The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1912. THE "SOCIAL WAR."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1467, 15 June 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1912. THE "SOCIAL WAR."

So much interest is being taken everywhere in "Syndicalism that it is difficult to pick up any_ European or American periodical without finding somewhere some discussion of or reference to the "Syndicalist movement." That there is such a movement cannot be denied—a movement for the capture of every industry by the manual workers in that industry ; but its importance is apt to bo greatly exaggerated. Most people who have taken the trouble to give a little honest thought to the question know that Syndicalism is impracticable, would fail as soon as it began to work, and in any case presents problems of organisation that can nover be surmounted. But the movement forces itself on the attention of publicists and statesmen by the methods to which it is resorting in its first steps towards its theoretically innocent and even praiseworthy objective. For the Syndicalists, unavowed and avowed, are using the weapons of Anarchy. In America they have already been guilty of wholesale murder, and it is but a day or two since Mr. Ben Tiixett declared that in a certain contingency it is his intention to shoot a curtain employer whom he named. , The essence of the Syndicalist idea, as exhibited in its actual working and in the writings of Fernand Pelloutieu and Georges Soiiei., is opposition to law and order in all its forms—opposition alike to the law against murder and to the law against breach of civil contract. Syndicalism aims at the actual destruc-

tion of tho Sfate. A few quotations from the wrsKirjjS. ftf flic t li.c.orists of tho movement Aviii,show ihiSy and will show, incidentiill-y, where s.oi.no of our muddle-headed .Labcim 1, tremists go itfr ■t'lieif phrases and for hints as to.- their ac.jv.ipiis. In- Iris book Itcjlcc'inns, tin, Viriitstiw, SoitKti rejoices over., the entonSe pi' Anar.cJiists and Anarchist., .inetjiod's into the movement of. the-French .syiidicatc? :•

Tho Aimrcliisjs. li-hc beciinio sy.ndiohiists (Sorcl saysV were iiicii of triio .orip;inality and <li.i!.'. not apply ti|i?pr.'i : os. wliicli. had been Bian.'iifacturo<l'by. ..cjoi.stcrpd.iiiiii.osopliDvs. Abpyji eyirytliiiiij t.l.i^y , taught tho workers .that it \i:as. 'nut i(Srt4 sary to blush pv.pr viblc.ut acfions.; ISiicli,. for cxaraplp, aj t!"* dyhamitirigr of the' "Los Aneelrs 'lMinjJs.''.pMca.} TUntil then, they had ..iii tlio .Sci.cfaSi.st werld, to minimiso pi: , ]fc: «xftiiso.t;lfc. viblotiie 6f strikers; the lieiv . Syndicalists-looked , lipo.ii theso acts of vipibritjy 03 flici. ap.riual manifestatiou. of. tlio 1 - elasS w.&i.

Proletarian >;iol.en.c.e.j ho de'ciaifea, is the "spontaneous '.ges.t.rir.o 4 ' pi t-fte working-class. :S.ore£ is obvipusly insane.

Insane, - still , iiioi'cS, ■pbv.ib'.iis'ly, is. PELLorjTiEK,.;the ; who :saw in tho Syndiqalisj;., : ;raoY , emcht i ii carriage for Anarchist;, ictiyity; In-, his appeal to i:tlie ; ;iinajc6his& : id support the syh'd.icat:C , .s , j''h6 wfpto.:

Let those of,U3\. , who , ;..lik'e; the cqllectiT.-. ists, look at :with unsympathctir.cycsy.lehni .fo r.esyect. it; . . . In order; L io.';liasteii. .i'.'.tho.^.s.pcia , ]. .rev volution" aiid:'.;tq ilie;' p.rqletar.iat. to derive profit .frpiiiit, not only tho; fojir corners of thoVTiorizqn, jtliti" of self by one'E::,self, v l/ut,i,:in..additipnv:ex7 perimentally prpv©.;tp ; : th6: : .Avorking.:tfcss,.. in the heart such a governmcnt;'.is I ':passiblot' .It.'i.Sr.our duty to arm-;thq.Vjyorkors,. ,by ■ toaciiiriif. tho necessity 'Jfo.f-.. '.against -fheenervating suggestignsVof hospitalism.

This sorry riibbishyi which, it ceases bo has capfcivateel--■tfie. ; (minc!i :pf ill-balanced 'e'nth'#iasts^ ; J3Jgmg ; ; repeated by-/many. (For of coiirse'gsojrie; assailants ofivthe'.-isa'pitaljstic^Stafiß^' l are cynical Siadventure'rs. ;whb: ■laiigh: in their they lead amongst. many alarnied, r (,^rae*ncan. : ;. ? Syndicalism':; is. 'a'.-.ieaji'fiil?! niena.ee' to :, society. The'?Syn^icalists^-,te: : "are absolutely jnhe>ij ited, almost.-'^cr'edi , ;.respeet,.,fq : r/ exV isting institiitionsV; 'th'e! most efficicnCbulwarksi-;of'kexisfcirigi society. The>anost; : ::sacred; /Byrribolsl , formulas, ritps'samls*sientirn'eri(af ! -;a^is : ridiculed and-'thrown^o^iy-by'sthent^' , ; They are :poursej.a'nd[-reck'i| less enough^-butv-.-Society;Jcanjeasilyi deal _with riotvaud' ; :murder;r"sin i cp--ait ; ! no time posed to BitVsfilli'uniierijm.ucH /'res?; to welcome,' ;thysubyer.sibn> v oiipublici order. If eyeKSxpyiealisrtivXwhifclr hitherto 1 has:ine>er:.-ha : dS'tKg ioUrage:! of its crimcs)'ifaqesVcbmii;:i^ : it is the again, _ Societyy^wiU;;lreJlyf?\witli., : < '& shattering fist.K;'J ; t" ; iyas l dqubtless>i;his consciousness jif:i,the:fti]timate' : impoi : fence of Syndicalism;;tha(i.-lecl:7;'ilfci 'Balfour, speech on thpVsnbject/ before: , ciological Spciety,"Hp;i'Msnqre^:/tlie , 1 froth of the'ihetgriciansiSltogetliqrl! confining himself^tq';an- : of _tho_ impossibility objective of itho¥Syriclicali?t3,;':namd=:! ly, tho of:;eyeryT-iAcjustry-ii by the manual-'.w^r.ke^svi'n'-.it;:' 1,1 . , " , ''/' ,, ',j It was served, thatiiso^manyjsiraest, -'rnen's should cherish Idle¥|K>pe's', : qf- sepu'rp ing at a diate kind." ed in all agesS;:;an'd-rtlieir,...!''h6pesj.. in so far as s : ex'ojssiyd"'' were always^:blighted/:byi,;;tiie. ,-;f too much not get out of human. you distribute'pr.f.rediktribute'iihemy : more than you." ation of the;*realities , ?inTO.lvecl''.V.';in , ' worker-ownership;; K^3ttv : -vßalfo'uk could not industry ing by It was hers in by colliers hers voted 'fpr.'itKpß^^wKo , ':- ishpu|d :: : manage the body concerned ;'-:!w'ojild- ; ' knbjw 1 -sbm& ■ thing aboutjitheV-tfadS-i. "But you reflect. ":>he:;:iadde'd.V qualities elections;'■ r.pf■", itiafc - ■.'■-kind' would turn, .lA'amrutterlyj'iuria'blp-'tb? see how you;wpuld,:ektra^i^hevbusi? 1 ness abilityfr^ithojrt:■ JwHicffi/it./is 1 really impossible' -ithe' 1 great and complex;-'wor£ of'tmodertf'. industry." the ■■ even under woxker-ownershiprJoM .jn> ,; dustry would^^ky^^ag'siinsl^ancitihiri' The coal would be a vbargain'pf dustnes that-use'-.-cpai;. ■ B.pmrjetitiofibetween industries!"" in any 'cqiiii.tiw ' would rema'jii;., Theii |&e're' : Wbulcl continue competitiiji; ''tfe coal industryjj(say.).;iii. ■Japa.ii ind 'th'i coal industr;y;::in : :. ; Kew'%a:laiicli , 'bx Britain or ■ ISTothing' :biita harmonioul'-fugion $ ,all;tries in all Syndicalist ;r.uiri!;"aiid qb--viously such:,,a.C:fiis;ion : imppss'ip'ls past tho need) of. 'di'seijssipri'./S&.e'yDti-' the most red-tie' rhetoric knows;" ■prp'bie'm-' than the prqplem-..6f-;di.sfcrib' utiqif ■ . : aV Mr. BALFOuit:..pqinted ; '. : ciuti": : is ; ' , %e" problem of :p.rq'duc'tiohi w "Y'o'ii can only distribute;-yhat you. -prqdii'ce." , ' The more that is".:prb,duce.d]'?th'e;-:m.p i re , - there is to gq, : rpt|.ndv : "arid:;h : -"Apsjirii. lasia just now:the.prof of the workingmen-.--are;i .obsessed with' the idea ,fqr ; ;¥ll:cah'b i is| : bo secured by. curtaiiliiig the, productiveness of the wprl'd'sr workers.'' ,; by : five-hour days an.dj'ifiyei.day, Ay.eeKg ■ and that sort p/^..^Sirig^.'''',VT ihei'.^'.,isreally no neq.d' .■w.lmt'e'y.er: fqF-'aiaiim , about Syndicalism-: ".■its.'qbjiecii.vfl.'igas this age, tolerate. _ TheireaV^anger^s^he:^- , bour-Socialisticjmbveme.nt,, which op l posed to the me'tKpilsi'of .Syri.dicalism. is at one with;..Syndicaiismi;iii:' its' theory. ..V.-;-,.... .-