New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
Lee Predicts Labor
Is Turning Toward
SociaIistic Ideas
Alderman Says Rank and
File Reaction From Com
pers's Leadership in Prog
ress: Workers Thinking

Growth of "left-wing" movement
among organized labor in this country
was predicted yesterday by Algernon
Lee, Socialist alderman and cduca-
tlonal director of the Rand School. Mr..
Lee told Tribune representative that
he believed a rank and file reaction
from the leadership of the American
Federation Of Labor was in progress.
For good many years I have been
saying that it was only a question of
t1mc before the development Of pro-
gressivc and aggressive spirit in the
rank and file of the unions would reach
the point where the old regime of the
A. F. of l.. would have to give way
he said.
L have been perfectly satisfied that
the old leaders should remain at the
mead OF thelr organizations until they
were literally forced out, so when the
change comes it will be a permanent
one. l think very rapid progress was
made in that direction last year.
" nile Gompcrs has been fitting
back and forth between this country
and Europe trying to get the rank and
file to moderate and postpone their
demands, receiving the compliments of
every reactionary union mater, the
workers themselves have been learn
ing from the logic of events.
"War Babies" Set Them Thinking
"The high cost of living, side bv
side with the growth Of the millionaire
class in the war had already set them
thinking hard. Now that hostilities
are over they find that while the cost
OF IlVng stays up, employers are ready
TO discharge as many workmen as they
can and are taking advantage of the
lear OF unemployment to cut down
scales and standards that were estab-
Nshed under conditions OF labor short
age.
The election Of Duncan Mcdonald.
an old Socialist war horse, as presi-
dent OF the Illinois State Federation
OF Miners, is one of the straws which
show the way the wind blows.
Another indication is to be found
III the proceedings Of the convention
held in Harrisburg, Penn, three weeks
ago, IN which the machinists' unions
formed strong state organization
and planned an aggressive campaign.
Discussing Political Aspects
"The machinists' unions all over the
country are taking steps to organize
all the manual workers in the machine
industry. skilled and unskilled, men
VI i1<xAfs
time are starting system of lectures
and discussions in connection with
thelr business meetings, in which not
only the affairs of their own industry
but every aspect of the labor move
ment, industrial and political. is
thrashed out
"The successful fight Of the Anal
gamated Clothing Workers. of America
for the establishment Of the forty
four hour week in the mems clothing
industry IS another significant event
and It's success IS inspiring the work
ers throughout the entire field of the
textile industries. Their aim is a
shortening of the working week in
order that employment may be more
widely distributed and the workers
may have leisure for the enjoyment Of
life and for self f-education.
"The Central Federated Unions in
Gorsement of the Socialist protests.
both against the use of the police as
strike breakers on the ferries in the
harbor strike, and also against the at
titudc of the Police Department in
closing halls against Socialist meet
ings, is a new development.
"In recent conversations with work
ing men of various trades, including
many never touched in the past with
Socialist propaganda, | have found that
the 'Bolshevism' bugaboo is losing ef-
fectiveness."