The wageworker., 1910-09-02
BUILD Up THE UNIONS
Organize All Workers, Says a
Socialist Editor.
. FOR ECONOMIC FREEDOM.
Political Action Must Wait Until Wage
workers Are United Under Union
ism's Banner-Rohert Hunter Tells
Socialism How It Has Erred.

iSnS 6anner-hooerr Hunter ellis
Socialism How 1t Has Erred.
Robert Hunter in IL recent article.
which we reprint from the Minnesota
Union Advocate. warns Socialists that
they must cease fighting trades union
ism if they hope to further their cause
Mr.. Hunter says:
We Socialists are fast revising our
views. Indeed. the revision is pro-
ceeding bit too fast. Yesterday we
were extremists on one side: tomorrow
we promise to be extremists ON the
other side.
John O'Neill editor of the Miners
Magazine. said recently "that it was
idle to talk of political unity while the
workers were divided on the economic
field.
1t is a consoling philosophy be
said, that tells us all we have to do
is to march up to the ballot box on
election day But other things are
necessary.
1--WE must have unity in the shops.
mills and factories. We must be thor
oughly educated and organized. We
must be alert. must be conscious of
our interests and be prepared ut all
times to resist encroachments.
Blind protest voting will solve moth
ing. Our emancipation will not come
from the SKY nor from the manipula-
ton of little slips of paper called bal
lots. Get the workers into the unions.
I'VE are slowly rejecting the theo-
ry." he said. that political action alone
is necessary"
Now. these are the words of Il sturdy
Socialist John ONeill has fought u
good fight. and what he says is worth
giving ear to. And we must recognize
the fact that in this case he speaks the
view of thousands of other good So
cialists. We have gone to one extreme.
and now we are on the point of going
to the other extreme.
Now, men and movements that go
to one extreme are likely to swing
about and go to the other extreme.
Enrico Ferri used to be the most vio-
lent revolutionist in the Socialist move
ment of Europe. The other day he
left the Italian Socialist party to sup
port the new capitalist cabinet.
John Burns was in his hunger days
a raging lion. Today he is more con-
servative than Winston Churchill and
Lloyd-G George. two liberal politicians.
Aristide BRAND used to be a violent
direct actionist" Nothing but gen
eral strike and insurrection would sat
isfy his revolutionary soul. Today
BRAND is premier of France.
The extremist is an extremist even
when he turns from revolutionist
into Il conservative.
do not mean to say that O'Neill is
Of this type. Far from it. only
mean to say that with movements. as
with men. extremism is dangerous.
; John O'Neill and other Socialists all
over America are beginning to see
that political action will not solve ev-
erything. And that is true.
The mistake was made in going to
the first extreme. We ought never to
have said that political action alone
was necessary. We ought never to
have derided the unions. jeered at their
Weaknesses O.. thuckled at their every
mistake ',,lat was the first error and
te:rit,a one 1t was an error the
Germans made at first. although they
soon squared themselves. And it is
fact that in no other country has
this error persisted as it has in Amer
/. lea. And it is also a fact that If we
A continue to persist in this error we
;. shall create situation that will put
] back socialism for many years to come
= We shall see able and valiant work
/. ing class comrades like John O'Neul
e abandoning this folly and turning to
the other extreme. They will then try
to build up an economic movement
:, while ignoring the political movement
q And after going to that extreme we
shall have to come back again after
few years to the work Of building
up il political movement.
Surely it is as possible in this coun
}. try as it has been in other countries tt
- have unionists and Socialists constant
h ly urge the necessity of both politica
and economic unity.
r. Without both political and economic
:. unity the working class will remain
hobbled. unable to move with any
n force or decision.
The fact is the working class mus
F" build up two powerful organization:
\. and WELD two powerful weapons. ant
" those who strike in unity must als'
= vote in unity.
!, We must have Socialists and trades
a unionists brothers and comrades in thu
:. same fight. We must make then
stand together. backing each othe
day and night in the coming battle.
We must allow the economic move
ment freedom to work out it's own des
le tiny in it's own way and give it ever.
s. support. aid and comfort that lies II
N our power And we must ask freedom
'r also for ourselves to develop our owl
methods of action, and the uniol
TX movement should give the party ever.
D. support. aid and comfort that lies Il
IL its power.
re
The Printers of London.