New-York tribune., 1919-09-26
Foster First Reu0Iufi0nisf
To Lead A. f. ofL. Forces
Chief of Steel Strikers
Reveals His Plan to
Overthrow Industries i'm
Book ''Syndicalism''

Special Cor7espo1,derce
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 25-W William Z.
roster, secretary-treasurcr of the Ma
tional Committee for Organizing Iron
and Steel Workers and the directing
genius of the steel strike, is a revo-
lutionist of the Lenine type. Proof Of
this ls available in his Red book en-
TITLED "Syndicalism," in which he de-
tails plans and theories for a social
revolution in the United States. This
is the first time chat q self-defined
revolutionist has been intrusted by the
American Federation of Labor with the
conduct of great labor conflict. Ac-
cording to Fosters own statements he
entered the American Federation with
the purpose of capturing that organ
ization for mis- revolutionary purposes.
He labored diligently and incessantly
to achieve his present position.
Summary of Teachings
OF Fosters "Syndicalism'
The teachings Of his book "Syltdcal-
ism" can be summarized thus:
"The present so-called capitalist sys-
tenn must be destroyed
"The way to accomplish it is to or
ganze the working people into great
syndicalist organizations revolution
AIRY labor unions.
"'rhe political state as at present CON
stituted must be blown up, wrecked
and cast aside.
"The way to accomplish this is by
direct actionthc general strike.
Labor must not step to choose its
weanons in its struggle against the
great industrial organization Of to-day
ana tire slate whole. All CON
sidc"'t.ons Of ethics and morality must
be discarded as SO much dead wood, AS
50 siia..y i.ttcrs ptOcElnG labor's liberty
of action.
"Prepa rations must be made to OBJ
tain control Of the armed forces of
propaganda, but the workers must be
ready to resist the capitalist class and
the state by force if necessary. Sabo-
tage must be employed both against
the capitalist class in the industries
and the state outside.
Labor must cut loose not only from
conservative trade union methods. but
also from the Socialist party. 1t must
pay no attention to political action.
The ballot is only scrap of paper.
The strike, and, above all, the general
WELD. BY the application of the gen
eral strike capitalism and the state can
be destroyed at one stroke and the
new society OF autonomous syndicalist
organizations established"
Destruction, Not Healing.
Is Fosters Purpose
Foster comes not to heal out 10 de-
stroy. He does not conceal his sword
beneath his cloak. He carries it con-
spicuously dangling at his side. For
in "Syndicalism" he says:
The wages system Of robbery is
responsible for the great extremes Of,
poverty and wealth to be found in
modern society. 1t has existed ever
since the very beginning Of Industrial
ism and its effects grow worse daily.
Every invention Of labor saving de-
employed and making tie competition
for jobs keener, enaLks the owners
of the industries to more thoroughly
exploit their slaves. Thus she wage
system has the effect Of making inven-
tons OF labor-saving devices curses TO
the bulk OF society instead OF bless
ings, as they should be-"
And thus does Foster pronounce the
doom of the society he is denouncing:
The wages system is the most brazen
and gigantic robbery ever perpetrated
since the world began. SO disastrous
are its consequences on the vast armies
Of slaves within its tolls that it is
threatening the very existence OF So
ciety. If society is even to be per-
petuated-to say nothing OF being or
ganized upon an equitable basis-the
wages system must be abolished. The
thieves at present in control of the in
dustries must be stripped of their
booty and society so reorganized that
every individual shall have free access
to the social means OF production.
This social reorganization will be a
revolution. Orly after such revolu-
tion will the great inequalities of mod
ern society disappear"
And then carefully. in detail. Foster
continues tho diagnosis. He boldly