The Daily Worker

Anti-Communist Bills Aimed at Political Rights of Labor

SIX STATES GET MEASURES TO WIPE COMMUNIST PARTY OFF BALLOT—ROOSEVELT FEARS GROWING LABOR PARTY MOVEMENT

It is a very ominous fact that already in six state legislatures bills have been introduced aimed at outlawing the Communist Party, and wiping it off the ballot.

Yesterday, the New York State legislature received such a measure, proposed by the Republican Assemblyman Harold C. Ostertag.

In the past six weeks, such resolutions have also been introduced in the states of Washington, Indiana, New Hampshire and Ohio.

It is a very extraordinary fact that every one of these bills, whether introduced by a Republican or a Democratic representative, is worded practically the same way, almost word for word!

The Bill introduced in New York is aimed at parties which advocate or carry on a program of sedition or treason, by radio, press, or speech.

Every one of the state bills is couched in this language.

It is clear that this campaign against the Communist Party is being directed from some central headquarters located, most likely, in Washington, D. C.

And, as Earl Browder, secretary of the Communist Party, charged at the House hearings on the Workers' Bill on Tuesday, this drive against the Communist Party is being directed by the Dickstein Committee, which itself is preparing to propose such a measure in Congress.

The meaning of all this is clear enough.

The Wall Street ruling class, the Roosevelt government, are preparing to disfranchise whatever section of the workers and farmers dares to fight the capitalist program of the New Deal.

It is an act of terrorism aimed at political awakening of the American workers, aimed at the growing movement for a mass Labor Party, a party that will wage the political battles of American labor against Wall Street!

From the wording of these measures, it is obvious that the attack is intended not only for the Communist Party, but for the Socialist Party and for the whole trade union movement.

It is aimed at terrorizing the workers against any resistance, against strikes, against picketing, against any struggle for higher wages and better hours.

The Wall Street-Roosevelt government is rapidly organizing to crush the workers politically, to deprive them of all political activity in their own interests.

And the men who are carrying through this anti-labor, reactionary program are the very Republican and Democratic agents whom the American workers were urged to follow by A. F. of L. leadership in its "non-partisan" policy.

This "non-partisan" policy stands revealed now as aid to the grossest agents of political reaction, as aid to the most dangerous enemies of the working class movement. The need for independent political action of the working class, in a mass Labor Party, is clearly a burning need!

The present anti-Communist campaign calls for immediate united front action of the Socialist Party, A. F. of L. trade unions, and the Communist Party for the defense of the political rights of the working class!

It is against this organized thrust toward fascism, coming right out of the Roosevelt New Deal, that American labor must build the united front!

SINGING HIS PRAISES