Page:The I. W. W.; Its History, Structure, and Methods.pdf/27

Rh The organization to date (1913) consists of three National Industrial Unions—Textile Workers, with 37 local unions; Forest and Lumber Workers, with 48 locals; and Marine Transport Workers with 12 locals—and 195 local unions in other industries affiliated directly with the general organization.

The membership today consists almost wholly of unskilled workers. The bulk of the present membership is in the following industries: Textile, steel, lumber, mining, farming, and railroad construction. The majority of the workers in these industries—except the textile—travel from place to place following the different seasons of work. They are therefore out of touch with the organization for months at a period. The paid up membership of the organization at this time is 30,347. Due to the causes referred to above, this is all of the membership that keeps paid up on the books at all times. The general office, however, has issued over 120,000 cards, which is about the number of workers that are in the organization in good and bad standing.

The general practice of exaggerating the membership of the organization is looked upon with disfavor in the I. W. W., as the organization aims to have the membership at all times look at all questions that affect their interests in their actual state. It is absolutely necessary that they do so if they are to be able to judge their strength and their ability to accomplish any proposed undertaking.

As will be seen, the organization in the past has had a continual struggle, not the least of which has been the internal strife engendered by conflicting elements whose activity sprang from many different motives.

The future of the organization will be one of greater struggles. We would not have it otherwise. The internal strife will no doubt be present in the future as in the past. The employing class are fully aware that the