Montana news., 1909-10-21

of the Montana State teoeratoh Oh
Labor. was organizer for the United
brotherhood OF Railway Employees.
and has been a member of he social
ist party since its inception. These
articles are illuminating as to the
crookedness that has marked labor
political activity in Montana
Below we give a number of peril
nent paragraphs from Mr. simons' ar
ticle:
Socialists have always boasted that
they are the first to see defects In
their own philosophy or movement
and most merciless in denouneing
them, most relentless in correcting
them. The Socialist movement like
the workers whose cause II embodies'
has nothing TO lose. 1t is a tool with
which to achieve emancipation from
exploitation. Therefore its members
seek constantly TO perfect that tool
Self-criticism has come to be as much
a part Of the orthodoxy of Social
ism as its democracy.
No apology is therefore necessary
for any criicsim I may make OF our
movement But the question may be
raised as to whether there is anything
fundamentally the matter with the
socialist party at the present'time. The
membership is steadily increasing.
Nearly very state is purchasing more
dues stamps than at any time in its
history. The number Of Socialist
speakers in the field is increasing.
The amount OF socialist literature dis
tributed is larger than ever before.
Yet, in spite of these facts, 1 believe
that the Socialist party is in a most
critical condition. Nor am ! alone in
that belief. In my position as a MEM
Der Of the national executive commit
tee OF the Socialist Party II is my duty
to study the reports made by national
organizers. state secretaries and vari-
Gus individuals. I receive a large
number of such communications each
month aside from those which are
presented and summarized at each
meeting of the national executive COM
mittee. As editor Of the Chicago
Daily Socialist. an even larger number
of such communications pass through
my hands. Moreover. because OF the
central location OF the office of this
paper there are literally hundreds OF
visitors bringing word from every
corner Of the Union each year. 1t is
no exaggeration to say that an aver
age of ten states each week are re-
presented by such visitors. There is
monotonous uniformity about the
word which comes from each and al
of these various sources.
With countless minor variations
which led each one to explain tha
the siuation In mis- locality is ''pecul
lar" there comes the same story o.
increased membership and decreased
activity, OF growing sentiment and de
, clining interest in party work, Of petit.
squabbles between scheming officials
, of inability to hold new members. an'
I, loss Of militancy by old one. Of fac
tionai quarrels over Insignificant Is
, sues, and OF a general lack Of tina
militant solidarity which has alway
. been the universal boasted character
!. istic OF q proletarian organization.
Y This same story comes from Chica
90 and New York. Montana, Indian
y and Texas. Minneapolis. San Diego
!, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Denves
r Pittsburg. Cincinnati and Seattle. TIL
e condition is found in large cities an
n in small towns. 1t infects whole state
s and disrupts ward organizations.
= There are those who account for tn
: defects in our movement by the lac
8 OF education. There is need OF bette
/, education of the membership. n
i one can deny that There is
painful lack OF THAT somewha
= narrow but basic knowledge {
e the essentials Of the Socialist phi
Il osophy which was at one time III
" possession of every member. I woul
n be the last to underestimate the nee
It esslty of such knowledge or deny tn;
Ic lack of It plays some part in d.
ID stroying the solidarity of the NOV
IN ment. The common acceptance ar
" common knowledge OF certain funds
D. mental things is the basis OF any so
D. of group solidarity. Yet those WI
a. urge this as the complete expl
ss nation Of the present situate
l. seem me TO be giving an e
d. cellent example OF the very su
r erficiality of which they con
lis plain. The cause is not big enoui
On for the effect, and more over. a
AZ not certain that this lack OF trainil
TO liz not In itself partly caused ~ 4
s- movement itself
n Another explanation. which ut III
W sounds almost fantastic. has been {
It's fered. II Is that the socialist par