On Trade Unions 1903

A Small Flutter

The above was handed in by the Provincial Executive committee, for publication, and is hereby offered by the Clarion as confirmatory evidence of the truth of the old saying that “it is a hit bird that flutters.” As a careful perusal shows no argument offered which would in any manner tend to point out wherein the criticism contained in the offending article was unsound, the absence of such must be taken as an acknowledgement of its soundness. The fact that the Clarion editor was appointed by the Board of Directors of W. S. Publishing Company, Ltd., and not by the Socialist Party Executive is of minor importance, but the charge that he “does not recognize any difference between the present working class movement and the Co-operative Commonwealth,” is quite the most humorous thing that has reached this office for a long time. Presumably, by the “present working class movement,” is meant trade unionism. Of this the Clarion editor has been able to acquire some slight knowledge through observation, but as to the Co-operative Commonwealth he professes no knowledge whatever. It is true he has read the dreamy productions of numerous co-operative commonwealth builders, from Plato down to Bellamy, and such ideas as he might possess along this line must of necessity be hazy having been gathered from such hazy sources. At the best it could be offered as hearsay evidence only.

The stock in trade of the present working class movement is “Capital and Labor are brothers,” “Capital has rights as well as Labor,” “A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work,” “All we demand is justice,” “The Right to Organize,” “Collective Bargaining,” “Demand the Union Label,” etc. Its stage paraphernalia consists of the strike accompanied with the privilege of getting licked, the boycott under which the commodity labor power can strut the stage and bawl out other offending commodities, the “scab” as heavy villain up to whom is to be passed “brick bats” and other loose arguments with “specific gravity,” walking delegates and pickets to go around and stick their nose into other people’s affairs, even to the extent of interfering with the burial of the dead, and a heterogenous conglomeration of craft and trade organizations, from the complacent and haughty aristocrat at the top who oftentimes draws down the munificent sum of dollars and odd cents per diem, down to the sad eyed dishwasher, the somber visage grave digger, and the melancholy undertaker’s assistant. As all Co-operative Commonwealth builders so far, have left out of their plans and specifications any accommodation for all of this truck the inference is that the present working class movement would find no habitation there. The difference between the two ought to be easily recognized. An editor need know only enough to “hold his job,” his sense of touch need be developed only to the point of enabling him to so touch the public pulse as to bring shekels to his paper, and his vision keen enough to enable him to see that he draws his salary, and such perquisites as may come within reasonable distance. With only such modest qualifications necessary for the “Whereasers” to imply that the Clarion editor does not recognize any difference between two such glaring contradictions as “the present working class movement and the co-operative commonwealth,” is to cast serious reflections upon his qualifications for the responsible position he holds, or play upon him a huge joke; a joke so bubbling over with humor that it would throw a presbyterian church deacon into a fit on Sunday. As he who could not see the difference wouldn’t know enough to draw his breath, let alone his salary, and the present editor can prove that he knows enough to draw both, the evidence is overwhelming in favor of the joke.

The Socialist Party cannot depend on the support of members of trade unions unless they are to go back on union principle. The principles of unionism and socialism are opposite [and] therefore antagonistic. To support one is to deny the other. No man can serve two masters. The fundamental or root difference between Unionism and Socialism is recognized by nearly every penny-a-liner in the Capitalist press. It is time it likewise became known to those who profess to be Socialists, and it is to be hoped such knowledge will in due time reach Revelstoke.

If the Socialist Party of the United States or any other country commits folly through ignorance, that is no reason why the party in British Columbia should do likewise.

When the “Whereas”ers become Resoluters they show their hand. The Clarion must be gagged. There being nothing in the numerous Whereases in any way showing the criticism in the article complained of to be incorrect, or any statements therein untrue, the Clarion is to be gagged for being correct in its criticism and truthful in its statements. Otherwise support is to be withdrawn. In the absence of definite information as to the extent of that support, measured in dollars and cents, the Clarion declines to accept the “gag.”

As this remarkable production was moved by Gaymon, seconded by Bell, carried unanimously, and is signed by Bennett, it is fair to presume that all three were present. In the event of Bennett’s absence however there would have been enough present to move, second and carry unanimously.