war of the classes-第2章

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The　existence　of　this　struggle　can　be　shown　theoretically；　and　it

can　be　shown　actually。　　For　a　class　struggle　to　exist　in　society

there　must　be；　first；　a　class　inequality；　a　superior　class　and　an

inferior　class　（as　measured　by　power）；　and；　second；　the　outlets　must

be　closed　whereby　the　strength　and　ferment　of　the　inferior　class

have　been　permitted　to　escape。



That　there　are　even　classes　in　the　United　States　is　vigorously

denied　by　many；　but　it　is　incontrovertible；　when　a　group　of

individuals　is　formed；　wherein　the　members　are　bound　together　by

common　interests　which　are　peculiarly　their　interests　and　not　the

interests　of　individuals　outside　the　group；　that　such　a　group　is　a

class。　　The　owners　of　capital；　with　their　dependents；　form　a　class

of　this　nature　in　the　United　States；　the　working　people　form　a

similar　class。　　The　interest　of　the　capitalist　class；　say；　in　the

matter　of　income　tax；　is　quite　contrary　to　the　interest　of　the

laboring　class；　and；　VICE　VERSA；　in　the　matter　of　poll…tax。



If　between　these　two　classes　there　be　a　clear　and　vital　conflict　of

interest；　all　the　factors　are　present　which　make　a　class　struggle；

but　this　struggle　will　lie　dormant　if　the　strong　and　capable　members

of　the　inferior　class　be　permitted　to　leave　that　class　and　join　the

ranks　of　the　superior　class。　　The　capitalist　class　and　the　working

class　have　existed　side　by　side　and　for　a　long　time　in　the　United

States；　but　hitherto　all　the　strong；　energetic　members　of　the

working　class　have　been　able　to　rise　out　of　their　class　and　become

owners　of　capital。　　They　were　enabled　to　do　this　because　an

undeveloped　country　with　an　expanding　frontier　gave　equality　of

opportunity　to　all。　　In　the　almost　lottery…like　scramble　for　the

ownership　of　vast　unowned　natural　resources；　and　in　the　exploitation

of　which　there　was　little　or　no　competition　of　capital；　（the　capital

itself　rising　out　of　the　exploitation）；　the　capable；　intelligent

member　of　the　working　class　found　a　field　in　which　to　use　his　brains

to　his　own　advancement。　　Instead　of　being　discontented　in　direct

ratio　with　his　intelligence　and　ambitions；　and　of　radiating　amongst

his　fellows　a　spirit　of　revolt　as　capable　as　he　was　capable；　he　left

them　to　their　fate　and　carved　his　own　way　to　a　place　in　the　superior

class。



But　the　day　of　an　expanding　frontier；　of　a　lottery…like　scramble　for

the　ownership　of　natural　resources；　and　of　the　upbuilding　of　new

industries；　is　past。　　Farthest　West　has　been　reached；　and　an　immense

volume　of　surplus　capital　roams　for　investment　and　nips　in　the　bud

the　patient　efforts　of　the　embryo　capitalist　to　rise　through　slow

increment　from　small　beginnings。　　The　gateway　of　opportunity　after

opportunity　has　been　closed；　and　closed　for　all　time。　　Rockefeller

has　shut　the　door　on　oil；　the　American　Tobacco　Company　on　tobacco；

and　Carnegie　on　steel。　　After　Carnegie　came　Morgan；　who　triple…

locked　the　door。　　These　doors　will　not　open　again；　and　before　them

pause　thousands　of　ambitious　young　men　to　read　the　placard：　　NO

THOROUGH…FARE。



And　day　by　day　more　doors　are　shut；　while　the　ambitious　young　men

continue　to　be　born。　　It　is　they；　denied　the　opportunity　to　rise

from　the　working　class；　who　preach　revolt　to　the　working　class。　　Had

he　been　born　fifty　years　later；　Andrew　Carnegie；　the　poor　Scotch

boy；　might　have　risen　to　be　president　of　his　union；　or　of　a

federation　of　unions；　but　that　he　would　never　have　become　the

builder　of　Homestead　and　the　founder　of　multitudinous　libraries；　is

as　certain　as　it　is　certain　that　some　other　man　would　have　developed

the　steel　industry　had　Andrew　Carnegie　never　been　born。



Theoretically；　then；　there　exist　in　the　United　States　all　the

factors　which　go　to　make　a　class　struggle。　　There　are　the

capitalists　and　working　classes；　the　interests　of　which　conflict；

while　the　working　class　is　no　longer　being　emasculated　to　the　extent

it　was　in　the　past　by　having　drawn　off　from　it　its　best　blood　and

brains。　　Its　more　capable　members　are　no　longer　able　to　rise　out　of

it　and　leave　the　great　mass　leaderless　and　helpless。　　They　remain　to

be　its　leaders。



But　the　optimistic　mouthpieces　of　the　great　American　people；　who　are

themselves　deft　theoreticians；　are　not　to　be　convinced　by　mere

theoretics。　　So　it　remains　to　demonstrate　the　existence　of　the　class

struggle　by　a　marshalling　of　the　facts。



When　nearly　two　millions　of　men；　finding　themselves　knit　together　by

certain　interests　peculiarly　their　own；　band　together　in　a　strong

organization　for　the　aggressive　pursuit　of　those　interests；　it　is

evident　that　society　has　within　it　a　hostile　and　warring　class。　　But

when　the　interests　which　this　class　aggressively　pursues　conflict

sharply　and　vitally　with　the　interests　of　another　class；　class

antagonism　arises　and　a　class　struggle　is　the　inevitable　result。

One　great　organization　of　labor　alone　has　a　membership　of　1；700；000

in　the　United　States。　　This　is　the　American　Federation　of　Labor；　and

outside　of　it　are　many　other　large　organizations。　　All　these　men　are

banded　together　for　the　frank　purpose　of　bettering　their　condition；

regardless　of　the　harm　worked　thereby　upon　all　other　classes。　　They

are　in　open　antagonism　with　the　capitalist　class；　while　the

manifestos　of　their　leaders　state　that　the　struggle　is　one　which　can

never　end　until　the　capitalist　class　is　exterminated。



Their　leaders　will　largely　deny　this　last　statement；　but　an

examination　of　their　utterances；　their　actions；　and　the　situation

will　forestall　such　denial。　　In　the　first　place；　the　conflict

between　labor　and　capital　is　over　the　division　of　the　join　product。

Capital　and　labor　apply　themselves　to　raw　material　and　make　it　into

a　finished　product。　　The　difference　between　the　value　of　the　raw

material　and　the　value　of　the　finished　product　is　the　value　they

have　added　to　it　by　their　joint　effort。　　This　added　value　is；

therefore；　their　joint　product；　and　it　is　over　the　division　of　this

joint　product　that　the　struggle　between　labor　and　capital　takes

place。　　Labor　takes　its　share　in　wages；　capital　takes　its　share　in

profits。　　It　is　patent；　if　capital　took　in　profits　the　whole　joint

product；　that　labor　would　perish。　　And　it　is　equally　patent；　if

labor　took　in　wages　the　whole　joint　product；　that　capital　would

perish。　　Yet　this　last　is　the　very　thing　labor　aspires　to　do；　and

that　it　will　never　be　content　with　anything　less　than　the　whole

joint　product　is　evidenced　by　the　words　of　its　leaders。



Mr。　Samuel　Gompers；　president　of　the　American　Federation　of　Labor；

has　said：　　〃The　workers　want　more　wages；　more　of　the　comforts　of

life；　more　leisure；　more　chance　for　self…improvement　as　men；　as

trade…unionists；　as　citizens。　　THESE　WERE　THE　WANTS　OF　YESTERDAY；

THEY　ARE　THE　WANTS　OF　TODAY；　THEY　WILL　BE　THE　WANTS　OF　TOMORROW；　AND

OF　TOMORROW'S　MORROW。　　The　struggle　may　assume　new　forms；　but　the

issue　is　the　immemorial　one；an　effort　of　the　producers　to　obtain

an　increasing　measure　of　the　wealth　that　flows　from　their

production。〃



Mr。　Henry　White；　secretary　of　the　United　Garment　Workers　of　America

and　a　member　of　the　Industrial　Committee　of　the　National　Civic

Federation；　speaking　of　the　National　Civic　Federation　soon　after　its

inception；　said：　　〃To　fall　into　one　another's　arms；　to　avow

friendship；　to　express　regret　at　the　injury　which　has　been　done；

would　not　alter　the　facts　of　the　situation。　　Workingmen　will

continue　to　demand　more　pay；　and　the　employer　will　naturally　oppose

them。　　The　readiness　and　ability　of　the　workmen　to　fight　will；　as

usual；　largely　determine　the　amount　of　their　wages　or　their　share　in

the　product。　。　。　But　when　it　comes　to　dividing　the　proceeds；　there

is　the　rub。　　We　can　also　agree　that　the　larger　the　product　through

the　employment　of　labor…saving　methods　the　better；　as　there　will　be

more　to　be　divided；　but　again　the　question　of　the　division。　。　。　。　A

Conciliation　Committee；　having　the　confidence　of　the　community；　and

composed　of　men　possessing　practical　knowledge　of　industrial

affairs；　can　therefore　aid　in　mitigating　this　antagonism；　in

preventing　avoidable　conflicts；　in　bringing　about　a　TRUCE；　I　use　the

word　'truce'　because　understandings　can　only　be　temporary。〃



Here　is　a　man　who　might　have　owned　cattle　on　a　thousand　hills；　been

a　lumber　baron　or　a　railroad　king；　had　he　been　born　a　few　years

sooner。　　As　it　is；　he　remains　in　his　class；　is　secretary　of　the

United　Garment　Workers　of　America；　and　is　so　thoroughly　saturated

with　the　class　struggle　that　he　speaks　of　the　dispute　between

capital　and　labor　in　terms　of　war；workmen　FIGHT　with　employers；　it

is　possible　to　avoid　some　CONFLICTS；　in　certain　cases　TRUCES　may　be；

for　the　time　being；　effected。



Man　being　man　and　a　great　deal　short　of　the　angels；　the　quarrel　over

the　division　of　the　joint　product　is　irreconcilable。　　For　the　last

twenty　years　in　the　United　States；　there　has　been　an　average　of　over

a　thousand　strikes　per　year；　and　year　by　year　these　strikes　increase

in　magnitude；　and　the　front　of　the　labor　army　grows　more　imposing。

And　it　is　a　class　struggle；　pure　and　simple。　　Labor　as　a　class　is

fighting　with　capital　as　a　class。



Workingmen　will　continue　to　demand　more　pay；　and　employers　will

continue　to　oppose　them。　　This　is　the　key…note　to　LAISSEZ　FAIRE；

everybody　for　himself　and　devil　take　the　hindmost。　　It　is　upon　this

that　the　rampant　individualist　bases　his　individualism。　　It　is　the

let…alone　policy；　the　struggle　for　existence；　which　strengthens　the

strong；　destroys　the　weak；　and　makes　a　finer　and　more　capable　breed

of　men。　　But　the　individual　has　passed　away　and　the　group　has　come；

for　better　or　worse；　and　the　struggle　has　become；　not　a　struggle

between　individuals；　but　a　struggle　between　groups。　　So　the　query

rises：　　Has　the　individualist　never　speculated　upon　the　labor　group

becoming　strong　enough　to　destroy　the　capitalist　group；　and　take　to

itself　and　run　for　itself　the　machinery　of　industry？　　And；　further；

has　the　individualist　never　speculated　upon　this　being　still　a

triumphant　expression　of　individualism；of　group　individualism；if

the　confusion　of　terms　may　be　permitted？



But　the　facts　of　the　class　struggle　are　deeper　and　more　significant

than　have　so　far　been　presented。　　A　million　or　so　of　workmen　may

organize　for　the　pursuit　of　interests　which　engender　class

antagonism　and　strife；　and　at　the　same　time　be　unconscious　of　what

is　engendered。　　But　when　a　million　or　so　of　workmen　show

unmistakable　signs　of　being　conscious　of　their　class；of　being；　in

short；　class　conscious；then　the　situation　grows　serious。　　The

uncompromising　and　terrible　hatred　of　the　trade…unionist　for　a　scab

is　the　hatred　of　a　class　for　a　traitor　to　that　class；while　the

hatred　of　a　trade…unionist　for　the　militia　is　the　hatred　of　a　class

for　a　weapon　wielded　by　the　class　with　which　it　is　fighting。　　No

workman　can　be　true　to　his　class　and　at　the　same　time　be　a　member　of

the