SOCIALIST APRIL 27, 1940 APPEAL The The Fight for a National Union of Seamen, Way Is Now Open Negro Question United Around a Program of Class Struggle For Renewing Drive in Steel by BIRCHMAN War correspondents for the Negro press have (From the report of the Maritime Fraction to the April 9 Stalinist influence and, equally The Sailors, Firemen, and Masreferred to the valor and courage of France DaConvention of the Socialist Workers Party)
important, work closely with the ters, Mates Pilots, Walked out 2, 500 steel workers with their wives and children YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, April 21More than tive troops and glowed with pride because of the One of the most important single tasks in the American Sailors, with the Tacoma group. Bridges crowded into the Central Auditorium on Sunday fact that there are a great number of Negroes replaced them with shores de un afternoon and many more hundreds stood outTEAMSTERS ARE serving in the French army. They claim that this labor movement today especially as the war draws nearer ions; the federation ceased to be side listening to the report of Philip Murray, is an indication of no discrimination. One will to this country daily is the building of a national organizaPOWERFUL FACTOR maritime in reality.
The Teamsters (AFL) are one chairman of the Steel Workers Organizing Comcall on the Negroes to sacrifice their lives once tion of seamen based upon a class struggle program. It is a of the most powerful groups on LEADS STEPS TO mittee on the Supreme Court decision in the famore to save the world for democracy. great, historic task. Every step toward it involves struggles the waterfront. They have been MARITIME UNITY mous Republic Steel case. Murray reached the Let us tear off the mask of French imperialism. struggles against the employers and the government, against throughout under conservative In every maritime craft today high point of his speech in a declaration that the cast aside the fraudulent claims of tolerance and the class collaborationists in both the AFL and CIO, and leadership. Nevertheless, it was the men remember what the fod swoc will now put on a new organization drive see the realities behind the slogan Liberty, the the support of the Teamsters in eration once was. It is this at which will not cense until every last steel workEquality, Fraternity.
particularly against the greatest internal enemy of the marithe 34 strike, when they refused tachment that makes the slogan er in every last steel mill in this country is The natives of French tropical colonies are time workers, the Stalinists who, at this time, provide the to go through the picket lines, of reconstituting the Maritime member of the SWOC.
that swung the tide for the wa Federation on its original basis, The Supreme Court decision means that the classed either as citizens or subjects. The the greatest obstacle to the development of a national organization terfront unions.
such a powerful slogan Republic Steel Corporation must reinstate 5, 000 The Teamsters have been in Meanwhile, to fill the gap, the pay them 5, 000, 000 in back wages, disband the men whom it had discharged for union activity, Island of Gore in West Africa are citizens. These of seamen based upon a fighting program.
Most workers who try to keep in touch with trade union conflict with Bridges since he be Sailors have taken the lead in company unions, and cease interfering with the dent. As a result of the revolt of the Haitian developments know something about the militant role of gan moving into the inland ware forming Joint Councils of Marine workers right to join a union of their own chooshouses, over which the Teamsters Crafts in every port. The Stalining. Thus ended the famous Republic Steel case, Assembly, in its Declaration of the Brotherhood the Sailors Union of the Pacihave AFL jurisdiction. When ists have maneuvered the Head three years after the bloody Little Steel strike, mand, knowing that in a reconstiof Man in 1794, abolished slavery in the colonies. fic and its struggles for a na tuted Federation they would lose Bridges tried the same trick with quarters of the Firemen back into In order to advance from this point on, it is, With the hardening of reaction in France against tional organization of seamen, control. San Francisco remains the Teamsters that he had used the maritime Federation, but however, necessary to recall the events of the on the Sailors and Firemen, of the Fireman branches all refused Little Steel strike and learn its lessons.
the revolution, slavery was reestablished in 1803.
The natives again found themselves the chattels and know also something the stronghold of the Stalinist passing out permits in return for to follow, so that in three of the of their white masters. However since freedom about the reactionary role of machine in the ILWU, for here once achieved is not readily given up, the West the Stalinist waterfront ma concentrated and here they have support the Teamsters retaliated major ports, Portland, Seattle Why Little Steel Was Lost ery teamster working on a long with their natural allies, the Sail strike in 1937, 35, 000 on strike in the Mahoning Indian Negroes took up the revolutionary strugSeventy thousand men in seven states were on gle which had receded in France. In 1848 the Chine headed by Harry Bridg systematically colonized the un HARRY LUNDEBERG shore permit. As the conflict with ors, in the Joint Councils of Mar. Valley alone. The truck drivers of Youngstown ion with supporters from outside.
French bourgeoisie granted full political rights to es. But the situation existing Bridges became more acute, the ine Crafts, together with the went on a three day sympathy strike when the all persons living in their colonies as a measure in maritime today is so comTeamsters became more amen Teamsters, the Masters, Mates The Marine Oooks and Stew al from the CIO to set up an in able to close collaboration with Pilots and the Puget Sound ILA troops came in. The rubber workers of Akron to prevent revolts against their rule.
plex that, even for a general ards (CIO) is a West Coast or dependent union.
the Sailors.
Natives in French West Africa born outside St. understanding of it, it is neces ganization of about 4, 500 memWhile we are mentioning minor longshoremen. The real economic came down in hundreds of cars to aid in the Louis, Dakar and Gore are not citizens but sub sary to briefly outline the various bers which, under stalinist conjects, since these territories were incorporated in forces in the unions involved. trol. affiliated to the CIO after organizations, let us include the IS MOST PROGRESSIVE strength on the waterfront is ob struggle, mine workers joined too.
The tremene to the French Empire after 1848, when the such an outline wil necessarily the longshoremen. The Cooks is the same type as the engineers viously on the side of these coun dous might of labor united and fighting was Against this background of the cits, whose existence clearly ex shown in that strike. Why was it lost?
French bourgeoisie having consolidated their deal mainly with the West Coast, have no independent policy and The steel workers will forget only at the cost power, saw no reason to extend the rights of because today that is the main can have none, by virtue of their radio men, but affiliated to other factors in the marine indus, poses the fact that Bridgest mar of further defeats how the SWOC leadership fooland the AFL citizenship to the natives. Thus white a million base of the contending forces. position in the industry. Their natry, the role of the Sailors Union itime federation is nothing but a ishly placed so much faith in Governor Davey and a half natives living in the central area of tural place is alongside the real FIREMEN STILL FIGHTING of the Pacific can now be seen caricature of the original.
during the 1937 Little Steel strike, and asked power on the ships, the Sailors STALINIST WRECKERS more clearly.
Senegal are citizens, the sixty millions living out BRIDGES MACHINE FACES But strength on the Pacific for the National Guard to be sent in to preserve side these areas are subjects. What is the mean NEW OPPOSITION and Firemen. But under Stalinist The Marine Firemen, Ollers, most progressive force in the survival of the Sailors and Fire opened the mill gates and escorted scabs in The SUP is unquestionably the coast is not enough to assure the order. The troops came in and in two days The International Longshore leadership they have talled be. Watertenders and Wipers Associ maritime industry ing of this distinction. Its fight men. The East Coast and Gulf armed trucks through the picket lines. Can any The black citizens of Senegal elect their own men and Warehousemen Union hind the longshoremen, who haveation (independent. with mem against the union taming pro must be organized, and on a mil steel worker forget that? There are those who deputy to the Chamber of Deputies in Paris and (CIO) embraces all Pacific Coast led them into a blind alley.
bership of 0, has always been gram of the Maritime Comitant basis, or the shipowners and would like to pass over this misleadership of a share with the whites a certain amount of auton longshoremen, except a small closely allied with the Sailors. mission is a historic landmark of the government can utilize the great strike, but the steel workers cannot afford omy in the administration of Dakar and St. Louis. section, mainly around Tacoma, STALINIST GENERALS LEAD Controlling steam, the firemen American labor. Thanks to the othe coasts to destroy the West to let these gentlemen do it. The martyrs of the Sixty Million Without Rights ternational Longshoremen A380ciation which dominates the East The Stalinist leadership of the units aboard ship. One of the ing halls, established on the East Commission succeeded in estab riots, of the Massion and Canton terror, will not by fulfilling certain civil and military qualifica has inland and waterfront ware ing indefinite extensions of their boscheene to driven wedge be stalinist led National Maritime East Coast with the cooperation self of any ideas that government institutions The subjects have no constitutional rights: Bat coast and Guilt. The il we also cooks followed Bridges in sign mesin peinte na stalinist strategy Coast with the consent of the lishing its sink hiring halls on the be really avenged unless the street union wids niet is the recent decree issued by the French Colonial From Alaska to San Diego Iber, to be followed by negotia and use them as a weapon to de has led the fight against the gov. wise the fink training ship pro the swoc failed to prepare it. They rejected the to gain control of the Firemen the West Coast. The SUP also National Maritime Union, like The 1937 strike was lost because the leaders of Ministry. It grants the right to vote to natives numbers some 13, 000 longshore tions with the shipowners, with a privileged not extended to those who are con base of the Stalinist machine in o termination of the agreement, stationistes a captured the signed to turn out scats for a two years ago, as advance scout can win conditions for the workers, want hinatene West Coast.
San Francisco headquarters un shipowners, lobbyed in Washington and in Columbus, spend cruiting in their colonies. Natives thus granted zens, from such obligations as forced labor, pay. waterfront strike, which coincide with the shipowners. Bridges dial over the branches in their des considers the merchant marine an the Sailors and Firemen, it got table. They failed to give union publicity to the citizenship will be exempt, along with other citi. Ever since the end of the 34 further terms in the negotiations, the Firemen and rode roughshod Sons and the goverment, which tried to break its contracts withing most of their time around the conference ment of head tax, and other irksome duties theed with the end of the Stalinist this with the Longshoremen with. perate attempts to smash the auxiliary to the navy. Likewise crews and a contract from the strike and didn even issue strike bulletin or Third Period, the Stalinist pol out prior consultation with any of Sailors.
penalty for being a subject.
paper. They held no mass meetings, except on the Sailors lead the fight against NMU on the East Coast.
But Stalinist control did not the Bridges Employers Peace SUP LAUNCHES SEAFARERS run the strike from the top and didn even elect the picket lines, and no parades. They tried to France small number of black citizens only class collaboration, covered up by ting each on its own.
icy has been consistently one of the other maritime unions, putlast long. Firemen progressives Plan.
INTERNATIONAL UNION have to serve two years in the army and that militant phrases. This policy has The Sailors and Firemen re Firemen, and one of the main Sailors have done in the last six launched the weekly West Coast When one considers all that the strike committee from the ranks of the workThe Shepard Låne dispute was ers. To top it all off, they rolled on Governor service is in Africa. But the matches of black led now to Bridges Five Year fused to go for this extension pola planks of its program was amal years, it is extraordinary to re the final alarmsignal to the Sur Davey and called in the troops, subjects must serve three years in the army and are sent far from home, to Indo China, Syria and Peace Plan, policy of long icy, won concessions and signed gamation and term agreements and compulsory regular agreements.
of the unlicensed call that the SUP embraces only that it was necessary to find al win it be different in the future? The meetEurope to die as shock troops for French democ arbitration. The ILWU is now negroups, primarily the firemen and approximately 5, 000 members гасу. gotiating with the shipowners, When the Cooka, after signing sailors. The paper had the sup the total personnel of its craft in nationally. At the time the SUP SWOC learned little. The meeting was occupied their black colonials in protecting their lil gotten sions, for a long term agree into negotiations, naturally the rallied a majority of the member class struggle program, the home to the AFL Labor Councils in the ner. The most disgusting point was reached when The French, in order to secure the services of with Bridges asking no conces the indefinite extension, entered port of all the branches and soon West Coast shipping. But it was an independent union, al with lengthy preliminaries in which the leaders though it retained its affiliation praised each other in the most extravagant mangains, throw out sops to the small number of ment, Bridges agreeing to arbi shipowners responded with a re ship behind it. In the next elecogeneity of its membership, its black elite in order to more effectively corral the trate everything in the agree sounding NO to every proposaltion the progressives won, and uncompromising stand at every ports and to the State Federa John Owens, President of the United Mine Workmasses for war and labor services. The elite as ment.
for improvements in the agree mopped up completely in the elec point against class collaboration tional Seamens Union, of which own self sacrifice and about the fine qualities of citizens have the right to be tried under French Six years of false Stalinist pol ment. What is more, Bridges has tion after that.
subjects are dealt with by political officers and strong opposition rom the ranks shoremen would not support any the membership who had support itime out of all proportion to its ead mean while gone to pieces. At humanity. Anally burst out with the statement chiefs, in accordance with local decrees and sta Suat prior to Bridges switch from union striking for increased ed the fight against the stalinist numerical strength. Toward it all the 1938 convention of the AFL that he and the workers in the audience are tutes. On occasion, to prove the liberality of the AFL to the cho a powerfu wages or improved working con machine thought the right was progressives in the industry look internationale parte de sectores de can happy to be sitting at the feet of this great char.
San Franfarers International Union of No place on the speakers list was provided minor importance.
ichen came the series anachohi bership brouckt uthe Bridgestone machines in the kionto remember the time when Harry Sporter America. The AFL had for the leaders in the plants, who kept every latest One Deputy for Sixty Million! Lewis appointment of Bridges result of the whole previous pol shoremen. Hie maintains a permit Lundeberg, secretary treasurer of on the orders te verant andre he cale swocales en la existence during these three France with population of 40 million has 500 as CIO director of the West icy of their stalinist leadership system in the ILWU, with about the SUP, also headed the Mari which were now taken into the deputies in parliament, but the more than sixty Coast. That, plus the stupidity of in tailing Bridges Longshoremen 700 men usually on the permittime Federation of the Pacific STU.
Questions That Must Be Answered and all the maritime crafts oper million natives of French Africa have only one the opposition, saved Bridges machine. The Cooks have the list. By a judicious distribution of The chiefs and king are not hereditary or skin.
worst agreement of any of the these permits, the Stalinist ma ated under the slogan: An in In the last two years a whole Phillip Murray in his speech took up the ques elected leaders as before their conquest by France, but are hand picked stooges, trained by hatred of the Stalinists, made the bership knows and the mem chine is able to maintain a size jury to one is an injury to all. series of revolts have taken place tion of unemployment which has become chronThe opposition, blinded by their unlicensed groups able number of seamen on the Those were the days when the within Stalinist National le condition in steel more than anywhere else, the French and dependent upon their exploiters tatal error of not going along into beach who, holding ILWU per bosses were on the run.
Maritime Union, notably in the and shouted what is Congress going to do about for their jobs. They depend for their pay on the the CIO. That made it compara COOKS ORGANIZE AGAINST mits, get enough longshore work Gulf. The Gulf had always been it. But he himself said nothing in regard to But then began the Stalinist the most militant section of the what labor should do about it, and was silent on to maintain themselves. Which business of getting control by taxes they can squeeze out of the starving black tively easy for Bridges to discred STALINIST MISLEADERS peasants. They even more reactionary than it them; and thereafter any voice their white masters.
means that to keep their permits pushing into the federation Shore NU and the section most sym. the question of the 30 hour week, which could The militant members want to they have to vote right in the side unions not directly engaged West Coast Sailors and Firemen. In his call for an organization drive in the raised within the ILWU in Blaise Diagne, the first Sengalese to be elected sition to Bridges was stigmatized do something about it. Logically Sailors or the Firemen where in marine transportation. The Many of the rebels are now in mills Murray warned against wild cat strikes a deputy and the only African native to reach a as a stooge for the discredited op their interest lies in allying them they are members.
growing resentment among the the SIU but, unfortunately, the and strikes in general, saying go back to the lackies French imperialism. Diagne served in ions which had been in opposition or their problemas reculmilarship counted to eliminate the Maritime Federation, when the have not known how to profit ing to do about it. He assured the workers that han example of the role of the citizens as the cho we APL issue forced un secretuse the blome and Firement upon whom the triremeni members at the 1933 convention and the remaining seamlere tre per comicals come sign up the workers an are union and then the last World War as a recruiting sergeant for to Bridges notably the shipyard problems which are peculiar to Stalinists proved incapable of ful Bridges machine refused to seat from the revolts against the stal The Murray. will take care of their problems for them, will negotiate contracts for them, and will cannon fodder. His services were rewarded with the cio in loyalty to their par front shoreside workers. pro retary. Essentially a conservative gates although having accepted the post of Under Secretary for Colonies under ent body. Bridges has been thus cressive group is developing trade union official, he finds him per capita payments from them. On the fundamental questions not leave them in the lurch.
Laval. He was sent to defend the policy of forced trading on cio capital ever since whose program is based on bringselt in agreement on many issues and this came on top of the of the government tink hall and In order to take advantage of the Supreme labor, which the French rubber companies were he received the progressive man ing the Cooks toward closer cola with the Stalinist class collabora Shepard Line dispute, When the link training the SIU has a simi Court decision to gain real conditions for the using in the Congo, at the International Conven tle of the CIO to cover his reac laboration with the Sailors and tion line. As proven by the exper Stalinist National Maritime Un lar policy to that of the SUP. steel workers, the steel workers must make the a militant program which relies face of strong sentiment for abolition of the sys. However, the cloak is wearing successful in having the Cooks golence of the Sailors, the only ef: ton tried to break the Sailors with that as a foundation and swoc their own union, a democratic union. It only on labor strength.
right of France to impose conscription in what within the ILWU, centered in the Plan. While the Stalinist leader influence is by pushing ahead that line, and the Tacoma Long Corst section, militant develop It must place to reliance on government agentem Dlagne maintained that it was the sovereign thin. new opposition is arising on record against Bridges Peace fective way to eliminate Stalinist and Firemen contracts with with the support of the West must be based with an aggressive class struggle shoremen had, supporting the ment of the SIU 18 in the cards, cies and on government officials.
The unton must the ship is still strongly entrenched, ever forms it pleased. He supported it on the Northwest. few weeks ago large section of the union is being es, however, remain free from tied up several Shepard ships. the NMU, giving way to the em Prepare not only for the conference table but for program. The Firemen branch Sailors and Firemen, successfully the recent contracts signed by grounds of the educational value of conscription Seattle local ousted every known to native peoples.
Communist party stooge and welded together against this leadployers on all key questions in the serious battles that must come on the picket desperate attempt to keep the line in the strikes. Only along these lines will black elite. As George Padmore, writing in Plebe, land local is strong and getting ganizations that follow the stalFrance has good reason to be thankful to her elected a complete oppositionership which has betrayed them.
of the other, and minor, ordues coming in, are literally for the organization drive succeed.
ing the development of new opstates: stronger, inist line, not much need be said. TREASURE CHEST position movements within the This division between citizens and subjects is NMU. Real union organization of The American Communications a deliberate and calculated policy of French im PROGRESSIVES DEMAND OF REVOLUTIONARY MARXISM Association (CIO. covering the the East and Gulf coasts is perialism, aimed at aligning the elite with the ORIGINAL MARITIME ship wireless operators, is Stalin for a song burning necessity.
white ruling class, of which they consider them FEDERATION OF 194 ist controlled. it plays no signifiThe conditions won by the Fireselves a part. Within the French Empire the The Seattle opposition express cant role. Its membership consid21 defined division marked out by its rulers bees the demand for re constituting ers itself part of the officers corps Bound Volume. Socialist Appeal men and Sailors on the West Coast show the way to their broween citizens and subjects has served to hold the once powerful Maritime Fed. aboard ship and with few excep WORLD SOCIALISM or WORLD FIRST MONTHS 1939 00 back the growth of the national liberation move eration of the Pacific as a central tions is as much company conthers in the East. national or SECOND SIX MONTHS 1939 ment far behind the militant level it has achieved body for unions in the marine scious as the other officers 00 ganization of Seamen based on a WAR will be the subject of an adTOGETHER (including postage)
in the British African colonies. Not one of the transport industry. Longshore groups 00 fighting, class struggle program, dress by David Stevens, Youngstown can and must be built.
Negroes purporting to represent their people in men, Sailors, Marine Firemen, District Organizer of the at the Chamber of Deputies has ever done a single Cooks and Stewards, Masters, The Marine Engineers BeneBound Volume. New International the May Day Celebration to be held thing to advance the cause of the great masses Mates and Pilots, Marine Engin ficial Association, comprising the LOCAL NEW YORK on Wednesday, May 1st, 8:00 of workers and peasants in the colonial territories eers, and Teamsters and keep engineers aboard ship, is also 1938 00 All members of Local New from which they come. Not one trade union or ing out the paper and irrelevant CIO. Extremely unreliable and at 123 Federal St. Youngsganization have they formed, not one cooperative unions through which the Stalin company conscious. It does not 1939 50 York and the YPSL are in structed to attend an importtown, Ohio. nothing. Soldiers or politicians, they have all ists seized control of the Federa have closed shop agreements ex TOGETHER (including postage)
ant membership meeting, The celebration will include other brief distinguished themselves in promoting and de tion and drove out the seamen, cept with a few lines. The San reducing the Federation to a carl Francisco headquarters follows Thursday, April 25, p.
fending the interests of their white masters.
talks, a dance, refreshments, enterPIONEER PUBLISHERS The once progressive slogan of the French Rev. cature.
the Bridges line. The branches sharp, Beethoven Hall, 210 tainment and revolutionary workers 116 UNIVERSITY PLACE NEW YORK, 5th St.
olution. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity is now The Stalinist leadership of the are opposed to Bridges and there songs.
but a mask for French colonial despotism. ILWU viciously opposes this de lis strong sentiment for withdrawit.
the OPPOMAY DAY CELEBRATION IN YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO. 50