The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-16

present claSS-collaD0ratlon, bu~
: reaucratic policies of the A. A.
leadership as is" one hundred per
cent.
The so-cslled rank and file presi-
dent Of Cannonsburg lodge who is
opposing Mike Tighe in the election
which is now over but the results
Of which are still a secret from the
membership, set worth his views at
a symposium here on the question.
Should Labor accept the trucs
proposed by President ROOSEVELT"
During his speech Mr.. Williams
intlmated somewhat vaguely that
Labor should not accept a truce
unless it had more voice in writing
the conditions Of such truce than
it had in the drawing up of N. r.
AS Codes" but failed to declare
what action should be taken by
labor to win better conditions.
Discrimination by A. A. Leaders
In the question period following,
one of the audience raised the ques-
ton that it is unfair for the A. A.
oficisldom to deny voice and vote
to members who are not able to paw
up dues because of unemployment.
Mr.. Williams, however, upheld this
bureaucratic policy Of the present
top leadership
The writer then pointed out that
Clarion lodge is now almost 100
per cent blacklisted by Carnegie
Steel Co. as the direct result OF their
strike last fall as A. A. members,
and asked if their disqualification
from voting is fair under these ci--
cumstances, now that they cannot
pay dues because Of being fred
for union activity.
Mr.. Williams asked. Are YOU re-
ferring to strike called by the A.
Az"
Yes. They struck as an A. A.
lodge"
But on whose authority"
ON their own authority. After
all, it is the workers who should
say wheather they should strike or
not. and they voted to strike"
No Strike Policy Of Williams
Well" said Mr.. Williams. this
is the same sort of a case as that
Of motorist who drives through
a red light and gets caught. They
broke rule and are now suffering
the consequences"
Only moment later. however,
the A. A. candidate assured a uuss-
toner that no truce" such as
proposed could be brought about
by the top leaders alone because the
Amalgamated is very democratic"
organization.
After the meeting your correspon-
dent asked Mr.. Williams If he would
answer few questions, to which he
partially assented, reserving the
right to answer or not.
Mr.. Williams, what would YOU
have done had you been president
OF the A. A. from April to June OF
this year? Would you have pre-
pa-ed steel strike as voted by the
majority of the April convention.
or acted to avert such q strike as
Tighe did, ignoring the mandate of
the workers."
The question is unfair"
What is unfair about it?"
Protects Tishe
| You are asking me to give an
opinion OF the leadership of an or
gsnizstion OF which I am a mem-
Der, one which I am for 100 per
cent"
But the Amslgamatsd workers
voted TO strike. even set up a COM
nittee to prepare it"
Nevertheless. it is the same as If
were selling an automobile, that
automobile, to me, would be the best
automobile in the world Gnti-
mating, presumably, that the A. A.,
as is, has the best leadership in the
world.)
He was asked whether. if a work
er holds an opinion that something
is wrong with the organization to
which he belongs, he is not doing
it harm by not bringing the issue
into the open for discussion. 50 that
the whole organization could be
bettered.
But Mr.. Williams is for the gag
rule-"No. You want me to say
that Tighe is rotten. and how would
such a statement look at such a
time. before the election results are
+ disclosed"
But no one is asking you to say
ne is rotten. 1 am only asking
what your policies are"
That is unfair"
One final question. Do you have
any differences OF opinion on poll
cies Of the A, A. than Tighes"
No! I cannot answer at this
/ time"
Ferdinand Bindel, president Of
the Federation of Flat-giass Work
ers. and Harvey O'Connor, writer.
also participated In the symposium.