The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-25

PITTSBURGH Pa, Dec 23.-Complete direc-
tives on how to organize the Kentucky miners
for conducting and winning the coal strike
which begins on January list, has been issued by
National Office 6 the National Miners Union
here. The statement Of the N. M. U. follows:
ID The recent activity of the N M. U. re-
suited in district convention in Kentucky The
convention preparations were based on the
masses OF miners This made 1t possible to hold
a mass convention In spite OF the great terror
ism of the coal operators and the government.
This convention definitely established the N. M.
U. a factor in the life Of the Kentucky miners.
Even the enemies Of the miners are forced to
admit this fact Although the convention was
great success, there we're several serious short
comings. One of the greatest shortcomings was
complete absence Of the Negro miners in spite
Of the fact that the Negroes constitute 10 per
cert OF the mining population.
CD The convention made correct estimate
of the readiness of the miners to struggle
against starvation and terror and in line with
this formulated demands. set the strike date and
developed program of action. In order to carry
out the decisions of the convention and to lay
the basis for successful strike, the following
are the main tasks Of the N. M. U.
Immediate Practical Tasks
ID The chief aim Of the strike Is to win the
demands formulated by the convention, to estab-
lish the right Of the miners to organize, to
strike, to picket, to defend themselves against
the company thugs and other armed forces, to
fight for the interests of the unemployed, espe-
cally for unemployment insurance With this
goes building Of a mass N. M. u, development
of broad mine committees etc. At the same
time assistance must be given to build up the
Workers International Relief and the Interna-
tional Labor Defense into r:ass organizations by
their development of a mass campaign for re-
lief and the defense of the miners.
az These tasks can be fulfilled only II prior
to the strike we develop whole series of mass
meetings, mass demonstrations and marches in
spite Of the terror The mass meetings, demon
STATIONS and marches must be organized pur-
posely and consciously, well prepared, in order
to involve the masses in action, to inform them
OF the purpose of the strike to break through
the terror where 1t is most severe, to elect COM
nittees to prepare the strike. In all of these
activities the women. the youth and children
must be involved. 1t is of basic Importance
to involve the Negro miners in all the activities
by marches Of the white miners into the Negro
sections in order to break extreme terror against
the Negroes and by these actions to defend the
Negro miners against the onslaught of the
armed forces All Of these measures must be
based on the unity Of the employed and unem-
ployed miners.
90 The starting point Of the strike Is In
Kentucky. Therefore, all forces must be con-
centrated to make the strike effective in Ken
lucky. The development Of the strike in Ken
lucky win lay the basis for the spreading of the
strike In other southern coal fields. To lay the
basis for rapid spreading OF the strike it is
necessary Immediately to establish rank and file
connections with the miners in these fields. In
order to strengthen the strike and to connect it
with the other sections of the working class 1t
is necessary to begin to mobilize the railroad
workers on the basis Of struggle against their
own wage cut and on the basis of solidarity with
the striking miners. mo transportation of
scab ooal)
~ Rslic& WIN play a decisive role In the
sts1kA Dssa6s ths national campaign for re-
~, loca2 yeaief machinery must Be set UP at
onea. Meetings. ct small farmers and small
business nssn shan be called In order to organ
ize them and involve them In the relief work.
The best method Of distributing relief is the
establishment of soup Kitchens in every mining
town. Each local union shall set up special
committees to prepare this work and shall CO.
operate with the Workers International Relief.
Demands shsd b nasds UPON the government
bcdss 10 provide reAef wfsish aepud b dis-
Aap6Se xA - M1n4g SnS ssQ4k1e
: