Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-10

artlcle Ou tHt IcidtioH VI "VNs
 the labor unions the committee mas the happy knack of keeping away from the question at issue. It writes of the development and strength oi labor unions, of the ancient method of winning strikes, of the manufac- turers' organizations, of the duty or the workman to use the ballot, oi the good socialist doctrine that the interests of labor and capital are ir- reconcilable of the nature Of capital (and by the way, l understand well the economic term, as hope to prove later on in a future article) Of con f]scation. The committee quotes Jaures and Bebel and Laselle ana yet upbraids me for referring 'to a position that existed same years ago.
 The committee, notice, does not give any dates for the utterances or Jaures, Bebel and Laselle. The last died in 1864. not a very modern date even for socialism. But what does their lengthy article amount to! so far as can understand 1t, the gist of it is simply: labor unions are not sufficient by themselves, therefore amalgamate with socialists. II l have any recollection of what l wrote that is precisely the view l nut: that the socialists desired to ob- tain control of the labor unions. The committee itself backs up my asser- tion for 1t tells us that 'it IS very true the socialists do desire and have accomplished the propaganda of so- cialism in trades unions In the uuotation from Jaures it says: Trades unionism alone is not sui fcient.' And what is the manifest conclusion? Let trades unions come into the socialist camp. But what are conditions under which they may come into the socialist party? Let me repeat my quotation of F. W. Long in '.The Worker" Those who do not agree with us in this matter cannot in good faith come into the party" The labor union therefore that would come into the socialist party must lose their own identity, at least those that belong to the A. F. Of l.. I am aware that there IS an American labor party whose interests are identical with those of socialists. The committee quotes from Belford Box Git should be Bax-Ernest Bel ford Bax) and says: Their 2 Grades unions) leaders do not ex- hibit any special desire for change which, though it would mean their liberation and triumph of the class they represent, would at the same time render trades unions thing Of the past" That is just precisely what I contended; that socialists would render trades unions thing of the past, would disrupt and annihilate them These are the only things found in the committees ar ticle that refer specifically to the re- lations of socialism toward the trades unions. And if they mean anything they mean an attitude of uncom- promising hostility towards trades unions unless the latter lose their identity in the ranks of socialism.
 The socialists, as the committee acknowledges, makes no secret of the fact that they desire to gather in the trades unions. would ask the com mittee one question. VIII it take the unions of Waterbury as they are into their ranks, or will it not require them to so change their constitution and bylaws as to no longer remain the same organization?
 The committee would try to create the impression that the present at titude of socialism is something diff ferent from the one to which 1 re- ferred. It hinted that my authorities were of rather too remote vintage. We'll, first of all, let me say that the committee brides itself on being of the international and scientific stripe. Now the papers l quoted, The People, The Worker and The Appeal < to Reason, are papers whose boast is that they are the very essence of in- ternational and scientific. socialism. If the committee can't stomach them and they are nauseous dose, it is up to the committee to prove that they are not the simon pure article. They were and are still the acknowledged mouthpiece of socialism in this country. The committee quotes the Rev T. McGrady, I presume therefore that it acknowledges him as good authority. We'll, this Roman Collar" socialist, in glorying over the at tempts of the American labor unions to annex the A. F. of L. said: Tn a few years-perhaps in one or two, and certainly not more than three the American Labor unions will absorb the American Federation of labor and the masses will march to the polls under the banner of social ism" Here is an acknowledged and quoted authority giving in in plain language the attitude of socialism toward trades unions-complete ab- sorption. McGrady's prophecy-it is now six years since it was made has not yet even eventuated; and while some of the minor organiza- tions like the Federated miners and the American Labor union, have pro- claimed for socialism, the great mass of American trade unionists are still in the ranks of the A. F. of L. and in no fear just now that the A. F. of L. is near the downfall And if the committee is not two proud to take tip from an adversary let me say to 1t that, if 1t wants to retain Ernest Belford Bax's friendship, 1t had better drop McGrady. The Nc Grady stripe of socialism is what Bax despises. what he calls well meaning but philistinie persons" what he classes among the other new upstarts in the socialist move ment." 1 may remark in passing