Saturday, March 8, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE The Growth of the Left Wing and violation manic and Lunic acts EVOLUTIONARY Socialism always had its exR some delegates from Queens who claimed recognition ponents and champions in New York. Back in By Maximilian Cohen under questions were ruled out of order and they as the oll days before the war rights and lefts party machine and the Forward politicians who saw a protest rose in a body and left. Immediately after reds and yellows lined up in their various bran to it that the neeting was packed.
the Kings County delegates also rose in a and ches and consumed lots of space in the Socialist press with their tactical differences and opinions.
But the Central Committee of Local New York left the hall as a protest against the all too evident must ratify. The Central Committee at its regular attempt at whitewashing the Aldermanic Delegation But the world war and the betrayal of Interna meeting withheld ratification. So again the machine by the New York machine. Sonne New York delegates tional Socialism by the dominant Social Democracies got busy and called a special meeting and by a vote left with them so did also a number of comrades in of Europe; the Russian Revolution and rise of the of 42 to 38 reversed the decision of the previous the rear of the hall.
Bolsheviki to power; our own entrance into the concon meeting.
These delegates and comrades crowded in the corAict; the defection of our movement with its lip serThen came another sensation. The Aldermanic De and forced Comrade Goebel to give thern a meetvice to International Socialism and its petty bourgeois legation had flopped again on the Fourth Liberty ing room, a thing which he at first refused to do. There party officials and spokesmen generally, and Meyer blocked and frustrated every attempt on the part of a committee of fourteen was elected with power to London and the Socialist Aldermanie Delegation of the rank and file to express their disapproval and take Lew York in Jarticular, created an intolerable situ proper disciplinare dintre climax to their activities the draft a Manifesto and bring our message to the rank and file. The committee drafted a temporary Maniation which grew worse from day to day.
festo and Program and called mass meetings in Kings, The rank, and file betrayed and outraged by its Aldermanic Delegation voted for the appropriation Manhattan the Bronx for party members only; spokesmen found every attempt at protest blocked by for a Victory Arch and thus sank as low as it is poss Our Manifesto was enthusiastically endorsed an intrenched ntachine hard to reach and difficult to ible to sink in the mire of social patriotic mud. position backed up by the members present. might dislodge. It controlled the party machinery and Feeling ran high. The machine worked secretly add here that the New York Call refused even to print press and had the the active support of and the Socialist press silently to defend the thrice though it is a well known fact that they permitted reactionary announcing the meetings, altrade union elements who threatend to cial assistance during political campaigns unless can some members of the City Committee a joint meeting solicitors to plead for Liberty Loan ads from the didates suitable to to these leaders were selected.
of Committee and printed samte in general membership meeting called only after Greater New York was called to discuss the Alderof the meaning and purpose of the St. Louis recommend action to the various locals. Resolution. But Left Wing ads were too dangerous gation first voted on the Liberty Loan, found its act Julius Gerber was elected chairman at this meeting there are some members in the Socialist Party who ions nullified by Comrade Gerber suddenly springing The chairman of the Socialist Aldermanic Delegation were and are opposed to the betrayal of Socialist prinThe re nomination of Meyer London found every details which had nothing to do with the purpose of ciples by official spokesmen and official party organs.
ing revolutionist lined up solidly for his re nomina in place in some grammer school class in elementary attendeel in spite of the Call attitude and finally, we.
civics.
At the first party meeting to re nominate, the reacIt was one of the most enthusiastic meeting ever held tionaries sensing strong opposition, finally sabotaged ences and principles. He did slur over those sis on those points which had to do with tactical differin New York. On that day the Left Wing Section the meeting into getting London down to face the in the last ten minutes of his report as if such matters was formally launched, rules of organization adonted to and the Manifesto and Program revised for publicadown in full force and then they played their trump Socialists and needed no further amplification. After tion in pamphlet form. City Committee and exeon platform. the report the chairman arbitrarily called for questions cutive officers were elected. The Revolutionary Age presumed that he would answer questions or at least from the floor when the method of procedure should was endorsed as our organ for the present and John that the chairman would permit discussion after which have been discussion upon a motion. Each question Reed was chosen as New York editor.
We are a well organized section within the Socialist ing of the sort! The chairman granted him the floor Delegation and so the chairman steered the meeting Party of Local Greater New York and are extending and London proceeded to attack, malign and insult safely up to about 11. 30 or thereabout when some de our activities to cooperate with ail Left Wing Locals evers Socialist who did not agree with his out and out legates woke up to the fact that they had been tricked throughout the country for the prirpose of uniting our social patriotic stand. He then left the hall immedi out of full discussion and some one made a motion to forces preparatory to making a nation wide drive for ately after: of course lie was re nominated by the close questions and start discussion. At this point the capture of the whole party machinery.
Men in the Scotch Shop Steward Movement ILLIAM CALLAGHER, born in Scotland These brief sketches of some of the prominent is a member of the Independent Labor Party and Irish parents, is the printer of The Worker, figures in the Shop Stewards movement in Scotland editor of The Worker, a revolutionary paper. In and president of the Clyde Workers Com will give an idea of the timber which goes to make up April, 1916, he was convicted of inciting the workers rested in February, 1916, and charged with sedition such an important role in British Labor circles. The tenced to 12 months imprisonment. He was released. in connection with his speech at an anti conscription open air demonstration in favor of the bespoke at an some of the active officials in the various big shops to welcome1917, amely a smoking concert was held He is a member of the Electrical Trade Union.
the pril, 1916, he was tried for circulating a copy of written in the light of boosts for the men mentioned Lightening Strike. He is believed to have gone to His panacea for all discontent of the workers is the ers Arm? and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. geois papers for the purpose of giving their records. London to take part in the strike of the electrical has been proininent at all the meetings of extremists The only changes made in the original text are those gineers.
his release.
In October, 1917, he was appointed details which are added for the sake of claritv, and in Councillor Emanuel Shinwell, born in Scotland, his president of the Clyde Workers Committee. At a a couple of cases the reporter personal opinions have father a Russian Jew and his mother an Irish woman mass meeting organized by that committee at Glasgow been omitted as valueless.
born in Dublin, is a member of the Independent Labor 11 November 25, 1917, he made a speech inciting the workers to strike, and called on his audience to come Party. He was one of the leaders of the Glasgow to the Court, in case the speakers were prosecuted, the truthers to delike whenever they had no ievance a society opposed to the Sailors and Firemen nion.
September he addressed a meeting at Barrow, telling of Union in Sheffield on December 16, 1917, he said that he did and to strike suddenly; and in answer to a question In December, 1915, he was charged at the Police did he sairl he was out for a revolution, and if he found Court on account of statements made at revolution a hundred years hence, but as bloodshed was necessary he would not be one to hesi og to protest against conscription acc Farls TWO would suggest to he was addressing meetings on Glasgow Green, and revolutionaries possible de produs industries and of Petroff, one of the Russian Bolsheviki then residing a speech ber of the same year he was convicted for with the view of tak tate. In November, 1917. he started an agitation at Glasgow calling on the Government to release Peter in ing possession of the stine as Minister of National Service, addressed the release in Glascow. He is one of the crew Scottish delegates a meeting of the Ciyde Workers Committee in that ers in Glasgow on January 28, 1918. Gallagher second, minent during the recent Glascow strike and on Janu. cit, but it was afterwards withdrawn. He spoke at month his name was put forwar! for the position of ed a resolution to the effect that the audience woull ary 31 he was arrested with Callagher when the Riot the revolutionary demonstration of the Glasgow Sohind themselves enforce the declaration of an imme«liate armistice on all fronts. In February, 1918, he cialists to hail the German Revolution on November went to Glasgow, and movedl a similar resolution, but Arthur McManus, born in Scotland of Irish parents, 17, 1918. On January 29 last, he said that as soon is an engineer. In March, 1916, when he was editor Coventry and on returning to Glasgow he urged the of the Glasgow Socialist, the organ of the Socialist would take control of all fondstuffs, so that the workworkers to organize strike and demand the release Labor Party, he was arrested with others and deport ers might be assured of their food.
of Tohn Maclean. In January of this year he went ed to Edinburgh. At that time he was in touch with Cecil Herbert Stavenhagen, korn in England of Sheffield. England) and urged the formation of Syndicalist apitalors at Woolwich, Liverpool, and on Dutch parents, is a member of the Independent Labor Soldiers and Workers Council. He is a born the Tune. He was an active member of the Clyde Party. He is secretary of the West Loncion branch Workers Committee one of the foremost oppo of the Electrical Trades Union, and is on the ExecutDavid Kirkwood, born in Scoiland, was formerly nents of the official union leaders. Early in July he ive Committee of the Union. He held strong views chief shop steward of the Bear Inore Works, and a went to London to a trade union meeting, and was against the war, and is an advanced Socialist. He is nroininent member of the Clyde Workers Committee. active in Labor propaganda. On Mav 17. 1917, he the author of a paniphlet. Labour Final Weapon.
He had much to do with orsanizing the strikes on was arrested in connection with the Mar strikes and March 17 and April 9, 1918. In March. 1916, he was le appeared at Rour street, but the charge was withHe presided at meetings of the on December 13, 1917, and January 1918. He advocated a strike deported from Clasgow and chose to go to Edlinburgh. drawn. He was the proposer of the Imnr cliate Armistice resolution at Sir Auckland Geddes meeting latter meeting, on the discussion of man nower. the norted hi monev from the Civete Vorkers Committec. at Cilasgow on Jamuary 28, 1917. lle is a Avent speak, resolution was carried pledging the London Farly in 1917 he returned to Glasgow, and resumed er: one time he was in touch with the Industrial to strike in sympathy with the Clyde. He has always his old activities. About this time he became organizer Workers of the World.
been in favor of direct action hr the men as opposed of the lowal Independent Labor Party branch. In John Muir, born in Glasgow of Highland stock to the machinery of the Trade Unions.
gow.
Guld the Worksince Socialist not want a soon as to you that we Auckland Act was read.
to fighter.