The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18

OF his trade, and the union, not to remain
isolated afiliates itself doubly: First, from
a local standpoint, with the various unions
and corporations OF the locality, thus con-
stitutirg the Bourse du Travail; second,
nom a national stand point, with the union
of the same trade, thus constituting the
Federation Rationale Cooperative.
The Bourses du Travail affiliate one with
another, and their union forms the Section
Federale des Bourses du Travail; the Fede-
rations Corporativcs, or their side, affiliate
with one another to form the Section des
declarations Corporatives. The reunion of
the federative organisms of these two sec-
tions constitute the Comite de la Con-
federation Generate du Travail.
These s~yndicated organizations thus
grouped seek to put into effect, as best they
can, the following principles:
/. They try to improve from day to day
the immediate conditions of the workers
by the reduction of the hours OF labor. the
increase OF wages. the sanitary conditions
OF factories and workshops, the moral IN
dependence of the workmen,' dc. They do
not lose slight OF the fact that the improve
ments wrung from the masters cannot be
considered final but only constitute a step
toward more radical improvements: all these
reforms to be effective must comprise u
lessening OF capitalist privileges.
2. They do not limit their endeavors to
partial and immediate rerorms; convinced
as they are that the only definit remedy
for sweating and human misery IL the aboli-
ton Of salaries. they prepare the way Tor
the appropriation Of capital, thereby making
| the FGd4ration5 Corporativcs and the Bonrses
( du Travail the ccntres of the new social life,
and thus permitting the fullest development
to all.
The methods OF action employed by the
unions for securing their immediate de-
mands are strikes, boycotting; sabotage.
which consists Of rendering useless ma
chinery and implements of work; the Use
of labels or trade marks adopted by the
unions, &c. In order to carry through to q
successful issue the social transformation
they contemplate they rely on a general
expropriating strike.
The study of the relations between capt.
talists and workers having taught the latter
that their demands are rejected only be-
cause the army comes to the aid Of capital,
the unions rave been driven 10 make an
active anti-military propaganda. To pro-
tect capital is the primordial reason for
the existence of all army, though the excuse
put forward is the defence of the frontier.
The unions have realized that the only
real frontiers are those of capital, and that
there is no such thing as iatherland, but
only two classes, the sweaters and the
sweated. The old ideas of fatherland have,
therefore, disappeared from the brains of
the workers who, after declaring criminal
all war between nations. recognize as legiti-
mate only a war against the capitalist
class.
For long the French unions served as the
battlefield for the different schools of Social
ism, and during that period, dragged first
one way and then another they made no
advance because the workers saw in them
nothing more than substitutes for the
politico-socialist committees.
Little by little the unions, realizing the
social role they should play, threw into
the background political ideas and placed
economic principles in the front rank of
their policy. 1t is from 1891, when they
affirmed themselves to be resolute sup
porters of a general strike in their national
congress, that the autonomy of the syndi-
cal movement dates.
The general strike may be viewed under
two aspects, which mutually complement
one another and which are both in the
highest degree of u revolutionary character
It may either aim at the immediate con-
quest of partial improvements, or, con-
sidered as the equivalent of the proletarian
revolution, it may imply the taking pos
session Of the whole social organism by
the working class.
The general strike, as partially applied,
has numerous aspects; at times it limits
itself to one corporation or trade, but ex-
tends over a whole country; at others it may
restrict itself to a region, but affect the
most diverse trades. Nevertheless, how-
ever varied may be its aspects, it has al
WAYS as a common characteristic to make
the winning Of the improvement or desired
reform depend on the revolutionary action
Of the interested parties, on the pressure
out upon the enemy, on the fear they pro-
duce upon him.
These movements have us a further con-
sequence the preparing Of the way for the
general expropriating strike, AS to the
development of that event only hypothesis
NAV be ventured. What may be said is,
that after bringing about a complete social
disturbance, as well in the production as in
the circulation of commodities, the unions
must have consciousness OF the need of
social reorganization, which will be incum-
bent upon them.
Their mission will be to install communis-
tic property on the ruins Of individualistic
property. They will take possession of
factories and workshops. and they will
in each trade, after consultation with their
federation, regulate the activity of pro-
duction.
Thus, while never neglecting the i'm
mediate needs of to-day, the French unions
are occupied with the future.
Their ideal is profoundly human, they
pursue the abolition of salary and they are
convinced that, better than any other
group, the unions are likely to realize by
means of the general strike that social
Transformation thanks TO which the maxi
mum of well being and liberty shall be
secured TO the human being.
EMILE PoUGET.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIALISTS.
1t may be gathered from the foregoing
that the syndioated Socialists of France,
whose membership is reckoned at ) 1000.
are bitterly opposed to the Parliamentary
party. They refuse any participation
- Do l,n&,4-t -, 49, ,nI rnl,, .rlal,, fnr