The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-12-06
Especial Correspondence)

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 4.-The
annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor, which met at
New Orleans November 1928, was
one of the most reactionary on
record. 1t was Enthusiastically dull,
reflecting the Federation's total lack
of militancy. Even conservative
delegates remarked on the mechani-
cal, lifeless quality of the conven-
ton, and one A. F. of l.. leader COM
planned about it from the floor. The
delegates were under the complete
domination of the A. F. of l..
bureaucracy, voting series of re-
dictionary measures, in most cases
without much debate.
This almost unanimous subordina-
ton to the leaders policy of class
collaboration was in part due to the
complete absence from the conven-
ton of progressive and Communist
delegates. For the past few years
the A. F. of L. unions have steadily
expelled left wing elements. At the
same time, left wing groups have
abandoned the A F. of L. and formed
new unions of their own. A num-
Der of left wing unions have been or
ganized this year, notably in mining,
textile, and the needle trades. While
the new unions have not formed a
federation of their own thus far,
they automatically withdrew the
more advanced elements from the
A. F. of L. The ruthless expulsion
policy of the A. F. of L. officials
made this state of affairs inevitable.
Same Old Red Hunt.
At the opening of the New Or
leans convention, the A. F. of L.
made it clear that it does not intend
to change its policy toward revolu-
tionary workers. The Executive
Council declared once more that
there can be no compromise with
the Communists" The organizations
affiliated with the a. f. of L., the
Council added, have taken "a de-
termined stand to expel every Com
munist from the ranks of the or
ganized labor movement" Stimuli
taneously the A. F. of L. leaders re-
affirmed their policy of class-col-
liberation, declaring that the prog
ress of the working class depends on
cooperation with the employers "and
not on conflict and antagonism.
They fawned on the employers by
boasting that "as economic states
men we are doing a constructive
work second to no other group in
the country" War against the
Communists and movements for col
alteration with the employers were
the outstanding themes of the New
Orleans convention.
The official report of the Exec
utive Council claimed for the A. F.
of L., total paid up membership of
2,896,000 in 1928, compared with
2,813,000 in 1927. This apparent
increase of $4,000 members, how
ever, is more than offset by the 100,-
900 members of the Railway Clerks
Union, suspended from membership
during 1927. The return of the
membership in this union, reinstated
last May, represented an increase of
100000, making net loss of 10000
in the total figures.
The facts behind these figures
were further clarified by Daniel J..
Tobin, the outgoing treasurer of the
A. F. of L., who in his speech of
resignation before the New Orleans
convention. frankly admitted that
widespread unemployment and lack
of interest on the part of the A. F.
of L. membership has resulted in a
great falling off in the membership.
Tobin said that the policies of
Cancellation" and class collaboration
advanced by President William
Green have resulted in a weakening
Of the unions.
Militarists Supported.
Tobin's speech, however, was an
isolated note in the general chorus
of DISQUALIFICATION. Green opened
the convention with = violent attack