Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-20

Membership in tho l. w. w. Is made
exceedingly easy. The initiation fee
Is 70. anu dues arc limited to 81 per
month. They have no funds to fight
| unions provide. They depend on a
| sharp. short, decisive strike that will
he won before financial help Is Sc
riousiy needed by the striking menu
hers. When strike is called, they
succeed In securing all OF the workers
involved as members of the ]. w. w.
During the strike OF the textile work.
ers In Lawrence. Mass. 10000 members
~erc enrolled In the l. w. W.. but
To-Day there arc not moro than 1000
members In Lawrence. For this rea-
son. membership In tho l. w. w. nuc-
tuates SO much that It is very dHlcuit
TO tell what the actual membership is
in the United States. but probably It
is not far from 10000. Certainly their
notoriety Is out OF all proportion to
their numbers.
The organization is popular with the
rank and file because there are no high
salaried officers. The general secrc-
tary and tho general organizer arc
each paid $50 per month. The plan
is TO pay the officers just what they
would earn in the industry in which
they were employed before engaging In
fetal capacity.
at present tho organization Issues
six publications-threc weekly. one BIZ
weekly and two monthly papers. Two
of these are in English. one in Polish.
enc In French, one In Italian and one
IN Spanish. III addition to these they
issue many leaflets and pamphlets.
building up an extensive educational
literature in many languages. Edu-
cation. or propagandist, meetings are
held in halls and OH the streets In
most of the Industrial ccnters. Read
tanned by all OF the larger local or
ganzations. This systematic propa-
ganda Is necessary because many OF
tho members are ignorant foreigners
and illiterate Americans. Such people
will do what they are instructed TO do.
ilany of them fled from oppressive
conditions In Europe.
In America the /. w. w. became
their professed friend and champion.
This made a powerful appeal TO stran-
gers In strange land whose customs
were unfamiliar.
TOO often there are men and organi-
cations ready TO take advantage OF the
FOREIGNER. relieving him of his money
or exploiting his labor. Under such
circumstances the foreigner Is glad
20 find 4 friend who Will advise him
" kat his rights are and tell him what
20 do. II is not surprising that ne
Follows the l. w. W. leader with II blind
b'NoNiN'l' -N'"''''N 49,
looks plausible to an uncducatcd nina
when presented 10y an enthusiastic
teacher.
Impartial Investigators claim that In
certain communities the !. w. w. cspc-
c.ally the forcign-born members nave
been accused and even convicted o!
crimes OF which they were not guilty
Every act OF injustice :nGamcs men 10
take revenge on society FOR tho m
iuries inflicted b. Ignorant officials
This must be done IN secret. because
The law Is against them.
There is another element In the
membership Of the !. w. w. overlooHcd
b. practically all editors and writer's
the ex-convict. Many n man has
come out OF prison with the determin-
alton TO begin life anew and TO make
good in spite of the handicap OF the
prison record behind him. Frequently
the cx-prisoner encounters wel-hlsh