The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-15
Does the A. F. of [. Recognize
Facts?

FQcfS!
just as the delegates are gathering at Ell Paso
for the 44th annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor dispatches state that the con
sentative Baldwin government Of Great Britain
does not at all consider revoking the recognition al
ready granted to the Soviet government by the
previous regime of Macdonald
At the same moment Senator Borah now to take
Lodges place as chairman of the foreign relations
milton of Soviet Russia and goes to the White
House to talk confdentially to President Coolidge
France the most obdurate enemy of the Soviets has
just granted full recognition. These are facts dis
comforting perhaps to Secretary Hughes and Mr..
Gompers, but, none the less, facts.
With these and other countries Soviet Russia,
no longer the starved and ragged object of scorn
and attack, but the strong healthy and rebuilding
nation of workers and peasants, is willing for
mutual advantage to trade. The Soviet Republic
needs vast quantities of machinery, medicines and
any number of things. English labor, which com
PEELED the recognition of Soviet Russia by Britain
not only hoped to strenthen the feeling of solidar
ity between English and Russian workers by this
means, but helped to relieve unemployment in Eng
land by heavy production for the Russian market
Unemployment is becoming swiftly increasing
in America It is possible that with all the
European governments which are foes of Soviet
Russia being compelled to recognize facts and adj
just their hatreds to the necessity of trade, the
United States government will also fall in line If
Senator Borah's actions mean anything Mr.
Hughes will suffer change of heart or yield the
department of state to someone not so venomous.
With the army of the jobless in America threat
ening to grow to unprecedented numbers even with
the temporary boom in some industries it behoOves
the A. f. of L. convention to consider seriously if
it is going any longer to make itself the tool of
rabid antiBolshevism to the extent of denying
facts and taking a hostile stand toward the first
Workers Republic. If the 44th convention of the
A. f. Of L. has the slightest consideration for the
interests of its members it will adopt the following
resolution endorsed by the T. u E. L. favoring
the recognition of Soviet Russia and nstructng its
officers to exert all efforts to that end If the A.
f. of L. can see ethics involved it ought at
least to see its material interest.
THE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Russian Soviet Government has
withstood, for period Of years. all attacks
launched against it from enemies within its own
boundaries well from a world Of outside gov
ernments, hostile to it and for time carrying on
armed onslaughts, demonstrating by its successful
resistance that 1t has the support OF the Russian
workers and farmers and
WHEREAS, Many European and other govern
ments have established diplomatic and commercial
relations with the Russian government that have
proved beneficial to the workers of all such countries
and also enabling the Russian workers to secure
the foodstufs, medicines, machinery, and other
modities from the world market vitality needed in
their great work Of reconstruction; and
WHEREAS, The government Of Great Britain
responding to the demands of the British labor
ment have just concluded treaty with Soviet Rus
STA which treaty the British labor is pre-
pairing to fight to protect and put into effect because
it knows that only in this way the interests of
the working class be protected; and
WHEREAS, The present administration at Wash
ington by thus far failing to give recognition to
Soviet Russia, has greatly injured that country as
well as our own; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the American Federation of
Labor, assembled in its Fortyfourth Annual Con-
vention, in the Of solidarity with the first
Workers Republic, declares itself in favor of recogn
ton of Soviet Russia for the establishment of full
diplomatic and commercial relations, and directs its
officials to exert all possible efforts order that this
recognition shall be given by the government Of the
United States