The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-03

Current Events
BY 7. J. o'FLAHERTY

THE eighty women who ware SEN
i fenced to jail for picketing, as a,
result Of a decision of the Illinois
appellate court will not find much con-
ISOLATION in the wonderful victory"
won by the labor bureucrats when
their friends" in the Illinois legisla-
ture put over the anti-injunction bill.
Everything was running along nicely
until a certain judge found the law
was unconstitutional and after that
things began to run just as usual. In
other words picketing became as il
legal as ever.
THE reactionary labor leaders at the
4 head of the Chicago Federation of
Labor thot they had good laugh on
the Communists and other radicals
who favored the organization of a la
Dor party that would bring the work
ers together under a class banner to
fight for their interests. Here was a
justification of the non-partisan policy
Of the American Federation of Labor
Reward your friends and punish your
enemies" This was the slogan of
Gompers. It is also the slogan of Will
liam Green his worthy disciple and
equally loyal servant of capitalism.
THE decision that picketing is lille
1 gal may not cause the labor
bureaucrats to change their minds as
to the need for labor party. 1t is
not at all likely that it will. But the
eighty women may do some thinking.
Not that labor party is an infallible
cure for the ills that afflict the work
ing class. 1t is a step in the right
direction. 1t is important, because for
one reason, it gets the workers acting
together in political party against
their class enemies. And furthermore
they will learn by experience that
nothing short of the complete over
throw of the capitalist system can
bring them relief.
THERE are conflicting rumors re-
4 garding the decisions Of the Turk
ish government in relation to the dis
pute with the British over the Mosul
oil territory. Some days the Turks
are going to fight; again they are nor.
What they may do finally will depend
on the support they may be able to
muster 1t is very significant that a
few days after the league of nations
handed the oil over to Britain, Soviet
Russia and Turkey signed treaty
with each other.
ONLY a few weeks ago, so-called
~ liberal papers, including the New
York Nation, swallowed hook, line and
sinker, yarn to the effect that Rus
STA and Italy signed a treaty of the
old type. Russia was supposed to
have agreed to look with favor on
Italy's designs on Turkey in return
for similar favors on Itaiys party. The
thing was an obvious fabrication, yet
the alleged friends of the Soviet gov.
eminent had no hesitation in accept.
mig it as fact. Scratch pacifist
and you will find counter-revolution
ist
THE December 5, issue of the New
Leader, contains an article from
the pen of DR.. Norman Thomas, ex
pressing the conviction that a united
front with the Communists on certain
issues would be possible for the so
cialist party. So the hated phrase
"united front" is at last coming into
its own It is not necessary to prove
that the willingness of the socialists
to stand on the same platform with
the Communists is not motivated by
any good intentions towards the lat
ter. The new policy can very likely
be attributed to the growing and wei
founded conviction that the socialist
party found itself nearing isolation
from the masses in its last strong
hold: the needle trades, and is adopt
ing this ruse in an effort to get some
pink paint on it's old bones.
THE socialist party--iaughed itsel
4 almost to death at the Commun
list slogan of the united front. No
once or twice but scores Of times che
Communists called on the socialists
70 unite with them in a fight for Ger
tain immediate issues like recognition
OF Soviet Russia; labor party; re
lease Of class war prisoners and Sc
forth. But they were turned dowr
cold. OF course we remember the
story Of the Greeks bearing gifts bu
II the socialists want united front
the Communists are more than will
ling to stand shoulder to shoulder will
them, provided they go to bat with Tho
common enemy. That is the test o.
their eincerifv