THE THREAT TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT
ward, whether actually members of the socialist party or not).
Then came the struggle in the furriers' union, which, likewise, ended in defeat of the Forward elements.
In both of these struggles the basic issue was worker-employer co-operation versus a policy of struggle, the abolition of gangsterism in the unions which had throttled all rank and file expression, and amalgamation of all unions in the industry.
There had been a number of struggles in the Amalgamated, but in this union the issues were less clear because of the split between President Hillman and the Forward gang, and the left wing never attained the strength it has in the other needle trade unions.
The Rise of the Needle Trades Left Wing.
BUT the failure of the right wing to crush the rank and file opposition in the furriers and the I. L. G. W., together with the knowledge that amalgamation was becoming a popular mass issue which would soon force something more than platonic expressions of endorsement, with the further certainty that the A. C. W. officialdom would be unable to dominate any amalgamated block because of the preponderance of left wing leadership, undoubtedly prompted the Hillman machine to enter into a truce with the Forward and an alliance with A. F. of L. officialdom and officialdom in other needle trades and Jewish unions against the left wing.
Hillman now proposes amalgamation with the I. L. G. W.—but without the left wing.
The failure to arouse any real enthusiasm among the A. C. W. membership for the new 2-year New York agreement (it was voted for by only something like 10 per cent of the membership, according to statements of members present at the meetings) made the possibility of a rapid development of the left wing in the A. C. W. possible and a united offensive against the left wing in the labor movement desirable—especially in the needle trades.
The offensive has been launched. Socialist party and A. F. of L. officialdom are fighting side by side, as has been shown previously.
S. P. Bureaucrats and the S. P. Press.
THE "Committee for Preservation of Trade Unions," whose first act was to attempt to split the forces of labor supporting Sacco and Vanzetti, is an organization of delegates mostly from unions in which the officialdom is controlled by the Daily Forward.
Abraham I. Shiplacoff, chairman of the committee, is part of the Forward machine in the International Pocketbook Workers' Union. The Hebrew Trades Council is controlled by the Forward and it is the center of the newly-formed body. The Amalgamated Clothing Workers officialdom is represented by Beckerman, manager of the New York Joint Board.
The New Leader, official organ of
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