The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-04
By JACK TOMBSTONE.
Article No. Nv

ATtlcle NO. Nv
WITH the proper preparation for the basis
of strike struggle, and with the approach
ing of the time for strike in an industry
where the shop committees are weak or where
their influence may be greater than their or
ganzational strength, we must translate our
agitation and propaganda work for united
front strike committee INTO a definite organ
zaton. The best and most militant workers
irrespective of their unions or political af-
filiation, religious belief, race, sex or color,
must be elected on the strike committee, not
on the basis of merely representing some group,
although this must be considered, but on the
basis of ability to carry the work. The
strike committee should be constantly strength
ened by the drawing in of fresh workers and
the wedding out of the wavering elements.
The strike committee must be constantly on
the alert for the reformist theology. No serious
difference of opinion that exists within the
strike committee should be covered up but
should be reported to the strikers. 1t is in
this manner that the fascist A. F. of l.. lead
ers strive to disrupt strike committee by APP
pealing to the weaker members, placing them
even on the payroll for the purpose of dis
rupting the strike committee as a prerequisite
to breaking the strike.
Flint Experiences.
From the recent Flint auto workers strike
we have much to learn, first and foremost
was the complete lack of any organizationa
strike preparation by our comrades in the Auto
Workers Union. Despite the fact that the
A.W.U. is known to all auto workers and that
quite lot Of propaganda work had been
carried on, the strike broke out without the
union havin; made any strike preparation and
actually had no organized contacts.
no hot cot m
sumo authority that should belong only to the
strikers. me Auto Workers Union very
quickly tool the leadership of the strike and
of the strike committee, but proceeded to make
a number of fatal errors that helped materially
in allowing the A. F. of l.. to step in, after
the police had jailed most of the revolution
airy strike leaders and betrayed the strike.
To the Rank and File.
From the very beginning of the strike, diff
ferences arose within the strike committee,
that were hushed up and not thrashed out
with the strikers. Comstock, the chairman of
the strike committee from the outset was
against all militancy in the strike, was in
favor of settling the strike on the basis of
the skilled workers demands openly carried
favor with the police. This was kept within
the confines o; the strike committee. the re-
suits being that Comstock was able to or
ganize the weaker members of the committee
and with the aid of the police, and the arrest
of the most militant and revolutionary men,
bers of the strike committee. The A. F. of l..
was able to capture the control of the strike
committee and through terror broke the ranks
of the strikers and betrayed the strike
The errors of the Flint strike are monu-
mental, the lessons of previous strikes in the
auto industry have been many and these err
rors were certainly mpermssibe. The Auto
Workers Union paper, "The Auto Worker