Labor Leaders

"The hour is rapidly arriving when every man and woman of our class will have to make a great decision. We shall have to choose whether capitalism with all its attendant miseries and horrors is to remain enthroned here in Britain, or whether we intend to be free indeed. We shall have to choose whether we really believe in the application of the right of self-determination for all nations, or whether, for generations yet to come, we prefer to remain the tools of Imperialism, and the slaves of profit."

"Capitalism may hold the working class subjection by the strength of its might and power, but capitalism will never do it with the willing consent and acquiescence of that working class. Always and under all circumstance, will there be found fresh voices, growing not only in volume, but in numbers, raised to protest against this enslavement, and the rigour of the oppression will determine always the vigour of the protest."

"The working-class, generally, is slowly beginning to realise, the true value of solidarity and are gradually becoming aware of the fact that their interests, whether they be railwaymen, dockers, engineers, or miners, are indissolubly wrapped up with one another, and that they stand or fall as a class."

"Our comrades in Russia are stretching out their arms, beseeching assistance, and this way lies real assistance. They are standing upright in the full dignity and strength of their newly-won freedom, imploring us to rise from our knees and stand erect, side by side with them and shoulder to shoulder—forming the only League of Nations capable of preventing war and ensuring peace: the League of International Working-Class Solidarity, bound and knit together by the bond of comradeship, and not commercial and profit-seeking interest."

"Written right across every page of human history is the declaration that no people can be free so long as the private ownership of the means of production and distribution endures."

"The tragedy of the War is now to be followed by the greater tragedy of peace. The ostensible plea for the War as a struggle for the freedom of small nations now becomes clear as a War of Imperialism. The War for the so-called democratisation of Germany has now turned into a War for the crushing of the rising working class of Europe."

"They may crush us, but they will never crush our principles; rather will they by crushing us intensify the determination of those who come after us to follow on in our steps, undaunted and courageous until the dawn of the great day when “All shall be better than well.”"

"He attended the Anti-Imperialist Conference at Brussels, having come straight from mass agitation at the docks in various ports. Within a few days after the Brussels Conference comes the news of his death. He thus died in harness, a good comrade, an energetic fighter—living, working and fighting under the banner of the Communist International. He will not be forgotten, nor will his work cease, for it was a part of the struggle of the working class for freedom."

"If the Church, white or black, is to express the true philosophy of Jesus Christ, Himself a worker, it will not lend itself to the creed of oppressive capitalism which would deny to the servant his just hire."

"... the history of the labor movement in America proves that the employing class recognize no race lines. They will exploit a white man as readily as a black man. They will exploit women as readily as men.They will even go to the extent of coining the labor, blood and suffering of children into dollars. The introduction of women and children into the factories proves that capitalists are only concerned with profits and that they will exploit any race or class in order to make profits, whether they be black or white men, black or white women or black or white children."

"Of what was Herndon "guilty"? He had led a demonstration of unemployed Negro and white workers to City Hall, had been found with a couple of Communist pamphlets in his possession, and possessed a firm and inspiringly defiant advocacy of the freedom of Negroes and of the liberation of the white masses from exploitation. The "dangerous" policy he then espoused as a Communist, was the unity of the Negroes in the South with the impoverished white workers and poor farmers."

"My father ... rarely smiled. Then I did not know why, but now I do know that it was overwork, under-nourishment and the burdens of daily living which had made a broken man out of him, although still so young in years. His eyes were perpetually inflamed by the coal dust which also gnawed away at his lungs and made him spit out black sputum."

"My father worked from ten to fourteen hours a day and sometimes during the night, for which he never received any extra pay. Every year that passed only increased the wretchedness of his condition and our way of living. Work as hard as he would, there seemed to be no way out for us."

"My father was miserably treated by the mining company, but he had imbibed the false humility and meekness that the oppressors of his race and class had hypocritically taught him. He sought consolation from his torment in a touching devotion to his church, distracting himself from the sordid realities of his life and that of his family with dreams of the Reward Hereafter."

"SOMEWHERE IN SPAIN"

"There’s already about 10,000 people on the docks, screamin’ and hollerin’, and carrying swastikas, “Free Ernst Thälmann”, “Down with Hitlerism”, and such and such and such. The demonstration’s already really in progress."

"Well, first of all, if you’re not—if you’ve never been on a soap box, it’s sort of awkward. You get up on a chair, and you look out—‘specially when the guy will precede you by saying “And the next speaker is Bill Bailey, a member of the Marine Workers Industrial Union, and a great—and this, and on—“, you know. They give you a big razzle-dazzle, and you get up there and you look out over a couple of hundred faces… Nobody’s laughing, no expression, you know, no nothing… You don’t know if they got a ham sandwich in their hand they’re gonna hit you with or what! And you’re supposed to razzle-dazzle them, you know, stir them, you know, really get ‘em up to where they’re screamin’ “Bloody murder!” Well, you know, and you get up there, and you’re mouth is dry, you know. Butterflies in your stomach. I mean, you’re complete emotional, ready to collapse, and the first thing you said to yourself, “I wish an earthquake takes place at this very minute,” you know. But anyway…! Like anything else, you take a deep breath, and you say your first word. And the second one comes out a little bit easier, after you get the word “Fellow-worker”, you know, out of your mouth—that’s the way it is. Then, bit by bit, you start warming up."

"You have to put up some kind of a beef. Scream or holler or scratch or make some sound that you’re alive and can fight. You know, cough or do something. Otherwise, they just walk past you and look at you and say, “He must be dead, he ain’t moving.”"

"I have tried to lead my life by following a belief that has guided my passage. This I sincerely recommend for all to follow: to witness an injustice and do nothing--that is the biggest crime."

"As a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, Ralph Chaplin did his part to make the organization a success. He wrote songs and poems; he made speeches; he edited the official paper, “Solidarity”. He looked about him; saw poverty, wretchedness and suffering among the workers; contrasted it with the luxury of those who owned the land and the machinery of production; studied the problem of distribution; and decided that it was possible, through the organization of the producers, to establish a more scientific, juster, more humane system of society. All this he felt, intensely. With him and his fellow-workers the task of freeing humanity from economic bondage took on the aspect of a faith, a religion. They held their meetings; wrote their literature; made their speeches and sang their song with zealous devotion. They had seen a vision; they had heard a call to duty; they were giving their lives to a cause—the emancipation of the human race."

"The Wobbly poet and newspaperman Ralph Chaplin (author of “Solidarity Forever”) recalled being introduced to Anarchist ideas — Proudhon, Bakunin, Kropotkin, Most, etc — by an “FAS correspondent” on his way to Detroit via the box car."

"When the union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run,"

"Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth"

"The parliamentary system is the most responsive and responsible system of government. Let us not allow it to go into disuse."

"He must always be remembered for a significant event in Indian History viz., when he appeared in Court as President of India when his election was in dispute."

"He was always remembered as one of the greatest labour Leaders which India ever had...he started his life as a Student associating himself with the Irish Freedom Movement."

"He was never sophisticated. His loyalty to the causes he felt near to his heart, his disarming sincerity, his straight dealing, and above all humanism made him a lovable and unforgettable personality. **In: P.85"

"Starting his career as a Trade Unionist when Trade Unionism was not prominent of public life, he came to occupy the highest office of this country, with dignity and charm. It was a day of Victory for the labour and Weaker Sections of the Society, when he became the President of India winning a political battle with popular support. He was a fearless champion of the cause of the poor and the working classes. He was always insisting upon cleaner methods in public life. As a labour leader he did not allow Trade Unions to be involved in political activities. He was a stalwart of Indian Nationalism."

"India has been more than fortunate in her sons and daughters. You will always be associated with your great warmth and humanity, your heartiness and winning informality, and your habit of zestful dedication –qualities which have endured you to one and all and won for you universal regard and goodwill. You will be remembered always as People’s President. So, indeed were you hailed, signifying thereby your life-long closeness to the common man and particularly your association with the working class in our country, when in an unprecedented and mist keenly-fought election you romped home to victory. And, in the midst of all the pomp and regalia associated with your office, you have remained a great comer at heart."

"He no doubt had a versatile personality, a trade unionist, a freedom fighter, a Minister, a Governor, the Vice-President and above all the President Rashtrapathiji"

"He wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister urging her to convene a second Constituent Assembly to have a fresh look at the constitution in view of the changed situation and also suggested her the formation of a national government under her leadership to overcome the immediate problems."

"Soon after his unusual election as the fourth President of India, he addressed Srimathi Indira Gandhi as his daughter."

"The former President of India, has made outstanding contributions towards designing and evolving labor policy in India. He was a champion of labor movement and a person who was largely responsible for ensuring that labor and employment issues figured prominently in all policy discussions relating to growth and development."

"He was known for his honesty, straightforwardness and spirit of service. He was outspoken and greatly respected for his views, which were both independent and impartial. If a judge took a partisan or prejudiced view, he did not."

"When he was declared elected [As President of India], a full-dress rehearsal was held a day before. The entire route from Rashtrapathi Bhavan to Parliament House was lined by troops in battle array. The two buildings were also surrounded by troops. Armoured vehicle and light tanks came out and a battery of filed guns was also stationed. I received calls from newspapers and news agencies if there was a coup by me or someone else! I replied to an Editor (who was a friend and whom I asked not to quote me that it was his [Giri’s] coup against Sanjiva Reddy!"

"He became friends with some of the Irish nationalists….he established a Dublin Indian Society with the 100 Indian students who were there at the time. The emebers discarded the hat . They viewed the hat as a symbol of the Britisher. Instead they took to the Fez cap."

"Reading made him [during school days] ready to chose where to study law. His father spoke of Britain. But he set his heart on the National University of Ireland. He decided to enter King’s Inn, Dublin. The choice was deliberate. For Dublin was the center of Irish freedom struggle."

"Ruth Renkel once remarked: Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s light shining somewhere near by. That summarises his [Giri’s] life. He was a young student at Ireland. He watched the freedom struggle by the Irish. That fanned the rebel in him. After independence, he became one of the chosen few who shared the burden of steering the nation through difficult times. Finally he became the nation’s First Citizen. The national conferred on him the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna."

"The destiny of India is the destiny of the masses of the vast population that inhabit this country, and every citizen has a meaningful role in shaping that destiny. There is a sacred duty cast on all of us – not written down in laws, but which is inherent – that we stand by this commitment."

"The youth of the country, who are the most potent force in building India to progress and in preserving its unity, have to be shown the right example and given the right lead. A spirit of self-introspection and dedication to national well-being will make us all go along the right path."

"The problems of hunger and food, unemployment, a growing and crushing price rise in the commodities needed for one’s day-to-day subsistence have naturally found angry expressions, sometimes violent expression in many parts of the country. Corruption and falling standard in administration and public life have added to their dimension."

"A democratic government can gain strength and vitality only by constant scrutiny and the genuine fear that it may be thrown out of a vigilant public opinion."

"I have not permitted my constitutional niceties in the way of my free functioning in public…given frank expression to views concerning administration so often."

"I am more at home at an assembly like this than sitting inside the splendor of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan or Raj Bhavans."

"I am conscious of my shortcomings, but I have always tried as an honest worker to a do a job to the best of my ability and judgment."

"Strength is unity."

"It is the power to combine that labour has the most effective safeguard against exploitation and the only lasting security against inhuman conditions."

"Education is the principal tool of socio-economic development and unless all societies are provided with right type of education, adequate in quality and quantity, it will not be possible to tackle satisfactorily the problem of ignorance of health and poverty which afflicts the majority of human beings in the world."

"Unemployment is the problem of problems which has made our youths naxalites. Educated youth are deprived of all deserving comforts and their growing discontent has given scope for the sppedy growth of naxalism."

"It is essential condition to maintain mutual trust and confidence between the employer and the employee to obtain the goal of rapid economic development and social justice."