The labor world., 1922-07-15

League" and editor of Its official
organ, The Labor Herald, addressed
meeting of wCrkingmen and wo-
men. most of whom were out of
sympathy with the trade union
teenth avenue west and First street,
last Friday evening.
Mr.. Foster declared it was the
purpose of the league" to "organ-
ize within the trade unions the mill
tant, revolutionaries for the effec
tive application OF their bOundless
energies and dynamic programs; to
furnish inspiration and guidance to
the grouping masses, firing their
imagination and releasing their Won
derful idealism: to revamp and re-
model from top to bottom. their
theories, tactics. structure and lead
ership. and bring about the aboli-
ton of capitalism and the establish
ment of the workers repuhlic.'
Tells of Program.
That is but a small task and after
organizing the revolutionaries, and
what are termed radicals, into local
groups in all towns and cities. and
the propaganda has been suffi-
ciently spread. Mr.. Foster proposes
that a national conference. will be
held at which officers will be elect
ed and program adopted that is
expected to result in anlalgamating
all craft unions into a series of in
dustrial unions-one each for the
metal trades. railroads, building
trades, clothing trades and so on.
Mr.. Foster insists that the mill
tants. radicals and revolutionaries-
the type that he is associated with
and which he is attempting to arouse
-"are tn" natural heads of the
working class. the driving force of
the labor movement, the only ones
who understand the labor or class
struggle and who have practical
plans for its prose cution.'
Claims Much For Them.
He added that they are the only
ones touched by the divine fire of
pro!etarian re .olt. the only ones who
furnish inspiration and guidance to
tfe sluggish, unthinkin masses of
workers" and that they do the bulk
Of the thinking, working. fighting,
and are the rden-bearers, the
brains. heart and soul of the labor
movement
Mr.. Foster, however, while mod
estly admitting that his type of
workers furnishes the might and
brains, intelligence, ability and hon
esty in the labor movement, and they
bear the deepest scars of the labor
struggle, IN the next breath revealed
1t was pure fiction and declared that
they had been doing nothing but
chase rainbows, retarding and de-
stroying
For fully 80 years, he said, the
radicals have Systematically desert
ed and neglected the trade unions.
Afflicted with a chronic secession
ism, they have attracted the over
whelming mass of the livest spirits
among the workers to the futile
project Of building Ip all sorts of
dual unions.
Work Must Count.
Through our dualistic methods
of the past" he held 1.-The organ
lied masses have been left to stag
nate and to founder about helpless.
We must now end this condition."
E'lae declared. We must assume our
proper function as the dynamic, on
ward driving element in the trade
unions.'
That element which Foster admits
has for 80 years destroyed the lc',or
movement: those --ision- lies with
their impossible theoric; who have
led the workers to slaughter in every
Wild mo7el en-. they have ever
launched; they who are responsible
for no less than IA separate dual
unions existing today in the textile
industry. and no less than five dual
organizations on the railroads of
the United States, all waging war
against each other and against the
established and time-rroven trade
unions; they who have leaped from
scheme. to scheme dividing the
workers In each instance into many
camps While the enemies of labor
were united against them; they who
proudly admit of such tr,ason in the
FAS'S1oou AdISeI interest or the
class struggle" who have proven
themselves long on theory but short
on constructive effor, full of prom
lses, but neglectful in performance,
LOUD and strong in oratory and noise,
but as helpless as children on a me-
gotiating committee-it is such men,
with their catchy slogans about ANAL
gamation and industrial organiza-
ton, Foster would put in control of
the labor unions which ost Of them
nave done so much in the past to
weaken and destroy.
Men do not turn squarely around
and cast aside over night the de-
signs and theories they have enter
tanned for years and suddenly be-
come constructive and practical by
a mere declaration. That is expect
ing too much of human nature. Men
are not made that way. They can't
get away with it, and if they had all
the brains Foster claims for them it
would not have taken t. EN- 80 years
t~ learn their mistake and change
rnelr tactics. ),
Trade Unions Not Perfect. --
No reasonable trade unionist will
claim perfection for the, trade union
movement. It is still.far from the goal