The daily worker., 1924-12-29
sy HARRISON GEORGE.

1AAhoiACuA rCuCAdllOu VI LdDOI db III
Paso, Texas, crossed the international
bridge over the Rio Grande to visit
the sixth convention of the Mexican
Federation Of Labor &C. r. o. M
meeting at Juarez, Mexico. Mexican
immigration officer remarked, "These
are surely not laboring men, they look
more like bankers!"
The Mexican official was correct
They are bankers, running about
thirty labor banks" with approx
mately $15O,O0O,0OO Of capital and
planning to start others. But what is
far more they have the same imper-
iailist program as bankers, especially
the large bankers who hold forth on
the south end of Manhattan island in
the city of New York.
All Cut and DriedI
Bankers they arel No banker could
be more devoted to capitalism at
home and imperialism abroad than
Samuel Gompers, president again up
on reelection, which election was so
well provided for in advance that the
telegraphic news agencies sent out adj
vance news of his reelection with the
note to release the item at 1880 a. m
on Nov. 20.
In Europe the leaders Of labor or
ganizations must idealize for the mem
bership's consumption, all programs OF
class collaboration with reactionaries
Gompers throws away every veil OF
reformist "respectability" and cavorts
before the labor movement, naked and
unashamed, the harlot Of American
imperialism.
If anyone had expected more from
this convention, which met on Nov. II
and adjourned on the 25th, they ex-
pected too much from body from
which every sign of left wing had
been carefully eradicated long before
it met. 1t was a meeting of the
$4,000 year "fat boys" the "inter
national officers" the union bureau
Gratis. Besides these potbellied "sons
of labor" whose heaviest work" is
to get some contractors to "come
across" the United States senate is {
beacon star of intelligence and
gathering of progressives.
Lois of Socialists-But No Left Wing.
There simply was no left wing
There were, certainly, from fifty to
one hundred socialists or ex-social-
lists present, but these distinguished
themselves only by being more viru-
iently and actively reactionary than
their more swinish brothers. The
labor party got one spokesman and
two votes. amalgamation was unanim-
ously defeated, so was the resolution
for recognition Of Russia = which
might have Jared better in the U. S.
senate. And similar unanimity pre-
vailed in the most disgraceful collab-
Grafton with Imperialism.
Since the Portland convention last
year, when Bill Dunno was unseated
the policy thruout the federation has
been one of ruthless suppression OF
the left wing. The result was a con
vention from which all shade of revo
lutionary or even reformist opposition
had been carefully filtered.
Lack Of Mind, Not Opportunity.
No wonder that after sizing up the
delegation Gompers could safely as
sert that Every delegate has full
and free opportunity to speak his
mind" That no delegate spoke from
the floor during the first five Of the
eight days did not indicate lack of op
portunity but lack of mind.
Only on the last day, when Kovel.
esky OF the Walters Union objected
that at the next convention at Allan.
tic City, Gompers should not pick out
a scab hotel for headquarters, as he
had picked the scab Gel Paso del
Norte" this year, did Gompers find it
needful to refuse the floor to a dele
gate. And this time, so savage was
his attack that the delegate murmur-
ed, well, if you want to eat in scab
hotels, all rightl"-and then sat
down. Only on one or two such oc-
easions was the slightest sign OF life
hown.
AmaIgamatlon Hardly Mentioned.
Altho the Amalgamated Association
of Iron. Steel and Tin Workers had
brot in resolution asking that all
crafts in the steel mills come under
the jurisdiction Of one union in behalf
Of an organizing campaign, it was de.
feated unanimously.
This. in spite Of the speech Of A. b.
swales, the British delegate. who
told Of the progress Of aInalgamaiion
in England and the slogan, '-aore
unionism ana fewer unions" IN
spite, as well, Of the iursdictional
quarrel which has left the $4,000 car.
penters outside the Building Trades
department, the fight between the
Stone Cutters and Granite Cutters
which resulted In scabbing by the
Granite Cutters on the Stone Cutters
at New Haven, Connecticut; and in
spite Of the rivaly between the United