An early telling of the importance of case of Mooney and his comrades in exposing the ruling class and its agents in the workers movement, as well as uniting a disparate Left in their defense.

‘The Mooney Case and the Class Struggle’ from Ohio Socialist. No. 20. August 21, 1918.

The Mooney case has given us a concrete example of the international class struggle.

No hint came from any government in any land in behalf of Mooney until the workers overthrew the capitalist government of Russia. The first international act of the Russian Workmen and Soldiers’ Council was to cable President Wilson asking about Mooney? Since then the working men’s organizations in all lands have been asking about Mooney. It caused the forces at Washington, D.C., that govern this nation to awake and ask about Mooney. Twice president has wired to Governor Stephens about Mooney and the Commission he sent out here was busy for several weeks inquiring about Mooney. Their report speaks well for their interest.

In the United States, at this moment, the A. F. of L., the Socialists, the Workmen circles, The Industrial Workers of the World are at least united in demanding the freedom of Mooney.

And then what has Tom Mooney, Rena Mooney, Ed. Nolan, Israel Weinberg and Warren K. Billings done for the cause of labor? The above paragraph answers the question. It has united all the rank and file of labor, regardless of difference of opinion on tactics, into one body, thinking one thought and demanding one thing–THE FREEDOM OF ALL THESE DEFENDANTS. DEMANDING THAT THIS FARCE END.

Here is a little note from Manchester, England, that expresses it well: Manchester, England, June 4th.–“It is high time the whole farce ended.” The Cotton Factory Times in its review of the trial of Thomas J. Mooney put it thus and we know that the same thought is echoed from a thousand labor papers throughout the world. In fact many of the capitalist dailies have said the same thing since the President has interceded for Mooney.

And here is another thing this case has done for labor. It has exposed the possibility of hanging a man, although innocent, if he is once declared guilty by a jury of business men and the higher court can find no misprinted word in the record.

The Mooney case has shown crookedness in many labor leaders. Because Mooney is not in the ring of labor bosses and opposed to their tactics they are willing to let him rot in jail or go to the gallows. I refer to men like Brouillet of San Francisco and some even higher up than he.

The Mooney case has shown us to what lengths the Chamber of Commerce will go when they are opposed to the organization of labor and when such Chambers are controlled by soulless corporations like the United Rail- roads of San Francisco.

The Mooney case has shown the subserviency of elected officials who are called prosecuting attorneys, judges and law makers. Some of these have stooped to the lowest acts one could imagine a human being performing, in the back have stabbed Mooney and called him unworthy and advocated lynching and an assistant prosecutor said that if every witness against Mooney was proven a perjurer he would not raise a finger to save him.

Labor has depended upon the assumption that all men are equal before the law. Thousands are doubting this now. Labor has thought that men were really tried by a jury of their peers, but they have found that belonging to a union is enough to disqualify them from sitting on a jury when a fellow unionist is framed up and on trial. Labor has learned that preachers can stay mum, that professors can be dumb and that lawyers will only speak when they are paid heavy fees. Labor has found out that newspapers are but the expression of the powers that control them and that headlines are poison used to dope the mind of the public while the masters put across frame-ups, camouflage and billingsgate.

A man’s world is as big as he is able to reach out and do good or evil. Tom Mooney has done untold good to all of us. He has without intention centered the thoughts of millions of workers on his cell and to inquire of organized government, “What about justice for Mooney?” His cell has become the nucleus for building solidarity in the body of labor. Karl Marx gave us a phrase, “Workers of the world unite.” Tom Mooney and his four fellow workers have given us a human reason for unity. The concern of each has really become the concern of all. What can be done to them can be done to all. The hanging of Mooney will only lead to the hanging of many more.

Few men really plan the international scope of their own being. Certainly these defendants did not. There has come into this case many men and women who need to know e each other. They have spoken as ships that pass in the night of capitalism. They give each other the password of democracy. Captains on new ship of destiny have sailed on with their messages of labor’s impending victory, the downfall of tyranny and the emancipation of all mankind.

Yes, we have spent our money well for Mooney. The Mooney case has done great good for labor. The victory is to labor. Mooney and his associates have done their part well. Thanks are due the framers, after all, for the mighty forces they have let loose to teach the workers the way to freedom.

The bastiles will fall from around our imprisoned brothers. When workers unite to control industrial and political affairs of all mankind.

Until then we must spend money. We must go on working as we never worked before. What we have generated we must direct into motive power for freedom. Where we have been negative we must become positive.

Not a grave of the murderer’s for freedom, but grows seed for freedom, in its turn to bear seed.

Which the winds carry afar and re-sow, and the rains and the snows nourish.

Not a disembodied spirit can the weapons of tyrants let loose,

But it stalks invisibly, over the earth, whispering, counseling, cautioning.

Mooney sends his good cheer of hope to you whoever you are, and he feels assured that we are sending it back to him. Dead or alive, he salutes you–COMRADE!–San Francisco World.

The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from January, 1917 to November, 1919. It was edited by Alfred Wagenknecht Wagenknecht spent most of 1918 in jail for “violation of the Conscription Act.” The paper grew from a monthly to a semi-monthly and then to a weekly in July, 1918 and eventually a press run of over 20,000. The Ohio Socialist Party’s endorsement of the Left Wing Manifesto led to it suspension at the undemocratic, packed Socialist Party Convention in 1919. As a recognized voice of the Left Wing, the paper carried the odd geographical subheading, “Official Organ of the Socialist Parties of Ohio and Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia and New Mexico” by 1919’s start. In November of that year the paper changed to the “labor organ” of the Communist Labor Party and its offices moved to New York City and its name changed to The Toiler, a precursor to the Daily Worker. There the paper was edited by James P. Cannon for a time.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/ohio-socialist/030-aug-21-1918-ohio-soc.pdf