The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-24
Mexican Rail Unions Must Strike or Die

test cohesion and direction, and from
every railway center came flood OF
messages and telegrams; Vote the
strike before II is too late. Vote the
strike before decentralization sets in.
On Friday Saturday and Sunday,
June 20, ~, 2s. great numbers OF rail-
waymen we're in permanent session
with the trade union committee Of
the Communist party, seeking advice
and direction for the strike that every
one expected to break out July /. On
Monday night, June 49,, there was to
be general meeting to consider the
question.
Gales Deports Wolfe
On Monday morning, President Cal
les responded to the critical situation
with characteristic energy and skill.
He seized and deported foreign
Communist, Bertram D. Wolfe, issued
a statement that the strike was or
dered "by the Third International
for political purposes; and another
statement that he, was willing to con-
fer with the men on minor details of
the establishments and that they
would be applied gradually between.
July and November.
Leaders Give In To Gales
The railwaymen's leaders fell into
the double trap. They entered into
renewed conferences thus confusing
and weakening the strike spirit; and
they disclaimed their connections
with Communism and their intention
of causing difficulties for the govern
ment." Both of these acts definitely
lowered the morale of the members of
the unions.
More Local Strikes
July 10 finds the "readjustments"
still not accomplished. The unions
are not demoralized in spite of the
wavering of their leaders. A new
wave of partial strikes is beginning
as indicated by the strike ON the
Puebla division caused by mere two
hours delay in pay. The Communist
Party rapidly orientated itself to the
new situation and. abandoning its
double united front with the leaders
and masses, began a new campaign
OF mass pressure from below to force
the leaders to strike decision
The Gales government issues new
conciliatory statements about gra-
dually affecting the readjustments be-
tween now and December And so the
situation stands. The delay is more
unfavorable to the railwaymen than
to the government, because it gives
the government time to prepare, to
seek to corrupt certain elements in
the unions never a hard task in
Mexico) and to sow division and de-
liberalization.
] Men Must Fight
If the government cannot destroy
the unions before the end Of the year,
it must force a strike, as the lines
must be given back in 1926, without
deficit, without high wages and with
out fighting unions. If the men want
to save their wages and working con-
ditions, they must fight. The longer
they wait the worse for them. A
strike may break out at any time. 1t
may not come till the end of the year,
or it may be postponed till the govern
ment has succeeded in demoralizing
and breaking the rail unions. But
one thing is sure-it is strike or des-
truction."
If the rail unions go down the most
powerful group of unions independent
of the government will have been des-
troyed and the wage lever of the en-
tire working class lowered If they
win out of their victory will grow
national federation of independent
unions, and, thanks to the role of the
Communist Party enjoying the con-
fdence of the entire militant work
ing class.
Such are the stakes. The issue is
difficult to predict. But the fight must
be fought.