The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-23


which have proved so advantageous
to the white mechanics of the north.
Let them threfore eschew all schemes
of chimerical character, 49,. and
act upon the principle that their true
friends alone can be found in the
ranks of labor, and their safest coun-
sellers in those whose interests are
identified with their own. :"
The fear that an attempt would be
made to capture the convention for
the republican party and to use race
hatred to stihe the dawning conscious
ness of common class interests with
the white workers, proved to be only
too well founded. Samuel P. Cum
mings, member Of the National La
Dor Union, who attended the sessions,
gives an excellent account of the
process.
"The convention of colored men at
Washington last week was in some
respects" he writes, "the most re-
markable one we ever attended. We
had always had full faith in the capa-
city OF the Negro for self-improve-
ment, but were not prepared to see,
fresh from slavery a body Of two
hundred men so thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with public affairs, so independ-
ent in spirit, and so anxious apparent
ly to improve their social condition as
the men who represented the south in
that convention.
1.-THE convention was called to order
by Myers, of Baltimore, and Geo. T.
Downing, Of Rhode Island, was chosen
temporary chairman; and upon as
Stunning his position Mr.. Downing
made one Of the best speeches on
the labor question we ever heard. 1t
was gem in its way, and had his
counsels been heard, some unpleasant
things might have been avoided. But
there were few who evidently had
some secret purpose to serve, who
tried to make the convention the
means of carrying it out. Prominent
among these was, Mr.. ]. M. Langston,
the fanioiis coTored lawyer of Ohio,
who evidently aspiring to the leader
ship of his race, and who we hear
has been promised a high position in
the government if he can control the
colored vote of the south, in the in
terest of the republican party. Mr.
Langston certainly possesses ability,
but very little discretion, at least his
course indicated it, for on the first
evening of the convention he took
occasion to insult the white delegates
from Massachusetts, and warned the
delegates to beware of us, intimating
very strongly that we were the ennis
saries of the democratic party, which
was certainly new to us, who have
until this year acted with the repub-
lican party" (They left the latter
party to agitate for a national labor
party.-A. 81.
Upon Sella Martin taking the floor
in answer to Langston's attack, the
latter's supporters tried to prevent
Martin from being heard, but he stood
his ground and spoke in strong con-
domination of Langston's tactics.
"He said forcibly and truthfully,"
continued Cummings, that the inter
ests of the laboring class on this con-
tinent were identical, and that they
should work harmoniously together
for the furtherance Of the cause Of
labor. we are happy to say the
convention finally adopted his views.
Whether their course in forming
an independent National Labor Union
was wise or not, time alone can tell.
IL is useless 10 attempt to cover up
gulf between the two races in this
country, and for time at least they
must seek each to work out q solu-
ton of this labor problem in their
own way. At no very distant date
they will become united, and work In
harmony together, and we who have
never felt the iron as they have must
be slow condemn them because they
do not see as we do on this labor
movement. For ourselves, we should
Gel