The daily worker., 1934-04-12
TaXiUniOn Will Not
Affiliate With AFL,
Says Samuel Orner
tContins,ed from Page u

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TaXicsb Drivers Union.
Meetings were called In the
Bronx and Brooklyn for the pur-
pose of voting on this question. The
meetings have been packed with
members of the Socialist Party and
Young Peoples Socialist League and
the vote has been railroad through
without permitting any discussion
Of the rank and file present. Nanny
Silver well known hackman, who
had the courage to get up and state
his opposition to the move, was
beaten up and arrested on the or
ders Of Smith and Most in the
Bronx. Opposition to the A. F. of
L. extends throughout the ranks of
the Taxicab Drivers Union. The
men want an independent union
under their own control.
The move made by Mr.. Most,
Goldstein and Smith is a move to
split the union, step which they
did not succeed in achieving during
the strike. The hatred of the men
for the A. F. of L. is based on the
sell-out policies Of the A. F. of L.
in past strikes, especially the be-
trayal in the strike of the Phila-
delpiis Taxicab Drivers. At no time
has the A. F. of L, stepped forward
to help our cause and has even
denounced our strike as an outlaw
/ strike A, F. of L, officials have
ordered delegations of our strikers
out Of their union quarters when
they came to ask for relief for their
strike"
Orner declared further that the
membership of the Taxicab Drivers
Union will not be Stampeded into
joining the A. F. of L. 1t will keep
it's ranks intact against any betray-
ers within its ranks and will strug-
gle to maintain its independent
union under rank and file control.
Garage Chairmen To Meet
To take up the question of the
attempts of the Socialist leaders to
split the union, a garage chairmen's
meeting has been called by the
Manhattan local of the union to-
day at 323 w, 18th St.
A mass meeting Of all hackmen
will be held at Irving Plaza Hall.
18th st. and Irving Place, on Fri
day, where Samuel Orner, president
of the Manhattan local, and joseph
Gilbert, organizer, will report. Here
the hackmen will be permitted to
voice their opinion on the ATTEMPT
OF the Socialist leaders and Mr..
Smith and Mr.. Goldstein to split
the union.
AT a meeting held at Hunts Point
Palace in the Bronx, Tuesday. un-
der the auspices of the leaders of
the Bronx local, it was revealed
that the plan of the Socialist lead
ers to affiliate the Bronx and Brook
lyn sections to the American FEEDER
alton OF Labor had run into a snag.
Anxious Most, who was chairman
OF the meeting, inferred that the
question OF aff1liation with the A. F.
OF l.. revolved around the willing
ness of the men to pay the So a
month dues required by the A. F.
OF l.. leaders. He reported that the
a. F. OF l.. leaders had given him a
six-months time extension for the
drivers to think the matter over.
Samuel Orner, who was permit
ted to attend the meeting after
number of rank and file hackmen
demanded that he be admitted. was
not permitted to take the floor and
speak against the proposal of the
Socialist leaders to split the unidl
and herd section of them into the
A. F. of L. under the corrupt leader
ship of William Green, who recently
betrayed the auto workers plan TO
strike by placing company unions
on the same basis as trade unions
of the workers.
One after another leaders of the
Socialist Party, none of whom were
hackmen, were introduced and
spoke. But Orner, the outstanding
leader of the strike, was not allowed
to say a word about the plan.
Don't forget, they were afraid to
give me the foorp shouted Orner,
as Amicus Most hurriedly adjourned
the meeting after quarters of
the 400 present, many of whom we're
not taxi drivers, voted in favor of
aff1liating with the A. F. of L.
The meeting was packed with
members of the Socialist Party and
the Young Peoples Socialist League
and members of the Dutch Schultz
gang, former beer runners.
Lauding the move to split the
union was Matthew Levy, Judge
Panken's associate, who admitted
that he was against the general
strike, and August Classen, Social
ist leader, who hailed the leaders of
the American Federation of Labor
as respectable and militant" folk.
Free Medical Examinations
A free medical examination of
taxi drivers children will be held
Saturday, April IA, at 10 am. at
Irving Plaza, 18th st. and Irving
Pl., the Workers International Re
lief reported yesterday.
Joseph Gilbert, leader of the
recent taxi strike, will address the
parents, and the children will see
movies, skits and other entertain
ment, and receive refreshments
while awaiting their turn to be ex-
amined.
FUR DYERS MEETING TO
NOMINATE ORGANIZERS
The fur dyers, members of the
Fur Dressers and Dyers Union are
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