The Italian Socialist Federation was formed in 1906 and divided over affiliation to the Socialist or Socialist Labor Party, with a number involved in the I.W.W. or influenced by syndicalism. Here James Connolly, then an East Coast wobbly organizer, publicly urges the Federation to consider joining the I.W.W. in the pages of the Industrial Union Bulletin. Carlo Tresca would lead a group from the Federation and join the I.W.W. with Il Proletario becoming their newspaper.

‘Letter to Italian Workers’ by James Connolly from the Industrial Union Bulletin. Vol. 2 No. 12. May 16, 1908.

With the attitude of the fellow workers of the Italian Socialist Federation toward either of the two political parties of Socialism in this country we do not propose to concern ourselves, as it does not come within the scope of our duties; but with their attitude towards the I.W.W. we are, needless to say, vitally concerned, and propose to offer herewith a few suggestions for their consideration.

From our knowledge of the literature of the Italian Socialist Federation in the United States, we know that that body teaches a truly revolutionary Socialism, and that it insists upon the class struggle as the basis of its philosophy and the mainspring of its actions. It recognizes that Socialism is not a mere theory of perfection, but requires an intense sympathy with and continued participation in the daily and hourly struggle of the workers in the workshop, and that it is out of the sum total of the passions aroused and forces set in motion by these struggles will be evolved finally the power and organization requisite to dethrone capitalism and establish the Socialist Republic

Hence our Italian comrades recognize the importance of the economic movement, although that recognition is not followed as quickly by action as might be desired. And directly upon this point comes the advice we have to offer. That advice is based directly upon our belief that the economic movement is able to do all the work, political or otherwise, that will be required for the work of emancipation, and that therefore for the purpose of accomplishing the greatest results with the smallest expenditure of time, energy and money all true revolutionists should make tt their first purpose to build up the Industrial Workers of the World.

Recognizing, then, that participation in the class struggle is the first duty of a Socialist, let our Italian fellow-workers remember that the I.W.W. offers to the Italian immigrant on the first day he lands an opportunity to become fully possessed of all the rights and powers to act of a member of the economic revolutionary organisation, and therefore of an active fighter on the field of the class struggle, whilst on the other hand as he has no political rights for five years after landing, hie powers of action in the political party are necessarily limited and his field and period of activity hampered and circumscribed. And as only the most devoted and educated fighters could be expected to retain their interest unimpaired during these five years of probation the result of exclusive attention to political propaganda in the future will be as it has been in the past, viz., that the great majority of those Italian immigrants who were attracted to Socialism in Italy will in the strain and stress of life in the United States, hampered by the difficulties of the language and excluded from political rights, be lost to the movement here before the period of probation has expired.

We would suggest, therefore, that every section of the Italian Socialist Federation should at once form itself into a language local of the I.W W., and set itself to organize the Italian workers into their respective Industrial Unions, according to their daily occupations. Thus every Italian wage slave will in his Union have as many rights as his American fellow-worker, and in the struggle and hopes and fears born of his position as a worker he will find the connecting link to keep alive his interest in the Socialist movement. When the economic organization as such takes political action the immigrant will then find in the I.W.W. the body that saves him as a weapon of defense from the day he first begins to work in this country, and at the same time uses his organized force to build up the political army of his class.

Also, the I.W.W. offers a field of activity for the non-wage workers quite as effectually as do the political parties. The Propaganda League, recently formed at New York, and open to all sympathizers, has for its objects and purposes the providing of a platform and means of agitation upon which all (the members of the Italian Socialist Federation, for example), without exception, can unite to carry on any agitation they desire in conformity with the general principles of the I.W.W. In fact, the whole Federation, with all its bodies and committees, could function as an Italian Propaganda League and by placing itself in communication with the local and central bodies, District Councils, and General Executive Board, could wield an immense force in bringing into line all the forces of Italian workingmen, and educating them on their duty toward the Industrial movement.

At present, we are sorry to say, the sections of the Federation too often pass resolutions endorsing the I.W.W., but do not join the body. In future we hope the Federation as a body will take the advice we here tender it, and remembering that all agitation and education are but as vagrant lightning without organization, but that, with organization, education and organization become disciplined forces as potent for good ss the lightning current directed from and generated by the electrical battery.

We invite our fellow-workers of the Italian Socialist Federation to join the only body that organizes and prepares the members for the task of emancipation, and that in line with industrial development prepares the new industrial order that is destined to replace the old.

JAMES CONNOLLY.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n12-may-16-1908-iub.pdf