The labor world., 1915-03-06
EVOLUTION or THE
I. w. W.. H.


ing intellectuals, who had found the
evolution OF, the established unions
into 1ndustrialisln too slow for them,
it was intended to be the means of
uniting all the workers of the world
into one great industrial union.
This indurtrial union was to elimi-
nate the A. F. of l.. in a short time,
relcgate all the corrupt labor leaders
to the scrap pile, and by direct ac-
ton accomplish What the 'parlia :
mentary'' Socialists had tried to do,
plishing.
At first the idea of Joint political
and direct. action was not incom-
patlble with the program of the new
organization, but the idea of revolu-
tlonlzlng the world in a. short time in
spite of the slow processes of evolu-
ton drew to tho ranks Of the l. w.
w. q lot Of impatient idealists, who
were not we'll acquainted with the law
Of economic determinism and thought
that direct" action would bring home
the bacon, without the trouble of Sc
curing voting residence, educating
majority of the people to the bene-
fits of a cooperative instead of a
ompetltive system, or Of even build
ing up a strong and experienced union
organization, with adequate dues for
it's efficient administration
| AS these impatient idealists in u
hurry to bring the "revolution'' took
mental short cuts to their utopia, it
gradually drove the experienced
unionists out of the ranks and left a
| job lot Of ex-S. L. P members. and
plenty of anarchists, as well as some
of the self appointed ''intellectnal
| leaders, from the professional ele-
ment, together with many nomads.
who have no fixed place Of abode, to
carry on the propaganda for "one big
| union.''
As the personnel of the member
| ship changed in character the psychol-
cgy of the Organization changed to
fit their material interests. Old Eco
no1nic Determlnism" always gets in
his fine work.
At the present time the L. w. w.
has q comparatively small dues-p pay
ing membership, practically no shops
organized industrially under it's con-
troll, but with a large number of un-
employed men calling themselves ad
| HeIentS or the l.. w. w.
The tactics and philosophy of the
| I. W. W. has now conformed largely
to the ideals of the permanent 'out-
of-Work' traveller, and it is anarchist
ic to the last degree.
You may now truthfully call the
/. w. w. The voice of the unem-
ployed.' Either as voting factor
or as a labor organization, using the
strike or boycott or supporting their
fellow workers with funds during
strikes againsts capitalists, the I. W.
w. has ceased to function.
Its enemies are now the police au-
thorities and the "charity'' organiza-
tions who exploit the "down-and-out
man by making him chop much wood
for one-half the pay that a person
who did not ask for charity would
demand. It's advocates talk in grand
iloquent tones, Of the revolution be-
ing brought about by the general
strike" when, but small per cent.
Of those advocating these tactics
have any power to strike, for lack
Of job.
There is no doubt that there are
more people today than five years ago
who are in agreement with the senti-
ments advocated by the I. w. w.
speakers upon the street corners, and
the number will increase somewhat
in the next five years, for the reason
that the total number of the unem-
ployed will increase, but that the l.
W. w. will ever be a factor upon the
side of organized labor, or that 1t
will ever be anything but drag upon
Inf 0yofcS 10 he
working class, is more than doubtful
The unemployed people do not
bring revolutions, but they do become
individualistic lawbreakers, and Sc
prey upon the rest Of society.
Capitalistic society is now very
much bothered with the increase OF
unemployment and the consequent in
crease OF crime. The capitalist feels
himself unsafe, both in life and prop.
erty, nowadays, and the signs of de-
cay in the capitalist system are every
where apparent, but we cannot expect
the I. w. w. to change conditions fol
the better, because it lacks organiza-
ton to do anything.
The J. W. W.'s very psychology is
individualistic, and consequently its
activities are not constructive, but are
composed of co1nplainings, individual
reprisals, sabotage and revenge fol
injuries received.
These are the tactics of the beater
slave, who fears open warfare, but
seeks revenge in secret ways.
The life has passed from the I. w
w. as constructive force, and it ha:
become the wall of the unemployed
beaten man.
The Socialist party and the A. F
of L. are far from perfect, and the
workers have much to learn in the
matter of securing control of the or:
ganizations which they have created
y but both of those organizations ART
composed of the economically neces
sary actual workers, without whom
industry would be at a. standstill.
When the A. r. of L. calls a strike
it has men to come out, and when thu
. Socialist party decides upon a polio!
it has representatives in the legisla
tive bodies to express those policies
and to secure at least some measure
of the things demanded.