The I. W. W.: A Study of American SyndicalismBrissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
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The I. W. W.: A Study of American Syndicalism
Brissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
Industrial Workers of the World; Syndicalism
Representation in the convention shall be based upon the
number of workers whom the delegate represents. No delegate,
however, shall be given representation in the convention on the
numerical basis of an organization, unless he has credentials
... authorizing him to install his union as a working part of
the proposed economic organization in the industrial department
to which it logically belongs.... Lacking this authority, the
delegate shall represent himself as an individual.[105]
The delegates to the convention were in this way grouped into two
classes: representative delegates, with voting power proportional to
the number of members represented, and individual delegates with merely
their own vote, and in some cases not representing any union even as
uninstructed delegates. This separation of the two hundred and three
delegates, according to the character of their credentials, may be
shown as follows:
_Dele- _Organi- _Members_ _Voting_
gates_ zations_ _Repre- _strength_
_Repre- sented_
sented_
With power to install 70 23 51,430 51,430
Without power to install 72 20 91,500 72
Other "individual" delegates 61 -- 61 61
--- --- ------- ------
Total 203 43 142,991 51,563[106]
Including the industrial workers' clubs there were forty-three
organizations represented, of which number twenty-three were
represented by delegates having full power to install. The above
analysis shows that of the 142,991 members presumably represented,
nearly two-thirds sent delegates merely to take notes of the
proceedings and report back. About one-third, some 51,000, were then
prepared to cast their lot with the new undertaking. Also it appears
that about one-third of the delegates wielded practically the whole
voting power of the assembly.
Moreover, the balance of power within this empowered one-third was
most unevenly distributed. Of the 51,000 votes aggregated by those
organizations prepared to install, 48,000 votes were distributed among
five organizations (these being the only ones with a voting strength of
more than 1,000) as follows:
_No. of_
_Organization_ _Membership_ _Delegates_
Western Federation of Miners 27,000 5
American Labor Union 16,750 29
United Metal Workers 3,000 2
United Brotherhood of Railway Employees 2,087 19
Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance 1,450 14
------ --
Total 50,287[107] 69
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