war of the classes-第3部分

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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　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　h