The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-12-02
BY n. L. HAYWOOD.


clone that has ever gathered over our
industrial and political horizons. It's
motive power is the primitive urge Of
hunger and want and a blind fury Of
desperation brewed from the bitter
gall of oppression and injustice. 1t is
gathering into itself millions OF irres-
ponsible, fearless and desperate men.
Already it has the majesty and mo-
mentum of world movement. It's aim
is nothing less than the utter destruc-
ton of our present society in one vio-
lent cataclysm and the erection of
new world in the ruins Of the old.
Alongside the upheaval for which 1t is
preparing the French Revolution will
be as the pop of a toy pistol and the
Civil War as the smoking of dirty
chimney. Imagine an Italian Black
Hand Society grown to international
dimensions with its recruiting sta
tons in every city of the globe, with
it's entire lack of reverence for any
| thing that exists, its huge Indifference
to blood, it's wolf-1ike fearlessness, it's
terrible, fatal persistency, and you
have some idea of the character of
Syndicalism.
Not Philosophy.
Syndicalism is not a philosophy, 1t
Is a movement. 1t did not originate in
the midnight lucubrations of some
! closet dreamer but sprang from &C
tual conditions. Just as Cadmus's war
riors sprang full armed from the drag
ons teeth, so has Syndicalism within
half a decade leapt into full-grown ex-
istence panoplied for ba lie. The word
itself is of French origin and means
literally, Like Labor Unions" but that
does not describe the thing itself. The
London Times" in the exposition
most universally accepted, defines it
as ''The aim to turn over the instru-
ments Of production and exchange to
! the members of the trades unions who
now operate them SO that each union
will control It's own means Of 1iveli-
hood in the common interest thus CIV
ing the laborer the full product" but
this does not explain it. Syndicalism
does not theorize about the why's and
wherefores, it has produced no school
of "intellectuals," nor has it written
any bylaws or constitutions, it is the
name Of real movement now in pro-
gress and now actually at work. In the
past year alone 1t has engineered the
greatest strikes in the history Of in
dustry and has been the inspiration to
others, all Of which, in round numbers,
have cost the world one billion dol
lars. AS one astute observer has put
it, "Syndicalism is sweeping over the
world like prairie on fire" In 1910 it
precipitated the paralyZing railroad
strike Of France, a few months ago it
suddenly sprung on the British nation
three immense strikes, the railroad
ers', miners and lockers; it was be-
hind the weavers strike at Lawrence,
Massachusetts and is now at open war
with the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
Everywhere it is actively at word. Sc
cretly or overly as the case may be,
fomenting revolution.
International Program.
Syndicalism is not a philosophy it is
a war. and therefore, while they do not
stop to theoriZe, their leaders are ever
busy at their plans. Already they have
evolved an international program.
kers into industrial unions For the
craft unions with which We are fami.
liar they have only contempt. Instead
Of an engineers union, a conductors
or brakemen's. the Syndicalist hopes
to organize one big rail-roaders' union,
so also with sailors, steel-workers
transportationists, telegraph opera.
tors, miners and etc All the workers
in each basic industry will be organ.
step is to form a complete federation
Of these unions and thus weld the wor.
kers in all the fundamental industries
into solid unit. This done they will
prepare for their great fnal venture
the most audacious plan ever invented
by man, The General Strike" This
means that when the time is ripe and
the workers are prepared all will lay
down their tools thus paralyzing indus
try. demoralizing society and tying ur
the government hand and foot. With
no trains running. no kilograms to be
sent, no grain being shipped, no meat
being packed, no food being hauled
the teeming populations of our great
cities will be hurled to the edge OF
starvation and a reign of terror viii
have been inaugurated. At this critica
hour OF national hopelessness anG
helplessness the Laboring Glass viii
step in and forcibly take into its owl
possession all the factories, mines
railroads, mills. and every means Of
social production and distribution, the
!, boss will be driven from his office OIL
his palace. all the soft-handed para
sites will be sent to work or left tc
starve, and the huge machine of in
dustry will begin to move with Labo,
at the wheel
5 The next step in the program is t.
: abolish our political government ant
= obliterate in toto all our present poll
Z teal boundaries and distinctions. Fo,
what is the government, demands tn.
! Syndicaiist, but creature functionins
in the service Of the dominant Capital
list class? it is wholly superfluous ana
as for our present boundary lines, the,
:, are purely imaginary and meaningless
= Let us in its stead organize a Nation
+ al Industrial Federation Each industr,
will be managed by board of control