The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-25
THE RECENT ELECTION in THE MACHINISTS UNION IN
THE CHICAGO DISTRICT

Inc Machine CamOuflages its Attack.
IT HE machine, the Frys and Ull-
mans attacked madly those ele-
ments they had lined up with the pre-
vious year and whom they had de-
Tended from attack. Last year the
left wingers, including the Conmu-
nists, were "trades unionists". This
year they were painted as union
destroyers.
1t must be remembered that the
progressives could offer real oppo-
sition. A considerable portion of the
membership was opposed to the back
ward policies of the reactionary ma
chine. And so the reactionaries made
the. central issue Of the election the
charge that "the Communists were
out to capture and destroy the union.
And in support Of this, 'half-witted
Joe" DAILY, a business agent. found
that the Communists had already
made start in this direction by APP
propriating the name Of the district
Of the l. A. of M. He had looked up
the phone book, and had seen that the
Workers (Communist) Party was
calling itself District s 1.-THE same
number as the Machinists, Chicago
district organization). Crime of
crimes! What if the Chicago Dis
trict of the Workers Party had been
called District S for the last 5 years
How could DAILY know a thing like
that?
Fry Forced Out in the Open.
HARLES FRY, business agent of
- Local Lodge 126, has had the Dis
trict Council in his pocket for the last
year. He planned the administration
slate, candidates being known as
Charles Fry's men,. He intended
to stay behind the scenes and manage
the campaign. But when VIM. Water
worth, progressive candidate for dis
trict president, secured the nomina-
ton from 337 and 800, the first two
lodges to nominate, Fry came out of
his den, and announced himself as
a candidate for that office, when he
knew that under the union rules, he
was not eligible for the office. Fry
openly beloved that he went into
the race to keep the Communists
from destroying the organization"
Old timers like John Reed, Secretary
of the District Council, were called
dupes of the Communists, because
they supported a program for the bet
terment Of the union. The entire
progressive slate was smeared with
red by Fry and Ullman.
Reactionaries Fear Publicity.
TT keep the progressives from eff
l. ectively reaching the workers,
printed election material was pro-
hibited. For the progressives to have
printed election leaflets would have
rendered them liable to whatever
punishment the district council wish
ed to inflict. Fry also introduced in
the district council resolution call
ing upon "the group around the Daily
Worker" meaning by that anyone
dNtlNS III Tic t1SCblOil lABnkg W SuS-
pend their activities within so days.
If the local lodges did not take the
necessary action possible expulsion),
the district council would. And to
cap it all, Fry announced in his
speech: eff you can't handle them,
my local 126 boys will take care of
them. A threat of gangsterism.
IT was in such an atmosphere of
Threatened violence and official per-
secution that the progressives carried
on their campaign for office on the
basis of a program. Most of the
progressive candidates were present
at the nomination nights of the vari-
Gus lodges to present their views.
And almost without exception, the
progressives confined themselves to
the issues before the union.
30 be co.:inued)