The daily worker., 1934-07-06
FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1884
Defend the Pacific Coast
Workers by Strike Action! !

ganized, militantly led and determined
struggle of the 10000 Pacific Coast ma
rine transport workers 10 longshoremen,
seamen, firemen, engineers, masters,
mates and pilots, truckers and waterfront
truck drivers.
The massing of the forces of local,
state and federal government against the
strikers calls for quick and united action
by the entire labor movement.
The situation is as follows:
1. For two months the strike-headed
by a rank and file committee of so, five
from each of the ten unions involved-has tied up
marine transport in the principal ports
The employers have stubbornly resisted the de-
mands of the workers for higher wages, better
working conditions and union recognition.
2 The strikers rejected the terms of proposed
settlement which would have split their ranks and
sent the longshoremen back to work under COM
plete company domination. These terms were pro-
posed Jointly by Joseph P Ryan, head Of the Inter
national Longshoremen's Association, and the en-
ployers.
g. President Roosevelt's Labor Relations" Board
has insisted and continues to insist that the srik
ers go back to work without any guarantees and
submit their demands to arbitration" Roosevelt's
board makes this demand the strikers right at
the time that Governor Merriam of California has
modified the National Guard against the strikers,
and in the face of armed attacks on strikers and
pickets by 1000 professional gunner and police
operating with the organization of the waterfront
employers-the strikebreaking Industrial AssOcia-
ton
The Roosevelt Board is composed of Archbishop
Hanna prelate with penchant for strikebreak-
ing Edward McGrady Assistant Secretary of La
bor whose strikebreaking and redbaiting activities
in the New York garment industry and in the
Pennsylvania coal fields are notorious, and o. K.
Cushing former attorney for the Spreckels sugar
interests.
Governor Merriam has ordered the Harbor
Commissioner to operate the Harbor Belt Line
railway-closed by the strike-at all costs The
regular crews have refused to trains. The
Railway Brotherhood lodges in the Bay counties
have refused to supply additional crews. The
authorities now trying to operate this strategic
waterfront railway with National GuardSmen and
police.
5. In Seattle, where all Alaska shipping is tied
up by the strike Secretary of the Interior Iekes has
threatened to operate ships with strikebreakers
directly under government control He has not
offered to grant the strikers demands,
g. Four strikers have been killed by the police
and hired gunner; scores have been gassed, clutbed
and jailed.
7. The strike is effective in the following cities
Vancouver, Seattle, Bellngham, Everett Tacoma,
Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Vancouver Cwash0 Portland,
Astoria, Eureka, San Francisco, Oakland San Pedro
San Diego and Los Angeles.
Many lumber mills and pulp and paper plants
have been shut down; some by sympathetic strikes,
some by the tie-up of transportation.
Only in Los Angeles have the companies sue
ceeded in recruiting and working any considerable
number of scabs The Los Angeles scabs for the
most part are bankrupt businessmen, ruined real
estate sharks etc.
The
ment Councils have been big factor in the strike.
Not only have they refused to scab but they turn
out on the picket lines, assist in the collection of
relief and defense funds, etc.
9. The striking unions include those affiliated
to the American Federation like the lila, the
International Seamen's Union truckers and truck
drivers; the Marine Workers Industrial Union
affiliated to the Trade Union Unity League; and
independent unions.
1t is this united front character of the strike
and its leadership that accounts for the splendid
solidarity shown.
1t is this feature of the strike, presaging the
rise Of militant and powerful waterfront feder-
alton the Pacific Coast which the Roosevelt
Labor Relations" Board the Industrial Association,
and the local and state governments are trying
TO destroy.
TO- The strikers early adopted the Western
Worker published by the California District of
the Communist Party, as their official strike organ
IL. The Communist Party and it's members in
the various striking unions have great influence.
1t has contributed greatly to the united front
ment to the effective strike strategy and tactics
1t has acted as a real leading and unifying force
IL. The reactionary labor of1caldom of the San
Francisco Central Labor Council closely connected
with the machines Of the Democratic and Repub-
lcan parties, denounced the Communists and started
a red-baiting campaign designed to split the strike
ranks especially intended to isolate the longshore-
mems union
majority of the delegates however, refused
to endorse or take part in the red-baitng and
expulsion drive backed by the Industrial Assoca-
ton, the officials of the American Legion the State
authorities and the various fascist and semi-fascist
organizations
13. The Communist Party and the united front
strike committee are the main targets of attack by
the employers the government and the whole crew
of patrioteers with which California, especially is
infested
a. The organized and official character of the
drive for bounding and suppressng the Commu-
mist Party, its leaders and supporters is seen from
the following, published in the Los Angeles Times
June 80, quoting State Director of Finance Wander
grifts address to session of the State Crime