The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-25
Zimmerman's Phrases

EVEN the most reactionary capitalist
IL press can no longer ignore the ire
mendous upsurge of revolt that is now
taking place in the ranks of the rank and
file AT of L. members against the strike
breaking treacheries of the top leadership.
In every phase Of the textile strike Il was the
powerful and steadily increasing mitancy of the
rank and file workers that filled the Germans and
the Greens with fear. Their greatest worry was
that the militancy of the workers would get out
OF their control, and that the rank and file would
sweep aside their rotten class collaboration policies
and replace them with class struggle policies.
IN this situation Of rapidly rising revolt in the
A r. of L., the Greens and Germans fight in two
ways They seek to choke this rank and file oppo-
sitSon by direct attacks, expulsons red batting"
and gangsterism.
But also they attack indirectly They make use
Of left" demagogues who attempt to head the
rank and file revolt, so that they can, when the
time comes behead the movement
Such is the meaning of the latest move of
Charles Zimmerman, Lovestoneite bureaucrat, in
Local % OF the International Ladies Garment
Workers, Of the largest locals in the A. F. of l.
CENSING the powerful groundSwell OF rank and
file resentment against the Greens and Germans
Zimmerman rushes forward with the proposal to
Green that they cali for nation wide strikes" and
that they break with the old parties"
Zimmerman hasn't the slightest intention of
fighting the vicious, Disqualification leadership
Of the A. F. of L. He talks mltantly only that
he may keep the workers still under the leadership
Of this bureaucracy. He is the fg-leaf for this
bureaucracy always appealing to it to reform"
itself!
In his own local, while skilfully using "lefto
phrases he has invariably backed down tho crll-
cal moments Of the struggle and taken his place
with the reactionary of1cialdom
His Loyestoneite colleague, Keller in Paterson
cunningly held back the Paterson dye workers for
more than two weeks, while they were straining
to join the textile strike. Yesterday he made critical
remarks against the German textile sell-out, but
he urged the workers to accept it,
Keller like his Lovestoneite colleague thinner
MAN, speaks radical" But he ACTS in the inter
ests Of the Greens and Germans - and the en-
ployers.
1t is only the Rank and File Committee of the
A. F. of L. that means business in its fight against
the class collaboration bureaucras of the top lead
ership in the A. F. of L. 1t is around these Rank
and File oppostions in the locals that real strug-
gle against the top officials is being organized 1t
is this committee which has prepared the vital,
fighting program of class struggle for the A. F. of L.
convention.
Zimmerman is only the lightning rod to catch
the anger of the rank and file and make it harm
less. The Greens and Germans do not fear him.
They understand just what he is doing And they
appreciate it. This is shown by Dubinsky's endorse
ment of Zimmerman for reelection as dictator of
Local %.
Preparations for real class struggle against the
employers for better wages, for union conditions,
for social insurance ETC.. can come only under Rank
and File leadership.