The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-08
for approval.
Constitution Is pIsregarded

Constitution Is plsregarded
This was absolutely in contradiction
to the constitution of the joint board,
which says all the minutes of the joint
board shall be submitted to the locals
for approval We have challenged
their right to disregard their own con-
stitution. When they had commit
tee or a majority of delegates, they
can very easily afford to overlook the
constitution at such time, as they
did on all other occasions. We have
then refused to carry out their deci-
sion to raise the dues, and we have
challenged the right of the joint board
to the general executive board.
The general executive board answer
ed us that the joint board in their
opinion acted legally, and that they
are helpless to do anything at present,
but they have, promised us that at the
next convention they will recommend
that this part of the constitution
which should be so interpreted, shall
be amended, because they themselves
! did not think at that time that the
constitution will be liable to such in
depreciation, and that even the editor
Of Justice wrote that he did not know
that the constitution gave them such
rights to raise the dues without the
consent of the members.
We contend that the general execut-
i've board could not reverse the deci-
sion of the joint board because they
were faced with an accomplished
fact, the 50c.-dues being in effect, and
! because the leaders of the joint board
are the same as the leaders of the
general executive board of the Inter
national, and they could not very well
speak here for raising the dues and
vote there against it.
Every impartial man that will read
this constitution of the International,
where it says that majority of dele
gates representing majority of locals
can decide the minimum dues to be
paid by different locals, it cannot be
interpreted that this means when the
Joint board has a constitution that
provides that the minutes of the joint
board shall be submitted for the ap-
prevail Of the majority of the locals,
that because the constitution says the
delegates shall have the right to raise
dues that this means they are absolv-
ed from the requirement to submit all
their actions, according to the consti-
tuition Of the joint board, to the ma
jorfty of the locals for approval
therefore contend that this was
an absolute violation of the constitu-
ton Of the joint board, but, neverthe-
less, as law-abiding members, altho
we knew that the leaders are wrong,
we abided by the decision, and we
have charged the so cent dues. But
some of the locals decided that they
shall pay sick benefit for the same so
cents, to give the members some bene-
fit for the greater dues, and Local %,
which had tax for sick benefit pay
nferfts has declared that in the future
It will not levy this extra tax but that
| the members shall receive sick bene-
IL AAOhi TIC ~ CcutS uueS.
We have also as yet not collected
the $3.50 tax levied by the Information
al, and it was specifically stated by
Brother Baroff, the general secretary
treasurer of the International, that
due to the rebellious attitude of the
three locals, Nos. 2, 9, and %, in their
refusal to collect the tax, is respons-
ible for the depleted condition of the
treasury of the International, and
their inability to collect this tax.
Discusses Increase in Dues
Brother Baroff stated that he him
self went to his Local No. %, and the
clerk said the executive board order
ed not to collect this tax, and there
it was decided to bring charges against
Local % as well as the others of the
three locals. The reason that they do
not want to state that these are the
charges is very obvious to everyone.
1t is very easy for them to get public
sympathy, and the sympathy of some
OF the members, by accusing the exc
cutives and officers of the locals with
being Communists even though they
themselves know this is not true,