The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-18
By MANUEL GOMEZ.

(This is the fifth of a series of ar
ticles anaIyzing the Pan-American
Federation of Labor and its recent
convention at Washington
American imperialism - following
the time-honored example of the
British empire-has always sought to
find base of support for itself in
the countries in its path, among cor
rupted elements of the native popula-
ton. By means of the so-called Pan
American Federation Of Labor this
policy has been extended to an at
tempt to penetrate even the Latin
American trade unions-the organs
of resistance to native and foreign
capitalist exploitation thrown up by
the workers and peasants.
A. F. of L. Official L. S. COrrupter.
The theory is that the A. F, of L.
leaders, who have already accepted
American capitalism and American
Imperialism, will serve to destroy the
militancy of whatever sections OF the
Latin-Amelican labor movement over
which they may be able to establish
influence, i'm much the same way as
has been done in the United States.
1t is a theory of Characterization"
FOR the Latin-American labor move
ment!
To the workers of Latin America,
whose trade-union organizations have
always recognized the Class Struggle,
the official declarations Of the PAN
American Federation Of Labor" must
appear strange indeed. The phil
osophy of the labor movement ex-
pressed in their is a peculiar one
peculiar to the A. F. of L. The prin-
ciples of organization and methods
are those of the A. F. of L. Gompers
first, and Green after him, have left
no stone unturned to fasten "the A.
f. of L. point of view" upon the
Pan-American federation.
The Pan-A. F. of l.. Credo.
For instance, what does the So
called Pan-American Federation of
Labor stand for? Here is its official
statement of aims, translated from
the Spanish stenogram of the pro-
ceedings of its third convention:
81. Establishment of improved
conditions for the workers migrating
from one country to another
"2. Establishment of a better un-
derstanding and better relations be-
tween the peoples of the Pan-Amer-
lean republics.
SO. Utilization of all legal and
honorable means for the protection of
the interests and well-being of the
peoples of the Pan-American repub-
lies.
81. Utilization of all legal and
honorable means to cultivate the best
and most amicable relations among
the labor movements and among the
peoples of the Pan-American repub-
les"
Legalizes L. S. Imperialism.
Not only does this statement not
include struggle against American
Imperialism as one of it's objects, but
it specifically accepts the legality of
Imperialism - presumably in t h e
Nicaragua and Haiti of the U. S.
marines, as well as in the Cuba of
the tyrant Machado and the Peru of
the dictator Leguia.
In his opening speech at the Wash
ington convention it began to appear
for a time as tho President Green
was going to strike a new note. He
said he believed workers should be
"free politically, free economically
and intellectually" But the next
minute he explained that political
freedom meant the right to vote,
economic freedom meant the right to
organize in trade unions and intel
lectual freedom meant freedom from
radical dogmas."
Must Be Faithful to Bosses.
I'VE must be prepared to make
collective agreement with the en-
ployers," he continued. And then
in order to impress upon the Latin
Americans their duty to the capt.
talists: "We must observe such
agreements faithfully when we
make Them
In addition to acceptance of the
general A. F. of L. theology, the P.
A. of L. is obliged to accept: () an
"anti-red" attitude, and ~ an Anti
European attitude.
U. S. Got There First.
81 think | can truthfully say"
declared the amazing Mr.. Green at
Washington (twO days after the
massacre at OcOtal, Nicaragua),
that if it had not been for the
Monroe Doctrine, there would be
nations in South America that
would have been invaded and their
territory destroyed by greedy and
rapaciOus European governments"
Hostility to 'rapacious European
governments" is accompanied by a
far from fraternal attitude toward
European labor movements, only to
be explained by the deeper influences
actuating the "Pan-American Fedora
ton of Labor"
Monroe Doctrine of Labor.
Mr.. Green and Mr. Vol proceed
frankly on the basis of a theory which
they themselves have had the audacity