The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-02

for the Workers Unemployment
Insurance Bill, HR. 1893; against
capitalist war and fascism.
The rank and filers stressed that
no representatives of employers
organizations or political parties
be allowed to speak on this day
and brought out the signifcancs
of May Day as the real interna-
tional day for labor.
Demand Workers Program
Martel received the surprise OF
his life when he raised the ques-
ton of the political activity of the
federation. Despite the fact that
most Of the delegates had left,
quite a number took the floor to
denounce the so-called non-partis
san political policy of the A. F.
Of L., which means support of the
candidates of the two old capt.
talist parties.
Delegate Kroon of the painters
union, took the floor and pointed
out that a complete break must
be made with capitalist politics
and only those candidates should
be supported who stand on the
working class platform for inn
mediate improvements in the con-
ditions Of the workers, for the de-
struction of capitalism and the
establishment OF Workers and
Farmers Government in the
United States. He called upon the
trade unions to join hands with
the Communist Party in putting
forward mutually agreed upon
candidates standing on this revo-
lutionary platform.
When the Martell machine tried
to howl Kroon down an old trade
unionist in the rear. backed by a
number of other delegates, took
the floor and shouted to the
chair that he will not allow
Kroon's speech to be stopped.
Martell was forced to back down
and tell the chair to allow him
to continue. A young delegate
from the Bakers Union also pre-
sented q motion that only candi-
dates standing for Workers and
Farmers Government should be
supported by the Federation.
Lovestone and S. P. Leaders Silent
During this debate the Social
list Party delegates kept discreet
silence. Red" Miller, the lone
Lovestoneite renegade delegate,
not only kept quiet, but left the
hall at this point. He did not
have courage enough to defend his
own little renegade party. He
didn't even dare to ruffle the fm
of Martel to the extent of sup
porting the misleading slogan
a labor party put forward by o.
of the auto union delegates. T
Red" Miller was expelled by
members of the coal drivers union
and has now wormed his way into
the Laundry Workers Union.
Martell had intended using this
part of the meeting to whip up
some sentiment for the Repubh-
can Party, of which he is stats
committeeman.
Martel Boosts Republicans
He panned the Democratic Gov
ernor Comstock and insinuated
that only the party of Hoover has
the best friends of labor" The
opposition to this viewpoint of
Martell came so thick and fast
that he was forced to take the
floor twice during the debate. He
made q typical demagogic anti
red talk, untruthfuIly charging
that the Communists favor break
ing up the existing unions of the
workers and building dual unions.
He soft peddled when he spoke
about the Socialist Party, stating
that if he was sure they could get
enough votes he would consider
the question of supporting their
candidates. He stated that in
Michigan we are in a bad way as
far as labor legislation is con-
cerned, thus admitting that the
non-partisan policy has gotten the
workers nothing, at least in this
state. The only thing he could
think of for a labor legislative
program was shorter hours with
no mention of wages, old age pen
sions and the abolition of child
labor He said nothing about un-
employment insurance, guaran-
teed minimum wage, etc. Wagner
and Connery we're his examples of
real labor Office holders.
BY this time most of the dele
gates had left They were talked
out of the hall It became a tus-
sic between the 'fat boys" and the
Rank and File Committee. The
"fat boys won by motion to re-
fer to the Executive Board and
the Legislative Committee.