The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 29, 1926, Page 9

By JACK JOHNSTON. TH Abe Cahan, chief editor of the Jewish daily socialist “Forward,” becoming a dominant influence tn the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, it is quite natural that the expulsion and Suspension of the honest, militant members of the left wing becomes the official policy of the organization. * The Amalgamated convention, held in Montreal on May 10th to 15th, was @ veritable house of Babel as. far as ideas and concepts were concerned for the development and strengthening of the union, and in this state of confw sion it was quite natural that Hillman, Cahan and Mr Arthur (Golden Rule) Nash should stand out prominently as the leading figures in the convention. Resolutions But Not Deeds. Militant support of the British min- ers, support for the textile and fur- tiers” strikes, against fascism, for ac- tive participation for the protection of the foreign-born, condemnation and boycott of the Citizens’ Military Train- ing Camps, for unemployment insur- ance to be taken out of the profits of the industry and administered by the union, to support all genwine move- ments for the release of all industrial and political prisoners, recognition of Soviet Russia—were all passed unani- mously by the convention. These resolutions, if passed in other union conventions outside of the clot ing industry, would marke a tremen- dous advance for the American labor movement. But in a convention domi- nated by Hillman and Beckerman such resolutions mean very little, almost nothing. Thus, in spite of the adop- tion of these resolutions, the Amalga- mated Clothing Workers has ideologi- cally taken a very decided step back- wards. Issues of tremendous imme- diate importance were either evaded or defeated. Class collaboration as against class struggle was adopted as the policy of the A. C. W. A pious wish was ex- pressed for the formation of a Labor Party, but the administration fought against all efforts of the progressives to instruct the officers to actively par- ticipate in the formation of an all- inclusive Labor Party. On the question of amalgamation of all needle trades unions into one in- dustrial organization, which is an out- standing necessity and is recognized as such by all unions in the needle ‘trades, with the exception of the United Garment Workers, having gone on record in convention for amalga- mation, with the added weight of hav- ing the striking furriers by telegram and also the representatives of the I. L. G. W. and capmakers coming to the convention and expressing the wish that the A. C. W. would take the necessary steps to bring about this much needed change, the attitude of the administration was one of com- plete evasion. Hillman Defeats Left Wing Pro- posal for Amalgamation. The A. C. W. was the first union in therefore, submitted the propo- that a conference be called of -various general executive boards their representatives to lay the for an amalgamation convention. desire was also expressed by the ing furriers and the representa- of the I. L. G. W. and capmakers. Hillman, im defeating the resolution, and asking the convention to reiterate its previous stand for amalgamation, among other things, gave voice to this gem, “For us to call a convention for Amalgamated will call conventions for the Amalgamated, and the Amalga- mated only.” This was the method used through- out the convention by the administra- tion to defeat any proposal that they were opposed to. Evasion of action by deliberate misinterpretation and How Hillman Makes Peace With the Bosses A Story on the Convention of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers. The Three Angels of Company Unionism and Trade Union Capitalism - BECKERMAN. NASH. By WILLIAM GROPPER. HILLMAN. Sidney Hillman, the president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, is fighting for the greater glory of company unionism and trade union capitalism. He has made himself the champion of peace with the bosses and speed-up efficiency for the workers. This is why a clothing manufacturer of Cincinnati by the name of NASH came to the recent convention of the Amalgamated in Montreal and declared in sweet, angelice tones that “SIDNEY HILLMAN WAS A SECOND CHRIST.” Beckerman and Abe Cahan (the latter is not in the cartoon because he is one by himself) being members of the so-called Socialist Party of America, officiated at the sacred ceremony in Montreal with the yellow sign of the Second International. impugning the motives of those who introduced the resolutions, The amalgamation resolution of the left wing delegates did not ask the Amalgamated to call a convention of other unions; it asked that a confer- ence be called of the official represen- tatives of the other needle trades unions to talk the matter over and to lay the basis for the carrying out of their convention instructions, Hill- man could take a prominent part in the attempt to form a needle trades alliance, which was: aimed to defeat amalgamation; “but waxes indignant when asked to take an active part in bringing about amalgamation, ABE CAHAN AND ARTHUR NASH THE SPIRITUAL AD- VISORS OF HILLMAN In order to understand the confu sion of action on the part of the A. Cc. W. convention, one must under- stand the influences that dominate and lay down the policies for the organi- zation. Hillman is still the dominent figure in the organization, although Abe Cahan and the “Forward” group are growing in strength and to a large degree dominate the New York mar- kets and have compelled Hillman ,to publicly make peace with and come to group, and to openly join forces with them in the struggle against the left wing. Another paralyzing influence was that Mr. Arthur (Golden Rule) Nash, whe received by far the greatest ova- sion of any speaker at the convention. The Nash agreement fundamentally is not different from the other agree- vention, simply brought out light and dramatized the class oration policy of the Hillman adminis- tration. This fact had heretofore been obscured by the past militant struggles carried out by the Amalga- mated and by the barrage of radical phraseology. Hillman is a Militant Fighter for Peace with the Employers The great strikes of the Amalga- mated, the militancy and class scioustiess of the rank and file, v naturally placed the red the organization which reflected among the rank and file to make the union an organ of the class struggle, and the ultimate goal of Hillman, were entirely differeent. Hillman is not partial chairman, will yield to wage cuts in the form of readjustments, consciously enters into the employers’ scheme of imcreased production, but he will militantly fight those employ- ers who do not yet see that their inter- ests are embodied im the policy of class collaboration. Hillman’s eulogy of Nash and Abe Cahan, and his speeches in the con- vention, shows clearly that he has, if he ever held the opinion, abandoned the principle of the class struggle. He is definitely. of the opinion that the working “class can develop the great- est amount of freedom and gain the mest for their class under capitalism. In speaking about the Nash agree- ment he said: “It creates a relationship that we believe is in the direction of indus- trial democracy. For the ultimate goal must be a democracy in indus- try where people will be known not only as workers, but will participate as creators in industry.” And again in the same speech he says: “There is no, prosperity in China —that great idea of the open shop- pers. If our open shoppers had their way they would bring American standards down to the Chinese basis. They don’t seem to realize that if they bring the standards of labor to the. very bottom of the ditch they will fall into that ditch themselves.” ‘Hillman sees no fundamental econ- tradiction between workers and em- ployers under capitalism that cannot be settled peacefully over the confer- ence table, providing that both forces are of the opinion that their interests are identical. The practice of Hill- man’s policies has already shown that his peace with the employers invaria- bly results in worsened conditions for the workers. This policy very naturally united the Hillmam and Cahan forces in strug- gle against the left wing, whose pro- ef uated thru the socialist school. They put over their class collaboration poli- cies to the tune of the “International.” The illusion held by many of the rank and file that their leaders are revolu- tionary, has to be broken down. The Hillman of today is not as powerful as the Hillman of yesterday. The time is gone when he was able to travel the middleof-the-road and thru sheer popularity and strength shake a warning finger at both the left and the right. His present peace with the reactionary gang of the “Forward" is - a victory for Cahan and not fot Hill- man. The speeding-up process, causing un- employment and distress, wage cuts thru so-called readjustments, are be- img keenly felt by the rank and file, who do not consciously see that this is a part of the Hillman class collabo- ration policy and that the alternative is one of struggle. The task of the left wing is to clar- ify the issues, to talk in the lan- guage of the workers, to press the im- mediate demands, to force amalgama- tion, which at this time is an imme- diate organizatfonal necessity. With all the unions in favor of amalgama- tion, as usual, only the: officialdom stands in the way of bringing abou, one union jn the clothing industry, With one imdustrial union, the or- ganizing of the industry 100 per cent would be easy. The smashing of the speed-up system, and the minimum standard of production, the elimina- tion of the demoralizing class collab- oration machinery, the winning of: the | 40-hour week, and a guarantee of 36 weeks’ work per year, rea] unemploy- ment imsurance to be taken out of the profits of the industry, and many other needed reforms come within the realm of immediate possibility. This ig the incentive which builds a left wing and these are the tasks that con- front the left wing. FACTORY NOTE By JIM WATERS You hunch over your machine. * |Like a num before a crucifix, Weaving servile prayers to your mas ter; But in your eyes, I see Red flags and a blood-stained barri- cade, DAWN By JIM WATERS The first push of an early dawn glows red, The unprocrastinating sea Picks up its scarlet colors And sends them surging shoreward Like a revolutionary army with ban- ners,