The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-14

JOIlll VI Tie OlSdnlLCQ IhGIS dIH
affiliated with the congress. The dom
mating factor in this body is the Irish
Transport and General Workers
Union.
Hitherto the executive committee of
the congress functioned as the execu-
tive of the Irish Labor Party. There
was no political organization until re-
Gently, when it was decided to reor-
ganize the labor party on the basis Of
Individual membership, with pro-
gram that makes appeal to small farm
ers, small business men and the city
and agricultural proletariat and intel
lectuals.
Active work is now in progress for
the organization of the labor party I'M
der the direction of Archie Heron,
financial secretary of the Transport
Union, who was loaned" to the labor
party by his union for the work
While an invitation is extended to
the left wing clements presume the
Communists are meant-it is rather
left-handed invitation, as the admoni-
ton goes with it that proper political
decorum will be insisted on, and I'M
ldOubtedly the court of etiquette will
be controlled by those who seem to
think that Communists can only be
good when dead or else afflicted with
mental and physical paralysis.
The new development in political
organization of the working class is a
great step forward, even tho it will
inevitably be under the conservative
influence Of Thomas Johnston and his
followers for some time to come. 1t
is the first time in Irish history that
steps have been taken to organize
mass political party representing the
interests of the workers and peasants.
What about the status of the va
rious groupings, political and indus
trial, in the Irish labor movement?
First comes the Transport Union,
siWith $4,000. members and a weekly
publication, the Voice of Labor. The
union has a reputation for militancy
and still retains that reputation. It's
official organ sometimes is more like
a mouthpiece for the labor party than
for the union. 1t lacks a consistent
policy, but is decidedly to the left,
that is, comparatively. Compared to
the official organs of American trade
unions, it is revolutionary. 1t is more
advanced than Advance, organ of the
American Amalgamated Clothing
Workers, and much leaR cynical. The
Transport Union officials, regardless
of their deviations, have spurned the
idea of allowing the union to dabble in
business. They favor cooperative eff
fort, but they have not yet, at least,
descended to the level of excusing bust
ness ventures with the argument that
this is the way to put the capitalists
out Of business, as some labor bank
ers and labor coal operators have
done.
The voice of Labor is friendly to
Soviet Russia and hints that it favors
the organization of a unified trade
union international with the inclusion
of the Russian trade unions. The union
is affiliated with the international
Transport Workers Federation, but
the Irish Trade Union Congress is
neither affiliated with reformist Am
sterdam nor with the revolutionary
Red International of Labor Unions.
At the Derry congress of the 1. T.
u. G. held last year a motion was
made, believe by Archie Heron, that
the congress should affiliate with Am
sterdam in order to be in a position
to assist the British trade unions in
their efforts to bring about a meet
ing between the two internationals
with view towards unity.
Others took the position, O'Brien
among them, that it was by no means
impossible that break between Am
sterdam and the British unions would
take place, the latter possibly with
drawing from the /. f. of T. U. AS
the Irish trade unions never had any
international Affiliations, not even
with the British as has been erron-