249:
reorganized Local
Seattle. By the first of June, Mills' Sunday meetings — scheduled in direct conflict with the regular Sunday propaganda meetings of the left wing-dominated officialdom, had resulted in "steadily diminished" crowds being drawn by the left and a great expansion of the size and confidence of the moderate faction. "This is a great setback from the time when the revolutionary element had absolute control in the party some four or five months ago," left wing adherent
294:
before the start of the next scheduled meeting of the SEC. Evidence from both sides was heard at the July 7, 1907, meeting of the SEC, and the evidence sent out to the members of the left wing-dominated State
Committee for decision. The results were announced on Sunday, July 21, 1907 — a unanimous vote to revoke the charter of Local Seattle for its failure to take action against Walter Thomas Mills. Hermon Titus's right-hand man at the Seattle
331:
22:
229:
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383:(ULP) on Easter Sunday 1912. The existence of this new moderate organization sharpened the heated conflict even further, with the bitterness in Auckland even periodically erupting into fist fights. Mills travelled thousands of miles on his organizing mission, speaking to public meetings across both islands of the country.
240:
of their center of power, the Pike Street Branch of Local
Seattle, through a reorganization orchestrated by the Seattle City Central Committee only to see lose Local Seattle lose its charter and be reorganized by the left wing-dominated State Executive Committee. Mills persuaded the Seattle moderates
184:
Regardless of whether his series of economic catastrophes was by design or bad luck, the skilled orator Mills was anxiously sought as a public speaker on socialist themes throughout the country, usually under the auspices of states controlled by electorally-oriented "constructive socialists." Mills'
280:
Mills was brought to trial before the Local
Seattle on Sunday, April 28, 1907, at 10 am on the Victoria speech. Before the largest mass meeting of Local Seattle in the organization's history, charges were read by J.G. Morgan, Secretary of the Socialist Party of Canada. Mill pleaded "not guilty" and
276:
wrote to the BC Dominion
Executive Committee on February 20, 1907, soliciting a complaint against Mills. The Dominion Executive Committee complied on March 6 with a letter to the Washington State Executive Committee, which lead to charges being preferred against Mills. Both sides began to organize
248:
Throughout early 1907 Mills conducted Sunday afternoon meetings independent or the regularly scheduled Sunday afternoon propaganda meetings of Local
Seattle, using these gatherings as a means of making contact with Socialists discontented with the left wing state organization and leadership of the
137:
Driven by his beliefs to public speaking on political themes, Mills soon developed oratorical expertise which was acknowledged by political friends and enemies alike. This reputation as a vigorous platform speaker, combined with Mills' shortness of stature — he stood just 4 feet and 6 inches (1.37
215:
This proved to be a red flag to the Reds. Titus railed against "the Mills men" using "packed" meetings to gain control of the
Central Branch and the Seattle City Central Committee in the absence of other delegates. "They will stop at nothing in the way of injustice," Titus indignantly proclaimed.
293:
On June 23, 1907, the State
Executive Committee tabulated a poll of the members of the State Committee and instructed the State Secretary to prepare evidence in proper documentary form and to notify Local Seattle to do likewise, with the deadline for submission of its defense given of 30 minutes
284:
Despite being outnumbered in the city of
Seattle and unable to discipline Mills through Local Seattle, the left wing still held the reins of the State Committee, which continued to mull over the situation into June. At its June 10, 1907, meeting, the State Executive Committee (formerly the Local
895:
The
Articles of Association of the National Nonpartisan League: Together with a Discussion of the Democracy of the League's Purposes, the Democracy of its Form of Organization, the Democracy of the Measures Supported by the League, and the Ending of the Autocratic Monopolies and the Triumph of
861:
Amended Report of the Unity Scheme: Debate between H. Scott Bennett and Walter Thomas Mills which took place at Auckland on December 8th, 1911: Subject:— "Do the unity proposals embody all the necessary features for sound industrial and political organization of the working class of New
185:
predilection for appearing on the scene of factional wars and forcefully advocating the moderate line has led him to be characterized by one historian of the period as an oratorial gun for hire consciously employed by moderate factionalists in various states to rally the troops.
315:
Mills-dominated Local Seattle was once again cast adrift by the Socialist Party of Washington, a deep split which deprived the SPW of its largest Local and virtually insured that the matter would be appealed to the national level at the party's forthcoming convention of 1908.
188:
In the summer of 1903, moderate socialists won majority control of Central Branch of Local Seattle of the Socialist Party — the largest of seven branches in the city — and brought Mills to Seattle on behalf of the local. Mills was anathema to radical newspaper publisher
281:
the point was reached where Morgan was to make his opening statement and to introduce his evidence. Suddenly, Mills was given the floor and he made a motion of adjournment, which was quickly seconded and carried amid the whooping and shouting of his supporters.
208:, drafted a resolution endorsing Mills as "an uncompromising, class-conscious, and revolutionary Socialist" and upbraiding Hermon Titus's newspaper for participating in a "plan to silence Mills by driving him off the Socialist lecture platform, and by
311:"The importation of Walter Thomas Mills is merely the culminating act of a band of desperate filibusterers, who, having been foiled in their attempts to control the party, resort to this means to disrupt it and organize it anew upon their plan."
289:
that he had been instructed "to communicate with all the state committeemen and inform said committeemen of all the facts" regarding the failure of Local Seattle to "deal in a constitutional manner with the charges against Walter Thomas Mills."
277:
frantically for the May Washington State Convention, which was seen as the means by which the dilemma could be overcome by Mills forces — a majority at the convention for the moderates would mean a new State Committee and an end to pressure.
375:
for his emphasis on organizing the staid middle class. During the 1911 election campaign Mills faced Scott Bennett in a series of highly publicized debates which emphasized the ideological issues which split the New Zealand labor movement.
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421:
Upon returning to America in 1914, Mills once again became involved in the activities of the Socialist Party of America. Despite his renown as one of the most moderate voices in the Socialist Party, Mills was a devoted
306:, who, though they have been defeated in every state convention and in every referendum in which they have crossed swords with the revolutionists, persist in creating strife and dissension in the party in this state.
363:
from whence he most recently hailed, Mills was quickly engrossed with the mission of uniting the deeply divided labor and left wing political movements of New Zealand and he wound up putting down roots.
338:
In 1910 Mills left the United States to conduct what he called a "World-Round Lecture Tour," heading first for England. Mills chronicled his thoughts and adventures in a regular column in the pages of
767:
Is Socialism Anti-Christian in its Tendency? Debate between Mr. W.F. Phillips, Newport, Affirmative, and Professor W.T. Mills, Milwaukee, USA, Negative, at the Workmen's Hall, Nantymoel...
988:
993:
386:
While many unions refused to affiliate with the ULP, Mills still played a large role at a 1913 conference to mobilize the New Zealand labor movement against the government of
449:. Mills turned his attention away from the Socialist Party and became fully engaged in the activities of the NPL, having completely left the Socialist Party prior to 1922.
118:, a cause which forced him to think about social issues in a large context. As a result of reading and introspection about such matters, Mills turned his attention to
25:
Walter Thomas Mills was a superb orator and an inveterate factional pugilist who played a large role in the socialist movements of the United States and New Zealand.
154:
Mills was initially involved in a series of socialist-themed educational and living schemes of dubious soundness. He organized a so-called People's University in
236:
The arrival of Walter Thomas Mills as a Seattle resident in 1906 energized the embattled moderate faction, which had in the previous year managed to deprive the
426:, perhaps owing to his Quaker background. Mills authored a pamphlet against the European war published by the SPA and spoke out publicly on anti-war themes.
162:, renting a cavernous building on adjacent to the city's stockyards, furnishing it at great expense, soliciting annual subscriptions to a publication called
158:, in the first years of the 20th century, soliciting funds and then exiting the project immediately before its collapse. He repeated this basic plan in
40:
during the first decade of the 20th Century as one of the leaders of the organization's moderate wing. He also was a key actor in the labor movement of
831:
Unity Campaign, a Movement for the Industrial and Political Union of All Labour Organisations: Here are the Proposals: Solidarity, Strength, Progress.
390:. Mills managed to convince the various factions at the conference to merge into two new organizations vaguely following American institutions: the
825:
Proposals for Securing the Industrial and Political Union of All the Labour Organisations of New Zealand: Ready for Action! Are You Ready to Act?
983:
285:
Quorum) discussed the situation at length and telegraphed a forthcoming action to the membership in a tersely-worded report by State Secretary
395:
398:. Many of Mills' old enemies joined him in repudiating an exclusive reliance on industrial militancy in favor of parallel political action.
52:
and worked unsuccessfully to keep the country out of the bloody European conflict, eventually leaving the socialist movement in the 1920s.
968:
380:
45:
356:
334:
From 1911 to 1914 Mills traveled thousands of miles around New Zealand organizing a political wing of the labor movement there.
723:
77:
when Walter was a boy and he worked at a variety of jobs in his youth to save up enough money to put himself through college.
883:
Mills essay "Make an End to War" along with "Big Business and War" by Charles Edward Russell. Chicago: Socialist Party, 1915.
787:
What is Socialism? An Address Delivered at the State Convention of the Socialist Party at Sedalia, Mo., October 19th, 1901.
232:
Left wing Seattle newspaper publisher Hermon F. Titus was the nemesis of Walter Thomas Mills during his years in that city.
963:
194:
298:
Harry Ault, claimed to speak for "a large number of members of Local Seattle, perhaps even a majority" when he declared:
978:
519:
The Statesman: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Problems of Practical Politics, Co-Operative Industry, and Self-Help.
124:
The Statesman: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Problems of Practical Politics, Co-Operative Industry, and Self-Help.
265:
37:
36:
activist, educator, lecturer, writer, and newspaper publisher. He is best remembered for the role he played in the
391:
261:
155:
242:
325:
250:
138:
meters) tall — lead some detractors to mockingly refer to Mills as "The Little Giant," a twisted reference to
458:
237:
401:
Mills left the country with his wife as suddenly as he arrived in 1914, returning to the United States.
174:
159:
330:
241:
who had been cast aside by the Socialist Party of Washington and who had organized themselves as the "
205:
65:
Walter Thomas Mills — he was known by his contemporaries by his full name — was born May 11, 1856, in
958:
953:
269:
93:
430:
122:
in the 1880s. Together with the Rev. A.J. Jutkins in 1886 Mills launched a Chicago magazine called
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143:
101:
97:
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204:
After hearing Mills' presentation, a committee of the Local Seattle, Central Branch, headed by
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438:
360:
131:
272:. Having gotten wind of Mills' fusionist heresy, left wing Washington State Committee member
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257:
217:
423:
349:
The first of these letters from the road appeared in the October 22, 1910, edition of the
286:
190:
139:
81:
66:
21:
921:
886:
772:
549:
181:, all of which drew cash infusions from outside investors before failing in short order.
769:
Aberdare, Wales: South Wales Divisional Council of the Independent Labour Party, n.d. .
387:
112:
709:
Walter Thomas Mills, "Letters on a World-Round Lecture Tour: 1. Languages in Europe,"
947:
359:
to tour the country, speaking on the cause of labor unity. Similar in climate to the
105:
89:
442:
434:
198:
85:
417:
published by the Socialist Party and including Mills' essay "Make an End of War."
256:
The situation was complex, however. In March 1907, Mills had been charged by the
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41:
73:
farmer, Charles Mills, and his wife, Mahetabel Ladd Mills. The family moved to
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228:
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409:
342:
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remained bitterly divided along factional lines for the rest of the decade.
209:
119:
33:
178:
170:
517:
505:"Walter Thomas Mills, 1856-1942: Labour Reformer, Political Organiser,"
264:
with having advocated "compromise and fusion" in a speech delivered in
70:
48:
in 1912. He returned to the United States in 1914 with the advent of
367:
Mills was criticized by radical trade unionists such as Pat Hickey,
111:
After finishing his education, Mills became active in the cause of
935:"W.T. Mills, E.J.B. Allen, J.A. Lee and Socialism in New Zealand,"
408:
329:
302:"These comrades are disgusted with the rule or ruin policy of the
227:
20:
437:-oriented radical rural organization founded by former Socialist
245:" to rejoin the Socialist Party, with a view to winning control.
74:
757:
Civic Letters vol. 1, no. 4. Oak Park, IL: Civic Letters, 1894.
974:
Socialist Party of America politicians from Washington (state)
568:
New York: Columbia University Press, 1952; pg. 180 and passim.
507:
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
843:
The Unity Conference: Easter week, Auckland, March 17, 1912.
429:
Later in the 1910s, Mills was attracted to the newly formed
891:
Berkeley, CA: International School of Social Economy, 1916.
441:
and particularly strong in the Upper Midwestern states of
268:
on December 28, 1906, in which Mills urged support of the
813:
Illustrated 2nd Edition of 1901 Sedalia, Missouri speech.
713:, vol. 13, no. 25, whole no. 638 (Oct. 22, 1910), pg. 3.
849:
The United Labour Party: Its Constitution and Platform.
166:
and then quitting the project after just three months.
803:
Chicago: International School of Social Economy, 1906.
797:
Chicago: International School of Social Economy, 1904.
680:
Richard Krueger, "Washington," June 23, 1907 report,
667:
Richard Krueger, "Washington," June 10, 1907 report,
193:, the head of the powerful left wing faction in the
902:
Your Choice: Government by Plunderers or Producers.
904:Fargo, ND: North Dakota Nonpartisan League, n.d. .
839:Lower Hutt : Hutt and Petone Chronicle, 1912.
169:Mills was similarly involved in colony schemes in
898:St. Paul, MN: National Nonpartisan League, n.d.
692:
690:
602:"Shall Seattle Socialists Condone Compromise?"
379:Mills was instrumental in the founding of the
989:United Labour Party (New Zealand) politicians
641:Erwin B. Ault, "Socialist Party News Notes,"
8:
774:Evolutionary Politics: Addresses and Essays.
576:
574:
994:New Zealand Labour Party (1910) politicians
877:vol. 2, no. 5 (Sept. 1914), pp. 14–15.
870:Glasgow : Reformer's Bookstall, n.d. .
819:Alcoholic Degeneracy: A Compelling Lecture.
809:Spokane, WA: Workers Publishing Co, n.d. .
566:The American Socialist Movement, 1897-1912.
927:, whole no. 350 (November 2, 1907), pg. 3.
555:, whole no. 350 (November 2, 1907), pg. 3.
197:, who saw Mills as a living embodiment of
910:Santa Ana, CA: Standard Print. Co., 1933.
857:Wellington, NZ: United Labor Party, 1912.
851:Wellington, NZ: United Labor Party, 1912.
783:Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1900.
777:Chicago: Charles H. Kerr & Co., 1898.
696:E.B. Ault, "Local's Charter Is Revoked,"
598:
596:
594:
457:Walter Thomas Mills died May 7, 1942, in
357:Trades and Labour Councils of New Zealand
212:him in the eyes of the Socialist Party."
940:vol. 10, no. 2 (1976), pp. 112–129.
864:Wellington: The Maoriland Workers, 1912.
821:Invercargill, NZ: Southland Times, 1911.
645:, whole no. 323 (April 27, 1907), pg. 3.
606:, whole no. 321 (April 14, 1907), pg. 2.
544:
542:
540:
833:Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Worker, 1911.
827:Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Worker, 1911.
729:, vol. 3, no. 22 (Feb. 6, 1922), pg. 6.
700:, whole no. 336 (July 27, 1907), pg. 4.
684:, whole no. 332 (June 29, 1907), pg. 3.
671:, whole no. 330 (June 15, 1907), pg. 3.
588:, whole no. 154 (July 19, 1903), pg. 2.
496:
494:
470:
873:"Cooperation and the Labor Movement,"
619:, whole no. 328 (June 1, 1907), pg. 3.
516:Walter Thomas Mills and A.J. Jutkins,
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486:
484:
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476:
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658:, whole no. 324 (May 4, 1907), pg. 1.
632:, whole no. 324 (May 4, 1907), pg. 1.
7:
260:Dominion Executive Committee of the
922:"Walter Thomas Mills — His Record,"
761:Tariff: Legislation or Arbitration?
751:Chicago : Civic Letters, 1894.
550:"Walter Thomas Mills — His Record,"
837:Why a Labour Party in New Zealand?
745:New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1887.
534:New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1887.
381:United Labour Party of New Zealand
355:In 1911, Mills was invited by the
142:1860 Presidential debate opponent
14:
855:Land Monopoly and How to End It.
654:"Trial of Walter Thomas Mills,"
789:Girard, KS: J.A. Wayland, 1901.
868:Political Parties and Poverty.
807:What Is Socialism?: A Lecture.
615:Erwin B. Ault, "Local Notes,"
522:Chicago, 1886-, OCLC 10486185.
1:
984:Washington (state) socialists
628:"The Origin of the Charges,"
195:Socialist Party of Washington
801:How a Socialist Sees Things.
749:The Product-Sharing Village.
32:(1856–1942) was an American
794:The Struggle for Existence.
724:"An Unpublished Interview,"
584:Condemned and Repudiated,"
413:Cover of the 1915 pamphlet
392:United Federation of Labour
1010:
969:American newspaper editors
845:Auckland, NZ: Voice, 1912.
781:How to Work for Socialism.
323:
243:Propaganda Club of Seattle
38:Socialist Party of America
755:How Gouge Went to Heaven.
727:The California Oil Worker
347:Social-Democratic Herald.
262:Socialist Party of Canada
156:Berrien Springs, Michigan
743:The Science of Politics.
711:Social-Democratic Herald
532:The Science of Politics.
326:Labour Unity Conferences
238:revolutionary socialists
224:The Mills Affair of 1907
128:The Science of Politics,
80:Mills was a graduate of
888:Democracy or Despotism.
763:Chicago: Thorne, n.d. .
459:Los Angeles, California
396:Social Democratic Party
96:. He went on to earn a
938:NZ Journal of History,
418:
335:
313:
233:
164:The Socialist Teacher,
92:, where he earned his
26:
16:New Zealand politician
908:The Voice of the Sea.
722:Walter Thomas Mills,
412:
333:
300:
231:
160:Kansas City, Missouri
24:
964:Writers from Seattle
875:The Western Comrade,
270:Canadian Labor Party
44:as a founder of the
979:American socialists
431:Non-Partisan League
46:United Labour Party
30:Walter Thomas Mills
920:Thomas J. Morgan,
548:Thomas J. Morgan,
419:
340:Victor L. Berger's
336:
274:Alfred Wagenknecht
234:
144:Stephen A. Douglas
102:College of Wooster
27:
815:
439:Arthur C. Townley
361:Pacific Northwest
140:Abraham Lincoln's
132:Funk and Wagnalls
130:was published by
94:bachelor's degree
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453:Death and legacy
258:British Columbia
218:Washington state
206:William McDevitt
150:Political career
134:one year later.
126:His first book,
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287:Richard Krueger
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191:Hermon F. Titus
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98:master's degree
82:Oberlin College
69:, the son of a
67:Duane, New York
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345:weekly, the
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320:Years abroad
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304:opportunists
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210:blacklisting
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199:middle class
187:
183:
168:
163:
153:
136:
127:
123:
110:
86:liberal arts
79:
64:
29:
28:
18:
959:1942 deaths
954:1856 births
931:Erik Olssen
501:Erik Olssen
405:Later years
201:reformism.
175:Kansas City
116:prohibition
108:, in 1898.
61:Early years
50:World War I
42:New Zealand
948:Categories
896:Democracy.
373:Bob Semple
369:Paddy Webb
324:See also:
296:Socialist,
253:declared.
251:Harry Ault
88:school in
862:Zealand?"
465:Footnotes
447:Minnesota
433:(NPL), a
343:Milwaukee
120:socialism
113:alcoholic
100:from the
56:Biography
34:socialist
394:and the
266:Victoria
179:Colorado
171:Michigan
351:Herald.
177:, and
71:Quaker
737:Works
881:War.
445:and
415:War,
371:and
84:, a
75:Iowa
104:in
950::
933:,
689:^
593:^
573:^
539:^
503:,
473:^
461:.
173:,
146:.
811:—
580:"
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