The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-14
For a General Labor Congress

1t is certain that despite the temporary upward
swing in production, the United States is entering
upon a crisis American Imperialism which, in
Europe, is striving successfully for dominance
over both German and allied powers is certain
not to allow, if it can help it, the labor movement
Of America to retain even its present weak
strength and poor morale An open shop drive
against American unionism is the complement to
the enslavement of German workers under the
Dawes plan.
American Imperialism, unchastened by defeat,
looks with lusting eyes upon Asia, and in the
existing turmoil is deeply involved in intrigue,
the furnishing of arms and, if need be- of soldiers
taken from the ranks of American labor. America
is openly preparing war with Japan. And mean
while she subjugates with forced loans or simple
might the Latin peoples of South and Central
America.
To oppose these imperialist designs American
labor has nothing but the weakest of organizations,
and these are divided from and disinterested in
one another TO add to this, the labor bureaucracy
has practically given up the strike and either gone
openly into class collaboration in industry, or has
taken to bourgeois politics to avoid the task of
actual struggle.
bureaucracy of all theological unity. While Lewis
chung to Coolidge and Major Berry stuck to Davis,
the great mass of workers remained inert and I'M
affected, even by Gompers' lame effort to get them
to support LaFollette 1t is clear if the workers
interests are to be protected more vital and far
reaching means must be used
If all the little scattered regiments of labor
could be gathered into one mighty army, the de-
signs of American capitalist Imperialism upon the
standards of American labor would surely be de-
feated. 1t is the duty of the 44th annual conven-
ton Of the A. F. of L., opening next week at Ell
Paso, to summon such an army together.
If not only those unions of the A. F. of L. but
also the Independent unions, the city central
bodies the district councils the cooperatives the
shop delegates from unorganized factories elected
by general shop meetings. and the political parties
of labor were all called into general labor con-
gress, real power would be born.
The first duty of this new power should be the
rallying of the whole working class to struggle
against war threats, wage cuts and the open shop
1t could demand and enforce the demand for ma
tionalization of industry the withdrawal of armed
forces from foreign SOIL the establishment in
very shop and factory thruout the land of shop
committees representing all workers engaged to
control production and regulate employment
Such a congress could lay the basis for amalgama-
ton of the craft unions into powerful industrial
unions and could bring the unorganized by the
millions into such unions.
These things and the election by such a congress
of councils of action to organize and direct local
and district councils of action in the coordination
and strengthening of labor's combative powers
could be initiated by the A. F. of L. convention
taking the lead If it does not it will prove traitor
to its duty.