New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-05
The Trojan Horse, l. w. w. Brand

The Trojan Horse, l. w. w. Brand
1t is no reflection on Mr.. William Z.
Fosters intellectual honesty to say that
one must be very simple or very sympa-
f;letc to believe his testimony before the
Senate committee There are two eX-
plantations of Mr.. Fosters present and
past philosophy and conduct. Both are
-S,ear-cut. And both are his own.
At Washington he explained that he had
had "a hard experience in life" and that
as a result he had formed the very scar
let revolutionary doctrines set down in
his book written some eight or nine
years ago.; and that he had since re-
canted and was now peaceable unionist,
practically in agreement with Mr.. Com
pers. Just when he recanted Mr.. Foster
did not think it worth while to state
The other explanation was candidly
and eloquently expounded by Mr. Foster
in his letter to Solidarity, the I. w. w..
organ, written on November 4, 1914. He
then said:
~ satisfied from my observations
that the only way for the I. w. w. to
have the workers adopt and produce the
principles of revolutionary unionism
which I take is it's missions to give up
the attempt to create new labor move
ment, turn itself into propaganda
league, get into the organized labor move
ment, and by building up better fighting
machines within the old unions than those
possessed by our reactionary enemies rcvo-
lutionize these unions. even as our French
syndicalst fellow workers have so success
fully done with theirs. Yours for revolu-
ton. William z. Foster"
Here is Mr.. Foster among his old
friends frankly explaining and defend
ing the precise course which he pro-
posed to take and which he later did
take. He did not suggestive years ago
that his opinions of labor and capital
and sabotage and murder were under
going the slightest change. He still
wanted the revolution as much as ever.
But he proposed change in the tactics.
The growth of the |. W. w. was too slow
to satisfy. And, being practical man,
Mr.. Foster worked out the other method,
which recalls the attack by infiltration
of the late war. Instead of attacking
the enemy over the top, in frontal as
sault, as the l. w. w. preach and plan,
he argued that the revolutionary doc
trines could best be put over by the
l. w. W. believers forsaking their One
Big Union and quietly entering and capt
uring the old-fashioned labor organiza-
lions. There would be no sudden rush
IN this system But one day the country
would wake up to find its labor unions
controlled by the Reds and the revolution
at hand.
There was similar scheme of infl-
tration adopted in a much earlier war.
1t was known as the Trojan horse. The
Trojans have always been forgiven for
falling for this ingenious trick of the
wooden steed we'll lined with Greek SOL
dlers, for they had no warning. The
present case is far different. Mr.. Foster
gave his warning publicly; printed it at
length in the l. w. w. organ, and if
anybody, from Mr.. Gompers up, includ-
ing the public and the Senate Of the
United States, is now taken in by Mr.
Fosters ready words Of reformation, he
has only himself to blame He certainly
cannot blame Mr.. Foster, whose candor
could not be surpassed He has frankly
preached the doctrine that the ends JUS
tify the means; he has announced both
the ends in general and the means in
particular which he purposes to employ,
and he is now consistently and sincerely
carrying them into action.
Incidentally, we would remind Mr.
Gompers that the trick Of the Trojan
horse was successful. As direct result
OF it, Troy fell.