declared for a general consolidation, the Amalgamated Food Workers and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen. The instrument of the militants for carrying on the educational work among the rank and file of all the organizations is the General Committee for Amalgamation of All Unions in the Food Industry.
Shoe and Leather Industry
The shoe and leather industry is a classic field of dual unionism. There are at least a dozen organizations, all indepedent of each other and all antagonistic towards one another. Consequently not more than 30% of the industry is organized. In this industry the need for amalgamation is a crying one. Recently the many independent unions tried to amalgamate, but the movement only partially succeeded. The officials of several of the organizations, seeing that there was no chance for them to be elected to official positions in the new amalgamated body, got out injunctions against the latter organization and did everything possible to prevent a general consolidation.
With this example in mind, the militants in the industry are now a proceeding upon a more fundamental plan, They have organized the International Committee of the Shoe and Leather Industry. Its policy differs from the old amalgamation program in the important respects that it is based upon winning over the rank and file, not simply the officialdom, to the necessity for amalgamation, and that it includes the A. F. of L. unions as well as the independents. The International Committee held its first national conference in Boston May 13th, where definite plans were laid out to intensify the campaign for amalgamation in every leather union and industrial center of the United States. In its attitude towards the many unions in the shoe and leather industry, the International Committee undertakes to put into effect the general principles outlined by the T. U. E. L. for such complicated situations where many unions exist in opposition to each other, The League's statement follows:
Relations Between Rival Unions: Where, because of voluntary withdrawals, mass expulsions, splits and secessions, or independent organization, certain unions exist separated from the main. mass unions in their respective crafts or industries, the policy of the Trade Union Educational League is as follows:
(a) Where the independent unions are weak in numbers and influence, consisting chiefly of militants, they shall work for re-affilia-
