Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2 — John Shaqi
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
History
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Communism -- Washington (State) -- Seattle
Mr. DENNETT. I certainly did. I was sent as a delegate from the
Inlandboatmen’s Union.[5] The name didn’t become Inlandboatmen until
much later, but I think of it now in that term. The name actually was
Ferry Boatmen’s Union at that time.
As a result of the successful conduct of our strike in 1936, the
members and the good relationship which was established between the
officers and myself, the officers agreed with the membership in
electing me a delegate to represent the organization in the Central
Labor Council. And that, of course, involved attending a weekly meeting
every Wednesday night in the labor temple.
Mr. TAVENNER. Where?
Mr. DENNETT. In Seattle.
Mr. TAVENNER. Just tell us very briefly what the Central Labor Council
was.
Mr. DENNETT. It was the city organization to which all American
Federation of Labor affiliates were affiliated, and sent delegates to
discuss their mutual business weekly.
Mr. TAVENNER. Did the fact that you were sent there as a delegate make
you a member of the Central Labor Council?
Mr. DENNETT. It did. Because of my activity in the Maritime Federation
District Council, the delegates there, most of whom were also delegates
to the Central Labor Council, elected me chairman of the maritime
caucus which was comprised of all those affiliates from the maritime
unions who were also affiliates of the Central Labor Council. There
was a duplication of affiliation there, and I was elected chairman of
that caucus. As that chairman, I was able to speak in behalf of that
caucus--all those maritime delegates--which was the largest caucus at
that time in the Central Labor Council.
Consequently, when I arose to speak the chairman of the Central Labor
Council would recognize me rather than recognize any other member of
the caucus because he was recognizing the duly elected leadership of
the caucus. Consequently, it was my function to represent that caucus
on the floor of the Central Labor Council on all important questions,
which I did. And it caused a great deal of attention to be focused on
my work and on the work of the maritime unions.
We were trying our level best to support the policies which the
Communist Party urged upon us, and that pertained especially to the
question of war, fighting the program of involvement in war at that
time. It involved being very critical of the top leadership of the
American Federation of Labor, which many other people criticized as
well as we, and by we, I mean the Communists were not the only ones
that criticized; many of the rank-and-file members who had no knowledge
of Communist Party policy or activity were also critical. But because
of this similarity of criticism, the Communists, knowing where they
were going, were able to direct this criticism along very effective
lines. And I was a central instrument in that effort in the Central
Labor Council in the city of Seattle.
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