The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-06
BY PAUL JUDITH.


If we wish to analyze the reasons
for the present helpless condition of
our trade unions, we must start at
the very roots of the problem. We
must see whence spring the policies
which at present determine the course
Of our activities, and evaluate the
methods used in the daily life and
struggles of our organizationtg
Abraham Baroff, General Secretary
Of the International, writing in the
New York Jewish Daily (Socialist)
Forward on April End, tries to point
out the difficulties lying in the way
of organizing the workers in the
ladies' garment industry, and says:
when we examine the results of
our organization campaigns carried on
during the last two years, we first
then realize the obstacles which we
encountered. And we are5eften trou-
bled with the thot that we are help
less in face of the circumstances"
For this reason, Baroff continues,
he and the other leaders of the In
ternational came to the conclusion
that agitation and propaganda among
the unorganized alone do not suffice. I"
What then? I'VE must extend our
agitation and propaganda to the COM
munity so that union-made products
may be property appreciated. Such
work must become part of our organ
lied activity"
And Baroff has another important"
conclusion, namely, that unions
must not undertake to control all the
conditions in an industry unless they
have at their disposal enormous pro-
fits" This last point Baroff considers
the most important one upon which
the next convention of the Interna-
tional must act.
Baroff's article is quite character
istic from start to finish. The story
| is told of a certain quack doctor who
had one remedy for the diseases of
all his patients: exercise for them,
two dollars for him. Baroff has SINH
lar remedy. Is the union helpless
Do the workers suffer? Is it difficult
to organize them? The solution is
simple. Sew labels on garments, and
give the union fund.
Baron is not the only one to believe
that the union can become powerful
/ by propagandizing the employers, or
as he calls them, the community"
Nor is this new viewpoint discov-
cred by Baroff. Such policy has
long been the practice in our unions.
Baroff's quack medicine has long been
used in healing the wounds Of the
workers, but, as was to be expected,
the pain is still the same.
Let us consider this more carefully.
In the labor movement we find two
fundamental and opposing points of
view on the methods Of labor organi-
cation and the tactics to be pursued
in the struggles OF the workers. There
is the Marxist viewpoint. and the so
called Gomperist viewpoint. The for
mer holds, that the emancipation of
the workers can be achieved only by
the workers themselves. The latter
believes in peace between capital and
labor The one maintains that the
workers must always carry ON per-
sistent struggle not only for better
conditions OF living. but for their
complete alterations. The other places
its hope upon the good will Of the
capitalists rather than upon the
struggle of the workers.
The Gompersist philosophy pre-
dominates not alone in the so-called
American unions. but is very carefully
followed even in the so-called Social.
list unions. In the Jewish Labor move
ment, public opinion and the appeal
to the goodwill Of the employers are
guarded as very important weapons
In the daily struggles of the work.