Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-06-01

the same to all. That is Socialism
and that is why the capitalistic claim
is made that we would all be reduced
to dead level" under Socialism.
Fire Departments.
The fire departments of the cities
are excellent illustrations Of social or
collective ownership. They are or
ganized for service and not for profits
and the brave fire laddies respond to
the calls of rich or poor, high or
low, mansion or shack with equal
activity and zeal. If the fire depart
ments were run by some rich man or
corporation, you would have to wait
and enter into written contract or
put down your cash before they
would respond to the call to put out
your fire. Don't you catch the differ
ence? Social ownership is for ser
vice while private ownership is for
profit
Public Schools and Hospitals.
Our public school system is also
Socialistic and is good ILLUSTRATION
of social ownership. The children OF
the poor and of the rich have equal
opportunities and advantages in our
public school. They are conducted
for use and education instead of gain
and profit If our public school sys-
TEN was operated for profit today, not
one-fourth of our children would re-
ceive a common school education
Yet it almost caused a war to make
the change from private to public
schools. For the sake of argument
let us admit that there is some graf
and dishonesty in the postoftice sys-
TEN, the water works system, the fire
departments and the public schools
but it all comes from the profit sys'
TEN of capitalism that surrounds the
institutions Socialism would wipe
the profit system out of existence ant
there would no longer be anything tt
graft upon. Graft would die for wan
of food to sustain its life.
Our hospitals for the care of the
sick, the injured and the afflicted ar!
operated today in the cities Of oul
country for profit. Hundreds o
thousands of people who are injured
and afflicted in various ways ant
are sore in need of the aid of physi
clans and surgeons and nurses" ar
unable to pay the price and go oi
suffering their miseries in silence ant
to death. Socialism would estahlisl
hospitals for the afflicted where tn
best medical and surgical attention
would be given, free of charge, to al
who apply. Is there anything wront
immoral or irreligious in that idea
Only an intensely selfish or densel
ignorant human being would ob1eC
to socially owned and operated hosp
. tails for the care of the afflicted
our race. 1t is a moral crime to nee
, lect the hundreds of thousands
! moor and afflicted who suffer for wal
. of proper medical and surgical car
! The Socialists favor the social owl
? nership of the railroads, steamshi
I lines, teegraphs, telephones stre'
car lines, heat, light and watt
plants, the steel industry, the col
mines-in short, all the means Of pr
= duction and distribution that are 81
: cially used.
Social ownership is for service an
e not for profit Private ownership
r for profit and not for service. The
d is the difference between Socialis
y and capitalism. Capitalism plac
n all the temptations of life on the si
d of greed and ayarice and meanne
It and oppression and crime. Socialis
s would place all the temptations
n life on the side of goodness and IRE
n dom and service and brotherly lo'
e 1t is for the American people to s.
y which system they want.
l.