The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-06-08
The General Strike: and Revolution

She claim that a revolution cannot be
ed but by an avowed revolutionist.
The Tribune editorial also shows a re-
markably clear insight into the role
and the motives of Mr.rThomas as a
.rait0r to labor, as one whose interests
it is to endeavor to stifle any develop
ment on the road to revolution in
order that he may continue to play the
role of labor lieutenant of capitalism.
DUT a general strike confined to eco
- nomic demands alone is not revo-
luton and without developing into a
political struggle is doomed to defeat.
The notiong that the strike is a substi-
tute for the political struggle of the
working class is anarchism, utopian.
Furthermore, no such thing as a
purely economic strike can exist in
the world of reality. It belongs to the
realm of fantasy where dwell the uto-
plans of all shades from yellow social
lists to UNDERGRADUATES In this
connection the position of the socialist
organ, The Milwaukee Leader, is inter
esting as enunciated in its editorial
comment: Ao
But just the same the general
strike is in its effects a revolution,
whether it adopts the frills of Boil
shevist psychology or goes forward
with the staid determination of Brit
ish trade unionism. 1t is all the
more effective in its revolutionary
results when it shuns the frills and
attends strictly to its economic is
sues"
THE Leader editors would probably
L vehemently deny any faint of an
archism, but identically the same sen
timents could have been expressed anC
have been better stated by every prom
inent UNDERGRADUATES in the world
The disciples of Pouget, Sorel and 9th
ers of the anarchist school can agree
in every detail with Mr.. Berger's pub
LEGATION, which again proves that th'
line separating the reformist socialists
from the anarchists is very thin anC
also emphasizes their utter confusion
in face of great working class up
heavals.
| GENERAL strikes are not things TO
" fools and towards to play with
A nationwide general strike shoul,
only be launched when the working
class is developed to the point wher
it is ready to fight, against every oil
stacle In its path and under leader
ship that knows the goal toward whic
1t must travel to be successful. Their
is ample evidence 7. that the BIRTHS
workers are readyT-the question I
leadership is dubious. In itself tn
general strike is, OF course, not re
olution. But likenall other soci
phenomena, it doesn't exist "in itself
that is to say, as thing separate an
apart from the restyG society and rul
ming its own course. It is one stag
Of the class conflict, II is challene
to the capitalist class, which has q
its defense the state power. TIL
state, by its very existence, prove
that there are class antagonisms Jthi
are irreconcilabls, and when the clal
It represents is threatened It steps
and by various methods endeavors
crush the working class.
One of the methods used by n
state against the working class is thu
Of dependence upon the right'wir
leaders to betray the struggle. Thoms
and Macdonald, "realiEing now that
they are to retain leadership they mu'
bring the strike to an end" are stri
ing night and day toward that go
and are capable or any treachery
realize II.
THESE leaders fare not with Il
l. workers in thdF struggle, but al
continuously in'cpnference with Bal
win. in spite Of the fact that they haN