The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-07
On the Role Of OFciaIdom
In the POcketbOOk Strike

itate to express their disagreement
with the calling Of strike, and di-
rectly or indirectly advocated set
tlement on the basis of the 40-hour
week.
A specific instance is the case Of
Mr.. Mellzer, a business agent Of the
old administration, working out Of
town, who came to the workers of a
striking shop urging them to &C
cept settlement on the basis Of
the 40-hour week. The others who
advocated his line Of policy in the
union didn't hesitate to express
their agreement with his point Of
view, and voted to retain him in
his position, regardless of the stand
he took on the basic demands Of
the workers.
At membership meeting called
to discuss the strike, the same peo-
pie openly came out on the floor
recommending a settlement on the
basis Of the 40-hour week. At this
same meeting Mr.. Goldman openly
state on the floor that in the pres
ence Of one Of the resigned business
agents, he had conferred with an
employer on the question of arrang-
ing a conference.
AS To the Rules
1t is true that, according to the
rules and the constitution lin the
formulation of which the workers
undoubtedly had little to say, such
action does not constitute an Of
tense. It is also true in that many
Of the A. F. of l.. unions, where the
rank and file is not in control, there
are constitutional provisions which
authorize presidents and secretaries
to carry on negotiations with the
employers and conclude settlements
without the approval of the work.
ers. This was most glaringly illus
trated in the recent strike Of the
textile workers, where Mr.. German
and MIR. McNIann, and a few top
officials of the general executive
board agreed to send the 100000
workers back to the mills without
any concessions whatsoever, and
without even so much as consult
ing the workers on a matter which
involved their most vital interests.
The militants in the labor move
ment, and especially the Commu-
mist Party, do not sanction or ap-
prove such policies just because
they are within the technical limits
Of constitutions framed by bureau
cracies; on the other hand, 1t fights
/ persiStently against policies and
constitutions which give officials
power to negotiate and conclude
settlements without the knowledge
or consent of the workers.
In the Pocketbookmakers' strike,
the membership specifically seeking
to avoid such predicament, voted
that no one but the conference
committee was authorized to confer
with the bosses.
/ 1t is in this line that the Daily
Worker and Morning Freiheit
printed the editorial of Oct. 4 criti-
Ching Mr.. Goldman, secretary Of
the union, for comforting with the
employers without sanction of the
workers on strike.
Aim of Criticism
This criticism was not intended
to imply that such conferences were
held by Mr.. Goldman for the pur-
pose of selling out the strike to the
bosses; it was not intended to re-
fleet on his personal honesty and
integrity as the editorials in the
Daily Worker were interpreted by
him. We know that even among
some of the most reactionary off,
Gals Of the A. F. of L. there are
elements who are personally hon
est, but whose policies are detri-
mental to the interests of the
workers.
Our differences with them are