The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-28
TRAIL OF STRIKE BREAKING LABOR LEADERS RUNS
FROM NEEDLE TRADES TO TRACTION

been done. 1t remained only to make
sure that no traction worker would
leave the hall with a spark of rebel
lion left in his breast.
For this purpose the secondary bat
terry of speakers was sent into ac-,
ton. The appearance of Walsh and
the reception given him, concrete
evidence that the workers had not
forgotten the bitter struggle of last
year, stirred them to frenzy.
The tone of the speeches changed.
They lost their apologize tone and
became attacks on the "hotheads.
Hotheads, of course, were workers
like Walsh who wanted something
more than secondhand assurance
of Justice" and speeches eulogizing
Mayor Walker. keep the hotheads
in the background and the cool heads
in the foreground" said representa-
tive of the moving picture operators
union.
Skilled Strikebreaking.
THE mayors word is better than
any agreement" said another speak
er. Don't we trust orr mayor?"
TITS easy to get men to strike but
It's harder to get them back on the
job" said another. Look out for
the man that's always talking strike.
These are the kind of men that ruin
organizations"
The barrage had its effect. There
was no sign that the audience wanted
to repudiate Walsh, but these speech
es convinced the workers that these
leaders did not want to fight. Lead
erless, confronted with the full
weight of the city administration.
they sat silent.
The Big Issue.
But one question, asked by slen-
der young worker, gave a clear in
sight into what was going on in their
minds:
DO we have to keep on belonging
to the company brotherhood? he
asked.
Shea replied, brutally and cynic-
ally: 1--WE have agreed not to dis
eliminate against the company union
and | guess you men will have to
keep on belonging to it."
The young traction worker sat
down. There was perfect silence for
full minute. Shea's statement,
probably the only truthful one made
from the platform Tuesday evening,
had shattered the whole fabric of
Jictory secured by surrender.
The meeting adjourned amid cheers
whose lack of spontaneity was pain
fully apparent, and he popping of
flashlights as the ca 'ersmen took
final pictures Of the pr weddings that
marked the end of car 's-Ily staged
campaign in which traction workers
were pawns and the trdcnon barons
and Tammany Hall had tsid the basis
for raise in fares.
The Role of Labor Leaders"
Once more the official labor lead
ers have shown that they will not
lead a genuine struggle of the work.
ers. Once more they have shown
consideration for an factors in a
given situation but the workers.
Once more they have shown that
even their denunciation of company
Inionism is fake-that they are
so much part of the political ma
chinery of the bosses that for work.
ers to trust them is to assure defeat.
What Is to Be Done?
What is the answer?
Rank and file organization based on
shop committees, organization re-
sponsible to the workers, strike COM
mittees elected by the workers who
have to do the fighting, absolute rep
udiation of every labor official who
will not subordinate his personal am
billions to the needs of the workers.
The traction industry can be or
gained but it will never be organ
lied if the workers wait for the
Fraynes, Greens and their kind to
do the job.
They must be considered as enemies
of the workers as their records show
them to be and they must be exposed,
fought and defeated.
With the traction organization
campaign in their hands the traction
bosses are safe.