The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-12
The 8>Point Program
of WaIdman

INHE New Y Ork state committee OF the
Socialist Party, controlled by the
Waldman group, has taken further step
in the consolidation of the Socialist Party
leadership with the American Federation
of Labor offcialdom. The State Committee meeting
adopted eight-point program" which, it is de-
clared, the New York Federation officials will Co
operate" in advocating
This program admittedly is a step of the VALID
man leadership toward the formation together with
the A. F. of L. ofhciadom of a labor" party or
falling that entrance of the Waloman group into
the Democratic Party itself. In fact Waldman, in
his press statements, expressed satisfaction at the
victory of the Democratic Party at the polls de-
claring that if the Democratic Party is instrumental
in efecting the eght-point program it will get the
credit, and if it fails, the blame
The Socialist Party right wing leaders are trying
to head off the growing mass resentment against
the two odd parties" of capitalism, and misdirect
this growing mass protest into the direction of
bourgeois farmer-labor party. They want to direct
the workers who are becoming radicelized into an
other party of capitalism, and keep them away from
the only party of the working class, the Commu-
mist Party
The eight-point program, to serve as the basis
for legislative lobbying in true William Green style
is a program with which the New Deal could well
agree.
IL proposes enactment OF an anti-injunction
statute embodyng the best features of the Federal
NorriS-La Guardia Anti-Injunction Law"
1t is under this meaningless law now boosted bv
Waldman's group that hundreds of injunctions
against picketing have been and are now being is
sued in New York and throughout the country
The Communist Party demands in unmistakabe
terms, the complete abolition of injunctions under
all conditions against trade unions or workers en-
gagged in struggle" and mobilizes the workers for
yiNIo
Waldman plank does not call for fight against the
increasing anti-labor injunctions
The unemployment insurance plank of this eight
point program might well have been written BY
William Green himself. 1t advocates IAN adequate
unemployment insurance law" The Workers I'm
employment Insurance Bill the only bill which ap-
plies to the totally unemployed, is not mentioned
There Is no mention of the necessity of working
for federal unemployment insurance bill This
might offend Green who in his report to the A.
OF l.. convention definitely spoke against any fed
eral unemployment insurance There is no mention
OF the insurance funds coming from taxes on the
employer and on the government Roosevelt him
self, while cutting relief, advocates Unemployment
insurance" in the same general and meaningless
terms as does the Waldman proposal The proposals
on sickness, health and old age insurance the pro
gram of municipal housing" are Gagged in the same
safe" general terms
The important question of the thirty hour week
is also dealt with in fashion to give no offense to
the A. F. of L. leaders the Roosevelt admnistra-
ton. Waldman's plank calls for enactment of a
state thirty hour work-week law in line with the
Black-Connery bill, which the American Federation
of Labor has Endorsed"
The Black-Connery bill does not call for any in
crease In wages along with the reduction in hours
1t therefore advocates reduction in the wages of
the workers. The Endorsement of this wage cutting
measure by the State Committee of the Socialist
Party Is strong indication of the path which the
Waldman leadership is taking together with the
A F OF L. leadership, towards an openly anti-work-
ing class policy
The seventh point of this program drops all pre-
tense OF Marxism. The most radical" plank we can
find in the new eight-point program of the New
YORK State Socialist Party leadership is point seven
Legislation that would facilitate public ownership
OF public utilities" The Waldman leadership here
suotlely advocates public ownership" under the
capitalist system as its goal The question of "the
cooperative commonwealth of socialism is dropped
In the face of this reactionary eight-point pro-
gram OF the Waldman leadership the rank and file
membership in the Socialist Party have cause to
pause and consider where their leaders are leading
them The Communist Party calls upon the rank
and file members of the Socialist Party for united
front to join in fight for the everyday mass strug-
gle against the capitalist policies of the New Deal