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Lessons of the Recent Strike Struggles in the U Page Four DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, SATURDAY, 3BFTEMBBR 15, LESSONS OF THE RECENT STRIKE STRUGGLES IN THE U. S. A. [Resolution adopted by the meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, September 5-6] reserves can they successfully battle for their demands and their could have settled very quickly at any time by the simple expedient their Introduction demands, at the same time encouraging the workers in the various rights. The movement for a general strike was also the response of of granting the workers’ demands, was actually a revolutionary up- industries to continue the strike for their own demands. The strike wave which began early in 1934, the first the workers to the bringing of troops, shooting down of the workers, rising organized by the Communist Party to overthrow the whole The ruling class charged that the Communists in this by Eighth the prohibition of picketing, the right of assemblage, etc. The work- capitalist system. Os course, this strike did not have revolution as strike were period of which was examined the National out to make a “revolution.” The Communist Party in ers began to struggles conducted by one its objective, but only the Immediate demands of the workers. The the words of Convention, has since that time risen to new heights. understand that in these Karl Marx “disdains to conceal its aims” and never hides groups of workers the demands and the interests of the whole . unity of the workers, however, raised before the employers the spectre from the workers and from the capitalists that it is fighting for The strike movement not only grew in number of strikers, are Thus, beginning of struggles of working class power, of the potentiality of revolution. On the the overthrow class involved. out of the economic of capitalism. But the Communist Party is not militancy of strikes, but also qualitatively around demands to all workers (wages, hours, the right to side of the workers their experience was leading them step by step to an adventurist Party and duration common that thinks that it can make a revolution without winning the violence of the government on more serious challenge of the capitalist class, teaching them the neces- over for entered a higher stage with the emergence on a nation- organize) and against increasing its revolutionary program the masses of the grew though sity of extending the struggle for power, bringing them face to face workers. The Commu- the side of the employers mighty class battles which nist Party bases itself on the teaching wide scale of a general strike movement. This general with the state power as the guardian of capitalist profits and the force of Marx, Lenin and Stalin as not always recognized by all workers became transformed into a to what conditions there country driving down the workers’ standards; the giving must be in the for the overthrow of strike movement came to the verge of realization in combination of political and economic struggles directed against the at same time it was the rule of the capitalists. them a new understanding of power, ability to This, too, the Party openly teaches the Minneapolis, Seattle. It was whole system of capitalist exploitation and suppression. their own of their shake masses. And certainly Toledo, Milwaukee, Portland, the very basis of capitalist rule. In this sense, the strike was truly the such conditions did not exist in San Francisco and the Communist Party realized in San Francisco in a four-day General Strike greatest revolutionary event In American labor history. did not tell the workers that they “can take power” in the city of San Francisco. The Communists, however, of solidarity with the Pacific Coast marine workers strug- 11. Some Lessons from the West Coast The A. F. of L. bureaucrats were, of course, from the beginning are fully aware of the fact that out of every struggle the opposed to the General Strike. William Green was already busy or- can gle of twelve weeks involving the overwhelming mass of Marine Strike gain experience that will teach them the correctness of its ganizing against the General Strike (telegram to Seattle, etc.) while the revolutionary policies and tactics and wtn their and support. all workers in the San Francisco Bay region. At the San Francisco labor bureaucrats carrying a vicious confidence ThlsVour were on campaign Party also attempted to do in San Francisco. V same time the strike movement further penetrated the To understand the development of the strike struggles from the against all those who advocated the general strike, were busy work- This great struggle, which was betrayed by the economic struggle to the mass class battles such as the Frisco General ing against the development of a national marine strike, did every- A. F. of L bu 4 deep south and the basic industries. At the present is reaucrats did not, however, bring the results the Strike, it necessary to draw the lessons of the organization and thing to weaken the West Coast strike. And if these leaders later to employers which! a great leadership they hoped for. They wished, through the defeat moment movement for the nation-wide industrial of the West Coast marine strike, especially in the San “sanctioned” the General Strike, it was with the expressed purpose not of this strike, to let 1 port. loose the open shop, not alone on the West Coast, but ’ strike of textile workers has forced their A. F. of L. Francisco Already in July, 1932, under the leadership and only to escape the isolation, which they already among throughout the suffered the country. They wished to smash the unions fighting guidance of the Party, there began the formation of the nucleus marine workers, among the rest of the workers, but also as Ryan stated of the marine workers. leaders to submit for the moment to the deter- of the great struggle in the Francisco They wished to initiate a new wage attack. They wished San port. Out of these first not merely to break the general strike, but also to oust the left wing to isolate of the rank and and a general strike beginnings publication the radical leaders in the maritime unions. they mination file issue which took the form of the of alongshore leadership in the San Francisco marine strike prelude breaking In this did not succeed, as a to thanks to the correct policy of organized has brought on half-million bulletin there grew in the middle of 1933 a local of the I. L. A. in which the of retreat carried through by call, which strike a workers strike the marine workers. THE EFFORTS TO BREAK THE the marine workers’ the militant elements played a decisive role. Such a development did GENERAL STRIKE strike committee which the Communists advo- in the greatest single strike in American history. These DID NOT DEVELOP WITH THESE LEADERS cated in order take place in other industries, but the second step was lacking. Here IN THE OF to defeat the aims of the employers. Thus, even COURSE THE GENERAL STRIKE. It was planned be- strike has brought this struggles, and especially the San Francisco General Strike, the workers organized with militant leadership, faced the refusal not only great lessons to the workers throughout .with fore the strike which they could not stop began. the mark a new high the development of the of the I. L. A. leadership to take up the fight for then- interests, took country and the San Francisco workers, especially, but also re- point in Ameri- It was therefore not because the San Francisco labor bureau- in the initiative and in February, 1934, organized a West Coast Con- sulted some material gains for the workers and the can working class are of historic significance. Espe- crats were less reactionary than those of Toledo solidification and ference of all I. L. A. locals at which a program of struggle was that the General of their organization. The employers were compelled to deal with Strike was developed. Nor was it due to any fundamental differences cially on the Pacific Coast, the fury of the bourgeoisie mapped out in which the workers were forewarned against arbitration both the unions of the longshoremen and especially the seamen, which in the level of development of the workers. THE MAIN REASON they had intensity of war preparations, as a scheme to defeat them. It was this foresight and exposure of no intention to do BEFORE the general strike. The correct reveals also the and the WAS THAT THE UNITED AND MILITANT STAND OF THE an the N. R. A. that made possible later the defeat of the Workers’ tactics of organized retreat, basing itself on the fighting spirit capitalists’ determination to smash all mass trade unions MARINE STRIKERS, MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE RANK the of enemies. Though the Roosevelt government came to the assistance of marine workers, was thus able maintain the unity of AND FILE LEADERSHIP, UNITED THE WHOLE to the workers at the main bases of war preparations. The lessons of the shipowners and was able to postpone the strike in April, because WORKING CLASS who forced consideration of their demands, taking back OF SAN FRANCISCO BEHIND THEM AND INSPIRED WITH of all striker* of the militant leadership of the I. L. A. local In Frisco, the workers THEM with practically no discrimination, the these struggles are of first importance for the develop- THE SAME SPIRIT OF UNITY AND maintenance and consolidation defeated the Ryan-Lewis attempt to defeat them through arbitration STRUGGLE THAT PER- of the marine unions under strong the revolutionary movement.
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