The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-17
Build the Workers international
Relief

the question of relief because of the workers
great impoverishment, is very important
The present mine strike illustrates this fact.
No sooner had the strike begun than the de-
mand for relief was of the most urgent char
acter In fact, so poverty stricken were the
workers, that almost Immediately, as they step
ped out of the mines they had to be put upon
the relief list In many cases. workers on the
job actually negotiated with the pickets
garding relief, stating that they had no way
of living even for few days if they stopped
work, unless they were assured of a minimum
of relief. In some instances employed miners,
in starvation conditions to the strike relief
soup kitchens to beg meals The question of
relief, in the form of tents for evicted miners,
is also of great Importance in this strike. While
the whole body of workers ordinarily do not
have to be put on the relief list at the outset of
strike, it is nevertheless highly demoraliHng
to all the strikers if even minority are &C
tually forced into starvation and back to work
because of lack of relief Even a small amount
OF relief goes very far in such situation to
prevent Generalization Lack of relief has
played a very great part in weakening the coal
strike
If we agree that relief is important In hold
ing solid the ranks of strikers, we must per-
force admit the necessity for the maintenance
of a permanent organization for the collection
of such relief. This is the Workers Interna-
tional Relief. 1t is terrific waste of efficiency
on our part to have to create new relief ma
chinery every time big strike develops. This
of translates itself into great falling off
in the possible amount of relief collected in
connection with the given struggle. Undoub-
tedly if the W.IR. had existed on a mass basis
at the outset of the coal strike and had been
able Immediately to set a strong apparatus
in motion collecting money and food several
times good results could have been secured.
The Strengthening effect upon the strike would
have been very great, even small amounts of
money, skillfully expended in relief work, 60
ing long way in sustaining a strike.
In considering the necessity for such an or
ganization as the W.IR., we cannot confine cur
selves simply to the question of the physical
support given strikers thru money and food col
ected Basically important is the fact that
strong relief organization, by being able to take
up the question of the given strike, far and
wide among the ranks of the workers and their
organizations, can do a tremendous amount of
valuable educational work. 1t is a powerful
instrument for awakening the class-conscious-
ness and class solidarity of the workers APP
preaching the workers upon the basis of con-
tributing to strikers is one of the easiest and
most effective means of reaching them with
solid propaganda about the class struggle.
The WLR. Is holding its national relief con-
ference in Pittsburgh, August 20 and 80. This
is timely. The conference will take up the
question of developing the relief campaigns in
support of the present strikes in the mining and
textile industries. 1t will give special atten-
ton to the need and methods of building the
W.I.R. to the relationship of the W.LR. to the
revolutionary unions, and to the World Con-
gress of the WI.R. Every support should be given
to the WIR Conference. The mine and textile
strikes, the most important struggles that have
developed since the beginning of the indus
trial crisis, accomplishing the necessity Of
building the WIR. The Pittsburgh Conference
should be a milestone in the accomplishment of
this task