The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-02
By henry CUMMINGS

FHE question OF united front in
l connection with opposition work
in the A. p Of L., is a most i'm
portant problem. The attitude to-
wards this has in the main been
away from the shops. 1t directed it
self chiefly TO the various groupings
and groupletS in local unions. And
even IN the latter regard, it has
been the saortcoming to deal only
or primarily with the top leader
ship OF these groups instead of to
the broad rank and file following.
Individual negotiations have been
practiced. And for the sake Of what
certain comrades called united
front the clesr-cut rank and file
line OF certain opposition groups was
dropped and the opposition groups
followed at the tail of takers. These
takers won over many workers be-
cause of opposition to the existing
administrations. But these takers
were not exposed on the basis of
bringing forward a real program of
StTuRgle-not merely for leadership,
but for Improvement Of conditions
on the Job. DAe 10 the fact that
certain comrades ia a New York
millinery local did not carry through
certain instructions, We were routed
III q recent election This is the pen
atty for confusing fusion with united
front. Comrades must understand
that united fronts are made on the
basis Of struggle, strike, stoppsge,
demonstrations, protest and con-
demnation of actions of the ma
chine, ETC., not on the basis of gen
lemen's agreements. United fronts
must be made on the basis of fight
ing for improvement of conditions
and for the elimination of bureau
Gratis from power. Without this We
cannot call the converting Of rank
and file groups with other group
inss in locals a united front.
The proper carrying through of
work in the shops, with especial ref
ereRee to united front struggle mi
tiated by rank and file militant
groups, depends on the functioning
Of the Party fraction. The Party
fractions IN New York are chiefly
marrow trade union organs. That is.
they function as a trade union lead
erShip without politicalizing their
approach bo the various trade and
craft problems. The fractions. too.
narrow the scope OF activity to the
local union and do not, in the main
properly understand the carrying
through of the united front Dis
cussionS at fractions are mechani-
cal because the problems of the
trades and crafts are not tied I'D
with the revolutionary struggles GO
ing on throughout the entire com-
try.
There is stA tendency to I'M
derestimate the naturalization and
revolutionization Of A. p. of L. mem
bers. as part Of the general de-
veloping revolutionary situation
throughout the United States. The
campaigns Of the Party are not
brought forward 70 the masses of
the A. ?. of L. rank and file. There
is a veefully weak coordination of
the shop concentration OF Party sec
tionS and units with that of the
opposition groups, Even where we
have Party members in A. +. of L.
shops IN which rank and file opposi =
ton members work side by side with
them, there are very little efforts
made In building shop nuclei.
HE fractions, while ia all cases
nornina}sy 1t the head Of the
rank and file opposition groups, in
very few cases give real Communist
leadership 10 the groups. IN the
first place, there is the already men
toned neglect of bold orientation
to shop struggles From this flows a
bureaucratic attitude towards rank
and file critics Of inactivity. Groups
are too often stFangled by personal
sqHabbles. Fractions are at times
crtminahy divided--sometimes as a
result Of political differences; at
other times Of tactical differences.
Fractions that act as Communist
fractions. politically discussing the
relationship of their shop problems
IN the light OF the crisis Of American
capitalism, discussing the actions of
the trade union officials in connec-
ton with betraying the interests of
the membership, will be able to over
come this situation.
This lack of politicalization has
especially Affected our fight for the
Workers Unemployment and Social
Insurance Bill Comrades felt that
the raising Of this slogan was too far
distant from being seriously consid-
cred by their local union members.
In certain instances there was pri-
marily raised the question of how to
create more jobs, control of lob dis
trioution by the rank and file. Thus
the comrades aid in fostering the il
fusion that such measures can solve
the question of unemployment.
These problems have been dis
cussed with various fractions. The
former orientation is gradually
shifting. The rank and file move
ment in its present stage of afllis-
ton with an A. p. of L. rank and file
center is only few months old
and certain re-education is needed
before we are able to start in the
full swing of leading independent
struggles over the heads of the off,
Gals, We are going through this
process now.
There is still the problem of the
oolectives OF the rank and file OBJ
position groups. There has been
an open and concealed tendency
among Industrial union comrades to
claim that the chief task of the
opposition groupS Is 10 build the