Justus Ebert tells of the importance and urges funds in support of the era defining I.W.W.-led Paterson Silk Strike of 1913.

‘The Wonderful Paterson Strike’ by Justus Ebert from Solidarity. Vol. 4 No. 19. May 17, 1913.

What The Working Class Is Doing And Can Do To Make This The Greatest Victory Yet

For twelve long weeks 25,000 silk workers have been out on strike in the city of Paterson. By a wonderful display of solidarity, including every degree of skill, every nationality, both sexes and all ages, they have paralyzed the silk industry in “the Lyons of America.” They have defeated every civic, religious, commercial, political, legal and journalistic combination that was brought to bear against them. Police have clubbed and assaulted their pickets, intimidated hall proprietors against renting them meeting places, confiscated friendly socialist papers, and denied them the rights of free public assembly. The courts have severely fined and sentenced hundreds of their numbers arrested on trivial charges and permitted the indictment of many others by a grand jury consisting of interested silk manufacturers. They have openly and flagrantly permitted justice to become the handmaid of capitalists in an attempt to crush the workers. The press, backed by the clergy, has misrepresented and maligned the strikers, and has incited to violence against them, advocating the formation of vigilant committees all without any legal restraint on the part of the prosecuting attorney or sheriff of the county, who have shown, on the other hand, an undue haste and zeal to punish every “agitator” among the strikers, who may, by hook or crook, by fair means or foul, be sent to prison for “preaching anarchy and violence.” Attempts have been made to form rival organizations and stampede the workers back to work through them. All the foregoing have failed, the strikers are now charged (in the stupid press) with attempted railroad train wrecking; a plot, no doubt like that of the dynamite “plant” engineered in the Lawrence textile strike by Wm. M. Wood, president of the American Woolen Co., and other capitalists. BUT, IN SPITE OF IT ALL, THE 25,000 STRIKERS STICK TOGETHER, DETERMINED TO FIGHT ALL SUMMER, IF NECESSARY, TO WIN THEIR DEMANDS.

In all the 12 long weeks of the strike, the Paterson silk workers have taken care of the needy and unfortunate among their number. They have opened relief stations, and sent over 300 children away to neighboring cities, to enable them to use their financial resources to the greatest advantage possible. Many Italian benevolent associations, workmen’s sick benefit, and other societies have aided them financially. So have Socialist Party organizations, trades unions, I.W.W. locals and public collections. The amount thus contributed has not been very great, especially when the large number on strike, or the thousands of families involved, is considered. These contributions must not cease; they must be increased.

THE WORKING CLASS MUST STAND BACK OF THE PATERSON STRIKERS. Every union, every I.W.W. local, every society friendly to labor and its aspirations, every workingman and every workingwoman imbued with the desire for improvement and the spirit of emancipation, is urged to redouble their efforts in behalf of them. This strike is their strike. If won it will be a working class victory. Only the working class, through division or indifference, can defeat the Paterson strikers and the working class.

Rally then to the financial aid of the Paterson strike. Send in your nickels, dimes and dollars. Bring the subject before your local, or union, or society. Mention it at your agitation meetings. Secure donations of cash and clothing. Take up a public collection. Raise funds, by every and any means possible. THIS STRIKE MUST BE WON. IT WILL MEAN A CENTURY OF ADVANCEMENT FOR THE WORKING CLASS. It will give labor new hope in all the large industrial centers and prove of immeasurable benefit to the working class in every future conflict.

The Paterson silk capitalists are desperate; their latest machinations reveal their weaknesses. They are fighting among themselves. Great pressure is used to keep them in line. But they are near the breaking point. With the strike amply and well sustained they will be forced to cave in before many weeks.

Once more, rally to the financial aid of the Paterson strike. Send all funds to the PATERSON STRIKE COMMITTEE, Helvetia Hall, 56 Van Houten St., Paterson, N.J.

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/v04n19-w175-may-17-1913-solidarity.pdf