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In Congress (Circa Oct Murphy: The “Reds” in Congress (circa Oct. 1921) 1 The “Reds” in Congress: Preliminary Report of the 1st World Congress of the Red International of Trade and Industrial Unions [circa Oct. 1921] by J.T. Murphy Published as a pamphlet by the British Bureau, Red International of Trade and Industrial Unions. (London: 1921). On July 3rd, 1921, in the famous Hall of Col- delegates had arrived, but also the kind of men and umns, Moscow, 342 delegates from trade unions of women who had come from the union movement of 42 countries gathered together to face important is- the world. Did they look as if they had come for seri- sues: to determine how the workers of the world could ous work? Was the world revolution a matter of ab- best conduct their struggle, and marshal the hosts of sorbing interest to them? Was it something for which organized labor for the final conquest of Capitalism. they would give time, energy, and life itself? Or was It was a remarkable scene. The hall was ablaze with the journey to Russia a trip, and the Russian Revolu- light, and the great spaces behind the delegates, and tion a matter for mere curiosity? One swift look across also the big gallery, were packed with the Moscow the Congress was enough to satisfy the most critical workers, enthusiastically greeting the representatives that here were men scarred by battle with our class of the revolutionary proletarians of other lands. Where enemy-men direct from the factories and mines; men once the nobles and their ladies had feasted and danced, and women grimly earnest, with all the marks of the and lightheartedly ignored the miseries of the multi- daily struggle of the toilers upon them; with eyes alert, tude, there gathered now hundreds of keen, alert keen to get to business and to go forth across the fron- minds, determined on the task of mobilizing and lead- tiers to face the fortunes of the workers' fight whether ing the rest of the international working class army good or bad. There was no room for fears. Everybody towards the conquest of power. It was a study in con- felt the work was well begun. Critics and criticized trasts. It was easy to shut one's eyes and see the gallant passed on to the work in hand. officers and graceful beauties gliding about the pol- This was the audience which Comrade Lozov- ished floor to the dreamy music of a fine orchestra. sky welcomed in the name of the Provisional Interna- But that, was a dream. Open day and open eyes de- tional Council and of the All-Russian Trade Unions. clared, here were many men and women from many He then told of the early desire of the Russian trade lands, representatives of a class rising to power, met in unions, at the 3rd All-Russian Congress of Trade a council of war. They meant business. They mean Unions, to form a new Trade Union International, and business. how the blockade of Russia had prevented anything Comrade Lozovsky, leader of the Russian trade being done in this direction until 1920. Then was unions, opened the Congress before a large and keenly formed the Provisional International Council, and the interested audience. There had been twelve months of magnificent response to this, the first Congress, was a hard preliminary propaganda work by the Provisional true indication of the spread of the revolutionary fer- International Council and the propaganda bodies they ment among the workers of the world. He said: "We had created, paving the way, to the Congress, and ev- are in the midst of a world crisis of capitalism which is erybody was keenly interested to see not only haw many proving too difficult for the capitalists. Unemployment 1 2 Murphy: The “Reds” in Congress (circa Oct. 1921) is a world phenomenon for which the employers have no solution, and which is sharpening and deepening “We have thus great work before us. The first the class struggle in every capitalist country. Capital- session of the 1st Congress of the ‘Red’ Trade Union ism is in decay and the exploiters of the masses, re- International has now begun. Long Live the Red Trade sentful and conscious of their doom, are determined Union International!” upon fighting every step. The problems before us are consequently tremendous problems, international in Comrade Koennen, on behalf of the Commu- scope, and demanding a powerful international orga- nist International, then delivered a speech of warm nization of the workers to wage the revolutionary fight. welcome to the delegates, and proceeded to survey the The Amsterdam International has failed all along the international situation and show the need for the clos- line to meet the demands, of the workers’ struggle. It est cooperation between the trade unions and the Com- has lined itself up with the capitalist League of Na- munist Parties. He made a great appeal for the closest tions, and failed in every crisis to lead the workers cooperation between the Red Trade Union Interna- aright. Its treachery and inability to fulfill the demands tional and the Communist International. of the revolutionary struggle compelled us to begin Comrade Tom Mann then addressed the Con- the task of organizing a new “Red” International of gress on behalf of the English-speaking delegates. He Trade and Industrial Unions, and now at this, the 1st took the opportunity, this being the first time he had World Congress of Revolutionary Trade Unions, we faced an audience in Revolutionary Russia, not only have to set the pace for the revolutionary workers of of welcoming the delegates from all parts of the world, all lands, firmly establish an international of action, but of specially greeting the Russian comrades, and and determine our tactics for the days ahead. Here we congratulating them on the most magnificent struggle shall find a variety of opinions on matters of policy. and achievement ever made by any section of the work- Some there are who are against cooperation with the ing class. They had often times seemed, and no doubt Communist Parties and the Communist International. had felt, they were isolated, struggling on against great Some there are in favor of leaving the old unions, de- odds entirely alone. The day of even apparent isola- stroying them, and building new revolutionary unions. tion was now passed and gone, and the evidence that Others believe it better to remain in the old unions the masses of the world had been, and were, strug- and revolutionize them. All these views will undoubt- gling towards the same goal was before us in the splen- edly find powerful adherents, and it is good that all of did rally to this, the 1st Congress of the Red Trade them will be presented to the Congress. By thorough Union International. discussion we shall clear the way to a united policy On this high note of enthusiastic welcome the and the establishing of a real revolutionary trade union, first session closed, and paved the way to the hard, International of action. detailed work of the commissions. Revolutionary Con- "After electing its representatives to the Pre- gresses on the Continent are not like the show confer- sidium, the Congress will consider the report of the ences in England, where only a select few participate Provisional International Council, and then proceed in the work of the conference. For every subject be- with the principal tasks of the Congress, to discuss the fore the Congress a thesis is prepared, which becomes work which falls under the following headings: the basis of discussion first for the Congress, and then 1. The World Economic Crisis. for a commission. Each delegation has to elect its rep- 2. The Relations between the Red Trade Union resentatives to each commission. Practically every del- International and the Communist International. egate, therefore, has to do some spade work in the 3. Problems of Organization and Tactics. Congress. By these means, every thesis is thoroughly 4. The Constitution of the RTUI [RILU]. discussed sentence by sentence, and the final theses 5. Workers’ Control of Industry. are indeed the considered views of the delegates. 6. Unemployment. Hence, the next two days were full of commit- 7. Shop Stewards and Workers’ Committees. tee meetings, election of commissions, etc. When the 8. Manifestos. Congress opened on the 5th of July [1921], we were Murphy: The “Reds” in Congress (circa Oct. 1921) 3 therefore able to proceed straight to business. It was met with in Germany and England, an opposition unanimously agreed to accept the voting arrangements which they certainly had expected, and on no account for the delegations which had been fully discussed by must we underestimate it. In spite of that opposition, them in the interval, and finally put to the Congress great work had certainly been accomplished, and he by Comrade Lozovsky. The voting was determined by estimated that we had 300,000 supporters in Britain, the importance of the union movement in the coun- 2 million in Germany, and that the total membership tries represented by the delegations. So the allotment of the unions in the Red Trade Union International of votes was as follows Germany, England, France, Italy, would be 17 million workers. This, he contended, was Spain, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Galicia, Russia, a great response to an inaugural Congress, but still USA, 16 each; Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugosla- greater tasks were before us. Two enemies had to be via, Norway, Ukraine, Australia, Argentina, 12 each; conquered — the capitalists and their servants, the re- Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Romania, Canada, actionary officials of the union movement.
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