Charles Curtiss Archive | Trotskyist Writers Index | ETOL Main Page
Letters from the Militants, The Militant, Vol. II No. 16, 15 October 1929, p. 8.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
Kansas City, Mo.
Dear Comrades:
Before leaving St. Louis, the comrades there were arranging an affair for the Militant. They are sure on the job there and few as they are, they are many more times as active as the Party under Delbert Early’s guidance. They are making valuable connections in the labor movement and with the correct policy they will soon be an important factor in St. Louis. I just received a letter stating that their Gastonia meeting was successful.
In K.C. we have an interesting situation. The local Loose Wiles Biscuit Co. tried to introduce a speed-up and there was a spontaneous walkout. The workers are mostly young girls and their spirit is splendid. After walking out they turned their minds to organizing and the local A.F. of L. boys organized them. The first day of the strike, Stephens, the Party D.O. issued a leaflet in the name of the T.U.U.L. It had the whole bible in it, nothing omitted – rationalization, speed-up, war danger, betrayers of labor, an attack on the A.F. of L. and telling them: “Our organization is representative of the masses of workers in the United States who are organizing into fighting unions and shop committees in every industry!” He appeared at the first organization meeting of the union where he changed his mind about whom he represented, and it became instead the I.L.D. I spoke after him and tried to point out the next step – organization – and I sounded a militant note by urging the spreading of the strike to the other plants of the National, etc., and other cities and completely shutting down the plant. The remarks were well received by the workers.
We are arranging an affair in K.C. for the Militant in two weeks.
|
|
Comradely, |
Charles Curtiss Archive | ETOL Main Page
Last updated: 11.11.2012