The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-12-18

/ 9eA W. JAobASSs
same time they did not fail to use the
forces Of the government to their own
advantage, thru their control of po-
litical parties. In this way they use
the courts, the police, injunctions,
against the workers as in the great
Broadway strike of the Rector com
pany.
Kalfides also pointed out the dan
gers of recent legislation, finger
printing and the repressive legisla-
ton against foreign-born workers as
another. reason for the immediate
formation of labor party. Delegates
Christian and Obermeier of the Hotel
Workers Union, Folders and Rosen-
berger of Bakers Local No. 164 ably
supported the resolution for a labor
party. GeneralSecretary Burkhardt,
who is a recognized leader of the
Lore forces at the convention took no
part in the discussion, even tho he
was pressed to state his views.
For World Unity.
The convention also went on record
for world trade union unity, but refer
red the matter of sending a trade
union delegation to Soviet Russia to
the various locals to pass upon. The
resolution for world trade union
unity was not accepted without a
struggle, for the majority of the reso-
lutions committee consisting of Lore
sympathizers had voted it down by "a
majority vote of four to one. But
upon the minority report Of Delegate
Kalfedis, demanding that the resolu-
ton be accepted, the ranks Of the
Lore delegates were broken by Gen
eral Secretary Burkhardt, who spoke
for the adoption of the resolution
sensing the serious blot that would be
placed upon the organization if the
resolution were not accepted. The
majority of the resolutions committee
then withdrew their recommendation.
and the proposal made by Delegate
Kalfedis was carried.
Had Kalfedis not taken up this
fight, there is no question but that
the resolution would have been
showed under. A considerable part
Of the convention was devoted to a
discussion of the Free Voice, official
organ of the union. The paper was
severely criticized for it's failure to
carry organization material and sug-
gestions for building up the Amalga,
mated Food Workers and for develop
ing spirit of solidarity and activity
in the organization. 1t was pointed
out of the left wing delegates that
the paper simply reprinted clippings
from the capitalist press and from
other workers papers.
Turnout the convention the left
wing forces we're led by Delegate
Obermeier, who stressed particularly
the infficiency and the lack of activ-
ity on the part of the present admin
istration in all phases of its work.
Resolutions were carried for recogni-
ton of Soviet Russia, the release of
Sacco and Vanzetti, and for the or
ganization of the cafeteria and lunch
room workers. Resolutions were also
carried against the policy of class col
liberation, and for the amalgamation
OF all the food workers unions into
one powerful union in the foor in.
dustry.
Recommendations for carrying the
amalgamation resolutions into effect
were deferred until a later session
next Sunday.
Another struggle during the con-
vention was around the question of
the composition Of the incoming
executive board. Delegate Ober-
meier proposed that each section of
the industry be represented by three
delegates on central executive
committee OF nine selected from the
general board of 26. Under the
former procedure of the Amalgamated
Food Workers concerned itself little
with the broad problems of the entire
Industry. In the discussion, 1t was
brot out that the new form of COM
mittee would be Of great advantage
in organizing the unorganized. and
handling the problems of all sections
Of the food industry. A resolution was
passed taxing each member 81 year
which money should be spent as fol-
lows: Sixty per cent for the purpose
OF organizing the unorganized, 40 per
cent for educational purposes. The
next session of the convention will be
held on Sunday, Dec. 20.