The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-07-11

The following is speech delivered by Com
raae Earl Browler at a meeting Of Party lead
ers July 4, called to discuss the immediate
problems Of the miners strike.
I THINK We can agree on the general per-
spsotive OF the strike. The main note Of
our conference must be the strike perspective
the national strike perspective. This is not
merely because we want a strike. That is IN
derstood that we want a strike The question
Is, is this a realistic perspective? And we must
say, yes, in general it is, that our main line
Of strategy is driving towards this national
strike.
Then what is the relationship of our present
strike to this goal that we want to reach? 1t is
clear that right now we have sort Of period
in the development Of the strike, a sort of con
sondation' of the strike. But think it would
be very bad for us to Ak our minds that this
ends the growth Of the strike. No we can't say
that. The strike is not growing now, but there
are three possibilities of the development of
this strike The strike may break down quickly
and be ended by defeat. Or the strike may con-
tinue as it is over quite a period, we may be
faced with z long, protected bitter strike on the
basis OF the present area, or we may have a
new period Of the spreading of the strike and
continued growth in the direction of national
coal strike,
In my opinion the last perspective must be
kept in mind and must be the main note at the
National Conference. But we must have no il
lusions that this is going to come about merely
through the sweeping influence of the strike in
Pennsylvania and Ohio. The strike in Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio has given us a position to give
us the hegenony over the national strike when
It takes place but it is not the instrument thru
which we can spread the strike The spreading
Of the strike to other fields is a much more
complicated process 1t involves the process of
specific demands in other fields. involves the
establishment Of much broader contacts on our
part involves raneuvers with other elements,
particularly the Keeney group in West Virginia;
and with the Kentucky men whom may be
able TO win directly to our leadership. There
fore, I think il is correct to put the national
strike in the center Of our National Conference,
and this should be the main note. 1t should be
a Conference for the organization of the strug-
gle-not the setting Of the date for the calling
of the national strike; but the organizing Of the
national strike the broadening of the field OF
struggle This means that the National Con-
ference must be Conference of struggle against
the slogans Of the social-fascists, and the main
slogan of the social-fascists will be 'national-
cation of the mines as the one means whereby
the miners can be saved from starvation"
We have TO work out our whole program as a
program of struggle against the program Of ma
tionalization and show that this is program
Of slavery for the miners, more complete slavery
than before, and we must make clear to the
miners that our political demands and our po-
ittical slogans are all Of an entirely diaerent
order from those of the social-fascists Ours
are slogans of struggle and every one is directed
against parliamentary illusions.
Now what are the dangers that stand before
our making another step forward in the spread