The daily worker., 1926-05-13

ganation and other progressive meas
ITO the officers and members of the
Journeymen Tailors' Union Of Ameri-
ca:
Brothers:
II accept the nomination as candi-
date for general secretary-treasurer of
the Journeymen Tailors' Union of
America and wish to bring forth the
principles and policies hold, and, If
elected. hope to achieve with the sup
port Of the membership of our organ
ization.
Organization.
The membership of our organiza-
ton has dropped considerably in the
last two years. This is an indictment
OF the present policy of organization
work. l stand for the district plan of
organization, viz, to give each or
ganizer, within a given territory
charge of the work. He can arrange
the various local meetings and attend
them without conflict of dates. 1t
would give the locals an opportunity of
having an organizer oftener and at
less expense to the general office.
81 would encourage the maintenance
of business agents in most cities;
consider 1t the duty and function of
the general secretary, personally, to
be out on the road--to be in touch with
the organizers and help them with
their work. 1t is the duty Of the gen.
eral secretary to try, always to be in
cities before strikes are declared and
to assist and direct during the strikes.
The general organizers in the service
of our organization must be competent
to address meetings-they must be
well versed in the history of the labor
movement and its antecedents.
Organizing the Unorganized.
Meetings must be held all over the
country and campaign of education
be carried on to emphasize the neces-
sity of organization, not only must the
highest class trade be organized, but
ALL custom tailors and the men and
women engaged in producing must be
urged to join our organization. All ef-
fort and energy must be devoted to
organizing our trade.
Weekly Work.
"There must be continual education
to bring the membership to a realiza-
ton of the fact that the weekly work
is the only safeguard of their common
interest and will give them more leis-
ure, this being the only time that the
workers actually live. Many locals
have made great effort to achieve the
weekly work and some of them fought
bitterly to maintain dt-how much
easier 1t would be to bring about the
weekly work If all the locals were ed
ucated to the value of it and we're in
duced to fight for it. This is great
task before us and again brings us to
the necessity Of organizing the unor-
ganized.
Amalgamatlon.
"A conference of the needle trades
unions must be held for the purpose of
amalgamation. This should be brought
about by conference to arrange for
a general convention with proportion
al presentation from all locals. Func-
tioning committees should be appoint
ed to work out plans for the Offices,
per capita, sick benefits, etc. There
should be one national Office which
should be departmentalized Until
such amalgamation is achieved, there
should be an exchange OF cards. There
should be a fixed initiation fee-the
practice of having different initiation
fees in the unions in the clothing in
dustry should be abolished.
Convention.
"There shall be an immediate call
for convention. The membership has
been frightened away from a conven-
tion by the declaration that conven-
tion would mean an extra tax. There
has been no convention since 1921.
No organization can remain healthy
in spirit and awaken the membership
TO greater activities and to an ambi-
tion TO build and strengthen the ranks
unless It calls the locals together to
shape policies, energize the organiza-
tion and give It the stimulation that
personal contact alone can afford.
The "Tallor."
"The Tailor must be edited in a
progressive spirit. expressive OF the
ideas and aims OF the working class.
The articles written by members or
sent IN by locals must be printed with