The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-07-23
By JACK STACHEL.
(Continued)

The most serious mistake made by the Auto
Workers Union in this strike was the failure
to correctly apply the decisions of the R. |.
L. U. in the struggle for independent leader
ship of the strike. This mistake was made
mainly through formal approach to the
struggle against social reformism The
ganizers of the Auto Workers Union from
the beginning did carry on struggle against
the American Federation of Labor and the So
cialist labor party, but they did not fight
against social reformism which in this strike
manifested itself through the leaders of the
strike committee, Cecil Comstock & Co. They
did not realize that the struggle for indepen-
dent leadership of the strike involved the open
struggle against the bosses theology and pro-
gram within the leadership of the strike COM
mittee. They did not realize that opportunism
which is deeply rooted among the American
workers and which finds its expression in the
crassest forms among the skilled workers was
here embodied in Comstock and his supporters.
Instead the leaders of the Auto Workers.
Union helped to build up the leadership of
Comstock. The issues raised by Comstock-
issues first raised by the bosses and the po-
lice-such reds and outsiders, called for the
assertion of the energetic leadership by the
Auto Workers Union and the exposure of
these elements before the workers. Instead
the leaders of the Auto Workers Union mere
ly limited their struggle against Comstock
within the narrow circles of the strike COM
mittee, allowing Comstock again and again to
appear as the spokesman of the strikers and
with the approval of the Auto Workers Union.
Later when Comstock was ready for the be-
trayal when the bosses thought it opportune
to come out in the open with their company
union, the workers were taken unaware.
Another serious mistake also showing the
failure to fight for the independent leadership
of the strike the reliance the old lead
ers of the strike committee elected in the
early stage of the strike when only three de-
partments were on strike. These depart
ments consisted of the skilled and semi
skilled workers While it is true that follow
ing the strike of the entire plant a broad
strike committee of over 60 was elected, this
broadening of the leadership was only formal
In reality the Comstock group remained in
actual leadership.
The leadership of the Auto Workers Union
made the mistake of acting like outsiders.
They too accepted the propaganda of the
bosses. They did not come before the workers
and fight. They showed a certain lack of
faith in the masses and too much reliance on
the leaders of the Comstock type. They made
this mistake not only because of the formal
conception of reformism but also because they
really believed that the workers would be
oSdiiist tIciIi DelduoS tHey are OuISlueTS.
In this industry less than in any other in
dustry should this have happened. The lead
ers of the Auto Workers Union sent into
Flint are all workers who have for years been
working in the industry and active in the or
ganization of the Auto Workers Union, in
Guiding Flint.
Another serious mistake made was the fail
ure to organize the Auto Workers Union early
enough. Only on Thursday, July g. were eff
fective steps taken to organize the union
Though hundreds of workers had been enrolled
into the union before, they were not formed
into locals. Similarly on the basis of these
mistakes there was a failure to build re-
liable group in the strike committee lack
Of differentiation within the strike committee
It must be noted here that all mistakes made
were right opportunist mistakes clearly show
Ing that the right danger is the main DANCER
The workers, the majority of whom have
been on strike for the first time, have learned