The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-22
Relation ofILD
to Other Mass

BY WILLIAM l.. PATTERSON
General Secretary IL.D)

BY WILLIAM l.. PATTERSON
General Secretary IL,D)
THE demands upon the resources
OF the International Labor De-
Tense organizationally, financially
and politically this year will exceed
those of all other periods in the
history of this class struggle de-
Tense organization.
Mass struggles are in various.
stages of development, from the
nationwide hunger march, bonus
march. the march of the impover-
ished farmers to Washington, ID. G.
which have already attracted ma
tional attention and against which
the bosses are carrying out ruthless
attacks; to the mass struggles which
are in earlier forms of preparation
but which must and will be de-
veloped by the revolutionary lead
ership in basic industries where
mass unemployment and reduction
of wages have reached unprece-
dented levels. Particularly must
these struggles be developed in such
industries as the railroads which
while continuing the payment of
huge dividends on watered stock to
parasitic stockholders are at the
same time preparing for new and
greater attacks upon the living
standards of the workers. The con
scious efforts of the united Negro
and white workers to raise the
liberation struggles OF the Negro
masses to higher levels and to
merge these with the general strug-
giles Of the working class will in
crease in intensity.
TREMENDOUS TASKS
This will place tremendous tasks
upon the l. L. D. These must and
will be fulfilled. Words will not do
it. Heroic deeds are necessary.
The International Labor Defense
has the greatest interest in the or
gained developing struggles. This
is naturally correct. Organization
lends to these struggles greater
vitality, surer and more definite
direction. They must and will be-
fore long assume the character of
a counter offensive and of the
working class. If the International
Labor Defense is adequately pre-
pared to perform its task as a de-
Tense organization of the working
class, its plan of action must be
based upon those of the mass or
CARNATIONS. 1t must organize
within these mass organizations.
The work of the International La
Dor Defense must be co-ordinated
in the closest possible manner with
struggles of these other mass Or
CARNATIONS. At the same time, the
l. L. D. must also carry out it's
defense activities in behalf of those
who in spontaneous and individual
activities fall victims Of ruling class
justice and police terror. These
cannot be neglected. Here also our
activities must be increased if the
l. L. d. is not to fall behind.
THE tagging of the International
Labor Defense at the tail end of
these mass organizations will cause
It to become brake on the strug-
giles of the working class. To the
workers of America, the Interna-
tional Labor Defense must system
atlcally and consistently appear as
a weapon of class struggle of in
dispensable Importance. The morale
OF the struggling masses will be
strengthened by the knowledge
that behind them stands their or
ganization of mass defense; by the
knowledge that this organization of
defense has developed to so high a
political level that even as a de-
Tense weapon it becomes a weapon
of attack.
CHIEF TASKS
There is only one way that this
can be realized. The International
Labor Defense must be rooted in
the shops, mills and mines. 1t must
be carried deeper into the South,
there to give revolutionary mass
support in defense of the liberia
ton struggles of the Negro masses.
1t can and must play decisive
role in making one defense stream
out of the growing liberation strug-
giles OF the Negro masses and the
defense struggles of the workers
as whole.
This task Of the I. L. D. can be
performed on only one basis, that
the working class and the toiling
masses are made defense conscious.
The I. L. D. must be known to
every member of the Hunger
Marchers. 1t must be regarded by
every enslaved Negro share-crop-
per as his organization. This can
only be done when the leadership
of our mass organizations them
selves begin to appreciate the role
of the International Labor Defense.
THE l. Il. u. cannot be relegated
4 to a position Of minor impor-
lance at meetings where questions
of major militant struggles are dis
cussed. The attitude towards the
l. l.. D. of those who arranged the
tremendous mass demonstration at
the Coliseum to hail the Hunger
Marcheds was impermissible. Such
an attitude cannot be tolerated by
the revolutionary movement. Early
in the arrangements preparations
the I. l.. D. requested to be con-
spicuously placed on the program