The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-12
LABOR COUNCILS
TALK SHOWS NEED
FOR LEFT WING
Vital Issues Ignored In
Addresses
BY CYRIL LAMBKIN
(SneeiaI 10 The Daily Worker)

DETROIT, 'Mich.--The meeting OF
the Detroit Federation of Labor
Wednesday night presented an excel
lent opportunity for appraising the
fitness of the general organized labor
period. Communications from several
labor bodies and addresses by a num-
Der of trade union officials indicated
no new vision and showed the need
for the left wing movement.
One of the communications read
was from the Seattle Central Labor
Council, which urged the Detroit
Federation of Labor to petition the
Government for the limitation of pro-
duction of narcotics by agreement
with other powers. In the face of the
marked decline, both in numbers and
in power, of the organized labor
movement, and in the face Of an inn
pending industrial depression, one
would have expected the Seattle Cen
trail Labor Council to call attention
to the far greater dangers confront
ing the workers than the production
of narcotics.
To Organize With Tips.
The President of the international
Hotel and Restaurant Workers
Union, in an address to the delegates,
appealed to them, and thru them to
the rest of the organized workers in
Detroit, to help organize the food
workers by promising tips to walters
and mattresses who join the union.
A novel plan, indeed, but one demon
strating little conception of modern
problems of organization. He further
suggested revised Interpretation of
the Volstead Act.
Eugene Brock, district representa-
tive of the International Association
Of Machinists, extolled Johnston's
plan for converting the unions into
agencies fur supplying willing slaves
to the employers. His eulogy of the
contract in force between his organ
ization and the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, which provides for a mini
mum number of employment days and
for sharing equally with the company
whatever profit accrues as a result of
the elimination of waste, failed to
arouse the enthusiasm of the dele
gates, many of whom have had ex-
periences with promises of employers
and whose conception of the labor
movement goes beyond a mere days
wage when there is work to be had.
Supporting a Republican.
The course which the leaders of the
Detroit Federation intend to pursue
in the fall elections as far as State
officials are concerned was indicated
in their request to approve tele-
gram sent by President Taylor to
movement, who is seeking the nomi-
nation for Governor on the republican
ticket, informing him that the Detroit
Federation would support him in his
quest. This telegram was sent to
counteract a statement Of the Big
Four Railroad Brotherhoods of the
state, which was unfavorable to
Bakers support. Far be it from US
to suspect the Big Four leaders of an
intention to support candidate on
Farmer-Labor ticket. Their inten-
ton is simply to support a regular
machine republican.
The only note of political maturity
was sounded by Delegate Mollen-
hauer of the Musicians Union in
speaking on motion to demand of
the Land Committee of the Senate
and of the Michigan senators the
continuation Of the investigation of
the Teapot Dome scandal until every
thing connected Herewith was
brought to light and the culprits
punished. Mollenhauer called atten-
ton to the slackening efforts of the
committee, and predicted that the in
vestigation now threatening to UNI
mask both the republican and demo-
cratic parties as the tools O. the big
capitalists, it will soon be cleverly
relegated to the rear, and the
thoughts of the people turned to the
baseball contests.