The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-09-11
REACTION RULES
AT PEORIA MEET
SAYS TOMBSTONE
Constructive Proposals
from Left Wing Only

Reaction is in full sway at
the convention of the Illinois
State Federation of Labor at
Peoria now" was the statement
made to the DAILY WORKER
by John w. tombstone, assistant
secretary of the Trade Union
Educational League.
"The opening of the conven-
ton showed what it would be-"
continued tombstone. "There
were addresses by the mayor of
the town and by a representa-
tive of the local chamber of
commerce, who stated that it
was paying for 903o of the
entertainment being furnished
the convention.
Propose Nothing Constructive.
Nothing of constructive value is be-
ing proposed by the officialdom of the
union. Not a word is said about I'M
employment, working class independ-
emit political action, the recognition of
Soviet Russia, amalgamation of the
craft unions ;or the organization of the
unorganized. Their only interest is in
their class collaborationist policy of
putting over Len Small and LaFolette,
as is asked in the reports of both
John Walker and Vic Olander."
"Will the Ku Klux Khan be an issue
at the convention" tombstone was
asked.
Left Wing Fights X. X. X.
Positively" he replied emphatic
ally. But it is an issue that is going
to be raised by the left wing, you can
be sure. The Walker-O lander-Q uesse-
Neer gang will try their best to keep
it out of the range of discussion on
the grounds that it is a purely religi-
GUS issue. They completely refuse to
take note of the fact that the exist
ence of the Khan and its activities is
a menace to the existence of the Unit
ed Mine Workers organization.
1.-THE left wing is small, it is true.
The extreme poverty of the miners
prevented numerous locals from send
ing their quota of delegates. On the
other hand you can observe a solid
voting bloc from the teamsters of
Chicago, for example. One hundred
and eleven Of them, bound by. the unit
rule and voting consistently with the
Ireactionary machine. No, this con
vention is far from being representa-
tive of the rank and file sentiment of
the organized workers in Illinois.
But it is this small left wing, led
by such men as Tom Parry of Diver
non, Henry Corbishly of Ziegler and
E. B. Hewlett Of West Frankfort, that
will present constructive proposals on
all the points | mentioned before.
They are all miners and they repre-
sent a good portion of the sentiment
of the workers in Illinois"
How do the miners feel about the
convention?"
Miners Disguised.
"They think it is rotten, to be mild.
It is a difficult situation to cope with
here. Take man like John Walker,
elected by the Illinois miners on a
progressive platform to the presi-
dency Of the State Federation Of La
Dor. And now the miners point to
his renegade record and say, What's
the user But the Trade Union Edu-
cational League and the Workers
Party are constantly agitating among
the workers, especially among the
miners where such sentiment finds its
way quickly, to stay within the un-
ion. Where there is talk of dropping
afiliation to the federation, we are
carrying on fight in opposition to it.
"The militants are the responsible
factor in stopping all tendencies
towards a split away from the bigger
organization, a move that has always
played and will continue to play into
the hands of the reactionaries.
Rank and File To Speak.
This convention is by no means
decisive. The militants are going to
continue their activity, more intensity
than ever before, until the rank and
file has had the opportunity to give
full expression to its progressive de-
mands and has taken away the con-
troll of the union from the Walker-Len
Small-Olander machine and turned it
back to where it belongs and will
eventually find its place, the hands Of
the rank and file.
"The Peoria convention" he con-
cluded, lis only a milestone in the
lrood fhof laado thoro