The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-03
Cutters Must Join Tailors to Fight
for Better Conditions

the cutters must never forget that they are
part of the mems clothing industry, and their
problems can only be solved in closest unity
with the tailors and other workers in the trade.
The cutters were too long indifferent to the
general situation in the trade, and they are now
paying the price. Tailors suffer worse than the
cutters. Both must unite
The conditions in the mems clothing industry
are continuously growing worse The bosses are
carrying through one wage slashing campaign
after another. Although the agreement between
the Amalgamated and the Clothing Manufac
turers' Exchange calls for no wage cuts, the
policy Of peace with the bosses made it possible
for them to continuously cut wages.
Since the agreement has been signed, there
hasn't been shop left that has not suffered
reduction, increased speed-up or both.
The piece work system has been hailed by the
Amalgamated as the salvation for the tailors,
but actually it is a curse. Piece work is slave
driving. 1t is the bosses system. 1t brought
chaos into the ranks of the workers The bosses
utilize the piece work system to divide us, to
instigate one section of workers against the
other, one nationality against the other. Piece
work means the rule of the bosses. 1t is an in
human speed-up, an efficiency scheme that
makes it possible for the bosses to throw thou
sands Of tailors out on the streets to starve
More Jobs for the Unemployed, Higher Wages
Shorter Hours Abolition of Piece Work and the
~, Speed-Up.
This must become the battle cry of the clothing
workers. The clothing workers never got any,
thing through the goodwill of the bosses. What
ever conditions we had, were won through strikes
and struggles In 1928, we drove Rickert and
Larger out of our ranks and then forced the
bosses to grant us better conditions. In 1920 we
had successfully combatted the attacks of the
,or,ifo cf11 TIE bon eff nda rdc nd
conditions so long as our policy was based on the
class struggle.
We Must Turn Back to the Policy of Fighting
the Bosses.
The present collective agreement in the in
dustry which called for no wage cuts was de-
Iberate swindle. planned by the bosses, and their
agents, the Hillman Company union. Under
the cover of the existing agreement, no strikes
for better conditions we're allowed but the wages
and conditions we're smashed, during the same
period
The coming June, the New York L1arket agree
ment expires. The Hilman Clique is again con-
spring to sell out the clothing workers for an
other three years, and then they will again cover
themselves with the existing agreement.
The Mems Clothing Workers have the power to
stop the planned treachery. The clothing work.
ers must intensity the movement for strike
for conditions when the agreement expires. Such
a strike is most essential but it can not be led
by the Hillnlan machine; If they would, 1t would
be done in order to betray the workers right from
the start.
Such strike must be organized and led by the
workers themselves. The tailors must spread the
movement for strike for conditions, broad rank
and file committees should be organized in every
shop and local to work for this end.
--
The whole Of public life Is now being per-
meated with the spirit Of militarism. Imperial
ism represents desperate struggle of the great
powers for the partition and re-partition Of the
world, hence 1t inevitably leads to the further
authorization of all countries, including the neu-
trail and the small. What will the proletarian
women do against that? Will they merely curse
wars and everything that is military will they
merely demand disarmament? Never will the
women Of an oppressed class which Is truly re-
evolutionary class be reconciled to such a shame
full role. They will say to their sons: "You will
soon grow up and be big. They will give you
arms. Take them and learn to use them we'll.
The art of war is essential to the proletarat not
in order TO shoot against their own brothers. the
workers of other lands as is the case in the
present war, and as the socialist traitors advise
you to do, but in order to fight the bourgeoisie
Of your own country, in order to put stop to
exploitation, poverty and war, not in the way Of
pious wish but Of a victory over and the dis
armament Of the bourgeoisie.'
--(Lenln: The Military Programme Of the
.FroIctarian Revolution.)