The Saint calls comrades to the colors and to combine their efforts to support the organization in the midst of war, repression, and unemployment.

‘A Summons to Activity’ by Vincent St. John from Solidarity. Vol. 6 No. 267. February 20, 1915.

To all Members of the I.W.W. Fellow Workers–GREETINGS.

Hard times for the wage worker is beginning to be the rule. From every section the report is the same.

This acute industrial depression cannot but have its effect on the organization. Everywhere the workers are hard pressed to eke out an existence and are not able to contribute to the support of any organization no matter how necessary it is to their welfare.

This circumstance should not cause the members to become discouraged. Far from it. Each and every member should realize that this state of affairs but emphasizes the crying need of an efficient organization among the wage workers.

Never in our time has the I.W.W. become so necessary to the working class of this country. The utter helplessness and consequent distress of the workers has demonstrated the great need for solidarity on class lines more effectively than we could by years of agitation.

The duty of the hour is to see that this lesson is made productive of results in the future. In order that results may be had it is incumbent upon the membership of the I.W.W. to strain every effort to maintain the locals throughout the country in a good working condition. Local unions should take advantage of every opportunity to emphasize the necessity of class solidarity to those who are now out of work. Where opportunity does not exist make it. Carry on a steady and energetic campaign of education, by meetings, distributing literature, securing a wider circulation for our press, and by personal solicitation among the workers everywhere.

Every member should constitute herself or himself a committee of one in this work. Above everything else, do not overlook the workers who are at present employed. They, too, are a factor and their co-operation is needed now and will be needed in the future.

Present conditions will in the course of a few months take a change for the better. When that change comes, and the workers in larger numbers are able to secure employment, it will be because of an increased demand for labor power to turn out products for the profit of the employing class. Already the spokesmen for the masters of the bread are predicting a great industrial revival. To supply the markets that will be created by the present European War it is safe to assume that in the hear future there will be an increase in industrial activity. It is up to the I.W.W. to have the workers educated so that when this occurs the workers will organize so that they will be able to reap greater and greater benefits in the way of improved working conditions, shorter hours, better pay and what is of vastly more importance, better industrial control.

It is only through the exercise of industrial control by the organized workers that they will be able to put an end to unemployment and its months of misery.

To accomplish anything, either now or in the future, organization will be needed. In order to supply that need the members will have to strive to maintain not only the locals in good working condition, but the general organization must be financed so that it can function in an efficient manner.

This can be accomplished only by every member seeing to it that the local in which he holds membership pays its full per capita tax to the general organization. See that you get a stamp on your membership book for every month’s dues that you pay. See that your local pays for all supplies that they need and secure from the general office.

Remember that the local and national unions are the units which compose the membership of the general organization, just as the members are the units that make up the locals. If the members do not pay their dues to the local, the local goes out of business or at best has to get along in an inefficient manner. The same is true so far as the general organization is concerned. Just as members scattered and without local organizations are powerless to combat local conditions, so are the locals without a general organization powerless to meet the employing class as a whole with any chances of success. The local unions are absolutely necessary to the general organization. Without them there can be no such thing as a general organization. The general organization is also equally necessary to the locals. Without the general organization the scattered locals would be in exactly the same position as individual workers without any organization.

The locals and the general organization are absolutely necessary to each other. One compliments the other and both are of equal importance.

A realization of this point will prevent any chance of useless wrangling and friction between the various parts of the organization.

The future holds great opportunity for the I.W.W. It rests with the members whether or not that opportunity is taken advantage of.

The coal miners in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania are looking to the I.W.W. to assist them in reorganizing on an effective plan. This will require men and money to get the coal miners together. Over five thousand Finnish revolutionists who, because of their adherence to the revolutionary union idea have been expelled from the socialist party, are calling upon the I.W.W. to assist them in becoming a part of the One Big Union. Here are but two of the many opportunities that are open to the organization. The organization of the harvest workers for next season must also be attended to. In every line of industrial activity the workers will look for the appearance of the I.W.W. organizers on the job to assist them in forming an effective organization.

There should be no room for apathy! Every member should be at their post without delay! Do not allow yourselves to become discouraged by knockers or croakers whether they are inside or outside of the organization. Get together! Get active and the results will more than repay all of your efforts.

All together and we will make 1915 the banner year in the history of the One Big Union, the I.W.W.

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/solidarity-iww/1915/v06-w267-feb-20-1915-solidarity.pdf