The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-05


part of the A. F, of L. leaders is the
result Of the tremendous rank and
file pressure now focused on the
top officials of the A. F. of L. for
the organization of Negro workers
The advent of Mr.. Green will be
viewed with considerable seeptieisnl
by the Negro workers. They will
hesitate to accept any proposal that
will be made at the meeting, unless
they get guarantees that this is NOT
merely another gesture but serious
effort to work real policy Of strug-
gle for Negro rights.
Ali the glowing promises, rosy
resolutions and high sounding dec
larations Of the A, F, Of L. leaders
are to the Negro workers so much
sound and fury signifying nothing
The Negro worker knows that their
resolutions, apart from not taekling
this question basically, are nothing
more than humanitarian gestures
The whole attitude OF the A. F. OF
L. leaders toward the Negro worker
may be summed UP in the speech
of Mr. Furuseth, president Of the
International Seamen's Union and
representing the Executive Council
Mr.. Furuseth stated at the 54th
Convention of the A. F. of L.:
Speaking for the seamen. want
to tell you something on this uues-
ton that has serious bearing on 1t
The International Seamen's Union
Of North America has never for one
moment made any distinction but
when we accept eoIored man and
put him on an absolute equality
with the white man as to wages and
conditions, we create a situation
whereby the employer accepts the
white man only. We could get No
employment for our colored workers
IL we had to pay the same wages
and give the same conditions, The
result was that the eoIered men as
whole left our organization and
accepted employment with less
wages"
What Is the cr11x OF Mr.. FEu-
seth's remarks7 He supports the
idea of white superiority and black
infeaiority that Is spread by the en-
ployers for the purpose OF iustifyine
lower wages. longer hours. worse
conditions for Negro and white
workers. When 1t comes to fightine
for equal rights for Negroes and
joint struggle together with the
white workers for better conditions
nothing Is done by this people.
Union Did Nothing for Negroes
It is not an accident that the
Negroes quit the fSU. They found
that their conditions were not i'm
proved through the organization
The exodus of the Negro workers Is
Of no concern to the A. F. of l.
leaders, because they are not inter-
ested in conducting a struggle for
equal rights for Negro labor, but
quite the contrary, they are sup
porting the division in the ranks OF
labor, that is used by the employers
to tear down the living standards OF
both black and white labor.
1t IS well known fact that the
utterly bankrupt and totally I'M
scientific theory, that Negroes are
inferior, has been spread by the
bankers of wealth to play white
workers against Negro workers and
vice-versa. The development of an
anti-Negre psychosis has been ac-
complished by teaching white work
ers that Negroes have slave psy-
chology," that they are nearest
the animal kingdom" that they are
"illiterate, dirty, low" and so forth
This poisonous propaganda has q
tremendous effect It has been and
Is still being used to fornent race
riots, lynchings and all kinds OF
strife between Negro and white
workers.
However. thanks to the Commu-
nists and other honest and militant
workers, this poisonous propaganda
Is being combated. The white work
ers In the A. F, of L. unions are
beginning to see that so long as
the Negro Is the last hired, the first
fired, compelled to do the hardest
work at the lowest pay, the condi-
tons Of the white workers will re-
main bad.
The fight for a real basic program
of struggle for unity of Negro and
white by rank and file delegates al
the 54th Convention of the A. F
Of L., shows the determination OF
the rank and file of the A. r. of L
to fight for and attain unity through
struggle, over the heads of the
bureatlcrats.
The responsibility for the absence
OF any large trade union movement
among Negro workers must be laid
at the door of the A. F. of L. lead
ers because of their attitude toward
Negro workers. It Is important tf
point out that these leaders have
! permitted all the National and In
ternational Unions of the Transpor-
tation Department, with the excep-
ton of the Transfers and Long
shoremen's Unions, to have clauses
in their respective constitutions that
state. Only sober and industrious
white men are eligible for member
ship"
Have jim Grow Clause
Among the unions that have this
clause in their constitution are
Order of Railroad Telegrapllers, Or