The Agricultural Workers Organization is formed in Kansas City during the Spring of 1915 in preparation for a drive on that years’ harvest. The minutes and report by E.F. Doree of what was genuinely a historic meeting, the A.W.O. becoming the largest and most successful I.W.W. union, becoming a fixture of the Western fields for a generation of migratory workers..

‘The Harvest Convention’ by E.F. Doree from Solidarity. Vol. 6 No. 276. April 24, 1915.

For the purpose of effecting an organization among the migratory workers, the ninth annual convention issued a call to all locals in the Harvest Belt of America to have delegates to a conference to be held in Kansas City, April 14.

The day has come and gone. So that the workers may know the results of the preliminary work of organizing them into the One Big Union, the proceedings of the convention are given here.

The convention was called to order by General Executive Board Member A.C. Christ, at 9:30 a.m. As soon as the delegates had taken their places, he read a communication from General Secretary-Treasurer, Wm. D. Haywood, wishing the conference success.

In a short opening talk Fellow Worker Christ referred to the conference as “an epoch-making move, on the part of the working class.”

Fellow Worker Boose was elected temporary chairman and the gavel was turned over to him by Fellow Worker Christ. Fellow Worker Ford was elected temporary recording secretary.

Fellow Workers Gordon, Franklin and McGuckin were, elected by acclamation to serve as a credentials committee.

At this point the convention adjourned for thirty minutes to give the credentials committee time to do their work.

When the meeting was called to order by Chairman Boose, the credentials committee reported that the following delegates were entitled to take part in the proceedings:

Joe Gordon, Local 577, Des Moines. H.E. McGuckin, Local 66, Fresno. G.P. Franklin, Local 92 Portland. W.F. Welsh, Local 61, Kansas City. Austin Niedzielski, Local 69 Salt Lake. Jack Law, Local 173, San Francisco. Arthur Boose, Local 64, Minneapolis. Emil Schwandt, Local 92 Portland. W.J. Ford, Local 61 Kansas City. George Fenton, Fraternal Delegate from the I.B.W.A.

Report of the credential committee was accepted.

It was moved and seconded that a permanent chairman be elected. Fellow Worker Law was elected. Christ was elected permanent recording secretary.

Welsh, Boose and Franklin were elected as a resolutions committee. Gordon, Law and Niedzielski were elected on the ways and means committee.

On the organization committee were elected Boose, Schwandt and Franklin.

The resolutions from the different locals were then read and referred to the proper committee.

The conference adjourned at 11:30 a.m. to convene at 2:30 p.m. At 2:30 the convention was called to order by Chairman Law.

A roll-call was taken, Fenton absent and Alternate Delegate Fredericks, of L.U. 61 took the place of Welsh, who was sick.

The resolutions committee reported as not concurring in the creating of a permanent Harvest Workers’ Organization at this time, but invited a discussion of the matter by the delegates. The report was tabled.

A motion was made and seconded that we create a Harvest Workers’ Organization. The motion was amended to read that we create an Agricultural Workers’ Organization. After a lengthy discussion a roll call vote was taken and the amendment was unanimously carried.

It was moved and seconded that an initiation fee of one dollar per member be charged. Amended to read two dollars. The amendment carried, Fredericks and Ford voting in the negative. It was suggested at the time that all Local Unions in the Agricultural Districts increase their initiation fee to two dollars.

A resolution was then taken up which called for the extensive use of appropriate stickers in the harvest.

A sticker was then designed as being appropriate. It calls for more wages, shorter hours, better food or sabotage.

The vote was unanimous in favor of the stickers.

It was then moved and seconded that we secure some eight hour buttons for use in the harvest.

Before a vote could be taken 5 o’clock having come, the conference was adjourned until 9 a.m., April 16.

APRIL 16

The conference was called to order by Chairman Law at 9:30. All delegates present except McGuckin and Christ. The matter of having an eight hour button for the harvest was taken up and it was decided to secure one thousand or more. All voted in favor except Boose and Schwandt. The following resolution was then adopted:

“The organization shall be known as the Agricultural Workers Organization of the I.W.W. and shall be composed of all local unions whose members work in the agricultural districts of the United States and Canada.” The next resolution adopted was to create the office of a General, Secretary-Treasurer, who shall receive eighteen dollars per week and railroad fare. The resolution further provides that he shall receive ten dollars per week until the harvest commences. It was then agreed that the following method should be employed to select field delegates. It was known as resolution No. 6.

Paragraph (a) The local unions shall nominate such members as they wish to have act as delegates in the harvest.

Paragraph (b) The secretary of the local union shall send names of all nominees to the General Secretary of the A.W.O.

Paragraph (c) The General Secretary of the A.W.O. shall send the names of all nominees to the several local unions for their approval or challenge. It was then adopted that the field delegates should receive all supplies from the A.W.O. and to give a report weekly to the secretary of the A.W.O. A resolution was then taken up providing for the sending of all monies collected as dues to the local unions–in proportion to the number of delegates each local had in the field. A motion to reject was carried. It being noon the conference adjourned until 1:30 p.m. The conference convened at 1:30 p.m. with Delegates Schwandt, Ford and Franklin absent. Fenton was also listed among the missing. The afternoon session opened up with the reading of a communication from Wm. D. Haywood, assuring sufficient financial support to launch our new venture.

The credentials committee reported that it had credentials for Mosicker as fraternal delegate from the I.B.W.A. of San Francisco. He was seated with voice but no vote.

The next resolution was, “There shall be elected by the delegates to the convention, a General Executive Board, consisting of five members, who shall be selected from the membership of the I.W.W.”

Moved that it be adopted but that G.E.B. be stricken out and in its place insert/organizing committee.

The amendment carried, Boose voting “No.”

The work given the organizing committee was to handle all publicity work, credentials field delegates, and to have the accounts of the General Secretary of the A.W.O. audited bi-weekly.

Paragraphs (d) and (e) of resolution No. 6 were taken up and carried. It provides that the organization committee shall credential all non-challenged nominees for field delegates, and that they shall investigate the records of all challenged nominees and decide whether or not they shall receive credentials. It was then decided that a majority vote of the members could reverse any decision of the organization committee.

Resolution No. 12, that will become famous, was then adopted after some discussion, “That street speaking shall not be used in the harvest towns as a means of propaganda.”

It was then decided that it would be best if the delegates would go into the harvest about two weeks before work commences.

It was then agreed to pick out the best locations in the harvest belt where delegates could do the most effective work.

The resolution next taken up provided that the duties of the General Secretary-Treasurer of the A.W.O, should be to–

(a) Keep a correct account of all finances.
(b) Handle all necessary supplies.
(c) Keep in close touch with field delegates and secretaries of local unions at all times.

A resolution was then adopted to give Sioux City Free Speech fighters all support possible. Resolution No. 24 read:

“That an extensive agitation be carried on to force the release of Ford and Suhr, Hill, Rangel and Cline and others, who are being persecuted in jails and penitentiaries for their activities in the revolutionary labor movement.” Carried unanimously by a vote of the entire house.

That 25 cents of each initiation fee go to Solidarity as a subscription card for the new member, was the next motion carried.

The next motion was for a referendum vote to be taken by the different locals, regarding the proceedings of the convention. The first vote was a tie, 3 to 3. The roll call resulted as follows: tour in favor of a referendum and five opposed.

A resolution providing for a General Organizer was killed.

It was next carried that the General Secretary-Treasurer of the A.W.O. could hire help when necessary. The assistant wages to be not less than $3.00 per day and more, if more is being paid in the fields.

A motion that Delegates should receive no pay was killed.

It was then adopted that the secretary of the A.W.O. should bank all money over $50.00 with the General Headquarters of the I.W.W. A motion to the effect that 200 members could discharge the Genetal Secretary-Treasurer and that 25 members could discharge any delegate, was lost.

It was agreed not to set a fixed wage scale in the harvest.

It was then adopted that a report card should be printed for use of delegates in reporting to the General Secretary-Treasurer of the A.W.O.

Five o’clock having come the convention adjourned till 9 a.m., April 17.

APRIL 17

The conference was called to order by Chairman Law at 9:30 a.m. All delegates present except McGeukin, Welsh and Fraternal Delegate Mosecker.

Communication of greeting from L.U. 173, San Francisco, read and filed. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

It was then agreed that the report cards should be similar to those used in California three years ago.

It was then adopted to insert a new leaf in the membership books, giving instructions to new members as to their duties.

The delegates then voted in favor of paying any field delegate’s expenses when absolutely necessary. The following resolution was then adopted, “That if there is any surplus of finances, at the end of the season, in the treasury of the Agricultural Workers’ Organization, that it be used for organizing work among the migratory workers.”

After reading a communication from the General Headquarters regarding financial support of a nominal amount of cash and $200.00 or more of literature and supplies, it was adopted “That we accept this loan from General Headquarters, same to be returned at end of season and that literature, stickers, etc., be procured from, or through, the I.W.W. Publishing Bureau.”

NEW BUSINESS

Moved and seconded that the secretary of the A.W.O. have his bi-weekly financial report sent to the General Headquarters of the I.W.W. and have it run on the mimeograph and have sufficient copies returned to him so that he can send them to all delegates and local union secretaries in the harvest belt. Carried.

It was noon and the conference adjourned for dinner.

Called to order by Chairman Law at 1 o’clock.

Secretary Christ and Fraternal Delegates Fenton and Mosecker absent.

The next order of business being the election of officers, nominations were opened for General Secretary-Treasurer. The nominees were J.G. Bourg, Walter Nef, Forest Edwards, James Rowen and Joe Gordon.

Nef was elected. Bourg was elected to act in case Nef declined.

Moved and seconded, “That we rescind previous action on clause in resolution No. 4, which reads (regarding election of organization committee): “who shall be selected from the membership of the I.W.W.,” and insert in its place, “who shall be elected from the floor.” Carried.

Frank Rice, delegate from Local Union 26, Denver, was seated.

It was then moved and seconded that the nominees, for the organizing committee must be selected from members in good standing in the I.W.W. for the 12 months previous to the conference. Carried. The chairman called for nominations and the following fellow workers were nominated: Gordon, Ford, Law, McGeukin, Frazer and Boose. The result was that all were elected except Ford.

It was then moved, seconded and carried that we get a charter for the Agricultural Workers’ Organization from the General Headquarters of the I.W.W.

The business being done, the delegates voted to go to “Good and Welfare” and many excellent short talks were made.

The conference adjourned at 5 p.m. by singing an I.W.W. song. So ended the first conference of agricultural workers. Success to our new venture.

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/1915/v06-w276-apr-24-1915-solidarity.pdf