The Threat to the Labor Movement/Section 22
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.