The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-29
FRESHMEN MUST
HAVE PROGRAM
TOFIGHT BERRY
National Campaign Is
NecessaryfOr Victory
lContinued from page ID

Dor leaders in America at least gave
lip service to the emancipation Of the
workers. They talked of socialism.
Some Of them, like the old lady who
had committed an indiscretion in her
youth only liked to be talking about
it tho they no longer had their heart
and soul in their words
The Favored Few
Gradually, as American imperialism
grew stronger and reached out to
grind double profits out of the labor
Of the unorganized colonial peoples,
the labor takers become more firmly
bound up with the capitalist machine,
until today they are capitalism's
strongest bulwark against the rising
tide 70 the rebellion among the work
ers.
The labor leaders rarely talk Of
strikes any more. They have sub
stituted class collaboration for the
class struggle. Instead Of strengthen
ing the unions to meet the attacks Of
the employers, and to fight for a
higher standard Of living and better
working conditinos, the labor skates
have taken to banking, insurance and
other forms Of capitalist effort. In
stead Of leading the workers to their
freedom by fight against capitalism
the reactionary leaders are turning
the unions into tools Of capitalism.
They are cooperating with the bosses
in exploiting their slaves and with the
government prosecuting the most pro-
gressive. wing Of the working class
movement.
They have degensrated into profess
sional strikebreakers and hardly a
week passes that one or more labor
leader is not engaged in the nefarious
task Of scabbing. What Berry is do
ing to the locked-out workers of the
Cuneo Printing company Tom Rickert
is doing to the striking employees of
the International Tailoring company.
That this kind of thing is in COM
plete accord with the official policy
of the American Federation of Labor,
is shown by the fact that William
Green, president 70 the A. F. of L. en-
dorsed the scabbery 70 Rickert and
that Sam Gompers at the Portland
convention gave ''Majah" Berry a
special greeting after his return from
breaking a strike in New York City.
The reactionary labor leaders are
Tabor lieutenants" Of capitalism. They
are worth every nickel they get from
the employers.
Methods More Crude.
George L. Berry is only one of the
traitors. Perhaps the way he does
business is more crude than the
method employed by the others of the
same type But looking over the
arena, we see John L. Lewis, who
drove men like Alexander Howat
Duncan Macdonald, Jim McLachlan
Freeman Thompson and John Watt
out Of the union because they fought
for the rank and file. We see William
Hutcheson OF the carpenters, scabby
"B and o. Bill" Johnston of the ma,
chinists, Sigman of the international
Ladies' Garment Workers Union
James Lynch Of the Typographical
Union and hundreds Of others, break,
ing strikes, expelling progressives
lifting charters and even going to the
extent Of having the militant trade
unionists slugged.
Takers Resemble Each Other.
1t is quite evident that the struggle
in the various unions against the
crooked leaders cannot succeed unless
it is solicited and connected up into
a united struggle against the entire
reactionary officialdom of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor. This struggle
must not be waged on the basis OF
personalities, but on the basis OF
principle. Whether George L. Berry
is worse than James Lynch or John
l.. Lewis is not so very important. All
those labor skates base their actions
on the theory that the interests of the
capitalists and the workers are iden.
teal. Some Of them don't boldly loot
the union treasury in order to get
theirs. They get 1t Just the same
They all help the employers to rob
the workers.
Ninety-five per cent OF the member,
ship Of the International Printing
Pressmen's and Assistants Union are
opposed to Berry, Perhaps in nc
other union in the country is the oppo
sition stronger. Yet so far they have
been helpless. Why is this the case
To say that Berry with FIVE OF ten
per cent Of the membership behind
him can rig things so that he can
resist the will Of such a great majority
is not a satisfactory. answer to the
question.
In my opinion lack Of organization
and program is the correct answer to
this riddle. Berry has a machine. II
is crooked but 1t is efficient. 1t knows
7. U. E. L. PICNIC COZ