The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-25
American Army of Labor
Must March Ahead of
Its Backward Leadership
BY J. LOUIS ENcDAHL.

tempts TO point out where all these
military preparations, most of them
originating since the close OF "the
war to end all war;" will benefit one
whit the working class. Aroused la
Dor must answer that every cap
italist military preparation is against
the interests Of the working class.
1t is designed to protect the in
terests Of American greed in the
next war of competing capitalist ma
tions or groups Of nations. 1t is in
tended to safeguard the investments
of American imperialism in those
nations financially subjected to Wall
Street; to maintain dollar rule over
colonial and semi-colonial nations
and also to Cypress the working
class at home.
The resolutions of sympathy for
the peoples of Mexico, Central and
South America and declarations for
the independence of the Philippines,
all solemnly adopted in the conven-
E lions of the American Federation of
Labor, are torn to shreds and their
bogus nature exposed by the glow
ing words of approval that Green
pours out upon the military arm of
the imperialist tyranny that commits
every possible crime against toiling
humanity at home and abroad, I'M
der "The Star Spangled Banner"
President Green was not alone.
He was accompanied by Vice-Presi-
dents Frank Duffy of the carpenters,
James P. Noonan of the electrical
workers, James Wilson of the
moulders, Martin F. Ryan of the
railroad carmen, Daniel ]. Tobin of
the teamsters, and Secretary Frank
Morrison of the printers. The news
story tells us that the party was &C
companied by Peter ]. Brady, head
of one Of the New York labor
banks" who is major in the OFF,
GERS Reserve Corps, while it was
escorted everywhere by two state
troopers assigned to it by Tammany
Halls governor, AL Smith.
1t is, Of course, inconceivable that
this labor offlcialdom that nestles
so comfortably in the palm of Amer
lean imperialism, responding almost
to it's every within, should carry on
a militant campaign in support Of
the British mine strike that chaI-
lenges British imperialism.
But it should be equally incon-
ceivable, however, that American la
Dor, that suffers under the slave
lash of employers greed, should
continue to view calmly this open
determination between their officials
and the uniformed satraps of the
enemy capitalist class.
Right now American labor can
best show its emphatic disapproval
OF the goings on at Plattsburg by
developing tenfold, thru energetic
action in their local unions, the
campaign to provide financial re-
lief for the British strike. The A. f.
of L. executive council has gone
into session establishing staff head
quarters at Montreal, Canada, where
the British miners strike will receive
but slight attention. But the rank
and file of labor is scattered far and
wide over the country. An army has
been known to march ahead of its
leaders before now. The army of
American workers must march
ahead of its officials in the matter
Of British strike relief. Thus labor
will show that it demands the inter
national solidarity of the working
class as against the truce of its
present leadership, that leads to
complete surrender, with the enemy
class at home.