The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-22
Hoav to Build the Social
Insurance Congress

I ESS than two months remain before
II the historic Congress for UnemplOy-
ment and Social Insurance gathers at
Washington on January ST.
This Congress is the vital concern of
millions Of workers. This Congress will be the
expression of the needs of every jobless worker,
every worker whose life is haunted by the fear
that tomorrow he will find himself in the streets,
of every person who is willing to fight for certain
minimum conditions of work, health and security
for himself and his family.
The millions upon millions of workers. toiling
farmers, and white collar workers in this country
have one great problem that stares them in the
face every day-how are they going to get food and
shelter for their families when they have no work,
what can they do now to get unemployment relief,
what will happen to them if they must give up
their jobs on account of sickness or accident.
How in short, to live at a minimum level of
security as the crisis and unemployment ravage mil
lions of working class families.
This will be the problem of the working class
convention that meets in Washington on Jan. ST.
For this Congress practical steps must be taken
now. 1t is now time for every single person inter
ested in the Congress to get to work to lay the
basis for the Congress
The first objective to keep in mind in the
preparations for the Congress is to convince every
type ana KIM VI WO1hGIS OISdAllHdllOu W SSllu
delegates to the Congress. This Congress will not
be merely the Congress of jobess or of left-wing
groups 1t will be the Congress of the American
working class striving to include every single work
ing class group of whatever political opinion or af-
hiation.
It is the united front of the workers. of every
political opinion that must be the main objective
of the Congress
For this reason there must be no hesitation in
in the membership no matter what political or non
political afhliation it has.
NOW as to the practical steps,
~ The first step is for workers now interested to
call together whatever people they know, in order
to form a Sponsoring Committee to support the
January ST Congress for Unemployment and So
cial Insurance Letters and telephone calls to these
people should go out now, and meetings arranged
at homes or other meeting places Here the Ma
tional Call issued by the Congress Arrangements
Committee should be distributed and plans for
delegates discussed and acted upon
On this Sponsoring Committee should be in
cluded the most prominent people in the groups
and organizations involved or which can be APP
preached,
Then the Sponsoring Committee gets in touch
with trade union locals Socialist Party locals vel
fare societies, health groups, churches medical
groups clubs, fraternal lodges, etc, etc. Special
delegates be chosen to interview youth, women
Negro and other organizations.
All these groups should be informed officially
of the Congress, its purpose explained and re-
quest for delegates be made
Information should be obtained on when all the
trade union locals meet and delegation should
be sent to each union meeting with an official pro-
posal TO send delegates to the Congress in January
More than 1000 A. F. of L. locals have endorsed
the Workers Unemployment Insurance Bill Every
one Of these locals should be visited list of these
locals can be obtained from the A. F. of L. Rank
and File Committee for Unemployment Insurance
and Relief at 1 Union Square, New York City.
In these actions the members of the Commu-
mist Party units, Unemployed Councils, and various
mass organizations should take the first steps at
once, with special committees chosen to take care
of the letter writing and establishment of contacts
with the other groups.
Where there are no organized groups, individual
workers in small towns villages should them
selves call together their friends and felow-workers
to form an Unemployment Council or special Spon-
soring Committee for the Congress Having gath
cred group interested in the Congress- they should
communicate with the National Sponsoring Com
mttee at 1893 Broadway, Room 624 New York City
which will send them full information on how to
proceed
In the A. F. of L. unions a worker should be
chosen by those supporting the Congress- or if there
is only worker who knows of the Congress
he should step forward himself at the very next
meeting, to propose that his local get in touch with
the National Committee and elect delegates to 20
to Washington January ST. Similarly with So
cialist Party locals everywhere.
TPke practical steps for the January ST Con-
gregs!
Social Insurance.!