The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-04

WauKee? WnaG were IAe Ql1IereQceS
in the forces and the methods to ac-
count for the different results? The
main difference is to be found, not
in any different level of radicaliza-
ton of the workers, but in the rela-
tOn of forces between the organized
base of the revolutionary left-wing
inside the striking organizations
and the organized base of the Off
cialdom who everywhere fought
against the general strike.
In Toledo, the revolutionary left
wing had an organized base only
among the unemployed, not inside
the unions, where the only organized
leadership was that of the sworn
enemies of general strike; therefore,
in Toledo the tremendous general
strike sentiment found leadership
only from outside the union halls,
not inside, which made it possible
for the A. F. of L. officials, with the
aid of Music and Budenz, to choke
it off and betray it before it swept
the masses into action, instead of
afterward, as in San Francisco.
In Minneapolis, the only organ
lied leadership inside the drivers
union which was decisive was that
of the Trotskyites who operated as
an arm of the official A. F.. of L.
family; the serious weakness of the
revolutionary group inside the driv-
ers' union resulted, in practice, that
the revolutionary influence could be
eXerted only from outside.
No Base in Unions
In Milwaukee, the inside organ
lied forces in the trade unions were
considerably stronger, although
here, too, the decisive force that
made the great mass movement was
directly among the masses in the
neighborhoods rather than inside
the unions; but in Milwaukee, the
mass movement organized by the
revolutionary left-wing forces with
in and without the unions gained a
partial victory that ended the strike
before the general strike movement
could mature.
In San Francisco, the strength of
the strike movement from the be-
ginning, including the general strike,
was based upon definite, organized
left-wing groups, which even though
young and weak, played a most de-
cisive role, and brought San Fran
cisco into the vanguard of the whole
national strike movement.
The lesson is the supreme, vital
Importance of work inside the A. F.
of L., the same lesson that the 9th
Convention of the Party hammered
so heavily and stubboTnly. Even
the beginnings Of serious systematic
work, with all its weaknesses, brings
the most tremendous results for
the workers and for the entrench-
ment of the Communist Party
among the masses.
The Effect on the C. P.
S. The California Communist
Party organization stood up excep-
tionally well during the strike and
the terror, strengthening very
greatly its political influence. Here
we must emphasize that even the
tremendous red scare" campaign
of the capitalist press has by no
means been entirely negative in its
results. It is true that certain polit-
ically immature elements may be
scared away from the Party; SYM
pathizers may be for time in
Inundated or afraid to speak up or
do anything. But especially among
the workers and the trade unionistS
the Party has a respect as a force
fighting on the side Of the workers
that it never had before. A large
section Of the working class is class
conscious enough to recognize that
the capitalist press serves the en-
| ployerS and not the workers; its
vicious campaign against the Party
serves to consolidate the influence
of the Party among these workers.
Under the pressure of the most
intense terror and persecution, raids
on Party offices and auxiliaries of
every kind, the smashing of office
equipment, arrests, raids on homes
of individual comrades, ETC., we can
say that the Party functioned
throughout this period without a
single break Most Party units met
every day or two throughout the
entire period. Forty-six out of forty
seven units with one connections
were broken) reported a minimum
of one meeting during the week of
most intense terror and some of
them had four meetings. Twenty
two units Independently issued
leaflets. TIE District Committee
issued two leaflets and mimeo-
graphed edition Of the Western
Worker. Only one printed edition
of the Western Worker was missed.
This continued functioning of the
Party is an achievement which in
itself greatly adds to the prestige
of the Party among the workers.
Party Responsible for Strike
6. AS to the political character,
the political adequacy of the Party's
leadership, we must state: there
would have been no general strike
in San Francisco but for the work
of the Party; there would have
been no general marine strike; end
certainly the strike struggle, altho
not created by the Party, was given
its organized character, its general
character, its persistent and stub
born character by the active and
energetic work of the Party. The
Party has done really splendid
political and organizational work