Industrial Workers of the World

The christian churches of Boulder City in common with other towns all over the English speaking world prayed for "victories" on Sunday last, January 2.  Prayed that the Allies' army might defeat the German army.
Victories !  What does that mean ?  It means great slaughter and carnage on both sides.  It means the tears of widows, and cries of little children on both sides.  It means laying waste farms and homes in all Europe.

"Victories" for the great army of the unemployed.

"Victories" won by the groans, the sweat, the tears, and by the labour of the workers of all lands.

"Victories" that do nothing but harm, and that prove nothing.
Did the victories of Alexander, of Hannibal, of Julious Caesar, of Napolian, prove that their cause of conquest was just?

On the day of "Interceasion and Prayer", I was proud and glad that I was not a Christian or a patriot.  I did not feel the need to a bloodthirsty and anthropomorphic God - to "kill and slay and desteoy" my fellow workers of any land.

But I feel the need to work, not pray, for the One Big Union of all workers of all countries.

There is a great need to work, that victory may be given to light over darkness of knowledge over ignorance; of evolution over religion; of communism over capitalism; and of the working class over the master class.

To those Bishops, politicians, and other immoral persons, who prayed on Sunday last for "Victories" I will say "As a Communist Anarchist, and a member of the working class,  and I hope a human man, I despise your religion, your crude economics and your bestial morality."

The great statesmen who pray for victories have the  twentieth century method of dealing with the unemployed.  That is to insult them, or order the police to club the workless or homeless.

The working class all over the world have a victory to win, a victory over "Patriotism, Original Sin, and Wages."  A victory of an organised working class over a capitalist society, a real victory of abundance over poverty; of smiles and laughter over groans; and tears of happiness over misery; of art over industry; of peace over war; of fine houses over slums; of use over profit; of a full life over wages.  If this war does not cause the necessary reaction to promote the social revolution, then there will be another.  Carlyle in writing of the French Revolution said, "If one revolution is not enough, then you will have another."

War cannot be carried on without the slavery of the working class. 

War cannot be abolished by prayer, but by work, by working to destroy Capitalism, by means of international revolutionary industrial unionism and victory - Victory will be ours.  Mick Sawtell

Direct Action 1/2/1915