The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industrySmith, Walker C.
History
The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industry
Smith, Walker C.
Industrial Workers of the World; Lumbering -- Washington (State); Lumbermen -- Washington (State)
"But there is another matter you should likewise take into consideration
in determining the character of the individuals of that crowd.
Regardless of all environment, regardless of the effect of all
legislation, regardless of all social conditions, men are born--not all
with the same propensities, not all with the same natural ambitions, not
all with the same qualifications, and out of the entire mass of humanity
there is a certain percentage that were born without any ambition, born
without any incentive; they go thru life without any incentive,
constantly tired. Now I am not here to say that all the I. W. W.'s are
that kind of people. I am not here to say that because a man is a member
of the I. W. W. he is a tramp or a hobo. But there is a class that has
been recognized in this country ever since the country existed, a class
that don't want to work, that would not work if you gave them an
opportunity. These are a percentage, I don't know how large, and I say
that every one of these people are members of the I. W. W. organization
or should be. Why? Well, in the first place, you don't have to show any
qualification for any line of work. You don't have to make proof of
anything whatever to become a member of that organization. And is there
any inducement for a man who has been drifting here and there, walking
the ties, counting the mile posts as he walks from one place to another,
to join that organization? It gives him a pass upon every freight train
that travels the length and breadth of the land. One of the best
inducements in the world.
"There is another class of people in this country that are born with
criminal instincts implanted in their very natures; they are scattered
all over this land and we have them with us and we will always have them
with us. There are men who are driven to crime thru misfortune; there
are men who commit crime under the influence of environment; but there
is a percentage of men who are habitual, natural and instinctive
criminals. Now I don't say that because a man is a member of the I. W.
W. he is necessarily and instinctively a criminal, but I do say that
every habitual, instinctive criminal, who knows that he intends to
violate the law upon every opportunity to satisfy his own criminal
desire, has every inducement to become a member of that organization.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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