The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-02
BIG CONFERENCE
ON DRESS STRIKE
Pledges 10000 to Aid
Needle Workers

NEW YORk.-Delegate NUMBER
ing 545, from hundreds of branches
of workers organizations, leagues,
schools, unions, etc, met Saturday
afternoon in Webster Manor Hall and
in the name of the $4,000 workers
they represented, voted full support
to the dressmakers' strike, soon to be
called. They pledged financial aid
and took up an immediate collection
of substantial proportions, with more
pledged by their organizations. Five
thousand dollars more must be col
lected before the coming mass meet
ing, the conference declared.
Delegate after delegate rose and
pledged the physical presence of
members of this organization on the
picket lines whenever the strike
should be called, or in any other way
they can help. Organizations like
the Office Workers Union have
promised technical help. Sam Nesin,
secretary of the Councils of the IN
employed in New York, brought
cheers when he said the 5000 or
ganized jobless here had no money,
but would make a good picket line
whenever they were wanted.
Negro EX-Service Man.
Cheers also greeted Paul Bever-
houdt, Negro worker, speaking in the
name of the Workers Ex-Serviee
Mems League, when he said that the
veterans, both Negro and white, were
tired of fighting for capitalism that
exploits and starves them, and would
be pleased with the idea of fighting
the employers side by side with the
militant needle workers.
A significant speech was made by
representative of the Latin Ameri-
can organizations, who called on the
Needle Trades Workers Industrial
Union to realize the Importance of
mobilizing for the strike the $4,000
Spanish-speaking workers in New
York.
Oberlneier of the Food Workers
Industrial Union pledged the support
on picket lines of those experienced
fighters in strike battles, and an
nounced a tax on all members in his
organization to aid the dressmakers'
strike fund.
The Councils of Working Class
Women, the Youth, the International
Workers Order representatives, also
drew cheers as they offered the pow
erful support of their organizations.
For Victory.
The 545 delegates and the whole
audience rose in ovation when Will
liam z. Foster, general secretary of
the Trade Uni onUnity League, ap-
peared to address them on the
strategy of the coming strike, and the
change in the demands, already an
nounced by Louis Lyman, national
secretary of the N. T. w. I. U.
I'VE are not striking as a demon
stration, as we are accused of doing
by all enemies of the workers" said
Foster, 1--WE are judging the forces
calmly and fighting for what we have
a real chance to get The fight will
not end, but a victory now will
strengthen the struggle to end piece
work" Foster showed how every
workers organization was involved in
this coming strike and would gain
by its victory and lose by its defeat.
Elect Executive.
The united front conference elected
an executive committee Of As, selected
by the delegates from each group,
and to be enlarged as other groups
attach themselves to this permanent
organization. 1t rejected the de-
mand of the Trotsky enemies of the
strike for seating of their three dele
gates in the conference by vote of
543 to 3.
The executive committee will drive
forward to mobilize all organizations
represented and others for joint ac-
ton with the dressmakers, and to
collect funds. Each delegate is to
do the same in his organization.
Besides the delegates the hall was
packed with an audience of perhaps
thousand, all seats were full, the
side and rear aisles were crowded
with standing spectators and the gall
lery rail was manned three deep.