New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-19
Attack on Craft
UniOnism Started
By Metal Workers
Aim to Create Industrial
Body That Will Include
All Labor; Secretary Criti-
cises A. F. of l.. Plan

A determined attack upon crafi
unlonism or trade unionism is being
made in the metal trades, where g
movement is now under way to enlist
all the workers in the industry, skilled
and unskilled, organized and morgan
'zed, in one industrial union.
r. 6. Biedenkapp, secretary of the
brotherhood of Metal Workers, yes
terday outlined the attitude underlying
industrial unionism, as he saw it, and
distinguished it from the aims and at
titude of the I. W. W.
AT n recent meeting" he said, 1--WE
decided to make every effort to bring
together all the independent organiza-
tions in New York City and the vicinity
and create one large industrial union.
Agreements Tie Hands of Unions
Our reasons for this are two: First,
our members are convinced of thu fall
lacy of the policy pursued by the Amer
ican labor movemen. as it is exempli-
fed in the chiefs of the International
unions. These chiefs, at time when
1t Is necessary to safeguard the inter-
estS and welfare of the worker as a
class, have entered into agreements
with the bosses to such an extent that
the hands of the union members are
tied when they make an effort to OBJ
tam necessary increases in wages.
Second, our members have seen the
power developed by the workers Of
England and Russia, through industrial
organizations.
personally. do not believe the pro-
gramme of the l. W w. is feasible as
yet: We must organize industrially
WITHIN our own industry before we can
think OF establishing one great union
including al the various industries.
Then, too, We believe in political &C
ton. which the I. w. w. discard, and
we are trying to teach our members
to use the ballot intclligently. Most
or our members, however, believe that
the |. W. w. are nearer solution of
the labor problem than the American
Federation of Labor"
Craft Unionism Outlived, He Saws
Mr.. Biedenkapp was especially bitter
IN his comment upon the A. f. of L.,
saying that craft or trade unionism
lau OuIllVeu It's Tune, and that it
handicapped the worker in his efforts
to meet the employer on equal terms.
"lndustries to-day are no longer car
ried on along trade lines" he said.
The bosses are industrally organized,
and as they grow more powerful along
those lines even so must labor change
its tactics and move from craft to
industrial lines or else perish in the
battle for life.
"The remedy is industrial unionism,
wherein all men are banded together
in one organization of their industry.
The old form of craft unionism, with
its ss-benefitting' tactics Of labor
separation, is a thing of the past, and
the NATIONAL leaders Of the A. f. of l..
know this to be so. Their opposition
to industrial unionism is based only
on their fear of losing a good-paying
job, to hold which they are often ready
and willing to sell out labor
All of the labor struggles in Europe
to-day are waged on the industrial
field on the industrial plan. The
workers are making rapid strides in
the direction of self determination
Mr.. Biedenkapp said his organization
had at present a membership of 1000
the country