It is a pleasure to feel that we are prepared to begin life anew, and now that we are organized we can influence the other labor organizations who do not seem to realize that we Socialists are not like the Communists, but that we are the flesh and blood of the organized labor movement, and are striving to help the unions, instead of disturbing them, in their work.

Ever since Communists brought their dangerous and disturbing methods into the Trade Unions many Socialists began to think that the Socialist Party, the alliance, and the Socialists in general with their press at the head, have merely one aim in life, and that is to help the workers in their campaign against the bosses. Apart from this, we were to have nothing to say regarding the unions.

2

We also believed that we must not and dared not agitate on labor questions and problems. We dared not criticize the activities of the unions; we could only picture the good side of things. We dared not admit that a union made a failure of things and we believed that we had to make the best of any mistakes of the unions and its leaders, because if we did the contrary, it might have hurt the unions and us, that is what we wanted to avoid good friends of the union. But what was the result of our neutral policy? The result was a very tragic one for us, as well as for certain unions with which the Socialists are connected. This was made clear at our convention.

Our policy of neutrality led us into believing that as Socialists we had no right to speak on any union question, and, furthermore, that we had no voice at all! The unions were to accept any policy that they wished and to take up any issue they deemed necessary and we, as Socialists, were to hear and see and say nothing.

3

This caused a split among the Socialists; one went this way and another the other way, and often times, the Socialists separated due to differences in opinion, which caused some of them to help those opposed to unionism.

The decision at the convention, stated by the alliance, will undoubtedly not be accepted by those who have adopted the policy that the Socialist movement has no voice in questions pertaining to unions.

Unionists claim that the Socialists must first become union men; that Socialism is something to be preached at home and at the party meetings, but that in the unions they must not act as Socialists, they must not transact or debate questions from the Socialist standpoint.

4

The Trade Unionists have established new policies of their own on which we Socialists have not voiced our opinion for fear that we would be deemed as Communists. The result is that we never voiced our opinion and never discussed the many important problems that have come up lately in the trade unions.

The new stand of the alliance will help greatly to create a united, logical, thoughtful Socialist position on economic problems, the conduct, and the internal life of the unions.

The decision of the conference to call advisory meetings of Socialist members of unions for the purpose of debating the questions that will arise in the press of the Alliance, should be hailed by Socialists and Trade Unionists throughout the land. This is a step that will bring us into closer relation with those who are anxious to see strong unions,.....

5

This also will acquaint the union people with the aims of the Socialists and with their opinions regarding the problems that the unions must transact and study. The unions will gain the organized cooperation and the treatment of the Socialists, who will abet the activities of the unions.

Now when the Socialists openly state that they will not remain neutral, and will present their advice regarding the problems of unionism, then it remains the duty of every Socialist, who does not belong to the party, to become a member and help in the task which the Alliance has undertaken.

A Socialist who is a member of a union must not be separated from the Socialist movement.

6

Every Socialist must realize that the time has come when the Socialists and the Unionists must work in harmony, for the well-being of the economic organized movement of the Jewish workers, that was through various reasons, so badly shaken up. Inasmuch as every Socialist is to belong to a union, it is necessary therefore for every union man, to join the Socialist Party and together with all the Socialists help the economic organizations in all their undertakings, problems, and campaigns, that are carried on for the well being of the members.