Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1909-05-27
SOCIALISM DEFINED.
,...4 II Is and It's Relation to the
American Labor Movement.

American Labor Movement.
While attending the recent conven-
aon Of the American Federation Of La
hor Of Norfolk, Va, Victor L. Berger,
- yell known Wisconsin leader. was
Interviewed by local paper.
~Tell you about Socialism, its aims
nd objects and its connection with
tbo American Federation Of Labor?''
-.snonded Mr.. Berger In answer to
tbe reporters query.
nvell. you know most OF the people
think we want to sand bag all the rich
noonle and whack up On the spoils Of
war But they're all wrong" said the
socialist with a laugh and shake Of
tbn head Were not bloodthirsty.
~ know you realizG that the present
economic system Of the country rests
IN competition. This Is not only true
os far as the sale Of commodities is
concerned, but it Is also true as to Ia
bor-that is. the worktngnan's labor
isa ware on the market and is subject
to the law Of supply and demand.
1.-THE employer Is In business to make
Droft and the cheaper he can secure
labor the greater the profit he gains
from his business.
From the viewpoint Of the employ
er 1t is not 8 question as to whether
YOUR work is quite up to the standard
Of the other fellows, SO long as your
wages are far below his; hence If one
manufacturer employed cheap labor the
rest TO compete with him would be
forced to do likewise or fail. IL we
would allow things TO 30 ON I'm q nat
ural way Under the present comped-
tive system the worst End most heart
less men would set the pace, and they
would grind the standard OF labor
down to that Of the Chinaman.
'This is why the workingmen have
formed unions to resist this lowering
Of the standard Of living and to better
the conditions as far as &c IL In their
power to do 60,
Now, this competitive system works
both ways. It also eliminates the
smaller manufacturer.
I'VE all know that the big fish eat
the little and the still bigger fish eat
the big ones, but finally only the very
biggest kind remain in the pond. and
they don't fight each other any more,
Dlt combine and form a trust
These trusts control the market In
their respective branches of industry
and make the people pay what they
Zee 1T or what the people can stand.
mo, we Socialists don't fight the
trusts as such, because we know they
are only the natural outcome Of COM
peatlon, and they do prove q good
taing for those on the inside. They
accomplish a great saving In produc-
uon and produce cheaply.
4he trouble is the benefits accrue
% only few men, while 10000
people stand outside and pay.
there is also another phase of all
taS' A handful of men In this coun-
" nave 1t in their power to say how
Iuen meat we are to eat, how much
.unipef we are to use, how we'll we
S ste 10 dress, and so on. They can do
sus by the simple process OF putting
~ Inc prices or of lowering them.
III snort. a handful of men can say
a aos well or how poorly we are to live,
alu since the length Of our lives de-
b bslus upon that then virtually they
ave ~, the power to say, too, how long.
g.. as l said, the trusts cannot be de-
nr ~vsea, They are the result of the
p pDs on large scale OF machines
bn a~ 0i competition. And It Is right
~ o'e - evidently that Roosevelt and Bry-
ton ''neo TO look deeply into this ques-
WITH the machinery and all the progress
mant n mas been made In the imple-
ve sns we cannot destroy. We don't
@p y !" 60 back to the middle ages.
ovno us as long as we have private
finn neIsnip of these means of produc-
win q AZ these trusts only few men
tha he, NC the owners, and hence only
IN = VIII derive the benefit from them
" therefore. say the Socialists. the on
co,, %ay 10 send this is to take possession
naap cuVe!y as nation Of all the
tbs a4 ~ OF production, particularly os
banoS SuSss' and manage them FOR the
4sns Of d the nation as whole.
a 4n9 mat is Socialism.
Into An 10, after all this the project IL nut
one eject would not BE- such new 1
govern we now enjoy municipal and
IMMINENT etlnaa ownership Of MANY public 11llt,
Ice 'a aes instance, the postal p sery.
lgbt dna tn, the gas, water and electric
%spcs plants owned by many cities.
gov sSrn an action on the part 81 me
Solve .I ths as I speak Of would also lao
gove,n me labor question, because the the
full , vaI1. would pay the lasorsr t tDs
the D sal9e Of his produet~that ! a lac
tscure sD. which the private owner now now
'afe n.aasa only to operate , on n : !