The Washington herald., 1907-03-04
MILLIONAIRE TALKS
]. G. Phelps Stokes and Wife
Lecture OH Socialism.
EXPLAINS MEANING OF TERM
Declares Subject Is One Which Has
Been misunderstood and Talked
About by People Who Know Moth
ing of It-Rose Pastor Stokes
Speaks Seriously on Problems.

Socialism in various forms was Illus
trated by a New York millionaire, ]. q.
Phelps Stokes, and his wife. Rose Pastor
Stokes, in Masonic Temple last evening
before an audience that more than filled
the large hall. Mr.. Stokes himself is
president of half a dozen corporations.
and spoke at some length Of monopOlies,
bringing ont the idea that few stock
holders Of the larger companies had any
thing to do with actual operations of the
concerns. The two took the lecture plat
form some time ago in the interests of
socialism They leave to-day for Florida,
where several weeks viii be spent in
recreation.
Mrs. Stokes, who was formerly strip
per in cigar factory. and who met the
millionaire while both We're devoting
their spare time to working in the in
terest of the New York settlements fol-
lowed her husband on the platform last
night She Is an earnest talker, and
made her points clear. The audience was
/ composed Of more women than men, and
when Mrs Stokes was announced she
was heartily received. Many late arrivals
were unable to gain admittance TO the
hail.
stokes Is Plain Spoken.
MT Stokes can best be described by
calling him a plain man. He is plain
I'm style of dress. and equally as plain
and sincere in his speech. He is tall
| d
thirty-hve years. When he talks. the
millionaire has a habit of stepping back
and forth upon the stage He speaks
/ onhand. with some hesitation at times,
/ but as one who thoroughly understands
/ his subject In his speech Mr.. Stokes
/ is serious. Not once last night did he
80 much as smile during his address.
Nor did he tell any stories, or In any way
attempt TO amuse his hearers. He talked
| business. from beginning TO end.
In beginning, he said socialism is often
/ greatly snisrepresented. His subject was
/ The Reasonab leness OF Socialism. %
/ Many people" he said, who know
nothing about socialism and its purposes
are always talking ABOUT it without
knowing just what they say.
/ Socialism. it Is said d great deal every
where. seeks the abolition of capital"
/ continued Mr.. Stokes. This is not so.
/ It is the control Of the capital that social
/ ism favors. Socialism is very often said
/ 10 desire the abolition of property rights.
! Neither is this statement true. Private
Ownership and wealth which others have
1 created Is one Of the things TO which OBJ
/ lection is made by the socialists. Social
! ism recognizes the brain worker as well
as the manual labOrer.
should Control Their Output.
zone Of the fundamental principles Of
/ socialism is the product Of human labor,
and the belief that those who have Great
/ ed it have a better right to its disposal
/ than any one else. Those who produce
more wealth should have more 10 enjoy
Many men are vastly more able than 9TH
ers. Some are better educated and have
more skill. and these men should enjoy
! the privileges of their advantages.
Socialism saws that in social conditions
as they are organized to-day, the majority
/ Of the people are denied enjoying the
wealth they have created. Socialism says
/ that as the workers have produced the
wealth they should have the control OF it's
/ distribution.
/ Mr.. Stokes referred 10 the introduction
/ of steam-driven machines in the factories
/ of this country. The owners Of these ma
chimes made it possible 10 put commodi-
I ties on the market, he said, far cheaper
/ than the work Of the human hand could
/ do This made the livelihood Of the work
/ ingman more difficult than ever.
The machines themselves are all right. %
he said. but it IS the individuals who are
monOpolzing them who are causing all
the trouble among the laboring classes.
The same conditions exist to-day. There
are men willing 10 work who are unable
TO get employment at any OF the factories.
and all on account Of the machine and its
owner.
No Equality Idea.
Socialism, in political sense. has no
idea of equalization. Nothing Of the kind
is. or has ever been contemplated. Many
socialists. as well as people of other or
CARNATIONS, have their individual beliefs.
Political socialism says that every one
should be protected with a right TO use
his just wealth"
Mrs. Stokes began her address. which
was brief, by reference to the wage
slavery. She is as plainly dressed as her
husband. Last evening she wore a dark
green skirt and a waist Of the same
color. She is of medium height and
slender, as is Mr.. Stokes. In talking
MIS-. STOKES Is SLOW. out more impress
sive than her husband
The wage slavery Of to-day" said Mrs.
Stokes, is the main reason for the cause
of socialism. Il is the cause Of all the
poverty. The greater bulk OF poverty is
brought about, in my mind, by the pres
ent overcapitaliZatiOn. We are progress
ing, it is true but poverty, at the same
time, is increasing on every hand We
must eliminate the cause In their prog
ress the people have overlooked the
ounce of prevention.
Has Lived Here Fifteen Years.
I have lived in this country fifteen
years. and, with one exception. 1 do not
remember but one great offer ever made
by the Republican party to the masses.
This was the full dinner pail. That issue
I to my way Of thinking. was an insult -
/ Mrs. Stokes ended her address by ap-
pealing to the people TO join the Socialist
party, and to read the literature issued by
the order.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stokes will return to
Washington March IA, when the two will
make other addresses under the auspices
of the Economic Educational League,
which organization had charge Of the ar
rangements last night.
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