Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-17
A MOVEMENT OF LABOR.
Ry MORRIS nIL0UIT.


In the Socialist conception politics
is only "A means to an end. Tempora-
nv and local POLITICAL power is valua-
BILE mainly as affording an opportunl- :
ty for economic reform, and the final
national political victory of the work
ers will be of vital importance only as
a necessary preliminary to tie intro
duction of the system of collective ana
co operative industries. A general
political victory of the workers would
be barren of results if the workers
we're not at the same time prepared to
take over the management of the in
dustries The Socialists, therefore,
seek to train the workers in economic
no less than in political self-govern-
ment.
II is for that reason that the move
ment everywhere seeks alliance with
the economic organizations of labor,
the trade unions aud the cooperative
societies The trade unions are an
efficient instrument for the organlza
tion of the productive movement torc-
es of industry, the cooperative move
ment trains the workers In the lnue-
pendent, collective management OF In
dustral processes. The Socialist ac-
| tivities in the economic organizations
of labor are not mere meddling or pol
itical Irritation. They are an organic
part of the practical work OF the 30
| cialist party Socialism, trade union
ism and the cooperative movement are
| but different phases of the general
modern labor movement. Within their
respective spheres all of them, CON
sciously or unconsciously, make for the
same goal and each of them gains
strength and efficiency from the sup
port of the others.
The struggles of labor have besides
another deep, social significance for
the Socialists. Every material I'M
provement in the workers life, tends
to raise their intellectual level, and to
develop their ability to organize and
fight for a social ideal. The Socialist
movement recruits its adherents most
ly from among the better situated, bet
ter trained and more intelligent work
ers. The unfortunate "slum proletar'
ians, whose energies, hopes and am
bitions have been crushed out by mis-
ery and destitution, can only rarely DC
relied on to rally to the virile battle
cry of SocialismW
The main points in the Socialist pro
gram of practical work may thus be
summarized under the three heads OF
Education, Organization and Struggle
for the Material Improvement OF tht
Working Glass.
Within the last few years there ha'
developed in the United States {
group of persons who advocate the ad
dition of certain alleged new and more
direct and effective weapons to the ar
senal of the Socialist warfare. Int
general strike and resort to drastic ant
violent methods in labor struggles arr
the favorite measures thus advocated
They 90 by the somewhat vague des
ipnation of tdirect action, sabot
age" etc. and their advocates styl'
themselves "syndicalists' or Sd1rec
actionists. . They are small in mum
Der, but exceedingly active and th'
sensational press Of the country is jus
now giving them a generous amoun
of benevolent attention.
The movement is not serious ant
will not change the character of Amer
ican Socialism. 1t is an expression 0
imnatience and despair, which is quit
natural, though not justitable, IN th'
period of youth and weakness OF tn
Socialist movement. When Soclallsn
grows strong and enters upon a caree
Of true struggles and accomplishments
the syndicalist vagaries are bound t
disappear. In Germany, Austria, Bel
gium and the Scandinavian countrle
syndicalism is an almost unknown
quantity but it fourishes in the eoun
tries in which the Socialist movemen
is less organized and stable, Italy ant
France. Metropolitan.