Communism; Industrial Workers of the World; Socialism
"Resolved, that this conference reiterate the action of the
conventions of the American Federation of Labor, and the advocacy
of the principles of conciliation and voluntary arbitration and
collective bargaining."
We cite this here to put the freedom of self-determination, practiced by
the great progressive body of American labor, in vivid contrast with the
abject slavery which the Socialists of Russia are now imposing upon the
labor of that country. Lincoln Eyre's statement of the labor situation
in Russia is confirmed by Trotzky himself, as we learn from the "New
York World" of February 28, 1920, as follows:
"London, February 27.--Leon Trotzky, Minister of War of Soviet
Russia, addressing the third Russian Congress, held in Moscow
January 25 last, outlined the Bolshevist plan for converting the
Red Army into an army of labor. According to reports of his speech
reaching here he said:
"'There is still one way open to the reorganization of national
economy--the way of uniting the army and labor and changing the
military detachments of the army into detachments of a labor army.
"'Many in the army have already accomplished their military task
but they cannot be demobilized as yet. Now that they have been
released from their military duties, they must fight against
economic ruin and against hunger; they must work to obtain fuel,
peat and other heat-producing products; they must take part in
building, in clearing the lines of snow, in repairing roads,
building sheds, grinding flour, etc.
"'We have already organized several of these armies and they have
been allotted their tasks. One army must obtain foodstuffs for the
workmen of the districts in which it was formerly stationed and it
also will cut wood, cart it to the railways and repair engines.
Another army will help in the laying down of railway lines for the
transport of crude oil. A third labor army will be used in
repairing agricultural implements and machines, and, in the spring,
will take part in the working of the land....
"'Trade unions must register qualified workmen in the villages.
Only in those localities where trade union methods are inadequate
other methods must be introduced, in particular that of compulsion,
because labor conscription gives the state the right to tell the
qualified workmen who is employed on some unimportant work in his
village, "You are obliged to leave your present employment and go
to Sormovo or Kolomna, because there your work is required."
"'Labor conscription means that the qualified workmen who leave the
army must proceed to places where they are required, where their
presence is necessary to the economic system of the country. We
must feed these workmen and guarantee them the minimum food
ration.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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