The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-06
By WIN. z. FOSTER.

uganda against the Russian Soviet
system in general, take sneering filings
at the Russian trade unions. They
never tire OF scattering ISLANDERS
against these organizations. Typi-
cally, a resolution adopted at the re-
cent convention of the A. F. Of L. re-
ferred to the ''so-called trade union
movement Of Soviet Russia" Yet
even the most cursory glance at the
Russian unions shows that they are
miles ahead of the reactionary A. r.
Of L. unions in every essential re-
spect. Let us make a brief compare
son Of the Russian and American
unions. And in this comparison the
odium rests chiefly upon the trade
union bureaucrats. They are ultra
reactionary and color the whole move
ment with their reactionary spirit.
They maintain their positions of con-
troll mostly by force against a rank
and file which wants to bring the
unions to higher state OF develop
ment.
Social Point of View.
In the matter of their analysis of
society and their estimation of the
goal Of the workers, the Russian
unions completely outdistance the
American. They have long since
broken entirely with capitalism and
capitalist conceptions. Their goal is
the building of new society con-
trolled by the workers. They atm at
the destruction of Imperialism and the
establishment of world rulership OF
the world proletariat. They are revo-
lutionary thru and thru.
On the other hand, the American
trade unions are still welded to the
capitalist system. They are per
meated with the, capitalist theology.
They are nationalistic, imperialistic,
and the most reactionary unions in
the world. Their foreign policy is al
most identical with that of the CAPT
talist class They do not aim to abol-
ish the capitalist system, but to sub
ordinate themselves to it Their Of
fetal programs hardly rise even to
what might be called reformism. Their
aim is collaboration with the employ
ers and the sacrifice of the workers
interests. The new forms of class col
liberation developing in the Ameri-
can labor movement, such as the B.
G. o. plan, trade union capitalism, ETC.,
are menace not only to the workers
of this country, but to those of the
whole world.
leadership
A comparison of the Russian and
American trade union leaders is very
much to the latters detriment. In no
country is there such low grade of
trade union leadership as in the
United States. The upper strata of
leaders are capitalistic. not only in
theology but often in the fact Of their
owning substantial fortunes. Many of
them are grafters, and the overwhelm-
ing mass of them are totally unac-
Quainted with the first rudiments of a
working class understanding. There
is a steady procession Of them into
the ranks of the employers, the case Of
Harrington being typical Berry, the
breaker leader of the pressmen,
is a hero among the buPeaucrats.
Their fabulous salaries are a disgrace
and menace to the movement.
Compare this body Of materialisdc
self-seekers to the Russian trade union
leadership. All OF the latter are Marx
ian revolutionists and veterans OF In
Vulnerable struggles. Most Of them
have long Jail records won thru their
fights against the exploiters. Tomsky
is a real proletarian leader; Green is
a petty bourgeois follower OF capital
ism. And the comparison of the whole
body of the Russian leadership with
that of the American unions amounts
to about the same.
Union Structure and Size.
The American trade unions, notwith-
standing the fact that they have to
fight the best organized, richest, and