The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-07-09
BY william, =. DUNE.

Labor had decided at its Cincinnati
meeting to issue call to all affiliated
unions for financial aid for the Brit
ish coal strikers is of great impor-
lance for the American and world la
Dor movement.
1t is the first time that such an ac-
ton has been taken in support OF a
strike in another nation. AS matter
of fact, it has been with the greatest
reluctance that similar appeals have
been issued for support Of strikes of
American workers by the A. F. of L.
executive council
THE action is the more significant
4 when we recall that the British
coal strike is a continuation of the
general strike and that the struggle
is plainly one between the British
trade union movement and the govern
ment, and still further struggle be-
tween the right and left wings of the
British labor movement.
1t would be a gross exaggeration
to conclude that the appeal for aid for
strike which has decisive implica-
tons for British capitalism means that
the American Federation of Labor is
developing strong left tendencies, new
ertheless it is evidence of ferment
taking place in the ranks of the Amer
lean trade union movement, the causes
Of which can be sketched only in the
broadcast outlines at this time.
THE departure of the A. F. Of l.. ex-
4 ecutive council from it's traditional
policy of "non-interference" with work
ing-class struggles in other nations
amounting at times to either passive
or active hostility-is the product of
number of factors, few of them de
cisive, but the most of them of a
contributory secondary character
having, however a strong cumulative
effect.
Some of these factors are:
I. The bankruptcy of the Lewis
policy in the United Mine Workers
of America, the largest union in the
| A. r. of L.
a. The Lewis machine has now
only an apparatus" control of this
once powerful union. The Lewis
machine, because it has brought the
union to the verge of ruin, will be
defeated by progressive bloc If
the leading strata of these elements
have the courage to challenge Lewis,
conduct an energetic campaign, take
up the task of rescuing the union
from the coal operators and build
ing up its power by militant or
ganization drive in the non-union
fields.
THE United Mine Workers have al
L ready sent out a call for relief for
the British coal miners to their local
unions. Many of the leading local and
district officials are Scotch, Irish and
| Welsh by birth or descent, the for
eign language blocs-Slavs and Ital-
ians-in the union are the most class
| conscious of the American working
class, and these factors, coupled with
the obvious need for a similar struggle
by their own union, have resulted in
tremendous sympathy for and interest
in the British strike in the ranks of
the U. M. w. of A.
DRESIDENT LEWIS, faced with
what he admits is the hardest
struggle of his career in the next cleo
ton, is willing to make a gesture of
this kind.
Green, former secretary-treasurer OF
the U. NJ. w. of A., must appear at
least as energetic as Lewis in aiding
the British miners if he wants to re-
tain base in his union
2. General dissatisfaction with
the ultra-reactionary character OF
the Coolidge administration, more
marked among the farmers, but also
having a powerful effect on the
trade unions even in this period of
relatively stable employment, and
setting in motion Ieftward current
which finds expression in such &C.
tons as support of the British min
ers.
a. II Is probable also that the
sharpening of the struggle between
British and American imperialism,
marked recently by the controversy
over British rubber concessions in the
Panama canal area and the clear diff
ference in policy between Britain and
America in China, coupled with the
fact that large coal orders from Brit.
ain are being received here by non.
union mines, has tended to neutralize
the attitude of the American govern
ment towards support of the British
strike by the A. +. OF L.
The ofiicialdom, always in close
touch with the government agencies.
has been able to see that no official
resistance to such policy would be
forthcoming.
3. The worldwide sweep OF the
great struggle in Britain has forced
the A. 2. Of L. executive council to
break with its policy Of friendly re-
latlons only with those unions
which accept and welcome the
Dawes plan.
The British coal miners union
was the first to protest the conse-