THE SERMON OF THE SOAP BOX.
CHAPTER 10.
G. D. for THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER
THE SERMON OF THE SOAP BOX.
CHAPTER 10.
G. D. for THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER
G. D. for THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER, October 19, 1910.
1. And it came to pass, that the voice of a slave went into Spokane, in the land of Palouse, which is the empire of parasites.
2. And there followed him great multitudes, from Yakima, Kootenai, and from beyond the Cascades.
3. And seeing the multitudes, he went up onto a soap box.
4. And he opened his mouth and spoke to them, saying:
Gerald O'Conel Desmond Books
5. Organize, ye slaves of the rich, and take possession of the earth and the machinery of production.
6. Hark ye not to the voice of the socialites, Hellites and Capitalites. For verily I say unto you, they shall lead you into peonage, which is worse than wage slavery.
7. Ye have heard them say onto you, “strike ye not for the good things of life, but use that which is called a ballot.”
8. Know ye not that to use the ballot is like unto a man who, hating his enemies, shakes his fist at him from a distanced and does that which is called skiddoo.
9. Ye generation of cringing slaves, who do ye heed the voice of your enemy even unto following the crusaders to the empty sepulchre which is called the ballot box.
10. Take heed lest you be led into the desert by that which is called political action, and left there to perish, even as your fathers of old time perished by that which is called religious action, led by him who was Peter the hermit.
11. Ye have heard it said that to act according to that which is called a ballot ye must have a majority.
12. But I say onto you that if you act according to that which is called direct action you may be a minority.
13. And you can show the majority which came from the land which is called Missouri that organized, direct action delivers that which is called the goods.
14. Why waste ye your time on that method which requires a majority before ye can act?
15. Organize ye therefore into that which is called Industrial Unionism. Go and bet each month 50c to that which is called the full product of your toil, that you are ready to act.
16. By these signs we shall know that your desire to improve your condition is sincere.
17. Choose ye the path which leads to the goods and hark ye to them who toil not in that which is called Industry.
18. And it came to pass that when the voice of a slave spoke these words he was seized by the slugging committee who uphold that which is called vice and disorder, and taken before a judge, who wipes his feet on that which is called justice.
19. And the voice was branded as a disturber of that which is a stench in the stagnant swamp called Capitalism.
20. And the voice was sentenced to four months on that which is called, the rock pile, to cleave the rock for them who would hide in it, but while the rocks were cold, few were frozen.
G. D., Local 434
[*G. D. *Gerald Desmond (Arthur Desmond 1859-1929 “Ragnar Redbeard.”) Ed.]
THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER, Oct. 19, 1910.
