The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-25
BY RALPH SIMONS.

Dy MALI II 0A0hOANC'
This is the final article of three on this
subject pointing out the Importance of the
marine industry the way to overcome the
weaknesses in the Marine Workers Industrial
Union, and the need for our Party to correct
Its lack of attention to the waterfront
EditorJ
II the work of the Marine Workers Industrial
lower organization on the ships and docks, and
also iii the International clubs, on broad mass
ship delegate system with active participation
in the everyday struggles if in the union there
would be more trade union democracy and if
the work would be planned and Systematically
organized it would be possible, firstly, to educate
and bring out new cadres which is very inpor-
tant for the further growth Of the union, carry
on more energetic and mass struggles and make
a break with this inactivity and weakness.
1t would be possible on the basis of concrete
economic demands for improvement of condi-
tions on the basis of the united front to draw
in broad masses of marine workers and long
shoremen. 1t would be possible to successfully
unite the struggle for lettering OF conditions
of the employed with the struggles of the I'M
employed for concrete immediate help for I'M
employment insurance, against using of gang
against injunctions police terror and deporta-
ton of foreign born militant workers.
In this way we would be able to draw in new
and broad masses of workers into our union. 1t
would be possible to draw in longshoremen who
stand aside of the union. We would be able to
get the sympathy of the most exploited groups
OF workers in the marine transport, the Negroes.
1t would be possible to organize the broad mass
of unorganized marine workers and longshore-
men. 1t would be possible to also build up a
strong financial basis.
Work Theories Obstruct Work.
The question of finances becomes very SER
ious. The financial situation in the union is
very critical. If the present situation remains,
it will bring Decentralization of our functionaries
and destroy the work The financial difficulties
now become an obstacle in the way OF strength
ening of the work and all energetic efforts must
be made Immediately to overcome this. But
first Of all we should overcome such theories as
that the marine worker is different than the
worker in other industries, will never pay their
dues regularly, that the character of the marine
workers is to neglect to fulfill their financial
duties to the union, that it is hopeless to try
to build up a finance committee directly from
the marine workers and build up an independent
financial basis
The orentation of getting financial help from
broader revolutionary trade unions and skepti-
cism to various methods for the purpose of get
ting finances with their own forces must be
overcome To build up the lower organs of the
union bring in mass activity, develop economic
struggles, build up a collective leadership, sys-
tenn and plan means to build up a basis for
strengthening the finances Of the union.
We must stress the fact that in the work of
the Industrial Union there is very little atten-
ton being paid to the work in the reactionary
unions This Is big underestmation. There
exists in the union an underestimation of the
forces and influence of the company unions
There is an absence of understanding in the
necessity of developing systematic work in these
unions and of building up in them revolutionary
oppoStions
More Wrong Theories
We often hear such arguments as that these
unions are very weak and do not play role,
that first Of all we must build up the Indus
trial Union. There are ideas that the work of
winning Of the members of reforrnist unions is
impossible because there is no elementary trade
union democracy, because they do not call mem
bership meetings of the union
Instead of mobillzng the forces to penetrate
into the5e unicns carry on systematic work
among the members, mobilize the workers to
fight for the calling of regular membership
meetings. for elementary rights of the members,
for trade union democracy, instead OF carrying
this work on directly among the members Of
these unions. concentrating mainly and direct