WHAT IS THE I.W.W.?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 131, 6 June 1925, Page 10

WHAT IS THE 1.W.W.?

ARE ITS TEACHINGS CRIMINAL?

The Welfare League writes :— The correspondence which has taken place between the Attorney-General (Sir Francis Bell) and Mr. H. E. Holland, M;P., Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, with reference to the order for the deportation: of the-man named Lyons, has led a number; of .people to ask, "What is ' this I.W.W.—are' its teachings criminal?" On this subject we are able to supply some actual facts. We have boforo us a publication issued from "The I.W.W. Publishing Bureau" entitled "The* I.W.W. : Its History, Structure, and Methods." From this authoritative source we learn that the letters' "1.W.W." mean "Industrial Workers of the World." It is an organisation of industrial operatives designed for the overthrow of capitalism by the methods of superseding trade unionism with a class unionism,; which it terms "industrial unionism," "and the application of all forms of. "direct action" in the industrial field. It advocates ."irritation strikes'; go-slow practices; passive resistance strikes; sabotage; striking on .the job; the general strike; defiance of constituted authorities and any method (lawful or otherwise) by which injury can be inflicted on capitalists." ■In 'structure the industrial. unionist organisation which the I.W.W. puts forward is identical, with the form of organisation adopted by the New Zealand Alliance of Labour. It is in the teachings its disseminates that this organisation shows itself as most dangerous to society. Here are some of its affirmations :— ■ " The I.W:W. recognises the need of working class solidarity. To achieve this it proposes the recognition of the class struggle as the basic principle of the organisation,' and declares its purpose .to bo the fighting of that struggle, until the working class is in control of the administration of industry. There .is but one bargain that the I.W.W. will make with the employing class—complete surrender of all control of industry to the organised workers, As a revolutionary organisation the industrial Workers of the World aims to use any and all tactics that will get the results sought with the least expenditure of time and energy. The tactics used are determined solely by i the power, of the organisation to maku [(< good m their use. The question of right and "wrong" does not concern us. Interference by the Government is resented by open violation of the trovernment's orders, going to jail en masse,- causing expense to the taxpayers—which are but another name for the employing class." That is.the .I.W.W. -It recognises no ■principle of right and wrong, and advocates defiance of the law. Reader* can form ■ their own opinions whether such an attitude is criminal or not, Wo observe that Mr. Holland in'one of his letters to Sir y rßnch Be ll, s;iys • As you know, in this' country direct action on the industrial field is- countenanced, by the law." If "direct action is so very innocent Mr." Holland ";' S r ? X, Pl a, )n Y hy he was so Gareful in' Tv«n "r I" l° Sily with ™ferenc o -to Lyons, I do not agree with his .views and .does not follow that I endorse his actions by making this protest" Hie truth is that "direct action," as 2i y H 6, UVV W- fa not counted anted by the law of New Zealand. The ttcZ °- tHf.. l Atton, e j..Gcnor«l that tie expression "direct action" does in elude murder of opponents when used in the programme of those whose principles Lyons adopts and advocates is j iqi, CO/J t. r? verted by Ml^ Holland. ■ In 1913 th. M country was flooded with I.W.W. literature, and there WC ve -^vocatosof 1.W.W.-ism in the We feel sure that the workers do not want a repct.lion of the 1913 evil Jbfc Ml fol' thn, t- rCaso» think il i« uctlci to be sure than sorry