war of the classes-第5节
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As he says; the work is for 〃federating employers in order that we
may meet with a united front all issues that affect us。 We must
come to this sooner or later。 。 。 。 The work immediately before the
National Association of Manufacturers is; first; KEEP THE VICIOUS
EIGHT…HOUR BILL OFF THE BOOKS; second; to DESTROY THE ANTI…
INJUNCTION BILL; which wrests your business from you and places it
in the hands of your employees; third; to secure the PASSAGE OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY BILL; the latter would go
through with a rush were it not for the hectoring opposition of
Organized Labor。〃 By this department; he further says; 〃business
interests would have direct and sympathetic representation at
Washington。〃
In a later letter; issued broadcast to the capitalists outside the
League; President Parry points out the success which is already
beginning to attend the efforts of the League at Washington。 〃We
have contributed more than any other influence to the quick passage
of the new Department of Commerce Bill。 It is said that the
activities of this office are numerous and satisfactory; but of that
I must not say too muchor anything。 。 。 。 At Washington the
Association is not represented too much; either directly or
indirectly。 Sometimes it is known in a most powerful way that it is
represented vigorously and unitedly。 Sometimes it is not known that
it is represented at all。〃
The second class…conscious capitalist organization is called the
National Economic League。 It likewise manifests the frankness of
men who do not dilly…dally with terms; but who say what they mean;
and who mean to settle down to a long; hard fight。 Their letter of
invitation to prospective members opens boldly。 〃We beg to inform
you that the National Economic League will render its services in an
impartial educational movement TO OPPOSE SOCIALISM AND CLASS
HATRED。〃 Among its class…conscious members; men who recognize that
the opening guns of the class struggle have been fired; may be
instanced the following names: Hon。 Lyman J。 Gage; Ex…Secretary U。
S。 Treasury; Hon。 Thomas Jefferson Coolidge; Ex…Minister to France;
Rev。 Henry C。 Potter; Bishop New York Diocese; Hon。 John D。 Long;
Ex…Secretary U。 S。 Navy; Hon。 Levi P。 Morton; Ex…Vice President
United States; Henry Clews; John F。 Dryden; President Prudential
Life Insurance Co。; John A。 McCall; President New York Life
Insurance Co。; J。 L。 Greatsinger; President Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Co。; the shipbuilding firm of William Cramp & Sons; the Southern
Railway system; and the Atchison; Topeka; & Santa Fe Railway
Company。
Instances of the troubled editorial voice have not been rare during
the last several years。 There were many cries from the press during
the last days of the anthracite coal strike that the mine owners; by
their stubbornness; were sowing the regrettable seeds of socialism。
The World's Work for December; 1902; said: 〃The next significant
fact is the recommendation by the Illinois State Federation of Labor
that all members of labor unions who are also members of the state
militia shall resign from the militia。 This proposition has been
favorably regarded by some other labor organizations。 It has done
more than any other single recent declaration or action to cause a
public distrust of such unions as favor it。 IT HINTS OF A CLASS
SEPARATION THAT IN TURN HINTS OF ANARCHY。〃
The OUTLOOK; February 14; 1903; in reference to the rioting at
Waterbury; remarks; 〃That all this disorder should have occurred in
a city of the character and intelligence of Waterbury indicates that
the industrial war spirit is by no means confined to the immigrant
or ignorant working classes。〃
That President Roosevelt has smelt the smoke from the firing line of
the class struggle is evidenced by his words; 〃Above all we need to
remember that any kind of CLASS ANIMOSITY IN THE POLITICAL WORLD is;
if possible; even more destructive to national welfare than
sectional; race; or religious animosity。〃 The chief thing to be
noted here is President Roosevelt's tacit recognition of class
animosity in the industrial world; and his fear; which language
cannot portray stronger; that this class animosity may spread to the
political world。 Yet this is the very policy which the socialists
have announced in their declaration of war against present…day
societyto capture the political machinery of society and by that
machinery destroy present…day society。
The New York Independent for February 12; 1903; recognized without
qualification the class struggle。 〃It is impossible fairly to pass
upon the methods of labor unions; or to devise plans for remedying
their abuses; until it is recognized; to begin with; that unions are
based upon class antagonism and that their policies are dictated by
the necessities of social warfare。 A strike is a rebellion against
the owners of property。 The rights of property are protected by
government。 And a strike; under certain provocation; may extend as
far as did the general strike in Belgium a few years since; when
practically the entire wage…earning population stopped work in order
to force political concessions from the property…owning classes。
This is an extreme case; but it brings out vividly the real nature
of labor organization as a species of warfare whose object is the
coercion of one class by another class。〃
It has been shown; theoretically and actually; that there is a class
struggle in the United States。 The quarrel over the division of the
joint product is irreconcilable。 The working class is no longer
losing its strongest and most capable members。 These men; denied
room for their ambition in the capitalist ranks; remain to be the
leaders of the workers; to spur them to discontent; to make them
conscious of their class; to lead them to revolt。
This revolt; appearing spontaneously all over the industrial field
in the form of demands for an increased share of the joint product;
is being carefully and shrewdly shaped for a political assault upon
society。 The leaders; with the carelessness of fatalists; do not
hesitate for an instant to publish their intentions to the world。
They intend to direct the labor revolt to the capture of the
political machinery of society。 With the political machinery once
in their hands; which will also give them the control of the police;
the army; the navy; and the courts; they will confiscate; with or
without remuneration; all the possessions of the capitalist class
which are used in the production and distribution of the necessaries
and luxuries of life。 By this; they mean to apply the law of
eminent domain to the land; and to extend the law of eminent domain
till it embraces the mines; the factories; the railroads; and the
ocean carriers。 In short; they intend to destroy present…day
society; which they contend is run in the interest of another class;
and from the materials to construct a new society; which will be run
in their interest。
On the other hand; the capitalist class is beginning to grow
conscious of itself and of the struggle which is being waged。 It is
already forming offensive and defensive leagues; while some of the
most prominent figures in the nation are preparing to lead it in the
attack upon socialism。
The question to be solved is not one of Malthusianism; 〃projected
efficiency;〃 nor ethics。 It is a question of might。 Whichever
class is to win; will win by virtue of superior strength; for the
workers are beginning to say; as they said to Mr。 Cunniff; 〃Malthus
be damned。〃 In their own minds they find no sanction for continuing
the individual struggle for the survival of the fittest。 As Mr。
Gompers has said; they want more; and more; and more。 The ethical
import of Mr。 Kidd's plan of the present generation putting up with
less in order that race efficiency may be projected into a remote
future; has no bearing upon their actions。 They refuse to be the
〃glad perishers〃 so glowingly described by Nietzsche。
It remains to be seen how promptly the capitalist class will respond
to the call to arms。 Upon its promptness rests its existence; for
if it sits idly by; soothfully proclaiming that what ought not to be
cannot be; it will find the roof beams crashing about its head。 The
capitalist class is in the numerical minority; and bids fair to be
outvoted if it does not put a stop to the vast propaganda being
waged by its enemy。 It is no longer a question of whether or not
there is a class struggle。 The question now is; what will be the
outcome of the class struggle?
THE TRAMP
Mr。 Francis O'Neil; General Superintendent of Police; Chicago;
speaking of the tramp; says: 〃Despite the most stringent police
regulations; a great city will have a certain number of homeless
vagrants to shelter through the winter。〃 〃Despite;〃mark the word;
a confession of organized he