war of the classes-第3章

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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　militia：　　this　is　the　dictum　of　the　labor　leaders。



In　the　town　of　the　writer；　the　good　citizens；　when　they　get　up　a

Fourth　of　July　parade　and　invite　the　labor　unions　to　participate；

are　informed　by　the　unions　that　they　will　not　march　in　the　parade　if

the　militia　marches。　　Article　8　of　the　constitution　of　the　Painters'

and　Decorators'　Union　of　Schenectady　provides　that　a　member　must　not

be　a　〃militiaman；　special　police　officer；　or　deputy　marshal　in　the

employ　of　corporations　or　individuals　during　strikes；　lockouts；　or

other　labor　difficulties；　and　any　member　occupying　any　of　the　above

positions　will　be　debarred　from　membership。〃　　Mr。　William　Potter　was

a　member　of　this　union　and　a　member　of　the　National　Guard。　　As　a

result；　because　he　obeyed　the　order　of　the　Governor　when　his　company

was　ordered　out　to　suppress　rioting；　he　was　expelled　from　his　union。

Also　his　union　demanded　his　employers；　Shafer　&　Barry；　to　discharge

him　from　their　service。　　This　they　complied　with；　rather　than　face

the　threatened　strike。



Mr。　Robert　L。　Walker；　first　lieutenant　of　the　Light　Guards；　a　New

Haven　militia　company；　recently　resigned。　　His　reason　was；　that　he

was　a　member　of　the　Car　Builders'　Union；　and　that　the　two

organizations　were　antagonistic　to　each　other。　　During　a　New　Orleans

street…car　strike　not　long　ago；　a　whole　company　of　militia；　called

out　to　protect　non…union　men；　resigned　in　a　body。　　Mr。　John

Mulholland；　president　of　the　International　Association　of　Allied

Metal　Mechanics；　has　stated　that　he　does　not　want　the　members　to

join　the　militia。　　The　Local　Trades'　Assembly　of　Syracuse；　New　York；

has　passed　a　resolution；　by　unanimous　vote；　requiring　union　men　who

are　members　of　the　National　Guard　to　resign；　under　pain　of

expulsion；　from　the　unions。　　The　Amalgamated　Sheet　Metal　Workers'

Association　has　incorporated　in　its　constitution　an　amendment

excluding　from　membership　in　its　organization　〃any　person　a　member

of　the　regular　army；　or　of　the　State　militia　or　naval　reserve。〃　　The

Illinois　State　Federation　of　Labor；　at　a　recent　convention；　passed

without　a　dissenting　vote　a　resolution　declaring　that　membership　in

military　organizations　is　a　violation　of　labor　union　obligations；

and　requesting　all　union　men　to　withdraw　from　the　militia。　　The

president　of　the　Federation；　Mr。　Albert　Young；　declared　that　the

militia　was　a　menace　not　only　to　unions；　but　to　all　workers

throughout　the　country。



These　instances　may　be　multiplied　a　thousand　fold。　　The　union

workmen　are　becoming　conscious　of　their　class；　and　of　the　struggle

their　class　is　waging　with　the　capitalist　class。　　To　be　a　member　of

the　militia　is　to　be　a　traitor　to　the　union；　for　the　militia　is　a

weapon　wielded　by　the　employers　to　crush　the　workers　in　the　struggle

between　the　warring　groups。



Another　interesting；　and　even　more　pregnant；　phase　of　the　class

struggle　is　the　political　aspect　of　it　as　displayed　by　the

socialists。　　Five　men；　standing　together；　may　perform　prodigies；　500

men；　marching　as　marched　the　historic　Five　Hundred　of　Marseilles；

may　sack　a　palace　and　destroy　a　king；　while　500；000　men；

passionately　preaching　the　propaganda　of　a　class　struggle；　waging　a

class　struggle　along　political　lines；　and　backed　by　the　moral　and

intellectual　support　of　10；000；000　more　men　of　like　convictions

throughout　the　world；　may　come　pretty　close　to　realizing　a　class

struggle　in　these　United　States　of　ours。



In　1900　these　men　cast　150；000　votes；　two　years　later；　in　1902；　they

cast　300；000　votes；　and　in　1904　they　cast　450；000。　　They　have　behind

them　a　most　imposing　philosophic　and　scientific　literature；　they　own

illustrated　magazines　and　reviews；　high　in　quality；　dignity；　and

restraint；　they　possess　countless　daily　and　weekly　papers　which

circulate　throughout　the　land；　and　single　papers　which　have

subscribers　by　the　hundreds　of　thousands；　and　they　literally　swamp

the　working　classes　in　a　vast　sea　of　tracts　and　pamphlets。　　No

political　party　in　the　United　States；　no　church　organization　nor

mission　effort；　has　as　indefatigable　workers　as　has　the　socialist

party。　　They　multiply　themselves；　know　of　no　effort　nor　sacrifice

too　great　to　make　for　the　Cause；　and　〃Cause；〃　with　them；　is　spelled

out　in　capitals。　　They　work　for　it　with　a　religious　zeal；　and　would

die　for　it　with　a　willingness　similar　to　that　of　the　Christian

martyrs。



These　men　are　preaching　an　uncompromising　and　deadly　class　struggle。

In　fact；　they　are　organized　upon　the　basis　of　a　class　struggle。

〃The　history　of　society；〃　they　say；　〃is　a　history　of　class

struggles。　　Patrician　struggled　with　plebeian　in　early　Rome；　the

king　and　the　burghers；　with　the　nobles　in　the　Middle　Ages；　later　on；

the　king　and　the　nobles　with　the　bourgeoisie；　and　today　the　struggle

is　on　between　the　triumphant　bourgeoisie　and　the　rising　proletariat。

By　'proletariat'　is　meant　the　class　of　people　without　capital　which

sells　its　labor　for　a　living。



〃That　the　proletariat　shall　conquer；〃　（mark　the　note　of　fatalism）；

〃is　as　certain　as　the　rising　sun。　　Just　as　the　bourgeoisie　of　the

eighteenth　century　wanted　democracy　applied　to　politics；　so　the

proletariat　of　the　twentieth　century　wants　democracy　applied　to

industry。　　As　the　bourgeoisie　complained　against　the　government

being　run　by　and　for　the　nobles；　so　the　proletariat　complains

against　the　government　and　industry　being　run　by　and　for　the

bourgeoisie；　and　so；　following　in　the　footsteps　of　its　predecessor；

the　proletariat　will　possess　itself　of　the　government；　apply

democracy　to　industry；　abolish　wages；　which　are　merely　legalized

robbery；　and　run　the　business　of　the　country　in　its　own　interest。〃



〃Their　aim；〃　they　say；　〃is　to　organize　the　working　class；　and　those

in　sympathy　with　it；　into　a　political　party；　with　the　object　of

conquering　the　powers　of　government　and　of　using　them　for　the

purpose　of　transforming　the　present　system　of　private　ownership　of

the　means　of　production　and　distribution　into　collective　ownership

by　the　entire　people。〃



Briefly　stated；　this　is　the　battle　plan　of　these　450；000　men　who

call　themselves　〃socialists。〃　　And；　in　the　face　of　the　existence　of

such　an　aggressive　group　of　men；　a　class　struggle　cannot　very　well

be　denied　by　the　optimistic　Americans　who　say：　　〃A　class　struggle　is

monstrous。　　Sir；　there　is　no　class　struggle。〃　　The　class　struggle　is

here；　and　the　optimistic　American　had　better　gird　himself　for　the

fray　and　put　a　stop　to　it；　rather　than　sit　idly　declaiming　that　what

ought　not　to　be　is　not；　and　never　will　be。



But　the　socialists；　fanatics　and　dreamers　though　they　may　well　be；

betray　a　foresight　and　insight；　and　a　genius　for　organization；　which

put　to　shame　the　class　with　which　they　are　openly　at　war。　　Failing

of　rapid　success　in　waging　a　sheer　political　propaganda；　and　finding

that　they　were　alienating　the　most　intelligent　and　most　easily

organized　portion　of　the　voters；　the　socialists　lessoned　from　the

experience　and　turned　their　energies　upon　the　trade…union　movement。

To　win　the　trade　unions　was　well…nigh　to　win　the　war；　and　recent

events　show　that　they　have　done　far　more　winning　in　this　direction

than　have　the　capitalists。



Instead　of　antagonizing　the　unions；　which　had　been　their　previous

policy；　the　socialists　proceeded　to　conciliate　the　unions。　　〃Let

every　good　socialist　join　the　union　of　his　trade；〃　the　edict　went

forth。　　〃Bore　from　within　and　capture　the　trade…union　movement。〃

And　this　policy；　only　several　years　old；　has　reaped　fruits　far

beyond　their　fondest　expectations。　　Today　the　great　labor　unions　are

honeycombed　with　socialists；　〃boring　from　within；〃　as　they

picturesquely　term　their　undermining　labor。　　At　work　and　at　play；　at

business　meeting　and　council；　their　insidious　propaganda　goes　on。

At　the　shoulder　of　the　trade…unionist　is　the　socialist；　sympathizing

with　him；　aiding　him　with　head　and　hand；　suggestingperpetually

suggestingthe　necessity　for　political　action。　　As　the　JOURNAL；　of

Lansing；　Michigan；　a　republican　paper；　has　remarked：　　〃The

socialists　in　the　labor　unions　are　tireless　workers。　　They　are

sincere；　energetic；　and　self…sacrificing。　。　。　。　They　stick　to　the

union　and　work　all　the　while；　thus　making　a　showing　which；　reckoned

by　ordinary　standards；　is　out　of　all　proportion　to　their　numbers。

Their　cause　is　growing　among　union　laborers；　and　their　long　fight；

intended　to　turn　the　Federation　into　a　political　organization；　is

likely　to　win。〃



They　miss　no　opportunity　of　driving　home　the　necessity　for　political

action；　the　necessity　for　capturing　the　political　machinery　of

society　whereby　they　may　master　society。　　As　an　instance　of　this　is

the　avidity　with　which　the　American　socialists　seized　upon　the

famous　Taft…Vale　Decision　in　England；　which　was　to　the　effect　that

an　unincorporated　union　could　be　sued　and　its　treasury　rifled　by

process　of　law。　　Throughout　the　United　States；　the　socialists

pointed　the　moral　in　similar　fashion　to　the　way　it　was　pointed　by

the　Social…Democratic　Herald；　which　advised　the　trade…unionists；　in

view　of　the　decision；　to　stop　trying　to　fight　capital　with　money；

which　they　lacked；　and　to　begin　fighting　with　the　ballot；　which　was

their　strongest　weapon。



Night　and　day；　tireless　and　unrelenting；　they　labor　at　their　self…

imposed　task　of　undermining　society。　　Mr。　M。　G。　Cunniff；　who　lately

made　an　intimate　study　of　trade…unionism；　says：　　〃All　through　the

unions　socialism　filters。　　Almost　every　other　man　is　a　socialist；

preaching　that　unionism　is　but　a　makeshift。〃　　〃Malthus　be　damned；〃

they　told　him；　〃for　the　good　time　was　coming　when　every　man　should

be　able　to　rear　his　family　in　comfort。〃　　In　one　union；　with　two

thousand　members；　Mr。　Cunniff　found　every　man　a　socialist；　and　from

his　experiences　Mr。　Cunniff　was　forced　to　confess；　〃I　lived　in　a

world　that　showed　our　industrial　life　a…tremble　from　beneath　with　a

never…ceasing　ferment。〃



The　socialists　have　already　captured　the　Western　Federation　of

Miners；　the　Western　Hotel　and　Restaurant　Employees'　Union；　and　the

Patternmakers'　National　Association。　　The　Western　Federation　of

Miners；　at　a　recent　convention；　declared：　　〃The　strike　has　failed　to

secure　to　the　working　classes　their　liberty；　we　therefore　call　upon

the　workers　to　strike　as　one　man　for　their　liberties　at　the　ballot

box。　。　。　。　We　put　ourselves　on　record　as　committed　to　the　programme

of　independent　political　action。　。　。　。　We　indorse　the　platform　of

the　socialist　party；　and　accept　it　as　the　declaration　of　principles

of　our　organization。　　We　call　upon　our　members　as　individuals　to

commence　immediately　the　organization　of　the　socialist　movement　in

their　respective　towns　and　states；　and　to　cooperate　in　every　way　for

the　furtherance　of　the　principles　of　socialism　and　of　the　socialist

pa