The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-12
Building Marine Work
Planned at Communist
Seamen's Conference

/ Cies and strongly emphasized the need
of developing a strong opposition
movement within the International
Longshoremen's Association, Of de-
yeloping a uniform opposition move
ment and Of preparing the issuance
Of a Central Bulletin dealing with the
problems of the longshoremen, par
ticularly Of the lila. At the same
time, the conference combatted ten
denotes that have prevailed which
| minimized the possibilities Of organ
izing the unorganized longshoremen
directly into the Marine Workers In
dustriaI Union pointing out that
where the Marine Workers Industrial
Union had been correctly brought
forward to the unoTganized men salts
factory results had been gotten. The
establishment Of a strong Iongshore
| section Of the Marine Workers Indus
| trial Union and the Strengthening Of
the forces assigned for this work is Of
the utmost Importance.
The resolution adopted, and discus
sion, also dealt with the problems
| amongst the seamen where our main
! task is the building Of the Marine
Workers Industrial Union and at the
same time Of paying attention to the
development Of organized opposition
groups amongst the reformist sea
mems organizations, where they exist.
UNEMPLOYMENT
The conference revealed the fact
that while systematic attention has
been paid TO unemployed work
amongst the seamen the problems Of
the unemployed and part time long
| shoremen have received little or no
/ attention. The need Of correcting this
| situation is Of the utmost Importance
especially In view of the proposed de-
caSualization program, which would
permanently drive thousands Of men
off the front, as well as divide their
ranks and bind the Iongshoremen
hand and foot to the officials Of the
/ I. L. A.
One Of the points given particular
emphasis at the conference were the
tasks of the Party in the marine in
dustry in the struggle against war and
the defense of the Soviet Union, as
well as the fight against fascisim and
particularly in support Of the Ger
man workers.
The conference emphasized that
the major reason for our failure to
win mass influence amongst the
1ongshoremen, to crystalline organ
| ization amongst them, and to give
! leadership to their struggles was due
| TO the neglect in building the Party
/ on the waterfront, for winning long
! shorenlen into the ranks OF the Party
I The conference clearly exposed our
failure to build strong and Junction.
/ ing waterfront units and sections.
Likewise, lack Of orientation toward
/ the marine work generally, and long
! shore particularly, as well as a lack
Of clarity on the relationships Of the
marine work with the Party commit
| tees and the responsibilities of the
Party committees in carrying through
the concentration policy, necessary in
/ winning over the decisive sections Of
| the American workers. Especially was
Philadelphia singled out for criti-
cism for the lack Of sufficient work
among the longshoremen. The weak
nesses and lack of attention in most
districts was strongly contrasted with
favorable results obtained In Norfolk,
where q strong opposition movement
in the LILA. has been developed, a
branch Of the MWI.U. established
amongst the unorganized longshore-
men and number Of Negro long
shoremen have been recruited into
the Party.
IN NEW YORK
While New York had a number Of
improvements to record, in the sense
Of well thought out plans Of concen-
| tration, the beginning of q real mo-
bilization Of forces, and systematic
check up on the execution Of tasks, It
was pointed out that little organize
tional results had been gotten, and
the execution of the plan was not
proceeding with the speed and energy
that the situation demanded.
The conference demanded more
| thorough mobilization of the Party
| for work In the marine industry, OF
| systematic control Of the work in this
| industry by the Party committees, Of
especially winning over the training
of longshore cadres, of bringing the
face of the Party to the workers. es-
pecially through the establishment Of
Party units and sections and increas-
ing the sale Of the Daily Worker.
| The conference, and the resolution
adopted which viii be published Sat
urday In the Daily Worker, represent
a real Qualification OF the tasks and
necessary base amongst the workers
| in the marine industry.