The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-27
SABOTAGE SACCO AND VANZETTI
DEFENSE in PHILADELPHIA
By VERA BUSH.

chine broke up what might have been splendid
Sacco and Vanzetti conference called by the Anal
gamated Clothing Workers at Labor Institute Phia-
delpha, Wednesday evening Credentialed delegates
of invited organizations refused seats by creden-
tals committee arbitrarily selected by the machine
proceedings needessy dragged out, abusive language
hurled without provocaon from the chair vote on the
report of the credentials committee refused questions
from the floor ruthessy senced, policemen summoned
in short whatever could be done to kill the efforts
sincere labor elements to unite in support of Sacco and
Vanzett done by the Forward gang in control of
this conference.
In response rather hasty call issued by the Anal
gamated three hundred workers, representative of
labor political defense and other organizations packed
at the Labor Institute.
The policy of the initiators of the conference was
foreshadowed Immediately In lengthy caucus preced-
ing the opening The first words of Chairman Rudow
of the Amagamated left doubt to what the char
acter of the gathering would be- "This mob"-so he
characterized the splendid not be
expected to make arrangements. Eighteen delegates
had appeared from the international Labor Defense
Was there eighteen I. L. DIS in Philadelphia
Functoning legitimate organizations only would be al
lowed to participate.
These insnuations, shamelessly made in the face of
invitations for Organizations and branches" sent to
the International Labor Defense as we'll as to other
organizations, provoked a general stir of protest.
Rudow nevertheless smugy continued. Only delegates
representing trade unions would be seated The ere
dentials committee would be follows
spontaneous protest from the floor ruthlessly
queled and delegate who had risen to question the
procedure of the machine told to either sit down and
shut up and get the h. out of here"
Amid storm of boos and Kisses Rudow read off I'M
bushingy the of his committee. All questions
from the floor he showed aside.
Having thus insured the ruling out of all elements
not to its liking the machine then proceeded to drag
out the work of the credentials committee until nearly
eleven o'clock Although the delegates were workers
who had the prospect of getting up at five o'clock the
next morning, not of them left the hail. Still hop
ing to action taken save the lives of their
fellow workers, Sacco and Vanzett they hung
The report of the committee was as could be ex-
pected. Such "trade unions" the Radical Library
(et hope the books represented at least rad
CALI and the Modern Home Association permitted
full representation The International Labor Defense
with its splendid record of aid to class struggle prison
limited to two delegates only, and these not
representative of its Central Committee The Workers
Party accorded the treatment.
BY this time all elements of the conference not COM
mitted to support of the group in control had been
aroused to indignation at this shameless Haunting of
the purpose of the gathering. When Albert Wesbord
delegate of the District Committee of the Workers
(Communist) Party, to protest the disgracefu
tactics of the conference and the "severe setback"
thereby given the of Sacco and Vanzett he was
greeted with spontaneous demonstration of several
minutes which swept in nearly the whole hall.
for adjournng the meeting without single action
having been taken to further the defense of the
Massachusetts workers who in such desperate
plight. Delegates whom it pleased the conference to
accept would be notified of further meetings
Finding it could neither clear the hall of delegates
quell the outbursts of spontaneous indignation and
protest the right wing finally boted its conference
filed out of the hall and put out the lights
There is denying that splendid opportunity has
been lost for a union of broad elements Of labor in
common struggle and the of Sacco and Vanzett
given a blow in this city. However, the eyes Of all
sincere and honest workers attending this conference
have been opened to the true nature of the machine
in control of the Amagamated the Jewish Daily For
ward and the socialist party which organizations made
a front in this dsgraceful smashing policy.
1t these gentlemen not only expel Communists
(present at their nvtation), they wish also to
crush non-parsan, fighting class organizations such
the International Labor Defense They do not hest
tate to sacrifice the most vital interests of the working
class if they feel the slightest challenge to their
rule
The honest labor elements of the city will not allow
their efforts to be thwarted in this and will
persist in the determined and united struggle which
alone will Sacco and Vanzett from the deadly
chair.