The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-24
Sigman Referendum
Exposed By Lyman
Continued from Page Onel

on the will of the members OF our
union but on delegates of the out-of-
town artificial locals, maintained sole
iy for that purpose. No matter how
corrupt the leadership, no matter how
treacherous it's activities against the
best interests of the workers, it was
sure to get but small fraction of
the membership at conventions. Be-
cause of this arbitrary form Of rep
resentation it was possible for few
corrupt leaders to entrench them
selves in power and use the union as
an instrument for their personal ad-
vancement, defying the widespread
demand for an opportunity for the
great mass of our membership to have
determining voice in the affairs of
our union.
A Vital Issue.
ON the struggle of the Joint Ac-
ton Committee the demand fer pro-
portional representation was one of
the most vital issues. When the work
ers of New York finally defeated the
Sigman clique and forced them to
conclude a peace agreement, one Of
the most outstanding demands at the
conference table was to bring about
proportional representation in our
union.
'The Sigman clique, which had for
years arrogated to itself the power
to make the constitution, adopt and
~ oeol,,+;c,,e ~ 1+c y,,rr,, y,-;11 Ia,
pose increases of dues and levy taxes
against the wishes of the members
and elected itself to office, without
ever submitting any important prob
lem for decision to the membership,
suddenly became the champions of
democracy and insisted that it cannot
take upon itself the responsibility OF
bringing about such a fundamental
change as proportional representation,
and proposed that this matter be sub
mitted to a referendum vote of the
membership,
"The present officers of the Joint
Board had no objection to submitting
this or any other important matter,
including the election of president, sec
rotary and president, to a ref
erendum vote of the membership.
Within Six Months.
cat the convention of 1925, which
followed the struggle of the Joint Ac-
ton Committee, Sigman attempted to
nullify the entire peace agreement
thru various tricks, and only after the
delegates of practically all important
locals of the international, represent
ing rs per cent of the members, left
the convention in protest, and Sigman
remained with his artificial majority,
did the clique finally agree to submit
the question of proportional represen-
tation to a referendum vote Of The
membership
"Our experiences with the Sigman
administration were of such a char
acter that we demanded assurances
that this referendum would not be
carried thru in the same manner as
elections on other occasions when the
ballot boxes were stuffed with fake
ballots and the election figures tam
pered with. At cur insistence the con-
vention decided that the committee
would be in charge of carrying thru
| the referendum shall consist Of an
equal number of representatives from
both factions in our union. The con-
ference further decided that the ref
erendum should be carried thru not
later than six months following the
convention.
Was Playing False.
at soon became evident that Sig
man did not accept this decision in
good faith and had no intention of
putting it into effect. Every time we
raised this question Sigman found
different excuse for delay. He knew
we'll that if the decision of the con-
vention would be carried thru it would
mean the end of his bloody regime in
the union. He therefore began to con-
spire to do away with his opponents.
The knowledge that thru proportional
representation he would be ousted
from power, was the prime motive for
the expulsion of the Joint Board, the
locals and their officers.
Appointed His Colleagues.
''Now, when Sigman has eliminated
his opponents and appointed his loyal
heutenants in their stead to the most
important offices and has expelled
from the union everyone who refuses
to submit TO mis- bloody dictatorship,
he has nothing to fear from the ref
erendum. In addition, Sigman knows
we'll that the great mass of the cloak
and dressmakers will not participate
in the referendum vote; that even if
they did it would make very little DIFF
ference since the committee under
whose supervision the referendum will
be carried thru has been hand picked
by Sigman and will be sure to make
the job to his satisfaction.
Hand Picked Clique.