Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-03-21

Our friend W. Mailly has taken up
the cudgeIs on behalf of the trade
unions in the columns Of the New
Yor k "Call' against those socialists
who hurl fire and birthstone against
the A. F. of L. and the unions OF
which the Federation is composed.
While reading the venemous at?
tack upon organized labor by a GER
tain Bouck White the question nat
urally arises: What is the strength
of the following Mr.. White and his
like may still have in the Socialist
arty? It is, however, consoling to
know that Mr.. Mailly, while depre-
eating the Civic Federation attitude
Of the A. F. of L. officials, utterly
repudiates Mr.. White and his con-
freres whose flood of verbal abuse
and vituperation suggests either We
nality or gross ignorance of Labor's
needs. One hopes that Mailly and
those who think with him, represent
the majority of the rank and file OF
the s.
AS an example OF the unmeasured
and violent tone INDUCED in by
White the following passages will
prove Instructive:
mot only does trade uninism
stand convicted of appalling violence;
violence is a constituent part of its
program. Socialism has shown here
and there an inclination to tie up
with trade unionism. Dearly will she
repay it: for she thereby is made
answerable for the wild deeds which
are inseparable from the trade union
plan and principle. Socialism fights
through the balloting booth. and
therefore peacably.
"My charge against trade unionism
il its absence of class consciousness.
lam SO religiously a Socialist that
1 account one who votes the Repub'
lican or Democratic ticket alien to
me with a wide alienation.
"Trade Unionism and Socialism
are rivals. We have tOadied down
to the A. F. of L., have fought the
fights. have sorrowed with their sor
rowings, thinking thus to win them
And with what result: They have
missed no opportunity to slap us II
the face; jeeringly they have turned
us out of their conventions; sonor
ously they disclaim any alliance
with us. challenge you to call the
statisticians to testify what percent
age of the Socialist vote is trade I'm
ionist. The two are generally diff
ferent. Trade unionism is a jot
trust, and is congenially propitiou'
to the trust idea everywhere.
"Trade unionism has outlived 1T
usefulness. In its eearly days, wheel
the potency of the ballot as an in
dustrial weapon had not been dis
closed. unionism was the only thing
thought of. But the ballot weapon
has now been discovered-and per
fected. 1t presents an explosive com
pared with which nitroglycerine il
child's toy.
"The time has come for Socialism
to take the stand against the fool
headedness of the strike as an imple
ment of Industrial warfare-and tina
means against unionism also; for col
lective bargaining is possible onl'
where the strike, or the terrorism o
1t, is the background. Unionism
not helping the working class today
but is keeping it back 1t is making
half of the workingmen criminals
and the other half toadies. There j
naught in trade unionism whicl
could not be accomplished through
Socialism, and tenfold more. !
would be better for the teller IT tn
A. F. of L. went out of existence to
morrow morning at 3 O'Clock"
To this virulent onslaught GU
friend w. Mailly. who for some TIM