te and unarmed masses of hungry men. Whatever
economic power the workers are said to possess would, in that case,
avail them little, for the results of their struggles would depend upon
the military power which they would be able to manifest. The individual
worker has no economic power, nor has the minority, and it may even be
questioned if the withdrawal of all the organized workers could bring
society to its knees. Multitudes of the small propertied classes, of
farmers, of police, of militiamen, and of others would immediately rush
to the defense of society in the time of such peril. It is only the
working class theoretically conceived of as a conscious unit and as
practically unanimous in its revolutionary aims, in its methods, and in
its revolt which can be considered as the ultimate economic power of
modern society. The day of such a conscious and enlightened solidarity
is, however, so far distant that the syndicalism which is based upon it
falls of itself into a fantastic dream.

FOOTNOTES:

[W] His words are: "What is the General Confederation of Labor, if not
the continuation of the International?" _Documents et Souvenirs_, Vol.
IV, p. vii.

[X] In justice to the French unions it must be said that a large number,
probably a considerable majority, do not share these views. The views of
the latter are almost identical with those of the American and English
unions; but at present the new anarchists are in the saddle, although
their power appears to be waning.

[Y] See pp. 234, 235, _supra_.

[Z] See p. 52, _supra_.

[AA] I have not dealt in this chapter with the Industrial Workers of the
World, which is the American representative of syndicalist ideas. First,
because the American organization has developed no theories of
importance. Their chief work has been to popularize some of the French
ideas. Second, because the I. W. W. has not yet won for itself a place
in the labor movement. It has done much agitation, but as yet no
organization to speak of. Furthermore, there is great confusion of ideas
among the various factions and elements, and it would be difficult to
state views which are held in common by all of them. It should be said,
however, that all the American syndicalists have emphasized industrial
unionism, that is to say, organization by industries instead of by
crafts--an idea that the French lay no stress upon.

[AB] At the Sixth International Conference of the National Trade Union
Centers, held