The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-03-26
Bill Green Fights Wage Cuts!

bosses do not fear him. For they hear only the
words they had written out for him and which
he memorized. He says: Elm the light Of these
facts the A. F. of l.. conceives 1t to be its duty
to resist with all the influence and power at
its command any attempt on the part Of the en-
ployers to cut wages" And what will this re-
sistence consist of? Mr.. Green does not keep
us guessing He tells us at once: Furthermore
it will be the policy of the federation to direct
its efforts when favorable conditions permit to-
wards compelling those employers of labor who
have reduced wages during the period of unenl-
ployment to restore them"
Now it is all clear. Now the workers must
accept the wage-cuts. Because now there arc
not favorable conditions" to resist wage-cuts
according to Green. The workers must accept
the Wage-cuts until such time as the a. F. of L.
will direct its efforts" to restore the wage-cuts
they are now receiving. Now the workers must
accept wage-cuts because you cannot fight dur
ing periods of crisis. Because strikes cannot be
successful. And what will Mr.. Green say when
conditions are favorable? Then he will as now
talk OF class peace, of class collaboration, of
bitration. Then he will, as now, sell out the
workers. Now he tells the workers to accept
wage-cuts. Then he will tell them not to "em-
barrass and interrupt" the peaceful conditions of
prosperity" But Mr.. Green really is not much
will be favorable" He knows his capitalism and
its problems. He knows that the crisis is grow
ing deeper. He does not expect prosperity"
What he is concerned with is the present. He
is concerned with pulling the capitalist system
out of a urch through wage-cuts and speed-up.
He knows that even were the bosses able tenn
porarily to overcome the present economic cri-
sis there would still be more than million per-
manently unemployed. Already in 1928 there
were over million unemployed. That was dur
ing the period of prosperity. So in addition he
is out for the reduction of the hours of labor
without wage compensation, of course.
But the workers also are concernA1 with the
present. They are unemployed. They are work.
ing part time. The wages are being slashed and
the speed-up is increasing. They are organizing
the fight for unemployment relief and insur-
ance at the expense of the bosses and the gov
eminent. And they are organizing to strike
against wage-cuts and speed-up. They will not
be fooled by Green to wait for Favorable con-
ditonS" Now, when the bosses are bending every
effort to overcome the crisis at the expense of
the workers, now is the most favorable condi-
ton to strike against wage-cuts. And this goes
for the workers inside the A. F. of L. unions as
well.
The only reason the workers have not yet in
larger numbers struck against these wage cuts is
not because they follow Green and his A. F. of
L. 1t is because they did not see any leader
ship for their struggle. The TU.UL unions have
been too slow and too weak to lead them into
struggle. But much of this has been overcome
The TU.U.L. unions have in the last few months
shown that they can lead the struggles of the
workers and that they can win the demands of
the workers. The strikes among the miners tex
tile workers. needle workers, and others, parti-
culary the strike of the Lawrence textile workers
who under the leadership of the National Tex
tile Workers Union have won partial victory
have shown the difference between the policy of
struggle of the TUUL. and the policy of be-
trayal OF the A. F. of L. Lawrence and Dan
vile have clearly shown the two policies. One
the policy of the workers and in their interests
the other the policy of the bosses and against
the workers. The fact that the UTW organi-
zers dare not show their face in Danville while
at the same time the best forces in Danyille
are joining the N.TW.U. is proof of the fact
that the A. F. of L. will not be able to fool the
workers when the T.U.U.L. reacts to its respon-
sibilities.
The recent meeting of the National Executive
Board OF the T.U.U.L. took steps to strengthen
the struggle against wage-cuts in the various
industries to increase the fighting capacities of
the unions affiliated to the T.U.UL. The TU
u'L. already has growing standing among the
workers. The A. F. of L. is more and more as
sociated in the minds of the workers with strike
breakers and tool-pigeons of the bosses. No
wonder therefore that Bill Green's song has
somewhat changed though his love is constant
and more ardent than ever