CHAPTER VI.
Trade Union Educational League
THE Trade Union Educational League occupies a unique place in the labor movement. It was born out of the need of the American labor movement for a stimulant that would vitalize it into life and activity. It is the first attempt to carry education to the heart of the trade union movement in a systematic and organized manner. Deserted by the radical element for so many years, the trade unions have stagnated and stood still, while the organization of industry and the capitalist system has gone on rapidly. Especially has the leadership of labor degenerated, until today it is the laughing-stock of the unionists of the world. The American labor movement, as exemplified by its official leadership, has become a stagnant pool, conservative, capitalistic, and reactionary to the last degree. It is the function of the League, through the organization of the militants, to change all this and to put our labor movement where it rightfully belongs, in the forefront of the world labor war for the emancipation of the toilers of all lands.
Organized in Chicago in November, 1920, the League now (June, 1923) covers every industrial city and town in the United States and Canada with its groups of militants. The charge made by Mr. Gompers that the League was imported from Russia to destroy the American labor movement is definitely refuted by the fact that it already has a long history in this country. Its earliest forerunner was the Syndicalist League of North America, organized in 1912. This body, formed according to the principles of French Syndicalism, was designed to crystallize militant sentiment in the trade union movement. But the dual union idea being generally prevalent at the time, it died after two years' struggle for existence. The next effort was the International Trade Union Educational League, formed in 1916. For the same reason, the dominance of dual union tactics, this organization also died shortly. It was only with the foundation of the present League that a receptive field was at hand for the organization of the militants in the mass unions generally.
