The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-08-31
WHAT DID DEns SAY.

\
Many Of the truculent newspapers Of
the capitalist class have been greatly
disturbed for nearly two months over
the passage on the flag in Eugene v.
Debs' Fourth Of July speech in Chicago.
They have lost their heads and become
hysterical. They are deluded by the
notion that only the flag Of a Russian
car or a Spanish king can stand for
or countenance slavery. The barrest
suggestion that under the sway Of
"Old Glory" there is any iniquity at all
comparable with the status of affairs
in other countries, sets them wild. and
their capitalistic hypocrisies readily run
into the grossest Misrepresentation
and perversion of anything Debs says.
That staid and conservative old
strumpet, Harper's Weekly, INDUCES In
at attack on Debs the animus Of which
has its origin in the capitalist concep-
ton of patriotism. which Is that what
ever the captilist class does is patriotic,
and the flag stands not for the free
dom and aspirations Of a people, but
for the sanctided interests of class.
For the enlightenment of the patriots
of commercialism, it is we'll to recall
exactly what Debs said. This we do.
not with any hope that the profound
significance contained In his simple
words will penetrate their minds, but
to show that their abuse strikes at the
traditions and institutions the flag is
supposed to represent, and not at the
object Of their cordial dislike. This is
what Debs said:
ION this day, concentrating the
Fourth of July, 1875, the declaration of
independence was issued. Thousands of
orators all over this broad land will
glorify the institutions under which we
live. In pride they will point toward
Old Glory and declare that it is
flag that waves over free country.
In these modern days we hear very
much about that flag and about the
institutions over which it waves. I am
not Of those who worship the flas.
I have no respect for the stars and
stripes, or for any other flag that SYM
bolizes slavery. It does not matter to
me what others may think, say or do.
I propose to preserve the integrity of
my soul. I will give a transcript of
my mind and tell you precisely what I
think. Not very long ago the president
of the country, in the attitude of mock
heroics, asked who would haul down
the flag. will tell him. Triumphant
Socialism will haul down that flag and
every other that symbolizes capitalist
class rule and wage slavery. I am
patriot. not in the sense that I love
my country. but in the sense that love
all countries"
Now, since the capitalist penmen do
not agree with Debs, and since the pro-
position that the flag waves over in
stitutions that have been perverted to
the service of wealth, that everywhere
even in the supreme court-the con-
stitution has been spurned and torn
to shreds, is regarded as a musty, out
grown document, no longer suited to
the requirements Of country domin-
ated and controlled in every department
Of it's government by class which con-
trolls the economic interests of the land;
since, in brief, the flag waves over
slavery, does not even protect the
negro thirty years after the war. is
used to subject weaker peoples to the
yoke Of capitalism and for no other
purpose, the point of the whole matter
is that Debs spoke the truth. Truth
never weighs against the economic in
terests Of those in power.
Harper's Weekly is a traditional de-
fender Of slavery, for, as Debs says,
when Wendell Phillips assailed slavery
that paper condemned him as a. traitor
and wanted him punished.-SociaI
Democratic Herald.