The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1911-12-01
Avoid FanatiCiSm

I.e -aaGst movement i Everett Be-
a. ear.. and revolutionary. and at
ne saHs Ums as harmonious as ans in
tle state. or anywhere Td. En- nay
opinion. 6. dHs 60 tla Keeping out or ct
teas. ia check. chose faaatieauy inclined
person. who .oi1 the movement.
DO yaa know what ] mean by ia.
us6cs
There Is ile religion. fanatic who in
si-t, that only through accepting the
BiHe or 1esu. Christ can we establish
socialism.
OF the two erauls one j.. as crazy as
the other
Then there is TIE fanatic who insists
that the only way to arriye at socialism
is through the leadership Of inteucetu-
ais OF member, OF the middle or upper
classes of society. claiming that the
working class have not the propensity
for developing the backbone TO free it,
self
+ Again. there is tbe fanatic who mouths
the word -proletariau.7 and defines 1t
as meaning a member Of the pick aud
shovel brigade. or as one who has no
other property than an old blanket or
two which be carries with him on his
back while ia search Of a job.
This style of fanatic claims that the
only mark Of eligibility 10 party mem.
ber,hip should be big heavy eaIlouses on
the hands irrespective Of caIouses on
the brain.
a bunch of these two styles Of IA
natics in local win do an immense
amount Of rag chewing; consequently
win have nothing left for the real con
structive work Of the party.
There is the fauatic who critieisas
Not helpful suggestive criticism. for this
fanatic does none Of the active work
himself bur spends lis time in fault
finding and critieizing the comrades who
60.
This kind any local can do wei with
cut.
There are those u-ho became socialists
twenty years aga ana who have been in
Rip Van Wnkle sleep ever since. for
they insist uroz doing everything in the
twenty year-ago style.
Stiu one other brand deserves men
ton mot honorable The kind who
with savage cunning and persistence
camp on the trail Of active comrades
making unfoanded charges and insinua-
lions, yelling graft On any and all oc-
i casions. This brand has been a great
source Of disruption in the past, but the
party Is fast learning how 10 render
hem harmless by the simple method Of
4 ignoring them.
4 There may be other brands but those
mentioned VIII suffice for this time.
I The party organization here in Ev-
f erett owes its strength TO the fact that
i it has mol allowed itself to be burdeDed
with such fanatieal cranlzs.
There are several clear-cut require
meuts for party members. They must
be class conscious and worbing-elass
conscious al that That Is, if they
happen not 10 be members Of the
working class, they must realize that
their future and the future Of their
children can only be secured by the
workers coming into their own.
Class consciousness must also carry
with it the positive conviction born Of
knowledge that the working class as OF
ganized into the socialist party cannot
compromise, fuse, or enter into any
agreement with any party or organiza-
ton that does not stand for the com
plete overthrow Of the capitalistic sys-
TEN Of production and distribution. As
no capitalist organization OF party can
stand for that. and as the socialist party
is organized for the express purpose Of
accomplishing this revolution, it stands
to reason that any one with revolution
airy principles and good common sense
VIII join the socialist party.
Finally, the actions Of comrades viii
speak more loudly than words, OF. to
remodel an old saying. talk Is cheap
but it takes action to bring results.
In conclusion would say, comrades.
let as keep the movement in its straight
course. not allowing ourselves TO be side
tracked by either freaks or cranks. and