Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-10-26

Several of our delegates HAY
therefore. the National Office u
the report Immediately. We have
just received a communication
that Comrade Thaelmann is now
being brought to trial In the Ma.
ii Peoples Court. International
working class protests have thus
far prevented Hitler from muir
dering this courageous leader of
the German workers.
Concerns Every Unionist
The freedom of Ernst Thael-
mann must become the concern
of every union man. Hitler got
into power because the big in
dustrialists supported him and
their agents, the Social Democrat
ie Leaders. sold out the workers.
Immediately he smashed every
German workers trade union
and all other workers oragniza.
tions. In an attempt to prevent
the workers from using their
strength against him.
The lives of Thaelmann and
thousands of other workers in
Germany are in immediate dan
ger. International working class
protests must stop the bloody
axe OF Hitler from falling.
The members OF the FCWIU
must do their share by intensity
ing the campaign for the freedom
of Thaelmann and other victims
of German fascism.
The Alaska Fishing News OF
Oct. IL, In an editorial entitled
Strike VS.. Cooperative Produc.
tion," gives the impression that
strikes in the fishing industry
are unnecessary" and that CO.
operative production will bring
prosperity" to the fishermen.
Just listen to what a paper
that calls itself the official organ
of the Alaska Trollers' Associa-
tion has to say: ''The customary
trade union policy is to strike
when II becomes evident that a
strike is necessary to secure for
its members what ii considers
fair.
With this we have no quarrel.
On the contrary, We have partici-
pated in both strikes and lock-
out while We were working ut the
printing trade in the States"
The editorial continues: I'm
the case of the fishermen, how
ever, an entirely different course
OF action is indicated. Events of
the past few years have proved
cOnclusively that refusal to fish
will avail the fishermen nothing"
Editorial Basely Misleading
This editorial attempts to mis-
lead the fishermen by pointing
out that it is all right for a print
er to strike, but useless for a
fisherman to strike.
First, the editor OF the Alaska
Fishing News, either consciously
or uncOnsciously ignores the fact
that for five years the world has
been in a profound economic
crisis, which is shaking the foun-
dations of the capitalist system,
and that the workers in all in
dustries are daily organizing on
class struggle basis.
Let us analyze a few of the re-
cent strikes and see if the fish
ermen gained anything by their
walk-outs. No one can dispute
the fact that the fishermen and
cannery workers gained consider
ably in wage increases, price in
creases for catches, etc, out of the
great united front strike in 1888,
which started on the Columbia
River, and spread throughout the
Coast.
Strike Nets Huge Raises
The general sardine fsihermen's
strike in California in the fall of
1888 lead by the FCWIU gained
total increase in wages of more
than $1,00O,OOO.
Strikes of both fishermen and
c8nnery workers in Alaska have
resulted in victories to the work
ers. Strikes led by the Alaska
Trollers' Association in the past
few years have improved their
conditions.
A year ago, when the delega-
ton of the Alta was in Seattle,
the FCWIU pointed out to them
the danger of forming any kind
of an alliance with Mr.. SuOja.
That the task was, and still is,
to form United Front between
the rank and file of the various
organizations on the basis of
militant struggle for our COM
mon demands.
Perhaps they were not yet con-
WINGED of the treacheries of Mr..
SuOja. However, these delegates
did their best while in Seattle but
they didn't understand the policy
that is being pursued by Suoja.
Early last spring, some kind of an
alliance was formed from the top
between the representatives of
Alaska Trollers and Mr.. SuOja of
the Pacific Coast Fisheries Union
and Mr.. Freeman of the Trolling
Vessel Owners Association.
Suoja, Freeman Sell Out