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tradition； was turned over to the alien mob for a continuous series of
mass meetings。 All day long that edifice； hitherto chastely familiar
with American doctrine alone； with patriotic oratory； with perorations
that dwelt upon the wrongs and woes of Irelandpart of our national
propagandaall day long that edifice rang with strange； exotic speech；
sometimes guttural； often musical； but always impassioned； weirdly
cadenced and intoned。 From the raised platform； in place of the shrewd；
matter…of…fact New England politician alive to the votegetting powers
of Fourth of July patriotism； in place of the vehement but fun…loving son
of Erin； men with wild； dark faces； with burning black eyes and unkempt
hair； unshaven； flannel skirtedmade more alien； paradoxically； by their
conventional； ready…made American clothesgave tongue to the
inarticulate aspirations of the peasant drudge of Europe。 From lands
long steeped in blood they came； from low countries by misty northern
seas； from fair and ancient plains of Lombardy； from Guelph and
Ghibelline hamlets in the Apennines； from vine…covered slopes in Sicily
and Greece； from the Balkans； from Caucasus and Carpathia； from the
mountains of Lebanon； whose cedars lined the palaces of kings； and from
villages beside swollen rivers that cross the dreary steppes。 Each
peasant listened to a recital in his own tonguethe tongue in which the
folklore； the cradle sayings of his race had been preservedof the
common wrongs of all； of misery still present； of happiness still
unachieved in this land of liberty and opportunity they had found a
mockery； to appeals to endure and suffer for a common cause。 But who was
to weld together this medley of races and traditions； to give them the
creed for which their passions were prepared； to lead into battle these
ignorant and unskilled from whom organized labour held aloof？ Even as
dusk was falling； even as the Mayor； the Hon。 Michael McGrath； was making
from the platform an eloquent plea for order and peace； promising a
Committee of Arbitration and thinking about soldiers； the leader and the
philosophy were landing in Hampton。
The 〃five o'clock〃 edition of the Banner announced him； Antonio
Antonelli； of the Industrial Workers of the World！ An ominous name； an
ominous title；compared by a wellknown publicist to the sound of a fire…
bell in the night。 The Industrial Workers； not of America； but of the
World！ No wonder it sent shivers down the spine of Hampton！ The writer
of the article in the Banner was unfamiliar with the words 〃syndicalism〃
and 〃sabotage；〃 or the phrase 〃direct action；〃 he was too young to know
the history of the Knights； he had never heard of a philosophy of labour；
or of Sorel or Pouget； but the West he had heard of；the home of
lawlessness； of bloodshed； rape； and murder。 For obvious reasons he did
not betray this opinion； but for him the I。W。W。 was born in the West；
where it had ravaged and wrecked communities。 His article was guardedly
respectful； but he ventured to remind his readers that Mr。 Antonelli had
been a leader in some of these titanic struggles between crude labour and
capitalcatastrophes that hitherto had seemed to the citizens of Hampton
as remote as Kansas cyclones。。。。
Some of the less timorous of the older inhabitants； curious to learn what
doctrine this interloper had to proclaim； thrust their way that evening
into the City Hall； which was crowded； as the papers said； 〃to
suffocation。〃 Not prepossessing； this modern Robespierre； younger than
he looked； for life had put its mark on him； once； in the days of severe
work in the mines； his body had been hard； and now had grown stout。 In
the eyes of a complacent； arm…chair historian he must have appeared one
of the； strange and terrifying creatures which； in times of upheaval； are
thrust from the depths of democracies to the surface； with gifts to voice
the longings and passions of those below。 He did not blink in the light；
he was sure of himself； he had a creed and believed in it； he gazed
around him with the leonine stare of the conqueror； and a hush came over
the hall as he arose。 His speech was taken down verbatim； to be
submitted to the sharpest of legal eyes； when was discovered the
possession of a powerrare among agitatorsto pour forth in torrents
apparently unpremeditated appeals； to skirt the border of sedition and
never transgress it； to weigh his phrases before he gave them birth； and
to remember them。 If he said an incendiary thing one moment he qualified
it the next； he justified violence only to deprecate it； and months
later； when on trial for his life and certain remarks were quoted against
him； he confounded his prosecutors by demanding the contexts。 Skilfully；
always within the limits of their intelligence； he outlined to his
hearers his philosophy and proclaimed it as that of the world's
oppressed。 Their cause was histhe cause of human progress； he
universalized； it。 The world belonged to the 〃producer；〃 if only he had
the courage to take possession of his own。。。。
Suddenly the inspirer was transformed into the man of affairs who calmly
proposed the organization of a strike committee； three members of which
were to be chosen by each nationality。 And the resolution； translated
into many tongues； was adopted amidst an uproar of enthusiasm。 Until
that moment the revolt had been personal； local； founded on a particular
grievance which had to do with wages and the material struggle for
existence。 Now all was changed； now they were convinced that the
deprivation and suffering to which they had pledged themselves were not
for selfish ends alone； but also vicarious； dedicated to the liberation
of all the downtrodden of the earth。 Antonelli became a saviour； they
reached out to touch him as he passed； they trooped into the snowy
street； young men and old； and girls； and women holding children in their
arms； their faces alight with something never known or felt before。
Such was Antonelli to the strikers。 But to those staid residents of
Hampton who had thought themselves still to be living in the old New
England tradition； he was the genius of an evil dream。 Hard on his heels
came a nightmare troop； whose coming brought to the remembrance of the
imaginative the old nursery rhyme：
〃Hark！ Hark！ The dogs do bark； The beggars are come to town。〃
It has； indeed； a knell…like ring。 Do philosophies tend also to cast
those who adopt them into a mould？ These were of the self…same breed；
indubitably the followers of Antonelli。 The men wore their hair long；
affected； like their leader； soft felt hats and loose black ties that
fell over the lapels of their coats。 Loose morals and loose ties！ The
projection of these against a Puritan background ties symbolical of
everything the Anglo…Saxon shudders at and abhors； of anarchy and mob
rule； of bohemia and vagabondia； of sedition and murder； of Latin
revolutions and reigns of terror； of sex irregularitynot of the
clandestine sort to be found in decent communitiesbut of free love that
flaunts itself in the face of an outraged public。 For there were women
in the band。 All this； and more； the invaders sug