The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-20
The Detroit Elections
A Lesson for the Whole Party

and Chryser, warned about other wage cuts
to follow win this talk and warnings con-
vince the workers that we are fighting against
wage cuts? Nothing of the kind. The inabil-
ity of the Party and the Auto Workers Union
to organize and lead the workers in strike
against wage cuts made the workers think
yes, these Communists are right, but what has
been done, where have the Communists proven
that through their leadership wage cuts have
been called off, or strikes organized? We could
not prove it yet. The slogan, therefore, was
too abstract to mobilize the workers to vote
Communist.
The question of linking up has been vulgar
lied in our Party, but the real facts have con-
WINGED US, that unless we really link the build
ing of the revolutionary unions, unless we
really organize the workers and strike against
wage cuts, we will not win the leadership of
the workers. The slogan, strike against wage
cuts was used in the campaign yes, but what
does this slogan mean without actual organic
ing the Briggs and Chryser workers? An
other slogan added to our long list Of stencil
slogans, without putting in the real meaning
which means organization,
A similar SITUATION prevailed IN connection
win the Unemployment insurance bill. The
Parry as a Whole makes now similar MIS-
take, when we must correct lmmeaaCeIy. we
are satisfied wiCn populauzIng OF our Social
insurance Bill, use 1t III the elections, bring
forward our measure, ana we are satisfied
and expect that on the basis OF our good Dill
we Will assume the leadership over the unem-
pioyed workers automatically.
We have followed the same path, and we
have learned lot Especially IN TINS PERIOD
when unemployment is getting tense, Koose-
velt IN New York, Murphy in Detrolt and other
takers IN every city VIII also speak ABOUT un-
employment insurance IN order to counterfeit
our slogans. Our duty therefore is not only
to SPEAK ABOUT the insurance, but dramatlze
unemployment, organize demonstrations tor
immediate relief, and lead the workers IN
struggle for bread, raising it to higher poll
tical level and exposing al the same time the
fake measures of the uemagogues.
We failed in this during the election cam
paign. Let's take the situation in Michigan.
In order to present bill for a referendum you
must by the requirements of the law present
nine months earlier petitions with about
100000 signatures. If the signatures are col
lected now the bill will come up next No
vember the workers know it, they want bread
now immediate relief. We overlooked this en-
tirely and limited ourselves to mere agitation
of the bill. The bill in itself without strug-
giles for immediate relief, has no concrete
value for the workers The championship for
immediate relief, through all fake and dema-
gogic methods was left in the hands of Muir
ply, and as shrewd politician utilized it to
strengthen the illusions among the workers.
We still did not acquire Bolshevic methods
during an election campaign Our past still
hangs on our presence. We copied the election
method of the bosses parties, the socialist par
ty and forgot entirely that our major tasks
are in the shops by connecting up the imme-
diate demands of the workers in the shops
and factories with the political demands of
the workers Yes, it is true we held many
shop gate meetings, talked in the front of
the factories but this is not sufficient. Fac
tory gate meetings only supplements to
the inside factory activities through our shop
nuclei, shop committees and factory contacts.
We desired votes, votes can be gotten in the
precincts, therefore concentrate in the residen-
tial neighborhoods. 1t has made our Party
Campaign abstract, disconnected from the
shops.
Party Made Headway.
Despite the above weaknesses our Party had
in this election campaign tremendous achieve
ments, which can not and should not be over
looked. There is danger that looking upon
the amount of the votes, the achievements
should be overlooked But this is as danger
GUS as overlooking mistakes. The Party learns
from its mistakes and achievements simultan-
eously. To negate achievements means not to
which is the germ of opportunism and sec
tariansm.
Our Party was put on the map, as a poll
teal factor. The mere fact that we succeeded
49,