The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-07-23

the United States of America, is the
American Federation of Labor.
Before attempting to describe the
relation of the proletariat to Soviet
Russia, the Communist Party, the
Third International and the Red In
ternational of Trades and Industrial
Unions, it will be necessary to at
least describe trade or craft union,
such as compose the A. F. of l..
In Russia, where the unions are
Industrial in form and every effort
| is being made to include all workers
in the ranks of the organization, it
will seem strange that in the United
States Labor Union claiming to be
the movement of that great country,
have many and varied methods of
limiting the growth and strength of
the membership.
This is done through the apprentice
ship system; the discrimination against
women; by drawing the color line
(this is directed against the negro in
particular, as well as against the
Japanese and Chinese, in fact, there
are some craft unions that demand
that an applicant for membership shall
be an American Citizen. High inftia.
tion fees are also a barrier, while
some unions go so far as to close their
books to new applicants, making il
impossible for them to join the unior
of their trade.
Lack of Educational Work.
1t is seldom or never the case thai
trade or craft unions have any edu
cational advantages. Such a thing a,
| a revolutionary lecture in a unior
meeting is never heard of, the dis
cussions being confined, exclusively
to working conditions, with the N
evitable result that so far as the Graf
unions are concerned, things are goini
| from bad to worse.
I Conditions such as exist In the Uni
ted States at the present time, hav,
never had parallel in that country
| 1t will hardly be possible for tn,
workers of Russia to conceive tha
| there are out of employment in tn,
United States as many million work
ers as are organized in all Russia.
There is a small radical element il
different places such as Seattle, Wash
Chicago, III. and Detroit, Mich, wher,
the central bodies have endorsed So
Wet Russia and demanded that trad,
with Russia be Immediately resumed
| While Samuel Gompers, presiden
| of the American Federation of Labor
speaking for that organization in it
entirety, condemns Soviet Russia il
unmitigated terms, referring to tn,
Bolsheviki as "savages and their ac
tions bestial."
i 1t will be remembered, that it wa
the same individual, Gompers, VIII,
indited communication to the Am
sterdam International officially tend
ering the withdrawal Of the American
Federation of Labor from that con
glomeration, giving as his reason i
was too radical for the more sane an,
temperate body Of the A. F, Of L.
From the foregoing will be seen tn
urgent necessity for propaganda an,
agitation among the rank and file o
the craft unions Of the United States
Radical and Conservative Unions.
This work is being carried on, in
limited way, by the Industrial Work
ers of the World, which organization
is generally known at the /. w. w.
An effort was made, before tn
writer left the United States, to cor
centrate much Of the propagand
. work upon the United Mine Worker
Of America, which organization is /th
: keel Of the A. F. Of L. II is industrii
in form, and its membership comprise
many nationalities. It's historic d,
velopment records some Of the mo:
bitter struggles between capital an
labor in America. 1t was a part Of I'll
u predecessor Of the A. f. of L.--tf
Knights Of Labor Through the mach
: nations Of disloyal officials, it becan
: affiliated with the existing craft-unic
= body, and contaminated with iuton,
' nous ideas: It is now divided into !
different districts, having separat
time-contracts with mine-owners, Il
:, check-off system, aside from beir
y burdened with corrupt officials, wi
l. are constantly playing into the hant
is Of the capitalist tlass.
'e Vigorous agitation and educssit
r can be carried on IN the local unio,
ID Of mine workers and will bring e
10 fectual results.
'p Little or nothing can be expect,
ID from the railroad organizations tn
1t is, the four brotherhoods on the trai
L. service. known as the Big Four, nam
ly; The Locomotive Engineers, Brct