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“...sounding names. There were, however,
three or four fellows at that covention who had the same
ideas as Caminita, but who indignantly resented being called
Anarchists. They were Foote of Kansas City, Axelson of
Minneapolis, and Glover of Cleveland. These men, together
with Caminita, sounded the only note of discord at the third
convention. They were the shadow cast before by the pure and
simple physical force craze that came into full swing a year
after. The motion made by these forerunners of tbe Bum-
mery was to strike out of the preamble to the constitution
of the I. W. W. the words on the political field.
De Leons Speech For Political Action
In answer to the arguments put forth at the convention
by Caminita and Axelson, De Leon took the floor. His speech,
taken from the stenographic report of that convention, fol-
lows here in full:
I was delighted that the discussion was not closed. 1 know...”
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“...FROM 1908 TO DANIEL DE LEONS
DEATH IN 19U
Fourth Convention of I.W.W. Packed by Bum-
mery Element and De Leon Unseated as
Delegate Unity Movement Milwaukee
CrazeDe Leons Greatness
All the efforts of De Leon to preserve harmony in the
I. W. W. were unavailing. St. John, Trautmann, Edwards,
and the majority of the five members of the General Execu-
tive Board turned over night, so to speak, against the funda-
mental principles of industrialism as laid down in the I.W.W.
preamble. They no longer recognized political action as nec-
essary. It was a repetition of the stupid Sherman attempt to
get rid of the Socialist Labor Party element and thus find it
easier to break into the Socialist Party and its much larger
membership, and fish in troubled waters.
Once started on the road of inconsistency the Bummery
stage was soon reached. At a special session of the General
Executive Board held in January, 1908, in New York city, De
Leon appeared and endeavored to enlighten those who gave
signs of being...”
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“... and the
inclinations toward Anarchistic methods more pronounced.
Overall Brigade at 1908 Convention
Finally, it was announced that the Overall Brigade was
coming in force from the Far West to attend the convention.
This Overall Brigade was really not what the name would
seem to imply, namely, men in their working clothes, but con-
sisted of that element that traveled on freight trains from one
Western town to the other, holding street meetings that were
opened with the song, Hallelujah, Im a Bum, and closed
with passing the hat, in regular Salvation Army fashion.
The Overall Brigaders," though they traveled in box
cars where conductors do not collect fares, were nevertheless
upholders of organized labor ethicsthey would only steal
rides on railroad lines that employed union men and would
rather walk the ties than patronize a scab road. It is
safe to say, however, that the directors of such scab railroad
lines did not consider a boycott by the Overall Brigaders a
serious blow.
While the...”
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