The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-07-13
Mental Inertia and
Social Revolution

/ oS' StaoS 1898
ness. They therefore combine in IN,
ions for better conditions. Later they
combine politically and seek to cap
ture political power. Gradually they
approach the hour of victory when
they are to assume political and acc
nomic control. Having done so, they
Will make the means of production,
whereby all must live, the property OF
all.
They appropriate the appropriateness
This will mark the passing of Cap
italism. 1t will TAX it's place with
the stone ak and the tread-mill. Like
all prior systems, the dark night of
capitalism must pass. Then comes
the dawn of a new day.
The minds of hose who can see the
dawn Of that new day have under
gone a revolution. They have reach
ed the positive" stage of mental de-
velopment. Since we w socialized
our productive forces we must social
ize their ownership. We must strike
down h barbarous private owner
ship of the means of life. The time
is coming in which to build a new
nation-a nation Of all the people.
Lester Ward. the worlds greatest
we Il l1NlHS IL Tie
stone age of the art of government.
A nation that will live at the expense
of childhood is certainly not civilized.
This thought must have inspired the
following words of Charlotte Perkins
Gilman:
Nc fiedsling feeds the father bird!
No chicken feeds the hen,
No kitten mouses for the cat
This glory is for men.
We are the Wisest. Strongest Race,
Loud may our praise be sung!
The only animals alive
That live upon their young"
That class which profits by existing
conditions will fight desperately to
conserve those conditions. They will
use every argument and artifce to
bolster up things as they are. They
Will resort to every subterfuge known
to the cheap apologists for a system
of anarchy In answer to childhoods
cry for bread they will say Its
against human nature" Does a
worker ask for a mans right to live,
they tell him to be content with the
lot to which it has pleased God to
assign him. There they are sitting
insoleHtly astride the necks of the
%toilers, living at their expense, and
telling them that they must be quiet. |
On the other hand the class con-
scious worker becomes a revolution
list. He grasps Ibis place as a beast
of burden in the capitalist system.
He realizes that the purse-proud
artistocrats eat, live and are happy
at his expense. He comes to the real
ization that his liberty will come only
with the liberty of all workers. They
must unite economically and political
ly and grasp the reins of power, and
use this power to dethrone the rul-
ing class. He can not have a happy
life until his comrades have it. His
safety and security depends upon the
safety of all. Thus he rises to the
conception of a world where all may |
live happy, abundent, care-frec
lives. He sees the possibility of bro
therhood. Here he catches the spirit
of the Christ. Further, he sees So
ciety rapidly evolving into such a
state. AS he watches the sweep of
the mighty forces and sees the grow
ing spirit of revolt among the masses,
he knows that the storm is gather
ing. Though a strike may fail and
the be doggedly driven back
to their tasks, he knows that the hourl
OF deliverance is nearer for the effort.
How noble n inspiring is the
view of this revolutionist when COM
pared with the pessimistic view of the
n conservative. And what must
be said of the spineless lackeys who
whimper the choruses of the mas
tiers The capitalist minded are rub
bish encumbering the road of pro-
gress. They furnish that inert mass
of what ought to be brains, upon
which no impression can be made.
But the mass is daily becoming small
Ter. and a few more years of agitation
and education and it will BIZ over
come. Then the revolution will have
performed its historic mission.