2 modify which it is Left Wing Delegates Found Socialist Workers Party at Convention in Chicago plunge steps and more active support In many lems were on and SOCIALIST APPEAL January 8, 1938 The main responsibility for the split two years ago SOCIALIST APPEAL unquestionably lies on the shoulders of the Vol. II. No.
of bureaucracy. By its reactionary control of Saturday, Jan. 8, 1938 the labor movement, the Executive Council of the Published every week by the of sought to stifle every attempt to SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASS the obsolete craft union structure upon Published at 116 University Place, is based, and and actively sabotaged all efforts Subscriptions: 00 per year; 00 for to organize the unorganized, especially in the months. Foreign: 50 per year. Bundle order mass production industries, on an industrial, that cents per copy. Single copies cents.
is, on only conceivable basis.
All cheeks and money orders should be made The formation of the its fight against out to the Socialist Appeal.
the Green Woll Frey machine, its decisive into the work of org Entered as second class matter September 1, the masses of the (Continued from page 1) by B, Widick, former research unskilled in the key industries, were progressive 1937 at the post office at New York, New York, director of the United Rubber than Warranted the under the Act of March 3, 1879.
given by the revolutionists to the as the was the slogan advocated by Deeper into the trade unions, Workers of America.
progressive section of the labor movement. In its Cannon. We must root ourselves Dunne Reports Convention Resolutions Stress Fight fight against the the leadership of the in the mass movement in order On War, Mass Work, Defense of of L. played a and reactionary role. to guarantee the proletarian cha Dunne, outstanding leadSoviet Union by New Party Instead of facilitating the work of organizing the racter of our party, he declared. er of the Minneapolis labor mobig industries of of the country, it it stood in the vement, pointed out the lessons (Continued from page 1)
at every turn, joining in the union breaking chorus To Fight Stalinism of the trade union work accomp of the employers and their apologists.
lished in that area. He described The resolution pointed out the treacherous role played by nation of American imperialism to take the lead cases, the of leadership even resorted that, the idea that the Commun the Stalinists in their efforts to ership in the struggle to keep its present most to downright strike breaking in an effort to stem ist (Stalinist) party represents smash the union movement since dangerous rival, especially in the Far East, from the sensational advances made by the LO.
a progressive factor in the trade it rejected their policies of beincreasing its ration of the Asiatic market; earlier, However, in Cordell Hull efforts to consolidate the domi develand notwithstanding the wide rift that union movement is based upon trayal and fame up.
between the two sections the labor outworn memories of the past.
The auto and steel union probnant position of American imperialism at the movement, there are now strong forces at work The today is a reactionary described by workers Latin American conference subsequently by the sharp notes to. Japan which various sectors of the union movement in most must be dealt with as such. It in those fields; union reports are only a reflection of America dogged inten recent times has strengthened the feeling that is a pernicious influence which from throughout the country in tion of keeping the Open Door open in China and one united organization, instead of two antago the vanguard elements and mili various fields followed.
Specific recommendations preventing any other power from shutting off the nistic ones, would make it easier to win labor tants must fight tooth and nail United States from expansion upon the Asiatic battles against the employers. The defeat regis to eliminate from the working trade union work were drawn up tered by the workers in the by a committee elected at the class movement.
Little Steel It is most unlikely that in the event of an similar strikes, has only served to emphasize the adopted the enrade union resofl the idea of integrating and coordinating the activities of the inter imperialist war, the United States will be need of putting an end to the division in labor tion.
one of the original belligerants. At the same time of the new crisis, which weakens labor hold on on various industrial fields were Special supplementary reports party on a national scale.
The unemployed situation and the case in the last world war, for 32 months industry and foreshadows an employers offensive given to the convention.
the need for revitalizing unempbefore entering the hostilities in order to emerge all the gains made in the past period, and wipe cialist Party secretary, outlined ers Alliance through conduct of Glen Trumble, California So loyed organizations like the Workof the European imperialist powers, as well as out whatever union control has been established. the situation and the work in militant action for felie demands on the was stressed in that discussion the speedier and more general destruction pro mounting sentiment among the organized work West Coast where many com on the agenda. committee carlier intervention of American imperialism for oss throughout the country for a speedy unifica rades are active in building a headed by Art Preis of Toledo the purpose of delivering, as in 1917, the decisive iton of the of and the so that militant labor movement despite offered detailed recommendations blow in the war and of having the decisive word mon front against the capitalist elass.
labor may be able to present a sorely needed com the sabotage of the Stalimist for work in the unemployed fields.
clique headed by Harry Bridges. Discussions were to follow on in the division of the spoils. Our party, together with every revolutionary unions and a critical analysis of revolution, the war in the Far Work in the rubber workers the Soviet Union, the Spanish If the working class is unable to prevent the and class conscious worker, takes a clear cut the role of the party during the East, party organization and the outbreak of war, and the United States enters position in favor of the earliest and completest past three years was discussed party pression traditional position of revolutionary Marxism. It and also the hitherto unaffiliated Railwill utilize the crisis of capitalist rule engendered ad Brotherhoods by the war to prosecute the class struggle with speaking, under which such 1oad Brotherhoods. The only condition, practically would be the utmost intransigeance, to strengthen the in step backward would be one binding the former to bring the war to a close by the revolutionary organization and to divide themselves into scores overturn of capitalism and the establishment of of impotent craft unions. Unification on such a proletarian in the form of the workers state. basis is, however, scarcely conceivable. Continued from page 1) plant, Jerry Lamont is keeping Combating the chauvinistic wave, it will not his hand on the pulse of the now support of the war and of the capitalist govern minds of the class conscious workers. From this revolutionary party. Dostal is a ment first as an YSLer. Also from any and every form of class collaboration, leadership has played is clearly established in the was Comrade Ted Dostal first quiescent union movement ment, but will work toward the defeat of the it should not follow that the revolutionary van leader in the Warehouse Union Detroit, a former European SoAmerican capitalist class and it war regime by guard makes a the proletarian revolution. if the United unquestioningly at its shrine. Prior to the estab have to tell here again the story party, gave a demonstration not States were to be allied with the Soviet Union in lishment of the unity of the two organizations, of Vincent and Grant Dunne, long ago of Bolshevik trade union circumstance would not for a minute alter the ween the revolutionists must advocate as their Farrell Dobbs, Carl Skoglund, tactics He joined the company in either imperialist character and aims of the war so far according to specific local corganization, and their co workers in that union which dominated an auto circumstances. great Band of trade union lead parts factory, and after three as the United States is concerned; neither, there The sit down strike is not a universal substitute ers who head the party in Min weeks work brought the whole be any alteration in the position for the classic form of strike action (quitting the neapolis.
plant into the UAW.
of our party with regard to American capitalism plant, mass picket line, etc. but it is indubitably and its government and in Ohio: Toledo sent to the conand hostility towards them. The practical steps which a proved contribution to proletarian tactics Montana: From the desert and our party would take in the course of its oppo tion and extension are a tribute to the an effective weapon in their struggle. Its initia vention leaders in the auto and unemployed fields. Art Preis, mountains of Montana came two sition to the war would, however, have to be de fulness of the proletariat in finding new and and the General Motors strike in their convictions and activities active in the first Chevrolet strike revolutionists who have kept alive cided in consideration of the need of facilitating powerful methods of fighting its class oppressors. 1935, editor of the official strike since the early wobbly days, armed forces in their war against an imperialist breaking down an awesome respect for bourgeois delegate. Ted Selander. a Scad. John Boulds. In the Pa for power, in conformity with our position of defense private property which the ruling class instills er of the Auto Lite strike, and years, Salisbury held the elective in the proletariat from its childhood onward. It is now in unemployed work, extri post of Sheriff in Sheridan County our duty to defend this weapon against all at cated himself from the WAA (Billings) for a considerable The Trade Union Resolution tempts to suppress, discredit or outlaw it. This tangle long enough to attend the length of time. This post he does not signify that we advocate the indiscrimi convention.
abandoned along with his Stalinist connections in 1934 when he Among the most important passages of the nate use of the sit down at all times and in all Trade Union Resolution are the following: cases. We judge its feasibility on the same genea delegation of joined the Left Opposition. Now The outstanding characteristics of the working ral consideration which determined our tacties in members led by Comrade he is doing important work as class movement in the United States in the restrikes: general objective conditions, the state of Widick.
president of the Montana Farm cent period, are the enormous growth of trade the union, mood of the membership, position of From Cleveland came a lead Holiday Association.
ing figure in the United Auto union movements which now embraces millions the employers and the state, possibilities of achiev. Workers and from Youngstown North Dakota: With experience of workers never organized in the past; the de ing the objective, etc. etc.
a member of the Teamsters in workers revolutionary organias the movement of the The sit down strike has, however, an even nion.
zations since 1896, Comrade workers in the basic key and mass production in more significant future before it than the ordinary William Beallou, of Fargo, who dustries, organized in industrial unions, as con strike. Precisely because it challenges the funda New Jersey: Ruben Plaskett, participated in the Debs camtrasted with the classic of form of craft mental tenet of capitalism, the inviolable right Negro worker from Newark, and paigns, was delegate. There are unions; the violent conflict between the of of private property in the means of production, an Appeal member since last year good prospects of building the and the and the recent trend towards the sit down strike seems to be one of the main was a delegate. Purged from the party in Fargo.
the unification of the two bodies; and the expan indicated means of mass action by virtue of the TWOC, he is now in WAA work.
sion of the powers and role of the federal govern seizure of the plants and their temporary control He characterizes the Newark Missouri: St. Louis and Joplin ment as mediator in the conflict between the by workers committees for realizing the slogan party members as not just sent delegations who brought workers and the employers.
in the coming period of: Workers Control of theoreticians, but practical work news that penetration into the whole mass fields is progressing in series of circumstances has now! Production! The deepening of the present crisis brought prominently to the fore the question of will push this slogan to the foreground and, proMissouri. From Joplin, Comrade Michigan: Active in the UAW, active in the lead and zinc the unification of the of and the Continued on page 3)
and a worker in the Detroit Ford union was a delegate.
unity Convention Sidelights rule in reject fetish the a fore, would resource the utmost material aid Akron sent er