The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-02-15

Of Declarations Made by the
Founders and Leaders of
Socialism is Made.

tultors oil Ielegram: In running
over the columns OF your paper Of
9th inst, / note an article headed
Religions Enemy" in which you
have tried to define or give clear.
definition of Socialism in regard to
religion. Trusting, you will reason
with me for few moments, Will
give few facts from which the
average thinker may draw his own
conclusion 1t will not be necessary
to take up space in giving all the
standard authors definitions on So
cialism, but will quote from Ameri-
can Year Book, Cyclopedia and At
las, viz: "No word has been more
abused and misunderstood than the
word Socialist. The Socialist is
not an anarchist, they are opposed
in theory and practice. The Social
list does not propose to destroy the
family, abolish religion or divide
up property, nor does he seek to
carry out his ideas by riot and blood
shed. In single phrase, Socialism
means public ownership of the
means OF production and working
class control of the government, a
chance to work for all who will, and
to all workers the full value OF their
product. The typical Socialist is a
rather quiet and thoughtful work
ingman, serene in time OF trouble
and self-contained in the day of
victory He realizes that the world
will move on very well after he is
dead, but remembers that while he
lives it is his business to help tho
world move He considers himself
and ally OF eternal laws of nature
and is proud to do his little part in
the Great cause = Now readers
study this definition and see If we
can not make life worth living by
adhering to its teachings.
Here is quotation from Fran
ces E. willard, "oh. that l were
young again, Socialism would. hare
my life! 1t is Gods way out OF the
wilderness and into the promised
land 1t is the very meat and mar
row of Christ's Gospel. 1t isfChris-
.tianity applied" Socialism is not
against religion. Socialism is an
economic political movement. While
there may be Individual Socialists
who are unbelieyers, Socialists
stand for liberation in all matters of
belief. They would not prohibit
any one from being religious II they
could. and they could not If they
would, for maiorities will rule I'M
der Socialism, and even majority
would not make man disbelieve.
The cry that Socialism will de-
stroy religion is no new cry. 1t
was said of abolition, of public
schools, of labor unions, and even
of the Christian Gospel itself. The
Socialist party is primarily an eco
nomic and political movement; it is
not concerned with matter of re-
ligous belief-socialist party plat
form adopted May 10, 1908, at the
national convention, Chicago, Ill.
Socialism does not stand for di-
viding up. The motto of Socialism
lis: workers OF the world unite"
Its effort is to secure cooperation in
the place of divisional work.
They who declare that Socialism
wants to take all the property of
the world and divide it equally
among all the people, either know
ingly or ignorantly misrperesent
Socialism, Such a thing has never
been proposed by Socialists and is
utterly repudiated by them.
/ do not doubt for one instance
that the editors of the Telegram
have heard false statements in re-
gard to Socialism and religion; I
have heard them myself, but the
Bible tells us to beware of false
prophets, and before we can
detect a false prophet, we
must understand the principle on
which he is trying to deceive you.
Therefore, Socialism is friend TO
religion, is moral reform. 1t is the
vices of mankind and the miseries
resulting from these vices to which
Socialism wishes to put an end, and
IT seeks its means not in a new re-
ligious issue, but in new social
organization.
Respectfully yours,
]. f, WEEKS.