Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04
SOCIALISM-WHY7

1
with his inability to remain in th'
office of commissioner of public works
is a mystery. In other words, why
should he quit his job because he has
become a Socialist? Is there any con
nection between Socialism and building
sewer or opening street? Is i
wrong for a Socialist to do his public
duties and attend to his personal worn
in the world because he is Socialist
There may be a lot of things about
Socialism that The Herald doesn't un-
derstand-perhaps doesn't care to un-
derstand-but the resignation OF an
official because he had become So
cialist is an unexpected mystery.
MIR. Patterson went into office as
devoted adherent of municipal owner
ship. He quit the Republican party
and the editorship of the Chicago Tri-
bune to campaign for the election OF
Dunno. In return he was given the
position of commissioner of public
works Now he announces that he has
become a Socialist and refuses to hold
the office longer. He writes to Mayor
Dunno that you are merely paltering
with skin-deep matters when you stop
sbort of Socialism " And again: 'I
believe that the ownership from which
money springs should be vested in the
whole community" Well. what of it!
Why does such a belief impel or compel
Mr.. Patterson to refuse to serve the
people Of Chicago in a position where
his theories have nothing apparently
to do with the case?
Or. can it be true that Socialism, as
a theory. so impresses one with the
impossibility and uselessness Of life
under any other theory that he is un-
fitted for this practical workaday
world and cannot serve his government
because the existing theory of govern
ment is all wrong? Carried to its
logical conclusion. is that loyalty? Is
that patriotism?
Does Mr.. Patterson mean to say that
because he has become a Socialist he
cannot further help the people-must
not do anything that will conserve
present interests because he is i'm
pressed with the new idea that govern
ment as it exists and has existed for
centuries must be wholly set aside,
and a new theory put in practice at
jump?
Mr.. Patterson may not be a very
good Socialist. He says himself that
he had hardly read a Socialist book,
and is therefore a neophyte. But the
fact remains that his first impressions
of that theory have caused him to
quit his job, so that he may go out in
the green fields and lie down by a
shaded brook and dream dreams of a
state of society wherein men will have
to work only two hours a day, where
money will be no object, competition
will be abolished, individuality de-
stroyed, and everybody can carry a
harp and wear crown if he likes. Is
that the result of becoming a Social
lst? Is that Mr.. Patterson's idea of
reforming the world? Is that the way
to help humanity?
Socialism may or may not be a good
hing. 1t is a question open to dis
oute by everybody except a Socialist.
But what we want to know is, why
Mr.. Patterson decided that, having
become a Socialist, he was therefore
and thereby untitled to dig a sewer
Dr. build a street. A Socialist will sug-
gest as the answer that if a Democrat
should be appointed to office and
should bee Jme a Republican he ought
to resign his office. But that isn't a
logical answer, being merely super
fetal. Suppose the next commanding
general of the army or admiral of the
navy should be appointed as a Repub-
Iican and turn Democrat, would politi-
cal ethics require him to resign? Sup
pose that a pronounced municipal
ownership man is selected to dig the
Panama canal, and he suddenly be-
comes Socialist, would he have to
quit the job because in state of
Socialism we will not need canals?
Suppose a Republican is selected to
Enforce CuSlOIllS uullSS anu Ilc lIl LS
Socialist, must he therefore resign be-
cause under Socialism we will have no
customs duties?
Does Joseph Medill Patterson fairly
Socialism when he deter
mines that he must not further aid in
building up and developing the existing
form of industrial and social life, based
upon centuries of experiment, because
it is the province and purpose of So
cialism to institute an entirely diff
ferent form of industrial and social
life? If he does, then Socialism de-
mands that all of us quit our jobs at
once and enter Immediately upon that
period of beautiful rest and deep
freedom which Socialism presupposes.
A delightful dream, truly.
GROWERS AND SHIPPERS