The daily worker., 1926-08-17

MTITH the complete copy at hand
w of the statement by william
Green, president of the American
Federation of Labor, ON the strug-
gle now going on in Mexico, 1t be-
comes easier to analyze the docu-
ment and put it in its proper place.
Green, who is also the president
of the Pan-American Federation of
Labor, does not urge a Hands Oft!"
policy. He does not straddle the
issue. He appears openly as the
avowed ally Of American imperial
ism, the bitter opponent of the Mexi-
can workers and peasants in this
latest phase of their age-long strug-
gle to free themselves from the
feudal grip Of the catholic church
and its anti-labor allies.
Green has linked up the religious
bigotry of the catholic elements in
the American Federation of Labor,
that parade as the Knights of
with the imperialist policies espoused
by the labor officialdom in support
Of American capitalism, especially
as it is set forth in their position
on world trade union unity and the
attack on the Red International of
Labor Unions and the Union of
Soviet Republics.
Green's declaration states that,
"h the Mexican Federation of Labor
decided to give its support to the
Mexican government in the enforce
ment of the Mexican constitution
affecting religious matters, the
American Federation of Labor has
no power or authority to interfere
with such decision"
Nevertheless, in the next breath,
Green gives voice to the sentiments
that is on the lips of every ad-
vocate Of Intervention when he de-
clares, "We greatly deplore the
present situation existing in Mex
ico." The next step is, of course, ac-
tive interference.
Green's administration in the A.
F. Of L. tries to completely wash its
hands of the Mexican problem, and
turn its back on the struggle of the
Mexican workers, by presenting this
alibi:
"The American Federation of La
Dor has nothing whatever to do with
the policies pursued by the Mexican
Federation of Labor in its relation
with the Mexican government. We
have no right to interfere in either
the work or the policies of the Mexi-
can Federation of Labor within the
Republic of Mexico"
This is sinister language when the
official record of the A. F. of L. is
considered. The A. F of L., first
under Gompers and now under
Green, helps furnish the capitalist
government at Washington with it's
best basis of attack on the Soviet
Union. 1t was Gompers and his
red-baiting allies who led in the at
tack against the resolution of SEN
ator Borah demanding the recogni-
tion by the United States of the
Soviet Union. 1t was Green, at the
last A. F. Of L. convention at At
lantic City, who led the attack
against Soviet recognition and
world trade union unity, declaring
that the Monroe Doctrine must ap-
ply for American labor as well as
American Imperialism, that the
pernicious doctrines of European la
Dor, especially of Soviet labor, must
not be allowed to cross the Atlantic.
Thus the A. F. of l.. does concern
itself with the internal affairs of la
Dor in other countries.
During the world war, Sam Com
pers turned the full strength of his
Office into support Of the war to pro-
tect Morgan's loans in Europe. He
did his best to keep Europe's work
ers in that war. He deserted the
after-the-war struggle OF American
labor at home to travel to Europe
with President Woodrow Wilson to
lend what service he could in franz
ing peace beneficial to Wall Street,
which would be against the interests
OF European labor as the Dawes
plan has proved to be. This is only
part Of the record Of the American
labor ofiicialdom in interfering
with the internal affairs of other
countries against labor's interests.
With its hands still dripping,
therefore, with the blood OF work
ers slain in the last war, the A. f.
OF L. ofiicialdom now lays down the
same barrage of honeyed phrases in
the Mexican situation that the VII.
son-Gompers combination used to
chloroform labor in the 1914 to 1918
period An active narficinant oo