Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-01-26
Sabotage.


The accepted pronunciation Of the
word is sal-o-tashe, the vowel q in IN.
, first and last syllablcs having the souuc
( of in ask, Oh hash accent on the las
syllable.
The subject. as Sabotage, is engag.
ing the attention of the local Social.
lists, and the subject was somewhat
emphasized in interest at late pub.
lie meeting, when Comrade C. Ander-
son asked the speaker. who is the
State organizer of the party, the
meaning of the teIm, who was COM
PEELED to answer he did not know.
Last Summer the STANDARD COM
mented on the subject briefly, with
reference to the destruction Of NUM-
tions of war in France, its vOtaries
being DESTROYS of Gripping the gov
eminent. Since it seems the prac-
tice has spread 10 tho destruction of
other kinds of property in that coun-
try, particularly in the great French
railway strike that happened little
less than year ago. Large supplies
OF provisions were sidetracked and
left for hungry people to appropriate.
Vol. NJ, international SPECIALIST Re
cie,c. In Vol. XII. the following sig
nificant language appears:
1t was with rank and file in this state
Of mind that the national congress of the
railway workers met on August 9. The
delgates were divided into two factions,
going by the time-worn ranks of revou-
tionists and refOrmists. But these names
As applied to French railway men have
little OF their usual significance. The
reformists" are those who believe in
legal means of bringing about the DOM
ination OF the working-class. Most
of the Socialists belong to this group.
The revolutionists" are those who be-
lieve in sabotage. Most of these have
lost faith in political action. The refor-
mists were in the majority.
The debate on sabotage was long and
heated. A number Of railway accidents
have occurred recently which the govern
nent is attempting to trace to the activ.
ity Of saboteurs. The attendant excite.
ment is being used against the railway
organization. The reformists naturally
wished to re-establish themselves in pub
lie opinion by declaring themselves in
opposition TO acts Of violence. A resolu-
ton beginning with the following para
graph was adopted by large majority !:
The congress protests against the
monstrous methods employed by the
government to discover the perpetrators
OF the acts sabotage at Barentin and Pont-
de-fArche, criminal acts we ourselves
disapprovc."
Such practices have no place in
civilized communities. 1t is well
they are being discouraged even in
excitable France.
Congressman Victor L. Berger re-
Gently, in the columns of Milwau-
kee paper, condemned sabotage and
all violent methods and practices EN-.
ployed by laborers or capitalists. in
no Uncertain terms-were reaction
airy in the worst form.
The Socialists in Germany propose
to accomplish results through politi-
cal action, with the assistance OF in
industrial organization along peacable
lines. thus making their propaganda
effective.
|, Even the Industrial Workers OF
World, with their rough methods.
do not advocate the destruction of
property. while at the same time,
they are averse to political action.
The outcome of the Mcnamara pros
ecutions will undoubtedly put a qui-
etus on such barbarous tactics. It
is hoped the probe now going on
will be thorough, and result in the
exposure of all guilty persons. wheth-
err rich or poor. regardless of station
or position.