The labor world., 1922-03-04

i3~.s& MI i %;.#
called mythology, the workers are
thought OF as nearest to- the gods,
because they, continue creation. Be-
which life would be IMPOSSIBLE, they
might, we'll have q pride, III produc-
ton, In skill, in work we'll done and
conseiousness Of their creative
capacity; that might serve as a foun-
dation tor class feeling and class
pride. .. .. -
| We look in vain. however, for any
recognition of any such in either the
preamble or the constitution. On
the contrary there is q distinct hos
| tility. like in the case Of employer or
a large number Of them. to any
craftsmanship, or skill. Both the
documents. discredit the very
thought. Free interchanse OF mem
bership cards. or transfers from one
organization to any other within the
I. w. w. is insisted upon under PEN
a1ties. (see transfers } The baker
must be transferred into the shoe
makers or the blacksmith into the
tailors, the sailors into the team
sters and vice versa There is q
distinct opposition to the craft-un-
ions or trade-unions with their semi
consious grouping after craftsman
ship and skill Their jurisdiction
disputes are ridicu1ed. They are ac-
cused of helping the employers in
strikes and 1ockouts, because they
so it is said-encourage agree
ments being made in such. way az to
cause one union to remain at work
while another is on strike or locked
out, and Of helping the employers
by misleading the workers into 4 be-
lief that the workers and the en-
! ployers may have some interest in
common. In direct opposition to the
truth they insist that the unions en-
courage such agreements as mem
toned above and this notwithstard-
ing the record OF trade unions to the
contrary. (See proceedings ,Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, 1896-7-s.)
But this was Of coure before the /.
W.. W. was organized to help, the
employers in their fight on the trade
unions. i ~.
The trade unions being semi-con-
tsciously on the right road to or
cropping after those characteristics-
pride in production, in skill, in work
well done-and Justify growing, had
to be opposed, ridiculed and led
astray or they might. become duly
conscious Of being on the right road
and then become dangerous. Within
the purview Of the +. w. w. there fs
no pride in production, In skill lin
work we'll done hence no foundation
for any class feeling or class pride:
Labor is som ething to be Stunned,
to be held in contempt together with
the laborer. The working class, so
called in the preamble, has there
fore nothing upon which to base
itself unless it be COMMON misery,
common hate of labor, common hate
of. the employer, and, under their
worship Of "eco1iomic determinism,'
l-self fishhess-suspicion Of, and At,
effort to overreach each other, In
their effort to get out Of the work
ing class. p.
Having spread this birdiime. made
up of ingredients above referred to,
the preamble Scatters the: grains of
promise to induce the: birds to light
after attracting them with the blaze
OF its main dogma; as follows: 1.-THE
working class and the employing
class have nothing In common u
Even If we were to admit that there
Is now a working class-an inpos.
sible admission-it is not true that
the workers and the employers have
nothing in common. On the con.
trary, being human; they have nearly
all important facts Of life in com
mon. They, If life is to continue
must be sheltered and they must
eat. But this means productions
the industrial activity upon which
the; preamble 50 ostentatiously rests
and they must therefore have q com;
mon interest {irl production. Ant
this is by indirectiion admitted u,
the preamble, when it. speaks o.
Hunger and want among the millionl
; Of the working people, while the few
have ALI the good things OF life
The preamble speaks of the world
of world hunger. and want; bu
unless there is too little produced
there could not be hunger ana wan
among the millions. 1t is not rea
sonably coficeiiv4ble that th4 fev
, can waste what would he sufficisn
to keep millions comfortable. "A gaif
the promise is plenty, wien til,
working people, d d class, sfiAl
have taken control Of the eAfth sai1t
the machinery Of production.. =. r: : :
The Amazing When ana How ..
Having made 9 this promiss t1it
| nreh m 111a 1noa ,p, IA %11I rxyL & s.s Az.