CHAPTER III
Anarcho-Syndicalism

As distinguished from the isolated groups which advocate doctrines of theoretical anarchism, and the doctrine of the anarchist Communist to which we have referred, there are other groups of anarchists which may be classified as anarcho-syndicalists. These groups are at one with the other anarchists in the principles sought to be attained, but differ in the methods advocated, in that they believe that success in attaining their objective can only come through co-ordinated organization, working exclusively in industrial unions. These principles differentiate them in large measure from the Syndicalist group, which is described in the subsection dealing with industrial unionism.

The principal representative of this group in this country is the Union of Russian Workers, which had its headquarters at 133 East 15th street, New York City, in what was known as the Russian People's House, although this organization might be classed with almost equal propriety with propriety with the anarchist

Communists.

This union was organized in 1914 as a split from the more conservative organizations of the Russian laborers. By the spring of 1919 its membership had increased to about 7,000; and when its headquarters were searched under search warrants issued at the request of this Committee, the record showed that it had slightly over 9,000 members scattered throughout the entire United States in seventy locals. Seventeen locals had been organized in Canada, the largest locals in this country being located in Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.

The New York Local had a dues-paying membership of 237. Two membership cards were issued to each of the members, one known as the blue card, with simply the name of the member and the local of which he was a member, and with the reverse having blanks reserved for membership dues, stamps, and what was known as a red card, which contained the following statement:

"Amicable agreement of the Unions of Russian Workers of the United States and Canada, who have united in the Federation.

Purposes of the Federation

"1. The Unification of the organizations of Russian Workers in the United States and Canada for the joint struggle with capital and authority.

"2. The support of the liberative movement in Russia. "3. The support of the revolutionary departures of the American workers.

"4. Moral and material support of the organ of the Federation, and

"5. The creation of organizations where there are none and the support of the old existing organizations."

In the early spring the headquarters of this organization had been raided by the Bomb Squad of the New York Police Force, and at that time membership cards were found which contained a statement of the organization's principles, including the overthrow of the government by force and violence. It was evident that subsequent to that raid the organization had issued the membership cards from which these violent provisions were eliminated.

The official organ of this organization was known as “Khlieb-yVolya" (meaning Bread and Freedom), and was characterized by the extreme violence of its articles. The books and the papers which came into the hands of the Committee indicated that this paper had a circulation of 4,547. The union also published a large number of books, pamphlets, leaflets and handbills to spread their propaganda among Russian laborers. All of their publications were in the Russian language.

The secretary of the organization at this period was Naum Stepanuk, but the moving spirit and actual leader was Peter Bianki, a Russian of Italian parentage.

The college of editors which supervised the publication of "Khlieb-y-Volya," and the preparation and dissemination of the propaganda literature, included Marcus Orodowsky, Peter Bianki, Peter Kravchuk, Hyman Percus and several others.

As an illustration of the propaganda issued by this group we give here a translation made from the May 8, 1919, issue of "Khlieb-y-Volya" on page 4, entitled "The Law of Truth," which deals with the trial of Cottin, who had attempted to assassinate Clemenceau.

"One more of the bold and loyal sons of the oppressed masses has gone to jail for an ideal as old as time is old,

as noble as human nature is noble; for the ideal of protest against the arbitrary law which put him, the defendant of the eternal laws of truth, in jail for ten years.

"The hearts of the sincere and the bold will think with gratitude of him who fulfilled his holy duty. Among them there are hearts no less sincere, although not agreeing in part with his teachings.

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"Emile Cottin, realizes this, while behind the grating, in the damp, foul, health-draining, stone bag. He does not need sympathy. He is freer than those who remained at liberty.' He is calmer than they. He did all that one man could do.

“While meditating, you are astounded by the inability of people to understand the lesson, which truth has taught them since the beginning of time.

"For what is Cottin sitting in jail? Because he dared to bring to life the word preached by him.

"But neither court nor jail will compel Cottin to alter his opinion, alter his action, or alter even a particle his convictions. These thoughts and convictions are more close to the truth than the laws of the judges who tried Cottin, and tomorrow they will throw off, sweep away, the judges and the hypocritical arbitrary laws of people.

"At least it is not by law that the judges will stop the spread of the idea of Cottin, more likely the judicial law will bring the hour of the 'end' nearer. And this law, the law of condemning and punishing people who have violated the laws arbitrarily created by people for personal purposes, this law will now be put to its utmost use, for the hour of revolution approaches: They who have ruled and rule people have lost their heads under the fear of the approaching end.

"A man condemned for a bold and brave protest against war and dissension in human society cannot but become dear to millions of honest hearts.

"According to the laws of truth this savagry and arbitrariness and law of people interpreted only by wilful book-learned men, law of personal gain, could sentence Cottin to such a punishment!

"The law of truth, the law of nature, crying to man about lawlessness, and the necessity of full freedom of the person and society of mankind-this law is violated.