The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-10-01
URGES DIRECT ACTION

URGES DIRECT ACTION
Should Seize as Soon as Possible
All Means of Production
is Advice
New Rockford, n D., Oct. 1. -
I'VE are not helping the Nonparti-
san League but the Nonpartisan
League is helping US"
So said John Smith," |. Wv. Or
ganizer, one of the 200 or more
"Wobblies" attending the |. W. W.
convention being held here under the
aesis, and protection Of the Nonpar-
tisan League state administration.
John Smith was not his real name
fIe admitted that frankly, and also
| admitted that he had excellent rea-
sons for not using the name by which
he was baptised. He was plainly an
educated man, although he spoke
with slight foreign accent German
or Russian, it was impossible to say
which.
| His remark about the Nonpartisan
League was called forth by uues-
tiOn from the correspondent. We had
met casually at the Great Northern
railway lunch counter, and food had
loosened his tongue to some extent.
"How do you figure that the
NOnpartisan League is helping
you? He was asked.
"Simply enough" he answered.
''The doctrine that the leaders of
the league are preaching is es.
sentially the same as that Of the
]. W. w. We carry it Il step fur.
ther to its logical conclusion,
that's the only difference.
"The leaders of the Nonpartistn
League are telling the farmers and
working people that they are being
robbed by the business men, We tell
the working people the same thing
but go a step further and show them
especially the farm workers that
they are being robbed by the farm
ers as we'll as by the businessmen.
"When man has once been thor
oughly innoculated with the Townley
propaganda he is generally about
ready to take the next step and ac-
cept our theories too.
But surely that doesn't apply to
the farmers" | said.
Don't Expect 1t To "Take"
"Of course not to most of them, "
Smith replied. "We don't expect it
to-" 1t does apply however to the
men who make failures of farming,
and thus are brought to realize the
iniqutes of the whole capitalistic
system and it does reach the
farm labOrers and other workers i'm
mediately
"You see very radical movement,
whether it is the Nonpartistan League
or the more radical trade unions,
teaches the lesson of oppression by
the upper classes. Once get a man to
believing that he is oppressed, and
then he is ripe to join us, so every
convert that the Nonpartisan League
makes isNa potential convert for us.
mind you we have no use for the
farmers. We maintain that every
farmer who farms more land than he
can actually till. and take care of by
himself is just as much rObber as
John D. Rockefeller himself. But
just the same these farmers help to
preach our gospel Of discomfort, and
so make converts for us.
"Then you approve Of the
nufsr I
far as it goes!"
"CerainIy he responded.
"it is u great help to us, as |
have pointed out. Besides that
many OF the league leaders, are
more radical than the rank and
file, of the organization. Their
sympathieS are with us, and as
you can see for yourself they give
us as much support as they
can without getting in bad with
the farmers on whose support
they must depend.
at present the NOnpartisan
League is forming alliances with
the radical elements of organized
labor. We approve that plan
thoroughly.
"When the labor element has be-
come fully converted to the Nonpar-
tisan League idea, it will inevitably
realize that the farmers are exploit
ing the wage earners in the same way
the businessmen are and that the |.
w. W. principles are the logical con-
clusion of Townleys promises, and as
a result the labor element now
alignment with Nonpartisan League
will inevitably swing into the ranks
of the |. W. w.
"And then what?' Is asked.
Cites Italian Strike
"And then" said John Smith,
pausing for moment thoughtfully,
"Well. you noticed what happened in
Italy a few days ago, the workers
took by force, control Of the factories
and other means of production-we
will do the same thing here.
"Where do your agricultural labor
ers come in there?" | asked.
81 said the workers would sieze the
means of production repeated
John Smith" significantly, "that in
cludes the agricultural workers as
we'll as others
"You mean they will take the land
Continued on Page Six