The I. W. W.: A Study of American SyndicalismBrissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
History
The I. W. W.: A Study of American Syndicalism
Brissenden, Paul F. (Paul Frederick)
Industrial Workers of the World; Syndicalism
Since 1906 there have been no Industrial Departments (_i. e._, no
divisions larger in scope than the National Industrial Union) in the
I. W. W. Nevertheless, the Constitution continued, up to the tenth
convention in 1916, to speak of the organization as being composed
of National Industrial Departments, National Industrial Unions,
_etc._[220] The Agricultural Workers' Organization (the "A. W. O."),
organized in 1914, which now constitutes a large and increasingly
important division of the I. W. W., is akin to what the founders wanted
to have in the I. W. W. in 1905. There is more _body_ to it today than
there was to any of the so-called International Industrial Departments
of the earlier period. It is to be noted that in all the editions of
the Constitution since 1906 the word "International" has been replaced
wherever it occurred by the word "National."
Throughout the whole of its history the Industrial Workers of the World
has been composed almost entirely of local unions scattered throughout
the United States and Canada, all directly connected with the central
office or what is called the General Organization. The development
of subdivisions (such as Industrial District Councils, International
Industrial Unions, and Industrial Departments), between the general
organization and the local union has not been appreciable until within
the last two or three years.[221]
FOOTNOTES:
[180] "The World of Labor," _International Socialist Review_, vol. vi,
pp. 434-5 (Jan., 1906).
[181] The Red Lodge, Mont., and Pittsburg, Kans., locals.
[182] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_, p. 324.
[183] _Voice of Labor_, June, 1905.
[184] _Voice of Labor_, June, 1905.
[185] _International Socialist Review_, vol. vi, pp. 434-5 (Jan., 1906).
[186] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_, pp. 71-2.
[187] _Cf. Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_, p. 338.
[188] Report of General Secretary-Treasurer Trautmann, _ibid._, p. 63.
[189] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_, p. 356.
[190] _Ibid._, p. 294.
[191] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_, pp. 61-2.
[192] For the letter in full _vide Proceedings, Second I. W. W.
Convention_ (1906), p. 146.
[193] From the report of General Secretary-Treasurer Trautmann,
_Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_ (1906), pp. 51-52.
[194] _Ibid._, p. 53.
[195] _Cf. infra_, ch. v.
[196] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_ (1906), p. 106.
[197] _Ibid._, p. 169.
[198] _Proceedings, Second I. W. W. Convention_ (1906), p. 169.
[199] _Ibid._, p. 43.
[200] _Ibid._, p. 377.
[201] Report of General Secretary-Treasurer Trautmann, _ibid._, p. 59.
[202] Report of President Sherman, _Proceedings, Second I. W. W.
Convention_ (1906), p. 46. For partial list of I. W. W. strikes _vide_
Appendix viii.
[203] _Proceedings of New Jersey Socialist Unity Conference_, p. iv.
The Manifesto is reprinted on pp. iv-ix of these _Proceedings_.
[204] _Ibid._
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