The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-07
WILL SOCIALISM
BREAK UP THE HOME? {?

Occasionally some hollow-chested
individual claims that socialism will
break up the home. Well. do not mill
lions of the filthy. miserable, germ
breeding novels called homes, need to
be broken up?
According to census reports, ninety
six per cent of the people of New
York do not own the houses they live
in now. In Toledo seventy-two per
cent do not own homes. The average
of homeless people in the United States
is sixty-two per cent. What of the
freedom of America? What does home
mean to these people?
The census shows that there are
over seven million unmarried men in
the United States. They cannot afford
to get marred-cannot make a living
for themselves as it is, much less pro-
vide for a wife and family There
are also about the same number of un-
married women in the United States.
The poverty and uncertainty of a COM
potency due to the present competf-
tive system is why there are fifty
thousand prostitutes in Nv York City
alone, and in other cities in proper
tion.
Under socialism every man would
be assured the means of acquiring a
good home. Then much immoral con-
ditions could longer exist. The
census further shows that there are
one million married women who are
compelled to work in factories. This
causes numberless police court trou-
bles and divorces. There We're over
sixty-f1ve thousand divorces in the
United States during the last year.
These cannot be charged to socialism.
During one year. one hundred and
twenty thousand people with their
household goods were ruthlessly
thrown into the cutters and streets of
New York City by landlords Thou
sands of them were sick, others Grip
pies and many Of them about to be-
come mothers. Mr.. Astor, who owns
miles and miles of these novels, by
virtue of the present methods, inherit
ing them from his father. now lives in
a ma agnificent palace in royal splendor
in Europe. that he may be as far away
as possible from the squalor he makes.
If ever anyone deserved the lowest and
hottest hell, is it not he? Don't you,
who vote to continue the system which
breeds these conditions, deserve the
same treatment, and yet you have the
nerve to say that socialism would
break up the home. If these victims
haven't the money to pay rent how
could they move to the country, much
less buy a farm? Were they to at
tempt it what could they do in their
present helpless condition? Charity to
these people is an insult and mock
eyy
Christianity, SO contrary to these
conditions, can never be comprehended
by these people. Why preach content
ment to these creatures? If preachers
believe that such conditions develop
high Ideals, noble characters, and
Christianity. why don't they swap
places with these underlings? Why
do some preachers ride to church in
coach, live in fine houses with SER
wants. and accept salaries from the
Rockefellers. Morgans and Astors
whose wealth is the product of the
robberies perpetrated on these to
whom they advise religion? Aren't
you virtually hand in glove with these
respectable thieves? If Christ were on
earth, would he wear silk-lined, spike
tailed coats. tooth-pick shoes. silk
hats, accept fat salaries. keep servants,
permit high-toned exchange gamblers
and other millionaire parasites to oc-
cupy front pews in church without ut
tering a word of protest lest he lose
his salary? He drove the money
changers from the temple. but they
cater to them and pose Christians
for the sake of an easy living.
Socialism would give one and all
equal opportunities to use the machin
cry OF the world, to produce beautiful
homes. all the comforts of life and
give the leisure to enjoy them to the
| fullest extent. I thoroughly believe in
the teachings of Jesus Christ, and for
that reason teach socialism in order
| to prepare the way for practical
| Christianity. Many of our leading
ministers are now spreading the doc
| trines OF socialism because 1t and
| Christianity go hand in hand. Every
| minister should read the principles Of
| socialism, by Rev. Vail and also sub
scribe for the "Christian Socialist"
| edited by the Rev Edward Ellis Carr.
/ 5406 Drexel avenue, Chicago.