The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-02-08
Negro Workers
Political League
By JAMES W. FORD
District Organizer, American Negro
Labor Congress.s

hOSt w ko's AAANAA6 WAY 40 ~-~>- $3.50
workers, a working class league for
united political action, called the
Progressive Labor League. 1t is now
occupied with the purpose of sending
a Negro worker to the city council,
* Milwaukee upon a workers plat
form.
/ Working Class Unity.
There is council for united po-
litical action to which is affiliated all
the Negro working class organizations
as well as white working class or
CARNATIONS.
Negro Congress Representative Talks.
The Progressive Labor League held
a mass meeting here recently. The
district organizer of the, American
Negro Labor Congress spoke on
workers Political Action"
He pointed out the industrial sig
nificance of Negro workers during
and since the world war. He said
that Negro workers as a consequences
must pay more attention to the prop
er use Of their political power. In
stunning politics as a result of be-
trayal on the part of unscrupulous
politicians our general conditions have
become worse He pointed out that
the Negro race in America today is
threatened with determination, not
as the Indians were exterminated with
guns, but thru economic extermina-
ton; the lowering of their social, eco
nomic and cultural standards. He
pointed to the bad housing conditions
not only in Milwaukee but in Chi
cago and in every large city of the
country, with high death rates, con-
sequent upon segregation and inabil-
ity to meet the standards of mod.
ern society because of inadequate
wages and jobs.
Negro Workers Used by Bosses to
Lower Wages
While this determination may not
be conscious effort ION the part of
the XXX, it is, however, said tho
speaker, clearly the direct design OF
the exploiters of labor to keep
lower group of workers to further
reduce the standards of all workers, ;
as result their conditions are KEEP
down; they are given the Lowest
wages, worked under the worse con-
ditions so that we become a ready
e oh 1oL - oil
Must Organize.
The speaker pointed out the need
for union organization among Negro
workers and cooperation with white
workers. He commended the league
for linking it's struggles with the OPP
pressed workers of the south. He
further called for study and under
standing of the struggles of the OPP
pressed Nicaraguans and other OPP
pressed people of the world.
Workers Platform.
This movement is perhaps one of
the most significant movements Of
workers, both Negro and white, in
Wisconsin if not in the country at the
present time. 1t is significant be-
cause of it's working class nature and
the unity of Negro and white work
ers on this basis, as we'll as a signal
for Negro and white workers every
where to unity on this common basis.
Our platform includes these declara-
tons:
I've have lost faith in the old
parties who have betrayed US.
2.-We seek and favor unity with
other workers of other nationalities.
Against Bad Houses, Segregation.
3.-The death rate among Negro
workers is higher than other elements
because of bad housing and unhealthy
conditions. This is brought about
through their segregation into the ;
most deplorable sections. We are
against segregation in the schools.
/ Ave insist that there be no dis
elimination because of color in the
employment of city workers. We in
sist that we be admitted into the
skilled trades on an equal basis with
other workers for the same pay. We
1 are cognizant that we are EMPLOYED
at lower wages in many trades than
white workers. This intensifies racial
feelings because it tends to lower
the standards of all workers. Our
! struggle for equality is therefore
struggle to improve the conditions a
white workers as we'll as our own,
4 In the Trade Unions.
1 5.--We insist on the abolition a.
/ barriers and other means of discrim- I
ination in the trade unions. We sesklI
solidarity. We are inspired by theI
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car PortersE
We are against company unions.