The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-15
ACTION NEEDED TO
SAVE COLORADO
MINE WORKERS
Miners Ready for Revolt
Against ''Runp"
BY HARRY kLETZKY.
TIT

The situation that exists in Colo
RADIO, principally that of the "Rocke-
Teller Plan for Industrial Democracy"
the first company union, is challenge
to the American Federation of Labor
as we'll as to the United Mine Work
ers.
II the company union disease" is
to be cured In the United States, it
must be cured first in Colorado. The
policy Of ''watchful waiting" in Colo
RADIO has been carried out for IL years.
The time has come for the offensive.
The Colorado coal miners themselves
are beginning to demand It; 1t Is time
that the entire labor movement look
to the "cancerous growth" which re-
ceived IT'S birth in this state.
Effort Needed.
If the A. F. of L. is sincere in It's
fight on the company union, then no
amount of effort or money should be
spared to wipe 1t out in Colorado.
Circumstances could not be more pro-
pitious. Twelve years of the plan have
revealed to the workers themselves
the inherent weakness, the sickening
fairness, the discouraging futility of
maintaining such a program.
With the miners realizing the fail
ure Of the company union in Colorado,
the principal foundation of the plan
has been torn down. AS long as the
miners themselves were debating the
plans merits, undecided as to it's real
benefits and disadvantages, the trade
union organizer was handicapped. But
today that is changed The workers
art ready. Why is not the A. F. Of
L. or the U. NJ. w?
Strong Argument.
In the failure of the Rockefeller
plan, and it is a failure, the labor
movement has its strongest argument
against the company union. To de-
stroy 1t all together, and again. help
the Colorado miners back to unionism,
would strike blow at the entire
company union movement which
would be staggering. For Colorado is
the foundation of that movement.
The entire state of Colorado is rap
idly slipping into the ranks of the
open shop" state. Nothing could
bring it back more quickly and more
certainly, than a victorious attack on
the c. F. and l. plan. For the c. F. and
l., controlling the largest industries in
the state, has given shelter and back
bone" to every other open shop move
ment The forming of the company
union on the Denver street car sys-
tenn. the largest in the state, is an ex-
ample of how the c. F. and l. plan
has eaten itself into other industries
of Colorado.
Whole state Doubtful.
Colorado labor must remain dwarf
ed as long as company unionism ex-
lists in the mine camps and steel mills
OF Colorado. The mere existence Of
the C. F. and I. plan in the state is
communicating to the spirit Of the
Colorado workers. The acceptance by
30 many of the unions in the state of
the Industrial commission" altho the
commission has been officially de-
nounced repeatedly by state fedora
ton Of labor conventions, illustrates
how many branches of labor in the
state are now asking" for what they
want, instead of demanding" The
former militancy of Colorado labor is
in great danger of giving away to
umbleness"
Colorado labor and especially the
Colorado miner, can be saved for the
labor movement of the United States,
But 1t cannot be saved by continue
ton OF "watchful waiting" policy.
Action is demanded. Concentrated,
fearless action. The time Is near now.
Is the A. F. of L. and the U. NJ. w.
ready 70 atrika7