The Greenville morning herald. [volume] (Greenville, Tex.) 1890-1956, 1910-02-15
THOMAS oIxoNs COMRADES,
Authors carieature of Socialism
Claimed to Be Absurd.

Authors carieature of Socialism
Claimed to Be Absurd.
To the Herald:-Of all the screeds
against Socialism, whether in the
form of fiction or address, Com.
rades, by Thomas Dixon, Jr., is per
haps the worst
In literary ability it falls far below
The one Woman" hut surpasses 1t,
if 1t We're possible. in the nightmare
of moral choas the author sees as the
inevitable attendant of Socialism. Ev-
erybody of course recognizes Dixon's
power to people his stories with flesh
and blood characters and strong dra-
matte situations and in Comrades
he has not failed, but it is a singular
fact that Of all the readers l have
heard express themselves not one has
commended either Of these stories
81 have read Comrades but
don't like it," sis the universal ex-
preston. There is a reason for this,
and, aside from tn immoral atmos-
phere the author paints as the social.
list state-which would make modest
women refrain from approving it
Dixon some times puts into the mouth
of his characters an indictment OF the
existing order so wholly uuanswer-
able that its supporters even dread to
see it in print. On the other hand
Socialists brand his caIicature OF
Socialism as utterly absurd, and ma
liciOusly 50. Yet with everybody pro
Tossing to dislike these novels, they
are vertheless largely read, and the
reason for this can only be growing
desire TO know something about Soc.
ialism
For this purpose, Comrades" is
not wholly void OF value, although its
socialistic State is a straw man pur-
posely set up to be demolished as
warning to the timid that however
unbearable existing conditions are
they are a paradise to what would
prevail under the Socialist State.
The author opens his story in San
Francisco, and its elimination takes
place On an island sixty miles on
the coast OF California christened by
the socialist colony that acquired pos
session. OF it, Ventura" This island
at the time was unnhabited More
than million dollars had been eX.
pended on it by a land specializing
syndicate which failed Young Nor.
man Worth, just out OF college, ana
whose father, Colonel Worth was i'm
mensely wealthy had become inter.
ested in Socialism. Under the mag.
netic power of beautiful Barbara Bo-
zenta, New Joan OF Arc in the cause.
he became an enthusiastic convert 10
Socialism.
AS might be Supposed young
Worth's course caused break be-
tween him and his father He went
into the movement with al the en-
thusiasm and yigor OF youth. His was
the conception Of buying the island
of Ventura and there, cut on from all
the corrupting influences OF the ex-
listing order establish the Socialist
state and demonstrate to The world
the feasibility OF the socialist phil.
osophy. He went into this work with
such ardor thar Colonel Worth see.
ing The impossibility Of dissuading
him conceiy d the idea OF secretly
helping him IL the purchase of the
island by contributing to the cause a
million dollars, on the condition that
the deeds TO the island should be held
in trust by Norman Worth for two
years at which time he was at lib rty
70 turn them over to the colony.
The author then describes the en-
barking Of two thousand men, women
and children for this enchanted is.
land, with minuteness OF detail in.
teresting and suggestive IN the In
ception OF this great scheme, leading
character are made TO speak for a d
against Socialism. These arguments
IN many instances are worthy the
readers attention. IN the outset th,
Intolerance Of the capitalist class foi
the socialists Is wen voiced in Colon
81 Worth's exclamation:
"Yes, with Nauser rifles aud Gat
ling guns. I'd NOW them down as
would Wild beasts loose in the streets
Of San Francisco"
Merely for a difference of opln
ion?' interposed his son.
III you want 10 pat It so. Norman
yes. Opinions may lead to heaven OF
hell"
but you believe IN free speech?'
persisted the boy.
"Yes. And that's more than an,
Socialist can say"
The author himself throughout the
story exploits the idea on every oc
casion that there is no marriage un
der Socialism; that the sex relation
Is merely by 'aninity-" lie does not
pretend to quote any socialist author
ny for this. but makes his characters
argue II as the necessary attendant
Of the collective ownership Of the