The daily worker., 1931-05-18
immediate Tasks Of the UL and the Revolutionary Unions

AFTER nearing ana DISCUSSING OOLlLeu0 AA1O11
n away's report on the position Of the Trade
Union Unity League, and acqualnting itseI
with the most important documents on this
question resolution of the T.UUL. Plenum,
Comrade Fosters report, etc. the Executive
Bureau of the Red International Of Labor
Unions notes:
The TUUL has increased its activity dur
ing the last twelve months, and has led con-
siderable groups of workers in struggle March
6. May Day demonstrations, unemployed dem
onstrations on September LIST. leadership Of
several strikes etc). Nevertheless, the reyolu-
tionary unions and the TU.UL. have been de-
clining in numbers and have lost considerable
positions in the ranks of the working class dur
ing recent months asa direct consequence OF
a number of defects and mistakes in their work
CPhiladephia marine workers strike, the eX-
treme weakening of the textile organization in
the South, indifference to A. F. L. workers
nilitancy in Reading, the Illinois miners strike,
the situation in the metal and shoe industries,
etc.
Although the November Plenum has brought
about some Improvements particularly III the
sphere of organization of the growing revolu-
tionary unemployed movement and in the sit
uation of various unions, these improvements
still are only very small beginning The sit
uation is extremely serious. It is essential to
call the attention of the entire League and its
affiliated unions and supporters, sharply to this
state of things in order that drastic improve
ments in the content and methods of work be
carried out, and concrete results achieved in the
shortest possible time.
IL.
The position of the League all the more ur-
gently calls for attention because the objective
situation is favorable for revolutionary work to
an unprecedented degree. The capitalist eco
rony of the United States is stricken with an
unparalleled and still sharpening crisis in in
dustry and agriculture leading to the closing of
plants, sharp reduction Of output and consider
able numbers of bank failures, while tens of
thousands of farmers have been ruined. More
than ten million workers and employees are
jobless, and millions of the agricultural work
ers are in state of complete impoverishment
end starvation The American bourgeoisie seeks
a way out of the crisis by lowering the costs
Of production and reducing the standard of liv-
ing of the American working class The wide
spread offensive against the so-called "An1er-
ican standards" is under way. BY means Of
short working time with wage reductions, the
stagger system. the direct lowering of wages by
Gisnissals and Unemployment on worse condi-
tions, the entire American working class Is
being forced down to a new economic and So
cial level
In tens Of strikes, militant conflicts with the
police, and revolutionary demonstrations OF the
unemployed and farmers tArkansas) the work
ing class has proved that it Is willing and able
to fight against this capitalist offensive. The
fascist and social-fascist trade union bureau
cracy of the American Federation Of Labor, Of
the so-caIled independent" unions and like
wise of the Socialist Party and the Musteites,
are systematically seeking to prevent and sup
press these struggles by open strikebreaking. or
by skillful left maneuvers, taking hold of the
strike movement at its outset in order to crush
1t at the first convenient opportunity, as in
Danvi1le. Virginia.
The fundamental weakness Of the TUUL is
the fact that at a time so favorable for revo-
lutionary work it is still failing to organize the
workers in struggle for their daily demands and
needs. AS result, it has found itself to a con-
siderable extent detached from the wide masses
because it has been unable to establish itself as
the leader of the daily struggle The expression
OF this detachment is ID the substitution of
general slogans CDon't Starve, Fight" Don't
Freeze, Vote Communist" as the slogans in the
fight for the draft social insurance bilD for the
practical leadership of the daily struggle of the
workers, with concrete slogans. (2) Looseness
Of organizations (the unemployed and unions,
bureaucracy and Journalism Gnner- union life),
and confusion (the question of shop commit
tees). OF exceptional Importance is the failure
to put forward partial demands, applicable to
local situations and to concrete disputes in fac
tories and industries. Such demands are the
essence of the building of mass trade unions,
and are particularly necessary today in the per-
iod Of acute crisis, because the workers have on
many occasions, shown their readiness to fight
stubbornly for such demands. The result Of these
weaknesses and mistakes is the considerable
decline in membership Of the TUUL Just at the
time when it ought to be growing.
".
This basic weakness is of particularly dam
gerous character in the strike strategy and tao
tics of the League. Again and again such mis-
takes in strike activity can be observed as Cd
the selection of inappropriate or general poll
tical slogans Of struggle, instead of those con-
nected with the demands agitating the psrticu-
lar body Of workers concerned. CD The pub
licstion of slogans and demands without suf-
ficient preliminary work among the masses, col
lection of the workers own proposals etc (shos
workers Of New York, Reading. (3) Decara-
ton of strikes, even without the slightest pre-
lrninary drawing Of the masses into strike
preparations philadelphia marine workers
strilse). t4 Failure to concentrate on the i'm
portant sections of the industry flood and shoe
workers.. 90 Urskillful conduct of the strike
itself (F1int strike. New Orleans marine strike).
Failire In of-oanze united front rny,,,,,it-