The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-09
RUSSIAN LABOR
GIVES FIMMEN
GREAT OVATION
Secretary of Transport
Workers in Moscow
az Rosta News Aaencyl

MOSCOW (By MaiI.)-Edo
Fimmen, the veteran leader and
general secretary Of the Inter-
national Federation of Trans
port Workers, was the object of
a long ovation when he APP
peared at the session of the
bureau of the Central Commit
tee of the RaiIwaymen's Union
in Moscow.
Fimmen remarked that he
was going to speak in a private
capacity, and not as an official
representative of the Inter-
national Federation of Trans
port Workers, empowered to
negotiate with the Russian
trades union organizations the
question of unity of the inter
national movement.
Answers Capitalist Lie.
"Altho l have yet been but short
time in your country" observes the
speaker, Il feel bound to say that all
have seen so far has made very
strong impression on me. The first
thing that has struck me is that all
the nonsensical talk in western Eu-
rope about there being in the Union
Of Soviet Republics not a dictator
ship Of the proletariat, but dictator
ship over the proletariat, is sheer
lie. I must say that the European
workers would be most happy If they
had the same degree of liberty as the
workers possess in the Soviet Union"
Further, referring to the criticism,
often very bitter one, directed by
the Russian workers against the lead
ers of the western European trades
union movement Fimmen admitted
that such criticism was often JUS
titled. Il saw it clearly myself in
1922, when / followed closely the de-
velopments in Germany. In fact,
was convinced of it when l saw how
the bourgeoisie responded to the last
Hague conference by the Ruhr occu-
patton and how. after this, the Europ-
can proletariat not only did not rush
to fight for the emancipation Of the
German proletratiat, but did not even
make any attempt to do it"
Russian Tactics Correct.
This part of his speech the western
labor leader concluded by re-asserting
that the Russian tactics were correct:
"Only then can any aim be attained
when all the constituent parts of the
trades-union movement will go hand
finland and cooperate in their ef-
forts"
Then the speaker told the audience
about the actual situation within the
International Federation of Transport
Workers, stating that the question of
admitting the Russian trade unions to
the international congress of trans
port workers was discussed at the
session of the executive committee.
"The minority" declared Finn
men, "strove to obtain this admission,
and altho the majority, which was
against, carried the day, the minority
is getting stronger and stronger and
will soon become the majority; the
International Federation of Transport
Workers will then be glad to receive
the Russian trade unions in its fold.
Indeed, the left wing knows perfect
ly we'll that without unity with the
Russian unions we shall never reach
our goal.
Workers Favor Unity.
"There is at the present moment
very strong movement within the In
ternational Federation Of Transport
Workers in favor of this unity and
in favor of revolutionizing the feder-
alton, and | am convinced that this
struggle will end in victory.
Indeed, feel confident" concludes
the veteran European labor leader,
that, together with the Russian or
CARNATIONS, We shall be able to make
the necessary move to achieve the
world revolution"