The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-16
MYERSCOUGH
ON STRUGGLE.
in U. M. W. A.
Progressive Forces Mobilize
For Indianapolis Convention
BY THOMAS MYERSCOUGH
Sec'y Progressive Miners Committee

Inc OIllJcu nluc w OTkefS Oh AHleI-
lea, which convenes at indianapolis,
Ind, on January 22nd, can consider
himself a lucky man indeed. This
because he will be a part of what
promises to be the most important
convention ever held by the Miners
or any other union.
The men of the mines are going
to this gathering with a determine
ton to put an end to the systom
of things in the organization, that
has allowed them to drift into the
present deplorable condition of SER
vitude through the method of inter-
mittent employment and subsequent
transformation. This convention
will be treated to many clashes be-
tween the forces of the administra,
ton and the young, but steadily
growing, Progressive group. In past
conventions it has been the custom
Of the machine" as the admins
tration forces are best known, to
isolate the grievances of the rank
and file from the real issues. This
is invariably accomplished by the
use of convention strategy, by
political intrigue or any other
accomplishment of their Interior
method considered necessary to the
purposes.
Progressiyes a Factor.
Nearly every convention of the
miners union in the past has wit
messed a rebellious group from
some section of its jurisdiction who
have come with the hope Of getting
consideration at the hands of the
delegation assembled, only to find
that the men knew nothing of their
troubles, or if they did, it was from
information received from the
scheming administration, who could
not afford to allow a presentation
of the facts on the convention floor.
The result usually is that such dele
cations wend their weary way home
at the end Of the convention, dis
mayed, disillusioned and often with
the determination to take things as
they come in the future, and in this
manner become useless to the Or
ganization, except, from a dues
paying viewpoint.
They return to their local unions
and truthfully tell their respective
constituencies, that 1--WE never had
a chance. However, q new hope
has been instilled in these forward
looking elements by the formation
of the Progressive Committee"
This committee, composed of the
real union men from all sections of
the country and Canada, have also
served to throw a new fear into the
hearts of the officials and 'spie-
card artists" because Of the man
ner in which they have conducted
themselves.
This is demonstrated by the fact
that Immediately after the June
2-3, 1928, conference in Pittsburgh,
Pa, the National Executive Board
issued a circular letter to the entire
labor movement, to the effect that
we were a Dual Union, and that
wherever we presented ourselves, we
should be treated as such. The re-
suits obtained by this letter were
also proof of our strength, because
in nearly every union to which 1t
was sent the workers voted it into
the waste basket.
Will Not Be Led Astray.
We are going to the convention
to wage a real battle for our class,
and the men who now rule with an
iron hand, and who, incidentally,
are the ones who led the fight for
the expulsion of "Bill" Dunno from
the Portland "a. F. of L.) conven-
ton, will find that there are a lot
of potential "Bill DUNES" in the
u. M. w. of A., and that they can
not be fooled, coaxed, bribed or
browbeaten into submission. They
will find that the Progresives under
stand a few things about the labor
movement, and also that they un-
derstand the present rotten eco
nomic structure Of society, and will
not be led astray by any of the
methods usually employed.
We are going to raise issues that
concern the membership, and we
will be prepared to fight every inch
of the way for such things as the
Autonomy" for the Kansas and
Nova Scotia miners respectively, for
the participation Of our union in
the building Of real Labor Par
ty," for Naturalization Of the
Mines" and for ten other very inn
portant issues. We have "13" such
issues and we are not one bit SUI
perstitious, in fact we are not built
that way. In addition we have the
miners on their toes ready TO fight
for necessary constitutional change,
which will make our organization
the fighting, working-clas body it
was intended to be by those who
founded it, and change it from it's
status as wealth providing pleas
ure vehicle, for the dynasty who
now rule, and who have run it to
The very verge Of ruin.
AT the convention we will pro-
vide every delegate with the facts
concerning the U. M. w. of A., and
copy Of "The Progressive Miner"
special convention number) will
llso be given to each delegate, and
when the smoke Of battle has