The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-14
By F. B.

Today. hundreds of thousands of
textile workers are at the mill gates
in solid picket lines, resisting the
attacks Of the bosses, resisting the
brutality and murderous attacks of
the forces of the government. The
masses not only are holding their
ground, defying all forces of reac-
ton, but in their methods of strug-
gle, in their tremendous militancy,
are defying also the bureaucratic
leadership, which, working hand-in-
hand with the government, maneu-
vcrs to strange the strike through
arbitration.
In the wave of strikes sweeping
the country from coast to coast, the
Communist Party has been playing
most important role and is es-
tabHshing closer contact with the
masses in the factories, strengthen
ing its influence among the men,
bers Of the A. F. of L., and other
workers organizations. Under the
guidance Of the Party, the struggles
Of the masses against the MIRA
and against the bureaucracy of the
A. F. of L. have been increasing.
Recruiting Declines
In spite of this growing influence,
the figures on recruiting in the
Party do not reflect our activities.
Between May and August, in pc
Rod when the class battles were
on the upgrade the monthly re-
cruiting showed decline. In May,
2,407 members were recruited; in
June, 1884; in July, 1891; in Au-
gust, 1,4O0.
What do these figures show? How
can we explain this decline in a
period of such gigantic struggles,
in a period in which all of the &C
tivities of the Party were intensi-
fled, especially when we see how the
Party in California, was able, in
spite of the terror, to strengthen its
ranks and to maintain its recruit
ing in the same proportion as be-
fore?
Growth of c. P. Neglected
This situation is due to the fact
that while the Party is better orien-
tated towards shop work; while
many more Party members are &C
tive in the trade unions, and espe-
cially in the opposition work inside
the A. F. of L.; while the Party,
as whole, as the recent strikes
showed, as well as the individual
Party members, played a very i'm
portant role,-yet, we did not make
the units of the Party, the shop
nuclei, the fractions, and each in
iividual member conscious of the
importance of strengthening the
Party position among the masses by
recruiting the best elements of the
fighting masses.
While every phase of our work,
especially during strikes, is discuss
ed, yet recruiting (Which means the
building of the Party into a mass
Party) has not occupied the central
position. The individual Party
members are not orientated to con-
meet up their activities with the
vital task of building the Party.
In all textile centers, the Party
is active; the Party members are
on the picket lines, are known by
the masses as the most militant in
their ranks.
Must Be In Front Ranks
Our task in the strikes led by
the A. F. of L. bureaucracy is clear,
1t is the Communist forces, the
forces Of opposition against the
bureaucrats, that must be in the
front ranks, must rally the masses
to prevent sell-out and lead the
masses to victory for their demands.
This is also our task in the great
textile strike. However, while ideo-
logically we have strong influence
among these masses, numerically