Reviewed in the March 1968 issue of the Socialist Standard:

http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2010/07/wobblies.html

The trouble with unions is disunity, factional infighting, and there is plenty of that in this book. Eventually the syndicalists prevail. What exactly was a syndicalist? It isn’t clear from this book, which could benefit from a glossary of terms. What exactly was an anarcho-syndicalist? What was a Menshevik? The author assumes that you already know these terms. And this book could use a roster of the leading players and where they stood on the divisive issues. Maybe even a chart or graph. Because there are lots of characters in this drama and the beginning reader may have trouble sorting them out. Some interesting ones among them: Mother Jones, Emma Goldman, Lucy Parsons, William Z. Foster, Joe Hill, Eugene Debs, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Frank Little.

It is a story of struggle for justice and dignity against relentless and brutal persecution. Not a pleasant read, but important. Also a never-ending struggle against internal dissensions and lack of money. The author is sympathetic to the IWW and its aims, but not noticeably biased. Its aims were revolutionary in theory: to unite all workers into one big union, to emancipate them all and put an end to the wage system. Revolutionary, but not violent in theory. As I read this book, I could not help thinking of today’s “Occupy” protesters. There are parallels.

Was the IWW a success or a failure? This book concludes that it left “a mark in the field of civil liberties,” influenced later organizations such as the CIO, and had “an importance which goes beyond its achievements and failures.”

Indexed, with bibliography. Illustrated with archival photos. Recommended to those interested in labor history or early twentieth century American history.

This review based on 1968 paperback edition. ( )