The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-06-04
TOWARD Revolutionary Mass Work 2zS 144H f2Es9
Mass Work in Lower Party Organizations

THE resolution of the Central Committee cor
L rectly points cut our serious shortcomings and
the necessity to make the turn toward mass
work and the radical improvement in the meth
DDS of work in our lower organizations. The pur-
pose of this article is to show the FORMAL
ISM with which concentration has been carried
out in the basic industries in the past, such as
on the waterfront
In the fall of 1880 unit in New York whose
composition and specific task are unknown to
the writer, concentrated, in accordance with in
structions, for some time a specific dock, sent
in splendid reports and then all of a sudden it
was discovered that no Iongshoremen had worked
upon this dock for years.
Naturally such situation was scandalous,
especially when another resolution came out
Stressing the Importance of mass work in the
basic industries. So section was assigned for
Concentration" to assume responsibility for
building the M.W.IU. and especially to aid in
strengthening the longshore work.
Face to the Docks.
Two docks we're selected, and two units were
assigned to each dock and there was division
of work. one unit to do union work, the other
to do party" work. One unit had to hold
union street meeting, the other party meeting,
each week. The basic task outlined to or
ganize grievance committees around the cond1-
tions prevailing on the dock.
The composition of the units was based upon
the theory that we must develop stable forces
to carry on work amongst the longshoremen
which would insure continuity of work. Thus
the idea was to prevent the tendency of the sea-
men who are transients to concentrate into
or two units (where their work in the past had
been to build block committees) The units
recognized, from selected proletarian material
throughout the section. After the reorganiza-
ton it was found these best materials were ar
fists, functionaries in mass organizations, etc;
and one unit was unit which had done splen-
did work in Jewish neighborhoods on the lower
East Side and was therefore assigned for work
amongst the longshoremen. Some of these units
did not even have seaman in them, let alone
longshoreman.
The work of the union and units was sup
posed to be co-ordinated. This was never
achieved. The leadership of the units were non
marine workers, the comrades who were active
in longshore work in the union had no leading
role in the units.
To Organize Dock Committee.
The basic tasks of the units was tc organize
dock committees. Most of the work was done
in the name of the Party and the bulletins
which appeared more or less regularly in the
name of the Party, and once in while when
the union issued leafet 1t was done indie
pendent of the units.
There was not the proper coordination Of
work and the unit leadership would accuse the
union leadership of failing to give advice and
support to the units. Some units. also, would
want to work completely independent of the
union. Actives in the union would accuse the
units of wanting to build a dock nucleus be-
fore building dock committee
All this time the section was supposed to be
concentrating on the waterfront, but its major
activities naturally were on the lower East Side,
where it has considerable influence Its lead
ership was non-marne in composition, conse-
uuently little or no attention was paid to the
work, except TO re-organize the units every once
in while
New Turn.
Nothing was achieved except to accumulate
lot of contacts and cause much confusion and
it was decided, in view Of the developing war
situation, that something must be done. In the
winter of 193l-32 waterfront sub section was
organized. The composition of the units was
all marine workers (seamen) with few
selected comrades" to give the section stability
and political leadership. The composition
changed, but there was no discussion upon the
tasks or methods of work, and the same old