The New York herald., 1921-01-02

" LILLIAN IL. FOSIEh, VINO was tne
\A/ leading spirit in the steel strike
little more than year ago. is now
interested in new organization called the
Workers Educational League" A national
journal is to be published and the league
will issue shares to be sold to the members,
according to the prospectus.
Foster explains that the purpose of the
new organization is to amalgamate all labor
forces In order to bring them closer together
and thereby to gain greater power. 1t is his
hope to educate members of the trades unions
in the principle of a general solidfication
of the ranks of organized labor.
Non revolutionary labor unions, according
to Fosters red book, "Syndicalism," which
so astounded the members of the United
States Senate Committee on Education and
Labor. which investigated the steel strike
of 1919, are prolific source of weakness to
the labor movement Division of the work.
ing classes into various sections. each know
ing and caring little about the interests OF
the others. cripples the fighting power OF
the workers.
Foster. who was formerly a member OF
the I. w. W.. became convinced that an
ayowed ultra-radical movement would be too
slow in achieving results, and that the pet-
ter and quicker course would be for the
reyolutionists to join the conservative LABOR
hosts and convert them to the doctrines or
the French Syndicalists-"boring from with
in" as he termed 1t. The I. w. W. had
drawn some of the most active radicals from
the old labor unions and had stripped the
labor movement OF its soul.
1t was undoubtedly with these ideas IN
mind that Foster Joined the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor as a member of the car
mems union. In June, 1918, at the Amerf-
can Federation of Labor convention In ST.
Paul he presented the resolution calling for
the organization of the steel workers, ana
was placed on the committee. Shortly there
after he opened an Office In Pittsburg ana
began organizing the steel workers.
Foster probably took his cue from Tom
Mann. the forcible English labor leader, who,
urged to organize an English /. w. W., In
sisted that the better policy was to reorgan-
ize the old unions. Foster advises his fol-
lowers to adopt the English method. 1t was
in this way that he believed I. w. W. prin-
ciples would finally be injected into the
American Federation of Labor.
Born at Taunton, Massachusetts,,
And Began Work When Eleven
Foster was born in Taunton, Mass. OF
English, Irish and Scotch blood. His father.
he says, was an Irishman. He started out
to make his living at the age of IL, after
three years of schooling. He modestly adj
mits that such education as he has--and 1t
is not Observation-Disclosures acquired In the
University of Hard Knocks"
Federal Judge Alschuer OF Chicago. United
States administrator appointed by the Gov
ernment to arb trate labor differences In cer-
tain of the packing industries. before whom
Foster appeared as a representative Of pack
ing house employees, said that Fosters man.
ner of presentation and his occasional apt
literary references led him to inquire of
others as to his early advantages. He
learned with some wonder that they were
absolutely nil with the very reverse of ad-
yantages Foster himself told the Senate
Committee investigating the steel strike:
II am one who was raised in the slums
7 have had a hard experience in life. I have
probably seen some of the worst sides of IT,
and have knocked around IN the industries
and / have seen many things that did not
agree with in the industries"
Foster is 40 years DID, of medium height
and build and of fair complexion At first
blush there is nothing striking about him
either in appearance or personality. He Is
in manner shrinking rather than assertive
He has worked at various trades and call
ngs. AS a married man, he claimed exemp-
ton from the draft.
Yours for the Revolution
Signature Used in Solidarity.
HIS first appearance as a radical was in
1910 as a reporter for the Seattle Socialist
Call. From this he developed into soap
box orator and general agtator. and becom-
ing member of the l. w. W., which was at
the time the rendezvous of so many Western
radicals. In 1911 he visited France, Ger
many and Hungary as a correspondent of
SOLIDARITY, then official organ of the I. w.
", publ shed at Newcastle. Pa. He signed
some of his articles Yours for the Revolu-
ton, w. Y. Foster"
In one OF his later letters to Solidarity,
under date OF November 4, 1914. signed as
ABOVE. ne outlines the germ of his present
activities.
II am satisfied from my observation" he
wrote. that the only way for the l. W. w.
} to have the workers adopt and practise the
principles Of revolutionary union.sm-whilh h
take is its mssion--is to give UP the
attempt to create a new labor movement
turn itself into propaganda lea que. get into
the organized labor movement and by build
ing up better fighting machines within the
old unions than those possessed by our re-
dictionary enemies, revoutionize these
unions even as our French syndicalist fell