p. 12 | Not Law-Abiding by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 28, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 21.

Not Law-Abiding

By Editor

WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD, the head of the Industrial Workers of the World, is very frank as to where he stands. In his speech at Cooper, Indiana, on December 21, he is reported to have said:

"Can you wonder that I despise the law? I understand the class struggle. I am not a law-abiding citizen. More than that, I do not believe you here ought to be law-abiding citizens. . . . Let us Socialists be frank. We want to overthrow the capitalist system and establish in its place an industrial democracy. Why then say we are law-abiding?"

Surely if that is what the Industrial Workers of the World stand for, as set forth by their chief spokesman, they ought not to complain if they are met by the violent means which is at the disposal of the law enforcement officers. We could understand, and can understand, how men may not agree with laws upon the statute-books, how they may feel and know that some of these laws are in favor of the classes and against the masses; but it does not necessarily follow, even in the face of this, that a man can not be law-abiding. He may use every legitimate means in his power to protest against the law and to endeavor to change the law, but at the same time he may be law-abiding. Surely one forfeits his right to citizenship in any land who will make such a declaration as it is reported Mr. Haywood made.