William Ross Knudsen

William Ross Knudsen (September 30, 1892 – 1977) was an American socialist political activist and trade union organizer. Knudsen was an organizer for the International Association of Machinists and the leader of two major strikes conducted by that organization. He was also the Socialist Labor Party candidate in the 1923 San Francisco mayoral election.

Biography Early years Knudsen was born in Petaluma, California to ethnic German immigrant parents: his father was a chicken rancher. He attended school in San Jose, California, before enrolling in the University of California, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1914. Knudsen wrote:

"There was a free speech fight on, but of it I knew nothing. Suddenly a policeman’s hand shook my shoulder, and when, insulted, I resisted, I was slammed in the jaw; completely subdued, I was brought before the police sergeant, absolutely in the dark as to what was the cause. 'Here’s another Red, Sergeant.'" Despite his pro-Communist proclivities, Knudsen reaffirmed his allegiance to the Socialist Labor Party in this campaign, declaring it "the only bona fide party representing the workers' interests." With no realistic chance of winning, Knudsen made an appeal for the SLP's maximum demands to voters, calling for "the working class to back up their ballot by organizing into industrial unions" and to use these to "take and hold the means of production," to be governed through a "Congress of Labor."

In 1924 Knudsen became a presidential elector of California for the Socialist Labor Party. Another accolade for Knudsen during 1924 was becoming a lecturer for the San Francisco Labor College and also was a lecturer for classes specializing in Socialist Labor politics classes.

During the course of his political activities Knudsen authored articles on economics, the organized labor movement, psychology, science, and history.