Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-09-04
PORTER WINS FIGHT ON l. W. w.
Iowan Chosen by Uncle
Sam To Prosecute
DisIoyaI Or
ganization

OuCle SuIu Has ClOScu lle pFOSeCu'
ton of his most comprehensive attack
upon organized disloyalty in the United
States, the trial Of the I. w. w. cases
at Chicago, with the conviction Of big
Bill" Haywood and 100 Of his asso-
ciates.
An Iowan of high repute as an at.
torney and citizen, Claude r. Porter
of Centerville, who has since been Sc
lected as the Democratic candidate for
governor of Iowa, has had charge of
the great volume Of work attendant
to the prosecution and trial of the
more than one hundred leaders Of the
I. w. w., and his efforts, in large
part, enabled the government to pile up
an almost uncontrovertible volume Of
testimony against big Bill" Haywood
and his followers.
Unmolested in times Of peace, the
I. w. w. found itself, when war broke
out, entirely in opposition to every
war activity of the United States.
The I. w. w. does not seek to rem
edy evils which may exist in the pres
ent form of government and industrial
control through any modification Of
the present system. Instead, its aims
are the complete overthrow, not only
of the so-called "capitalistic system"
but Of the present democratic form of
government In the United States. 1t
is foe to all organized labor, and
opposes all religions. 1t has no coun-
try, no creed, and no program save that
of destruction.
Radicals in Control.
Originally embracing in its member
ship many prominent members of or
ganized labor and Of the socialist
party, the organization soon became
controlled by the most radical element
among labor agitators.
These men dictated the policy which
led up to the present prosecution, and
which, in the calm advocacy Of revo-
luton and destruction, OutdOes any
thing the Russian bolsheyiki ever con-
sidered.
Why the I. w. w. got into conflict
with the government is plainly evident
by the reading Of the I. w. w. songs in
the official songbook Of the I. W. W..
of which thousands were distributed
after the United States declared war,
and many Of which are still in use by
the members Of the organization in the
United States.
These songs, many Of which were
written by the L w. w. Martyr Poet"
Joe Hill, executed for murder at Salt
Lake City in 1916, are truly represen-
tative Of the, spirit Of the entire organ
ization. Their advocacy Of violence,
sabotage and revolution. their soothing
at the American army and navy, their
bitterness against military service are
all based upon the general policy OF
the I. w. w.
Stands by Itself.
There are certain principles Of the
!. w. w. which distinguish it from any
other social organization aimed to bet
ter the conditions Of the working class.
The I. w. w. doctrine preached is
that the only class which should be
recognized, and which should have
control OF the government and Of all
production Is the working class. It de-
clares that the worker is entitled to
everything he produces, and that there
should be no such thing as individual
ownership Of any factory. farm or
necessary industrial enterprise. Ac-
cordingly the I. w. w. does not strike
with the ultimate object in view Of
increasing wages or lettering hours.
The object Of the l. w. W. strike is to
gain complete control Of the factory,
farm and government, and therefore
wage Increases and shorter hours are
merely temporary concessions. One
strike successful in obtaining con-
cession is to be followed by another
strike as soon as possible. No con-
tracts are signed, and no agreements
are. recognized as valid
The /. w. w. does not believe in
patriotism. Its position In this respect
was officially promulgated in decla-
ration of the organization made pub
lie In March Of 1917, shortly before the
United States entered the European
war, and when conflict seemed un-
avOidable.
This declaration was as follows:
"With the European war for con-
quest and exploitation raging and de-
stroying the lives, class consciousness
and unity Of the workers, and the ever
growing agitation for military pre-
paredness clouding the main issues.
and delaying the realization Of our ul-
innate aim with patriotic and there
fore capitalistic aspirations, we openly
declare ourselves determined oppo-
nents Of all nationalistic sectionalism
or patriotism, and the militarism
preached and supported by our one
enemy, the capitalistic class.
We condemn all wars, and, for the
prevention of such, we proclaim the
antimilitaristic propaganda in time Of
peace, thus promoting class solidarity
among the workers of the entire
world, and in time Of war the general
strike in all industries"
Thus less than one month before the
United States declared war the ]. W.
W. announced its determination of
calling a general strike to cripple the
nation in case it found it necessary
to defend its rights.
Opposes Organized Labor.
The /. w. w. found relatively little
favor among the more respectable
classes of American labor, such as
those found affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. 1t was re