Industrial Workers of the World

(Australian Archives PP14 S4 B1 - Fifth Military District W.A. - 2/1/136)

M. E. Green: linked with I.W.W.; censured correspondence: reports 1916.

23 Oct. 1916. The enclosed letter No.486 from Margaret E. Green of
Hay River Rd. School, Narrikup to Mick Sawtell, c/o I.W.W., Burlington House, Packenham St., Fremantle, is forwarded for your information.

My Dear Mick

I had quite given you up and was about to send up a smoke signal in "Direct Action" when yours arrived. You see I am long suffering, I wrote two letters in great faith, whilst you waited for the results of your one. I thought you might be in Carnarvon, however this cannot be a very long letter as I must rest tonight, school tomorrow. My work demands my full undimmed energies. But I suspect that by this time that you will be in Fremantle and I want to catch you, and I am afraid for you, but you are not afraid. I have just been reading a grand book "The Bible in Spain" by Barrow the gypsy scholar, a real old revolutionary he would have been had he been living. He was imprisoned in Spain several times and before his imprisonment when we knew he was in peril, says that he had long been waiting to see inside Madrid prison, and their methods of treating prisoners so he welcomed the opportunity, also he wanted to become acquainted with the thieves language (a special art of their own) he always picked up with the greatest rogues and vagabonds and extracted much philosophy there from. I get papers a fortnight old here and the last I saw was the first of the trial of the I.W.W. men. How ludicrous it would be if it were not so damnably arbitrary and low down on the I.W.W. What a trumped up lot of rubbish. Treason, ye gods, one would think we were back in Charles 1 reign. I suspect it is to gaol a good lot of anti-conscriptionist speakers. I suppose it probable they will sabotage this letter. I should like to write a lot more but will await your reply.

What you say of the Psychology of education is true. It is a great factor too in modern educational methods, but there is still too much of the three R's in the schools. They are rendered factional too by the ever drummed in idea of patriotism and scripture. In my opinion the first requisite of a school teacher should be love. That in my idea is the most needed quality. Love and insight in child psychology and a study of each child in its relation to education. Teaching is an education in psychology for those who see. It is interesting to trace family traits, defects and acquisitions affecting the teaching of families. You see the inheritances and cannot pull against the tide.

How primary the teaching and how inadequate to help them through life. But they have to live and the standard of education has to be attained to obtain certain positions. You speak of necessity - a hard master. Here I know what it is to be an earner. My whole being is absorbed in the problem of my daily work. I have kept myself and family now for 5 months and I think I can justify myself in the possession of other qualities besides parasitism. I was unfitted for that sphere. Do you know what I am reading now? Swedenberg, just curiosity. Do you know I think so many men have caught a spark from the torch of truth and believe it to be the whole illumination that is the whole mistake. Mary Baker Eddy has a spark (thinking healthily does make us healthy) or does a healthy body make a healthy mind). Annie Besant caught a few sparks, the chords uniting mankind are hidden but mystics may catch the vibrati~ but that is not the whole of life. They turn the soul part into the whole thing and overdo the worry over what is natural. Emerson saw a whole comet of sparks, but new teachers will discard he and Bresant, Swedenborg and all religions. Spiritual things will have to become natural. Swedenborg believes that thoughts unite people. I honestly believe that when my daughter grows up I will say "Don't marry for wealth, you have to live with the man. Don't marry for love, it is a disease that soon fades away, but marry the man who thinks as you do and the communion of souls will be lasting and indissoluble. Then the tragedy sometimes is souls progress and when one has outgrown the other there is disunity. Are not our friends those we love and think of those who think like us? Think of our meeting, perfect strangers yet the bond of thinking alike grew, and burst all conventional and we knew one another in ten minutes. I am a woman and probably more emotional. I believe I sensed it first, for you were constantly in my thoughts. I was happy only when talking to you. Do you remember us hunting through Miss Blythe's library on the Sunday. I was hunting, I remember, for Queen Catherine's speech, "This hair I hear is mine." Let us not be reminiscent. I am settled now to a free and profitable treadmill round. I am as bright as possible, tho' my life has been in a sense a failure. You wish to see me dear friend. I should love it too, but how? If you do come here you know everything I have is at your disposal, but it is hardly practicable. If it were a place where there was a bush inn where you could pretend to stay and put in all your days with us, but it is a lonely bush hole, and yet the neighbours are the most mealy mouthed band of hypocrites who would most likely send me to Coventry. Do you know, I am afraid of this letter not reaching you and becoming Government property.

You will see changes in me my dear friend - I grow stouter every year and older of course. I care not myself how I look. Anyhow if I do not see you soon, could you be in Perth at the end of January (or middle). I will be coming down for certain for a fortnight and I could arrange to meet you and spend a delightful days talk or two... I get five weeks holiday (on no pay as I am married) thus chattledom is protected from wishing too much to earn its own living,... Anyhow if you have really determined to come down I'll cheerfully put up with any consequences.

Yours as ever dear friend

                             Margaret E. Green

P.S. Am I mistaken or are you not above the 1st age of 35 of called up men? A happy dawn seems sunk in seas of blood. If there were a god he would condemn to bottomless hell the mealy mouthed rogues, Churchills, Greys Hughes, who shout for war.


Sub.Ins. Mitchel
...She has strong anti-conscription views, I believe a farmer named Jackson threatened to bring her under notice if she did not keep her views to herself...

Director of Education
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential letter... A copy of the letter was already in our possession and the services of the teacher in question have been terminated.