The use of political methods puts the organization under the protection of the law. The bare idea of conspiracy is excluded. Said De Leon: "The Industrial Union connects with

the achievements of the Revolutionary Fathers of the country, the first to frame a constitution that denies the perpetuity of their own social system, and that, by its amendment clause, And again he said, "The Constitution

legalizes Revolution."l

of the United States was the first to provide for its own amendment. The time has come for the oppressed in this country to make use of that Constitution's amendment clause, and put an end to the capitalist social system........As men who recognize that the Political State is rotten-ripe for overthrow, we organize the Industrial Unions to seize the reins of future government, and enforce the fiat of the ballot should the reactionists, the Bourbon-Copperheads of this generation, rise against it.

„,2

They propose to try peaceful, civilized" methods first. Then, if the capitalists refuse to abide by the vote of the people, they will bring the economic power of the industrial unions into action. They will say, "We are in possession of the means of producing wealth, and we are going to stay in possession. You will have to go to work."

De Leon pictured the transition thus: "As the slough shed by the serpent that immediately reappears in its new skin, the political State will have been shed, and society will simultaneously appear in its new administrative garb.

1,3

1. Daniel De Leon, "Industrial Unionism," 3.
2. Quoted in The Weekly People, January 10, 1920.

3. Clarence Hotson, in Industrial Union News, January 17,1920.

While strikes are at present necessary, the necessity

for their use is deplored. "The arbitrary stoppage of the gi-
gantic forces of production and distribution which in a moment
endangers the life, health, and general well-being of millions
of people, constitutes a social crime," declares the official
organ of the W. I. I. U....... "That the actual workers, in or-
der to receive enough to exist and raise future wage-slaves
are periodically forced practically to declare war on produc-
tion itself, because of the private and irresponsible ownership
of the productive forces, constitutes the modern social out-
rage, not against the nation as a whole, part of which is the
capitalist class, but against the working class as a whole.
That these same irresponsible owners may, at any moment and
by consulting their own sweet will and interest only, effect
a stoppage of production, for reasons such as a desire for
greater profits, a desire to freeze out competition, a desire
to create a stronger market, or to punish of break the back-
bone of recalcitrant labor, is what constitutes the great
social crime of today..... The workers' interest lies in the
preservation and improvement of the productive forces. The
antagonism to production fostered by strikes is a perversion
of common sense, an expression of the insanity engendered by
1
the insane system of capitalism itself."

And the general strike is absolutely rejected as a
.....We absolutely discard the

weapon of revolution.

2

strike, general or local, as a weapon of revolution.

This

1. Industrial Union News, November 29, 1919.
2. By revolution they do not mean a violent revolution, but

only a fundamental, internal change in government.

we do. in the first place, because great strikes easily become

movements of disorder

hungry masses, mass meetings, pa

rades, perhaps riots, all are incentives to disorder,

attacks from above.

to

Hunger, starvation, and lack of employ

ment are all elements of weakness which the workers should avoid as nearly as possible. On the other hand, we hold that the workers in a revolutionary period must remain in the industry, the shop, the factory, and the mine, in order to take possession of same. The workers must continue to produce and take and hold that which they produce."1

They look upon industries as their heritage. Therefore they are opposed to any tactics which would destroy industry or break down the morale of working men. They will strike in order to get a living, but they propose to accomplish the transition to the new social order by political action. Until this goal is attained there may be lulls in the battle but there can be no peace. Members of the W. I. I. U. will sign no contracts.

They

Accepting the theory of the class struggle in the ardent spirit of Crusaders, Daniel De Leon and his followers marshall their forces at the point of production. pit their indispensability as laborers against the capitalist ownership of the means of production. To overthrow capitalism they organize industrial unions, which are

1. "The American Socialist Labor Party." (Official Pamphlet)