Following the successful strike in Philadelphia, Benjamin Fletcher travels across the Mason-Dixon Line to ‘stir the pot’ on the Baltimore docks and build a local of the I.W.W.’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union where the A.F.L.’s International Longshoreman’s Association acted as virtual company union and hiring agent for the bosses.

‘Stirring the Pot in Dixie’ by Benjamin H. Fletcher from Solidarity. Vol. 4 No. 26. July 5, 1913.

(Special to Solidarity.) Baltimore, Md., June 25. In Baltimore, the metropolis and gateway to the South, the I.W.W. is rapidly assuming menacing proportions. Already the labor fakirs of the A.F. of L., reinforced by political socialist allies, are holding serious and earnest discussions, devising ways and means to overcome the already established and increasing confidence that the I.W.W. has implanted in the hearts of the workers.

As recently explained by a local labor skate, “the I.W.W. is here, there, everywhere.” In the clothing industry we number 5,000 controlling some of the chief factories in the city. Three weeks ago No. 6 of the Marine Transport Workers, I.W.W., was organized–and all signs indicate that something will happen before snow flies. The organization of this local is the result of the agitation for a sympathetic strike in support of the Philadelphia transport strikers. Just as soon as the agitation for a general strike began, the International Longshoremen’s Association fakirs, armed with FRATERNAL LODGE cards, and the steamship company’s spies; busy to prevent the movement and disrupt it if it materialized.

In a measure they were successful because the longshoremen had not forgotten how Anderson, Mark Jackson, Hall and other labor fakirs of the American Federation of Labor robbed them of their money during the strike last year, and led them to the shambles so far as the improvement of their working conditions and “recognition of the union” are concerned. So, only the M. & M. struck and these through Corratechery, tricks and lies by the “separationists.” It was not long, however, before many of them were realizing the hopelessness of their single handed strike, returned to work while others whose places had been usurped by scabs got employment elsewhere.

Mr. R.E. Hall, the local secretary and organizer of the A.F. of L longshoremen, was, just previous to the strike last year, engaged in the business of shipping agent (employment shark). Now, any longshoreman or seafaring worker does not need to be told that a shipping agent is by the nature of his business a liar, crook, crimp and knave. How much longer will some of the longshoremen allow themselves to be led and organized by an ex-shipping crimp because he is a credentialed official of the A.F. of L.? The signs of the times indicate, not much longer.

When matters shape up a little more, the independent union of Baltimore longshoremen will transfer in- to the I.W.W. At Sparrows Point, an island 12 miles from Baltimore, the Maryland Steel Co. holds sway. They are monarch of all they survey. This steel Moloch works 7,000 slaves, mostly colored and Hungarian, 13 hour night shifts and 11 hour day shifts, 7 days a week. And most of them, common laborers, receive the munificent wage of 14 1/2 to 17 1/2 cents an hour. Most of these workers are tenants of the company shanties and buyers at the company store. They mail their letters from the company post office, and when they want some spiritual regeneration they go to the company church, presided over by company preacher, who gives them company religion.

But very shortly the I.W.W. will announce their declaration of war against these barbarous and inhuman conditions, and lead these forlorn slaves of steel to victory and power

A closing word to the labor fakirs, i.e., the American Federation of Labor and socialist reformers: The I.W.W. is not concerned in the least whether you recognize them as a labor movement, or not–because we are the labor movement. All else is fake and fraud.

BENJ. H. FLETCHER.

The most widely read of I.W.W. newspapers, Solidarity was published by the Industrial Workers of the World from 1909 until 1917. First produced in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and born during the McKees Rocks strike, Solidarity later moved to Cleveland, Ohio until 1917 then spent its last months in Chicago. With a circulation of around 12,000 and a readership many times that, Solidarity was instrumental in defining the Wobbly world-view at the height of their influence in the working class. It was edited over its life by A.M. Stirton, H.A. Goff, Ben H. Williams, Ralph Chaplin who also provided much of the paper’s color, and others. Like nearly all the left press it fell victim to federal repression in 1917.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/solidarity-iww/1913/v04n26-w182-jul-05-1913-solidarity.pdf