Charges of "radical and communist" domination, a major theme in the employers' propaganda attack, often focused on the Albion Hall group. It was also the setting in part for Sam Darcy's claim that the 1934 longshore and general strikes were "our"-the Communist Party's-strikes, with "Communists and other militant elements" exercising broad, and sometimes decisive, influence. 28 Looking back, Darcy tells of a continuing, informal relationship with Bridges in which they discussed matters of tactics and goals, often reaching "a common view." Bridges would then present their judgement to the union leadership. 29 Bridges recalls working day and night during the period of intensive organizing: "The agenda came out of all of us, with big input from party people such as Darcy." 30 Party members for a time sat in meetings with the rankand-filers until the caucuses were restricted to working longshore- men. Though outside contacts and discussions continued, Bridges always maintained that the driving force, then and later, was the rank and file.

The revived Red Book union was clearly focused on the jobnot revolution. The tactics and strategy of its strike were drawn not from political theory, but from solid trade union precedent and waterfront tradition. They were radical only in their sharp departure from prevailing job practices. Militant, rank-and-file tactics and pragmatic goals, vigorously pressed by the caucus, fueled the longshoremen's drive. They left behind the timid, defensive program initially advocated by the Waterfront Worker. They forced the party to change its dual-union policies, abandon the MWIU as the union for longshoremen, and cast its lot with the ILA local. They looked, not merely to resistance, but to aggressive and affirmative steps to correct the evils they had endured. They repeatedly demonstrated, to anyone willing to see, that the cries of Communist domination, so loudly trumpeted by the employers, the press, and government officials, dealt with matters that were no part of the union's job program and aspirations.