The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-09
WORKING CLASSES IN EUROPE
Every country d us rroo'ems and It's Peculiar Condifions--
Astonishing is the Power Vested in clipper
Classes"

inquiries IcdCI IL 1IOOl various
sources in America relative to the
conditions of the working classes in
Europe. The questions as put are not
easily answered. They are nearly all
too general, and in answering them /
can only give for the most part either
Impressions only or my view of facts
as seen broadly. Naturally, however,
when in my own special field of labor
organization 1 feel the more sure Of all
the grounds for any of my statements.
In the letter I wrote after being in
England only a week I spoke OF COM
ing in contact there with "a social at
mosphere, situation and conflict an
ocean apart from ours in America.
This sense of being in another world,
and again another, and still another,
came upon me as / Travelled from
country to Under each gov
m there appeared a new set of
social problems that, for the time at
were upperrnost, rejecting the passing
stage of the political, religious, or
economic development of the people
affected. In all countries necessarily
the deeper questions affecting wealth,
its production and distribution, formed
a common theme for discussion. As
ISOLATED with the privileges of wealth,
III the eyes of the classes in revolt, are
the hereditary privileges of the de
tainers of wealth. both in social life
and law making. That is, caste in
Europe signifies not only social ex-
CluSiveneSS but whatever of feudaliSm
has not been abolished.
To the American it is astonishing
how much vested power remains in
the hands of the upper classes" of
Europe. In nearly all countries, to
be a Republican, or the same thing,
d Democrat, is to be a 'malcontent."
The fundamental articles of political
faith to the American citizen are re-
garded by rank and wealth in the old
worlds as social heresies. To be
TO the King'-or Kaiser, or En-
peror, is the test of a faithful sub
ject.' Hence, the closely knit rings
of the titled nobility, with their
hordes Of dependents, parasites and
imitatOrs, are ranged against the rls-
ing mass of the people.
In the German army, for instance,
are nearly thirty thousand officers.
Few of them can affsrd to champion
the cause of the Clover orders Of So
ciety.'' From their supercilious bear
ing in public and from common re-
ports as to their class prejudices and
n of life, precious few ever
think of doing so. The working
classes regard them as fomentors Of
wal allies Of the a~ristocracy, willing
ervants Of the capitalists in time OF
labor disputes, and enemies of the
social progress that comes through
peace. The very fact that marriage
is forbidden to a German army Off
Ger unless he or his intended wife
has a stated income, aside from his
pay, sufficient to maintain one of
his rank" points to %snobbery, parasi-
tism, and fortune hunting. Thus,
from every point Of view the German
army officers form one Of the main
buttreSSeS to the feudal conception of
society as against the democratic or
American system. Between the COM
missioned officer and the common
soldier is an i~mmeaSurable chaSm.
On contemplating it the observer
learns what is signified in Europe by
the word caste.
The hatred toward the socially
privileged classes entertained by the
masses in monOrchial countries is
voiced just as frequently in condemn
ing their hereditary class powers as
their hereditary wealth. Their very
titles, paraded before the public,
~nauseates democracy The democratic
newspapers boycott not only these
titles but also mention Of the combines
and goings Of their v~ain-glorious
bearers. It is to be remembered
that the German soldier is such by
compulsion; he has not, like the
American soldier, voluntarily taken
MS place, nor are the officers, as are
AAoi0 d1di Hall III our dIIuy, piO.-
NOTED from the ranks or transferred
from civil life. Similarly, the high
posts in the public service, instead of
being the gifts Of the people, are still
frequently rewards to favorites of the
powerful families. With this fact
comes the insistence upon social dis
tlnction by the well placed, distinctions
carried by a pettiness of spirit into
the commonest relations Of life. In
Germany, Herr Professors" and
Frau Do%ctorinen," and in Italy Com
mendatore" and Cavalier are thicker
than ~"colonels'' in Kentucky, with the
o1fference that they expect to be taken
seriously as upper class" social
summarizes. In England the habit of