To the General Executive Board of the Industrial Workers of the World.

Fellow Workers,
I note that there was considerable discussion by the 19th General Convention of the I.W.W. in regards to International relationship.

I note also the Communique from the General Labor Union (A.A.U. of Germany to the Convention and Membership of the Industrial Workers of the World in regards to possible International Relations, thru Fellow Workers Joseph Wagner.

To begin with, according to their principles and tactics as laid down in their letter there is a broad chasm of difference between the A.A.U. of Germany and the I.W.W.

The purpose of the I.W.W. is to Educate and Organize the Industrial Proletariat of the World for the final overthrow of the Capitalist System by Industrial Direct Action, and while building up the New Society within the shell of the old achieve more of the good things of Life for the Workers. Not by setting up a so called “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” by placing the Power within the hands of a few, but to gain Industrial Emancipation, by building up the Power of the Working Class thru a rank and file One Big World Wide Industrial Union.

Therefore Fellow Workers all communications from the Workers of other languages should be interpreted by at least three if not seven genuine class conscious Members of that great Industrial Union Movement known as the I.W.W., instead of just one.

Several German Fellow Workers here tell me that the General Labor Union of Germany is Communistically inclined.

How does it happen that the convention received no letters from the Syndicalists and Anarcho Syndicalist Movements of the World??? Down with Communism and up with Industrial Unionism as laid down in the good old I.W.W. preamble.

And what ever decision is reached by the G.E.B. on this International Proposition should be all means be freely discussed and voted on by the rank and file. Yours for clean cut International Revolutionary Industrial Unionism.

Guy B. Askew, Card #493776

Transcribed by Juan Conatz

The policy of the communists and other political parties has been to form dual unions controlled by their bureau and the result of their activity in this direction has been disastrous to the working class. Such tactics has split labor unions wide open and thus helped the ruling class to further exploit the workers. Dual union is high treason against the working class.

The Industrial Workers of the World is the syndicalist industrial arm of labor in the United States of America, Canada and Chile; has been so ever since the organization excluded the Socialist Labor Party and repudiated all other political parties and established democratic control through the referendum and the recall in 1907 which was two years after its formation.

Since the exclusion of politics from the IWW, the organization has conducted the most militant strikes in the lumber, mining, marine, textile, food and other industries in the U.S.A., Canada and Chile. And the organization is recognized as an authority in industry and a factor to be reckoned with in the whole social life of the world.

The IWW is not just a labor union; it is also a educational institution which publishes books, pamphlets, newspapers, folders, for the purpose of enlightening the world, on all social matters effecting human progress from day to day.

The IWW is not the recognized syndicalist organization in many countries outside of Chile, Canada and the United States of America.

In Spain, the Spanish syndicates, adhering to the International Workingmen’s Association (anti-political Syndicalist) have for years been organizing very powerful big strikes and general strikes were fought by these syndicalists to prevent a fascist system from being established by the government over the workers. The organization also made great improvements in the living standard of the Spanish workers. The IWW does not establish organization in Span for the very good reason that the CNT of Spain is all sufficient for the need of the Spanish workers at this time and should the IWW establish there, it would be dual union. Hence, the IWW and the Spanish syndicalists seek the most effective method of cooperation in the struggle for the interest of the working class.

In Cuba, the Cuban syndicalists are established in Industrial Unions and waging-war on the ruling class. The Cubans adhere to the IWMA (anti-political). It was through the influence of this organization that the workers of Cuba fought general strikes for the ousting of President Machado, the butcher of labor and other politicians off the backs of the working class of Cuba.

The IWW cooperates to the fullest extent possible with the Cuban syndicalist organization, but does not establish branches in Cuba for the very reason that dual union would prevail. In any country where a syndicalist union is established in industry, the IWW will not establish branches, but will in every way cooperate with the syndicalists.

There is a great need at the present time for closer relations in the ranks of the syndicalist world labor movement.

A world congress should be called to order where the immediate problems of the workers in the various nations will be clearly defined and an action taken for universal coordination of syndicalist organization throughout the whole world.

Transcribed by Juan Conatz

The I.W.W. has been described as the institution of the working class. It certainly is American in origin and is chiefly American in ideology and in its activities.

The occurrences to which I refer in this article are those taking place after the world war and especially the events of the past few years. It would serve no useful purpose here to consider earlier events.

The policy of the organization on this question before 1931 was at least negative, if not intellectually dishonest. The declaration that we would “maintain friendly intercourse with the workers in other countries” could hardly be classed as a policy if anything, this was an evasion of a real policy.

For many years we followed the idea of the “International” unions affiliated with the A.F. of L. in our relations with our membership in Canada. The members there found this method so unsatisfactory that the 1931 General Convention outlined the plan for the Canadian Administration. This plan was adopted, put into effect and has since been found general satisfactory. This is the one real administration, outside of the original one in the U.S.A., which is now functioning. There is one in Sweden which is nominally an administration, but I think that you will see by their reports that it is much nearer to what we here would call a branch.

While the theory of the I.W.W. provides for a world wide organization and a world administration, the nearest that we have yet come to this is to have the General Administration in this country function in that capacity. This is not intended as criticism since most of the structure adopted by our organization has been of a temporary nature, and our methods in use have been adapted to the needs of the particular time and place. So the temporary nature of our world wide organization is no different from that of the various parts of the I.W.W., when left alone, have generally been rather practical in adapting the structure and methods to present needs.

I believe that the Canadian Administration can well serve as the – or shall we say a – a model for the I.W.W. in other countries. For the smaller nations it might be more practical to have a Regional Administration including several of these small countries. For the present, the General Administration in this country could serve as the General Administration for these various National or Regional Administrations.

What steps, if any, we should take to establish such administrations where none exists, is quite a problem. It is too big to discuss in this article, so will leave it for later.

Yours for Industrial Democracy,
Albert Hanson, 197587

Transcribed by Juan Conatz

The following article was adopted by the New York Branch of the G.W. I.U. #310-330 on the I.W.M.A. at its business meeting January 22, 1937.

The situation in Spain today, where fascism is attempting to establish its dictatorship, reveals more than ever before the need for international solidarity. This will be particularly true when the reactionaries will have been defeated and the syndicalists, through their organization – the C.N.T., – -endeavor to complete the socialization of industry. Then the world will be treated to a spectacle in which all capitalist countries will stop their particular rivalries and concentrate on annihilating the revolutionary workers of Spain.

The same situation will hold true in this country when the I.W.W. will become strong enough to carry out the final struggle for the abolition of capitalism; the organization will be fought not only by the workers’ enemies in this country, but also by the capitalists of the world.

The capitalists of all countries, despite whatever differences or rivalries they may have, display much greater solidarity to maintain their class position against the workers than do the workers themselves.

What the workers need is an international organization to aid workers in any country where need may arise and also to help spread the message of revolutionary industrial unionism throughout the world.

The I.W.M.A. is such an organization. Its basic principles are the same of the I.W.W. It stands for industrial unionism, for fighting the everyday battles of the workers on the economic field through direct action, for the abolition of capitalism and for the re-organization of the future society around the industrial unions which will be the organization to carry on the work of production and distribution.

Within these fundamental guiding principles the I.W.M.A. permits the greatest leeway in each of its affiliated organizations to formulate its own specific program. It recognizes that “each country has its own traditions, its own methods of work, its own outlook upon events”.

For these reasons, we, the members of the New York Branch of the B.C.W. [unclear] #310-#330 believe that the I.W.W. should affiliate with the I.W.M.A.

(Br. Seal)
(Signed)
Peo Monoldi, 88807
Branch Secretary

Transcribed by Juan Conatz

The condition of the IWW at the present time is such that it is imperative something be done immediately to bring the organization out of the slump in which it finds itself. For some time, in fact ever since the time contract question became an issue, we have been following a course which has led us nowhere,

The old Wobbly spirit of aggressiveness seems to be lacking throughout the whole organization, and all because our members are so involved in the time contract question that they haven’t any time to carry on organizational work among the unorganized workers. This condition can no longer be ignored or evaded. We are faced with an ugly situation that requires clear thinking and acting by every member, if we hope to save the revolutionary IVW from oblivion.

The big question before us is: Shall we or shall we not allow component parts of the IWW sign time contracts with the employers? Those who are vehemently opposed to this change of policy say that such a move is not only reactionary, but as long as even one such contract exists, regardless in what industry, that they cannot organize the workers in their industry. They start to prove their contention, not by giving the question a fair trial, but in hamstringing the general ‘organization and press by withholding funds. I am of the opinion, although being strongly opposed to the IWW going into the contract business with the boss, that the agricultural workers, lumber workers, construction workers, etc. are not so much concerned as to what tactics IU 440 is using to organize the metal industry, but are mainly interested in how their industries should be organized to enable them to gain higher wages, shorter hours and better conditions.

And those members Who are extremely in favor of the IWW allowing component parts of the organization to sign time contracts put forth the argument that unless the IWW allows such contracts we cannot hope to organize and hold the Workers employed in basic industries, They too start to prove their theory by Withholding funds rightfully due the general organization. The fact remains that in Cleveland where we had one shop, the American Stove , under contract for two years the shop is still not one hundred percent organized. On the other hand the Draper shop, in which our members have no time contract, has been organized a hundred percent for several years, and mind you with closed shop conditions.

If we analyze the arguments put forth by both sides we find that neither with or without contracts can we hope to organize the working class as long as We are so hopelessly divided within our own ranks, but once WG solidify our forces and the members , delegates and organizers go into the industries with an educational campaign conducted forcefully enough to convince the workers that the IWW has what it takes to be the real and uncompromising labor movement, they will join up with us and stick.

Once we make up our minds to carry out such an educational program we will organize camp after camp; mine after mine and shop after shop; and we can be sure that it will not take any time contracts to hold these proletarians in the organization. In fact, I am convinced that once workers are educated in real unionism as advocated by the IWW, they will not only shun time contracts, but all contracts. Because they will know that such contracts are only entered into between the employers and the unions to shackle the workers and keep them from carrying on aggressive union activities against the boss or union policies.

There is one thing that We all must bear in mind if we expect the IWW to keep its place in the world as being the most aggressive revolutionary working class movement, that we must have unity of thought and action. We must all do our best to support the organization financially and actively in order that it may function effectively, publish and distribute among the industrial unions and branches up to date educational literature where the members and delegates can load up and spread the gospel of revolutionary industrial unionism among the workers. If we all do this the success of the IWW is assured and the contract issue, which has already done so much harm, Will take care of itself. The question is: What Will it be –unity of action and success, or controversial division and ultimate oblivion?

Transcribed by F.N. Brill