The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-21
by a Worker Correspondent

by a Worker Correspondent
For some time the managing ed
itor of the Labor Age" Louis F.
Budenz, was able to pose before a
considerable section of the workers
as a liberal" Had he not de-
nounced the execution of Sacco and
Vsnzetti over year ago? Did he
not speak against the invasion of
American marines in Nicaragua?
Was not his magazine advocating
the use of militant policies in the
organized labor movement? True
enough. But all this was before
something happened in Kenosha,
Wis, that made Budenz discard the
hypocritical mask Of liberal and
come to full view as an arch reac-
tionary misleader. What brought
him out in all his reactionary glory
vas the lockout of $50 toppers and
kritters by the Allen A. Co. of Ken
csha. Budenz was hired by the
American Federation of Full Fash
Toned Hosiery Workers, an A. F. of
l.. union, to lead" the strike, and
therein lies the tale.
One fine day, Budenz arrived in
Kenosha to supply Leadership" to
the strike. He chose for his head
quarters the Hotel Dayton, the
most expensive hotel in town, where
he soon became a familiar figure to
the Rotarians, admired both for his
after-dinner wit and excellent table
manners. Within short time after
his arrival, the open-shop Allen A.
secured an injunction against the
strikers from the federal court at
Milwaukee. The strikers continued
to picket and very few scabs were
able to drift into the firm. The po-
lice arrested several of the strikers
who were later served with notices
/ by the federal court to appear in
Milwaukee for trial. The trumped
VI charge was conspiracy to vio-
/ late the restraining order of the
court" and Budenz was cited to
appear as one who participated in
the Conspiracy"
Calls Off Pickets.
The trial took place in the latter
part of April and after a lengthy
discussion, in which twenty-ore bal
lots were taken, the jury acquitted
the defendants. Budenz returned to
Kenosha in triumph and strutted
about stating that the jury decision
twas an out-and-out victory" for
the cause of labor. However,
strange to say, all picketing was
called off by him for over two
weeks after the favorable" de-
cision. Allen A. used this period of
time we'll in securing large num-
her of scabs and strengthened its
position to give battle to the strik-
ers. The Young Workers (Com-
munist) League, Immediately sem
sing the danger if picketing is dis
continued, issued bulletins to the
strikers calling upon them to or
ganize mass picketing in spite of
the injunction and to extend the
strike by calling out the 800 unor-
ganized workers in the employ of
the firm.
Red Batting.
The answer of Budenz to the bull
letins of the League was typical of
his reactionary outlook. Every
meeting of the strikers was turned
into a red batting campaign. The
strikers, instead Of being advised
how to meet the injunction menace
of the bosses, were harrangued with
anti Communist SANDER by his emf
nence, Louis F. Budenz. He warned
them against reading the Daily
Worker and other red publications.
However, nothing was said against
reading the only daily newspaper in
the city, the "Kenosha News" which
vas unfolding the open-shop policy
Of Allen A. Because the Young
Workers League demanded militant
action, it was made the center Of a
vicious attack by Budenz.
/ Soon. however, due to the con-
tinued propaganda Of the League
amongst the strikers, Budenz was
/ forced to make a gesture of organ
izing picketing. He allowed the
strikers to picket for a half hour
at noontime, twice a week. Natur-
ally this was insufficient and scabs
were recruited by the firm in great
numbers. The local police, plant
tools of the open-shoppers, made
many arrests and the firm let loose
small army of thugs, private de-
tectives and professional strike
breakers against the courageous
strikers.
Cooperation With Allen A.
Speaking on May IL at monster
open-air meeting in one of the pub
lie parks of the city, on the same
platform with the socialist mayor,