Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-09
AN ANSWER TO "WHAT
 SOCIALISM IS AND ISN'T"
Editor Evening Democrat:

Just few words more to the author frequently appearing In the columns of the Democrat as oppos- ing socialism. In quoting the "Gotha Programme" demanding equal rights and equal duties for all, "the removal of all social and political inequality" the writer seems to overlook the obvious fact that in demanding equal social and political rights, citizen Is not de manding equal pay for unequal la- bor-and the writer is confusing two distinct phases of the same subject. For instance, any American clti- zen claims equal political rights, the rights guaranteed him by the constitution of his country-he also claims, but does not receive, equal social" privileges-for, unless he belongs to the class which has the power to exploit labor, by reason of private ownership of the means of production, he will not receive equal social recognition Socialism does not advance any proposition by which men who are idlers should re- ceive equal remuneration with the workers of society, on the contrary. socialists protest against the fact that there is fast increasing leisure class In America enjoying the fruits of the toll of the working class.
 The writer entirely misses the point in his illustration about tho presses of the Democrat and Mir Ma loney's ownership of them. A man who owns small printing plant is a member of the working class jus: as much as the machinist carpenter, doctor or lawyer, and in no sense member of the capitalist class, but he is part of the capitalist system, just as a socialist is, and until the system has been entirely revolution ized what is one mans gain will still be another mans loss; and in order to exist all sorts of selfishness, ex. ploitation and injustice will be re- sorted to among the workers, as among capitalists.
 When the facts are known that in New York city last winter (and oth- CT cities suffered in proportion) there were nearly 100000 men out of work, that between 60.000 and 10000 children went to school with. out their breakfasts, that thousands of women sold their bodies for the means of life, then the we'll worn H. lustration of the man who saves enough money to buy a shoe shop by honest toll, falls rather fiat, but we'll carry out the illustration Should the man who is thrifty" enough to buy shop, machines, hides for leather, etc, give his work men a share of the shop, stock, etc?" Certainly not under this system of private ownership" and collec- tive production, trusts and tremeu- dous development of privately own ed machines" A system which these same workmen had perhaps upheld and voted for a very bad condition of affairs would result In the first place the little shoe factory started by one working man with his little pile of savings could never withstand competition with large comparatively managed shoe trust. He could not buy hia leather, his machinery in the market at the same advantage, and as labor power under the capitalist system is com- modity, just the same as the leather he would have to buy that com modity at the very lowest price. and no doubt could not afford to pay as high wages as the trust. as to giving the workingmen share of the factory, etc. that would be utterly out of the question.
 As the socialist party to which this committee belongs takes no official stand on religion. We will not dwell at length on the relation of socialism to religion, but there can be no doubt that there are athe- ists as well as Catholics in the social list party just as there are in the political parties called republicans and democrats there are in the re- publican party members of the unl- tarian church like William Taft now heading the ticket for president ci the United States and men like Rob- ert c. Ingersoll gave golden political orations for that party, and perhaps the writer confessed Catholic might without harm to his religious con- victions, call himself a republican but in referring to the German pro- grammes, etc, the writer has not been just in quoting but meager lines without the context which in the same programme would entirely change the meaning. In quoting an article from the Volkszeitung a Ger man daily paper. he forgets that the editor or the party would not hold themselves responsible for the con- victions of their contributors.
 It is true however, that many re- ligious men and women are em- bracing the economic philosophy of socialism.
 The Pan Anglican convention oi the Episcopal church recently held in London almost unanimously en- dorsed the propaganda of socialism as the remedy for the terrible ex- isting conditions. The Christian Socialist is a paper published weekly by Christians who desire to educate other Christians in the principles oi socialism-and as these principles are promulgated there is no doubt that men will become more religious more vitally concerned about life as it Is, and as 1t ought to be.
 Under system of righteous pro. duction and just distribution brought about by socialism the teachings o' Jesus would be fully understood and this world will be a better place to live in. The hells in which many suffer tortures to-day. even in this fair land ot. ours fsometimes called the land of libertYl will be vanished