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THE RIDICULOUS SITUATION

The following preamble and resolutions have been adopted by the Chicago group of the International Association;

Whereas, many thousands of people in Chicago are hungry because of a so-called over production of food products.

Whereas, There are many thousands of people of Chicago in rags because of a so-called over production of clothing.

Whereas, There are many thousands of people in Chicago who have no employment, because a few have no need of their services.

Whereas, The gamblers in bread on the Board of Trade propose to raise the price of bread by feeding the surplus wheat to hogs, sheep and cattle; therefore,

Resolved, By the International Working People’s Association, that the hungry, naked, and unemployed, should organize and take some action by which they can remove the so-called “overproduction,” which subjects them to the evils that make existence precarious and life miserable.

The Chicago Alarm, in referring to the foregoing preamble, says:

“The ridiculous situation that requires men to freeze because there is too much coal in the country, and starve because there is too much bread in the country, and go naked because there is too much clothing in the country, and lie out-doors because there are too many houses in the country, cannot always continue, especially when we know that the natural ingenuity of invention is constantly and rapidly increasing this over-supply, glutted markets, and forced idleness.”—John Swinton’s Paper.

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— December, 1884 —