The Voice of the People
Elnterad as ti(, Scond class ,Mtter, uly 5, 191;:, at
Ihe' I'ltoflTi'e at New Orleans, l a., iundler
the \Act of August 24, 19)12
l'ublishelI weet'kly by tihe ('ity (Central Coimmit
t('t' of the Inltli iit i Il Workers of the' WXorhl
of I'ortnl- llel, O )regon.
)14'141'1'; 14 T, ) l i II '.V'I'1ON
::09 I)AVIS S,''.
'OI:TI .A NI) )IEl( i lN
('ovintigon I lull :Editor
SiSt('lll"l'I( ON HI'1AT
flniitteI States: 52 w,'eek$, $1.):; 2:i4 weeks
504'; 1.3 weeks $0).23
I"'oreignl: O lin year 1..,1)
Single Iolie's .05
II1 N 1I)1A1 ( IlI)' Rlt tAT'I'S
Ilnit(d'f States: 5 l.lpies, 1:1 weeks, $1.l)); o1"
11I or miore copie's l'aid 14 weetks in advance,
1 c per copy.
O)'I'Il\IIIHI'IS, in I'nittei States or ('aninda, '-(
pe'r copy.
No i'conu its ('arrl'i( ln'vt hoI (urr'nt mlolltlh.
CASi MIST AC'I4' MIl'ANY A11 O;I)lIS
REMOVAL OF VOICE
Ileginning with No. .1 TIll'.l \'t'l4'E bega.In
its life' in I'ortland. Ilow long that lift, will
In, dIeletllls cnlireilyv on, wLhethe'r or not theit
Weste.rn I ocRals rIally wIant a paIIl'r. But
'(v'lrv I oeall in the \\'West will havei Ito gett hehinl
'l'lill'; lt'l aii' d 8 (boost, anil boost hiird(, (luring
this montih, ,ls(' tlitrel' will b,(' lie \' )1( 'l at tihe
('(1d of lthat time. t we all'jial to all Ihebels
to boost, alll4 hboost, fast. and h:i'rd.
On News
All Iefl'elelse ('onuillittees 7ll'r' i rgt ll' li to k(t'e -
T'IIIIE Vt'( l( 'E ' postied at .lI tiue's iiiand all IIocals
are r'equelisted to seinll in a weekly nellws Iletterl
giving ijob 1intl otherl ' coll nilitionis in thelir s'ee
tions. 'This is of vital inillorti.nlet. Severial
loa.Lls kickedi of' litI be'it se'( is I TIII 'll I)l('1i has
not bee'li carrying tiinoigli news, but lunliltess lte
Illac lstlitl i ll tihe, IltiWS, wte are tul tilltle tl plint
it-:ev' haVe 110no wireless.
Shall Name Change?
Many I A)ls 11141 I lebeIs hiavei suigge'ste,
:lllangilig 111miit' of 'r llll 1' 4 l'l , 11 i I. Please let us.
hear whait Y1l think of toing this liand maket
suggestions for netw io;ullit. The f'ollowing unanies
hiavet belen miiost f'relulentll siiggesteli: Tl I':
IN1)1 'STIIAI, \'V(llHKIR; Iilliil I Nt IN:
-'!I!!, V\ lI'i , (Il , A I.lt(i) : T; II' II ITANT
WORKED. I. et u1s Iihave yoVillr ide'as on thet'
Editorship
it is and Ilways was tihe' wishi of tlie elitor
to have' the iot'as Isupportinug Till', V\OIE' to
control it entirelly, whi,.h they (lo hy control of
the lil'5t(' strings. So, it is litow In V it Iea to give
.tl1it'O(ll' 'lst' a t'hiant'' to run li lit' palp'rr who
Diliy 4lo better thani I hiavte lonet. I hliave low
beht'ii sttlei il at Iihis work for ovtir 27 iiotlihs,
54) 11 llew lIlli iiight f'ri,.shlen uip things 4)lll. I
will staii lit'i'e', say, iuiitil things gt't to ruinilig
smiiootIly, w ilish houit IhI it witlhii li t) days oi"
5o, anId thlitn, if' thl, I ltnilaIs so saiys. I will tiirni
sllt't'esselo . .\elvis, tl I lli'., 1ill Ilih' iit';iint mit',
in tI liWe' \\'IT lliani Stl TIH. Yotill .I'A hiav' a
p. Ia hl'i'rP \; von ('A NNI )T It t alhotiig withlit it ii.
'l'lhitl'ref'e , gie't hbusy.
WHY THE OIL WORKERS SHOULD OR
GANIZE NOW
riv iil l it' i l't, is efistie't ~ e iinskilltd'e
Hil,] i lli'l ' 1 ,1 i: ili, i i', \ 1itt i. . liilli.lt is
Sislili iii.fIti ll wilh e)1 velt1 l i e nt i i i Otilit, h I'S
i'ietI Iluau t11i to H ll'l. in ii.h s 1,ie't. Tl'ii. 1 'ie't',s.
e'till re1 sut iii the'1 i shuill rIg tel ' ai l h I " 'e'e i
tto lilV, iee'ilise, ~ lie ia hil:ilu II;is :i fiiiiil"V
eI,,p ,ie i ,liu i l l feer f',eel. lit t't'!s I hat lit'
iniitist Wen'l' ci, n h4t ni h t l ., 1' ; ges 0 h't, lie t
satsifact i' vry Ito liihii, '4 rte,',ia:. th, lit' sill!he inaii
will tell thli oillliip i -ilf l go to he'll aiili, ove eii i.
Trhli oil kings know that tohne'&' they s.iit,''t'tl iin
briigiiig i tii thiis lisiet a maijijor'ily t 4' f'inli
1it's blt'fo'e' wt' get ;111 o nlr izalition estiablishued
thi;t it will 1)4 ltm ' dl iffiult II t,.establ.ish aI!
orgniziiii'ation than it is at present.
Now or never is thle tonme f4,r tie oil workers
to organizt'; every eanv a small oil tompan" "
erowded out of business by the Standard Oil
Company which means that in the near future
we will have to face the most powerful organi
z-lttion of capital in the world, whereas, today
we ean take advantage of the division of in
terest Ibetween the small oil company and the
"'Standard ()il ('o." to gain immediate results
for us.
In the place of the small storekeeper in
I)rumiwright, there will he the company store
with thel ''Record Iook" as a medium of ex
change. The married men will he compelled to
;work for the rate of wages set by the company
anld t11flr at the eontilany store or move his
'allily out of the country; but he will have no
1,n1,,,e to mtove with, lie will not dare to kick
on t lhe wages for fear of getting fired; in a
word, the cry of his children for bread will
seal his lips and cause himn calmly and meekly
subunit to tihe conditions implose ulxmn him by
tle Si andlard Oill ('onampany. Th is what we
are facing under thel' "F'ree (Contract system"
of .John 1). Ioekey, J.Ir.
'lThe " Free (Contra't System" Ias a substitute
f',r a ilor union cniiilas that ,achli worker sh11all
ihave the right, to (contraet his labor to the
eoItijay f'or '' whatever price he can agree up1114on11
with thie 4'4)IIIatIIV; but let. us see, in the absence
of a unionl, you standI its an individual, without
Ilrop'l'rty and without a socil standing, or ia
sianding in court, against a rich and powerful
,lirljor'abtion owning ten hillion dollars worth of
wealth, with the owniership of the courts, with
ia social standing together with the Ipower to
s;ay to you, "we will pay $1.00) per day, if you
•n cp'lt, you (,anl go to) work, if yon refuse, we
will get snomeone else." Then they tell us that
we are free to choose whether we will aecept
his $1.011 per day or not. But are we. There
are theli crying labies, hungry and without
Ibread in the i,:jntry, titll father looks at the
$1.1H) per d1ay, then shifts his gaze towards the
large iarmy of unim'ployedl who are also look
ing for a jo)l, ithen Il' sees the polie, the State
Militia, thel, c'ui'tIs with its gun men an1141 stool
pigeons liin'Ie up relldy to shoot hiim down like
;a dog sholilul he lmolest the profits of the capi
tialist. Ile decides that he, as an individual,
a('inno|t lrive a ibargain for iwages exceplt on
teiiiis dlict:ted by the hoss, Ie ;icep'lts his mu4
ter's teriis and settIles flown to a life of slavery.
'This, in 3a Irie,' way, is lithe' 'tre, con'trc't sys
teil" that .lohln I)., .Ir., saidl Ihe would spend
hiis fortulilne to establish, ratlhe'r than to Ihave his
4Illoyewes VI trgain throumgh 1 itiunon for i uni
Now or never is tilt' til 1i o, organize in this
4distric.t lbefore, tlie, Stlndard ()il kings get for
tileill by imilort ing marrited men who must live
in a conll anvy shai k with tie wolf of hunger at
their 1door, thll little bihies, with the bitter cry
of hunger, and tllhe wife, through sympalthy for
her ia llhe, Illrgi g her hushland to nacetpt the
$1.'"1) pe'r 1ay1 that1. shel might I'uyiv her alhn sohuls
I y org'i liizilng now, We are i t t11 only making
it I),ssill' for itus to hobetter our own condition
right now, but we a're establishing an organiza
tion ii tlhe oil industryv suiTicilntly piowt'erful to
resist. a rnit in wages at any future time; also,
we' will have createdl a (con(litioll wih, re we can
wehlcome the married man with his children;
thlle workers, through their organization will
drive the wolf of hungl I'romn their d4oor and
in Iple of" thle hungry s.owl land pale (elieks
If little ,c'hihi lrn, lhere will is e smniles 1and rosy
'liceks a1 ause tIl ln ' th w rkelrs, wihile the oil
*iehlis itf ()klahoma wesp in their intanty, were
far siglited enough to brganize under the han
nier ,f11 the itnl iustrial Workltrs ,f the Worl,.
'l'hi, initiation f1e4, is $1.(H), Ili' du,,s ar11 50
cents 1er month. (et in t,,uil(h Wit h tihe se're
i llary ,, ,'izlre , I" tillan 111l ,oh yollT prif
in thiis light. Yiurs for a union in the oil fiel.his,
•oF. l'4ldwards.
CONVICT TO HAVE BELLS
Newtn, N. .1., Aug. :v-The Sussex ('ounty
It, u r31' fl FreelhohhIr4 having 'ome )to the coil
c' 1354lsi1 lhal it is te4 , X lensivP h$ pily a (1t1m I
to w\'at li six 1,risorters working on tht1 road1
3long it h' 'ltutl14 ('Corner l whon turnipike, have
:$trmk ui1on a 3lani to do away with thll guarl
;ihul , of E'IS't i11$.nlie a ch in ab0 ut tIh, men'111. 1"
il,4,'ks Ii" wrists, t,, which a hell will I.4 aitt3a1h4',
will I,4. Iriedl.
I)t'uz.,nion, Ai u nust 9, 1!) 14.
"My 'onntr" 'tis of t]he'e, sweet lan11 ,i'
ibi ,rt1 !" AtI,. L.Et us 1 rE,.. "'.hsus wept."
MY POEMS
Maylv Hel,,hIs hlving urged and rE, iutsted m411'
to gE't ((iut a volnmn of my/ poems, I have it
last lhc('i4le41 to do so. The hook is now being
,4tt)n tup, with illustrations by one of the best
illustralirs in the West. It will lie paper
hound and sell for about 50 cents a volumn, dis
(iounts heing allowed to Locals and speakers
who care to handle same. Later notice will he
given as to when the book will be on sale.-
Covington Hall.
REASONS FOR A REVOLUTIONARY
MOVEMENT a
By B. E. Nilson
l)RllECrT A(CTION ON THE JOB
The 1. W. W. is now handling a literature in
which the practical application of sabotage is
amply explained and illustrated. I shall there
fore not deal with that phase of the question,
but will bring to the readers attention a few of
the general principles and conditions which
have a hearing on the practice of sabotage.
The success of the revolutionary movement
delpends on the support it receives from the ,
working class. We attract the workers to oqj
movement by means of our agitation and our
educational propaganda, but the permanent ,
support we get from the workers depends
largely on our activity in the real struggle
against the employers. The workers will sup- t
ioxrt us if they approve our actions and our
tactics; if they disapprove of our actions they 1
will not only cease to support us, but will also 1
meet us with active opposition. We must
study the mental attitude of our class, in order
that we may know what they will approve or
4'OlIth4lln.
TIhe workers have a greater regard for
human life than have the members of any other
class. 'This i mostly due to a process of I
selection or elimination which has been going
on for centuries. Those of the workers who
had least regard for human life, were either
4exterminated by the ruling class, or they made
a lpnlee for themselves within the ranks of the
ruling class. This process of selection, coupled
with the natural hereditary transmission of
character, have thus made a high regard for
human life ione of the dominant characteristics
of the working class.
The workers also have a strong dislike for
wanton destruction of property. They pro
,iuc.,l it. The creative labor they have em
Hxli(ed in this property gives it, in their eyes,
a sentimental value which is quite apart from
its use value or its exchange value. The de
struction of property is distasteful to them,
even when the property is used directly for
their enslavement.
The prolperty owners took no part in the
:ct.nal prodnuctive labor, and they value the
property only as a source of profits which they
are ready to destrov whenever destruction is
profitable. They are as ready to plan the whole
sale destruction of property in a war between
nations, as they are to plan retail destruction
for the sake of fire insurance or to discredit
striking workingmen.
There is at story from the ancient wars be
tween the Greeks and the Egyptians which
will serve to illustrate this situation. The
Egyptians were animal worshipers, and the
domestic cat was one of their most sacred
animals. A military genius in the Greek army
prepared for the battle by collecting all the
available cats. These were turned loose he
tween the opposing armies when the battle
comnmen(ced, and the Egyptians were restrained
from using lHow and arrow, as well as from
charging the Greeks, by the fear that their
Eons(iene.s would he burdened with the death
of an army' of sacred cats. (f courns, tithe Greecks
won the battle.
'Th, 1 roi4'rty owners, wlho ruthlessly destroy
liae anilI lriiJ'riiy whieI it serves thlCeir interest ]
t d1, So, hl'v' a great adlvanltage over tlhe
workers who have a high regard for lifte and
iprojrty.
(It will be undmerstood t hat when I mention
lifti and prope'rty I the saf1e senItenc, i do not
:refer to titles, or 1de41ds, or ow1ir4!shipi, or so
called l rrojert y rights; Iut to tlhe thiings tlhat
are pr'oduc'ed by labor, wlhich serve to main
lain lif't and( to rendler labor nmIor-)r. roductive. )
Th'lis instinctivc attitude of the 'corking
class towards hunnmm ;hlifle 1and towirdls the
ilrodulmts of labor, wllv do far more, towards
restraining tile workers fromi any nedllessly
lestru'ctivce action, than all the moral dlope
hiandled out b1 capitalists and reformers.
The strongest force to c(ount,'rnct this m,4nta!
attitude of thf workers, is thlie ever-growing
co.nvi,.tion that enalit 'listic d1m4inatio1 over in
dustry is in itself miore destructiv4' to life and
tle prodlucts of labor than even the most vio
lentliljstrumctive tInties the workers may use
in tlheir eflcorts to pult an end to class ruhl1.
The, foregoing is, in a way, beside tllhe ques
tion. Sabotage may incidenta!ly 4,ndang4'r
.- hIman lifte or csaumse damage to prol ert y, hut
the real purpose is to redu,'4' or sh01 the em
floyers streamn of profits.
T'lhe efficiency of an indlustrial plant delepnols
orn thlenlmlitual co-ole'ration of the workers in
that plant. The workers constantly strive to
keep up with the estalblishUd rate of speed and
to avoid making mistakes. The mistakes made
lv one worker is corrected by another. The
material that is spoiled I)y one is by another
separated from the stream of plroduct that goes
to the market. Each on etries to work as wll
and as fast as the next one. The force of habit
and the workers natural desire to show his
skill and efficiency, are 'the chief factors in
maintaining the efficiency of a shop, or a plant,
or an industry.
The discipline which is enforeed by beases
and managers, and which is usually regarded
as the only source of industrial efficiency, could
not be maintained at all if it were not for the
workers natural tendency to follow the estab
lished routine and work at the accustomed rate
of speed and in the usual way.
This force of habit can not be broken unless
the workers have a fairly clear understanding
of why it should be broken, and even then it
will not only be broken in proportion as there
is active discontent.
The workers must be taught the reasons for
changing their own habits and destroying the
industrial discipline, if sabotage is to be prac
ticed with any degree of success; and the par
ticular form of sabotage to be practiced must
correspond with the intensity of the discon
tent, in order to insure that it will be practiced
by a sufficient number of workers to make it
impossible for the bosses to re-establish dis
cipline.
The immediate purpose of sabotage is to re
duce or destroy the employers' profit, but
sabotage has a far more important permanent
value; it tends to destroy the discipline which
is enforced by the employers.
(To be continued)
BROTHERS MINE
By Pat Brenner
The War Lord's shout is heard, brothers mine,
lie is calling for his braves, brothers mine.
Those patriotic slaves, may they find deep
resting gravesl
It will clear this earth of scabs, brothers mine.
For I remember Calumet, brothers mine,
And that coffin laden ditch, brothers mine.
When our children cried for bread,
All they got was rounds of lead,
And their blood, it ran so red, brothers mine.
We are husbanding our strength, brothers
mine,
The call, it has ben sent, brothers mine;
We remember Ludlow Hill,
And those ghastly forms, so still
We can't forget it all, brothers mine.
We remember San Diego, brothers mine,
We'll remember it for ages, brothers mine.
When we spoke upon their street,
How those Cossacks had a treat
They left a trail of blood behind, brothers mine.
We remember Spokane's dungeons, brothers
mine,
And all their guns and bludgeons, brothers
mine.
We remember young Cole's life,
That they crushed in the strife.
But we've marked it up to them., brother mine.
We reniemrber Wheatland's "riots." brothers
.mine,
And those dirt*t sneaking eoyvtes, bIrother,
TulleIn.
We rememlnnler it so well
That theyv'll wish tlhey wqere in hiell -
If lord and Siihr are not frceed, brot her mline.
We remembe still allother, hrothier Mini,
In Salt lUke's tilthy li)risons, hrothhers minre.
They say that he'll .e shot
WeV.' swear, hy (sod, he'll 'Inot
Let's make him free again, brothers mine.
Now tlihey wilt IIs to reslpond, hrotllr, Inlle,
'To that lilurdelring hluteher's song, brotheru
iii ll.
If to war thi'n you Illust go,
Tlki toy hhs.silngs 411 yol ,)
Th~at t hell you all uany go, hrothi'rs iliny..
PRIVATE ARMIE8 SUPPLIED
Ft I SAI b H{ IO IRNT 'I IIVATT: AIUMIlIS
\ t i10 iroi'a red ti fl' rnishi Io large t, ,0,
Ilratl olls alilI o4tl1.r ,ll'llo y'rs ,if lhaior wiltl
(,lothig to arhilratfl, 'private rifes of all
sizi's aindl deh4 r44,s 4. ,t' bl4h t lthirtii..... This is
ahbsodilt,.ly t ht . lI ,'st hrea ,'v,.r oIer.'.,I t,, keel)
stitiltes fIr high w;ags, lshort Ihours, s;llet|y
4 le''i( es, SHIsllitirl ies 1 ' 'Sa 114 i1 uther h i4' l itnne('es
sary i lix rio.s. Ii writ ig leh 5I', li4'nti l l14W
y,, Walnt thf irlivy to s,'r\W'; whlttl oel as ilrli.'ll
gulTrd(s, privat'l delectctiv's, hld'piuty lsherilT~,
O1rs. Inl So Il4 StItO'S wee (a;I llh;ave 1 ,nr ;111,1i,4'
join thie 1iilit;a 1111a1d thII throwi lii, st of the. 'x
iens,' ,)1n thi , Stato', a v,'ry ,lesirahlh rnethiwl.
Address National Arnalgarwat i01 of Mer.enarv
Murderers, New York. lBrarnchi oiffe's in all
large c.ities. All commullniatiolns confidential.
--life