The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-23
BY REsEccA eREcHr.

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THE 18th bi-annual convention Of
the International Ladies' Garment
Workers Union which came to a close
last Saturday, was clear exhibition
of the degeneration Of an international
union which at one time stood at the
very forefront of American labor. At
the same time, it was a significant
demonstration. Of the rising tide of
progressivism and militancy within
the organization which no amount OF
suppression can stem.
This convention was most unusual
in character, unlike any ever held by
the International. 1t was not assem-
bled as might have been expected, to
hear reports of past activities and de-
liberate upon future policies. 1t was
brought together on the contrary,
simply for the purpose of waging a
decisive battle against the "lefts" in
the union and giving democratic"
sanction, by a majority vote of the
convention, to the policy of coercion
and expulsion which the Sigman
regime has been pursuing against the
militants.
Just a Herasy Trial.
The spirit of the convention, from
the very start, was that Of preparation
for fight. Battle was in the air. Cues
tions of a constructive nature which
came up for consideration were re-
garded merely as so many unimportant
interludes. 1t was hardly conceivable
that this was trade union convention.
The entire proceedings took on the
character of trial for heresy rather
than of deliberations upon the prob
lens Of a labor body.
When we consider the conditions
confronting the workers in the ladies'
garment industry at the time the con-
vention met, the absolute incompe-
tency of the present officialdom of the
International, their failure as leaders
of working class movement, be-
comes all the more evident.
Jobbing System PeriIous.
The International today is faced
with a very critical situation. Thru
the development of jobbing profound
change is being wrought in cloak pro-
duction amounting almost to revolu-
ton. Jobbers, who do not themselves
own factories, but supply material and
styles to contractors, are rapidly TAX
ing the place of the former big manu-
facturers and are fast becoming the
controlling factors in the industry.
In their wake has followed a return
on a wholesale scale of the sweat
shop. Jobbers send their goods to
small out-of-town contractors shops
where union control is totally lacking
and workers are unorganized.
The result of this extension of the
sweat-shop system has been to threat
en- every labor standard gained by the
workers thru bitter sacrifice. Control
over the industry is fast slipping out
of the unions hands. Unemployment
is making alarming Roadway. Gradu-
ally the workers are being forced to
yield their hard-won positions in face
of the competition rife in the industry.
FACED WITH GENERAL STRIKE
When the convention assembled, it
was therefore confronted with pro-
blems of vital significance to the or
ganization. The International was on
the eve of general strike in New
York. The entire strength of the
union had TO be modified for the
struggle. 1t was necessary to adopt an
entirely different program of indus
trial tactics. Plans for an intensive or
ganization campaign had to be outlin-
ed. In short, had the present leader
ship Of the International the interests
of the workers really at heart, then
the convention in Boston would have
been the occasion for critical anal
ysis of the past tactics and policies
of the organization and a careful de-
liberation over future activity.
The outcome of the convention, how
ever, is proof enough that the present
chaos and Generalization in the in
dustry will not be overcome so long
as the present leadership rules the or
ganization.
7. U. E. 1. Organized Left.
For several years past there has
been developing in the international
a strong opposition to the methods of
struggle pursued by the administra-