New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
nv the Rev. DIR. George Il. Lunn'
Navor OF schenectady, y. Y.

PATI.EN'S attempt to identify So
cialism with all the things that GER
tain men who are socialists nave De-
,..d ,s piece Of intellectual trickery
r,.b will do him no good Does every Re-
',,h,,car have to believe all that Roosevelt
aacbeso Because President Taft is Uni
!,ar,an does II follow that Cardinal Gibbons.
- suDports him. is a Unitarian. too? Be
oarsa Iohn u. Rockefeller is a Baptist are
,ro 70 assume that the Baptists believe in
ar.rvtbinr that John d. Rockefeller does
pooTv this attempt to make the socialist
movement responsible for every word that
..,ioIis+s have written is nothing but an
evasion Of the fundamental tenet OF all SO
ciaiists-that the means-of production and
exchange should be owned by the whole
people. ,-.-.
Dr PaIIor. lie is interested in the fright
~, results of Economic Determinism.'
10. me state it: In the whole course Of
on,;e7t and modern history there is scarce
" any single important political event that
has not been caused, either directly or in
directly. by some economic influence. Re
ugion and physical causes may also have
been present. but the economic factor
seems 20 nave pet'l Illt ilio'N ND4i'''''i'N 49,
the most pervasive.'
Before telling DR. Pallen who wrote that
excellent statement Of economic determin-
ism. let me repeat Dr. Pallen's own words
In regard to it. In The Common Cause
for February he writes: "Scientihc social
ism is rooted in economic determinism, and
economic determinism denies God. religion.
freedom and the home"
SOURCE OF THE DEFINITION.
Now let me tell Dr Pallen the name OF
the book from which ], as a socialist, have
taken my definition Of economic determin-
ism. II is called History of Economics;
or. Economics as a Factor in the Making
OF History" II is written by the Rev. }.
A. Dewe, A. NJ, late professor OF history
IN the College Of st. Thomas, St Paul; now
professor of history at the University of
Ottawa. The publishers are Benziger
Brothers-"Printers 20 the Holy Apostolic
See"
on the reverse Of the title page DR.. Pal
len will find this:
Mill Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor Ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS John NJ. Farley,
Archbishop Of New York-New York, No
vember 80 1SO7-COpyright. 1905, by Benziger
Brothers" This, translated into English,
means that Cardinal Farley has no objec-'
ton 10 the book from which I as social
ist have taken my doctrine Of economic de-
teTminism.
We may leave DR.. PalIen and the Car
dinal to settle this matter between them.
on the one hand book approved by the
Cardinal: on the other hand DR.. Pallen's
statement that the doctrine contained in
the book the Cardinal approves denies
God, religion, freedom and the home"
II this doesn't convince Dr. Pallen as 10
the ease with which his favorite trick can
be worked, nothing will. Personally, I de-
spise this trick Of digging around for quo
tations 10 trip up people. But 1t has been
used against US socialists for so long time
that once in a while we may be forgiven
for STOPPING 10 it ourselves. It's too easy.
HOLD NO BRIEF FOR SCIENCE.
Dr. Pallen attacks science in general ana
Darwnism in particular. 1t is not up 10
the socialists to defend science. 1t is d
scientific curiosity that medi8val minds
should exist in the twentieth century.
The learned doctor has an ecclesiastical
horror Of facing the facts Of economic de-
termnism, as earlier men regarded
the theory Of the descent OF man.
Instead Of this ostrich attitude We
should. frankly acknowledging the ma
terial foundations Of society, resolve TO
make them decent. We have been largely
controlled by the material; now let US con-
troll H. The materialists are those who
allow present conditions 10 continue.
The surplus value theory is hardly van
quished by tin-trousers theory. A way
faring man, though a fool. can figure out
that value, or the making of wealth. IS the
product OF human labor OF hand and brain
applied to natures resources. Is there any
other way by which houses. ships, rail
rOdds, clothes foods and furniture are