The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-05-24


histories for the workers in this country. You
have engaged in memorable struggles in the
interests of the workers"
Voice of Gitlow, Words of Sigman.
There was the stiffness of death in the con-
vention. On the faces of the right wing lead
ers could be seen the stealthy grins of delight
at this praise from the "leader" of the left
wing Did not Gitlow know that the history
of the international had for two years been
history of life-and-death struggle between the
officials and the membership, with majority
of the members expelled from the union?
Didn't Gitlow know that the Sigman major
ity" in this convention was weapon to over
throw the real majority in the union? Of
course he knew it; he was outside of Jail when
the main mass struggles were going on. But
listen further to Gitlow:
"This organization cannot be split, this
ganization cannot go backward, this organiza-
ton will face the future and will meet the
future as it was able to meet the past" (Our
emphasis)
Vociferous applause from the right wing!
Chilly CONSERVATION among the left wing.
These words of Gitlow were the slogans of
Sigman! Listen further to Gitlow:
81 will close my speech not at all worried
by what is taking place at this convention"
in the convention, and was not worried by it.
Sigman was worried the left wing wor-
ried because a bitter struggle for the whole
future of the industry was going on. But
Gitlow assured Sigman, who was shouting
unity and discipline in the convention to boil
ster up his artificial majority, that there was
nothing to fear. Gtlow declared that the left
wing would not "split," that it would submit
to Sigman. And really, if the Communist Par
ty, in the name of which Gitlow spoke, agreed
to unity on the basis of Sigman's majority,
then surely Sigman had nothing further to
worry about But listen even further to
Gitlow:
when the gavel goes down for the last
time you will go into the work of your
organization with an energy, with devotion,
and love, that will tackle the most difficult
problems &. and you will work for the
unification of the labor movement . so
that the United States with its wealth and
glory should belong to the working Glass;
Peace-With Sigman.
So, after the convention there was to be no
more struggle against the bureaucracy only
sweet peace and unity" the harmony of
"love"! Unity with Sigman, devotion" to
Signan, love" for Sigman, all under the rule
of Sigman established by the rottenest kind
of falsehood and manipulations!
At the conclusion of Gitlow's speech, the
right wing gang threw their hats into the air.
acclaiming Gitlow. Dubinsky, black lieutenant
of Sigman, moved that the speech be printed
and it was! Next day the Forward" carried
it with Gitlow's picture the front page!
The capitalist press reported: "Gitlow's speech
throws CONSERVATION among Reds"
For lack of space, we have been forced to
pass over many rich spots in Gitlow's speech.
oh
tain back copies of the Forward" for that pur-
pose. The left wing was so shamed and
chagrined, that it tried to hush the matter up
at that time. 1t was a typical labor-faker's
speech, and fitted exactly into the needs and
desires of the right wing leaders, the Tam
many machine, and the employers.
To the Right of Green
1t is interesting to note that VIM. Green, of
the A. F. of L., also made a speech at this
convention. And his speech was far "to the
left" of Gitlow's. William Green even praised"
the left wing, as the "salt of the earth"-al-
ways providing, of course, that it followed
Gitlow's line Of unity and discipline" under
Sigman and Green!
There are two possible explanations of Git
lows speech: one is, that it was simply an
extreme application of the opportunist policy
of staying within the A. F. of L. at all costs,
d
agreed upon for his release from prison. AS
for us, we think Gitlow acted quite consciously
according to an agreement.
Whatever the motive of Gitlow the result
was the same. Sigman bounced like tiger
upon the left wing The peace agreement was
called "a scrap of paper" the police were
brought into the convention. Hyman, spokes-
man OF the left wing, told by Sigman to
get his hat and coat and get to hell out of
the convention" Under this provocation the
left wing acted spontaneously by leaving in a
body. Sigman's first weapon thereupon was
Gitlow's speech. Sigman said:
when Gitlow was through with his talk
thought that perhaps his pupils at this con-
vention would take the advice of their
spokesman and l expected that at the next
session such audacity would not again be
displayed. l said to him, Brother Gitlow, /
wish your comrades would understand you"
They Understand Now!
Gitlows speech absolutely destroyed the pos
sibility which existed up to that moment, of
the left wing taking over the leadership of
the I.L.G.W.U. at the Philadelphia convention.
Gitlow was speaking in the name of the Com
munlst movement, as one of its most prom
lnent spokesman. To repudiate Gitow at that
moment would have split the left wing itself
wide open. 1t was impossible at that time to
even criticise Gitlow, without endangering the
unity OF the left wing Only now, that Gitlow
has severed himself from the movement, has
exposed himself all along the line as an op-
| portunlst of the first water, and an enemy of
| the working class has If hecome noec;b1o +o