party were less bankruptcy and inefficien.
two still in their path. The re has been moved in support by the Granted the hope lized a picket squad during the salesmen, and that strike was day, gave the scabs a stormy lost. The machinists went back to the CIO is that it is a job still in the hands of membersey of the still think reception, and the strike WAS to work in a month, without a saving device on the part of the loyal to the and these mem the criminal neglect has a deeper revivet with a bang. Late in thing to show for their sacrifice. Stalinist leadership of the ma bers together with the YPS basis. The political agreement Septerhiber, a strike settlement It the Stalinist leadership was chinists union. It is more than seemed to think that they had a gave the union most of its de rotten to the core, the Grand euver into It is an attempt to man right to use the Labor Lyceum of the certainly of its mands.
position where these (S. Hall) for which they had dominant Thomas, Altman, WisLodge officials of the union mis leaders can attack the sacrificed time and money. consin wing, with the Reading were not far behind. By threat progressive unions in Minnea new democratic call went forth Old Guard is evident.
All Inclusive Its two ening to break up the machinist polis. That is the SOLE reason from that citadel of democracy, major actions during the primary In 1986, a charter was issued set up here along craft lines, by for the move.
the Socialist Town Hall of Read campaign (1) the expulsion drive to the machinists in Hopkins, a red baiting and lack of decisiveThe Stalinist: the Machinist InternaMinneapolis suburb, and this ness, are throw ing. Calling all cops, calling all against Trotskyists (2) the supin the cops, a robbery is being com port of La Guardia, have both union has about 700 members, tional furnished the unscrupul everything they have chiefly through organization of ous leaders of the Minneapolis unions in this section the lead mitted at the headquarters. played into the hands of the old Guard and constituted a stab in the Moline plant in that com machinists with just the excuse ership of the machinists into The robbers may need protection the back to the in Reading munity, they were seeking. In the last the pot, in a desperate attempt That is all.
And under cover of the democThere is no room in Reading The tliree Machinists unions, week in August the Stalinists, to reach the position where they with a membership of about by talking of lower dues, by apcan attack the rest of the labor ratic protection of the police, the for two Socialist democratic 6, 000, constitute the stronghold pealing to the sentiment of the movement and label all other democratic Old Guard took over parties. The Old Guard has the of the Stalinists in Minneapolis, members for unity which they unions as reactionary, etc. The the records of Local Berks Coun inside track for reformism and for deals with progressive being the one section of the had already achieved, took the growing strength in the Northwest of what Stalinists term Republicans or Democrats. For movement in which they enjoy unions into the cro.
leadership. Trotskyism is forcing the un move, there is plenty of evidence the present Local of the Fought by Progressives principled into such criminal that such is not the attitude of there are but two roads, backBecause a very small progresmoves that jeopardize the mag Lewis, Brophy and the respon with the La Guardia Socialista, ward to disintegration and decay sive fraction in the Machinists The progressive forces, gath nificent forward march of laborsible. heads of the Cio.
had fought for such a set up, ered around the Northwest Or. in Minneapolis.
eventually ending by entering the Minneapolis machinists un xanizer, immediately pointed out Call for Reconsiderations the Old Guard, or forward with der the International Association that, of all the mistakes made Leaders Recognize Seriousness Progressives of Minneapolis the Left wing to Revolutionary of Machinists charter enjoyed by the irresponsible Stalinist the finest organizational set up leadership, this mistake is the national trade union movement of the machinists locally to reThose in the leadership of the are calling upon the merabership Socialism.
of machinists anywhere in the one fraught with the gravest realize the significance of the consider their action of voting country. Last spring, the dangers to the very existence of present situation in Minneapolis. CIO. They are demanding of authorized the local ma the Machinists organization. The In an imprecedent move, the en the International Machinists that NOTICE TO PARTY chinists to take in outside crafts truth is that not one honest and tire Executive Board of the it guarantee that the Minneapolis BRANCAES molders iron workers, sheet practical reason can be advanced led by Wharton, is moving machinists will continue as in the Please send in Dames od metal workers, etc. 90 that to for taking the machinists over into Mimeapolis and, beginning recent past as united all incomrades elected to serve as all intents, in fact if not in name, to the CIO at this time.
Sept. 13, will hold a hearing on clusive metal trades union.
correspondents to the SOCIALthe Minneapolis machinists had the local situation.
Next week article will bring IST APPEAL.
Agreements Endangered Special at an all inclusive metal workers The CIO has ordered John the latest news of the machinists tention must be given to proIndustrial union. The progresThe machinists had signed Brophy here immediately. Where situation, and will point out what viding us with timely stories sive laber movement here has Agreements with the bosses, as in Minnesota, almost the en the Stalinists hoped to gain in on trade union struggles.
protected them from the un agreements made under the Attire CIO staff is made up of Stal the Minnesota L Party by All copy must be in by healthy jurisdictional disputes (F. of The progressives pointed linists, who blessed the machinist their attempted coup.
Saturday.