The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-17
By ]. WOOD,

politically one of the most corrupt,
the recent shake up in the police de-
partment is a good example of same.
The Central Labor Union of this
city claims about $4,000 organized
workers in the trade unions. The
composition of the Gu delegates
sare craft and job conscious, Their
ages run above fifty and, in most
cases, we find them fossilized, as
their brains ceased TO function over
thirty years ago, in behalf of the
interest of the working class. Most
all progressive proposals and actions
are defeated. They are contented to
serve as an admiration society or to
assist the bosses in the election of
their candidates in the political cam
paigns.
Council Fails to Function.
Building Trades Council, which at
one time controlled all the large con-
struction jobs in Philadelphia and
vicinity, today on rare occasions
controls more than so per cent of
the work A few years ago a worker
would not be permitted by the
steward to start on the job unless
he had paid up card in the organi-
cation, while today no one takes
the trouble or even seems to care,
as to whether the worker has card
This organization also a long time
ago has ceased to function in be-
half of the workers; but serves as an
adjunct to the bosses in getting en-
dorsements for their candidates on
the old party tickets, Mitten Plans
other collaboration and welfare
schemes.
b Local unions in many cases have
rbecor1e job trusts, they have built
Chinese walls around themselves
and it is almost out of the question
to become members of them. The
machine and the business agents of
most local unions are only concerned
and interested in the perpetuation
of their cliques, and ''pie cards"
These organizations are also being
used by the bosses to keep the work
ers intact by the many collaboration
schemes.
Proletarian Kensington.
Kensington is the largest textile
center in the world, and at one time
was the most militant and best or
ganized in the U. S. The radical
vote on election days; sentiment and
solidarity by the workers in the
strikes have always been of the
best. This sentiment is lying dor
msnt but can again be aroused. 1t
was thru the treachery of the lead
ership and their policies that these
textile workers became disorgan-
lied. Now we find but a few locals
and small membership in the U.
T. w. and likewise in the independ-
ellt organizations. In the last year
there have been a number of wage
cuts and inroads on their working
conditions, without struggle on the
part of the workers. The new Ma
tional Textile Workers Union will
undoubtedly make much progress in
this section.
Philadelphia is one of the largest
and most important ports on the
Atlantic seaboard, ranking second to
the port Of New York. 1t is the
gateway to the great steel and min
ing regions of Pennsylvania, and in
this manner functions as an i'm
portant link to the industrial export,
and an army base of the U. S. to
all quarters of the globe. 1t has
played an important role as a war
time port as shipments of ammuni-
ton, ETC., has indicated in the past
and will continue to do so in the
near future.
Negro Port Workers.
The organization, of marine work
ers is very weak, as a matter OF
fact there is but a small number
in the ISU and MTW organizations
while the great mass of them are
unorganized The longshoremen in
Philadelphia are composed of 80 pei
cent Negroes. The majority of them
are unorganized, and only a very
small percentage belong to the l
L. A. Working conditions are rap
idly declining to a pre-war level
The officialdom has very little con-
troll Of the rank and file, and is go.
ing more and more to the right.
The Negro longshoremen of Phila.
delphia have militant and revolu-
tionary tradition. During the year:
of 1921 to 1923 they were organized
$4,000 strong in the M. T. W. Of
the I. w. W, due to its anarcho
syndicalist tactics, lost control o.
them in the 1923 strike and since
that time there has been no reor
ganization of these workers. At thu
present time fine militant spiri
and tradition still fingers on thu
waterfront.
The situation in the marine in
dustry necessitates a more vigorous
campaign and a more complete mo
Utilization of the left wing of tn,
labor movement to build the Inter
national Seamen's Club whose func
ton is to disseminate propaganda
to raise the theological level of tn
workers and to lay the basis for tn
organization of the unorganized o
the industry, exceptionally favor
able.
There is much than can be sal
about street car and railroad work
= - m a