CapitalismCommunismDemocracySocialismSocialist PartySyndicalismWorkers FederationWorkers MovementWorking ClassWorld War

July 5, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE II Labor Organization and Agitation THE purpose of the Left Wing organiza Report of the Labor Committee Adopted the area wherein they have their habitations, it tion is to create a revolutionary working at the Left Wing Conference shall be the paramount duty of such member class movement in America, which, through the or members to initiate an industrial union action of the working masses themselves, will within such area.
lead to we. kers cuitrol of industry an: ihe crashing down; and the proletarian revolutions conviction that the American Federation of sight. In Europe it is already tottering and The National Left Wing declares its firm state, as the only means of expropriating capi there indicate that the workers are at the same talist property and abolishing classes in sutime becoming conscious of the will to power. its present iea tership, is entirely reactionary, Labor, in its present organization and under ciety.
Thc capitalist state, as has been clea!! y lapse of European Capitalism and the rise of struggle for emancipation.
The capitalists themselves admit that the col and cannot be of any value in the workers proven, expresses the existing dictatorship of the revolutionary proletariat abroad cannot the capitalist class, a weapon to defend capi help but drag American Capitalism into the allII. PROGRAM talist interests and to extend them at the ex embracing ruin.
The National Left Wing Conference of the pense of the workers. Capitalist conrol of the In this crisis the American working class is Socialist Party appeals to the workers to edumachinery of politics and publicity makes it imfaced with a terrific alternative. Either the cate and organize themselves so that they possible for the workers to conquer this state workers will be unprepared, in which case may understand the necessity of acquiring power by use of the ballot; but even if it were they will be reduced to abject slavery, or they knowledge and power to overthrow the prespossible, the state could not be used by the workers for their own purpose so long as the organized to save society by reconstructing it sponsible.
Without the power of Labor, inwill be sufficiently conscious and sufficiently ent capitalist system and carry onindustry.
To Labor and Labor alone is industry refactories, mills, mines, land, transportation sys. in accordance with the principles of Commu dustry could not function. The need of the tems and financial institutions remained in the nism.
hands of private capitalist owners.
It is the intention of the Left Wing to help hour is that Labor recognize the necessity of With the legislatures; courts, police and education and organization. This cannot be armies under control of the capitalists, the prepare the American workers for their historic role, so that when the hour strikes they achieved by attempting to influence the leadparliamentary action which must have its basis may take their places in the front ranks of the shown by the recent convention of the Amer in the industrial mass action of the workers.
ican Federation of Labor. It can only be done The first act of the workers dictatorship REVOLUȚIONARY INDUSTRIAL UNIONISM.
by the workers on the job, coming together must be the destruction of the capitalist state By the term revolutionary industrial union and discussing the vital problems of industry.
and the creation of a new form of Government ism is meant the organization of the workers Because of the industrial crisis created by based on the workers organizations, whose into unions by industries with a revolutionary the World War, together with the break down purpose shall be the permanent destruction of aim and purpose; that is to say, those whose of indlustry following the cessation of hostilicapitalist power by the expropriation of capi purpose is, not merely to defend or strengthen ties, there is great dissatisfaction among the talist property.
the status of the workers as wage earners, workers. But the workers can find no means The absence of any feudal class in America but to gain control of industry.
of coping with the present state of affairs.
permitted the capitalist class here to concen In any mention of revolutionary industrial Their unions have refused to take any steps trate all its strength upon the robbery and unionism in this country, there must be recog to meet the grave problems of today, and it subjugation of the working class. At the nition of the immense effect upon the Ameri therefore becomes immediately necessary to same time the founders of the American Gov can labor movement of the propaganda and find some way by which the workers can act.
ernment so framed the Constitution as to guar example of the Industrial Workers of the We suggest that some plan of Labor organiantee the permanency of capitalist dictatorship, World, whose long and valiant struggles and zation he inaugurated along the lines of the without any opportunity, under the law, of the heroic sacrifices in the class war have earned Shop Stewards Committees, of Scotland and workers ever gaining control. For the pur the respect and affection of all workers every, England, or the Factory Shop Committees of pose of blinding the working class and en where. We greet the revolutionary industrial Russia. These Committees can serve as a listing its support, the fundamental law was proletariat of America in the ranks of the spur or check upon the Unions. Such Comclothed in idealistic democratic phraseology: and pledge them our wholehearted mittees will necessarily reflect the spirit and and, theoretically, universal suffrage was support and co operation in their struggles the wishes of the rank and file and will enable granted.
against the capitalist class. But in view of the the National Left Wing to keep in direct touch But the capitalist system creates a condition attitude of some of their leaders and spokes with the workers. In this way, the workers whereby the state power is vested, not in the men, in their denial of the political nature of can be educated on the job and prepare for ballot, but in the control of industry. And in the class struggle, and more especially in their the taking over of industry. Also these Comdustry is not a democracy, but an autocracy, rejection of the principles and tactics in the mittees will bring the workers into direct rein which the fortunes and lives of the great revolutionary movement side by side with the lation with their employers. which means the majority of mankind are at the absolute mercy Communist Parties, we condemn the short abolition of Arbitration Boards and such conof the capitalist employers. As the power and sightedness of the theoretical position taken ciliatory bodies.
class consciousness of the working class in by them.
III. RECOMMENDATIONS.
crease, the employers resort to palliatives and In the Labor movement a new tendency We recommend the following measures. reforins welfare measures, profit sharing, las recently manifested itself, as illustrated That a Committee of seven be electeci schemes of partnership with labor, etc. by the Seattle and Winnipeg strikes. This by the Convention to be known as The Labor which have as their object and result tendency, an impulse of the workers toward Committee.
the further exploitation and deception of the unity for common action across the frontiers That the functions of this Committee workers.
of craft divisions, is expr most clearly shall be to carry on revolutionary propaganda The unhampered development of American in the Seattle Resolution outlining a plan for capitalism, in whose service the best minds of the recognition of American Labor into twelve among the workers on the job. Those workers found to be radical shall the race have been conscripted, has created a great industrial departments, and also in the be organized into Shop Committees.
condition in which the Government is con One Big Union movement of Canada and the These Shop Committees shall distribute trolled by the great capitalists to a degree unWest. If carried to its logical conclusion, literature, supply information to the Labor paralleled in history, while appearing to be an this method organization and action would in Committee, and generally keep in touch with advanced political democracy; a condition in evitably result in workers control of industry: the National Left Wing organization.
which the wotking class is the most exploited At places where a number of these com in the world, while appearing to be the best tors, propagandists, and members to advocate mittees are formed, they shall elect delegates paid and most comfortable; where the most the principles of the One Big Union. Furto a local Workers Council.
abysmal ignorance of the workers class in ther, where members of the Left Wing are An appropriation shall be made for the terests prevails, while apparently they are the compelled by the monopoly Job Control of the purpose of carrying on the work of this conbest educated.
American Federation of Labor, to be members mittee.
The European War has speeded up social of that reactionary organization, which is in 7: general propaganda periodical shall and industrial evolution, however, to such a our opinion the main buttress of the Capitalist be issued by the National Left Wing Council degree that Capitalisin all over the world has oligarchy which controls this country such for the special purpose of reaching the reached the stage at which it can no longer members should also enroll in an industrial workers at their jobs. And this project sha!
contain within itself the vast forces it has union covering the section of industry in which be referred for further elaboration to the La created. The end of the capitalist system is in they are engaged and, if no union functions in bor Committee.