The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-26
Anderson Has
Long Record
In Struggles
Took Active Part in
Recent Tool, Die
Makers Strike

DETROIT. Oct. 26.-An auto
worker for governorl
This is the slogan under which
the Michigan District of the Com
munist Party has been Waging the
campaign for the election Of John
Anderson, militant tool and die
Anderson, militant tool and die
the Mechanics Educational Society
Of America.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in
1901, Anderson got his first job
working on railroad at the age Of
IA. Later he became an appren-
tice in scientific instrument making.
This was interrupted by several
years in the army, after which he
completed his apprenticeship Dur
ing this period he joined the Inde-
pendent Labor Party and his trade
union, the Amalgamated Society of
Engineers.
In 1923 Anderson came to the
United States and moved to De-
troit. He worked first as an electri-
clan and then as a tool and die
maker in the auto plants. He joined
the International Labor Defense
and became active in its work. Dur
ing the Briggs strike in 1888, led
by the militant Auto Workers
Union, he threw himself into the
work of organizing mass support
for the strikers and became chair
man of the Defense Committee.
It was in the tool and die makers
strike last fall that Anderson cana
to the fore as an outstanding leader
Of the workers. Battling on the
picketline every day, he did every
thing in his power to help win the
strike, which was led by the Me-.
chanics Educational Society Of
America, an independent union Of
tool and die makers organized only
a few months before. Anderson was
elected chairman Of the Ternstedt
plant strike committee and menu
Der of the district strike commit
tee and soon became the leading
fighter for the interests of the rank
and file. Under pressure of the rank
and file movement, the bureaucratic
Smith Griffen leadership Of the
NJ. E. S. A. was compelled to make
certain concessions to the member
ship; nevertheless, their rejection OF
militant strike tactics and reliance
on the N. R. A. resulted in defeat
for the strikers.
The Progressives in the NJ. e.
S. A. crystallized into a group with
Anderson as their acknowledged
leader. A splendid speaker ard
fearless fighter, Anderson became
widely known as a battler for mili-
tant policies in defense Of the IN
terests of the rank and file. lie
steadfastly exposed the role Of the
machine headed by the Socialist
Party member, Matthew Smith, and
showed that underneath their We
neer of radical phrases the policies
Of Smith were substantially the
same as those of the A. F. Of l.. mis-
leaders. Anderson's influence among
the workers was evidenced by his
unanimous election as organizer of
Local l of the NJ. E. S. A. and chair
man of the production organizers.
Fearing the growing influence OF
the Progressives and in an effort to
hide the loss of the second tool and
die strike as result of their ruin
GUS policies, the Smith clique re-
sorted to the A. F. of L. tactics OF
expulsion and suspension. Without
giving the membership chance TO
vote on the question, the Smith
controlled District Committee sus-
pended Anderson and John Mack,
another leader of the ProgreSslves,
and removed Anderson as an or
ganizer of Local 7. The local re-
piled by voting to reinstate him and
by elect.ng him as a delegate to the
constitutional convention Of the
NJ. E. S. A. in May. The Smith ma
chine, however, refused to recognize
the decisions of the local. The fight
for the reinstatement of Anderson
and Mack is now being carried to
other locals and there is growing
sentiment in its favor.