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rewards for work。 From this point of view its vigor and its distinctive
character are derived。 It aims at substituting industrial for political action；
and at using Trade Union organization for purposes for which orthodox
Socialism would look to Parliament。 ‘‘Syndicalism'' was originally only
the French name for Trade Unionism； but the Trade Unionists of France
became divided into two sections； the Reformist and the Revolutionary； of
whom the latter only professed the ideas which we now associate with the
term ‘‘Syndicalism。'' It is quite impossible to guess how far either the
organization or the ideas of the Syndicalists will remain intact at the end
of the war； and everything that we shall say is to be taken as applying only
to the years before the war。 It may be that French Syndicalism as a
distinctive movement will be dead； but even in that case it will not have
lost its importance； since it has given a new impulse and direction to the
more vigorous part of the labor movement in all civilized countries； with
the possible exception of Germany。
The organization upon which Syndicalism de… pended was the
Confederation Generale du Travail； commonly known as the C。 G。 T。；
which was founded in 1895； but only achieved its final form in 1902。 It
has never been numerically very powerful； but has derived its influence
from the fact that in moments of crisis many who were not members were
willing to follow its guidance。 Its membership in the year before the war is
estimated by Mr。 Cole at somewhat more than half a million。 Trade Unions
（Syndicats） were legalized by Waldeck…Rousseau in 1884； and the C。 G。 T。；
on its inauguration in 1895； was formed by the Federation of 700
Syndicats。 Alongside of this organization there existed another； the
Federation des Bourses du Travail； formed in 1893。 A Bourse du Travail is
a local organization； not of any one trade； but of local labor in general；
intended to serve as a Labor Exchange and to perform such functions for
labor as Chambers of Commerce perform for the employer。＇24＇ A
Syndicat is in general a local organization of a single industry； and is thus
a smaller unit than the Bourse du Travail。＇25＇ Under the able leadership of
Pelloutier； the Federation des Bourses prospered more than the C。 G。 T。；
and at last； in 1902； coalesced with it。 The result was an organization in
which the local Syndicat was fed… erated twice over； once with the other
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Syndicat in its locality； forming together the local Bourse du Travail； and
again with the Syndicats in the same industry in other places。 ‘‘It was the
purpose of the new organization to secure twice over the membership of
every syndicat； to get it to join both its local Bourse du Travail and the
Federation of its industry。 The Statutes of the C。 G。 T。 （I。 3） put this point
plainly： ‘No Syndicat will be able to form a part of the C。 G。 T。 if it is not
federated nationally and an adherent of a Bourse du Travail or a local or
departmental Union of Syndicats grouping different associations。' Thus； M。
Lagardelle explains； the two sections will correct each other's point of
view： national federation of industries will prevent parochialism
（localisme）； and local organization will check the corporate or ‘Trade
Union' spirit。 The workers will learn at once the solidarity of all workers in
a locality and that of all workers in a trade； and； in learning this； they will
learn at the same time the complete solidarity of the whole working…
class。''＇26＇
＇24＇ Cole； ib。； p。 65。
＇25＇ ‘‘Syndicat in France still means a local unionthere are at the
present day only four national syndicats'' （ib。； p。 66）。
＇26＇ Cole； ib。 p。 69。
This organization was largely the work of Pellouties； who was
Secretary of the Federation des Bourses from 1894 until his death in 1901。
He was an Anarchist Communist and impressed his ideas upon the
Federation and thence posthumously on the C。 G。 T。 after its combination
with the Federation des Bourses。 He even carried his principles into the
government of the Federation； the Committee had no chairman and votes
very rarely took place。 He stated that ‘‘the task of the revolution is to free
mankind； not only from all authority； but also from every institution which
has not for its essential purpose the development of production。''
The C。 G。 T。 allows much autonomy to each unit in the organization。
Each Syndicat counts for one； whether it be large or small。 There are not
the friendly society activities which form so large a part of the work of
English Unions。 It gives no orders； but is purely advisory。 It does not allow
politics to be introduced into the Unions。 This decision was originally
based upon the fact that the divisions among Socialists disrupted the
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Unions； but it is now reinforced in the minds of an important section by
the general Anarchist dislike of politics。 The C。 G。 T。 is essentially a
fighting organization； in strikes； it is the nucleus to which the other
workers rally。
There is a Reformist section in the C。 G。 T。； but it is practically always
in a minority； and the C。 G。 T。 is； to all intents and purposes； the organ of
revolutionary Syndicalism； which is simply the creed of its leaders。
The essential doctrine of Syndicalism is the class… war； to be
conducted by industrial rather than politi… cal methods。 The chief
industrial methods advocated are the strike； the boycott； the label and
sabotage。
The boycott； in various forms； and the label； showing that the work has
been done under trade… union conditions； have played a considerable part
in American labor struggles。
Sabotage is the practice of doing bad work； or spoiling machinery or
work which has already been done； as a method of dealing with employers
in a dispute when a strike appears for some reason undesirable or
impossible。 It has many forms； some clearly innocent； some open to grave
objections。 One form of sabotage which has been adopted by shop
assistants is to tell customers the truth about the articles they are buying；
this form； however it may damage the shopkeeper's business； is not easy to
object to on moral grounds。 A form which has been adopted on railways；
particularly in Italian strikes； is that of obeying all rules literally and
exactly； in such a way as to make the running of trains practically
impossible。 Another form is to do all the work with minute care； so that in
the end it is better done； but the output is small。 From these innocent forms
there is a continual progression； until we come to such acts as all ordinary
morality would consider criminal； for example； causing railway accidents。
Advocates of sabotage justify it as part of war； but in its more violent
forms （in which it is seldom defended） it is cruel and probably inexpedient；
while even in its milder forms it must tend to encourage slovenly habits of
work； which might easily persist under the new regime that the
Syndicalists wish to introduce。 At the same time； when capitalists express
a moral horror of this method； it is worth while to observe that they
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themselves are the first to practice it when the occasion seems to them
appropriate。 If report speaks truly； an example of this on a very large scale
has been seen during the Russian Revolution。
By far the most important of the Syndicalist methods is the strike。
Ordinary strikes； for specific objects； ar