Communism; Industrial Workers of the World; Socialism
"Of late we have noticed an ever-increasing tendency to hush us up
in the name of unity. We are being told not to show up political
Socialism; we are told not to attack Anarchism. We are asked to be
more lenient toward the A. F. of L. [American Federation of Labor.]
We mustn't touch on church and religion....
"It appears that political Socialists, anarchists and other labor
elements feel that the bottom has fallen out of their programs and
they want us to keep quiet about it, and as a reward we will secure
their friendly services. The I. W. W. is not willing to enter into
any such bargain."
Another editorial gives further light on the "boring in" process begun
by theoretical Socialists with an itch for revolution--paper soldiers
anxious to get a-straddle of the great strike-conducting war-horse of I.
W. W.'ism and ride into "the dictatorship of the proletariat." This is
thus dealt with:
"There is a large element in this country who want a radical change
if not a revolution. This element would like to see the change made
to suit them with the smallest possible cost to themselves.
"The most insistent agitators belong to the upper-class radicals,
and their object seems to be to stir the working masses into some
sort of revolutionary activity, not clearly defined. It seems they
built great hopes on the participation of the I. W. W. They know we
are a compact mass of industrial workers, able to manipulate such
great affairs as the general strikes in Seattle and Butte, the
strike of the silk workers, the strike on the Mesaba Range, and so
on, and we are just what they need for their purpose.
"For this reason we have met with an unusual amount of courtesy and
consideration of late, but we are sorry to say that we do not
consider it disinterested. If these revolutionists were sincere in
their friendship for us, they would throw everything aside and help
us build up industrial unionism, but that is exactly what they are
not doing to any considerable extent. Their activities are directed
on aims that are strange and foreign to us. Some of their adherents
in overalls are getting into our ranks because they work in the
industries we have organized or because our recruiting unions are
open to them, and their activity is frequently annoying to us, as
it has little or nothing to do with the industrial organization of
the workers."
The same issue contains an article by a Left Winger, I. E. Ferguson, a
"Little Corporal" ready to step to the front of I. W. W.'ism and lead it
to glory. He complains:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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