war of the classes-第18章

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common　man。　　And　the　period　of　preparation　virtually　past；　labor；

conscious　of　itself　and　its　desires；　has　begun　a　definite　movement

toward　solidarity。　　It　believes　the　time　is　not　far　distant　when　the

historian　will　speak　not　only　of　the　dark　ages　of　feudalism；　but　of

the　dark　ages　of　capitalism。　　And　labor　sincerely　believes　itself

justified　in　this　by　the　terrible　indictment　it　brings　against

capitalistic　society。　　In　the　face　of　its　enormous　wealth；

capitalistic　society　forfeits　its　right　to　existence　when　it　permits

widespread；　bestial　poverty。　　The　philosophy　of　the　survival　of　the

fittest　does　not　soothe　the　class…conscious　worker　when　he　learns

through　his　class　literature　that　among　the　Italian　pants…finishers

of　Chicago　｛9｝　the　average　weekly　wage　is　1。31；　and　the　average

number　of　weeks　employed　in　the　year　is　27。85。　　Likewise　when　he

reads：｛10｝　〃Every　room　in　these　reeking　tenements　houses　a　family　or

two。　　In　one　room　a　missionary　found　a　man　ill　with　small…pox；　his

wife　just　recovering　from　her　confinement；　and　the　children　running

about　half　naked　and　covered　with　dirt。　　Here　are　seven　people

living　in　one　underground　kitchen；　and　a　little　dead　child　lying　in

the　same　room。　　Here　live　a　widow　and　her　six　children；　two　of　whom

are　ill　with　scarlet　fever。　　In　another；　nine　brothers　and　sisters；

from　twenty…nine　years　of　age　downward；　live；　eat；　and　sleep

together。〃　　And　likewise；　when　he　reads：｛11｝　〃When　one　man；　fifty

years　old；　who　has　worked　all　his　life；　is　compelled　to　beg　a　little

money　to　bury　his　dead　baby；　and　another　man；　fifty　years　old；　can

give　ten　million　dollars　to　enable　his　daughter　to　live　in　luxury

and　bolster　up　a　decaying　foreign　aristocracy；　do　you　see　nothing

amiss？〃



And　on　the　other　hand；　the　class…conscious　worker　reads　the

statistics　of　the　wealthy　classes；　knows　what　their　incomes　are；　and

how　they　get　them。　　True；　down　all　the　past　he　has　known　his　own

material　misery　and　the　material　comfort　of　the　dominant　classes；

and　often　has　this　knowledge　led　him　to　intemperate　acts　and　unwise

rebellion。　　But　today；　and　for　the　first　time；　because　both　society

and　he　have　evolved；　he　is　beginning　to　see　a　possible　way　out。　　His

ears　are　opening　to　the　propaganda　of　Socialism；　the　passionate

gospel　of　the　dispossessed。　　But　it　does　not　inculcate　a　turning

back。　　The　way　through　is　the　way　out；　he　understands；　and　with　this

in　mind　he　draws　up　the　programme。



It　is　quite　simple；　this　programme。　　Everything　is　moving　in　his

direction；　toward　the　day　when　he　will　take　charge。　　The　trust？　　Ah；

no。　　Unlike　the　trembling　middle…class　man　and　the　small　capitalist；

he　sees　nothing　at　which　to　be　frightened。　　He　likes　the　trust。　　He

exults　in　the　trust；　for　it　is　largely　doing　the　task　for　him。　　It

socializes　production；　this　done；　there　remains　nothing　for　him　to

do　but　socialize　distribution；　and　all　is　accomplished。　　The　trust？

〃It　organizes　industry　on　an　enormous；　labor…saving　scale；　and

abolishes　childish；　wasteful　competition。〃　　It　is　a　gigantic　object

lesson；　and　it　preaches　his　political　economy　far　more　potently　than

he　can　preach　it。　　He　points　to　the　trust；　laughing　scornfully　in

the　face　of　the　orthodox　economists。　　〃You　told　me　this　thing　could

not　be；〃　｛12｝　he　thunders。　　〃Behold；　the　thing　is！〃



He　sees　competition　in　the　realm　of　production　passing　away。　　When

the　captains　of　industry　have　thoroughly　organized　production；　and

got　everything　running　smoothly；　it　will　be　very　easy　for　him　to

eliminate　the　profits　by　stepping　in　and　having　the　thing　run　for

himself。　　And　the　captain　of　industry；　if　he　be　good；　may　be　given

the　privilege　of　continuing　the　management　on　a　fair　salary。　　The

sixty　millions　of　dividends　which　the　Standard　Oil　Company　annually

declares　will　be　distributed　among　the　workers。　　The　same　with　the

great　United　States　Steel　Corporation。　　The　president　of　that

corporation　knows　his　business。　　Very　good。　　Let　him　become

Secretary　of　the　Department　of　Iron　and　Steel　of　the　United　States。

But；　since　the　chief　executive　of　a　nation　of　seventy…odd　millions

works　for　50；000　a　year；　the　Secretary　of　the　Department　of　Iron

and　Steel　must　expect　to　have　his　salary　cut　accordingly。　　And　not

only　will　the　workers　take　to　themselves　the　profits　of　national　and

municipal　monopolies；　but　also　the　immense　revenues　which　the

dominant　classes　today　draw　from　rents；　and　mines；　and　factories；

and　all　manner　of　enterprises。





All　this　would　seem　very　like　a　dream；　even　to　the　worker；　if　it

were　not　for　the　fact　that　like　things　have　been　done　before。　　He

points　triumphantly　to　the　aristocrat　of　the　eighteenth　century；　who

fought；　legislated；　governed；　and　dominated　society；　but　who　was

shorn　of　power　and　displaced　by　the　rising　bourgeoisie。　　Ay；　the

thing　was　done；　he　holds。　　And　it　shall　be　done　again；　but　this　time

it　is　the　proletariat　who　does　the　shearing。　　Sociology　has　taught

him　that　m…i…g…h…t　spells　〃right。〃　　Every　society　has　been　ruled　by

classes；　and　the　classes　have　ruled　by　sheer　strength；　and　have　been

overthrown　by　sheer　strength。　　The　bourgeoisie；　because　it　was　the

stronger；　dragged　down　the　nobility　of　the　sword；　and　the

proletariat；　because　it　is　the　strongest　of　all；　can　and　will　drag

down　the　bourgeoisie。



And　in　that　day；　for　better　or　worse；　the　common　man　becomes　the

masterfor　better；　he　believes。　　It　is　his　intention　to　make　the

sum　of　human　happiness　far　greater。　　No　man　shall　work　for　a　bare

living　wage；　which　is　degradation。　　Every　man　shall　have　work　to　do；

and　shall　be　paid　exceedingly　well　for　doing　it。　　There　shall　be　no

slum　classes；　no　beggars。　　Nor　shall　there　be　hundreds　of　thousands

of　men　and　women　condemned；　for　economic　reasons；　to　lives　of

celibacy　or　sexual　infertility。　　Every　man　shall　be　able　to　marry；

to　live　in　healthy；　comfortable　quarters；　and　to　have　all　he　wants

to　eat　as　many　times　a　day　as　he　wishes。　　There　shall　no　longer　be　a

life…and…death　struggle　for　food　and　shelter。　　The　old　heartless　law

of　development　shall　be　annulled。



All　of　which　is　very　good　and　very　fine。　　And　when　these　things　have

come　to　pass；　what　then？　　Of　old；　by　virtue　of　their　weakness　and

inefficiency　in　the　struggle　for　food　and　shelter；　the　race　was

purged　of　its　weak　and　inefficient　members。　　But　this　will　no　longer

obtain。　　Under　the　new　order　the　weak　and　the　progeny　of　the　weak

will　have　a　chance　for　survival　equal　to　that　of　the　strong　and　the

progeny　of　the　strong。　　This　being　so；　the　premium　upon　strength

will　have　been　withdrawn；　and　on　the　face　of　it　the　average　strength

of　each　generation；　instead　of　continuing　to　rise；　will　begin　to

decline。



When　the　common　man's　day　shall　have　arrived；　the　new　social

institutions　of　that　day　will　prevent　the　weeding　out　of　weakness

and　inefficiency。　　All；　the　weak　and　the　strong；　will　have　an　equal

chance　for　procreation。　　And　the　progeny　of　all；　of　the　weak　as　well

as　the　strong；　will　have　an　equal　chance　for　survival。　　This　being

so；　and　if　no　new　effective　law　of　development　be　put　into

operation；　then　progress　must　cease。　　And　not　only　progress；　for

deterioration　would　at　once　set　in。　　It　is　a　pregnant　problem。　　What

will　be　the　nature　of　this　new　and　most　necessary　law　of

development？　　Can　the　common　man　pause　long　enough　from　his

undermining　labors　to　answer？　　Since　he　is　bent　upon　dragging　down

the　bourgeoisie　and　reconstructing　society；　can　he　so　reconstruct

that　a　premium；　in　some　unguessed　way　or　other；　will　still　be　laid

upon　the　strong　and　efficient　so　that　the　human　type　will　continue

to　develop？　　Can　the　common　man；　or　the　uncommon　men　who　are　allied

with　him；　devise　such　a　law？　　Or　have　they　already　devised　one？　　And

if　so；　what　is　it？







HOW　I　BECAME　A　SOCIALIST







It　is　quite　fair　to　say　that　I　became　a　Socialist　in　a　fashion

somewhat　similar　to　the　way　in　which　the　Teutonic　pagans　became

Christiansit　was　hammered　into　me。　　Not　only　was　I　not　looking　for

Socialism　at　the　time　of　my　conversion；　but　I　was　fighting　it。　　I

was　very　young　and　callow；　did　not　know　much　of　anything；　and　though

I　had　never　even　heard　of　a　school　called　〃Individualism；〃　I　sang

the　paean　of　the　strong　with　all　my　heart。



This　was　because　I　was　strong　myself。　　By　strong　I　mean　that　I　had

good　health　and　hard　muscles；　both　of　which　possessions　are　easily

accounted　for。　　I　had　lived　my　childhood　on　California　ranches；　my

boyhood　hustling　newspapers　on　the　streets　of　a　healthy　Western

city；　and　my　youth　on　the　ozone…laden　waters　of　San　Francisco　Bay

and　the　Pacific　Ocean。　　I　loved　life　in　the　open；　and　I　toiled　in

the　open；　at　the　hardest　kinds　of　work。　　Learning　no　trade；　but

drifting　along　from　job　to　job；　I　looked　on　the　world　and　called　it

good；　every　bit　of　it。　　Let　me　repeat；　this　optimism　was　because　I

was　healthy　and　strong；　bothered　with　neither　aches　nor　weaknesses；

never　turned　down　by　the　boss　because　I　did　not　look　fit；　able

always　to　get　a　job　at　shovelling　coal；　sailorizing；　or　manual　labor

of　some　sort。



And　because　of　all　this；　exulting　in　my　young　life；　able　to　hold　my

own　at　work　or　fight；　I　was　a　rampant　individualist。　　It　was　very

natural。　　I　was　a　winner。　　Wherefore　I　called　the　game；　as　I　saw　it

played；　or　thought　I　saw　it　played；　a　very　proper　game　for　MEN。　　To

be　a　MAN　was　to　write　man　in　large　capitals　on　my　heart。　　To

adventure　like　a　man；　and　fight　like　a　man；　and　do　a　man's　work

（even　for　a　boy's　pay）these　were　things　that　reached　right　in　and

gripped　hold　of　me　as　no　other　thing　could。　　And　I　looked　ahead　into

long　vistas　of　a　hazy　and　interminable　future；　into　which；　playing

what　I　conceived　to　be　MAN'S　game；　I　should　continue　to　travel　with

unfailing　health；　without　accidents；　and　with　muscles　ever　vigorous。

As　I　say；　this　future　was　interminable。　　I　could　see　myself　only

raging　through　life　without　end　like　one　of　Nietzsche's　BLOND…

BEASTS；　lustfully　roving　and　conquering　by　sheer　superiority　and

strength。



As　for　the　unfortunates；　the　sick；　and　ailing；　and　old；　and　maimed；

I　must　confess　I　hardly　thought　of　them　at　all；　save　that　I　vaguely

felt　that　they；　barring　accidents；　could　be　as　good　as　I　if　they

wanted　to　real　hard；　and　could　work　just　as　well。　　Accidents？　　Well；

they　represented　FATE；　also　spelled　out　in　capitals；　and　there　was

no　getting　around　FATE。　　Napoleon　had　had　an　accident　at　Waterloo；

but　that　did　not　dampen　my　desire　to　be　another　and　later　Napoleon。

Further；　the　optimism　bred　of　a　stomach　which　could　digest　scrap

iron　and　a　body　which　flourished　on　hardships　did　not　permit　me　to

consider　accidents　as　even　remotely　related　to　my　glorious

personality。



I　hope　I　have　made　it　clear　that　I　was　proud　to　be　one　of　Nature's

strong…armed　noblemen。　　The　dignity　of　labor　was　to　me　the　most

impressive　thing　in　the　world。　　Without　having　read　Carlyle；　or