SYDNEY I.W.W.

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 9, 1 October 1913, Page 1

SYDNEY I.W.W.

On Saturday, August 16, a big mass meeting was held to kick against the choking to death, by the “Labor” Government, of a' young wage-slave named Wright, who had killed his lover; he was affirmed by medical men to be an epileptic. Fellow-worker Grant was there to speak, but the platform was infected by parsons, etc. The movement was started by the “ Modern School,” the S.P., the 1.W.W., and a few unattached. When the “luminaries” saw the movement was gaining popular endorsement, they jumped forward and jostled the prime movers into the shade.

On Sunday, August 17, these united forces of the reprieve movement again assembled in the Domain—only to hear victory announced. This united force, and not the “Labor” Party’s plank forbidding capital punishment, saved Wright. After hearing the verdict we retired to our usual stand, where Fellowworkers Grant, Brennan, and Pike made vigorous advocacy of “One Big Union” in their usual convincing way. Their audience was more numerous and more attentive than any we have observed for some time. A similarly successful gathering was held in Bathurst Street, Sunday night last, Fellow-worker De Valder in the chair. We have gained 14 new members recently, including a rebel from S.P. Both meetings terminated with good literature sales.

A matter of some moment was the debate, “ Political Action versus Direct Action,” which recently took place between Tom Glynn of 1.W.W., and Mr. Luke Jones of the S.P. Jones advocated political action for working class emancipation, while Glynn advanced logic in favour of direct action. The debate was well attended, and impartially heard. A show of hands was taken at the conclusion. Out of the 250 persons in the hall 220 held up their hands in favour of direct action as a means to working class disenslavement, and 30 (approximately) for political action. # * * Sydney, August 29. The propaganda meetings organised by this Local recently have been exceedingly well attended, and the results good to an unprecedented degree. The amounts received for literature sales at open-air gatherings for the last fortnight totalled £6 13/5. This local has also appointed an organiser, Fellow-worker King of Broken Hill, who we expect will arrive in the Metropolis within a few days. We feel convinced that, with an efficient organiser in the field for a brief period, the I.W.W. tickets will be generally recognised on the works. We make this assertion because we perceive the great and extensive dissatisfaction prevailing among hundreds of wageslaves, with sectional so-called labor unionism. It is a common expression

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among slaves, when discussing union matters, “ the unions should be all in ,one.” So it is pretty generally realised recently by workers that the unionism of to-day is an antiquated weapon in the hands of the world’s proletarian class; and the slave class are turning their eyes in our direction. Besides, our members, we know that we have many hundreds of sympathisers and men who hold our principles, throughout Australia. We have had fuller lqanifestations of the truth of this lately than ever before; and before long we have little doubt that the I.W.W. and their ideas will become an influential industrial force here. One of the most conspicuous indications of our progress of late is the open and implacable hostility displayed towards the I.W.W. by the handsomely-paid crowds of Sectional Craft Union officials, the frantic vociferations of this flock of roost hunting ravens who have picked the eyes from the Labor movement have been heard everywhere lately.

September 7. A numerous crowd of eager working class listeners were addressed by the propagandists of this Local in Sydney Domain on Sunday. The speakers on .this occasion were: Fellow-workers Do Valder, Foram and others. Several aplications for membership were made at this meeting, and the applicants duly admitted to the Local on Thursday evening. We have noted, recently, the steady influx to this organisation of workers from the political action bodies. It has been admitted by a prominent parliamentary socialist that during the past fortnight nineteen from his party have joined the I.W.W. Our open-air meetings during th? week have met with success. Good sales of literature are recorded by the lit. secy. The steady progress of this local is becoming an alarming business to the prehistorics of this city. We know it’s nasty of the slaves to join .a real union and endeavour to disenthrall themselves —they ought to allow “lights” to bridle and saddle them and jockey them to glory.— * * * The enclosed exerpts from an article in the “International Socialist” (Sydney) is a delicious dollop of the intellectual food that is sometimes measured out to the workers of this portion of the Globe by the political cooks who call themselves revolutionary socialists:— REGARDING THE NON-POLITICAL I.W.W.

“ The more one listens to non-politi-cal I.W.W. speakers the more disgusted he becomes at the barbarous crudeness of their views. “ They are an impossible lo v t, and the end of their story is brute force and transparent cunning. Their view of sabotage would be amusing if it was not so dangerous to the workers themselves. Emery powder in the machinery bearing and kerosene in the bread have been wildly advocated by these weird revolutionaries, as though the workers did not consume bread and use machinery. “ The anarchist is sane and sound compared with the LW.W.-ite whose interference in labor disputes generally leads to disaster, and unarmed workers rushing the well-armed police and troops with their empty fists and yells of ‘ direct action.’ . . . “ Before the Rand horrors the I.W.W. had been at work preaching force for a long time, and as a result many a poor misguided fool and many an innocent onlooker were made to bite the dust. “ In other places the same thing has happened, and the workers ought to know by this time that the armed forces of capitalism are not to be played with by those who sing * Halleluyah I’m a Bum,’ and throw brickbats. “ The working class here will never be led by wild men from Yankeeland, but must be convinced by reason and argument. Socialists must show that they are above crude methods and animal tactics if they ever hope to ipake much impression on the great mass of workers who are rapidly coming to hate war and force, and to long for more justice than the present system admits of. “ The worker of to-day is peacefully inclined, and before he can be induced to adopt new ideas he has to be convinced that they are in accordance with his sense of right. Sometimes he takes a lot of convincing, and I am not sure that he is not the better for it in the long run. If he could be easily incited to rush after every new-fangled doctrine or dogma he would be more dangerous than he is. The work of the genuine friend of the worker, then, must be education towards revolutionary Socialism. —J.W.R.” —This dainty dish is well flavoured with the usual abuse and misrepresentation. Of course it is “reason and

argument.” One would infer, after ,'reading their impressions of the I. that they never use reason, but are out to be leaders. Perhaps J. is out to lead; most political quacks are in the arena for that purpose.

Yours for revolt, Press Committee.