The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-05-15
A. c. v. TURNS
DOWN AMNESTY
FOR EXPELLED
First Convention Battle
Over Resolution
BY JACK TOMBSTONE.
Special Wire to Daily Worker.l

between left and right came in the
Amaleamated Clothing Workers con-
ventlon this afternoon when Abraham
Beckerman Of the New York organi-
zatlon reported unfaVorably for the
resolutions committee on a resolution
calling for amnesty for expelled and
suspended members.
Beckerman said: "The committee
has no knowledge of any members
who have been expelled for opposing
the policies of the amalgamated ad-
ministration nor have we any knowl-
edge of any member being punished
for political reasons. Any member
who has been expelled, suspended,
fined or in any other way punished
by his local organization has recourse
in the provisions of the constitution
permitting him to appeal to higher
bodies and to the convention itself.
The committee therefore recommends
non-concurrence."
Minority Report
| Delegate Plato of Rochester sub
mitted a verbal minority report. He
stated that to deny amnesty was to
deny citizenship within the ANAL
gamated and that, rather, there
should be united forces and a fight
against the common enemy. Shulman
of Montreal stated that he could not
reconcile the committees denial of
persecution with the fact that even in
the officers reports cases of punish
ment for political opinions were men
toned. Shulman said that those ex-
PEELED had helped to build the organi-
cation from the beginning. He was
about to mention names when Hill
man, the chair, ruled him out of
order.
Levin of Chicago.
Manager Levin of the Chicago joint
board said that in Chicago seventeen
had been suspended and that sixteen
had been reinstated and only one ex-
PEELED. He created the impression
that there were only four members
suspended in the whole country.
Peters of Rochester said that the 40
cusation of committing crimes against
and disrupting the organization was
the same method used by the capital
list government against working-class
prisoners.
How the Cutters Do It.
Rumillio and Lizzo, both of Roches-
tier, also spoke for amnesty, pointing
Tout that explosions took place solely
on the ground of opposition to local
and national administration. Numzer
lof New York frankly admitted that if
the matter were left to the cutters, a
great many more would be thrown out
Of the organization than there had
been.
No Good Anyhow.
Beckerman said that even if the
convention passed the amnesty resolu-
lions none would be reinstated any
way, because it would be left to the
officers to interpret what was politi-
cal crime. He said that the opposition
had issued leaflet advocating no pay
ment of dues.
N. Y. Still "Sick Man."
Plato summed up for the minority
report. He said that New York was
still the "sick man" of the organiza-
ton. He said the door should be left
open and criticism invited. The proper
medicine, he stated, was to grant
amnesty. All the opposition members
had done was to try to correct mis-
takes and point the way in which the
Organization should go.
Roll Call Overruled.
Plato demanded a roll call and was
overruled by Hillman on the ground
| that the rules committee had made
no provision for it. Hillman closed
J the debate on the amnesty resolution
with a demagogic speech for tolerance,
but at the same time said that the
resolution asked the convention to
abolish the constitution. The case. he
said, was not worth two minutes time
of the convention, but that this was
the time to call to the attention Of
other organizations to what game was
being played. He twisted the meaning
Of the resolution, stating that 1t would
give amnesty to the detective, Kru-
pinsky,. who had been expelled as a
spy.
Fifty Against.
About fifty delegates voted against,
the majority report of the committee
A Rochester delegate again got the
floor to ask for roll call and was
again overruled by Hillman.
James Simpson, vice-president of
the Canadian Trade Union Congress,
spoke on the British miners strike
and urged that American labor organ
ize a labor party. He said that in To
ronto the Central Trades Council, the
Labor Party, the Communists and so
cialists all worked together He
praised the Amalgamated for its pol.
icy Of not trying to exterminate those
who disagree with the administration
politically.
That worker next door to you
may not have anything to do to
4 L. 4.