The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-03

IN Milwaukee, joined by nu-
merous middle-class elements,
through an intense militancy
which took the A. F. of l..
misleaders completely by surprise,
had placed the workers in position
to win real gains.
No Wage Demands
But with this extremely favorable
Set-up confronting them, the A. F.
of L. officials refrsined from raising
any demands whatever for wage in
sreases. This vital angle is left to
negotiation, the union to be repre-
sented by these same bunsling
leaders" And the negotiations are
not to begin at once. while the
temper and spirit of the rank and
file are strong.
Instead, a committee Of three
"diSinterested" individuals is to
make arrangements" for collective
bargaining. Just what arrange
ments" from the standpoint of the
workers are needed is mystery.
But one can offer a good guess.
This committee is comprised of two
'mediators" from the National La
Dor Board-an outfit which has
been notorious for its ability to stall
for time, to dilly-dally in manner
which checks exactly with the de-
sires Of the company.
And the third member-prepare
for the best of all-is a local capt.
talist, julius He'll, who heads both
an open shop concern and the Mil
waukee MIRA. compliance board.
This committee, we predict, aided
and abetted by the A. F. Of L. bu-
reaucrats, is the agency by which
the collective bargaining victory"
won by the militant strikers and
sympathizers may be turned into a
victory for the company.
Company Pleased
Quite accurately the president Of
the Electric Company closes an adj
vertisement, entitled For Law and
Order" with the statement:
This method of arbitration
preserves the spirit and substan-
TALLY the form Of that which has
been in effect for is years under
the continuing contract between
Employees Mutual Benefit Asso-
citation (the company union) and
the Company"
Thus, we have it from the ode
feated" company that it feels as
sured of obtaining an arrange
ment" which will be the equivalent
to the existing company union.
Could Communists ask for any
better substantiation of our aSser-
tons that A. F. of L. leaders"
habitually enter into class-collabo-
rating arrangements" which
amount to company unionism?
The way in which the mass
meeting called to ratify the Settle
ment" was conducted lends further
support to the Communist view. The
first remarks of E. j. Brown, local
head of the electricians union and
chairman of the meeting, gave the
lead to what followed. He an
nounced that the meeting was called
TO ratify the settlement" No hint
of need for discussion or debate
from the floor He was followed by
Attorney Joseph Padway, who COM
monty represents A. F. of l.. unions
in injunction cases, ETC., and who
just now is active in playing both
ends against the middle in an effort
to win the Democratic nomination
for Congress from the northern half
of the city. Padway hgrriedly read
the agreement, without word Of
explanation. Several of the clauses
we're obviously vague and open to
several interpretations.
Says Closed Shop illegal"
Padway having completed his
reading, Brown jumped up and
asked for a motion ito ratify the
| agreement" But at this stage the
railroading which was in process
became a little too open. Workers
called out from all over the hall for
further explanation. Several de-
manded why union recognition and
the closed shop were not included
in the settlement. Brown, clearly
surprised and confused, stammered
lamely for several minutes and then
asked that Padway explain" the
1 situation.
Thereupon Padway INDUCED in
some of the oratory for which he
is noted. First he contended that
the closed shop is Illegal under Sec
/ ton IA of the MIRA. And where
did he get this information? He
did not tell, but here was an adj
mission which corresponds to the
Communist Interpretation of the
meaning of these so-cslled labor
4 clauses" For generations even the
capitalist courts have regarded the
/ closed chat is, the unionized) shop
as legal. But N.R.A. is enacted, and
10 and behold, this 'pro-labor" law
takes away legal status which
has long existed. The workers,
lulled by Pathways oily speech and
assuming that, since he is a labor
attorney" he Ought to know the
law" we're for the most part per-
! suaded to accept this explanation.
Brown arbitrarily announced that
remarks from the floor would be
limited to five minuteS-this after
he and Padway had worn down the
crowd with their unlimited wind
| jamming miSinformation
One rank and filler came to the
/ front. He declared: THE only diff
ference I can see between EMB.A
| company union and this A. F. OF
L. set-up that is being dished out
to us is that the initials of the
A. F. of L. contain one less letter. >
I The vote was taken and there