Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-02-27

allowed any discussion on the Ques-
tion of a General Strike, although the
French workers attach the greatest
Importance to this question. We
know it is now too late to discuss
it in this Congress but the matter
ought to be discussed later. The Gen
eral Strike is the most revolutionary
weapon We have. Viii the Congress
at least recommend the workers
everywhere to study the details of the
question until the next Information
Congress so that at the next Congress
they may be in a position to come
to a definite resolution on the Gen
eral Striker" Despite this appeal, the
Congress declined to adopt the minor
possibility of an International Gen
eral Strike. -
At Amsterdam, In 1904, the discus
sion came up upon resolution pre-
scented by the Socialists of Holland
A special committee was therefore
formed to prepare resolution and
to present it to the entire Congress.
The Holanders, the Belgians, and
the Germans stated in the committee
that the General Strike, if one under
stands by that the stoppage of all
work at a given moment, is impossi-
BILE, although they were all Of the
opinion that strike which extended
itself to include several crafts could,
in certain circumstances, gain some
political end or prevent some reae-
tionary assaults upon the rights of
the workers. The French alone were
vigorous in their support of the Cen
eral Strike, and BRAND, the master
orator and self-styled father of the
General Strike, came in person to
capture the Congress. BRAND, how
ever appears to have made little i'm
preston, and finally the committee
recommended to the Congress a reso-
luton, part of which follows:
Whereas it is desirable that So
cialists declare themselves upon the
General Strike, -
whereas the conditions necessary
for the success Of an extensive strike
are strong organizations and the
voluntary discipline Of the workers,
the International Socialist Congress
declares:
THAT the General Strike, If one I'M
derstands by that the complete stop
page of all work at a given moment,
/ is impracticable, because such strike
would render the existence OF the
proletariat, as Of every one else, i'm
possible"
This definite conclusion Of the Con-
gress did not, however, prevent it
from expressing the belief that the
General Strike might in time become
very powerful weapon in the hands
of the workers. But the Congress did
not accept the belief that "the enamel
patton of the working class could be
the result of any sudden effort" 1t,
therefore, warned "the workers not to
let themselves be influenced by the
propaganda of the General Strike of
which the Anarchists make use to
deter the workers from the real and
incessant struggle-that Is to say,
from political, trade union. and CO.
operative action;
"And invites the workers to aug
ment their power to strengthen their
unity in developing their class organ
izations, as upon these conditions
will depend the success Of the politi
cal strike, if this, one day, should be
found necessary and useful"
The above resolution states the
position of the majority of those who
discussed the question. BRAND, of
France, and Dr. Friedeberg, OF Ger
many, were the chief advocates Of the
General Strike. The latter had issued
a pamphlet on the subject which had
been distributed at the Congress, but
+ it was shown that the doctor was
quite alone among the Germans In the
advocacy of this proposition. Despite
the fact that few, in any, speeches
were made against BRAND and Friede-
berg, the Congress overwhelmingly
voted the Holland resolution.