The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-10
THE YELLOW TRADE
UNIONS IN CHINA

AZ
assassinating them. This has caused
the bourgeoisie to decide upon new
reform of the trade union movement
and to create in Shanghai the So
called Workers Federation" an or
ganization which resembles the
trade unions of the reformist type.
The new Federation, composed of
Chang Kai-Shek adherents and con-
nected with the commercial and in
dustrial bourgeoisie, Immediately on
being formed, began to fight the old
rival organization, the "Joint Com
mittee," consists of the Kwangsi
group. This rivalry strongly under
mines the position of yellow organ
izations.
Fascist Methods.
What are the elements of the
workers ranged behind these yellow
trade unions? Firstly, the aristoc-
racy of labor, the masters and fore
men, the highly skilled and we'll
paid workers, who hope to gain by
striking bargain with the bour-
geoisie; secondly, the backward mass
semi-lumpen- proletariat which was
already previously under the influ-
ence of the native bourgeoisie and
has served it in various semi bandit
CARNATIONS; thirdly, the workers
of those localities where there were
previously no trade unions at all and
to whom the existing yellow organ
izations constitute a considerable
step in advance as compared with
their past position.
The fascist methods of the Kuo-
mintang are carried out through
the yellow trade unions and are
accompanied by white terror in
regard to the revolutionary work
ers and the revolutionary movement
in China. Nevertheless, it is equally
certain that the yellow trade unions
will not succeed in capturing the
labor movement. The revolutionary
spirit of the Chinese proletariat and
its living and working conditions
serve as the best guarantee against
this menace. The first revival in the
revolutionary movement will spell
the doom of the yellow trade unions.
Underground Work.
The revolutionary trade unions
are carrying on their work under
ground. In Shanghai these under
ground unions still unite 50,00f
workers. In Canton the Red Trade
Unions have three to four thousand
members, and there are two or three
thousand members in Hankow and
other parts of China. The active
members of these unions penetrate
into the yellow unions for the re-
cruiting of workers. In order to
guarantee the conquest of the
masses in China, the system of shop
committees is now being practiced
This movement will undoubtedly
have great results.
The Chinese working class has
fighting experience, which has been
gained during several years; it has
a firm basis, which can never be
destroyed by the white terror, de-
spite the whole series of defeats of
the working class. All over China
the peasant movement is growing
stronger day by day. Everywhere
peasants are Selling the lands, driv-
ing the landlords away, and form
ing their village councils. This is
of colossal help to the city prole-
tariat, and in the end the working
class will win out.
Appeal for Aid.
The Chinese working class is wag-
ing a stubborn and difficult strug-
gle. 1t relies upon the help of the
international proletariat, for the
struggle of the Chinese workers is
at the same time the struggle of
all workers. The Chinese working
class appeal to the international
working class with the following
slogans, Down with the blue and
white flag (of the Kuomintang) 4,
the flag of white terror! Down
with the Kuomintang. We will set
up a government of the Workers
and Peasants"
Fellow workers! Help the Chi
nese proletariat to victory in our
great common cause!