The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-08

I Attended One of These Gatherings
difference between deeds and words, so perhaps the
balance is not so far wrong one might think it.
My next socalistic friend fellow clerk in
| ] the horse collar factory where both toied
10 hours day for pittance of Sl2 week each.
During the half hour allowed us for luncheon we
used to talk about what would do when got
wealthy, and / remember that declared once with
much soemnity that the moment l was admitted to
membership in the firm would inaugurate "a new
system whereby each of the three partners would
come the office days in the week, devoting the
rest of the time innocent enjoyment. Later in
life became the partner in small firm and had to
get up at daybreak to that my associate did not
rob
1t during of these talks that my friend first
told me that he had been reading very radical
foreign books economics and that it was quite
possible that would both live to see the day when
there would be such thing private property
when the state would everything and the profits
OF labor would be divided according a much farer
ratio than had been known in Newark up to that
time. At first ! regarded him as person dangerous
to the peace of thoroughly discontinued community
but when to consider that the property of the
firm for which worked would be seized by the
state and the incomes Of the partners reduced to our
own l began to realize that even social revolution
may have its advantagesA
In due course of time left horse collars for litera
ture and it was not until after lapse of nearly 40
years that ran across my old friend again He was
delighted to and entertained me at dinner at
Delmonicos. Fortune had favored him since his mar
rage, he said and although he spoke modesty of his
wife's huge fortune and his own earnings | know
that their joint income far above the million
mark and that the factory which he owns in western
Pennsylvani employs fully 100 men, He told me
with considerable pride that he paid better wages
than any of his competitors and that his employees
had never gone out on strike.
And how about the social revolution we used to
dream about?" | inquired. How soon is the state
going to all the property and make everything
even?'
1T won't come in time he said as he blew
great smoke wreath from his cigar Things have
changed since you and used to work side by side in
that horse collar factory. The workingmen are bet
ter off and they're not anxious for change as they
used to be- Why, there's scarcely one of them in my
employ that hasn't got piano in his house really
believed in all that sort of thing when you first knew
m, but I'm equally sincere in my d sbelief now"
And respected him for telling the truth Increase
OF income destroys great many revolutionary ideas
\ MOTHER socialist of my acquaintance was set
n Element worker in the lower part of the city
about IS years ago and earnestly devoted to the
in hygiene and their children in the graces OF life
Whenever | called upon her found myself in the
society of the learned Of the neghborhood-
but scholarly Jews, teachers physicians of foreign
birth practicing i'll the alien colonies of the town |
never knew until attended Of these gatherings
that there really intellectual society to be found
south of Market street.
One Sunday evening about half dozen years ago
called at the Settlement houses and was introduced
by my friend to whom she described as
very interesting" / remember that she was tall and
specialized and engaged, she herself told me with
owllke gravity, in Studying the sociological condi-
tons OF the congested district in order to deliver
series of addresses the different womens colleges
Of the country.
I observed that the little company which, by the
way. had been augmented by two three fashion
ably dressed women listened open mouthed to the
specialized ones uterances, which characterized
by profound ignorance of every branch of the sub
ject- Then | looked about the room and saw that
there of the old time doctors and teachers
present and had scarcely absorbed these new condi-
tons when my dear friend whispered in my ear:
Il hope you won't be shocked by what you hear to-
night but the fact is we're growing very socialistc
You see dear Mrs Jack Smithcrs-thats her auto
mobile standing outsideis perfect anarchist IN her
views and she's been down here a good deal lately