The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-17
Auto Workers I'm
Nails A.F.L. Heads
No Strike Pledge
Continued from Page y

T. VI ~. IlllclSs MdbJtlSW Sulbl 1T
today's paper announces that the
main struggle in the tool and die
makers shifted from the question
Of wages to the question Of organ
ization. He lauds Section Ia OF
the N. r. A.
What does Matthew Smith mean
by this statement? Does he intend
to bring the membership of the
Mechanics Educational Society to
rely upon the Automobile Labor
Board and to expect that their right
Of organization is to be guaranteed
by this Board? Is he to follow in
the same path of Collins, who made
similar statements in connection
with the Washington negotiations
when the wage demands were
ditched and finally the right of
organization was thrown into the
laps of the NR.A. strikebreakers2
THE NJ. E. S. A. mas announced
its opposition to the Automobile La
Dor Board. Does the Smith policy
indicate that it is to divert from
it2 There is every justice to ask
these questions in view of the fact
that the auto workers of Detroit
and elsewhere have been plentifully
tricked by just such Foundations
Of the situation. The M. E. S. A.
workers that are conducting a strug-
gle for the organization and for
improvement of their wage and
working conditions must now take
up a fight to expose the A. F. of
L. chiefs to vigorously challenge
them. Only in this way can they
prevent the A. F. of L. leaders from
tagging the label on an outlaw
strike upon their struggle.
The M. E. S. A. membership must
struggle against any wavering and
maneuvering policy with respect to
the A, F. of L, chiefs, but must
aim to unite the front of all trade
unions in q common struggle against
the employers and their officialdom
within the ranks of the workers.
Within the A. F. of L., workers are
realizing the nature of the arbitra-
tion boards and are calling for with
drawing of the officials from this
strikebreaking machinery. The M.
E. S. A. has also every cause for
similar attitude and must demand
the withdrawal of Smith from the
Detroit Regional Labor Board.
Bosses More Arrogant
Discrimination is still rampant
The companies feel freer than ever
before to carry on their practices
against union organization. The
publicity given to so-called rein
statements is only a carnouflage to
bolster up the prestige of the Auto
mobile Labor Board so that it may
be in the position to deceive the
workers and lull them into pacivity.
The whole set-up of the board,
Kelly Wolman and Byrd, is an anti
strike, anti-union set-up.
Behind the decision of the A. F.
Of l.. is the cry of no interference,
the cry that the workers must line
up with the President and with the
Recovery program. But this very
decision of the A. F. of L. chiefs
itself registers the fact that the
workers have secured nothing from
Washington, that they are restless
because of the sell-out agreement.
Why then should the workers rely
upon Washington and upon its
strike-breaking machinery? While
production continues, the workers
still receive miserably low wages,
except where by their organized
power and strike action they have
compelled the companies to grant
increases. Speed-up remains, the
cheating bonus schemes continue to
rob the workers of their proper
earnings.
1.-THE company unions are grow
ing with the direct support Of the
employers and the indirect support
of the Automobile Labor Board.
If the workers are to get a New
Deal, they must rely upon their own
strength, upon their power to stop
production, to slow down the line,
to interfere with the companies,
who are the main receivers of the
benefits of the N. R. A. exploitation
program.
THE operators reaped huge prof
its from the New Deal while the
workers do not receive a normal
increase of wages, and the cost of
living continues to mount. No re-
lance upon the Automobile Board,
but struggle against it. No reliance
upon the system Of arbitration and
Cancellation, but struggle against it,
no faith in the A. F. of L. chiefs,
but a merciless struggle to expose
and GUST these agents of the COM
pany.
THE companies and the press are
making a war upon unionism AS
main weapon they are using the
Arbitration Board to carry through
this war. For an unhesitating
and UNDERTAKING struggle against
the strike breakers" The statement
concludes with a stinging call for
united front actions of all workers
against the strike breaking leaders
of the A. F. of L.
The statement Of the militant
Auto Workers Union concludes by
calling upon the workers under no
conditions to surrender the strike
weapon. the only guarantee of a real
deal. Under no circumstance hesi-
tate to use their weapon and in the
present situation to spread the
strikes to other sections of the
workers and to other plants.
and that he be Immediately freed.
A delegation was also elected to
place the demands before the local
Co11errlufo