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SOCIAL-FASCISM- "REJUVENATION" OF S. P.     313

Look into the blackest annals of American labor treachery and see how many instances you can find of such an exhibition- a leading official of a trade union publicly announcing that a strike is being called according to a pre-arranged plan with the bosses and the government for the purpose of establishing police machinery in the industry!

And it is therefore with more than usual satisfaction and authority that The Times, Wall Street's chief organ, declares editorially (December 6):

"... it should be recalled that in the garment industry a strike nowadays is fast ceasing to be an unfriendly act. It is rather a brief suspension of domestic activities as part of the process of thoroughly cleaning house. Such was the very short and perfunctory strike early this year in the cloak and suit trade... The forthcoming strike has the support of the most responsible employers in the dress industry. Wages and hours are mentioned in the strike resolutions, but there will be no prolonged hostilities on that score if the main objectives of a stabilized industry and improved working conditions are obtained." (Emphasis mine. --A.B.M.)

Appropriately enough, the calling of the "strike" for Tuesday, February 4, was announced not by the Schlesinger outfit, but by Police Commissioner Whalen after a conference with Schlesinger. 

But the social-fascists and their masters reckoned without their host. Everything ran true to form- except the workers. On the first day of the "strike" instead of the 35,000 workers that Schlesinger announced would answer the strike call, only a few thousand turned out and most of these came not voluntarily, but because they had been locked out by the bosses. In fact, so complete was the debacle of the widely-trumpeted "revolt" that Governor Roosevelt, instead of waiting a few days for the sake of appearances, hastened to send out the invitations for the previously-arranged conference at the end of the first of the stoppage. Despite the fanfare of the capitalist press it was clear that the strike had flopped.

The employers and their union chiefs then went through the motions at Albany. Schlesinger has said that "the interests of the legitimate manufacturer and of the union were identical" (Times, February 7). He proved it. By legitimate manufacturer he meant all those who are members of the employers' associations. At the conference Schlesinger admitted that "most of the provisions of the agreement which expired on the firs of the year had been a dead letter for a long time" (Times, February 8). He then proceed to give the bosses an agreement which, even if they live up to it (which they won't), gives them everything they want and means a complete abandonment of the 40-hour, five-day week. The