The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-05
UNITY URGENT
FOR JOBLESS.
Am TER SAYS
Unemployment Council
Addresses Call to All
Groups in Nation

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. A.
Preliminary reports by the Federal
Emergency Relief Association today
stated that 4,082 600 families were
on the relief lists during October,
an increase of more than one mill
lion families over october Of lest
year. This placed the total num-
Der of persons who exist on the
hunger doles of the F. E. R. A. at
more than 100000 - about one
person out Of every seven in the
country. Single persons were not
included in the F. f. r. A. report.
simultaneously with the FE.R.A.
report, the National Unemployment
Councils addressed united front
call to all unemployed groups which
participated in the Nov. a demon
STATIONS, for relief and unemploy-
ment Insurance. Coming at a time
when the sharpest attacks are be-
ing directed against the unemployed.
the letter cited the contrasting ef-
fects Of unity and disunity as we're
shown in the demonstrations of the
New York and Chicago workers.
On the one hand, the letter
stated, a few thousand assembled
in New York's Union Square. Here
efforts Of the Councils to effect
unity were met with a refusal for
joint participation on all commits
tees. IN Chicago, on the other
hand, where a united front was es-
tablished, $4,000 workers marched.
The letter points out that for the
most part all the groups partici-
pating in the Nov. "a demonstra-
tions have specifically endorsed the
Workers Unemployment Insurance
Bill, and the members Of the groups
nave shown their readiness to
struggle for the enactment of the
Workers Bill by taking to the
streets in militant demonstrations
around the demand for the enact
ment Of the bill.
Calls for Elections
On the basis OF these experiences.
the National Unemployment Coun-
ellis again proposed to these unem-
ployed groups that they elect rep
resentativeS to the National Spon-
soring Committee for the National
Congress for Unemployment Insur-
ance and mobilize their organiza-
tons to send delegates to the Ma
tional Congress. The Councils fur
ther proposed that they appoint a
committee to meet with like COM
mittee Of the Unemployment Coun-
ellis to work out means Of broaden
ing the united front which shall
lead to merger of all unemployed
organizations.
The full text of the letter follows:
Fellow Workers:
On Oct. %, the National Board
of the National Unemployment
Council addressed you on the fol-
lowing questions:
l. National Congress for I'm
employment and Social Insurance,
which will be held in Washington,
D. c., Jan. 5-6-7.
2. Unification of the unem-
pIoyed organizations into one
body.
3. November gath demonstra-
tionS.
Mr.. David LASER, the spokes-
man Of your groups, informed us
that he had no authorization to
speak on the first two mentioned
questions. He answered only on
the question of the Nov. "a demon
STATIONS, declaring that the So
called National Action Committee
did not desire the united front with
the National Unemployment Coun-
Gil, charging the National Unem-
ployment Council with being
"disrupters." Nevertheless, the door
was left open for local united
front agreements.
The Nov. "a demonstrations have
been held. 1t is advisable, there
fore, that we make short ex-
animation of the demonstrations
and draw some lessons.
Mr.. LASER is head of the Work
ers Unemployed Union of New
York. Together with the other
Socialist leaders of this organiza-
ton, he refused to form a real
united front with the Greater New
YORK Unemployment Council.
Nevertheless, on Nov. "a, the Un-
employment Council participated in
the demonstration. The leaders of
the Workers Unemployed Union
cid nothing to bridge the breach
between she workers of their or
gsnization and Of the National Un-
employment Council On the con-
trary. even at the demonstration
they did everything in their power
to keep the groups apart. Mem
bers Of the National Unemployment
Councils. however, fraternized with
members of the Workers 'Unem-
ployad Union who asked why
speakers of the National Unem-
tGonstausd on Page q