The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-12-22

directed against the Party as such. He simply
demanded a reply about so-called passive Com
mun:sts'
Monday night, meeting of the TUUL Anal
gamated group took place. This was one of the
best attended meetings in the last 3 to years.
1t was held on the eve of the elections. Inside
of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of Chi
cago tremendous mass discomfort prevails. Con-
ditions are becoming steadily worse as a result
of the 'reorganzations" of the ACW fakers wage
cuts, unemployment, etc. Recently the takers
forced an $500 tax down the threats of the mem
bership.
The revolutionary opposition decided to run
candidates for all Offices in order to reach the
rank and file with its program In several locals
where we have Party members, the candidate
endorsed by the TUUL as against the faker
Levin for general manager, was not put forth as
candidate because there was no one to second
the motion that this candidate be placed on the
ballot.
In the TUUL meeting, non Party workers
sharply criticized the lack of activity of the
Communists in the ACW They pointed out that
they do not attend local meetings are not active
while the non-Party workers are bearing the
brunt of the fight. Again, this criticism did not
come from anti-Party workers, but from rank
and file workers.
This criticism and condemnation, coming from
IL
shows the seriousness with which these workers
view the individual responsibilities of Commun-
lists. 1t shows the check of the class upon the
activity of the Party
On the other hand, this criticism and condem-
nation is most serious danger signal for
Party. When the passivity of Communists
assumes such proportions that non-Party work
ers must call it to the attention of the Party,
then the situation is bad indeed And we could
cite even more examples of individual Com
munists failing to perform their duty in the
trade unions.
And the situation concerning activity in the
TUUL unions, leagues, organization committees
in the shops, etc of Party members is even worse.
In Chicago, less than rs per cent of our members
are TUUL members even today, and less than
Is per cent are active in the TUUL. Our frac-
tons are not yet established, with the possible
exception of the needle trades, which at best
never had more than a. SO per cent attendance
at meetings.
The entire Party must be involved in trade
union work. In place of comrades doing vague,
general Party work." at least 80 per cent of our
Party forces and energies must be expended in
building up the revolutionary trade unions. We
must sharply orientate ourselves towards the
building up of organization and grievance COM
mittees as preliminary steps in establishing shop
committees. The special significance of the
struggle for partial demands must be clarified,
and our comrades made TO understand that every
economic struggle at this time is the starting
point for general political class battles. Con-
centrated preparatory work, and detailed, con-
crete. day to day activity in planned manner
must be conducted And the very first immediate
step in modifying the Party for Trade Union
work is to convince the Party members to join
| the revolutionary trade unions and leagues. We
| have not even succeeded in doing this after one
| year of the TUUL Party fractions must be
established real functioning, live bodies which
| are the driving force in the new unions and in
| the old unions well.
| Any effort to weaken the Party's orientation
| towards trade union work no matter on what
| pretext or guise, must be sharply combatted and
| overcome.
| The basis for our election campaign in Chicago
| which we now beginning will have to be the
| work in the factories, and the building up of
| the revolutionary trade unions and leagues and
| unemployed councils of the TUUL
| The Party thesis adopted by the 18th National
Convention of Party stated very categorically
| that any Party member who remains passive at
| this time in view of the tremendous tasks and
| struggles ahead OF us, is simply not revolution
| list and not fit for Party membership This is
! wen more true todayl