The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-10
History of Progressive
Miners Leaders Prove
Observation-Disclosures
Attack on Communists
Shows Fear of the
Rank and File
BY r. SHAW
Organizer C.P. Southern Illinois

Organizer C.P. southern Illinois
The oficialdom of the Progress
sive Miners is in dilemma: Either
to come out openly like Lewis In
reactionary garb or try some more
social-fascist sand throwing into
the eyes of the Progressive Miners.
The latest attack on the Commu-
mist Party appearing in the Pro
gressiye Miner Of March End, under
the heading "The Communist
PARTY" in spite of all the word
Juggling is frank admission of
desperation.
First they attack the Party fof
minimizing the struggles Of the
Austrian workers. But when we
read a little further we discover that
in speaking of the militant fight
put up the Socialist and Communist
workers in spite Of the open betrayal
by the Bauers and Deutchs, they
are actually attacking the heroic
struggle of these workers. Here Is
what they say: I'VE would not be
surprised to hear there was some
fine oriental Communist hand be-
hind the (Austriar) scene
These tools of the coal operators
are actually ready to defend Vol
and LaGuardia, like the Socialist
Party leaders who attacked the
editor OF the Daily Worker in the
Madison Square Garden.
Secondly the article attacks Com
munist scabbing" The PIMA. Of
hcialdom would not dare come into
the open and call those thousands
of Progressive Miners who were
forced by their betrayal back into
the UM.W.A. pits, scabS We chal-
lenged these same officials In an
open letter several weeks ago to
come out into the open and defend
their policy and strike policy. But
instead they have evaded the ques-
ton by saying: I'VE would not
debate those who always kick us in
the back" thereby admitting their
bankruptcy
Likewise, because the miners OF
the Midland territory are today
openly coming more and more to
look for leadership from the Com
munist Party, these lackeys try to
put the blame for their dastardly
betrayal of these miners upon the
Militant National Miners Union
strike of 1929. We leave it to the
rank and file of the Midland TO
Judge the fight of 1929 and how it
was led, to the open betrayal of the
PIMA. officials, who have left the
miners stranded long after the strike
was over. The PIMA. officials would
not dare come to Kincaid and tell
the miners who is responsible for
their plight. For thousands of blac';-
listed miners being terrorized, their
homes bombed and officials yet tell
ing them to keep peace.
There is a very good reason why
the attack upon the Communist
Party comes precisely at this time.
The Communist Party Of Southern
Illinois, composed of the most mill
tant and class conscious miners Is
more and more being looked upon
as the only working class party
which has consistently fought all
mlsleaders, no matter under what
garb they come before the miners.
The Illinois miners today are recall
ing the advice and policy proposed
by the C.P. members at the time
OF the formation of the PIMA. -
policies which would guarantee
making 1t real class struggle organ
OF the rank and file.
The miners remember that while
the S. P. leaders Chaf of whom are
lined up with the A. F. OF L. and
U.M.W.A., Hillman, Germer. in Hi
nois, etc. were considering PIMA.
as a faction, the C.P. came openly
and unreservedly in support Of the
INA. and militant fight put up by
the rank and file to throw Lewis
out. But while hailing this struggle
we pointed out at the same time
mat empty talk about militant union
VIII not bring the bacon homs,
hundreds of miners remember the
speech made by Foster in Gillespie
and Springfield at the time when
P;M'A. was formally organized, In
which he stated:
Inc success Of the PIMA. lies
With the policy of class struggle
ana the application of this policy
IN the present strike, otherwise the
new union will degenerate into Just
another U. M. w. "A. collaboration
with the operators"
At that time we proposed an
8-polnt program, including a uni
NED strike struggle on statewide
scale, statewide agreements, broad
strike committees, against arbitra-
ton and individual agreements, a
broad united front of all sincere
rank and file groups of various
political opinions, as the first ele-
mentary step towards making P. M.
A. real union, instead of another
reformist tool of the coal barons,
But not one of these militant meas
ures were carried out. Today. as
a result of consistent betrayals,
substitution of class collaboration
Tor class struggle has brought the
progressive miners worse conditions