The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-11-06
THE VIEWS OF
VICTOR BERGER
On Socialism = Why He
Believes In 1t.
THE COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP
Of All Social Means of Pro.
ductiOn and Distribu.
tiOn the Plan.
SOCIALISM IN A NUTSHELL

In the November American Mag
azine appears an article entitled
THE Progressive's Dilemma" In
it the fact is brought out that all
the candidates this fall are making
a bid for the progressive vote. Au-
thorized statements appear from
leading progressives who give their
reasons for voting as they intend
to. Jane Adams and Herbert
Croly write in behalf of Roosevelt
Herbert Quick tells why he Is go
ing to vote for Wilson, Senator
Charles E. Townsend, of Michigan,
explains his preference for Taft.
Victor. l.. Berger, the first Socialist
who ever sat in Congress, tells why
he is for Debs. Following Is an eX-
tract from his article:
why am going to vote for
Debs? AS good a man as Eugene
" Debs is, | am not going to vote
for him in the sense one is voting
for Wilson, Taft or Roosevelt
simply vote the ticket of the So
cialist party / have no hope that
the Socialist party will elect it's can
didate for President in this cleo
ton. With us the Socialist move
ment and its principles are para
mount-not the candidate.
"The Socialist party stands for
the collective ownership of all the
social means of production and dis
tribution in the interest of the
whole people.
Socialists say that this step is
the necessary and natural outcome
of the concentration of wealth and
of the development of capitalism
Antagonists of Socialism in the
past claimed that collective owner
ship OF an industry was impossible
because the personal supervision
and control of the owner was abso-
lutely necessary to the success of
any enterprise.
To-day we see that the greatest
undertakings are those in which the
stockholders and owners have moth
ing to do with the management of
affairs and are only drawing divi-
dends.
I'm all our large Industrial con-
cerns-stock companies, railroads
and trusts-business is managed
and carried on by few paid off,
cials. These men might Just as
well be paid by the State, or the ma
ton las the case may be-, to carry
on the enterprise in the interest of
the people, as paid by a few veal
thy men, to carry it on for their in
dividual profit.
Moreover, we find that when
ever the nation, State or communi-
ty has undertaken to own and man {
age any large industry. railroad,
mine, factory, telegraph, telephone,
mill, or canal. etc., this invariably
redounded to the benefit of the |
inherent weak
ness of our political spoils system, =
Notwithstanding. s
This idea, carried out gradually
and logically, involves a complete {
change of our economic and politi-
,al system.
Political equality under the
present system IS snare and delu-
sion. The wage worker who de-
Ponds upon a master or upon the
master class for an opportunity to
make a living is not on terms of
equality with his master.
Political liberty and economic
iespotism are Incompatible.
The Socialist party proposes to
Implement our political democracy
~ industrial democracy.
mo one dreams of abolishing n
private property. On the contrary,
We propose. to secure private prop
rty to every citizen, to the many Il
million men and women who under
he present system have no chance
# ever having any. Productive D
apital only is to be owned in COM
non, by the nation, the State or the H
as the exigencies of "
he case may require. Business will b
e carried on for use and not for Il
rofit. This is the case now in the "
water works, public 81
chool, etc.. wherever owned and b,
managed by the people sc
"Such is the aim of the Socialist CT
arty." or