Bruce Rogers on the essence of meaning to the I.W.W.’s free speech fights.
‘Free Speech Fights’ by Bruce Rogers from Industrial Worker. Vol. 3 No. 44. January 25, 1912.
Controversies over the use of the streets of any city or village invariably settle themselves around one definite issue, and it is my purpose here to show that while they may sometimes be long drawn out, entailing much suffering on the one hand and loss of money on the other, they can never have but one ending, and that in favor of the principle of freedom of speech.
Business men have their homes, libraries, clubs, churches, golf links, universities, etc., for their social, political, religious, educational and amusement purposes. The business man uses and requires the street for business purposes only, and it follows as the most natural thing in the world that he comes into the habit of thinking that the privilege of using the streets is limited to the interests of business traffic. With this habit fixed he concludes that he merely tolerates their use by religious bodies and other toothless institutions whose inane propaganda can never interfere with business. So much on the one hand. Now on the other, that of the community, there is a far greater preponderance of people who know that the streets are not alone for business purposes but are also for the social, religious and educational uses of the people as a matter of inalienable right.
Now when the conflict arises we find the business men actuated from the most callous and sordid considerations and they cannot be expected to fight long with such motives after they see the cat. On the other we find sturdy men fighting for a principle and who have nothing but principles to lose; men devoted to a cause that has claimed the brightest and best of the human race. Men endure torture, languish in dungeons, freeze in exile, and die for a cause. Their bones bleach in the desert sands and mark the long trail of human progress.
The phenomena that ultimately puts a quietus on a free speech fight is the discovery on the part of the business man that the very fight he wages is hurting business. He splits himself upon his own sword and finds that he is merely eating his own rump. The lumber king of Aberdeen in sheer obstinacy may hold out for months but in the end he will conclude that at best he is but driving ducks to the I.W.W. pond and seasoning the mulligan of the workers. At this juncture has health will become very poor and he will “permit” the council to pass a compromise ordinance, but the I.W.W.’ers have learned by much experience not to grow over anxious for the empty forms of victory, and whether; the struggle is long or short it will never end except in one way, and that is for the right of freedom of speech.
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.” A victim of finances and internal disputes, the IW ceased publication in 1913, only to be revived in 1916 and surviving as a weekly, sometimes more, until 1931. Easily among the most important working class newspapers in U.S. history and an essential resource on the wobbly, and larger radical labor experience.
PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v3n44-w148-jan-25-1912-IW.pdf
