The Washington herald., 1907-03-17
SOCIALIST IN REPLY
Discusses Phases of DR.. Staf-
fOrd'S Lectures.
CLAIMS DIVINE IS IN ERROR
Attacks Alleged MiscOneeption ns TO
Scope of the Word Solidarity AS
Applied by SOciaIists-Says AbOIi-
tion of Private WenIth, Not Of PrI-
vase Poverty, Is Sought.
Editor The washington Herald:

Editor The Washington Herald:
/ Having entertained a very high opinion
/ of Rev. DR.. Stafford, have been follow
/ ing with much interest The Herald's re-
ports OF his sermons on socialism. Hal
they been al an hour when I was free. 1t
would have been my pleasure to hear
them. But being engaged in the same
! line Of work l was obliged to depend on
the newspaper reports. Assuming the
I correctness Of these reports. in so far as
they quote at least. have to confess
some surprise at the character of these
sermons.
man of Dr. Stafford's learning and
ability, having as he assumes, Truth on
his side, could surely afford TO state a
proposition, the errors OF which he Is
seeking to show. in the language OF it's
advocate, or at least In terms that they
would be willing TO accept. / have failed
to find, in any Of the reports so far pub
lished any statement touching the ma
ture and aim Of socialism that any intelli-
gent socialist would be willing TO accept
Ono who states the proposition of an Up-
ponent fairly and strongly and then pro-
ceeds 10 expose its falIacies and weak.
nesses. renders his hearers n genuine
service. But he who misrepresents his
opponents position and then exposes the
errors Of the view attributed TO him,
| does his hearers a serious injury, ard
this whether such misrepresentation Il
due to miseonceptIon or deliberate inted-
/ ton.
Solidarity of Socialism.
/ Knowing the power Of preeonceived
opinions, and especially Of opinions re-
[ ceived on the authority OF a church or
4 book. TO blind one to the real meaning OF
/ any declared heresy, am inclined 10
+ think Dr. Stafford's Misrepresentation due
to misconception- This misconceptiOn runs
/ all through the reports published, but is
most conspicuous. and, perhaps. most eX-
cusable in the fourth. namely, the Con
/ hict of Glasses" The doctor says: The
I first thing that strikes the eye, as you
/ look through the index OF any work on
/ socialism. IS the word solidarity He
/ likes the word In It's fun meaning, but he
/ thinks the socialists only use Il to juggle
with. He says they contemplate only q
partial solidarity. but that is the doctors
mistake. Suppose the socialist were TO
argue that Christianity is doctrine of
hate, because It contemplates the wiplng
out or extinction Of sinners and heretics.
I that 1t does not believe in complete soli-
darity al all. but only in the solidarity OF
/ Christians. The doctor would undOubted-
/ ly reply that the extinction OF sinners and
hereucs. which the church aims at, and
\ Is working for. means their conversion
I into saints and believers He would say
/ that so far from meaning sinners and
/ here5ics any harm, it contemplates only
/ thei1 good. They cease to be sinners
and heretics, and become members Of the
great body Of righteous believers
Would Abolish Private Capital.
Now, the socialist looks at the private
1 capitalist as such, as inimlcal 10 the inter
/ est Of the social body under the changed
conditions which Industrial evolution has
I brought about. He comedies that private
capital has rendered valuable service in
the past, as has slavery and serfdom. but
holds that 1t has now become an instru-
ment OF oppression and cruelty, and a
menace 10 all that is most vital to the
welfare OF the nation and the manhood
/ Of its individual members. For this rea-
( son the socialist demands, In his party
/ platform. that ali those things upon
/ which the people in common depend
shall by the people in common be ad-
mnistered: that the tools of employment
shah belong 10 their creators and users:
that all production shall be for the d.
rect use OF the producers: that tie max
I ing Of goods for profit shall come 10 an
end; that We shall all be workers To-
getheT whether workers OF brain or
handb, and that all opportunities shall be
open and equal to all men,"
/ The T1Ost eXtremC socialist does not pro-
pose to abolish private property. he only
proposes 20 abolish private capitaEthat
IS. 70 do away with the use of private
wealth for the making of more wealth
/ he demands that all capital (wealth usea
70 make more wealth. through exploita-.
ton Of others shall be employed in the
common interest, and this common inter
est includes the interest Of the men who
are now private capitalists as well as
that Of the common toller. Hence. the
solidarity Of socialism is as complete as
the solidarity of Christianity
DiscIaims Doctrine of Hate.
But the doctor says the proletariat is
taught to hate the middle class and the
capitalist class, whom he accuses Of all
evil" Let it be freely conceded that
many socialist writers, like many pro-
/ fessedly Christian preachers. do not al
ways distinguish, as they should, between
the sin and the sinner But il is not true
that they teach hate toward any class
their enemy is capitalism. not capitalists
their war is against the system which
puts it In the power of the few to open or
close the doors of opportunity to the
many; which enables them 10 appropriate
20 themselves the surplus earnings cf the
many, leaving them only enough to keep
them IN working condition, and very often
not so much Besides Dr. Stafford ought
to know that there is no other organized
body on earth that stands so squareIy and
solidiy for peace and against war as the
great socialist organization. More than
once this known attitude of the socialist
body has saved Europe from a bloody
conflict
Further, there is no other large body
In which distinctions Of race, nationality
and color are so completely ignored. They
believe in solidarity. solidarity rooted in
the very nature OF man and things, and
are working earnestly. whether wisely or
not, for its universal recognition.
There was so much that was true and
excellent in DR. Stafford's discourse. so
much that needed 10 be said and was so
well said, that I am sorry that IT was
marred and its good effect largely de-
stroyed by such serious and inexcusable
misconception. ALEX. KENT
Officers Leave for Boston.
Col. E. NJ. Weaver, assistant to the
chief of artillery. Maj. Gen. ]. F. Bell