The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1912-05-02
SYNDIGALISM
Nil Desperandum


What is Syndicalism? It seems
to be an entirely new word, the
meaning of which invites various
conjectures. To put it in nut
shell, it is the evolution of Social
ism. The Socialist believe, or did
believe, that every man should be
on an equal footing, or to be
more precise, should have an equal
share of this worlds goods. Those
times have passed, however, until
we now come to the evolution Of
Socialism, viz: Syndicalism.
The Syndicalist has taken a
more radical departure from the
Socialist form of doctrine; he be-
lieves in every man taking the coal
strike for example) or miner, re-
ceiving the full product of his la
bors i. e: the miners to have control
of the collieries. The mine owners
may, like 'Nebuchadnezzar, eat
grass for all he cares.
Tom Mann, the recognized leader
of the new sect, is the father of
the movement. He was recently
arrested for issuing, or causing to
be issued, pamphlets of seditious
character and layed himself open
toa term of imprisonment. There is
considerable unrest among the la
Dor fraternity over the contemplate
ed action of the government, and
if the Syndicalist leader is convict
ed, it is said on good authority, that
it will cause a general strike, and
this when the country is in state
of turmoil at the present moment.
Happy land, South America.
Republics are, not in it; things seem
to be going back to the feudal
times; only in the present times
the twentieth century serfs are
lording it, or trying to lord it over
the capitalists.
The following is taken from the
BATAILLE SYNDICALIsTE (Paris):
To legislate for minimum wage
would mean state intervention in
economical relations with which
the state has nothing to do. It
would introduce compulsory arbi-
tration and entrust the regulation
of labor conditions to the danger
Gus judgement of politicians or Of
ficials. It would violate all eco
nomic laws, destroy the right to
strike, disarm labor in the presence
of capital, and render all efforts at
emancipation Intellectual by subor-
dinating workers to a Providence
state OF monstrOus strength and
unmeasured attributes. State SOC
ialists may congratulate Mr.. As
quith. For our part, we believe
that the labor struggle aims at
something quite different. Theex-
ample of New Zealand, Australia.
and Canada does not inspire conf
dence in these schemes and plans.
The BATTILLE SYNDICALISTE as
it's name indicates, is the organ of
the French Syndicalist party. The
reader can draw his own inference
from the above.
Syndicalist principles are to harass,
impede and ,injure all industries
carried on By private enterprise
until they shasl cease to be profit
able. Years ago the middle classes
were warned of the red peril loom
ing ahead when the word Social
ism was not to be found in the
daily press. But it was the voice
of one crying in the wilderness.
And even today when we have
passed from Socialism to Syndical-
ism there are newspapers run by
capitalists who are so slave-bound
to the party shibboleths that they
endeavor in every way possible to
obscure the real meaning of the
strike. It is astonishing, seeing
that the whole thing is a revolu-
tionary movement and nothing else
that even RADICAL party politicians
can endevor to decorate it with a
sentimental halo of sympathy with
the troubles Of labor.
The coal strike was organized
and has been directed by exactly
the same class of politicians as
those who organised and directed
the proceedings of the Paris Com