In the midst of the mess that was the Palmer Raids a number of Wobblies, including Big Bill Haywood, were arrested on some pretty spurious charges and held for prosecution. Haywood, along with a number of other Wobblies and dissidents rounded up in the raids, decided it would be better to jump ship to revolutionary Russia. In the process Haywood made off with the IWW's treasury, effectively gutting the union's financial base which was something Bill begged for forgiveness for at the end of his life in his autobiography.
What if Big Bill doesn't take the treasury with him? What impact would this have on the IWW going into the 20s and 30s to still have some financial resources to work with?
What if Big Bill doesn't take the treasury with him? What impact would this have on the IWW going into the 20s and 30s to still have some financial resources to work with?