The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-03

II order to move the convention
Yfrom New Star Casino to
Laurel Gardens, Is E. 116th
St., the delegates devoted an
all-day session to vital organ
national decisions and to a
political discussion, interna-
tional in range, before results
Of the balloting for national leaders
was announced.
OvatiOns Greet Leaders.
Tumultuous demonstrations of ap-
plause, which were rivalled only by
the ovations accorded last night to
the nominees for chief office, greet
ed the announcement of Chairman
Liebowitz, that Louis Hyman and
Ben Gold had been elected to the
posts of president and secretary
treasurer, respectively.
This was the climax of the event
ful final day, which had already
made itself momentous by a trail
blazing decision by the convention
earlier in the day. For, on this day,
these pioneers had voted almost
unanimously to establish official re-
lations with the Red International
of Labor Unions and to send fra
ternal delegates to its congresses.
Relations With R. !. L. U.
That the convention was conscious
of the epoch-making decision step
it was taking, can be seen when it
is recorded that four and a half
hours of discussion took place on
this question. This resulted in the
crystalization of an overwhelming
sentiment for the proposed measure.
The details of the discussion will
be reported after it is set down that
the last convention day held dele
gates and hundreds of attending
workers spell-bound thru a session
that lasted over eleven hours of
continuous meeting. Not even a
short recess was held to rest tense
nerves and satisfy forgotten appe-
tites.
Convention Decisions.
1t is also advisable to give a short
summary of the important conven-
ton decisions on the structure of
the new union. The constitution
committee concluded its second re-
port at the opening of yesterdays
session, explaining the election ma
chinery of the union and how it
works under the shop delegate sys-
tenn. The recommendation of the
committee were accepted after
sharp division developed on one
question.
This discussion was .sprecipitated
when the minority on the constitu-
ton committee brought in a recon-
mendation that the terms of local
officers be limited to no more than
three consecutive terms of one wear
each, and that a national officer
shall never serve more than two
consecutive terms of two years each.
A discussion that again demon
strated the needle trades workers
as having developed sound political
maturity. Final vote on this cues
tion was 119 in favor TO al aoains+
Many in Discussion.
In the discussion, not only the
leaders of the union, but great
number of rank and file delegates
! took the floor and pointed out the
fallacy of this syndicalist and time
worn notion. 1t was pointed out to
the minority that the shop delegate
system, with the shop as the basic
unit of the union as the foundation
of the organization; that the by
laws provide for the easiest method
of recall; and that the fighting
union then being built ruled that 10
officer shall ever get more wages
than that earned by worker in the
] shop. Therefore, minority supporters
were told, it would be silly to re-
move from office leader whose de-
veloping experiences and abilities
would make him more and more val
liable to the organization.
Although tempted to report
4 further this engrossing discussion,
which depicted union Of the rank
ard file in evolution, it is now neces-
sary to get to the question that tool,
up the greater portion of the day
r. /. l.. U. Resolution.
The discussion on the resolution
calling for relations with the Red
ia.crn ticnal, was participated in By
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