The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-09-05
Let Us Build.
By EUGENE V. DEBS

GREAT deal about the reds" and the
vellnws" in the Socialist party. |
know GOOD many OF both. and SO
far as | am able to discern. they are
very much alike. The actual differ
cuce between them. were it tire.
would hardly he enough to light a
cigarette.
We are all Socialists. We all stand
for the same thing. Are We TO be
forever divided into angry factions
and spend a large part OF our time
and energy in making faces and call
| ing one another reds" and yelloWS
in contempt and derISI0n?
a vast amount Of good energy IS
TUNED into bad blood over things that
either amount 10 nothing at lil 0i
that aIr beyond he range Oi At@,de :
md discussion. Tie nidtleT Ct 5atiI-
/ ta%e I: i Ease III point.
TnS iyrIp0ns and tie actIC& 81 HE
workers in the daily struggle, Tie
! hand-to-hand fight on the industrial
field. will be determined from time
to time in the progress Of the struggle
/ Itself. and the question of sabotage
which, by the way, has absolutely
nothing new about it except its
Dame-can be safely left to the
workers engaged in the struggle on
that field.
! The Socialist party is political
party. and it is not its business to
decide what weapons the workers
shall! choose, or what tactics they
shall employ. in their struggle on the
economic field.
In the idle discussion which has
! been devoted to SyndicaliSm, direct
action. sabotage, etc, enough energy
! has been wasted TO double our party
membership and Quadruple the power
of cur press.
Let us nov unite our efforts TO
build the party and make il strong
/ for the great work there is before it.
/ II we mean TO destroy capitalism
/ We must develop the power Of our
class. ana We can only do that
! through the rluss-CunsciOuS unity and
the energetic ana harmonious CO.
operation of our forces.
+ The Socialist party has undoubted
" it's weaknesses, but these will not
( he rcmcdicd if we spend moss Of our
time vainIy iumcnting or searching
each other for further weakness II
absoive Us from our party duty and
make our despair complete.
We have travelled with the Socialist
party these sixteen years past. and
with all that may be justly charged
AGAINST it. it is today beyond question
/ the most vital force in the class strug-
/ Ole vt the United States
What We need above everything
else at present is period Of united
and energetic party building. Too
many of our locals are weak and non
progressive for the want Of the active
support that loyal members should
give them. Most Of our papers and
periodicals are in the same condition
! for the same reason.
We are all needed to make Il party
and as long as We are agreed on
fundamental principles and the final
GOAL. we can safely concede to one
another the limits Of federation in the
| discussion Of our conflicting opinions
and in carrying forward our diversi-
fed activities
The Socialist party. it should be
remembered, is political party, and
! there is room enough in it for every
one who subscribes to its principles
and upholds them in good faith, but
there is no room in it for those who
either openly sheer at political action
or who aVow it falsely TO mask their
trcachery while they carry on their
work Of disruption.
! The Socialist party. if it is to fulfill
! its mission murt ever be the revolu-
tl0nary party Of the working class.
rjgidiy uncompromising so far as its
principles are concerned, true to the
interests of the workers in every
phase Of the struggle. clean and above
board in all its methods, and it must
nrrSnrNe It's character and inte6rirv