The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 19, 1925, Page 3

; NEW YORK IRON ! TO SPLIT UNION Red. Buiter i Howard Is Bosses Tool NEW YORK, Noy. 17. The crea- tion of an, independent union, led by a former business agent who sought to call off the strike against the Iron League, is the latest attempt to break the iron workers’ union. The new ven- ture is receiving considerable atten- tion in the capitalist press, but so far seems to have made little head- way with the boys who rivet the gir- ders, fagt.to the sky scrapers. Charles, A.. Howard, the father of the new, movement, is denounced by representatives of the International Association .of Bridge, Structural and OrnamentalIron ‘Workers as a tool of the Iron League against which the union hag been striking for the last year. Howard,..as business agent for Lo- cal No, 40; the big Jocal of New York sought, to break the strike last win- ter by urging the members to go back to work. The strike was called for union» recognition and a raise in wages. Howard spoke to many work- ers personally and he sent. them post cards with his back-to-work appeal, Some members were influenced but he had no general success and in the ensuitig controversy he turned in his resignation as business agent and the resignation was quickly accepted by the local union. He was later ex- pelled. Later he toured the country from coast'to coast, at his “own” expense, at least not on union expenses, and spread his arguments for an indus- trial peace policy, swinging in the suggestion that the time was coming for another union that would end the taxing of western members for the New York strike. In addition to these activities, Howard, on his return be- gan figuring as a red baiter and agi- tated particularly for the expulsion from the union of Joseph Manley. In his campaign to build the new In- dependent Iron Workers’ Union of Greater New York, Howard is con- tinuing his end-the-strike talk. He urges fron workers to join a union that will be more pleasing to the non- union contractors—the Iron League, and tries to persuade iron workers that the bosses don’t want to sign agreements with an organization con-| taining officials who haye been in EAGUE TRIES | SPS Rir tee eoamnarne 28h: 0 sianeingnenmenmnwin = conan weaned THE .DATLY ACCUSED TATARBOUNAR PEASANTS FORCE OFFICERS TO DESCRIBE TORTURE DURING MASS ARRESTS KISHENEYV, Bessarabia, Nov. 17.—During one of the ‘last sittings of the court there were lively incidents between the accused and witnesses on the part of the prosecution, agents of cross-examination by the defense, one following question: until her skin began to break off?” tion, “How you tortured the peasant third of the accused said: into people’s ears.” The president of the court, Colonel Maxim, tried to smooth the impres- sion of those questions by frequently interrupting the accused. A Cynical Confession, Lieut. Epimic Apostolescu, leader of a punishment expedition to the vil- lage of Cismea, described the terrible things that happened under his lead- ership. Sixty peasants were locked up: by us in a cellar and the gendarmes re- ceived the order to throw gas grena- des ‘into the cellars. The cellar was kept carefully closed, till the next day, then it was opened and only 16 peasants were still alive. The others had died from the gas. On’ the question of the defence why + Jail. The prison reference is parti- cularly directed against P. J. Morrin, international president, who once served time in connection with the union’s fight with the National Erec- tors’ association. Union representa- tives ridicule this respectability argu the secret police. Thus, during their of the accused put to an agent the “Is it true, that you have beaten my wife with a whip, “Do you remember,” was another ques- Semior with a red-hot iron?” The “Let the witness tell, how he had poured hot oil hese sixty peasants who had not fought‘against the soldiers, were sim- ply murdered and not given over to the courts, the Lieutenant answered: Work With Terror, “We had to work with terror, The population was our enenly and we have treated it as such.” As the defence stated that even hostile prisoners are not killed in war, the worthy member of the Rou- manian army answered: “Under certain circumstances one is allowed to kill one’s prisoners in war. Certainly, however, in civil war.” The chairman interrupted these statements with the remark: “Thank you. Mr. Lieutenant. There are still thirty other witnesses to be examin- ed,” aabeiol oy? } HAILS PURCELL UNITY MESSAGE British Laher Head Gets Ovation (Special to The Dally Worker) TORONTO, Nov, 17—Albert A, Pur- cell, president of the International Federation of Trade Unions and fra- ternal delegate to the American Fed- eration of Labor convention at Atlant- ic City from the British Trade Union Congress, received } thunderous ova- tion at his meeting, here where he urged world trade wnion unity. proving “Hear, hda¥” of many Engl- ishmen could bé'heard, as Purcell emphasized the need of uniting all workers in the struggle against the capitalist class. When Purcell called for unity of the working class against capitalist wars a demonstration followed his remarks that lastéd’several minutes. Purcell’s plea for’ unity with the Russian trade union workers made a - 2 RKER TORONTO LABOR | materially improved their living stan- Thruout the entire meeting the ap-|dards compared with 1920, the year of PLUMBERS” WAGES INCREASE AS Page Three ORGANIZATION STRENGTH GROWS| | £04” Union iileeting By LELAND OLDS (Federated Press Industrial Editor) Continued gaing in the wages of union plumbers in 1925 correspond with very considerable increase in membership recorded by the United Association of Plumbers & Steamfitters between 1924 and 1925. According to the annual report of the United States department of labor on union wages and hours, union rates for plumbers May 1, 1925, exceeded 1924 in 12 out of 40 cities. Only one city in the list reported a reduction in plumber wages. Wage Increase in 40 Cities. Extending the comparison back to 1920 we find that in the 5-year period plumbers’ minimum hourly rates have been raised in 30 of the 40 cities. In only two cities are their wages be- Whiteman Speaks to Working Girls at Jim Crow Branch Y.M.C.A. low 1920. This is somewhat better fi than the average in the building) Lovett Fort-Whiteman, national or- trades. As many of the increases|sanizer of the American Negro Labor have been large, union plumbers have} Congress, spoke before a group of Negro working girls at the Jim Crow branch of the Y. W. C. A. 35th and Indiana on the “Aims and Purposes of the American Negro Labor Congress.” Whiteman outlined the purpose’ of the congress to unite as many work« ers of.the Negro race as possible in an endeavor to combat the Jim Crow laws, race segregation, and dis- highest living costs. The 44-hour week is universal ex- cept in Seattle where union plumbers have a 40-hour week. Here again the plumbers are slightly ahead of other building trades unions. Since 1913 plumber hours have been reduced in 13 cities. crimination that is practiced on the Plumbers get the highest hourly|,, ; “0 york itically, economically rate in Birmingham and St. Louis preare worker DOUEORIY 2 7 where it is $1.50. Pittsburgh is just|®%4 socially. deep and lasting ,impression on the trades unionists assembled. Purcell ended his meeting urging the Canadian workers to send a dele gation of unionists to Soviet Russia so that they can study the develop- ments in the Union of Socialist So- Chicago Typo Union Decides to Reopen Scale Negotiations At a special call meeting at Brick- ment and say that the Iron League— a powerful contractors’ group backed by the steel trust, is anti-union and is part of a national movement of the big industrialists to destroy organiz- ed labor. Another Earthquake DENVER, Colo., Nov. 17.—An earth tremor of far greater intensity than any registered on the seismograph within the last two years was record- ed at Regis College. Starting at 5 o'clock this morning the maximum waves were reached be- tween 5:08 and 5:20 and were very rapid. The distance was estimated at about 1500 miles but the direction could not be determined. It is believed the quake was on this continent. Fix New State Boundary. WASHINGTON, Nov. 17.—The su- preme court of the United States an- nounced acceptance and confirmation of a new boundary line between Ar- kansas and Tennessee as formed by the Mississippi river. | layers Hall, corner Monroe and Peoria Streets, the Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 decided to serve notice on the Chicago Newspaper Publishers Association that it desired to begin negotiations for a new contract to become effective at the expiration of the present contract May 22, 1925. In the proposed contract, of which a rough draft had been submitted to the membership by the newspaper scale committee, the objectionable bonus feature was missing. The pro- posed contract calls for a shortening of the work week of the day workers from) 45 to 42 hours. Workers on the night, shift will work 42 hours but on the lobster shift, which starts at mid- night, are to work but 6% hours per night and are to receive a 45-1 ‘minute mat period on the bosses time. The ‘que: stion of wage scales and a number tt other demands have been referréd*back to the scale committee with: tumerous recommendations by means’ of which the union will be able to safeguard the conditions it has won in,the;various newspaper offices. w 19 Eth viet Republics for, themselves and see the Russian trade unions at work, The president of the Toronto Trades and Labor Council presided at the meeting and many prominent Cana- dian trades unionists were on thé plat- form. Fight Bosses and Burglars. NEW YORK—(FP)—Noyv. 17— Pro- tecting other people’s jewelry and bank vaults is not its own reward, so about 125 burglar alarm men have gone on strike for the 48-hour and $50-week. The men were employed by the Metropolitan Electric Protect- ive Co., and the National Wiring Pro- tective Co, and their jobs were to hasten to the \scene when burglar alarms rang out in the night. Hours were 50 and pay from $32 to $42 a week under the old: arrangement and when the men protested 10 were dis- charged, precipitating the strike, That worker next door to you may not have anything to do to- night. Hand him this copy of the DAILY WORKER. behind with $1,438 while 6 cities in- cluding New York pay $1.375. The $1.50 rate is a gain of 118 per cent over 1913 in Birmingham and 126 per cent in St. Louis. Charleston, Fall River, Manchester, Minneapolis, Rich- mond and St. Paul have the lowest plumber scale with a rate of $1. Following the short talk by White- man, the girls asked a number of questions that showed their keen in- terest in the congress and gave the founders of the congress to under- stand that the time was ripe for such an organization on the part of the Negro workers. A number of the as- sembled working girls handed in their Minimum Hourly Rates. [applications to the congress at the Minimum hourly rates for plumbers close of the meeting. in 18 leading cities in 1913, 1920 and Cities in which union plumbers se- cured increases since 1924 are Bal- timore, Buffalo, Denver, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Newark, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Providence, Salt by a grand jury on an arson charge growing out of the burning of their farm home here prior to their moving to Iowa City. They are at liberty on $2,000 bonds. petra pay Lake City and Washington. eager? per hour 1913 1920 1925 Loh was from $1.125 and $1.10 in 5 5 . Seam te ela The average of the 38 cities was Chicago 1.25 125 $1.22 in 1925 compared with $1.195 Cinciinatt ‘618 100 1.25 in 1924, $1,043 in 1920 and 59.5 Cleveland we 625 100 1375| Cents im 1913. The present level is Denver “625 1.00 125 an advance of 2 per cent over 1924, Detroit i 563 125 130 17 per cent over 1920 and 105 per Kansas City ... 625 1.00 1.375) °°Mt over 1918. Los Angeles . 563 1,125 1,125 Membership Increase. Minneapolis 563 1.00 1.00 | The membership of the plumber New Orleans .. .563 = 901.125} union is shown in the 1925 American New York 688 1.125 1.375 | Federation of Labor report as 39,200, Philadelphia. 438 90 ~—-'1.15 |g gain of 12 per cent over 1924 and Pittsburgh 625 1.063 1.438} 93 per cent over 1920. St. Louis 663 = 1.25 1.50 San Francisco 15 1.25 1.125]. MARENGO, Ia. Nov. 17—John Seattle 813 1.125 1.25 | Meesh and his wife, formerly of this Washington 50 =1.00 1.318 } city, now of Iowa City, were indicted Third Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1925. Name of Local ana Place of Meeting Amalgamated | Clothing N. Robey SI B. 8 8 1. W.” Stone Derrick, 180 'W. Washington St. Belt, Line. Federation, 62nd and ne Clay, Village Hall, Lan. 12 Garfield Blvd. Western and Lexing- ton. Carpenters, 5443°S. Ashland Ave. Carpenters; Blacker’s Hall, Lake 180 W. Washington St. , OF s. Skate ~f ; dae Carpe ters. 5 ay 4 ‘pep Pen an, Ree, § $e LSB te ryin carpenters," 6418 % RRA St. Carpenters; 113-8: “Ashland Blvd. Carvers. (Wood), i619 N. California. Congustere: (A. R:), 127-N. Fran- cisco Ave., Electricians, Engineers, $0. Chi,, Avenue, ‘38 Workers, 179 131 Carpenters, Carpenters, 262 250 643, 1693 1784 1922 2289 293 798 85 a 275 abr "N."Francisco Ave. 11405 Michigan Firemen and Enginemen, 7429 S. Chicage Ave. 9:30 a. Firemen and Ehginemen, Lake and Francisco, 9:30 Hod Carriers District Council, 814 W. Harrison Janitors (Mun.)¢ ‘Kedzie and Bel. " Garment Workers, 328 W. Buren St. B18 W. Sth St. 802 W. Madison St. 1182 Milwaukee Ave. Maintenance of Way, 5324 S. Hal- sted St. Marine Cooks, $67 N. Clark St. Moulders, 2800 W. Madison St. Painters, Sherman and Main Sts., Evanton, tl. Painters, 180, W. Washington St. Painters, Moose Hall, La Grange. Painters, Odd Fellows Hall, Blue Island. Plasterers, 910 W. Monroe St. Poultry and Game, 200 Water St. Railway Clerks, 549 W. Washing- ton. Railroad Trainmen, 812 W. 59th St. Railroad Trainmen, 64th and Uni- versity. Sheet Metal, 714 W. Harrison St. Betas (Soda), 220 S. Ashland vd. Teamsters, 220 §. Ashland Blvd. 768 Teamsters, 6359 S. Ashland Ave. 247 Typographical, 5015 N. Clark St. 8 Wall Paper Crafts, Chicago and Western Aves. (Note—Unle: otherwise stated al meetings are at 8 p.m.) 225 900 73 723 733 Haverhill | Labor Split Heals HAVERHILL, Mass. —(FP)—Nov. 17.—The split in the Shoe Workers’ Protective Union that began when the wood heel workers’ voted to secede last week for the purpose of making a separate agreement with the manufacturers, is now mending with the local’s vote to reaffiliate, The Protective expects an agreement shortly with the bosses’ organization to replace the pact that expired. Governor Shies at Employes’ Organization, BOSTON, (FP)— Nov. 17.—Organi- zation of state employes to try to compel wage increases will not work on Governor Alvin Fuller, he warns Massachusetts workers. Organization of the 12,000 state employes has be- gun however, with first deputy state treasurer, Willard for president. The Two Frenc Second and concluding install- ment of report by Com, Lozovsky to the Executive Bureau of the Red International of Labor Unions. HE colonial wars formed the most important question facing the two congresses. Both met at a time when preparations were being made for a big push in Morocco, Both met when the negotiations between France end Spain on the question of taking jopnt action against the Riffs had just finish- ed. It is of interest to note how they reacted to this qusetion. As far as the Unitary Congress is concerned no difficulties were met with and no differences of view showed themselves. There was full agreement on the need for carrying on an ener- getic struggle against the war, while the idea was raised of undertaking presentations for a protest strike. This decision was unanimously adopt- ed by the congress, The congress of the Genera! Confed- eration of Labor was quite a different affair. In its case the question was regarded from the purely government- al point of view. There was no thot of proffering any opposition to the wary the most important speakers being of the view that France had done all that lay in her power to reach an agree- ment with the Riffs while making out at the same time that it was a matter of a defensive war. As if the Riffs had fallen on the poor French and were threatening to conquer’ France! By placing the question in such a light they’demonstrated to the full the true imperialist spirit of the leading circles of the reformist trade union movement, OUHAUX’S speech on the advisab- ility of the General Confederation’s present, tactics was particularly char- acteristic. In his speeches Jouhaux emphasizéd’ thé ‘fact ‘that the reform- ist General Confederation of Labor ‘was pursuing its old pre-war policy. We must examine this strange way of looking at the question a little more closely. Despite all its defects, the pre-war Confederation of Labor was in substance a very healthy body. It stood for the class struggle, for carry- ing on a ruthless fight against the bourgeois state, inst all war, against colonial policy, etc. Tn order to talk at the 1925 congress of the reformist confederation apply- ing these very tactics, one must be po- sessed of some special qualities, abun- dant enuf in the present leader of the reformist , Confederation of Labor, Jouhaux, that many a reformist does not possess. Such a statement was not of a ” character, but was an attempt to politically mask the real is- sue with regard to unity so as to ans- wer to all proposals for unity with the set phrase: “If you want , then ome back to the old home” and so put a stop to all discussion. It was stated at the C. G. T. con- gress that unity with the Unitary Con- federation members was impossible be- cause they were under the influence of the Communist Party so as to be able to pursue a bourgeois line of policy with greater ease! » (pd addition to issues of general im- Port the agenda of both congresses featured questions of a practical na- ture: Wages, the eight-hour day, so- cial insurance, immigration, ete. It would seem that there could not be differences of view on such points. Surely it is precisely on the question of the eight-hour day, social insurance, and immigration, that agreement could have been reached seeing that Jou- haux and his followers are agreed that the unions must deal with those problems, and these problems only. But here, too, the fundamental dif- ferences between French reformism and French Communism made them- selves manifest. The difference lay not in our congress having pressed for other demands, but in HOW it Proposed to enforce these demands. It is noteworthy that in connection with the fall in the rate of exchange the reformist cohgress did not move for the calculating of wages on the old basis. According to the reform- ists such a system would “be imprac- ticable” (1), while Ee Dauple, organ of the C. G. T. bluffed as usual with its statement: “We know why : Unitary Confederation people are de- manding gold. It is because they are accustomed to get gold from Moscow.” Such cheap demagogy is, however, no reply to the question of how the unions are going to secure a certain decent standard for the working class of France while the country is suf fering from a falling rate of exchange. S ipuptaplahaedy is an especially im- portant problem for France. How exceptionally important it is becomes clear when it is remembered that there are nearly three million foreign workers in France, that they are help- ing to lower wages, that strikebreak- ers are recruited from their midst, and that it is extremely difficult to carry on any political activity among|a these workers. But what does the reformist Con- federation of Labor propose to do in the matter? Nothing at all. Our com- rades, on the other hand, moved for the complete emancipation of these workers, for théIr being granted equal rights with the French workers, for the founding of a press for the for- eign workers, for their having equal rights in respect to the employers, ete, ‘ By their very existence the two confederations have teoile dungal hati on the hand, and all the reaction- ary, on fhe other. At neither con- gress did the various ideological tend- encies sivwW themselves to any great extent!''The Unitary Congress showed almost/@omplete unanimity on the main questions: The war, general tac- tics, ete, + ‘ gi Benya is not to say that there was absolute agreement. The revolu- tionary: :trade union movement in France is not yet a single homogene- ous whole; it includes all kinds of elements, ex-syndicalists, former am archists, all shades in the rainbow of pee socialism, which has given representatives to the revolutionary labor movement. There is at present a right wing in the French Communist Party with one part inside the party and another part outside. These right wing ele- ments succeeded in wielding consid- erable influence on the question of the re-election of trade union offici- als. This is a question that has always played a big role in France. The old anarchist principle of syn- dicalism was that everyone should take his turn in leading the unions. It was on this issue that differences arose at our congress. In point of fact the opposition of the right wing- ers on this issue was a political mis- step. By making a stalking-horse (fearing to call a spade a spade), of this issue, they thereby raised the question of the Communist Party’s policy in the trade union movement, as well as of the line taken by the confederal bureau, members of which had joined the Communist Party a couple of months before the congress, ate so weak were the right wing- ers ideologically that they were unable to raise the question in its broadest aspect as a political issue. By utilizing the confusion prevailing in this sphere of the trade union movement, they managed to get a the -most-“Yeactionary elements in France, all: stressed the xclusive wisdom and sane, statesman-like out- look of M. Jouhaux,” who publicly acknowledged the errors of his youth and condemned thé plainly utopian and simply Bolshevist character of the decisions of tise Cc, G. T. U. con- gress. These sympathétic views of the bourgeois press on'the one hand, and the merciless campaign of lies against the Unitary Congress on the other, give us a better idea of the two con- gresses than any number of explana- tory articles would. The Unity Conference. HE ©. G. T. U. broadcasted the slogan for the closing of the two congresses by fusing them into a joint congress and making a unity confer- ence of it. This proposal was turned down and it became clear that such a Congress was out of the question. A congress was fixed for August 31. Fifty-six representatives of inde- pendent unions and of trade unions belonging to the reformist conferation turned up. Representatives were thereupon appointed from the Unitary Congress and a unity conference or- ganized consisting of 35 delegates from the reformist, and, independent unions and a like number from the Unitary Congress. By not observing the decision of tae reformist congress and comiag to the ccnference, tae reformist rnions showed how close they approached to us. The proceedings showed that the independent, mainly, the anarcho-syn- dicalist unions had no following. When they broke off from the C. G. T. U. they had some, 30,000 workers with them—today they have only two or three thousand, T the conference the question was raised as to the basis on which unity could be set up,, Some attempt h Trade Union Congresses amply proves that there is a profound urge towards unity among the work- ing class masses who care not a jot whether the G. C. T. leaders want unity ‘or not. Weak Points in the French Trade Union Movement. i is must be quite openly stated that out trade union movement in France possesses many weak points. The first is the low percentage of workers organized in the unions; the second the continuous change in the makeup of the union membership in France generally and in the unitary unions in particular. Among the metal workers, for instance, the composi- tion of the membership changes dur- ing the course of every two or three years. It looks almost as if one man walked out of the union while an- other man was joining up, much as if they were attending short-term courses. This is an old weakness of the French labor movement, The composition of the unions changes be- cause the worker has no material considerations to bind him to the union except that of his own member- ship dues. When sick or out of work, the worker cannot reckon on getting any help from his union as in the case in Great Britain and Ger- many. NOTHER weak point that must be noted is that among the local or- ganizations general issues predomi- nate over the questions of the day-to- day struggle. We, least of all, can object to the unions devoting atten- tion to issues of a general nature, but in some of the French unions this is done to such an extent that they are occupied exclusively with world problems while all the time they are steadily losing influence in their own trade or industry. Lastly, our organizations are partic- ularly weak in the most important in- ized there is no ground for pessimism just because the reformists are against unity. The greater part of the French pro- letariat is still beyond our influence, and for that matter, of the reform- ists, and here lie our chief tasks in or- ganization. To get the whole 100 per cent of the French proletariat drawn into the unions, that is the basic task marked out by the congress. Our other task is to strengthen the revolutionarily minded opposition in the reformist unions. It is already well on the way to setting up its own center, issuing its own organ, etc. But the speed at which it is develop- ing is too slow and it is up to us to assist the opposition in its difficult work, It is most important that serious attention be directed to educating our union members. Hitherto very little has been done in this direction, as was to be seen from the discussion on the re-election of union officials. Even the Communists attenting the con- gress were unable to find their right bearings at times on the question of organization, oe reformists in France are strong by reason of the fact that they depend on the machiSery of the bour- geois state. In this Nespect reform- ism has far firmer roots not only in civil service circles, but even among certain working Class strata as well. The French bourgeois parties still get many of the workers’ votes, re- formism still represents a force of some strength, But there is no comparing French reformism with the German brand. There is no such powerful social-dem- ocratic party in France as in Ger- many. In France reformism is greatly handicapped on the one hand by the influence of Communism which is dis- integrating its political organization, third of all the votes cast, ency, These votes against the confederal bureau’s resolution only represented syndicalism. Bo congresses dre exceptionally characteristic for the whole of the world trade union movement; they show at a glance what reformism is, at bottom, and what the revolutionary trade union mfovement really is, Jouhaux’s speech was ,warmly ap- plauded by the whole of, the bour- The whole of the coa- woois pri servative and monarchist press, ail But the votes So cast represented no opposi- tion or any sort of ideological tend temporary bloc between the differ- ent elements who for various reasons, mostly because they were not aware of the political implications, voted for the old prewar principle of anarcho- was made to bring forward the aged Amiens charter as a, sort of unity platform, but was opposed not only by the unitary representatives, but by meny of the reformisis and independ- ents as well, The Amiens charter was thus accorded decent buria), while the conference confined itself to pass- ing a resolution on unity, Altho not big as far as members go, this conferénce was very char teristic of the present state of the trade union movement in France. There are many reformist unions de- sirous of seeing unity achieved, but only an ‘inconsiderable number of them dared to attend the conference fearing expulsion from the reformist Gc. T. But the very fact that such a con- ference could be convgned and a joint resolution worked out,by such varying elements in the trade union movement and by the Unitary Confederation of Labor, on the other, which is attract- ing all the revolutionary elements, while yet again by the events taking place overseas. The drive of the British trade unions to the left has made a tremen- dous impression among reformist workers in France. The Scarborough congress will exercise a powerful in- fluence as far as ideological re-group- ing and the desire to look for support to the British unions are concerned. The reformist congress minority wrote the British unions heartily wel- coming their struggle against disrup- tion and describing the split in France, and appealing to them for ad- vice and assistance. Again the lead- ers of the General Confederation of Labor are so intimately bound up with the heads of the French govern- ment that even for the rank and file dustrial centers, with the exception of the Paris district, In the North, for example, where our problem is to gain influence in the mining industry, our unions, it will be found, are con- siderably weaker than the reformist. In conclusion it has to be admitted that in our trade union movement there are numerous defects demand- ing the most drastic remedies if our organizations are to be raised to their true level. Summary and Future Prospects. HERE were some in the Unitary Confederation who thot that Au- gust 31 would have seen the attain- ment of unity, and when the 3lst had come and gone and no unity was arrived at, they were seized with dis- appointment and fell into despair. In a country where 90 per cent of the working class remains still unorgan- oy of the workers these connections are becoming somewhat too obvious. ig is worth noting that the delega- tion sent to Geneva on behalf of the French government consisted of Messrs. Briand, Loucher and Jouhaux. This unnatural alilance of leaders of the trade union movement with state ministers is particularly repugnant to the workers at present belonging to the reformist organizations. The reformists attempted to ar- range a demonstration to come off during the sessions of the two con- gresses which was intended to go beyond the boundaries of France itself. They invited representatives from ten or twelve countries who de- livered speeches fully harmonizing with the spirit of the right wing of the Amsterdam International. But there were no representatives from the British unions, a little item that did not pass unnoticed by the work- ers. The reformists did not succeed in this effort to lend moral and political support to the Amsterdam right wing, for the speeches directed against the British unions and against unity only compromised them and their congress in the eyes of the workers, The Unitary Congress, on the other hand, not only did not weaken the Red In- ternational of Labor Unions, but actu- ally strengthened its position. HE present political situation in France is exceptionally favorable for our Confederation of Labor. The Communist Party and the Unitary Confederation are the only bodies at present leading the struggle against the war, and as this is a very :mport- ant question for the French proletar+ fat we have all the requisite condi- tions at hand for strengthening our influence among the masses. During the past the influence of the Com- munist Party and the Unity Confed- eration has grown to a considerable extent, but there can be no stopping at that. Should there be a rapid develop. ment of events, if the war is fought with increasing bitterness, should there be a further fall in the rate of exchange with a consequent financial crisis, then the broad working class masses this set in motion will find their leaders in the Communist Party and will rally around the C, G, T. U. But at the moment only a section of the French working class is under our influence and our principal task is to go on with“the organization of the wide masses, getting them into the unions, getting the masses lined up behind the unions, a task the suc- cessful carrying out of which will be of the utmost importance for the fur- | ther fate of the working claas ef France,