Morrison Greets American Labor in May Day Message
Mormon, Herbert
Morrison Greets American Labor in May Day Message By Herbert Mormon mm m with great pleasure that I send to the Socialists and trade T ouonisw of the United States hearty greetings for May...
...The First International In the 'eighties the Lassallean Socialists became influential and Gompers observed their "marked contrast to the trade union Socialists, who belonged to the old International and who were sincere in their desire to bring betterment into the lives of the workers...
...America in accord with the 1 Marxian idea of economic organization...
...Yet from time to ffrje some new item comes to mm and commands world-wide Among *he treasures in the aakives of the Hand School of SoJftii Science in New York is an ¦hinsi letter from Marx to John Sifer.cn, a Scottish-born American fcenen--* with strong labor syrayenta, w*ic was barn in 1830 and 'MKmmu- and WaaKsettar was written was Charles A. Dana's chief aide on the editorial staff of the New York Sun...
...Economic betterment is the first step to the desired end...
...The Manifesto with its sweeping, analysis of the capitalistic mode I of production, its creation of wage' workers, the consequent need of organization of the working class, and the struggle for ultimate emancipation I provided Gompers with that basic conception which he needed...
...With some'Important exceptions ihe American trade unions did not adopt May Day as our labor holiday...
...He wrote in his autobiography that "my mind was groping for something\fundamental, something upon which one could base a constructive program...
...Never before has the insurmountable economic and political contradiction of capitalism appeared more flagrant Under the present circumstances technical progress and increasing wealth are bringing to the workers and the peoples only unspeakable misery and suffering, internal peace in each country, like peace between the nation*, is more menaced than ever before...
...He had been a fighter for Irish freedom and a member of the Fenians and was forced to flee to London, where he became secretary to Marx and to the Federal Council of the International...
...the homerulers of Ireland...
...the structure of society must be transformed, and the capitalist monopolies and their political domination must be broken down The immediate introduction of the forty-hour week must be demanded as the first step towards this transformation j of society...
...Mt the ideologues of the party, aBT -.o overthrow the political fin of the aristocracy by mining a material basis, the semi-feudal ¦site property...
...Yours most sincerely, . „ ¦ _ Karl Marx...
...The older type ef labor organisation in the United States had been transplanted from England and was of the fraternal benevolent character...
...I spoke to Laurrell of my need...
...Thus the Creek Indians celebrated the coming of spring with elaborate ceremonials, starting a new fire by the friction of sticks, and with feasting, dancing and drinking...
...lurks another set of men Warp, close-fisted, calculating mUuiittg, fully aware that the top:.on of the old landiaws, in pswaj* proposed by the ideologues, Usssx but convert land into a cornarticle that must ultimately a;e is^the hands of capOn the other side, considered as s national entity, John Bui...
...Thy French Government had also arranged an International Exhibition in Paris for the same year, and Paris was to be the maces tor tourists all over the world...
...tft* Social DemocE~»a*-hoping to crush SoE| hj systematic persecution ^Smm --^ividusis — iess Bpadaed than that of Hkler, BS»SfB » that time to shock af BsgV»cs-ve and humane eieJLp, Jfsrx asks Swinton to help Secern...
...The good friend of peace, therefore, must be constructive...
...Chant of the Dynamos...
...Abeady the forces of reaction, which extended their domination during the last three years in a growing number of countries, are oa the retreat...
...The 1888 conference, however, issued a call for an international congress to be held to Paris in July, 1889, the centeaany of the French Revolution...
...McGregor went off to pack his bag with a few things, including a reserve celluloid collar...
...Two men helped him, Ferdinand Laurrell and F. A. Sorge, the latter an intimate friend of Marx and representative of the International in the United States.' LaurTell was a Swede and a cigarmaker, who in r Copenhagen participated in a demonstration before the royal palace...
...The Paris Congress adopted a resolution for the annual celebration of May Day as an international holiday of the workers in all countries, and as such it has been observed in most countries ever since...
...to its achievement all political effort must be subordinated...
...4. November 1*80...
...The emancipation of labor is not merely local or national, but is international...
...Mingled with them were refugees from the Paris Commune and Irish rebels who fled to the United States to escape the gallows or prison...
...The Federation did not suggest the nlsliHshsses* af such a holiday bet desired the support of the Paris Con grass far the eight-hour day, the drive far which was to reach its dtasi ea May Dsy, 1890...
...An attempt was made in the Federation convention of 1903 to make May Day Labor's holiday, but without success...
...Even if the monetary result were not important, denunciations' of Bismarck's new coup d'etat in public meetings held by you, reported in the American press, reproduced on the other side of the Atlantic— would surely hit the Pomeranian hoberesn snd be welcomed by sll the Socialists of Europe...
...Hence he has extended the state of siege to Hamburg, Altona, and three other Northern towns...
...That document brought me an interpretation of much that before had been inarticulate feeling...
...The letter has a double interest...
...jaut Mr...
...but Socialists and y2taa«T< in this country did jSjarge sums...
...World peace ! must be consolidated by the stronger and more effective organ!i zation ot international solidarity and cooperation...
...Political action can be efWe&wr etay'hy eenotfUrMag the labor class a separate political party...
...Tsai pleased to send you this message while I am in the United gtttn...
...I know, however, that it would be the wish of the Hfjissh labor movement—Socialist, trade union and cooperative—that I bhsnM give to the workers of America fraternal greetings and their ijttt wishes for the triumph of labor in your great country...
...The agitation was renewed with the view of culminating or...
...In trying to unify the working people through a political party," wrote Gompers, "Strasser and McGregor were experimenting with the Lassallean theory which they afterward rejected...
...lL 41 Makiand Park Road JL,- London, NW...
...Mainly because it is the Bjjaer of the tfagtaft "Load ESSto" • Not only that the great landpr&s of England are also the larg1st laadbelders of Ireland, but havm(ng 'earn broken down in what is IwaJly called the "Sister" island Is Eughsh-anded system will no teger be tenable at home...
...he must try to eliminate the causes of war...
...The influence of Marx, wrote Gompers, "contributed to emphasize the necessity for organization of wage earners in trade unions and the development of economic power prior to efforts to establish labor government through political methods...
...Literature and eight-hour buttons were prepared and meetings were arrange*, throughout the country, especially on the Fourth of July, Labor Oaf and Washington's birthday...
...the Carbonari of Italy...
...In the early 'seventies New York ] looked like Paris during the Com{ mune...
...Each ebb in the forward tide of revolution in Europe I brought additions to the rebel I group in New York...
...Ktoh agricultural labourers, at ¦I inpatient af their traditional psition of Hi-used beasts of ¦Nan...
...The Federation had little money and McGregor bad no resources of his own...
...In the following year the miners' anions of four nations organised aa International...
...It was a Socialist document...
...His wants were few and accustomed to all manner of delays in gratification...
...Thus it was the initiative ef the American trade Batons that aaa» birth to the idea of May Day as an international holiday ef the working class...
...It was not only Chartism, Marxism, Lassalleanism, trade unionism and the land theories of the Irish refugees that engaged attention...
...The letter to ¦ Swinton was, however, supposed to be lost...
...fflteEJSir:— IfSjSe sent you today a copy of a^fciaah edition of the "Cepi2p§Thsve at the same time to ?pkyeu for your friendly article fe «w "Sun...
...Its principles appealed to him as "sound and practical," as adapted to the organization of the working class into effective economic organizations...
...Hunted by the police, Laurrell fled to the United States...
...May Day is the errsrHA celebration of the principles of the international solidarity of gler On this day we declare that there is no occasion for war be* Egg the nations of the world...
...May Day demonstrations in the large cities that year were big affairs and about 200,000 workers won the eighthour day...
...Morrison Greets American Labor in May Day Message By Herbert Mormon mm m with great pleasure that I send to the Socialists and trade T ouonisw of the United States hearty greetings for May Day ggpyh the columns of The New Leader...
...In the meantime, force anarchism had destroyed the First International in the middle 'seventies Several attempts were made % the British Trade Union Congrep in 1883, 1886 and 1888 to xerim 'the lafai&lfittaVmfl without suF cess...
...as we fice the titanic cannon on the war front . . . We are the aynantee . . . hear our song of hate...
...again is very live IjBnUi**** tee iron Caaneeiler of SEZi&aed carried the so-called fSjif*-- Laws t^u*»«»*m«-Ge52'jMjU*'>R...
...H« PX'^ to aaetber very live EST «*xr...
...Thus May Day has^an interesting American origin(in a background of internationafisftrr The American Federation of Labor in 1884 decided that the affiliated unions should do their utmost to establish the eight-hour day by May Day in 1886, and the agitation' for it began on a relatively, large scale...
...The new fire exemplified the new life, physical and moral, which was to begin j with the new year...
...To the extent that the spirit and ideals of May Day, with its ethic of world solidarity of the workers at all countries, regardless of language, race .-or nationality, inspire the working class in thought and action, will the long night of human bondage pass into a new era of power over our miserable snd decaying capitalistic civilisation and the working -masses become the rulers of their own lives...
...We managed to get enough money for his ticket...
...The forces of freedom, peace and social justice must tri. umph over this last menace, which is more serious than evVr before...
...And...
...Writing to Franz A. Sorge of Hoboken, on November 5, 1860, Marx mentions having written to Swinton, who had called on him in England the preceding summer...
...Marx and the whole family send you their best wishes...
...The liter consists of two sets ef men...
...Sorge was a music teacher and the secretary of the American section of the International...
...For nearly twenty years the American labor movement has been largely isolated from the rest of the world except for the sffiliation of some big unions with their special International Trade Secretariats...
...Of course, the Communist Manifesto was not Communist in the modern sense...
...Under these circumstances the German friends hove written me a letter ef which one passage runs thus: "The Socialist law, though it could net break and never will break oar organisation, does impose pecuniary sacrifices about impossible to bear...
...sun being symbolized by the fire burning in the court...
...However, Gompers wrote, McGregor "had long experience in t reveling on almost nothing...
...We must carry on courageously the task to which we are steadfastly devoted and we shall conquer our present difficulties...
...He replied, 'If you wish to know, I will give you something tangible, something that will give you a background philosophy.' He placed in my hands a copy of the Communist Manifesto...
...In fact, Laurrell, J. P. McDonnell and others organized the United Workers...
...lariy Beginnings The late Samuel Gompers lived through this period and in his autobiography he gives a vivid picture of it...
...The American trade union, the militant economic force', was yet to come...
...1 am havmg a most interesting tour and being'treated with •Hat kindness...
...There weresekttsra^fron^ the red-shirted^ eighters,' English Chartists, men of big souls and high principles...
...This address ought, of course, not to be made public...
...Labor in U. S. Inspired Celebration of May Day International Holiday of Workers Had Its Origin in Campaign for Eight-Hour Day Launched by American Federation of Labor Fifty Years Ago—Some Striking Facts About Movement of Those Days...
...Otto Frcgtag, Landtagsabgcordnettr, Amtmannshof...
...A propos, my youngest daughter —who was not with us at Ramsgate—just tela me that she has cat my portrait from the copy of the "Capital" I sent you, on the pretext that it was a mere caricature...
...The Executive of the International Federation of Trade Unions...
...So far tiie extract...
...not only the claims of the Black International and the Red, but the form of trade unionism, its methods, aims and future work that were still to be determined...
...Now, we, here at London, Paris, etc., will do our best...
...In it Marx discusses the Irish land question which was than a burning issue and connects it with land'fordism ia~^rnet-&rtostneni4l||.willv| gSgle-Jtvotopmeate there...
...Another important figure was Hugh McGregor, who at that time was passing through the Lassallean phase of the American movement which he, Adolph Strasser of the Cigarmakers and P. J. McGuire of the Carpenters were to abandon later...
...New York City was the cradle of the modern American labor movement...
...Trade Union International Calls for New Social Order May Day Appeal to All Workers *J*RUE to the traditional significance of May Day—the day of international demonstration for labor and peace—we appeal to yew to affirm with more emphasis than ever before the demands for peace and a social system which grants to labor the place of honor to which it is entitled...
...Leipzig...
...r< America to aid the Sp, Whether Swinton did so EEbaowr...
...The' period of uncertain and impulsive theorizing was ending by the middle 'seventies...
...All the useful people in society, whether S_Wers, technicians, professional people or manual workers, should ¦Berate themselves to the cause of that economic and social freeSprbich can only be achieved when the people collectively are the Silts of the great productive powers of modern industry...
...The United States was then preponderantly an agricultural nation, and industry was in its infancy...
...Slave and peasant, serf and wage worker, over the centuries, responded to the symboRsm of May Day in some form of ceremonial: picnicking .in the woods, dancing about a May Pole, weaving garlands of flowers, singing folk songs, and discussing the trials, joys and sorrows of village and countryside...
...revolutionaries from Denmark, Austria, Russia...
...At the same time, I believe that a man of your influence might organise s subscription in the United States...
...It is the day on which we should consecrate ourselves to the cause of peace and international good-will and understanding...
...To support the families rained by the police, to keep alive the few papers left to us, to keep up the necessary communications by secret messengers, to fight the battle on the whole line—all this requires money...
...So tin "courier" departed on his mission...
...Any money forthcoming to be sent over to Mr...
...We are nearly exhausted and forced to appeal to our friends and sympathisers in other countries...
...There ¦Mrreyed against it the British MSwrs...
...We are the dynamos . . . hear our weird chant of hate as we send the bombing plane .into action...
...The American labor origins of May Day are of especial interest, for the labor movement in New York City after the Civil War was a blend of American and international influences...
...In fact, the Federation convention in 1884 adopted the first Monday in September as Labor Day, and in succeeding years legislation by-the states has made it a legal holiday...
...New York was vividly Cosmopolitan with depths in its life that few understood...
...at, , ., By William Allen Ward We are the dynamos . . . hear our paeoa as we drive the mighty engines along the railway, across the-ocean . . . down the ship eanal . . . through the airways . . . We are the dynamos...
...Liebknecht has to enter' prison Law having failed to overthrow or even to weaken the Germaa SocialDemocrat ic organisation...
...Of these celebrations Farrand, an authority on American Indians, says that "the ceremonial was in honor of the sun as the giver of the new fruits of the year, the...
...In addition to the international factors represented by the experience and knowledge of Laurrell and Sorge, the most influential international manifesto in labor and Socialist history in shaping the future course of the labor movement in many countries came into Gompers' hands...
...That organization declared: 'The emancipation of the working class can be achieved through their own efforts, and that emancipation will not bring class rule and class privileges for them but equal rights and duties for all members of society...
...and that British party •KB styles itself "Jiadical...
...Hay Day is peace day...
...He was well acquainted with the continental labor movement and was secretary of the section of the International for the Scandinavian countries...
...He wrote: "Unquestionably, in these early days of the 'seventies the International dominated the labor movement in New York City...
...McDonnell took a leading part in the organization of trade unions and his part in framing the above declaration reveals his views...
...Never before or since had labor circles been so rich in discussion and debate...
...wincing under the high B, ami flunks to the AmeriEassipttttion—-tow prices...
...The threads of internationalism, both in the human composition of the movement and the ideas that developed as the movement emerged- out of experiment and debate, are obvious to any student o^ the period...
...Gompers became so impressed with the Manifesto that he decided , to master the German language...
...The experiment failed because the old dispute between the dogmatic Lassalleans and the Marxian trade unionists prevented the Social Democratic Party* either from unifying the labor groups or from developing an agency that would serve the exigencies of American workingmen...
...This latter group "was under the spell of Lassalle despite the counsel of Karl Marx...
...McGregor was a jewelry worker, an advocate of Comte's Positivism, more of an individualist than 8 Socialist, and yet favoring at this early period political organization...
...The unrelenting fight against the fascist dictator ships aaoat j go on in order to demolish the dangers of fascism and the i threats of war to which it gives rise...
...For these reasons Gompers declared that the First International which Marx inspired appealed to him, although he did not join it...
...More information 'ou might 'get from Mr, Sorge (Hoboken...
...EtgatwHoar Day Root Not until 1888 did the Federation decide to make another general campaign for the eight-feonx day...
...mp ¦* * • Tamscript of MarxWinton Letter |g...
...The Rand School permits The New Leader to present a facsimile of this important document...
...The reaction that followed continued for years...
...Gompers himself affirms I this view in his autobiography...
...I Of all the ideas of this formative period, Marxism was the soundest and it made the best contribution...
...The factory system was so new that in comparatively few places had it produced its necessary reflex—Phe organization of labor, . . . "As the tide of reaction swept down over the movement for democracy in Germany, in Hungary, in Italy, in France, New York gave refuge to those whose only safety lay in flight...
...aky...
...has ugly misgivings lost the aristocratic English landed garrison in Ireland once gone—-'England's political away over Ireland will go, too...
...Mrs...
...But behind these Maiple-spo.aterSj.and hunting ¦an on...
...The Carpenters ware selected as the leading organisation to make the fight...
...Colorful Personalities J,P...
...Letter from Marx to Swinton Made Public by Rand School Mien in 1880, It Deals with Irish and English Landfardtam and with Plan for American Aid to German >' fU-J-B*** Outlawed and Hounded by the Bismarck | Regime...
...JHH...
...Bismarck clings the more desperately to his panacea, and fancies that it mutt work, if only applied on a larger scale...
...Well, I shall make up for it by a photogram to be taken on the first fine day...
...McGregor carried with him a letter urging the Congress to cooperate with the American unions in establishing the eight-boar day for the Carpenters by May Day, 1890...
...McDonnell represented another phase of the internationalism of that period...
...By James Oneal THHE celebration of May Day as an international labor holiday bad its beginning in nn action taken.by American trade unions, but May Ejay also lias origins not only in the spring festivals thousands of years ago, biwf among primitive people, including the North American Indians...
...Late i« 1871 he reported m^^-^esifdr rjbaheirw the International in London that while American Marxists did not underrate the value of political action, "we maintain that an extended and somewhat perfected organization must precede any political movement of the working classes...
...W« po'nt out the absurdity of workers of different countries, «h»e interests are really the same, destroying each other in the interests of capitalism...
...It was decided to send Hugh McGregor to the Paris Congress "to act as special courier...
...Having done so, he "read all the German economic literature that I could lay hands on—Marx, Engels, Lassalle, and the others...
...Four days after these celebrations a bomb was tin-own in Haymarket Square, Chicago, at a meeting protesting against police brutalities in strikes and eighthour demonstrations...
...Naturally, faddists of all kinds ! also appeared on the scene to constitute the lunatic fringe, the most conspicuous being the Woodhull sisters with their philosophical anarchism and free love ideas and seeking to use the labor movement as the basis of a "career...
...Curiously enough, these internationals also had their beginnings a; the Paris Cfiiigsasi in 1889, when the typographical workers of IS nations, including the United States, organized an International Secretariat...
...He obtained a decision against Section ! 12 of the Internatkmaf dominated i by the Woodhull sisters, and his group adopted a resolution declaring that no section should be admitted unless consisted of a: least three-fourths wage workersGompers frequently visited Sorge at his home, in Hoboken, N. J. Sorge, in common with Marx, emphasized the need of strong trade unions before independent political action could be underi take...
...When news of this proposed International Congress reached this country, President Gompers and others thought that, as he wrote, "we could aid our movement by an expression of worldwide sympathy from that congress...
...Workers 1 In the face of greater and more threatening dangers, the efforts must be redoubled to lead the great urban and rural masses in an irresistible march for the realization of our social and economic claims...
...In order to bring the world crisis to an end once and for all...
...otherwise the German police would simply—confiscate...
...Here were to be found refugees from the revolutions of 1848, Marxians, Lassalleans, English Chartists, republicans, democrats, radicals and trade unionists...
...He was also an associate of O'Donovan Rossa, the famous Irish revolutionary...
...The increasing interest in and active cooperation of the organized workers in this country in fighting fascism abroad aad extend teg substantial aid to the victims of fascist despotism is a revival of the fine international traditions and outlook ef fifty year*ago...
...The powers of democracy, more ardent and better Organized, are regaining the tost ground, and there is no doubt but that the latest military adventures and the grave threats of war which have emanated from the fascist dictatorships are nn evidence of their endangered prestige...
...He must join with us in urging that nations should collectively own the mens of production and distribution and should cooperate with a view to promoting the economic and social well-being of the whole world...
...As it was in German and my knowledge of the language was still inadequate, he translated and interpreted it for me paragraph by paragraph...
...Forward for the defease of our rights, the > oiiqaaat of a better order of society based on social justice, liberty and democracy, and the creation of a just and durable peace...
...So May Day is not only peace iBrjt is Socialist day...
...Out of these economic, human, international and cultural backgrounds came the' modern trade union movement, beginning in the early 'eighties...
...Wars are largely caused by capitalist rivalries...
...By 1928 there were ten or more American anions affiliated with their internationals, including the Miners, Machinists, Carpenters, Painters, ladies': Garment Workers, Bakers, Boot snd Shoe Workers, Post Office Clerks, Longshoremen and Journeymen Tailors, with about 1,300,000 members...
...Democracy and the rights j and liberties of the workers must be maaatanhad...
...published letters of Karl Xjjtorx and Frederick Engels ernstfiy fill *four large volumes Mf the greater part of three or Sir others...
...Like other men in the labor movement of the period, Samuel Gompers was searching for a basic philosophy and a sound policy, a road -. to organization stability out of the conflict of ideas and programs...
...la...
...May Day, 1890...
...Gladstone's "sensaaa*&-failures abroad — political laajjl e*"*«rs here at present on Ens "Leud Question...
...Within the past several years the sentiment of international solidarity has been developing in the American unions...
Vol. 19 • May 1936 • No. 18
