The sun., 1910-07-16
SOCTaLJSTIC SIDEsrEPs.
A Denlai % Their Existeaee ~ . FSilSwes
of Marx.


To TIE HpIroH oY THE srS-S6: In THH
SrH the other day Mr.. John Jerome Rooney
refers 70 my quotation from MARI and ssks
why are the socialists forever sidestep-
ping:- They are not II h Mr.. Rooney
ho ~idesteps In saying that socialists do
not agree. for II n n tact that over t2S.o oi
them In this country and nearly 10000. ooo OF
them throuKhout the world agreed sum
riently at the last election TO vote for the
socialist declaration OF principles and the
working programme. Their position has
been 80 grossly distorted that they md II
necessary constantly 10 bring before the
public corrections of Sbs mi-rtatements OF
their opponents
The quotation from MARI was condensed
for the sake Of hrevity. but no fair inter
probation OF II can Justify MIR Rooney 4
conclusion. Marx was crticisins the false
assertion that socialism proposed 10 abol-
ish private property. lie therefore said
In substance If you mean that Ne wish
to abolish that form Of private pToperty =
which ! under individual Ownership and
under given conditions enables its owners
to subiugate labor. YES but he adds tho
distinguishing feature OF socialism IL not
tho abolition of private property generally
hut the abolition of capt. alisiic property
Had Mr.. Rooney based his crit icism upon
both the quo, alton from Msrx and the one
Of this country. no other copclIision could
have been reached than that they supple
ment each other In calling for the socializA-
tion only Of land and means OF production
used for exploitation. The perpetuation Of
this sys,em with it, interference with the
plans Of nature. it, violation Of the designs
81 the Creator. making a farre Of the idea Of
the fstherhood Of God and the brotherhood
Of man. constitutes the mortal sIn In the
49, A-a a Il l.
the modern method hy which the concen-
rated tyranny and oppression Of the ages
are visited upon q people who fatuously
suppose economic slaves can he politically
free
Under these conditions the owner Of the
sewing machine sees that he can hire q
worker 10 operate the machine for . small
fraction Of the real value OF his services.
and a still smaller fraction OF what would
be their value under conditions In which
industrial opportunity has not been aTtl.
hcially susngled. lie proceeds TO do this
and the machine Immediately assumes the
character Of weapon by which labor is
sUbtugatsd Under such conditions all
resources and machinery upon which hired
I--d to exploit The surplus value thus
extracted from the workers is disEuised
Incidentally u viii be seen that the contest
= not entially between any particular
employer and his employees but bet ween
Nov the socialists demand that the peo-
ple them selves shall own sufArieDt Of the
sogrce> and means OF production and dis
tfibutIon 10 employ Themselves. that pro-
duction shall b' for Use and not for profit
that the workers shall receive compensA-
: ION according to the degree Of Individual
skill and energy eNerted in tho production
o' wealth, les only the cost OF adDiinistra-
ton
Tie question ~ i~su. - what form OF
property enables il owners TO exploit and
suhlughtr the wealth produCerS7 nasmuch
inquiries since tn. serinning Of this dis
cuS~ion ia your columns. an Illustration
seems TO he necessary. sewing machine
n means OF production but " 10 owner u
al~o - operator he cannot through such
".,'pn mn nn, Isai ,bs .n.,I" s,..,
have monopoli1ed the major sources and
means of production, and dictate when and
nov many Workers shall be employed. and.
barring slight and spasmodiC interference
from organized labor. determine how much
t..e-e work~rs shall receive in these monopo-
II Sed industries. With competition strAn-
gled, the-- capitalists are In position IN stia.
pend industry when the proht conditions !
deprived Of opportunity to approach and
Use the natural resources and Industrial
rduipmen, and there IA consequently a slut |
themselves upon this market. nerceIy com-
pettng for the Jobs. the number of which has |,
been artifciAlly d@crsaSed because the great !
capitalists often make more by discontinu- !
ing production, Increasing the price Of the |
~tos in hand and waiting meantime until |
the worker~ are forced tn accept any amount |
that viii keep them from starving
This i the modern jugRernaut that |
'Tu-h~- humanity while q superstittous and |
stupid people look upon it, manipulatorr |
With mingled feelings OF admiration and 1
reverence
such private industries as should then
under equality Of opportunity - far As land |
and public utilities were concerned prove |
themselves ~ TO survive would NECESSARILY !
he compelled 10 give the worker. a. much |
A. they could secure IN the Government |
should he dissatisfied with Government
EMPLOY vnen' could md infinitely better op- |
portunity for individual employment than
Ihey enlov in the pre-ent system In which /
not only the vaKe workers but also the farm
Hrs and ptOprietorr ot small industries are
about equally exploited.
Socialists contend, however. that the
yreater compensation due 70 the economy
VI cooperation will attract the workers 20
he Government industries and that under
senui nelN democratic administration the
people would hardly impose upon themselves
'egulat ions a. to The personal appearance
" those who desire to marry. the kind Of
'eligion they should embrace or the par
tCular Vo'atton that each Individual should
follow.
Mr. Rooney will therefore see that there -
'bsoltuely no ground for his fear about q
'rommuni-tic state ownership of all the
means Of production. and consequently
10 occasion 10 worry about AN all embrac.
nE de-potisuv IN which the fre~tom aud
lights OF the individual. the family and re-
igton would he mere pawnS upon tho board
" = centralized oliRarchy
BRookLrN. July IS W. W PAss.oE