The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-02
RIVAL FACTIONS
IN FIGHT FOR
|. W. W. CONTROL
r ank and File Back
Doyle-Fisher Group
(Continued from page u

49, N~~~ 49, RN-oN -
w. and with general disruptive
tactics.
The real cause of the controversy
however, goes much deeper than this
and centers around a conflict over
fundamental questions of policy
which will be analysed in an early is
sue Of the DAILY WORKER. The
I. w. w. is, without doubt, confronted
with deep-seated internal crisis, the
outcome of which will have vital
bearing on the future of the organiza.
ton. While all the issues appearing
on the surface Of the present con.
troversy have to do with technical
Questions, there is no doubt that the
questions of principle which lie be-
meath them will now, under the pres.
sure of the struggle. make themselves
manifest.
LeaVenworth Differences on Surface.
] One of the superficial causes of the
fight is the hostility between two
groups of released Leavenworth pri-
soners, one group of which accepted
conditional Communication in June,
1928, and those, and their supporters,
who opposed such acceptance. This
issue was before the last convention
Of the l. w. w. and resulted in the
decision Of the convention declaring
that those who accepted commute
ton acted within their rights as mem.
bers of the organization, and prohib-
iting any further agitation against
them outside of regular organization
channels.
According to the charges of the
group in control Of headquarters at
the present time, these attacks were
continued in violation of the conven.
ton decision. This has resulted in
three members, Bert Lorton, James
Quinlan and Frederick Blossom, be-
ing suspended from membership.
This action was resented by the other
faction, which is led by James Rowan,
representative of the Lumber Work
ers' Union on the General Executive
Board. On July 18th five members
Of this faction on the G. e. B. held
meeting, declared itself to be the
official body and rescinded the action
of Joe Fisher, chairman, and Tom
Doyle, general secretary, and issued
publicity attacking them and their
action.
The administration faction there
upon declared this action outlaw,
ION the ground that the last conven-
ton had ruled that a two-thirds
majority was necessary in such cases.
ICharges were filed against the whole
group of five before the G. E. B. by
two officials of industrial unions charg-
ing descriptive methods.
ousted Group Rejected Peace.
The administration officers called
a G. f. B. meeting on July %, and
invited the five to appear to answer
the charges. This, they refused to do
and were at once suspended from the
G. E. B. by the general officers. But
the overture was made that if they
would meet with the other members
and proceed regularly, this suspen-
sion would be lifted.
Peace was rejected 1t is alleged
that James Rowan, Fred Bowerman
of the Metal and Machinery Workers
Union, P. d. Ryan, Of the General
CONSTRUCTION Workers Union, Charles
Anderson Of the Metal Miners Union
and Harry Trotter, of the Railroad
Workers Union, notified the bank
holding the I. w. w. funds, that they
iwere the authority of the /. w. w.
and to pay money on their order and
none other. Their effort to get an
Injunction against Doyle and Fisher
tying up the funds on hand, failed
so far on account of their inability
to secure the bonds in the sum double
the funds, required for this court ac-
ton
This action brought about a climax.
The bank refused and still refuses TO
pay on either factions order. Doyle
and Fisher, supported by a rank and
file committee of influential mem
bers, then suspended the five mem
bers of the other faction from mem.
bership in the /. w. w. as we'll as
from the General Executive Board.
On the same day, July 20, the rank
and file committee posted guard in
headquarters and denied admission to
the suspended members. Justus Ebert,
editor of the Industrial Pioneer, recog-
Observation-Disclosures