The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-13
MINNEAPOLIS
LABOR TAKERS
AIDED BOSSES
Treason Ruins Work of
Years
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standing, Leach, 5O,Ss6; Elwell, 49,
OS4; with only 10 precincts yet to be
heard from. Conservative labor men
supported Leach in the election.
In the last city council there were
IA labor representatives to IL reac-
tionaries: in the new council there
will be labor men to IS conserva-
tives. sac
During the past four years much
progress had been made in unioniz-
ing city employees. Working condi-
lions had been greatly improved and
wages had been increased. AS a re-
suit of the complete victory for the
open shop" forces 1t is the concen-
sus Of opinion here that a drive will
be instituted Immediately after July
1, when the new council assumes Of
fee, to break UP the city and county
employees union and reduce the wages
Of city employees. This opinion is
! born out by the fact that the reac-
tionary members Of the council have
bitterly opposed all wage increases
that have come before the council.
Defeat Result Of seII-out.
The defeat suffered by the labor
forces in this election is due to the
betrayals that have taken place with
in the labor movement AS long as
the movement in Minneapolis was
waging its fight both political and
economic on the basis of the class
struggle steady progress was being
made. In every election since 1913
gains always resulted.
Two years ago the first break took
place when labor was deliberately be-
trayed into supporting Leach the re-
publican for mayor. The rank and
file insisted on a labor candidate in
opposition to the views of the leaders.
Lindsten failed to satisfy this demand,
two days after the filing of candi-
dates closed, he went into court and
had his name withdrawn on the
grounds that his wife did not want
him to run" but the actual reason was
that he had been gotten too" by the
labor leaders led by Robley D.
Cramer.
Last fall these same leaders further
destroyed the idea of independent po-
litical action by lining up with the
petty-bourgeois, La Toilette thus lay
ing the way for the complete slide to
the right that took place here yes
terday.
A. F. L. Affidavlts Aid Reactionaries.
The A. f. of l.. executive council
also played their part in the democrat.
izing process.bS Sensing the growing
radicalism of the Minnesota move
ment, they sent Paul ]. Smith to
Minneapolis with instructions to line
the movement up for the class COLA
boration policies Of the leaders or de-
stroy it. He succeeded in creating
enough confusion so that the sincere
workers will have to expand much
energy in order to overcome it as the
election shows.
Ex-Socialists Worst Enemies.
The worst enemies of the working
class, are none other than our former
socialist" leaders, Van Lear and
Harthill. Van Lear thru the Mime
apolis Daily Star, which he stole from
the workers and farmers, carried on
a continuous attack against the labor
members of the council. His propa-
ganda was particularly effective be-
cause the workers have not yet learn
ed that the Star is no longer their
paper. They looked upon these daily
attacks as the official statements of
the labor political movement. Harthill
distributed thousands of copies of his
red-baiting sheet, Minnesota" in all
the labor wards. In addition he ac-
lively campaigned for the capitalist
candidates. His paper is plainly sub
sidized by the bosses of Minneapolis
as thousands Of copies are being sent
to workers homes every week with
out them having subscribed. The
workers have not yet learned the
character of these former leaders.
but with the city now in the hands
Of reaction they will have two years
in which to learn the lessons Of So
cialist treachery.
Communists for Unity.
During the campaign the Workers
(Communist) Party carried on a con.
sistant campaign in an effort to over
come the confusion that had develop
ed as result of these betrayals.
The party now has the task before
1t of showing the workers the cause
for this defeat and of the necessity
OF uniting their forces in a labor
party that will wage future campaigns
on the basis Of the class struggle.