The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-10

Communist agitators", but the strikers decided
to fight until all the demands were won.
1t was through these activities that the Farm
er-Labor takers we're exposed Governor Olson
and Senator Lommen discredited, and the Unit
ed Farmers League assumed the leadership Of
this strike and lead the workers to victory.
Much has been written about this strike, not
only in the workers press but in the capitalist
press. Front-page headlines and editorials boost
ed Senator Lommen as the representative of the
strike. While refusing to print any statement
made by the strike committee exposing Lommen
as a representative of the contractors and not
OF the strikers, these capitalist papers have to
admit that "the Communists are leading the
strike"
The Social-fascist press is now drawing les
sons" from this strike, and it is these lessons
that are the most dangerous part in their press
activities. These lessons are written in an in
nocent and with working class phraSeology and
intend to confuse, mislead and betray.
The "Industrialist." Finnish daily published
by the IW.W., carries an editorial entitled "a
Strike That Gives Us Lessons" This indus
trialist" and its organization, the IW.W, who
have so actively participated in breaking the
recent Dock Workers Strike in Duluth, are now
trying to spread their poisonous dope among
the farmers.
In annalyzing the strike the writer of the
editorial purposely forgetS the most important
issue in this strike, that is, correct leadership
and what methods the Communists that led this
strike used to lead it to victory. There is not
q word mentioned about the UFL, the TUUL,
and the rank and file Strike Committee, making
it appear that the strike was just spontaneous
wishy washy proposition And just as all rene
gades from the class struggle the editorial tries
to blame the workers themselves for all the evils,
and exclaims, IF no one would have wanted to
take contracts naturally the work could have
been done on straight salary basis (and
strike would not have been necessary, MK)
Our correspondent describes how the workers
were competing with each other when the con-
tractor offered $500 an acre for clearing to
some, others offered to do it for these circum-
stances lowered the pay. Therefore the workers
themselves were help in lowering the wage of
fered to an extent where living wage was inn
possible" Emphasis mine, Nix.
These social-fascists are resorting to plain lies
in order to prove their point. First of ALL it was
not contracts that the workers received Con-
tracts were never signed; the boss just put down
the name of the worker and told him where
to go and work, offering, not $75oc but from
$4,000 to $4,000 an acre.
What this editorial tries to prove to us can
be summed up as follows:
1. That strikes are not necessary df the work
ers refuse to take jobs at small pay.
2. That organization is not necessary Gas long
as the workers stick together.) Glow? Nix.
3. That it is the workers own fault if they are
given wage-cuts. This is the method that these
social-fascists are using in order to aid their
masters, the bosses.
1t is precisely the above theories Of the IW.W.
that proved SO disastrous in the Dock Workers
Strike. There, also, they carried on con-
sistent propaganda against organization into the
Marine Workers Industrial Union under the
slogan Solidarity is what is necessary, not or
ganiSation" 1t is because they succeeded in con-
vincing some of the strikers with this strike
breaking theory, that the dock strike was lost
despite splendid rlilitancy on the part of the
dock workers
What we must learn from the Road Strike
is precisely the contrary to what the indus
tr1alst wants us to learn. and that is that
strikes and struggles are absolutely necessary In
order to win our demands that organization
into the militant revolutionary organizations is
absolutely necessary as guarantee Of the work
ers solidarity in the struggles against the bos-
SEES; that it is the bosses that are shifting the
burden of the crisis on the shoulders OF the
workers and poor farmers, and organized mil
liant struggle must follow.
And the strikers have learned. these lessons;
they have proven it by following the leadership
Of the Communists and by joining the United
Farmers League. They have furthermore learned
that this strike was only beginning of greater
struggles that are to come, struggles against
starvation on the farms and In the mines,