The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-04
Chicago ALL. Officials
Railroad Support to
Fake Wagner Bill
Rv a Worker Corresnondent

CHICAGO, ILL.,, May 8. -
Refusing to take a vote by
hands, the Chicago A. F. of
L. Conference, held here Sun
day, April 10Th, voted by a
vocal vote, support to the
Wagner-Lewis Reserves" Bill, the
fake unemployment insurance bill,
railroaded through by the A. F. of
L. officialdom.
The conference, called by the
Chicago Federation of Labor for
unemployment insurance, W a S
opened by Oscar Nelson, vice
president of the Chicago Fedora
ton of Labor one of II accused of
racketeering. The assistant secre-
tary read off the cali If the con-
ference that endorsed the Y. R. A.,
which was discussed by most of the
leaders of the Chicago Federation
Of Labor, like Sodorstrom, president
of the Illinois Federation of Labor,
and many other top officials Only
one rank and file delegate, H. Cohen
from Local 637 of the Painters
Union, was given the floor to speak.
The chairman of the conference
asked that the Wagner Connery
bill be adopted. Objections were
made from the floor by rank and
file delegates that they did not
know what they were going to vote
for, that it should read off before
the conference. Nelson answered
that William Green is for the bill
and the American Federation Of
Labor in general was for the bill
therefore all delegates can easily
vote for it. The vote for this bill
was railroaded despite the protest
of large numbers of rank and file
delegates.
The Wagner-Lewis Reserves"
bill then came up for discussion. A
delegate from Local 637, Elmer
johnson, spoke for the Workers
Unemployment and Social Insur-
ance Bill Oh. r. 1899. He was
questioned by the chairman of the
conference and again when answer
ing to the conference received ire
mendous applause, especially when
he said that This is the only work
ers' bill which provides for all the
unemployed today" George Kupp,
of the Typographical Union Local
No. is, then read off the Workers
Unemployment and Social Insur-
ance Bill Oh. R. 1899. When he
got through he received tremen-
dous applause. Mr.. Nelson and the
other top officials were actually
lost, and it really looked as though
the Workers Bill CHR. 1881 was
going to be carried,
Nelson then made an attack on
the Workers Unemployment and
Social Insurance Bill, claiming that
this bill is published only for Com
munist propaganda" When he said
this the rank and file delegates
booed him, and he said, "Boos or
no boos. this bill is not going to be
carried A group of officials spoke
after that, and the vote was sud
denly taken.
The Workers Unemployment and
Social Insurance. Bill got a very big
vote. Nevertheless, the chairman
announced that the "ayes" have it,
and the Wagner bill was carried.
Would there have been a vote by
hands, it would have been impos-
sible for the chairman to announce
the Wagner bill carries.
There we're also resolutions
adopted for the siX-hour, five-day
week, for the return of the C.WA,
Jobs and the P,WA. program, also
for the building of more schools,
hiring of more teachers, etc.
The rank and file left the con-
ference with a determination to
show up their leadership in their
local unions, by working for the
adoption of the Workers Unem-
ployment Insurance Bill in every
local union in the city of Chicago.