Evening star., 1907-08-08
GROWTH OF SOCIALISM
DIR. BUSHNELL's VIEW OF ITS IN
FLUENCE.

That socialism will play an important
part In remedylng the present conditions Of
industrial discomfort among workinsmen in
this country was the view Of DR.. Charles J.
bushnell, graduate of the Heidelberg Uni
versity and director of the Progress City
playground at 10th and E streets northwest,
expressed before a meeting on the roof
garden Of the Y. VI. c. A. building last
night. In this connection DR.. Bushnell did
not advocate socialism as the cure-all; but
he pointed out by statistics it's growth in
this country and added that it might soon
become SO powerful as to be an impor-
tant factor in the Politics Of the land as
In continental Europe.
The modern trust the speaker stated. was
the answer to the voice Of the people in
Its demand for more unified and econom-
lcal business organization, and socialism, he
added futher. Is but further effort to
carry this idea into industrial organiza-
tions.
BY its demand that we should own and
control collectively what We need to use
collectively, socialism is a protest against
the theory that all a workingman needs and
wants is roof, family and full dinner
psil; 1t is an aspiration for a fuller and
nobler social life," said the speaker.
For one. 1 believe that the present un-
deniable decay of democratic institut' ons.
of government of, for and by the people, is
temporary and is slowly arousing reaction
which is bound to iead US into a finer and
a broader national life with adequate ma
tonal control Of our great industries
Industrial Feudalism.
While the wisdom and keen foresight of
the captains of industry in this country to-
day must be commended, said the speaker,
1t must be added that the organizations
which they have built up are but parts and
ayidenpaS Of ind, rio ol doll
lent today. Under this industrial feudalism.
the speaker said. are held the vast ma
jority of the industrial workers in the posi-
ton of serfs and the industrial organizers
III the position of lords. This, the speaker
said, was not only not democratic, but not
in accord with the ideals of fraternity and
equality of opportunity held before this
country.
Continuing. he said:
What. then. is the way out Of our dif-
fculties? In the first place, we should
realize that benevolent feudalism Is a step
toward constitutional liberty. We should
understand that we are living in the be-
ginning Of an age OF transition from in
dustrial autocracy to Industrial democracy,
and 1t is, perhaps, our supreme business to-
day to find out what real industrial de.
mocracy consists in. whether in some form
OF capitalism or in some form Of socialism
or in some other fornr-and then try to re-
arrange our business system accordingly.
In the presence Of hundreds Of new eX-
periments. theories and doctrines of today.
we should adopt as our motto: Let us un-
derstand one another
Capitalism, republcanism, democracy,
Catholicism, Professionalism and even impe-
rialisnh, on the side Of the conservative
forces today; and socialism, populism, sin
gle tax, prohibition, Christian Science, the
osophy and even anarchy, on the side Of the
radical forces, all have important elements
of truth that must be taken into account
In determining the line of progress and true
of 1c hof ha
ism, that leads to national disruption, and
the conservatism, that leads TO national
straightforward be sure we see the truth
the other fellow Is aiming at"