Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-24
ORGANIZE MASSES
ON RUSSIAN MODEL
Old and New Agitators Use 1t as
Example of What Can
Be Done.
WHOLE GLOBE INFLUENCED
Anarchists Have Visions of Up
setting All Established
Governments.
WHOLE GLOBE INFLUENCED

n, j y J.. -
olution is now profoundly influencing
every nation on the globe. 1t il "A pow
crful fermcnt working on the masses.
Old and new aEitators arc using it as
an example 10 show what can he done
TO upset the established government
The Council of Soldiers and Work
mems Delegates. the strange new crca-
ton in Petrograd which processes sub
mission to. but is more powerful than
the government. has excited proictariat
leaders minds everywhere.
Robert Smillie. famous miner leader.
promises to establish such a council
in England. and Alexander Bcrkman.
veteran preacher OF anarchy. has an
nounced the formation Of one in the
United States
The Russian soldiers fighting in
France have initiated their brothers
at home and set UP their own little
democratic council. 1t is probable We
shall soon hear Of such councils in
many other lands. or would have heard
before this had not ccnsorships inter
fcrcd.
AMERICAN COUNCIL
LITTLE MORE THAN NAME
So far the American Council Of
| Soldiers and Workmens Delegates
seems little more than name.
| The arrest OF Emma Goldman and
| Bcrkmun in New York City on June
Is called an abrupt halt on their pla ms
| TO organize a proletariat power in this
country. Just how far they had gone
| is unknown or known only to tho
| government Secret Service agents and
| themselves Probably they had not
/ m, 10 proEreSS
| They were hampcrcd by lack OF the
long standing and glazing grievances
| the common people had in RusSa-
| that is, by the almost universal pros
perity OF this country, which naturally
fostcred q regard for present institu-
| lions and spirit Internationally pa
| triotic.
'Th. man who preached the plan in
, Great Britain. Robert Sm!llic,' head OF
the viSorous Miners Federation. rules
his million followers with an iron
| hand. ], was he who publicly stated
that the government can be forced to
asks Tho question: why not do what
the Russian people have donc?"
| The complaint Of the miners boss
| is based on the fact that he feels
| there viii shortly be food trouble and
! starvation in England. even though
| there be food aplcnty in the island.
| The Russian revolution. he says. was
| forced through "a like scarcity of food
| sturs.
SMILES opponents among labor
| leaders urge that whenever an cstab
| lished government is overthrown con-
| fusion results For this reason. they
| say. greater difficulty would be cN-
| perienced in England in the settling
Of the food question with council
| like Russia's than without.
But the Importance of Smillies posi-
| ton cannot be denied He is char
acterized as the most powerful labor
| leader in the United Kingdom today
4 great many men have the shadow
| OF his power; they may pass resolu-
| lions and issue orders through the
F! unions. But when II comes 10 deeds,
Bob" Smile is the man
| He can command the devotion of his
million followers he is trusted be-
cause he never betrayed "A single man:
his word is law. And while leaders
of other unions find their orders dis
| regarded. as has been the case in re-
cent strikes, the miners will do. as
they have done in the past. what Smil-
lie tells them.
There is no list of accomplishments
TO his name" says a British writer.
and if he were asked his favorite
| recreation he would certainly reply
that he had never had any time for
anything but work.
lie was mining in Lanarkshire as
n lad forty years ago. and has lived
all his life in Scotland In 1856 he
was appointed secretary TO one of the
branches of the Scottish Miners Union.
and became its president in 1924. pass
ing on to the presidency of the larger
body in 1912.
''ln the first year Of his Scottish
presidency he organized a strike Of
| Scottish miners that lasted for six
weeks. and although only vice pres
idcnt OF the Miners Federation at the
time of the great coal strike in lol1-12
he was the real leader.
While the lesser leaders talked in
! discrectly he was silent: while they
wavcrcd he was firm. He kept his own
counsel: he organized and beat Mr.
Asuuith.
COULD ENTER PARLIAMENT
WITHOUT DIFFICULTY
His failures in life have been his
defeats as parliamentary candidate
Labor party. or these there have been
seven. ranging from 1894 to 1910. To-
day he could enter Parliament without
difficulty.
His speeches have not been numer-
Gus. but always concise. He has his
facts clear and hard. and sometimes
seems to be carried away by com
passion when speaking of the right OF
the workers to fuller enjoyment OF
the results of their labor.
physically he is the popular picture
of dour Scot, sandy-haired. with
| shaggy eyebrows that are drawn down
when he is angry. AT that sign OF
wrath at a meeting you may be pre-
pared for a sinister. cynical speech
beating down opposition. No picture
of his physical exterior, however. gives
| oP hn hnip Of