In re for Naturalization of Thompson

209 F. Supp. 494, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3534
District Court, N.D. Illinois·Decided April 18, 1962·No. No. 323733·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

PERRY, District Judge.

This cause comes on to be heard upon the petition of Petitioner for naturalization before this court, objections thereto and full consideration of the record herein, and the court, being fully advised in the premises, finds the facts and states the conclusions of law as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. The petitioner is a native and national of Canada, 61 years of age, who [495]*495has resided continuously in the United States since his lawful admission for permanent residence March 27, 1922. (Tr. pp. 13,14) His petition for naturalization was filed under the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Nationality Act of 1940 (8 U.S.C. § 710(b) 1) on August 28, 1946.

2. The petitioner was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World from September 1922 to the present date. From 1936 through 1937, he served as General Secretary-Treasurer of the I.W. W., a position which entailed the responsibility of keeping the records and finances of the organization’s general office. At a hearing before this court on July 12, 1961, petitioner testified that he was employed by the Industrial Worker as an editor of the Industrial Worker, a weekly newspaper which is the official organ of the Industrial Workers of the World, during the periods of the summer of 1936 and 1937 and from about July of 1946 to September of 1950. (Tr. pp. 21 and 75) From January 1923 to approximately 1950, the petitioner held the position of Job Delegate, an office in the Industrial Workers of the World which involved the initiation of members into the I.W.W. and the collecting of dues from such members. From May 1928 to April 1929 and from February 1933 to February 1934, and from sometime during 1934 through 1936, petitioner was a member of the General Executive Board of the Industrial Workers of the World. The function of the Executive Board was to handle all administrative matters between conventions of the Industrial Workers of the World, as well as the determination of organization policy and the determination of the official positions of the organization’s official organ, the Industrial Worker, which was distributed throughout the United States. Petitioner was Branch Secretary in Cleveland, Ohio, during the period 1943 to 1945 and this position entailed keeping the books and records of dues of all members of that particular area, arranging for sessions of shop committees, the supervising of organizing efforts and the carrying out of all decrees issued by the Industrial Workers of the World. (Tr. p. 21) In addition, the petitioner was the editor of Industrial Solidarity, a weekly newspaper which was then the Eastern organ of the I.W.W. during the year 1930. He was also editor of the “One Big Union Monthly” during the period 1936 to 1937. This was a magazine published monthly by the General Executive Board of the International Workers of the World and distributed throughout the United States by the I.W.W. In addition, the petitioner was an instructor at the Work Peoples’ College, a school which was controlled and operated by the Industrial Workers of the World, during various winters between 1929 and 1940. (Tr. pp. 22, 89 and 90)

3. In 1923, petitioner was arrested in Marysville, California, on the charge of criminal syndicalism of which he was found guilty and sentenced to 1 to 14 years, of which sentence he served three years and three months in the State Prison at San Quentin, California. He was granted a full and unconditional pardon for this offense by the Governor of California on December 23,1940. In 1935, on three separate occasions, he was arrested in Cleveland, Ohio, while on picket lines and later released, and again was not charged with any offense. In 1932 he was arrested in Flint, Michigan, for distributing leaflets and was released without being charged with any offense. (Ex. A-3 and Ex. A-31 and Tr. pp. 57 to 67)

4. Petitioner testified that while he was editor of The Industrial Worker, he was the author of numerous editorials and articles appearing therein which were written either in his own name or under the pen names of Ernest Lachland, E.L., V. Jones, Henry Jones and X-33063. He also testified that he was the author of numerous articles appearing in publications of the Industrial Worker as well as a book on the history of the Industrial Workers of the World entitled “The I.W. [496]*496W. — Its First 50 Years”. He further testified that he agreed with the policies and views set forth in various issues of the Industrial Worker and other publications of the Industrial Workers of the World. (Tr. pp. 82 and 83)

5. The Industrial Workers of the World was formed in 1905 and has existed until the present date. During its early years the Industrial Workers of the World published a newspaper called Industrial Solidarity, which was later known as the Industrial Worker. In addition, the I.W.W. issued hundreds of pamphlets which were distributed and circulated throughout the United States. The constitution of the Industrial Workers of the World (Ex. A-20) was adopted in 1908 and continued to be in effect in its same form up until the present time. In effect the constitution stated that the working class and the employing class have nothing in common; that between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class and abolish the wage system. It is further stated that “it is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism.” (Ex. A-20, p. 6) In discussing the methods by which capitalism can be overthrown, it should be noted that in the publication known as “The General Strike for Industrial Freedom” it is stated: “Realizing that control of industry can only come into the hands of the producing class when the producers have sufficient power to keep and to hold this control, the I.W.W. advocates the General Strike * * It is asserted therein that “the change from private to social ownership being inevitable, only thus can the danger of serious destruction and bloodshed be minimized.” (Ex. A-25, p. 48)

6. Further means of attaining the objectives or aims of the Industrial Workers of the World is by the method of sabotage. In the Industrial Worker, dated March 27, 1913, it is stated that sabotage is advocated and that mass.-sabotage is a sign of solidarity. Sabotage is defined as the concerted withdrawal of efficiency by slowing down,. or other means. Furthermore, the same article stated that individual acts of sabotage, performed to the end that class benefit can be derived, can in no way militate against solidarity and that rather they promote unity. Examples of sabotage are quoted in the same article as follows: “Various cases of this capitalist sabotage might be quoted. Competitors to the Standard Oil Company often found that legal documents had been improperly executed for them. Rivals to the Sugar Trust had foreign materials introduced into their shipments, and in the fight of Havemeyer against Spreckels the latter’s machinery had an accountable habit of getting out of order.” The same article also stated: “No analysis of the labor movement is complete where sabotage is not accepted as a weapon * * *. Should capitalism create an oligarchy to crush out all labor organization the attempt would be met by- destructive sabotage.” (Emphasis supplied) (Ex. A-13, P- 2)

7. The Industrial Workers of the World advocates the abolishment of government.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

In re for Naturalization of Thompson, 209 F. Supp. 494, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3534 (N.D. Ill. 1962).

209 F. Supp. 494 (In re for Naturalization of Thompson) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related