Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-06-20

CONCERNING THE COMING
SOCIAL REVOLUTION.
"Thrsc Strikes Are The Earthquakes
That Prcccdc the Outburst of the
N0lcanO"-NOt 10 Begin In
France America or
England First.

In an interview with the represen-
tatvc of an English newspaper, NJ.
Emile Zola, the great French novel
ISt and philosopher, expressed him
self upon the position of the French
people in regard to the social rcvolu-
ton which is among the probabii-
ties of the next decade or two. M.
Zola's thorough knowledge of the
French in their social and political
life will secure attentive regard for
his opinions.
To the reporters question: "Are
the laborers rs well organized in
France as in the United States and
England" NJ. Zola replied:
"No; and tins is the very reason
why French strikers never accom-
plish much. French workmcn, as
II body, are incapable of organization.
Take score Of them and YOU will
find only four or five who understand
what they want or what they ought
to want; the remaining fifteen may
follow the lead of their more en-
lightcncd companions, but do SO
blindly and with little enthusiasm.
The lamentablc weakness of our ma
tional character; the love Of being
governed, and distaste Of thinking
and acting by and for ones self, par
alyzes the French prolctariat. Fer
haps this may disappear with time,
for great changes are being wrought
in this progressive age. Onr miners
are no longer so ignorant as they
used to be. The young generations
can now read and write. They are
studying by themselves the doctrines
Of Revolutionary Socialism, as the
world will find out one of these days.
Then, too, the moral situation is
rapidly improving. Mere children
no longer 60 down into the pits, and
since '16 women work only above
ground, and d terrible source of i'm
morality has thus been removed.
81 am convinced that the Decaze-
Vile outbreak will end in the dis
comIiturc Of the miners. The COM
pany has simply to wait until the
workmen are starved out, and then
they will have to return to work on
the company's terms. The miners
alternative is starvation or toll. The
capitalist knows il, and the employed
will find it out sooner or later.
"But because strike may fail in
one of the poorest mining districts
of France it does not follow that the
cause OF the proletariat is retrogra-
ding. These strikes are the earth
quakcs that preccdc the outburst Of
the volcano. The Revolution of
1889 destroyed the nobility and cle-
waited the bourgeolsel to wealth and
power. But the benefit that is con-
ferrcd on the working classes are out
of all proportion to those won by the
Theirs Etat. 1t is now the turn of
proletariat. Those at the bottom of
tho social ladder are slowly mount
ing, round after round. towards the
top. They are at the foot to-day,
but they will surely be at the top
tomorrow. The gathering storm
may burst in ten years, or in fifty,
or perhaps it may require a century
to accumulate the necessary force.
But it will certainly burst. Human
ity is subject to the same laws as
matter. When the atmosphere is
sufficiently charged with electricity
there must be lightning flash.
This social revolution will come,
and it will come in the form of war.
| am convinced that it cannot be ac-
complishcd by legislation, that it
cannot be brought about by peaceful
means.
"Where will it begin, NJ. Zola?"
"Not in France, / am certain.
My country is at bottom monarchical.
Frenchmen, even French workmen,