﻿STANDARDS 
 
The disturbing elements on the approach of a critical industrial situation, inject themselves into the breech and start wondering aloud, very loud––why the workers don’t fight on both economic and political field at one and the same time. 
I take the liberty to point out that I suspect it is because workers are not politicians––they stick to their trade (industry)––even so as they do not meet the masters in a military way. 

Exploitation is in a fluid state. That’s why at times it appears that the exploitation happens at the point of production. (A Fluid State is a “condition” that is not anchored). To illustrate: If a man raises his wages every time the “cost of living” goes up he cannot be exploited at the point of consumption; if he raises his wages more than the amount of the increase in the cost of living it would appear that he is an exploiter (another fluid state). But that would not be true: He is merely withdrawing a greater share of the value of his production –– more than that is impossible? Finally, if man never goes “to the point of production he is absolutely free from exploitation no matter how much he may frequent the point of consumption––the table.  

The I. W. W. is fighting the boss at the point of production!––not at the table; not in the bed; not in Congress; not in church––or in Heaven––or the ballot-box! 
Here Now! At the point of production––on the job.  

The “leaders’ tents” are far, far from the battlefront. 
They are crooked and yellow. 

Destruction of property, under any circumstances, is but destroying that which belongs to labor. And when the boss destroys property he is committing a crime against the working class. 
When labor destroys property he is hurting the boss––the boss is insured against all loss; even a temporary interruption in his business is covered by insurance. . . AND THAT INSURANCE COMES FROM THE WORKERS. 

Freedom is of no given “standard.” To a man hanging from a noose––freedom is the touch of the foot on solid ground. 
To a man chained to a wall––freedom is “the liberty of the cell.” 
To a man in jail––freedom is the “release” from incarceration. 

Were I to advocate the destruction of New York City––and some FOOL went and did it––who would rebuild it? 
The politicians wouldn’t do it. 
The noted economists wouldn’t “turn a wheel”––or push a barrow. 
The self-made leaders wouldn’t rebuild it. 
No! Labor would have to do it!––in the sweat of his brow. 
Therefore, when any man tells you he is in favor of destroying property––believe him. He is in favor of destroying property; but too cowardly to do it. He wants you to do it. He wants to appear as a bold, bad, man in front of you––what he really has in mind is that two-bits that is in your pocket. For god’s sake, hand it to him––before he devastates the universe. 

We have here a reported menu of the Solovetzky prison in Russia –– considered “very poor” by the prisoners: 
One and one-half pounds of rye bread a day. 
Half a bottle of sunflower seed oil. 
Two and one-half pounds of dried vegetables every fortnight. 
About one pound of sugar a month. 
Dried cod, in addition. 
There! Now I wish to point out that the lumberjacks in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan are not getting “a bottle of sunflower seed oil.” 
What they get is a brick of “cotton-seed oil margarine––considered “very poor” by in the lumberjack. 

Any man who follows advice is a fool!  
Consult yourself! Determine the value of the “advice” and if it measures up to your specifications it is no longer advice––merely a cue for your consideration. Hence: A wise man follow the verdict of his own reasoning. 
Advice is merely a suggestion. 
Your decision denatures it. 
A thinking man cannot follow advice––the blind accept it. 

SUPPLY AND DEMAND 
The price of O. Henry candy is ten cents, be there much or little. 
Should an “over-production” occur as a result of national toothache all they have to do is tell the engineer to bank his fires and go to a Polish wedding for two weeks. 
Seems to me Henry Ford has said something to the effect that “overproduction” is real, continual, habitual; has been before, is today and will be tomorrow. 
Mm! We got the supply! Where’s the demand?