The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-31
SOCIALISTIC TEXT BOOK

Elements of Socialism. a Text Book. e,
John Spargo. Author OF Karl Marx
nls Life and Work." Socialism. q
summary and Interpretation of Social.
ist Principles" and George Louis AZ.
her IN. D., Late Instructor in Eco
nqnnlcs IN Dartmouth College. Tn.
York.
This work being intended as a tex,
book ON Socialism, is laid out some
what on the text book lines, but really
on a combination plan, which considers
both the text book idea and the gen.
eral reader. The book is, accordingly
divided into chapters, which the reader
may read without regard To the sum.
marles, questions, and photography at
the end of each of the five parts into
which the book is divided
Part ], "Socialism as n Criticism.
embraces six chapters, including an In,
PRODUCTION, definition of s'Capitalist
Society," of ''Plauless Production; -
essays on EPoverty,'' Leisure and
Lnxury,' and Individual and Social
Responsibility
Part II, 'Sociallst Theory" has
nine chapters, including ''lntroduc-
tory, Social Evolution;' "The
Economic Interpretation Of History -
Industrial Evolution - "The Class
Struggle Theorv;'' "Value and Price; -
Surplus Value;'' "The Law of Con-
eentratlon;H and Monopolies and
Trusts.
Part III. ''Thc Socialist IDEAL - en-.
braces five chapters. including ''The
OF Modern Socialism, "The Socialist
State. Political and Economic" and
Socialism and the Family
Part ". "The Socialist Movement, -
embraces two chapters; 1.-The Rise and
Growth Of Modern Socialism in gen
eral. and 1.-THE National Socialist
Movements in Germany, France, Aus
tra. Belgium, Italy, Great Britain, The
United States, Russia, Finland. the
Scandinavian countries, Holland, Swift
erIand, Spain, Poland, Hungary, and
other countries.
Part V, "Pollcy and Program" in
cludes three chapters; "Socialism and
Social Rcform;'' "The Reform Pro
gram Of Socialism, and "Some OBJ
icctions TO Socialism,.
II is surprising TO see so many works
on Socialism, so well written, and each
anthor having theory OF Socialism of
his own, The dillicultv in treating Of
Socialism in general is the unsta bic
and underlined nature Of the SocIalistic
cults. Socialism IN America rs divided
into so many sects and in general those
sccts depart so radically from the orig
inal idea Of Socialism as defined by
Karl Marx as from each other that the
whole subject is extremely elusive, 1t
is coherent enough IN a book like this,
where definite author who under
stands what he is trying TO get at, and
propounds his theories, makes his argu-
meuts. But the very next Sociallstlc
author that comes along with book
differs so thoroughly while apparently
in small particulars. but reality IN cs.
sencc. that the whole matter becomes
confusing. and one wonders what So
cIalsm expects TO accomplish with so
many and such confusing ideas and
stated purposes. The one thing that rs
clear in il all is the activity of the So
cialistc propaganda and the surprising
number of arguments put forward with
more or less plauslbility in support of
the general idea Of Socialism. If the
Socialists would agree upon some def,
mite set of principles or ideals and
stick TO them. there might be more
chance Of their winning their way in
America But. as long as they are at
such diverse purposes, and as long as 1T
is impossible TO hold any good Socialist
70 the PROPOSITIONS. arnuments, and dc
ductions Of another Socialist, IT VIII be
difficult indeed 10 get ANYTHING definite
before the American public on thls cult