Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1915-05-05
FROM "PROlETAFlAN
AND PETTT.bOURCEOlS"
IUy AurtIn Iewis

ha. nothing but his labor power to sci
and In addition one whose labor power
In that re-pec, he 10 differentiated from
the skilled iaborer who by association
has to a certain extent been able to make
his craft property peculiar TO the mem
hers of that craft, and to that extent
interfere with free exchange IN the mar
ket in terms Of his particular commodity
profit In terms OF the profit Of the whole
class to which he belongs
II Is said that all labor Is economic all
r-ducsble 10 unskilled labor and may be
expressed quahtita,i,eiy In terms Of or
binary unskilled labor
But the truth Is even stronger and
broader than that statement skilled la
Dor 10 being auaiitaiiveiy reduced To terms
Of unskilled labor The crafts are tot
| t-rinx and the future OF the proltesriat
l.. no longer In the hands Of the artistic.
| cracy OF labor. but is being transformed
| At an ever INCREASING speed into those OF
| the common labor mAss.s
This comes about by the natural process
OF the economic system and the develop
| ment OF industrialism itself The element
OF individual skill. which IL the fundA-
mental underlying base Of the craft and
| upon which the craftsman relies for his
sups,iori,y o.., 9nsk,iied labor Is being
the control Of technical processes which
become more and more perfect with the
| increasing knowledge of scientific laws
and mechanics fling the craftsman In ever
| increasing numbers upon the scrap heap
and confiscste his precious possession. his
| particular llttle piece OF property
| The present system which 10 the great
confiscator Of property and which In the
name OF preserving property rights de-
stroys all inferior property rights, has
him In its clutch and he has to go the
way OF the small bourgeois. He cannot
save himself
Every strike proves his position to be
more and more precArious The scab be-
| comes more and more OF terror to the
the more readily now take his place. IL
Is not difficult TO learn to operate the
mechanism Of modern production. and .
began IN total ignorance OF an industry
are sufficient to make those men COM
petent to run an industry effectively
| the success OF the strike
The scsb Is for the most part an un-
skilled lsborer Against him the crafts-
man contends In vain and he has no real
s I'M fr.9 100 looked asse upon s.n
lred trade and therefore no property. and
IA. he be; no, also So on these ,round; forbid
The un.killed man takes the place of
the skilled one. II he does so In the iron
ing trade Of tomorrow In fac, he win
invade any trade where men are required.
and he stand. a chance Of making even
force even more powerful In the
breakup Of the craft. than the progress
Marx counted, the process OF capitalist
development itself.
the formation OF great concerns has
broken down the dividing lines Of the
craft, and has transcribed the old form
OF organization OF industry In accordance
formed. The ANAL competing cspi,aiist
engaged In . specific and narrow part
Of IN. process OF industry ha. been DIS
go TO make up an Industry.
The result upon unionism 10 not difficult
self confron'.d mo-, By eomp. ,ina' s n,%
employers but by an entire Industrial cap
it.iistie examination In which the .enor-
the craft Il impos:,sle ene.S. H IN very ~
be able TO meet the situation. It opposss
to the united strength Of the employers
only such ,eso9 ,s a. !, can bring 70
10 the majority. Of rscsn, cases. crushins
tina. sy. son. ana s:.:::
ate Al the los cot that which il has
} relied upon a. the only means Of saving
vIoience Witch /. inssparsbi. IRON Strikes sss
, Of this character supervenes
"a,Ssasi.,ie 't m. ami stat: an'G No. !.
The last resource Of baiiied individ uaiism
man replies as does the thwar,sd Russia
, revoiutionist to the absoiutism Of the
's 20. the and .s.n n: .sra much =:
ed BY happenings In the trade unien world.
but the absolutism perSists just A. IN
Russia. because there 10 no effective go
! cial attack upon II and because ineffect uaI
acts OF violence have precisely the same
| effect In trade disputes As In Russian
politics OF alienatinE public sympathy
| from the rebel. and strengthening the
pubic belief that after all absolutism IL
the only protection from anarchy
The craft unions are thereupon COM
PEELED to look In another direction ana to
turn their eyes towards Industrial untoa
ism A. . remedy. Louder and louder the
demand arises that the only way in which
the working class can expect 10 achieve
progress In the face OF the odds which
confront II 10 by organization In terms
OF the capitalist Industry. and that means
the practical elimination OF the crafts ae
protectors OF special property Interests.
The man who will not fnconvenie nee
himself TO guard his own interests 10 not
deserving Of any sympathy when he has
no Interests TO guard There are many
such men In the labor NOV emen Mt and II
, they get the worst of u they will get
exactly what is due them. Things worth
having are worth a little effort In order
to retain them This 10 the truth and the
sooner union men and women come TO q
realization Of the fact the better-James
W. Mullen.
Endurance 10 the eroWning quality
And patience all the passion of great
hearts-James Russell Lowell