The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-02-06
f[y ] \ Column.
For
An
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Mr.. cARNEI0E,s BOOK

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Mr.. earn EIaE,s BOOK.
Mr.. Carneige'sl latest book, Prob
lens Of Today is almost interesting
because Of th1 arrogance -. OF To-
norance, the =co1hlacancy OF success
full selflsnness. and the -volubility OF
egotism displayel in it's pages :. The
chattering loquaSfty OF Roosevelt as
the mentor OF mankind is equalled
only by the huhbling verbosity Of Car
neg1e IN MS .faXofite role of councillor
to the wage-slavds OF the world. =.
Carnegie is satisfied with-Carnegie
He is glad to b enticed into telling
how be became d. great man in so
small a world. He yearns to help
others become very great-like, Car
negie.
John L. sullivan: typical bull-neck-
ed bruiser, wins a prize-fght, and
ul!-logycAlly rushes to the
lecture platform to enlighten the
world on the ethics of Ruskin, the
chalaroscuro OF Rembrandt and other
urgent top1scaernegn ninrdl rdl rdl
urgent topics germane to uppercuts,
solar-jlexus; kno4kouts and the like
Andrew Carnegie. typical rhinocer-
os In hejungle DR.: modern capitalism,
makes a k1ll1ng+wins a huge prize,
and at once-wtth the buffonery
born OF moral Observation-Disclosures
his overwhelmingly fortune for unques-
t1onaable proofs of his mental and
moral fitness to write books and de-
liver lectures for the moral hetter-
ment Of mankind.
Problems Of Today was plainly
enough written to obstruct the pro-
gress Of Socialism. And is it not nat
ural that Carnegie, bloated with plum
der and shrivelled with greed, should
object to having the swapms Of capt.
talism drained? r.:
Mr.. Carnegie says: Because rev.
dictionary Socialism requires change
IN human nature 1t calls for scant
attention." and then with bungling
forgetfulness he proceeds to write a
book on Socialism,. Socialism is men,
toned and Answered at least once
In almost, every page Of the book.
In the two hundred, and eight pages
Of the book the; author discusses-in
ten chapters-Wealth, Labor, Wages,
Thrift, The Land, .Individualism, YER
sus Socialism, Variety versus Uniform
ity, tFamily Relations, the Long March
Upward, and MY Experiences with
Railway Rates. and; Rebates.
Carnegie's best service in the book
is to illustrate ana demonstrate how
puerfectly and comp1acently ignorant
Of books q, cheap-rich patron : Of
libraries can actually be-and still
live. societtesna,lika ?t,Ny lsmadei, pie
live. Socialicts will learn with breat
profit that Carnegie has gone to the
bottom of the philosophy Of Socialism.
Probably two scofe5sof Fundamental
weaknesses OF Socialism. are dis
cerningly and lucidly laid bare and
then-crushed Socialists are utterly
routed from their false positions" re-
peatedly. Carnegie finds "the very
foundations of Socialism" seven diff
ferent times and each time "the very
foundation is widely different" The
cheerful courage of Carneige's ignor-
ance actually engages the readers ad-
miration-and sympathy. AS usual in
such books on Socialism, mucn space
is devoted to denial of what was
never asserted. Many heavy stupidities
are seriously rehearsed and aged re-
plies are valiently launched by the
particulanfw yeoe??o zoauT rfdl I'd
patriatically uncontious Andy.
Mr.. Carnegie understands the Ga
Let there be light on this question
thus: Page lie. When one asks
himself what would most benefit the
workers, there is no hesitation in the
reply; To avoid liquor and gambling.
. Here is the issue Of greatest
moment to the working men," Gear
negie never nesitates-when giving
advice). Page 37-"The equal dis I.
tribution Of wealth is one Of the loud
est cries Of the Socialist" (Venera-
bile chestunt.) Page 80: "The
T: act ml,1 never be lost ght of ut
the laboring classes, in he aggregate,
are great capitalists" (Here, as usual,
Mr.. Carnegie, speaking out of the full
ness OF his misinformation, reveals a
pathetically generous area OF uncut
waited brains; his logical discrimina-
Carnegian. That the book Is written
in rigidly scientific spirit is hown by
his contemporaneous =. neglect of the
conflict between the data and the con-
illusions. More than half Of all the
families In the United States have no
homes Of their own, and more than
one-f1fth Of all the homes in the land
are *mortgaged. On pages AMI 9
Carnegie gives the fact that In Britain
six hundred and eighty thousand erich
persons" own twelve times as much as
thirty-eight million working class peo-
pie own. And yet ne speaks Of the
la'boring classes as great capitalists"
Page Z; ''Mo9st men are born to pow
erty :. thte vast majority must
work to i've" and, page 1877, 1.-THE
Socialists: should reflect that it was
under immutable laws decreed
that man should labor from
morn till. night Mature from the
grey dawn Of time is, OF course. an
just as it u.s.: Thele1l tea hrd hr
Just as it Is, apparenlyt to the Saliva
ton Army warriors whose easy rev
Citations concerning the Intentions and
plans of the General Manager of the
Universe are the wonder ana envy OF
their less gifted listeners.) Page 145:
the survival Of the fittest' means
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