The San Francisco call., 1910-02-13
Evolutionary Socialism,"
BY Edward Bernstein. Published by B
Huebsch. New York. Price 81.

BY Edward Bernstein. Published by B. w.
Huebsch. New York. Price 81.
In its way the publication of this
volume is quite as important as the
completion OF Marks great work "Das
Kapitar' in its English rendering
become familiar with the word Bern
steinism." but comparatively few have
yet had an opportunity to read 1t.
For many years Edward Bernstein
was the trusted friend and confidant
of Friedrich Engels, and as editor OF
the Lozialdemokra during the era of
Bismarck's repression laws he stood
high in the estimation of the German
movement. Therefore, when he pub
lished book expressing his dissent
from some of the conclusions of Marx
and Engels, and more especially from
the so called "Marxism' of some OF
their eXpositors, quite a sensation was
caused. The capitalist press, of course,
hailed the revisionist movement a
sure and certain sign of dissolution of
the socialist movement, and the tri-
umph of their enemies did not tend to
make the German comrades tolerant
or KINDLY toward Bernstein.
Here are the main facts concerning
the development of the Bernsteinian
controversy: In October. 1898, Bern
stein wrote from his London exile
congress. assembled at Stuttgart, set
ting forth his view that certain revi-
sions should be made in the theoretical
statement of the party's position, and
at Hanover a year later three and a
half days were devoted to discussion
of the volume before us and ended
with a resolution which expressed a
rejection of the views set forth A ma
jority vote is not always decisive, how
ever, and there were soon manifest
abundant signs that Bernstein had a
large following in the party.
Bernstein's cry is always, Back to
the factsi" You can not answer him by
saying that Marx said thus and so. He
is like Liebknecht in that he will not
acknowledge Marx as pope, but per-
sists in asking, rs it true? Does it
agree with the facts?"
Believing as thoroughly as Marx
himself that the objective of capitalist
production is the surplus value ex-
tracted from the labor of the workers
and admitting the class struggle which
results therefrom, he disagrees with
Marx as to the exact manner in which
the surplus value is derived This is
only important in academic sense;
it has no practical Importance at all;
but when he claims that Marx was mis-
taken in his prediction that the small
property holder tends ito become extinct,
increasing, practical consequences of
the highest Importance are involved.
If he is right then much socialist
propaganda is wrong and a revision
of tactics becomes imperative. So, too.
with the concentration of capital. Was
Marx mistaken? If so it is important
that socialists do not perversely re-
peat his mistakes on account of
mistaken sense of loyalty to Mark.
ho mir he m
the questions raised by Bernstein. his
book is of Importance, and this English
translation should be welcomed by stu
dents of socialism, and by every social
list who desires to see the movement
freed from the dangers of narrow
feared.
why l wrote The White Prophet
by Hall Caine. has just been given to
the public, although the pamphlet is
designated as having been privately
printed for the author. IT is reply to
the adverse criticism of this work and
Is made by Caine because he says:
1T not merely concerned itself with
questions of the literary character of
his work, but has been a medium for
grave charges of personal misconduct
of defaming ones country, infiaming
sedition, outra ging the sanctities of re-
ligion and pandering TO the appetite for
indecency.''
This defense is good reading after
The White Prophet publisher,
Collier & Co., 2 Tudor street, London,
Z. Co.
Flower Legends and Stories is the
title of a little volume by Mrs. W. S.
Chandler of San Francisco, well known
member of the California State Floral
u