Frederick Adolph Sorge, corresponding secretary for the First International in the U.S., announces the formation of a common organization and new central committee from ten working class sections of the I.M.W.A. Several months later the new organization would lead a mass demonstration in New York in defense of the Communards and for the eight hour day.

‘International Workingmen’s Association Form North American Central Committee’ from the Workingman’s Advocate (Chicago). Vol. 7 No. 39. June 3, 1871.

TENTH WARD HOTEL, CORNER BROOME AND FORSYTH STS, NEW YORK, May 21, 1871.

To all Trades Unions and Labor Societies of North America.

FELLOW-WORKINGMEN:

We take pleasure in notifying you that several labor societies of the United States, affiliated with the International Workingmen’s Association, have formed the North American Central Committee of the I.W.A., by electing one delegate for each Section to this body now meeting every 1st and 3d Sunday of each month in New York city, at the 10th Ward Hotel, corner Broome and Forsyth streets, at 5 o’clock, P.M.

The following Sections are at present represented in this Central Committee:

Section 1. General German Workingmen’s Society (Labor Union No. 5) New York City.
Section 2. French Section No. 1 of the I.W.A. (down town).
Section 3. Gechien Workingmen’s Society.
Section 4. Social Political Workingmen’s Society, No. 1, Chicago, Ill.
Section 5. Social Political Workingmen’s Society, No. 2, of Chicago.
Section 6. Social Democratic Workingmen’s Society, New York city.
Section 7. Irish Section of the I.W.A., New York city.
Section 8. Social Democratic Society, Williamsburg, N.Y.
Section 9. American (native) Section of the I.W.A., New York city
Section 10. French Section No. 2 of the I.W.A. (up town) New York city.

The I.W.A. has spread over the entire civilized world, and is planting its roots among the working classes of all countries where modern industry reigns (England, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Prussia, Holland, United States, etc.) Its central body or board of administration, the General Council of the I.W.A., is sitting in London, and its last official communication of March 14th distinctly recognizes and acknowledges the organization of the undersigned Central Committee, and expresses its satisfaction with our activity.

Every Trades Union or Labor Society of this country may affiliate with this Central Committee of the I.W.A. by acknowledging and defending the principles and rules of the I.W.A., and remitting an annual due of 2 cents per member for the General Council, and 5 cents per member for this Central Committee to the undersigned, and also electing a delegate.

The principles of the I.W.A. may be condensed in the following extracts from its rules:

The National Labor Congress at Cincinnati, August 1870, and the New York State Workingmen’s Assembly, January, 1871, both passed resolutions acknowledging and recommending the principles of the I.W.A. Fellow-Workingmen: This Central Committee is in duty bound to make every effort for uniting the working classes of this country, and to collect everything tending to enlighten them on their own condition. Recognizing this, as you surely will, also as an important duty of yours, you are hereby solicited to enter into communications with us and to report to us everything at your disposal referring to the condition of your trade and associates, as well as in general of workingmen in your district. We are willing and ready to reciprocate with all due care and dispatch.

A full and clear knowledge of the interests of our class will, we are satisfied, soon influence you in declaring your affiliation to that fraternal union of the laborers of all countries destined to break the yoke under which the working classes languish–the wages- slavery.

Workingmen of all countries, unite!

FRATERNAL GREETING. The North American Central Committee of the International Workingmen’s Association:

Theodore H. Banks, Conrad Carl, John Devoy, Edward Grasse, B. Huberts, Vilim Iantus, L. Ruppell, F.A Sorge, Rud. Starke, —-Weiss. All communications to be directed to F A. SORGE,

Cor. Sec., box 101, Hoboken, N.J.

The Chicago Workingman’s Advocate in 1864 by the Chicago Typographical Union during a strike against the Chicago Times. An essential publication in the history of the U.S. workers’ movement, the Advocate though editor Andrew Cameron became the voice National Labor Union after the Civil War. It’s pages were often the first place the work of Marx, Engels, and the International were printed in English in the U.S. It lasted through 1874 with the demise of the N.L.U.

Access to PDF of issue: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89077510/1871-06-03/ed-1/seq-1/