6 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE July 19, 1919 Criminal Syndicalism HE onward sweep of world revolution portations, in which bombs, stilletos, Black crimina syndicalism. The criminal citation has not left this country unmoved. In Hand work, secret cellar conspiracies and was a copy of The One Big Union but later in spite of the of Convention, the failure deadly poisons play an important part.
the case other papers and pamphlets were of the Mooney events and the oft repeated In Massachusetts, Indiana, California and introduced. Along with Socialist, and the criminal syn papers The Revolutionary Age and The Rewarning that this country is not Russia, the several other states bei Worker. such revolutionary papers as events that have been remoulding the old world dicalism law is already in effect, while a have made a deep and lasting impression in Criminal Syndicalism Bill is pending in ConThe Dial and The Nation are cited while America. Nowhere is this more clearly de ress. At the present time several arrests have among the pamphlets are a reprint of a speech monstrated than in the attitude of the powers been made under these state criminal syndical delivered in the English parliament by Philip that be towards all forms of radicalism. The ism laws, and their true nature is being Snowden. Justice and Labor in the Mooney forces of law and order are suffering from brought to light. From the facts in the case Case, The Old Order in Europe and the New a bad case of nerves. In the fury of fear they which is before the courts of California it is Order in Russia, by Phillips Price.
When the court was informed that the pubare rushing headlong towards that which they clear that anything that the industrial barons lesire to avoid. This country is not Russia of this country do not like can be construed lic libraries circulate books of even more rathey cry, and set about making it as like the as criminal syndicalism. The absence of a de dical tendency the police judge said that all old Russia as possible, with the result that the finition of what criminal syndicalism really such books should be burned, these books were written before these times, and since the times tendency to make it like new Russia grows by is, gives the law practically a universal scope.
leaps and bounds, among the working masses. No overt act is necessary in order to bring one are now changed, we must adapt ourselves to All over the country the legislatures are within the scope of this law and the written the new conditions.
framing new laws, which are modelled on or spoken word becomes criminal syndicalism This gives some idea of what is meant by.
those of the Czar regime. The rulers of through the District Attorney interpretation criminal syndicalism and the case has arouseđ America see the handwriting on the wall but of what some unknown person or persons wide spread interest among labor organizathey have learnt nothing and forgotten might think as a result of reading an article tions. The workers are beginning to undernothing. They desire to avoid the fate of the or listening to a speech.
stand that criminal syndicalism, as interpreted European autocracies, and so they scan the The various state laws dealing with the by the courts, is aimed against them. That the statute books of the old autocracies and mo subject differ somewhat in the wording but idea of protecting the country from bomb del new laws on those that contributed to the in effect they are practically the same. Under plotters is simply a subterfuge and that the downfall of these autocrats, in the belief that these laws anyone is guilty who advocates the purpose of such laws is to prevent workers they will save the new autocracy from the changing of existing conditions by a general from learning anything that might be of dissame fate.
cessation of industry, by force, or by any advantage to their masters. And that any One such measure which is enjoying great method that stands a reasonable chance of worker who takes an intelligent interest in the popularity with budding czars is the so called success. It is not necessary that the guilty peraffairs of the world or of his own relation to Criminal Syndicalism Law. No one seems to son should actually suggest the overthrow of society is guilty of criminal syndicalism and is know exactly what criminal syndicalism is, the government or even desire its downfall, liable to suffer a long term of imprisonment.
none of the laws attempt to define it, but it all that is required is that someone should Labor is beginning to examine these laws sounds pretty bad and so it is hoped it will think, as a result of hearing a speaker or read and to wonder just when a strike is criminal pass unchallenged. The average worker in ing an article, that it wouldn be a bad thing syndicalism and when it is not. Faintly America knows little of syndicalism, as such. if the government was overthrown. In effect it is dawning on the worker that anything that It is not practiced by his union, he does not the criminal syndicalism laws are a revival of tends to make life worth living for those who expect that in the course of his struggles with all the old laws of suppression. To differ from labor is against the law. The workers of Russia the boss he will ever be called upon to invoke the king is crime.
were well aware that the laws of the czar were its aid, and when he hears about a law to In the California case which is at present designed against them, they knew that they punish it he is not interested. When he hears before the courts, Emanuel Levin is charged had no part in their making and that the czar that the law is designed not against syndicalism that he did wilfully and unlawfully and will alone was law. So they rose up and swept but criminal syndicalism he begins to be some feloniously circulate and publicly display books, the czar out of existence.
vi hat in favor of it. That is what laws are for; papers, pamphlets, documents and other prin But this country is not Russia. Here the to punish criminal acts, and criminal syndical ted matter. containing and carrying written workers make the laws and elect the governisın is probably one of those European im and printed advocacy, teaching and advising ment!
The Mobilizing Slanders THE press service in behalf of the rump deal during the past three stirring years, with tional insanity (the Oneal explanation for is a shameless fabric of outright most exceptional opportunities for observation everything which differs from his own absolies, half truths which are worse then lies, and and intensive study. Where is the evidence lute wisdom. degraded personal slander. The Oneal state that his critics of the Right Wing have learned Again, Oneal refers to that queer combinment of June 30th is of this calibre.
anything out of the cataclysmic developments ation of of these years?
phrases known as the Left Wing Left Wing criticism of party actions and program. This is curious, indeed. At Chipolitics have been insistent and unrelenting, What did Comrade Reed do to entice the cago, during the recent deliberations, but they have been criticisms of party actions. party members to give him ten votes for each heard Oneal carefully review the New York Cheap personalities cannot answer these cri vote given to James Oneal? Perhaps the Left Wing program in order to demonstrate ticisms.
party membership is not quite so stupid as how near he came to accepting it in its enFor instance there is much emphasis put Oneal imagines; perhaps there was a large tirely. He asked only for a few modifications, on the fact that John Reed favored Woodrow element of discriminating judgment as be but his main point was that there was no Wilson in 1916 and now receives the high vote tween these two individuals as representative legality, or reason in such a program being in the Socialist Party elections for Interof present day Socialism in the United States. adopted until Oneal and his associates were national Delegates. When Comrade Reed From every part of the country the results ready to dictate it to the membership. For came back from Russia and was but a few are very much the same, so the camouflage a queer combination of phrases as an evaabout election frauds does not help solve the weeks in the party those who are most insistsion of all principles, we need only refer to ent about his former admiration for Woodrow riddle of the enormous vote for Reed and the the statement of principles of May Wilson were very anxious to run Comrade meagre vote for Oneal. One might think this 29th, heretofore reviewd in The RevolutionReed as candidate for Congress. It was only vote was at least a hint to Oneal, but there ary Age.
be after he showed by his public utterances and are some persons whose vanity cannot The Left Wing program seems to mean party activities that he was of the Left Wing punctured by the membership of the Socialist much to most of the members of the Socialist that the New York politicians reminded them Party. They measure the intelligence of the Party. But this is more evidence of brain selves of Reed former support of Wilson, party by its appreciation of themselves. If the storms, according to the Oneal analysis. Is which was known to them all the time. The members give Reed ten times as many votes there anybody in the United States who is peint is that John Reed has learned a great as they give Oneal, it is a clear case of emo(Continued on Page 13)