The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-04-04
Correspondence Between
Amsterdam and Moscow.

hostility, we may take the meeting OF
the third congress Of the Information
al Federation Of Trade Unions held at
Vienna in the first week Of June, 1924.
1t is true, that Ito quote the otticial
/. F. Il. U. report) I'm the period
under review (1922-1924) the Red
Trade Union international has repeat
eddy approached the international
Federation Of Trade Unions with the
request that the two internationals
should cooperate and form a united
front" But to enter into recital
Of these past negotiations would take
us too far from the present issues,
and we may therefore start as from
last June.
The matter arose in this way. The
report Of activities, 1922-1924, gave an
account Of relations between the Red
international Of Labor. Unions, and
the International Federation Of Trade
Unions, in the course of which was
quoted a letter from M. Tomsky, pres
ident of the Russian Federation OF
Trade Unions, of February Z, 1924,
which contained the operative words:
What does interest US is the com
mon action Of the trade unions OF
all ordinations against our class
enemies. We are prepared to meet
your representatives when and
where YOU choose for the purpose
of serious discussion Of the common
struggle to be founght against the
capitalist offensive.
The concluding comment Of the In
ternational Federation Of Trade I'M
ions report was:
As will be seen from the survey,
the method and tone of the Russian
reply has for the moment put an
end to this correspondence, and has
again considerably reduced the
prospects Of inaueurating practical
discussions. There Is no object in
the International Federation of
Trade Unions taking any further
steps 80 long as it has only replies
Of this kind to expect.
To this at once Mr.. Fred Bramley
took exception in the name of the
British delegation, and proposed that
negotiations with the Russian unions
be continued. This was supported
by Edo Fimmen international Trans
port Workers Federation). The Ger
man and other, delegates were violent
ly opposed. Eventually, to meet the
wishes Of the British, a resolution was
carried, Of which the following is the
last clause: 80
The conferences recommends the
bureau to continue consultations, in
50 far as this is compatible with the
dignity Of the international Fedora
tlon Of Trade Unions, with the OBJ
ject Of securing the inclusion Of
Russia in the international trade
union movement thru the necessary
acceptance Of the Federation rules
and conditions. 'Y-~sss ~
This resolution was despatched
from Amsterdam in letter dated
July Is, in reply to which letter
was sent from the sAllLRussian Cen
trail Council Of Labor Unions by its
chairman, Tomsky, on the 26. The
latter part of this reply runs as fol-
lows:
We think that il is just the con-
dItions of unity which must form
the subject Of our negotiations, and
that to put forth as a preliminary
condition our acceptance of the con-
stItution and the rules Of your in
ternatlonal, as you do, is contrary
to the character of the coming ne
gotiations and to the aims of unity.
II, you, comrades, consider your
self formally bound by the resolu-
ton Of the Vienna congress, we,
the Russian unions, being a section
Of the Red international Of Labor
Unions, are equally obliged to carry
out the decisions of our Al-Russian
Trade Union Congresses and the
congresses Of the Red international
Of Labor Unions. In accordance
with tnis, and desiring to find the
common ground for negotiations,
which In our opinion will undoubt-
ly lead to a better mutual under
standing and to closer coming to-
sether Of the two parts of the now
divided International trade union
movement, we take as our starting
point the idea that In our negotla-
tons we should discuss the deol-
sions Of both lnternatIonals on the
basis Of equality and mutual atten-
ton.
Putting the cause Of unity Of the
international labor union movement
above any formal consideration, and
thinking that II would undoubtedly
be benefited in consequences Of our
meeting and buslnessIlke negotla-
lions, we are OF the opinion that II
would be more right and Just II we
were to meet without any prellm-
mary conditions on either side.
With revolutionary greetings,
For the All-Russlan Central coun-
ell OF Trade Unions.