Anarchy and Anarchists: A History of the Red Terror and the Social Revolution in America and Europe; Communism, Socialism, and Nihilism in Doctrine and in Deed; The Chicago Haymarket Conspiracy and the Detection and Trial of the ConspiratorsSchaack, Michael J.
History
Anarchy and Anarchists: A History of the Red Terror and the Social Revolution in America and Europe; Communism, Socialism, and Nihilism in Doctrine and in Deed; The Chicago Haymarket Conspiracy and the Detection and Trial of the Conspirators
Men who own capital are not our enemies. If that theory held good,
the workman of to-day would be the enemy of his fellow-toiler on the
morrow, for, after all, it is how to acquire capital and how to use
it properly that we are endeavoring to learn. No! The man of capital
is not necessarily the enemy of the laborer; on the contrary, they
must be brought closer together. I am well aware that some extremists
will say I am advocating a weak plan and will say that bloodshed and
destruction of property alone will solve the problem. If a man speaks
such sentiments in an assembly read for him the charge which the
Master Workman repeats to the newly initiated who join our “army of
peace.” If he repeats such nonsense put him out.
Wise words and well spoken.
CHAPTER VI.
The Eight-hour Movement—Anarchist Activity—The Lock-out at
McCormick’s—Distorting the Facts—A Socialist Lie—The True Facts
about McCormick’s—Who Shall Run the Shops?—Abusing the “Scabs”—High
Wages for Cheap Work—The Union Loses $3,000 a Day—Preparing for
Trouble—Arming the Anarchists—Ammunition Depots—Pistols and
Dynamite—Threatening the Police—The Conspirators Show the White
Feather—Capt. O’Donnell’s Magnificent Police Work—The Revolution
Blocked—A Foreign Reservation—An Attempt to Mob the Police—The
History of the First Secret Meeting—Lingg’s First Appearance in the
Conspiracy—The Captured Documents—Bloodshed at McCormick’s—“The
Battle Was Lost”—Officer Casey’s Narrow Escape.
THE events immediately preceding the inauguration of the eight-hour
strike were remarkable in the opportunities they afforded Anarchists
for arousing workingmen against capital and stirring up their worst
passions. The leaders had already intensified the clamor for reduced
working-time, and only the occasion was needed to fully arouse the true
ruffianism behind the Socialistic rabble. This occasion was presented
in the troubles that grew out of the “lock-out” at McCormick’s
Harvester Works, and, as the facts in connection therewith are
necessary to a clear and comprehensive understanding of the situation,
I shall briefly review them. Before doing so, however, it may be well
to premise by saying that the real state of affairs in that trouble
was greatly exaggerated, and that, instead of dividing responsibility,
the Socialistic orators sought to throw the sole burden upon the
owners and managers of that establishment, charging them, in the heat
and excitement of the times, with gross violation of pledged faith
to the men employed, and instigating even violent resistance to the
installation of new men, or “scabs,” as they were opprobriously termed,
into the vacated places.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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