th
a single drop of sweat of the workingmen, since they are not only
contradictory to the basic principles of trade unionism, but even
useless and impractical.

Pity for and indignation against the workers fill one's soul at the
spectacle of the ridiculous strike methods so often employed and that as
often frustrate the possible success of every large labor war. Or is it
not laughable, if it were not so deadly serious, that the producers
publicly discuss for months in advance where and when they might strike,
and therewith give the enemy a chance to prepare his means of combat.
For months the papers of the money power bring long interviews with
labor leaders, giving detailed descriptions of the ways and means of the
proposed strikes, or the results of negotiations with this or that mine
magnate. The more often these negotiations are reported, the more glory
to the so-called leaders, for the more often their names appear in the
papers; the more "reasonable" the utterances of these gentlemen (which
means that they are neither fish nor flesh, neither warm nor cold), the
surer they grow of the sympathy of the most reactionary element in the
country or of an invitation to the White House to join the Chief
Magistrate at dinner. Labor leaders of such caliber fail to consider
that every strike is a labor event upon the success or failure of which
thousands of lives depend; rather do they see in it an opportunity to
push their own insignificant personalities into prominence. Instead of
leading their organized hosts to victory, they disclose their
superficiality in their zeal not to injure their reputation for
"respectability."

The workingmen? Be it victory or defeat, they must take up the reins of
every strike themselves; as it is, they play the dupes of the shrewd
attorneys on both sides, unaware of the price the trickery and cunning
of these men cost them.

As I said before, the unions negotiate strikes for days and weeks and
months beforehand, even allowing their men to work overtime in order to
produce all the commodities to continue business while the strike is
going on.

The printers, for instance, worked late into the night on magazines that
were being got ready four months in advance, and the miners who
discussed the strike so long until every remnant of enthusiasm was gone.

What wonder, then, that strikes fail? As long as the employer is in a
position to say, "Strike if you will; I do not need you; I can fill my