The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-11


Labor Movement is the result Of notes made in
interview with the Chairman of the All-China Labor
Federation, Sou Cheu-tsen, who is also the new
minister of labor in the Nationalist government, and
with the secretary of the All-China Labor Fedora
ton, III Ii-san.
The Chinese trade union movement dates from
1919. 1t during the great ant-Japanese move
ment, protesting against the "21 points," known
the Fourth of May Movement" This began as a
students movement Some embryonic organiza-
tons of workers had existed previously among the
railway workers on the Picking Mukden line and the
Picking -Hankow line, but had not yet become prop
erly a trade union movement. These embryonic
groups were transformed into trade unions during
1919.
AT the same time in Shanghai there broke out the
strikes of textile workers and lockers, who were in
Japanese employ, 10000 in ALL while in Hongkong
occurred large metal workers strike These were
successful, and impaired great impetus at the La
Dor Movement elsewhere During this time the trade
unions in Kwantung Province made especial prog
ress in Canton alone their number increasing from
20 to 100 during 1919 This year may therefore be
called the real beginning of the Chinese Labor
Movement.
Among the most important influences affecting
were the following:
1.-The Russian revolution which was made
known to the Chinese masses through several weekly
propaganda papers.
2-The rising Chinese Nationalist movement,
which began to absorb masses into its ranks.
seamen's union was organized at that time by the
Ku0mintang; there existed the Social Republican
party and also many anarchist groups The political
ctr in mt
S-The workers had lived through several insur-
rections which had failed from these the lesson of
the necessity of strong centralized organization had
penetrated large
Reorganization of the Chinese Communist
Party, which furnished central direction for the
movement; this was done through special organ,
called the "Secretarat of the Chinese Labor Move
ment,' with branches in Shanghai, Canton and Han
kow.
After 1919 the trade unions grew steadily But
It was not until 1922, when another national
of struggles broke out that the First A-China Con-
gress was held. First among the battles of 1922,
was the great Hongkong Seamen's strike which
was declared ON January 18th, and lasted 56 days.
Before it ended in the granting of the workers de-
mands all Hongkong labor had been drawn into the
struggle in a General Strike which included the
raiwaymen. The successful outcome Of this strug-
gle stimulated the workers of the entire country.
The centre of the 1922 movement was the Rail-
waymen's organization particularly that of the
Picking -Hankow line, which had 16 branches with
$4,000 members A successful strike this line
quickly followed by railway strikes throughout
Central and Northern China; Picking -Mukden line,
Observation-Disclosures line, etc. Through this
ment $4,000 rawaymen were organized in the
union.
In the Province Of Hupeh, General Trade Union
provincial Federation) established with %
trade unions and $4,000 members.
In Honan Province, after long strike Of $4,000
miners of An-yuen, the movement was established,
with 20 trade unions in which 10000 members.
The Shanghai movement very active, with
strikes of seamen, silk fiIature workers, postmen,
and others All these strikes, except that Of the