The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-08
(Continued from PAGE y

AAChtA0hCQ dCllOns AhO AA1JSAANS -
agreements signed in our industry
contained a provision relating to the
right OF every worker In our industry
to celebrate this day by cessation OF
work; and
whereas, in some localities agree
ments exist that do not provide for
the right of the worker to stop from
work on the First of May; be it there
fore
Resolved, That the 18th biennial
convention of the l. L. G. w. U. in
gstructs the incoming general execu-
tive board to see to it that in all fu-
ture agreements which are about to
be signed with our employers, pro-
vision be incorporated, giving each
worker the right to stop from work
on the First of May"
After this substitute resolution,
which was adopted at the convention
unanimously, President Schlesinger
delivered a short talk, in which he
said that the introduction of this reso-
luton was not justified. Il want to
say" said President Schlesinger, that
our organization was the first one in
the needle industries that has done
what you are referring to. 1t seems
to me that you are not familiar with
the workings Of your own lnterna-
tional. Second. you say that the In
Union has not as yet made the First
of May holiday, thus compelling our
members to work on that day. l don't
think it is fair to say the International
is or will be compelling it's members
to work on the First of May. On the
contrary, in most of the agreements
that have been made between the In
ternational and individual manufac-
turers or with associations, there is a
provision which definately states that
being absent from work on the First
of May does not mean a violation of
the agreement. The International has
been the first organization, l venture
to say, of all other organizations in
the country, to insist upon the en-
ployers that stopping work on that
day shall not be considered any viola
ton of our agreement"
All Of which certainly proves that
the First Of May was recognized as a
labor holiday, even previous to the
convention of 1920, and that we have
always urged our workers to stop on
that day, and that we have held meet
ings and celebrations on that particu-
lar day.
OIgin A Usual Speaker for !. 1. G. W..
It is also not true that it is the first
time that a speaker of the Party that
Mr.. Olgin belongs to, was invited to
address such gatherings. l have said
during the course of this hearing and
say 1t now, that Olgin spoke for
years and years, not only for Locals
No. and 2, but for the International
itself, and has lectured for them for
number of years, and we also want
to state that the convention of the In
ternational has permitted to speak
such well-known Communists as Mr..
Ferguson, who was at that time the
ecretary-treasurer; Mr.. Ruthenberg,
whose speech l am going to read to
you, which he delivered at the con-
vention of the International.
Achlesinger Aided Communist Speeches
( On page 121, President Schlesinger
introduced Mr.. Ferguson, the treas
urer Of the Communist Party, and he
made an appeal for funds on behalf
of the deportees, in order to supply
them with legal aid. 1t was moved
and carried that the appeal Of Mr..
Ferguson be laid before the Commit
tee on Resolutions. You will find this
on page 3S in the convention minutes
Of 1922. Charles E. Ruthenberg, who
is an eminent Communist and one of
their foremost leaders, and was kaown
as such at that time, was introduced
by President Schlesinger at the 1922
convention. You will find it on page
108 of the convention minutes. Mr..
Ruthenberg spoke as follows:
Ruthenberg's Speech to |. L. c. w.
in 1922
II come to you to present program
of unity, of solidarity in the struggle
of the workers against the capitalist
aggression. speak to you as a Com
munist, as one who accepts the lead
ership of the Communist International.
1t has remained for the Communist
International to offer that program to
the workers of the world which will
bring about a united front. We hope
that your organization will make the
necessary advances which will bring
into existence, in the near future, an
organization covering all the needle
trades so that the industry will stand
as one. My parting wish is that these
deliberations will solidify the labor
organizations of this country, so that
he entire working class may meet
md bring the day when they will ad-
Minister and take over the industries
II the world, and conduct them for
he workers OF the world" (Applause).
All the delegates applauded the re-
marks made by Mr.. Ruthenberg.
want also TO quote to you some Of
he speeches that were delivered at