The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-20

policy of class struggle, otherwise
the new union will degenerate
into just another U.M.W.A. col
laboratiOn with the operators;
that means: soft pedal ON the
fight, depending on the conference
board and the bosses courts, vot-
ing for the capitalist parties in
a general betrayal Of the workers
interests" - Speech Of VIM. z.
Foster in Springfield, H., on Sept.
5th, 1882 at the time Of fOrma-
ton of P. NJ. of A.
The Second constitutional conven-
ton of the Progressive Miners Of
America, which just closed, confirms
with minute precision the words
OF the American working class
leader, William z. Foster The con-
vention showed the trend to bank
ruptcy and decline OF the union.
Although the officials tried to hide
the extreme passivity, indifference
and disillusionment of the member
ship, the result Of a two years pol
icy Of arbitration, playing with the
bosses courts and supporting the
Roosevelt government, was appar-
ent.
According to available check-up
in various local unions and sub
districts, less than one-third of the
membership participated in the
election Of delegates; for example
in the largest local, No. l, with
$500 members, only 300 voted in
the two referendums held to elect
delegates. There were only 154 del
egates at the convention; Al local
unions were not represented and
had no delegates at all This, it
was explained, was due to f1nan-
cial inability to furnish expenses, y
but in fact it is a reflection of the
condition in which the union finds
itself at the present time. ooh,
what's the use Of sending dele
gates" is the attitude expressed in
many locals.
The Pearcy machine did not want
to be on the spot for the betrayal
of the 1900 miners in Christian,
Sangamon and Franklin Counties,
and they did their best to keep
the number Of delegates from the
striking and blacklisted areas as low
as possible. Thus, it was disclosed
in the convention, that the secre-
tary-treasurer, William Keck, dis
regarded the constitutional provi-
sions and sent out letters to all
blacklisted and unemployed locals
not to send the regular number OF
delegates Zone to every 100 men,
bers) but only one delegate for
every 500 members. The same pol
icy was carried on by the machine
in the working locals, where under
the excuse of big expenses" they
insisted in every local upon sending
only one or two delegates,
Union at Low Ebb
Compared to the 600 delegates at
the first PIMA. convention in 1882,
the majority Of whom were rank
and file militant miners, this second
convention mainly represented local
union officials. About ninety dele
gates supported the Pearcy machine
on practically all questions, forty
vacillated between the program OF
oppostion and the slick maneuvers
of the ofhcialdom, while only seven
teen delegates stood solidly on the
basis of the opposition program.
Fully so per cent of all resolutions
submitted by the local unions to
the convention came from militant
rank and file miners under Com
munist leadership. There were three
Musteite delegates and three So
cialists, who in the main supported
the rank and file program in the
convention.
While no basic changes were
made in the constitution and while
some lip service was given by the
oficialdom to even some of the OPP
position resolutions, basically, the
convention placed seal Of endorse
ment on the official policy
Although the convention was con-
trolled by the officialdom, the rank
and file sentiment in the local
unions opposition groups forced the
adoption Of several opposition reso-
1utions. such as Unemployment In
surance Bill HR. 1898, against de-
portation of foreign born, defense
of Scottsboro boys Herndon, for
freedom of Thaelmann, against war
and fascism, against the NR.A.,
and for repeal of the Criminal Syn
dicalism law. Three things stand
out in this convention:
u During the whole convention
every attempt to bring out the
vicious betrayal Of the 10000 miners
was cut short in a regular Lewis
steam-roller manner. The only rel
erence Pearcy made to this betrayal
was in his report when he stated
that they tried to solve the problem
by securing other jobs and relief
~ the blacklisted miners. When
the rank and file in Springfield
heard that the officialdom at the
convention did not want to take
a stand on the strike, the members
demanded that their delegates sub
nit a special resolution. Thus on
the last day, just at the close Of
the convention, eight delegates from
Springfield area submitted this
resolution: 1--WE members of the
striking area of Springfield are
pleading to this convention to take
some definite stand on the strike
situation, as we are losing men who
are going back to work under
Lewis"
The Convention gave no answer
to this plea, except promise of
moral and financial help. The off,
cialdom refused to discuss the strike
action or any plan to secure jobs
or relief to the blackIisted thou