The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-17

n gaining in momentum, is upsetting the
N. R. AS apple cart. Senator Wagner,
chairman of the National Labor Board, in
his latest report bewails the fact that the
sweep of strikes in this country shows "a sudden in
crease" King Kanute National Labor Board is not
able to keep the tide back, despite its valuable
sstants in the a. F. of L. ofhcialdom.
Senator Wagner reports that Regional Labor
Boards had on their hands 542 strikes involving
226 479 workers On April l. the number of strikes
jumped to 1874, with 38O,577 workers involved.
The reason for this rapid upsurge is the grow
ing recognition by the workers that their living con-
ditions have actually been made worse by the N
R. A. that their conditions Of work are growing
unbearabe, with Speed-up intensifying, and COM
pany slave union oppression is becoming greater.
When we say the workers are becoming disil-
lusioned with the N, R. A. it by no means signifies
that they have Invested themselves Of the deeply
incrusted demagogy of Roosevelt. Though they
move into action against the N. R. A, and over the
heads Of their A F. of L. misleaders they have not
in many cases consciously and clearly vsualzed the
N. R. A. for what it s-an instrument to smash
down living standards and to break strikes in order
to increase the profits of the bosses.
The strike movement shows the rapid radicah-
cation Of the workers. Senator Wagner himself
admits the re-strke movement is growing. Settle
ment" of dispute by no means quiets the workers.
The repeated rejection of the National Labor Boards
and National Automobile Labor Boards decisions by
the Seaman body plant workers in Milwaukee is an
example Of the temper Of the workers.
THE growing political character of the strikes the
inability of Regional Labor Boards to handle
them, is shown by the growth Of the strikes which
become national issues by going directly to the Ma
tional Labor Board Here the workers come smack
up against Roosevets main strike breaking machine
with its A. F. of L. flunkies in prominent positions
The number of strikes reaching the National La
Dor Board grew from IS in February to 2l8 in March,
and the number of workers involved swelled from
$4,000 in March to $4,000 in April
The strike wave shows a Stubbornness, tenacity
and militancy that leaves no doubt that the Amer
lean workers are definitely on the move.
In spite of the maneuvers of Messers Green
Lewis, Hillman and Collins with the Wagner Board
and the host Of RooSevelts other strike breaking
Instruments the workers cannot be held back
Never before in the history of the United States
have there been such opportunities for Communists
to penetrate great sections of the working class en-
gagged in the most important struggles, economic
and political Their task is to speed the conscious
development of the workers in the significance of
their struggles, and to organize them along class
struggle lines. The Communists must lead in ex-
posing the N R. A. the Roosevelt regime, the Ma
nonaI Labor Board and the maneuvers of the A. F.
OF l.. This cannot be done from the sidelines 1t
must be done in the thickest ranks of battle
Comrade Browder in his report to the 9th Con-
Ventlon OF the Communist Party pointed out very
clearly the relation of the struggle for immediate
economic demands to the revolutionary struggle
Tor the overthrow of capitalism: IF our fight for
higher wages now, hastens the coming of Socialism"
ne declared, "hastens the coming of the working
class revolution, then so much the better We will
hight all the harder for higher wages"
Wherever the situation is favorable we must
win the workers for the revolutionary trade unions
building these as the centres Of the class struggle
unions that will the most speedily develop the strike
struggles to higher political levels We must deveop
clearly defined opposition movements in the A. F.
OF L. and independent trade unions
HERE we must stress the fact that in the huge
strike wave new tens of thousands of workers are
IocNng INTO the A. F. of L., especially into the
federal locals, on more less industrial base i'm
medately entering into struggle or clamoring and
lighting for struggle. The Communists have the
best opportunity to penetrate their ranks organize
oppositions and in many instances win leadership.
We must penetrate every A. F. of L. union and in
dependent union, crystallizing around the revolu-
tlonary opposition broad rank and file movement
to defeat the strike breaking tactics of the N R.
assisted by the A. F. of L. offlcaldom
Our job now is to struggle more energeticauv
than ever before to place revolutionists the best
fighters for the interests of the workers at the head
OF the strike movement. We must become the active
force to give greater momentum to the strike move
ment.