The daily worker., 1926-12-19
Trade Union Reaction Calls on
Bosses and Bankers for AID

fascist character OF the drive against militant
rank and file in the New York section of the international
Ladies' Garment Workers. Union, to which called
attention before is made clearer than by the most
cent statement Of President sgman made Wednesday, Dec
rs. He says
we will get the support NOT ONLY OF LABOR
But. OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE IN OUR
FIGHT TO GET RID OF THIS UNDESIRABLE ELE-
MENT WHICH HAS COME INTO PROMINENCE WITH
THE COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP IN OUR UNION"
Emphasis ours)
In the first place this undesirable element" consists
OF the great majority of the membership of the New York
local unions which last year defeated the supporters of the
Sgman machine in election held in accord with rules
of the union.
In the second place. "the community at large" to whom
signan appealing aid war on the membership
consists of bankers Bosses police judges businessmen and
the underworld.
other words President sigman has taken the ques
ton OF trade union policy and leadership out of the Inter
national Ladies' Garment Workers Union and is inviting
enemies of labor to back him and his policies against the
membership which has epudated him and his program by
the regular trade union procedure.
President sgman, in calling for united front of all
classes OF society to make upon union and
strike Is voicing the policy of trade union ocaIdom in
general has been expressed already in concrete form by
the clubbing of striking coakmakers by right wing gang
and police by the resolution of the New York Bar
Association Withdrawing legal aid to arrested strikers by
editorials in the New York Times Iaudng the Sgmantes
and denouncng the Communists and the left wing by the
expressions of confidence the right wing leadership made
by the cloak manufacturers by the attempts of the Sgman
machine in cooperation with Morris Hquit socialist party
boss, to settle with the governors commission the
heads OF the membership and by the New Leader official
organ of the party, when said editoraIly on
December II, In speaking of the Communists, that
ALL OTHER POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS
STOOD TOGETHER against this exotic menace
The questions which Sgman and all other leaders of
reaction in the labor movement must answer are
~ How are you able to assure your followers that in
struggle against the membership organized around the
Communists and the left wing, YOU WILL GET THE SUP
PORT "oF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? @t,>
~ WHY, you intend to fight for the interests of
the union and the workers better than the Communists and
left wing do you claim you will after you have crushed
all opposition to your program, DO YOU GET THE SUP
PORT OF THE CAPITALISTS, THEIR PRESS AND THEIR
AGENTS?
There is but to these questions 1t is that
the official trade union leadership has made deal with the
bosses OfcaIdom its jobs and the power and pre-
requisites that go with hem The bosses unions
troled by leadership friendly the bossesa reasonable
leadership"
This is the basis of the conspiracy against fighting
unonm which must be exposed and defeated-as it will be
when the of workingmen and in America
derstand its sinister purpose.