The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-13

Of 1923.
"The result Of our last communities
ton, as well as all the previous ones,
was only a sharp rebuff, the further
intensitication of the mutual polemic,
leaving the question of the interna-
tional unity of the revolutionary sea-
men unsolved. We do not want to re.
turn to the past and reopen the pole
mic. We do want, however to raise
before you in its full scope, the most
vital issue Of the international sea-
mems movement, the question Of In
ternational unity.
1.-THE last few years have not wit
messed any victorious action on the
part Of the seamen, who were beaten
and routed in every one of their ef-
forts The fundamental cause of this
is the lack Of unity in the interna-
tfonal movement of the seamen. In.
ternational qualification of the forces
of the seamen in their struggle against
capital is today the most serious,
most pressing task facing the seamen
Of all countries. To this task must
be subordinated all other issues, be-
fore this task all the secondary DIFF
ferences must disappear.
"This is the question we raise be-
fore you. If it is difficult and practic-
ally impossible to come to an under
standing with the seamen's organiza-
lions that have completely or partial
Luz ~ he cfI 80
(Fargette, Havelock Wilson, Julietti),
it is certainly possible and extremely
necessary to establish some sort Of
unity and agreement among the rev.
dictionary seamen. 1t is primarily a
question Of the establishment of an
agreement between the revolutionary
seamens organization grouped around
the I. P. G. and the revolutionary sea-
men organized in the l. w. w.
1.-THE main difficulties which have
stood hitherto in the way Of such an
agreement consisted of the fact that
in the center Of all negotiations stood
the question of the afiliation OF the
/. W. w. to the Red International of
Labor Unions, which the /. w. W. has
refused to do. However, the above
mentioned situation urgently dictates
the establishment Of some sort Of an
agreement. That is why the I. p. C.
of Transport Workers considers it
necessary to urge you to take up the
question of contact and cooperation
between the /. P. C. and your organ
ization.
"That such contact, cooperation and
friendly connections are absolutely in
dispensible, is shown by the follow
ing fact. Lately the organs of Eu-
ropean shipping companies have been
conducting a strenuous campaign on
the question of the so-called "deser-
ton" of the European seamen and on
the work of the |. w. w. The quit
ting of the European vessels at Am
erican seaports by the seamen, which
is due to bad conditions and low pay,
is explained by the l. w. w. agitation,
according to the capitalist press.
And we are now facing the prepar-
alton of crusade against the Europ-
can seamen on the one hand, and
against the |. w. w. on the other, ~
the part of the European shipping in
terests. We have information to the
effect that this question is being Wig
orously discussed among the employ
ers and that hostilities will be opened
after the presidential elections in Ann
erica. In this letter the unification of
our forces, coordination of the activ-
tiles Of our two organizations is a
most practical issue, the solution of
which may be of vital effect in the
struggle of the seamen of all coun-
tries.
"In view of the fact that on Febru-
airy rs, 1925, the bureau of our Inter
national Propaganda Committee Is to
hold conference in Berlin, Germany,
at which will be discussed the work
OF our marine section, we invite you to
send an official representative with
full powers to our conference, for the
purpose Of discussing our relations.
We believe that with an unprejudiced
and unbiased approach to this matter,
- "O0AN OC PCooADAO " dBICG Ou LuE
fundamental questions of our work,
each side retaining the necessary free
dom Of action.
I'VE shall be extremely pleased to
welcome at our conference an author
itative representative of the Marine
Transport Workers Industrial Union
as the representative of a fraternal
organization.
please apply on all questions con-
nected with this proposal to our rep
resentative in the United States, Com
rade Otto Wangerin, Como Boulevard,
st. Paul, Mimi, who is to deliver you
this letter. Fraternally,
"Shachnovsky,
Secretary Of the international
Propaganda Committee Of Revolution
airy Transplant Workers."
Members Of the M. T. W.! Your
officials have concealed from you the
very existence of the above communi-
cation. They have not answered II or