‘Austin Lewis, The ‘Unskilled,’ Mexican Workers, and The United Laborers of Los Angeles, 1911.’

Yesterday we posted Austin Lewis’ article ‘Potential Solidarity’ explaining and promoting the vanguard position of the ‘unskilled’ workers in establishing a material solidarity necessary to fight the war class. Comrade Lewis, British-born Jewish Marxist with a long history movement, was living in Los Angeles as a ‘cockroach lawyer’ (his words) and leading Socialist activist. Lewis theorized the centrality of new, industrially organized, unions while retaining the need to combine in a political struggle against capital. An intellectual and an activist, here he is (starred) helping to organize Mexican workers, largely construction and street workers into a union in L.A., the United Laborers. Top row from right are leaders Antonio Villareal, ?, Austin Lewis, and Juan Ramirez (Organizer of the United Laborer). The photo comes from the International Socialist Review article by Lewis, ‘The Drift in California’ providing much important background.