How much Bolshevism is there in America? : $b Also a series of articles entitled "Russia from the inside"Dosch-Fleurot, Arno
History
How much Bolshevism is there in America? : $b Also a series of articles entitled "Russia from the inside"
Dosch-Fleurot, Arno
Communism -- Soviet Union; Communism -- United States; Labor -- United States; Working class -- United States
“A vote for the indorsement of the Third Internationale by the members
of the Industrial Workers of the World means a vote indorsing the
actions of the small political group which now holds Russia under its
rule, the Communist Party. There should be no doubt in the minds of
members as to that fact. If the vote for indorsement carries, members
should realize that we shall have indorsed a political state that is not
only upheld by bayonets but which has sent conquering armies to invade
other countries.
“It is unfortunate that members of the I. W. W. have never received any
accurate information as to the actual condition of the workers of
Russia. We have heard many generalizations as to the conditions of the
Russian people, singing the praises of the Soviet Government. But have
members of the I. W. W. ever heard a report made by industrial unionists
or by syndicalists containing reliable information upon the following
matter?”
Questions Are Asked.
“Are the workers of Russia permitted by the Government to organize upon
their own lines without interference?
“Are the workers of Russia permitted to freely travel through the
interior looking for employment?
“What percentage of the workers in the large industrial sections are
organized, and upon what basis?
“Are workers permitted to maintain their own press without governmental
interference?
“Until the members of the I. W. W. have information upon these and many
other matters they are voting in the dark upon something of which they
know nothing. They have a right to know whether Soviet Russia is a
‘working-class government.’ Communist Party propaganda will not afford
satisfactory answers to these queries.
“We are endeavoring to get enlightenment upon such matters at first
hand, and have already secured some information, but we realize that we
have no right to influence, or attempt to influence, the vote upon a
referendum which is pending. We want the truth about affairs in Russia.
We are interested in the Russian workers more than we are interested in
anything pertaining to that country.”
Absurdity of Label.
I have reproduced this editorial in full partly to show the absurdity of
simply labelling the I. W. W. movement Bolshevik and letting it go at
that. Also, I have never seen an abler editorial against Bolshevism. And
this, mind you, was published in the most important organ of the I. W.
W.
There were people in the I. W. W. movement who did not like it, and they
brought pressure to bear to remove the editor, J. C. Kane, from his
editorial chair. But the loggers read the editorial and liked it. They
would probably never have read it if there had not been a fuss raised;
but, at any rate, they did read it, and approved. Then they heard that
the editor had been fired and they got a little “mass action” into play
and put him back. And they did not indorse the Third Internationale.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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