The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 20, 1925, Page 3

~The Movement for World Tra . This ts the sioth instalment of @ series of articles dealing with the question of World Trade Union Unity. This instalment deals with the Steps Toward World Trade Union Unity. Fol- lowing instalments will deal with the American Federation of Labor and Unity, and What to Do For Unity. The Steps Toward World Trade Union Unity. “Regardless of nationality, race, color and political and religious creeds, the working class has always been insipred by one idea—the overthrow of capitalist society, built on slavery, exploitation and violence. In this struggle of labor against capital, the working class can win only by mustering : ail their forces against the common enemy, bound in one roletarian strong organization. This is why’ for the work- fay class, in order to save itself from economic enslavement and, from the menace of war—unity is imperative. “This:is why the delegation of the trade unions of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, at the mutual confer- ence with the British trade unions, not only understood the ‘task before them, but Showed such firm will for the establish- ment of unity in the international labor movement.” In these few words, M. Tomsky, secretary of the Central Council of the Russian Trade Unions, sets forth the objective of ‘the movement for world trade union unity—against the economic enslavement of the workers by capital and new imperialist wars. For this objective the 11,000,000 trade unionists of Britain and Russia have united in the movement for world trade union unity, thru the formation of the Anglo-Russjan, Unity Commit- tee. This Anglo-Russian Unity Committee has become the or- ganizing center, of the movement for world trade union unity. The officialdoms of most of the other trade union movements, in- cluding the American trade union movement, are hostile to this movement, and fight it in co-operation with the bosses and their agencies. Organizationally this movement demands the convocation of a world congress of trade unionists to establish a united trade union international and decide upon a program for combatting the economic enslavement of the workers by capitalism and against new imperialist wars. No preliminary conditions are laid down to which any trade union has to subscribe prior to this world congress. The self-evident facts of the present situation in which the working class finds itself will determine the program and tactics of this congress. That the program will be based on class war- fare against capitalism is evident—if the right wing leaders of the Amsterdam International thought that such a world congress of trade unionists would support their policy of co-operation with the capitalists they would favor the holding of such a congress. But because they know that a world congress of trade unionists really representing the rank and file of the trade unions would reject their class-collaboration policy they do their utmost to pre- vent the holding of such a congress. The first meeting of the Anglo-Russian Unity Committee ‘was held in April, 1925, in London. There the unity of the Brit- ish and Russian trade unionists was cemented in the movement for trade union unity. A joint declaration was drawn up at this conference which sets forth the real necessity for unity of the trade union movement of the world. Every honest and intelli- gent worker will admit that the following paragraphs strike at the root of the question of trade union unity—and establish the imperative necessity for the achievement of that unity; ‘ “So long as the capitalist system continues there is dan- ger of war. The merciless struggle for supremacy between the conflicting vested interests of competing groups of ex- ploiters will, as in the past, eventually evoke a new crisis, plunging the workers of the world into another disastrous war. “There is but one power that can save mankind from being plunged into another universal catastrophe. There is but one power which can defend the workers of all countries against political and economic oppression and tyranny. There is but one power which can bring freedom, welfare, happi- ness and peace to the pong | class and to humanity. That power is the working class if well organized, properly dis- ciplined, self-devoted and determined to fight all who would oppose and prevent its complete emancipation.” The. meeting of the Anglo-Russian Unity Committee held after the Scarborough meeting of the British Trades Union Con- gress constituted the committee as the organizing center for the movement for world trade union unity. No longer is it a ques- tion of attempting to force the reactionary right wing Amster- dam leaders to agree to trade union unity. They have shown plainly that they will agree to unity on one basis only—that the trade union movement shall not fight the capitalists on an inter- national scale. Otherwise they fight unity. The Anglo-Russian Unity Committee has the task of mobil- izing the trade unionists of the world to achieve unity—the es- tablishing of a single trade union international to combat the capitalists. This is being accomplished in no uncertain manner, and the growing number of unions that have endorsed the idea of trade’ union unity, and the Anglo-Russian Unity Committee, shows that the rank and file of the trade unions are for unity and are moving towards it in spite of reactionary leaders and all the agencies of capitalism. The following partial list of trade unions, and mass meetings of workeys that have endorsed trade union unity and the estab- lishment of the 4nglo-Russian Unity Committee will show to Union, writes: aE Re ne a eR Td CLEVELAND WORKERS MUST SHELL aN ar THE DAILY=-WORKER what an extent the movement for world trade union unity has ‘own: xi France: The French trade union movement was split three years ago and the split has been maintained by the leaders of the General Confederation of Labor, Jouhaux and Merrheim, who are at the same time-leaders of the right wing of the Amsterdam In- ternational. The left wing United General Confederation of Labor has repeatedly made overtures for unity of the movement but these have been rejected by the reactionaries of the General Con- federation of Labor. Both federations have a half a million work- ers organized. The United General Confederation of Labor, affil- iated with the R. I. L. U., has endorsed international trade union unity.and the formation of the Anglo-Russiah Unity Committee. It is initiating joint meetings of workers of both federations on the unity question. Local unions of railroaders, metal workers, teachers, miners, butchers, civil servants, ete,, have voiced the demand for unity both nationally and internationally. Joint meetings of trade unionists belonging to both federa- tions are being held. Such a meeting held at Lille is typical of this movement where, after endorsing the campaign of the left wing federation for unity in France, the resolution continues: “Considering the praiseworthy efforts of the British trade unions which have resulted in an agreement with the Russian unions on the question of international unity, the meeting declares its approval of this action of the British trade unionists, and asks the C. G. T. trade unionists of France to adopt the same attitude as the British in the ques- _ tion of international unity.” vt Germany: The German General Federation of Trade Unions (A: D.’G. B.) had about 11,000,000 members at the time of the 1918 revolution. At the last congress held this year about 4,000,- 000: membership was reported. The leaders of the A, D. G. B. (Leipart, Grossman, Tarnow and Co.) are the finest servants the German capitalists have. They have preached and practiced co-op- eration between capital and labor both during the war and since. The workers’ revolution of 1918-19 was defeated largely because of their support of the capitalists. The entire apparatus of the trade unions was placed at the disposal of the capitalists. The mighty struggles of the German workers have been opposed by the leaders, strikes broken and sold out, left. wing workers and Communists betrayed to the police—all to help the German capi- talist. The French invasion of the Ruhr in 1923 was not opposed by these leaders. The Dawes plan is supported by them even tho is has turned the German workers into European “coolies,” turned the eight-hour day into a 40- 12- and 14-hour day, and increased the exploitation of the German workers terribly with the result that in the western capitalist countries the bosses de- mand wage reductions because of the competition of “cheap Ger-' man labor.” + , , Against these traitorous leaders the trade union members haye revolted. time and again with the result that individual and mass expulsions have been resorted to. Thevelection of a worker} to an office in a local union who does not bow the knee to the traitor policy of the leaders results in his expulsion. But in spite of this, and because of the compulsion of thé terrible conditions under. which the workers labor, trade union tinity is sipported by thousands of trade unionists. The metal workers, wood workers, municipal employes and transport workers,have passed resolu- tions in many centers demanding unity. The-Berlin local of the Metal Workers’ Union, the largest union local in the city, unan- imously passed a resolution at a general meéting held in July de- manding ‘that the German Trade Union Féderation Executive Council ‘ i be 3 : “. + « propose to the I. F. T. U. that all trade union organizations of the world, regardless of‘Whether they are at present affiliated to any trade, union international or not, be united into a single trade union international. The exec- utives of the I. F. T. U. (Amsterdam), and°of the R, I. L. U. (Moscow), shall in joint conference_decide upon the manner and composition of a world congress to be convened for that purpose.” : , The recent visit of a delegation of German workers to Soviet Russia has had the effect, not only of strengthening the bonds between the German workers and the workers’ republic, but of increasing the movement for world trade union unity among the German trade unionists. This delegation of workers, not trade union officials, saw for themselves the power of the Soviet repub- lic, the growing betterment of the conditions of the workers, and the strength of the Russian trade unions. They will enlighten their fellow workers to the lies of the trade union bureaucrats against the workers’ republic. i Belgium: The Belgian workers were used by the Allies in the first days of the world war to stop the German advance on Paris and the Channel ports. King Albert is praised for this, and Emil Vandervelde, leader of the Belgian labor party, has become a member of the Belgian cabinet. The leader of ‘the Belgian Trades Union Commission is Mertens, prominent in the fight against unity led by the right wing Amsterdamers. Last February the Belgian Clothing Workers’ Union sent two fraternal delegates to the Russian Clothing Workers’ Union con- pte One of the delegates, Liebaerts, secretary of the union, writes: “Like the British trade union delegation, we returned from the new Russia firmly convinced of the possibility and necessity of realizing trade union unity with our Russian comrades. Our report and conclusions have been unanim- ously approved (with one hostile vote only) by our national committee.” C. Mahiman, secretary of the Belgian Transport Workers’ Soldier Unable to Get «age Three “We are convinced that in Belgium also unity with the Russian trade unions would meet with approval and wel- come.” . The Brussels’ local of the Belgian Teachers’ Union unan- imously resolved that "9 We beg all working class organizations to work for the re-establishment of, trade union unity, and with this in view, to support the efforts of the Anglo-Russian Council.” Norway: The Norwegian Federation. of Trade Unions at its meeting in September approved of the movement for trade union unity, and decided to ‘apply for admission to the Anglo-Russian Unity Committee to aid in the work. A national conference of trades councils held in the same month passed a resolution which Says in part: “The conference entirely supports the endeavors of the British and Russian trade unions and of the R. I. L. U. for the summoning of an international trade union unity con- gress. . . The conference appeals to all organized workers to support these endeavors for a united trade union interna- tional.” From the othef European countries the trade unionists are raising their voices demanding trade union unity. The Czecho- Slovak One Big Union with a membership of a quater of a mil- lion, affiliated with the R. I. L. U. supports world trade union unity. In Spain, Italy, Sweden, Denmark. and Jugo-Slavia the trade unionists are rallying to the support of unity. In South America unions in Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico support unity. At Montevideo, Uruguay, the journal of the Print- ing Trades Unions, El-Obrere Grafico says: “The question of trade union unity is not simply a European question, It should also be discussed in other countries. To deny that the Uruguayan workers have any interest in this question would mean working against unity.” In Canada the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employes, at its convention in October, went on record for international trade union unity.. Local unions of machinists, etc., have also done likewise. In the United States the Capmakers’ International Union at its convention last April unanimously endorsed international trade union unity. Local unions of miners, painters, clothing workers have voiced their support for this movement. The officials of the A. F. of L, and the Railroad Brotherhoods are opposed to unity. Green & Co. will support the right wing of the Amsterdam in the fight against unity. If the A. F. of L: affiliates with Amsterdam it will be to take over the leadership in the struggle against unity to protect the investments of American capital and aid the Am- erican imperialists to extend the Dawes plan to other European countries. The rank and file trade unionists of this country are faced with the alternative of lining up with the trade unionists of other countries to fight the capitalists or to be led by Green & Co. aganist their fellow workers who are fighting against the Dawes plan, against swelling the coffers of the House of Morgan. Australia Has Laws e Union Unity - By Tom Bell nes COMMUNISTS PRESS DRIVE FALLS SHORT Less Than Half Amount Previously Loans are only a means of avert- ing: they ‘cannot possibly put The DAILY WORKER on the firm basis that will prove its safety for the future. Temporarily, the Communist press is being sustained by loans. These are merely crutches to be used until the safety drive for $40,000.00 is achieved. Workers Party branches that today demonstrated their determination to carry the campaign to a successful finish number in the top ranks the Finnish and Lettish comrades of Chicago and the Bulgarian comrades of Detroit, Mich., all of whom have been unrelenting in their fight against The DAILY WORKER’S failure. Notwithstanding their efforts, how- ever, today’s .total was only $456.83, less than half as much as was re- ceived on the three previous days. Those .cooperating to bring this amount were the following: Finnish Branch, Workers Party, Chicago, Tl. ........ Northwest English Chicago, Il. shai Steve Sekoch, Zeigler, Ill, _OUT FOR COM = JOBS DURI NITY FUND OR LOSE NG “EDUCATION” WEEK a A CLEVELAND, Nov. 18—Thie annual campaign of slush, slobber and senti- + ment has again struck Cleveland. Bvery charity organization, church and Bplift society has joined the movement to force the workers to shell out their ‘hard-earned money for the “community fund.” Workers in the factories are gempelied to donate to this fund or else lose their ‘against, In the schools collections are, being taken job or be discriminated up among the students and jong sermons about christian charity, love for the poor, etc., are being made by schools teachers who are themselves underpaid and exploited. The collections in the schools happen to¢——__ eome just at the time when prepara tions are being made for “American Educational Week.” “It is significant that one of the topics for “Education Week” is “Thrift.” ‘The children are taught to save their money and some day, per- haps... they will become wealthy. _ ‘Nothing is said about the low wages received by the thousands of work- ers employed in the steel mills and automobile plants of this city, about the hundreds of school boys who have to peddle papers after school to add to the family fncome; these things ‘mentioned at all, ddjtion to “thrift,” patriotism, id country, and the constitution he some of the topics for discussion during, Education Week, from Nov. 16 to the 22, The Young Workers League of Cleveland, in co-operation with the Workers (Communist) Party, has ar- ranged a mass meeting for the pur- pose of combatting the pernicious propaganda spread during education week and to point out the true nature of the educational system, that of a prop in the capitalist system, This .mass meeting will be held on Friday, Nov, 20, 8 p. m. at the Insur- ance Center Bldg., 1783 B, 11 St. The speakers will be Israel Amter, district secretary of the Workers Party; Martin Gordon, district organizer, Young Workers, League; — Phillip Shatz, member of the District Com- mittee of, the Young Workers League and Edward Shatz of the Juniors. Job Forges Check; Lands in U. S. Penitentiary (Special to The Daily Worker) NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 18, — Elmer Louis La Warre, who some years ago kissed his job good-bye and sailed to sunny France to help make the world a decent place to live in, for the capitalists, and was awarded a Croix de Guerre and Garibaldi medal of hon- or, which wasn't worth a darn when he was hungry, has been sentenced to three years in the federal prison in Atlanta for forging an endorse- ment on a government check for $403.75.. The prisoner claims that de- spite his record abroad he was un- able to secure a position, let alone a plain job. Get Them Out on Time. VIRGINIA, Ill, Nov, 18. — School ‘children are going to their books to- day, regulated by the stroke of a municipal bell. For weeks the tardy lists have gradually increased and invariably, the excuse was made that the clock or watch at home had lost time... Since tha town appeared to be full of def clive. time pieces, school authorities and public officials hit up- on the bell. scheme, Moscow Unions Greet Norwegians (Continuéd from page 1) tion in its studies of all sides of life in the Soviet Union, Join Unity Movement. The representative of the Central Council of the Russian Unions, Jag- lom, stressed especially that the Nor- wegian unions were the first to join In the work of the Anglo-Russian committee for the establishment of international trade union unity, and that the journey of the Norwegian delegation to the Soviet Union would add to the importance of that step. A worker from the ‘railway work- shops in Ivanov greeted the delega- tion in the name of the Russian rail- waymen and pointed out that the cause of international working class unity was becoming ever more im- portant, particularly in view of the new grouping of capitalist powers as seon at the conference at Locarno. A member of the Norwegian dele- gation, Bratwoly greeted the assem- bled workers inthe name of the or- ganized Norwegian workers and de- clared that the--journey undertaken by the delegati¢m was the first step to the realization of the unity policy decided upon by the Norwegian Trade union Congress. The had only been a few days upon Soviet soil. but it had already had sufficient proof to convince it that the Russian pro- letarian revolution was the greatest historical work of humanity, that the Russian working class was striving for a better future for the working class in the whole world and that the gains of the revolution were in. safe and certain hands. Bratwol called for cheers for inter- national unity and the assembled workers cheered enthusiastically. The chairman of the workers dele- gation is Alfred Mandsen, secretary of the General Council of Norwegian Trade Unions and chairman of the workers fraction in the parliament The members of the’ delegation are: Gensen, miner; Wenge and Arndseb,’ metal workers; Sloteled and Suid, chemical workers; Oleen, municipal worker; Lilian and Bratwol, paper workers; Bulan, chairman of the Building Workers’ Union; Anderson, wood worker and'Nowgord, chairman of the Bakers’ Union. One section of the delegation gonsists of Commu- nists, social dem@erats and members of the independe&t labor party, ‘The oe of the delegation is non- ey, to Protect Its Miners SYDNEY, Australia, Nov, 18.—Le- sislation of a working class nature is fast being made law by the New South Wales labor government. One measure—the coal mines’ regulation act—prevents anyone working in a coal mine at the coal-face unless he has had two years’ previous exper- fence with a skilled miner. This will prevent’ scabs being employed in mines in times of strikes. Another measure calls for the im- mediate installation at all mines of life-saving and rescue apparatus to be used in times of accidents and dis- asters. Rescue stations are also to be erected. The cost of the appa- ratus and the stations has to be borne by the coal operators who have also to instruct the miners in its use and maintain staffs to operate the appa- ratus, Capital punishment has been abo- lished despite the bitter opposition of antilabor politicians. Day biking has been*tade law and now all bread must be baked in day time between the hours of 74. m. and 6 p, m. If you want to thoroughly un- derstand Communism—study it, A. Johnson, Chicago, I, Irving Park English, Chicago, IIL, a Fred Olander, Douglas Park Jewish, © Bulgarian Branch, W. troit, Mich. . “* H. C. Robbins, Yorktown, Ind, Bridgeport, Conn., W. P. .. "0 Hugo Burman and Walter Sund- + quist, Bay City, Mich, ............ Hungarian Branch No. 43, Col- umbus, Ohio ... Shop Nucleus 1, Detroit, Mich, Casimir L, Arnal, Houston, Pa. English Branch, Workers Party, Seattle, Wash. Wm, Urasky, Buliptt, Tl, Lettish Branch, Workers Party Chicago, Il. ovtheesaveesoas Omaha, Neb., International Br., W. P., Jaros, $2; Ivan, $1; A. Kubilius, $1, Jonisch, $3.5 Coutts, $2.50 ...... rs Lithuanian Br., Workers Party Cleveland, Ohio ...... Lester House, Coshocton, 0, Jewish Branch, ¥. W. L., Cl land, Ohio Thomas Fish De- Today’s Total $ Previously reported | 21,29)