The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-28
The Wisconsin Strike
Situation and Role
of the Socialist arty

negotiate" and wait" to discover
whether the "hardships" of striking
could be avoided Next, if in
spite of everything, the strike took
place, they did their best to in
troduce the craft union strike
breaking device of keeping skilled
workers on the job. Finally, the
misleaders' uniform policy was to
urge acceptance of the most meager
wage increases, with no safeguards
to protect the settlement.
Throttle Rank and File
Their essential nistrust of the
workers is also indicated by SYSTEM
attic efforts to keep the negotiating
committees Small" thus prevents
ing rank and file representation.
In so far as the Socialist-A. F. of
L. leadership" has part in actually
conducting strike, it is woefulIy
deficient in failing to formulate de-
mands which reflect the workers.
real grievances, in supplying cor
rect slogans and in effectively
managing mass picketing.
The workers are also receiving an
education in exactly who and what
the police are paid to protect" in
Socialist Milwaukee" Several
clashes between pickets and police
have occurred at the Seaman Body
plant and the Socialist city attorney
and Mayor Hoan have been hard
pressed to square their Socialist pro-
LESSONS with the compulsion of be-
ing primarily concerned in "enforc-
ing the laws" relating to capitalist
property.
The T. q. U. L. and the Communist
Party
5. The record to date of the
Trade Union Unity League and the
Communist Party is one both of
achievement and of partial failure.
Where there had been concentration
or even where active nuclei existed,
results have been good. This is
especially the case at the Nash
auto plant in Kenosha, where the
workers almost unanimously voted
down the sell-out settlement con-
cocted by the national board-in-
cidentally, thus supplying a lead
for the workers in Detroit. Effec-
tive work was also carried through
in the Simmons Bed Co. strike at
Kenosha.
On the other hand, a so-called
Workers Committee" which in the
beginning was Socialist led, put it
self at the head of several strikes
in Racine and gained publicity
through claiming to stand for in
dustrial unions. But the bungling
leadership of these Socialists to-
gether with police brutality Tin a
city where the Mayor was elected
as a SOCIALISM,, have served to make
the rank and file much more re-
ceptive to demands and slogans
formulated by the T. U. U. L.
Similarly with the Seaman Body
strike. Since the ground had not
been prepared by concentration
work, in the beginning there was
serious difficulty in presenting the
T. U. U. L. demands. But this
divorce from the rank and file has
been corrected and good work is
now being accomplished in strength
ening workers nilitancy and in
overcoming a condition of near
Generalization which had resulted
from betrayal tactics of the A. F.
of L. In fact, a broad opposition
movement now exists at Seaman
Body which, under the guidance of
the nucleus, is in a position to take
over strike leadership.
The Wisconsin strike situation is
in fluX and final appraisal cannot
now be made. But it is clear that
the role of the social fascists both
in the Socialist Party and in the
A. F. of L. is being increasingly ex-
posed. 1t is equally clear that,
although the initial obstacles are
greater because of social fascism's
legacy, with we'll thought-out tao
tics and effective concentration
work the T. U. U. l.. and the Party
can make substantial Roadway.
This can be done because the work.
ers recognized that the program is
a workers program. 1t is not
shaped either by a desire to secure
political jobs from the capitalist
state or to strengthen the exploitive
power of the capitalist class.