The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 25, 1932, Page 4

daily except Sunday, at 50 Fast Telephone ALgonquin 4-7958. Cable “DAIWORK.” VU BSURIPTION 1. Punished py the Comprodaffy Publishing Co., Inc., f By mail everywhere: Une year, $6; six months, $3; two mouius, 91, ... 13th St, New York City. N. ¥. Address and mail all checks to the Dally Worker, 50 East 18th Street, New York, N. Y. oa cISES eens of Manhattan and Brorix, New York City. Foreign: one year, $8; six montha, +, Party Recruiting Drive January 11 - March 18, 1932 SOME POLITICAL-ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTIVE ON THE ISSUANCE OF SHOP PAPERS The shop shop shop work is assuming gre Plenum of our Party emphasized the s' e political-or- in con- ying sc at have hop paper work nizational p tion with Every paper. Shc @ month. partments show! © regular appea Shop bulletir time to time by street unit or st ms concentra on a given shop. They are to be issued in con- with various political the time of a 5: al ¢: mpa , etc. In contradistinction to p bul- 2 shop paper must be considered as the appearing organ of the P: within ed regul in a given shop tk y by a shop nucleus. re is no shop nucleus but a broad functioning grievance shop commit- tee or factory local union ittee, a shop bulletin may be issued by one of the above- mentioned economic shop organizations. The T. U. U. L. union papers and Labor Unity are to base themselves more than at the present time on shops. ON COORDINATI The T. U. U. L. should be primarily respon- le for the appearance of the above-mentioned shop bi ins. yp bulletins that have been published treet units or sections have un- d the basis for the establishment lei. Steps therefore should be taken diately for the establishment of a shop us and the appearance of a shop paper as the organ of the newly-established shop ‘nucleus. 5. The shop nucleus to be drawn in more the political-organizational prepa- shop papers. Each shop paper to tor who is @ member of the shop The buro of the shop nucleus should editorial board. The shop papers sed collectively by the shop nuclei. e should be given to the shop i in the issuing of the shop papers. At the time the shop nuclei should receive tech- tance in the publication of their Mo; Agitprop and Org. Departments are to give greater individual guidance in the political- organizational work of the shop papers. The District Buro must also assume political respon- sibility the content and regular appearance of the shop papers 6. The SHOP PAPER EDITOR must receive more attention in the districts. The method established by the Central Office in reviewing shop papers should be followed up by the Dis- tricts. Organiation and Agitprop Departments, C.C. YG ORGANIZATION AND AGITPROP WORK HE slowness with which the Party initiates various campaigns, the lack of continuity and stematic actions and the development and follow-up of the campaigns and daily activities are due, to an extent, to the absence of agitprop work in the preparation, carrying through and follow-up work. The lack of agitprop work is particularly noticeable in times of prep: for strike struggles, during these struggles and following them. The lack of the development of agitprop work in connection with mass work tends to ser agitation and propaganda from organiz: to separate organization from propa agitation. The coordination of agitprop and or- ganization activities must be based on the Len- inist unification of politics and organization and not, as exists quite often, their mechanical sep- aration, The growing opportunities and tasks before the Party require a quick response and mob- ilization of the Party membership for the grow- ing activities on many new fields. Political sen- sitiveness and organizatonal mobility must there- fore go hand-in-hand. The political mobilization of the Party must be based on clarifying the nature, aims and methods in the daily activities and campaigns of the Party. The units, functionaries’ confer- ences, must become the center for such political mobilization. Elementary theoretical propaganda training gives a broader perspective and deeper understanding for the daily mass activities. Such elementary training makes possible a better po- litical understanding and quicker reaction to the tasks of the Party. The statement of the Org- Agitprop Departments, which was printed in the Da Worker of Jan. 13, deals with this problem in detail. Mass agitation and mass propaganda are es- sential to make clear to the masses the aim of the campaigns and the struggles that they are to participate in. Our mass agitation will help to develop enthusiasm, understanding and a faith among the masses for the campaigns and strug- gles that they are to be mobilized for by the y. ‘The bourgeoisie is releasing a flood of onous agitation in connection with the cam- s and struggles led by the Party. The propaganda of the bourgeoisie, its lies about the must be answered arid exposed. Mere denunciation will not be sufficient, Our agita- tion must be simple, factual and convincing. We must therefore consider agitation and mass propaganda as indispensable weapons in the political mobilization of- the masses for struggle. Organizational Measures and Methods of Coordination. the basis of the political mobilization of the | as well as on the basis of the political tion of the masses, the work of the or- n and agitprop departments must be co- ganizati ordinated. ‘The general political line and directives laid down by the Central Polburo and District Buros for various phases of mass work and special campaigns, should be concretized by the Org and Agitprop Departments. The Org and Agitprop Departments then are to work out jointly the plans for the carrying out of the political direc- tives laid down by the District Buros. An ex- change of representatives should be established between the two departments. The District Buro to take up regularly various major phases of agitprop work. It must also as- sume the political responsibility for the func- tioning of the Agitprop Department. -Workers! Join the Party of. Your Class! P.O Box 87 Station D. New York City Please send me more information on the Com- munist Party. State ... Occupation .. ee eeseeees ABO covers -Mail this to the Central Office, Communist Communist Party 0. 8. A B, ©, Box 87 Station D, New York Otty. | | One of the first conditions for the developnrent of agitprop “work is the establishment of func- tioning agitprop departments. All sections and units are to assign comrades for agitprop work. At the present time in practically all sections located outside the district headquarters, there no functioning section and unit agitprop The district must immediately take are directors. s for the development of agitprop function- , aries in tl “out-of-town” sections, In most of the leading districts, the over- whelming majority of the unit agitprop func- tionaries assumes special importance. Meetings on a section or cit cale to be held with the functionaries to explain and train them in their tasks as agitprop directors. Such conferences, however, must not substitute for personal atten- | tion and guidance. he present continuous change of agitprop directors and agitprop committees should be avoided. It is also necessary to strengthén the agitprop departments by adding to them polit- ically experienced comrades. Mass Agiiation The masses are today in a more receptive mood to listen to our agitation than ever before. We must therefore learn to SIMPLIFY and at the same time POLITICALLY enrich the CON- TENT and introduce a VARIETY of form in our agitation and agitational material. As a result of the continuously deepening crisis, the faith of the masses in the capitalist is steadily on the wane.. The ruling class is increasing its agitation, giving its class explanations of the crisis, creating illusions of a return of prosperity, covering up and distorting the growing misery and murderous exploitation of the starving mil- lions. The bourgeoisie is particularly directing its agitational fire against the waning faith of the masses in the capitalist system and against their growing sympathies to the Soviet Union. The agitation of the bourgeoisie for imperialist war, particularly against the Soviet Union, is on the increase. Here both its pacifist and jingoist propaganda blend. As against the capitalist way out of the crisis, our agitation and mass propaganda must show the REVOLUTIONARY WAY OUT OF THE CRISIS. This must be based on popularizing the lessons of CONCRETE STRUGGLES, by expesing the poverty and miisery of the masses, by contrasting the TWO WORLD SYSTEMS— DECAYING CAPITALISM AND THE SOVIET UNION. The true nature and cause of this crisis must be popularized among the masses. The argu- BUILDING TRADES WORKERS ments and statements of the various capitalist politicians must be exposed. ‘The politcial role of the Party as the leader of the revolutionary struggles of the workers must be made clear in our agitation and propaganda for the revolutionary way out of the crisis. The wrong ideas and liying conceptions cultivated by the bourgeoisie regarding our Party must be con- vincingly exposed. Every phase of our agitation and propaganda must serve to free the masses from the influence of bourgeois ideology and to deepen and extend their waning teith in ly Worker, agitational end propaganda literature, must be developed as the most basic forms of our agitation and propaganda. Organizational and Agitation Propaganda Dept. Central Committe, BEGCINMIANG SS WILL GET A REDUCTION IN THEIR RENTS FACE TO THE (S1@NE0) By RALPH SIMONS. (This is the final article of three on this subject, pointing out the importance of the marine industry, the way to overcome the weaknesses in the Marine Workers’ Industrial Union, and the need for our Party to correct its lack of attention to the waterfront.— Editor.) be Ie IF the work of the Marine Workers’ Industrial Union was based on a normal functioning lower crganization on the ships and docks, and also in the International clubs, on a broad mass ship delegate system with active participation in the everyday struggles, if in the union there would be more trade union democracy and if the work would be planned and systematically organized, it would be possible, firstly, to educate and bring out new cadres which is very impor- tant for the further growth of the union, carry on more energetic and mass struggles and make a break with this inactivity and weakness. It would be possible on the basis of concrete economic demands for improvement of condi- tions on the basis of the united front to draw in broad masses. of marine workers and long- shoremen. It would be possible to successfully unite the struggle for bettering of conditions of the employed with the struggles of the un- employed for concrete immediate help, for un- employment insurance, against using of gang- sters by the bosses, and reactionary unions, against injunctions, police terror and deporta- tion of foreign born militant workers. In this way we would be able to draw in new and broad masses of workers into our union. It would be possible to draw in longshoremen who stand aside of the union. We would be able to get the sympathy of the most exploited groups of workers in the marine transport, the Negroes, It would be possible to organize the broad mass of unorganized marine workers and longshore- men. It would be possible to also build up a strong financial basis. York Theories Obstruct Work. The question of finances becomes very ser- ious. The financial situation in the union is very critical. If the present situation remains, it will bring demoralization of our functionaries and destroy the work. The financial difficulties now become an obstacle in the way of strength- ening of the work and all energetic efforts must be made immediately to overcome this. But first of all we should overcome such theoriés as that the marine worker is different than the worker in other industries, will never pay their dues regularly, that the character of the marine workers is to neglect to fulfill their financial duties to the union, that it is hopeless to try to build up a finance committee directly from the marine workers and build up an independent financial -basis. The orientation of getting financial help from broader revolutionary trade unions and skepti- cism to various methods for the purpose of get- ting finances. with their own forces, must be overcome. To build up the lower organs of the union, bring in mass activity, develop economic struggles, build up a collective leadership, sys- tem and plan means to build up a basis for strengthening the finances of the union. We must stress the fact that in the work of the Industrial Union there is very little atten- tion being paid to the work in the reactionary unions, This is a big underestimation. There exists in the union an underestimation of the forces and influence of the company unions. There is an absence of understanding in the necessity of developing systematic avork in these unions and of building up in them revolutionary oppositions, More Wrong Theories. We often hear such arguments as that these unions are very weak and do not play a role, that first of all we must build up the Indus- trial Union. There are ideas that the work of winning of the members of reformist unions is impossible because there is no elementary trade union democracy, because they do not call mem- bership meetings of the union. Instead of mobilizing the forces to penetrate into these unicns, carry on systematic’: work among the members, mobilize the workers to fight for the calling of regular membership meetings, for elementary rights of the members, for trade union democracy, instead of carrying this work on directly among the members of ly on the ships and docks, our comrades are hopelessly resigned. Tt is true that numerically the opponent unions are not big and are weak. Against the Marine Workers’ Industrial Union there are the International Longshoremen’s Association with 34,000 members, the International Seamen’s As- sociation with 2,500 members, the I. W. W. with 300 members, and last of all the Associated Mar- ine Workers’ Union with 6,000 members. But all these so-called unions, due to their class col- laboration policy, with the help of the employers and with the help of the government, will still play an important role in breaking strikes and selling out the workers. The field for organiz- ing strong groups of revolutionary opposition in these unions is very favorable because of the great discontent of the workers who are mem- bers of these reactionary unions due to: the strikebreaking role which the reactionary: lead- ers of these unions play. But the fact is that no work is also being carried on inside the re- ligious and charity organizations such as the Seamen’s Friend, the Seamen’s Bethel, Salva- tion Army, YMCA, the Seamen’s Church In- stitute, etc. The Party Must Be Criticized. The work of the fraction is very weak. Until recent times the marine workers did not feel the guidance of the Party committees. Not only in such places like Philadelphia and Boston, but also in New York they did not feel the guid- ance and help of the Party organizations. No help was given also by the Central Committee of the Party. The Central Committee did not mobilize the Party for the work on the water- front, did not give concrete guidance to the District Party committees in this direction. Not long ago for the first time the Political Buro handled and discussed the question of the importance of the work on the waterfront in connection with the war danger. But the de- cisions of the Political Buro are not yet car- ried through by the Party and the respective Party organizations are not mobilized for the work on the waterfront. They do not make any efforts to get nearer to the waterfront. The Party and the trade union press did not handle the questions of the work on the waterfront. The Party is not brought forth on the water- front before the marine and longshoremen masses. They do not hear the voice of the Party. There exists very many concrete facts which manifest the impossible neglect of this work. Amongst the seamen, we trace syndical- ist tendencies, these tendencies should be ener- getically combatted and must be overcome. The Central Committee, therefore, must not only give more attention, but check up the carrying out of its decisions. We should not forget at the same time that if we do not give the neces- sary attention to the waterfront, the Lovestone- ites are making energetic efforts to get connec- tions and find a basis on the waterfront. ‘We emphasized so sharply the weaknesses and shortcomings, not because there are no positive gains in the union, and not because the condi- tion is so deplorable, but because we are posi- tive that by sharply self-criticizing our weak- nesses and shortcomings and drawing the at- tention of the Party and revolutionary trade unions in the United States and securing their very serious attention and help, it will be pos- sible with the help of the Party and unions in an organized manner to more quickly overcome these weaknesses and shortcomings and create a field for the quicker growth of our urlion. No, we are not afraid of self criticism. We are not afraid to openly bring out our failures, mistakes, weaknesses and shortcomings. That is our method of overcoming the weaknesses in our work, of mobilizing the masses for this purpose. This open, uncovered self-criticism for us is a guaranty for the success and further develop- ment of the work aheady of us. What must we do as a whole to overcome these weaknesses and shortcomings and guar- antee further political and organizational strengthening? What Must Bo Done. First of ell the Party and T. U. U. L. must turn their face amd get politically and organ- izationally nearer to the waterfront. Good func- tioning fractions must be built up in the union and guidance given by the district Party com- mittees. We also must strengthen the Party work on the waterfront, and at the same time, WATERFRONT! By BURCK combat the syndicalist and opportunist . ten- dencies amongst the seamen. . The Industrial Union must intensively go over from propaganda and agitation to action, pre- pare and carry through on the basis of inde- pendent leadership the economic struggles, on the basjs of the united front tactic, overcome the tendency to divide strikes into “ours” and “theirs,” uniting them with the struggle for un- employment insurance and immediate relief, gradually carrying it to a more highly political level. We must carry through more systematic work in the reformist and company unions and build revolutionary opposition groups theré. This work must be taken care of immediately. For this purpose a 5} plan must be worked out with concrete tasks. These tasks must be given the greatest attention by the union. We must concentrate in the coming period the work of the union first of all mainly in New York (Atlantic coast district), New Orleans (Gulf Coast), and San Francisco (Pacific coast). The union must turn its face te the ships and docks and must carry over the center of gravity of the ‘everyday work of the union onto the ships and docks. We must see that the trade union groups (ship branches or groups) begin to func- tion regularly, We must instruct the ship groups and ship delegates constantly in their work. We must work out. concrete instructions for the work of the ship branches. We must better the work in the International clubs. Very serious attention must be given to the drawing in of American elements, organize a collective leadership (dock buro), organize a broad “active,” draw into the clubs not onty members of the Industrial Union, but also mar- ine workers and longshoremen who are mem- bers of the reformist and company unions and unorganized. The activities of the union must be planned and carried out systematically. Recruit Members! A broad recruiting campaign should be start- ed, opening it with a two weeks’ mass cam- paign. It is imperative to open wide the doors, particularly for the longshoremen, organizing a special section in the union for the longshore- men. In this broad campaign, special atten- tion should be given to drawing ‘in masses of Negro workers into the union. In all the organizations from to to bottom, also in the International clubs, special depart- ments for the work among the Negroes should be organized, to more energetically draw them into leading posts of the unions and the clubs. ‘The “Marine Workers Voice” must be turned into a mass militant organ, must organize a broad net of worker correspondence directly front the ships and docks, organize periodical con- ferences with the correspondents and readers, start a broad campaign for subscribers and read- ers, increase the circulation in the coming months to 15,000, Alongside with this we must start systematic cultural and educational work by organizing with the help of the Cultural Federation lectures, reports, concerts, etc. For the purpose of developing new cadres of lead- ers we must organize short courses on trade union problems. In order to improve the financial situation of our union, we should find out those who do not pay their dues regularly and carry on a cam- paign for regular payment of dues. Organize affairs, create finance committees in all organ- izations, organize auditing committees and have periodical finance auditing, limit the expenses of the union, work out a budget and see that the expenditures are carried on within the bud- get, take sorhe steps in order to build a strike fund. All these tasks can be carried through when the Party and T. U. U. L. will give help and guidance to the Marine Workers’ Industrial Union and really turn their faces to the water- front. In May, 1932, there will be held in Hamburg (Germany), the first International Congress of marine workers, longshoremen, rivermen and fishermen. If instead of the old methods of slow tempo, we will bring in new contents and new methods of mass work, collective leader- ship, system, plans and mass activity of the membership, the Industrial Union will be able to participate in the International Congress as an important link in the International army of militant fj on the transport field and bring to the Congress its share of militant ex- perience in the work. = Can It Be Possible? But it must be, because the sailors say so themselves. They have been trying to get the | Young Communist League in New York aware | of the fact that New York is a seaport, that | forty per cent of the seamen are young, native | Americans under 25 years, prospective cannon | fodder for the bosses, yet—strange as it may seem to the Y.C.L.ers—rather ready to heave to for the Y.CL. 3 One of our more ancient mariners relates that he tried to convince the League D.O. of these pertinent facts, but was treated as if they and | he were both impertinent. Then he says: 1 “One fine jolly young sailor boy tried since | last March to join. He paid initiation fee twice, | and finally I grabbed him and took him up to a Y.C.L. unit meeting and wished him on the ‘Unit Organizer there, 142 E. 3rd Street. He attended one meeting but did not get his book. A couple of days later I tried to call attention of His Nib Organizer—but the answer and the look I got! Now the kid has shipped out, and I suppose he'll have to try all over again: Strange as it may seem to the Y.C.L., sailors, when they work, have to go to sea. “One other kid joined, and attended one unit meeting—and that cooled him off. ‘What’s the good.’ he said, ‘when you are treated as an outsider.’ “But,” and here the crocodile opened his jaws in ¢*ep astonishment, “there is one unit of the ¥.C.L. that does things. And it’s a mystery to me how they get away with jt. That is the Red Hook Unit. They actually work on the waterfront and build the Marine Wofkers In- dustrial Union on ships! One young comrade carried out the decision of his unit (80 per cent of all activity to building the union) and lined up 26 members for it in about four months— and didn’t get fired either. ‘Indeed, he’s still going strong. “The whole unit is doing seamen’s work; % has seamen in it—of all wonders!” It does seem Mcredible, We have been so useé to bad work and no work at all, that it is @ pleasurable shock to hear of that Y.C.L. Unit a Red Hook. ) eee ee . ° Recipe For Losing Members ' The marine industry is, we have heard, “concentration” point. To build the Party, of course; for without the Party nothing is dona, In spite of all handicaps, chiefly a strange paralysta {n the ‘concentrators’, some forty ma» Mine workers have been initiated by the hard work of the active seamen in New York. Bub now we hear that, when these seamen are ase signed to units, and shake up the dead routine and petty boredom of endless rag-chewing with proletarian initiative, a cry goes up from the © units: “Don’t send us any more seamen!” The skeleton hates to be rattled. And, ac- cording to one sea-dog, when he said “damn” at a meeting, the rest of evening was taken up discussing his “im) ible language.” The revolution is like that, comrades. It may use bad language. But if we want a revolution we have to take the workers as they are, In fact if we can get more seamen, we prefer them, cuss words and all, to graduates from the Dor- othy Dix school of etiquette. Even the most hardened stickler for polite- ness has to recognize this upon occasion. And one of the occasions, some time back, was when at the Steuben Casino, in New York, the com- rade in charge, wishing an unwelcome group ejected, called on a bunch of seamen to do the Job, though what, by some mysterious mistake is known as the “Red Front Fighters” had a large group present in this place, which is their customary hangout. “The Red Front Fighters need a defense corps,” was the comment of a Job delegate of the Marine Workers Industrial Union. Then, late in December, the W.IR. presented a movie of the National Hunger March. And Port Organizer Koster of the Marine Union, who is—no, was—the head of the Seamen's Un- employed Council (it has perished by the way- side for some queer reason) wrote us: “Comrade M. of the Party, the Marine Union and the Seamen’s Unemployed Council, decided to see this picture if it cost him his last dime for carfare. But because as an unemployed sailor he could not pay 35 cents entrance fee, our dear comrades of the W.L.R. threw him out. Of course this had to happen to a new Party member in the membership drive.” This was the fault, we learned after inquiry, of the local head of the W.LR. And the sailor comrade was not the only one. A number of unemployed were kept out by this same raw deal, which is not the first example of bureau- cracy in which this WLR. functionary has starred. But if all these things are allowed to continue, we have a fine recipe for losing mem- bers as fast as they are recruited. In fact, we understand, that is just about what is happen- ing. Extra edition!—An earthquate? A revolution? Something happened! After we wrote the above, the New York district told us the glad tidings that the Party is opening @ regular sure-enough headquarters on the waterfront—at Iast—and wants all New Yorkers who have books and pamphlets, to spare, to help along by leaving said books at the District office for the seamen who will pass their time ashore at the Party too! eo 8 6 The Month’s Leading Cynicism: In view of the fact that one of the most barbarous of “Red Prize Lie of the Week: “So far as we know the economic depression hasn’t caused a single death by starvation in these United States and i : headquarters. We think that’s a .good idea, a \ ) 1H]