The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1912-10-04
By Joseph T. Hazard.

DN JOScpu L. 4ANe"AN.
It is in accord with human nature to
be curious. A growing curiosity as to
the Roman Catholic argument against
socialism has resulted from the ever in
creasing array of press notices In the
capitalist papers, of "Romanist" oposi-
ton to our propaganda. When at last
we were informed that Father Saindon
of the Bayside Roman Catholic church
of Everett, Washington, had announced
a sermon against socialism, to be
Z -preached on Sunday, September p, we
determined to crafty our curiosity and
to give publicity to the adverse argu-
ment. To make sure that we could deal
with the subject with fairness and ac-
curacy, we secured the services of an
expert stenographer who attended the
services and later furnished us with a
copy of the sermon Transcribed from
shorthand notes. This sermon as far as
it deals with socialism appears in the
three middle columns of this page.
Before beginning our reply, allow us
to make clear the socialist position on
religion. Religion, as such, is not con-
cern with the socialist party any more
than it is with a union or capitalist
corporation. To us it is a matter which
ncerns the individual and individual
elief The socialist party is interna-
Uional and has for its foundation motto,
''Workers of the World, Unite" We
welcome any conscious worker to
our ranks, be he Catholic, Protestant,
Mohammedan, Buddhist, or Sun Wor-
shipper.
We recognize Father Saindon as au-
Shoritv in matters religious-we do not
recognize him as authority in working
class economics. 1t is only when he
passes the bounds of his authoritative
knowledge and NEEDLES with economics
and working class politics that we take
issue with him. And when we do so, it
is without rancor or bitterness.
"Do you mean to say that all men
have an even amount of intelli-
gence, an even amount of intellect,
an even amount of justice? That
all are good or bad, that all are
physically strong, equally courage
Gus, equally brave? Or are we all
of the same taste? That is the
way we would have to be to be
socialists. -
No, Father Saindon, you are certainly
mistaken We do not say these things.
You are hitting at "straw man" of
your own manufacture.
We, on the contrary, teach the class
struggle We teach that men are not
equal in intelligence, justice, or physical
= trength. We give the reason why they
se not. It is from lack of opportunity
-s.ased by the private ownership of those
things which control opportunity and the
resulting classes in society.
In the centuries past the "workers Of
the world" have created surplus value
above their mere physical existence-it
has been taken by the master class, and
by its possession the strong have been
made stronger, and the weak have re-
mained weak
1t is only with the modern school sys-
tenn, with its general spread of enlight-
enment, that the working class is de-
veloping the power of resistance, and the
desire to come into its own.
Under socialism, after few genera
tions of equal opportunity with proper
environment, the present exaggerated
differences in intelligence and physique
would disappear,
And, even now, Father Saindon, the
working class is really superior to the
master class, except in knowledge of its
power and its interest.
IF we wish to have civilization,
good society, good government,
must there not be men to govern
us and must there not be men be-
low to be governed? Where IS the
equality of that?
Now, really Father Saindon, by the
luotation above, you consider the work
g class as a lower class, that must re-
aain "below" and ''be governed" We
gree that there is no equality in that,
fact either We are living, you must
emember, in the twentieth century.
he working class is below in pay and
political power, but it Is the HIGH
ST MOST USEFUL CLASS in exist
ace. 1t is the only class powerful
enough to rule and by that rule to