The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

These were due partially to shortage OF lead
ing cadres and chiefly to our failure to hquidate
the hangover of wobblyism brought in by the
old syndicalist elements
Many of our local secretaries not thoroughly
acquainted with the line of the RIL.U. and
the T.UU.L and following the old wobbly policy
OF decentralization, set up policy OF local auto
nomy, many of the locals failing to keep in
touch with the national office. Some sent no
reports at all, while others reported only when
extreme pressure was exerted against them by
the Center. This practice, however, is rapidly
being liquidated, but all forces must be brought
to bear against its continuation or repetition.
Reports and funds must be sent regularly and
promptly to the national office.
Observation-Disclosures to Follow RL.L.U. Line.
In Philadelphia very bad situation developed.
Following the convention our union did much
propaganda and agitational work among the
longshoremen in Philadelphia. The longshore-
men were ready for struggle under revolution
airy leadership. The speed up the docks was
terrific The gangs were cut and the drafts
increased. Ryans thugs opposed the demands Of
the lockers for larger gangs and an increase
in pay. The LILA. delegates turned their backs
and winked while the boss stevedores hired men
for wages far below the union scale. These
workers were ready to follow our leadership but
we failed utterly to fetch them out on strike
because the Philadelphia comrades did not put
into practice the cellar cut organizational policy
and strike strategy of the RIL.U. and T.U.U.L.
Our union started out correctly by bringing
the growing dissatisfaction sharply before the
waterfront workers. Our slogans were good and
the treachery of the A. F. L. bureaucracy was
ruthessly exposed The economic demands.
however, were not sufficiently popularzed Not
enough stress placed on the organization
of dock committees; no real conferences of actual
dock workers were held and no broad rank and
file strike committees set up.
The strike was called then in the dark of the
moon before sufficient preparatory work had
been carried out. In the manner of pronounc-
ing decree, the Philadelphia comrades called
the strike and the workers confused and un-
prepared, failed to respond.
Must Learn from Mistakes.
These tactics harken back to the days Of
1WWism They show that the Philadelphia
comrades, although sincere revolutionary work
ers, did not understand, or at least did not put
into practice the correct feminist trade union
policy.
These mistakes should prove to every revolu-
tionary worker the correctness of the policy of
the RIL.U. All members of the MWLU. must
1lSllG Vigorously oil QeVldVlOnS from tne line OF
the Profintern, which is the only tried and
proven line of struggle that will lead the work
ers to triumphant industrial unionsm
The Marine Workers mdustrialism Union is
now correcting the mistakes of the past and is
preparing for the big struggles of the coming
winter. We have learned from our past short
comings, lessons for the future
Opportunists and Renegades
But we still have one more danger to elm
mate: the danger of pessnlism. Pessimism.
which leads to opportunism, reforn1ism and the
actual giving up of the struggle, has cropped
out lately in our union This danger is bound
to show itself here and there in our ranks as
the struggle sharpens This manifestation Of
pessimism is the logical psychological reaction Of
those in our ranks who through fear can no
longer bear up under the rigors of the fight.
This pessimism, according to all reliable re-
ports that have been able to gather here in
jail from militant seamen and comrades on the
outside, is expressed chiefly through the actions
of a group of three members of the MWIU.
John S. Morgan, John Anderson and Joe Golden.
These workers have definitely deserted the
ranks OF the Communist Party and the T.U.UL.
and have gone over into the ranks of the rene
gades Instead of doing everything in their
power to build the union they have done their
utmost to wreck it. Instead of doing the Or
ganizational work allotted them they went about
at flrst secretly, and then openly, slandering
the T.U.ULand Party leadership with the yilest
lies.
Hurting cries Of bureaucracy" these three
renegades, in an infamous document, which
spread lie about Comrade Mink receiving
$4,000 from Moscow, had the audacity to call
on all members of the MWIU to desert the
union and go into the ranks of the ISL and
form united front with the ALL bureaucrats.
All members of the T.U.UL. must vigorously
light these disrupters and expose them in the
union as weak sisters, Who to escape the sharp
ening struggles are trying to wreck the NV.
1U. One OF our tasks is to completely discredt
and lquidate these elements
Must Follow feminist Line
The Marine Workers Industrial Union. which
has just completed its sixth month of existence.
has indeed gone through severe crisis. Such
crises have been experienced before in revolu-
tionary organizations still in their infancy. The
M.WLU, however, has been quick to see its
mistakes; it is conquering its growing pains and
hquidatng its shortcomings The MWIW.
now growing up to adulthood is girding its loins
for the great working class struggles CT the fu-
ture. The MWIU. can and will lead the sea.
men, longshoremen and harbor workers in the
greatest struggles of their history. But we must
remember that these struggles can only be won
by following the Marxist- feminist line as laid
down by the RIL.U. and TUUL.
November 49, $780,