The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-29
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
brotherhood U. $. CIass-war.


"A reply to an editorial In The Sun
of July 10, 1909. The Editor of The
Sun seems to deplore the fact that
Socialists are so earnest in their en-
deavor to spread their Gospel OF
Salvation" to the working class, that
to them 1t has become a sort of re-
ligion. Again, he argues, THE fact
that we are not all socialists Is proof
that Socialism is not the remedy
needed" That happiness is in the
heart, not in the environments" that
1.-The Socialist has smothered his
soul in covetousness" and at the same
time is striving to establish "the
brotherhood of man" Other objec- /,
lions he raises, but these being the !,
most important, reply to them only, |
fearing the article might be too,
lengthy
Considering these objections in the :
order given. SOCIALISM is surely /
an economic question and has abso-
lutely no concern in a mans religious
beliefs. every shade of belief on re-
ligious subjects is held by our eleven
million members. scattered through |
out the world, but they are all Social
lists and of the same mind on this
bread and butter question" Wei
agree with the English economists
who admit that labor manual and
mental produces all wealth." but We
add the logical conclusion of the
principal, and declare that II Labor
produces all wealth. labor should
have II ALL" and pray tell me what
this has to do with religion? Because
We are striving to establish a social
system wherein we can practice mot
merely preach the Golden Rule.
where hate. strife, crime. vice and
war, resulting naturally from this
leyil social and industrial system. will
cease to exist, and brotherhood Will
be more than a name. We are de-
nounced by Christians as irreligious
Strange. is II not, that Christians up
hold and defend a social system, un-
der which brotherhood" Is impOssi-
BILE, and the Golden Rule has been
smpplanted by the Rule of Gold, and
lstigmatized as Goddess and I'M
christian" a movement that would
feed the muhitude even as Christ
did before trying to teach them moral
and spiritual things. No one de
plores this sordid, heartless struggle
for bread more than do the Social,
lists. but we say that life on any plane
is impossible without bread" there
fore, this factor is a primary element.
and constitutes the foundation upon
which we must build the mental.
moral and spiritual superstruction.
| Do not tell the three million hun
CRY, shelterless. unemployed In this
prosperous land to "be good. and they
will be happy" but change their en-
vironment, so they will be happy and
they will be good" Do not tell those
poor famished workers. standing by
the thousands in the bread lines" OF
our rich cities, that Happiness is in
the heart. not the environment"
Who would be so cruel and stupid
as to preach Regeneration OF the
heart to the 1.TO0. 900 child slaves
of our free? Christian? land, without
offering to degenerate the environ
ment?" Even the great Jehovah him
self could not make a deliverer. fit to
lead the Israelites out OF bondage. in
a slaves environment. but placed him
in the palace of Pharoh where he
learned the wisdom OF the Egypt
lans"
Again the editor contends that the
ma ority would at once accept So
cialism, If IL was the proper remedy
for our economic Ills" Christianity
was proclaimed to the world nearly
1000 years ago, Il has not yet won
a majority, therefore. II is not the
proper remedy" One argument Is
as good as the other. and both are
absurd. The seed scattered by the
carpenter revolutionist on the shore
of the blue Gallilee fell mostly
"among thorns. and upon stony
ground, and by the way side" the
economic soil was not prepared to re-
ceive IT, the same is true of the So
ciallstic doctrine today. the soil Is
being prepared rapidly these days,
and. say 1t frankly. the only reason
the workers do not flock to Socialism,
Is because they do not understand Il.
The press. the pulpit. the schools
and universities, generally speaking,
are owned and controlled by the same
class, who own the land. mines. mills
and railroads, the exploiters OF labor.
To chloroform the minds of the
working class, while our brother CD
capitalists plumber us. ard walk of
with the "swag," they will enlist
every pulpit that can be bought, ev-
cry teacher and professor that can
be seduced or ooerced, every pen that