The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-21
|. W. W.LAID0UT
PLANS FOR BIG
STEEL STRIKE
Russian Soviet BOdy's Ideas
Also Followed, Says An
archist Lawyer.
SENATORS DUMFOUNDED
MalcOntents' Adviser COOlly
Admits He FavOrs Down
ing Government.
FOSTERS HAND Is SHOWN
Letter to Wilson Denounced
Radicals, but Only for Eff
feet on the Public.
FOSTERS HAND Is SHOWN

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.-While men,
bers of the Senate Labor Committee
investigating the steel strike sat fairly
dazed and dumfounded, Jacob Margolis
of Pittsburg. I. w. w. attorney and
admitted advocate of social revolution.
told them to-day a story Of ultra -radi-
cal activities, which he said underlay
and were associated with the nation
wide strike OF steel workers.
Even more remarkable to his hear
ers was the Pittsburg lawyers de-
lineation of a partly successful at
tempt covering the last two years to
fuse at Pittsburg. for an unstated but
vaguely hinted revolutionary purpose,
the combined forces Of the Industrial
Workers of the World, Bolsheviki and
Russian Industrial Workers, whose
imagination, he acknowledged. had
been caught by the successes of Le-
nine and Trotzky in Russia. All were
working, he told the committee calmly,
ito create a new society within the
shell of the old"
Throughout Margolis's story ran the
name of William 2. Foster secretary Of
the steel strike committee. to whom
Chairman Kenyon OF the labor COM
mittee forced frequent recurrence by
a cross-examinat.on in which dictagraph
records of telephone conversations
photographed copies Of Margolis's corre-
spondence and similar matter played a
large part
Admits He Is an Anarchist.
Margolis coolly classified himself as
an anarchist syndicalist," in which
capacity he had worked with and for
the l. w. W. organization, and ''Tol-
stoian anarchist" Governments he ssid,
will be of no use when proper indus
trial conditions are established" These
industrial conditions. he predicted. will
be established when workers, organized
along ]. w. w. lines, got ready TO take
over and operate industry for them
selves, more efficiently than private
ownership can"
William 2. Foster, secretary-treasurer
OF the general strike committee. came
into the testimony. not so much as a
radical agitator himself, but as a seeker
for help in conducting the industrial
fght in the steel industry. Margolis told
of a union OF Russian workmen" exist
ing in and around Pittsburg, revolution
airy in its objects and said at Foster 3
request or with his cognizance he Sc
cured the Endorsement of that organiza-
tion for the steel strike.
"The Russians had a tri-State meet
ing at Youngstown in August Mar
golis explained, Chairman Kenyon lead
ing and suggesting. "1t was a delegate
assembly. went there and made a
speech. asking them to indorse the steel
strike and give 1t support. This they
agreed to-"
In a letter to President Wilson written
in connection with the calling of the
steel strike the steel committee had re-
ferred slightinglyJ to the I. w. W., and
| Chairman Kenyon had telephone con-
versation record on this.
Tell the boys not to get sore about
! that" Foster, at one end OF wire, had
/ told Margolis. 81 didn't have anything
! TO do with that letter. You know ] have
/ to go with the committee most of the
! time"
! This language Margolis recognized and
! admitted having conveyed the message
/ to his associates.
Lawyer L. an Unseen Power.
"You see, officially the strike commit
tee doesn't recognize me at all" Mar
eolls explained to the Senate committee.
I'm persona non grata to them"
THE J. W. w and the Russian Boil
shevih indorsed and assisted in the
strike" he said, after severe question
ing by Senator Kenyon.
| He explained likewise that the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor was too mar
row" and too lacking In vision" to ac-
complish real progress for the workers.
and thereupon Chairman Kenyon fol-
/ lowed up the issue which the committee
! had previously had to consider
Isn't II true that Foster holds opin-
ions exactly similar TO you. and has
gone into the trades unions solely on
| the theory of boring under and boring
/ through and capturing the movement
for syndicalism?" the chairman asked.
! mo, don't think he holds those opln-
/ ions now" Margolis replied. He has
become an ordinary trades unionist. I
know that he could retain his integrity
as q syndicalist. but the position into
/ which he is forced as a strike organizes
now does not allow that. He has not
changed the American Federation of
Labor organization. That organization
( has changed him"
! The Plumb plan for the operation of
! railroads by the employees and their
( purchase by the Government, Margolis
said, was "the first step toward the new
/ future" The Soviet Government In
Russia he classed as the most forward
/ looking creation on the globe, far better
than anything in America.
Margolis admitted that he is the real
thing in anarchy and syndicalism. and
declared that Foster is not radica
enough to be in the Margolis class.
4 What would you do II a man should
come into your house and attempt to at
tack your wife," Margolis was asked.
I'D try to persuade him not to do It, ,
he replied.
But you would not resist with VIC.
lence II he persisted In the attack?"
mo. / would not" was the reply.
Members of the committee listened N