The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-08-07

political societies break the com.
mandment "Thou shalt not kip" A
group called a political state. as wen
MS an individual, by making that trans
erosion. lay themselves liable to the
curse of Cain and invite the deter
mined opposition of every lover OF
peace and liberty.
Drunkenness, prostitution, and the
commercialized drug habit, have too
often been allied with government to
insure the respect of decent men and
women. Indeed, from the standpoint
of history, we have little to expect from
governments. They have prosecuted
liberty of thought and expression,
countenanced human slavery. and in
trigued and warred upon each other
like beasts. How has all their sin
been washed away? -. go. ....
Therefore, 20 politicals think all gov
ernments are at times worthy of re-
spect and none of their DEGREES should
to their opinion, but should in the
name of federation and human kindli-
ness, respect the motives and show
some consideration for the methods of
those who differ from them intellec-
tually and temperamentally on the
best way to bring about the indsus-
trial revolution.
On the other hand, the direct is
getting to be almost as intolerable as
the political. There is no complaint
that the political is vicious or immoral
or anything of that sort, but the final
criticism is that political action is
useless and ineffective. 1t may be
true. | have no wish to controvert
that point. But even though the direct
be right in his position, he should at
least cooperate with the political
enough to vote with him a few min
utes once or twice a year. That is the
compromise that all politicals ought to
urge from the directs. If they do not
believe In, or minimize the Importance
of political action, do not ask them
to advocate it, or finance a political
campaign or to affiliate with a po-
litical party. If man or woman is
radical enough to believe in direct
action they are radical enough to know
how to vote for working class inter-
ests on election day, and voting is the
concession they should make the po-
litical radicals.
This compromise is getting to be i'm
portant because of the growing belief
in the minds of the proletariat that
voting is horse play fit only for women
and children and is no suitable weapon
for working men. This belief is mani
tested in the results of the last NUM-
cipal elections in Los Angeles and Sc
attic. In Los Angeles some $4,000
voters out of total registered of 1861
900, saw fit to go to the polls, and
while last year about $1,000 voted in
Seattle, only $4,000 voted in March,
1913. Close observers concede that
the falling off in each case was great
est among the working people, so that
the municipal elections are becoming
nothing more than popular voting con
tests among business men.
Now if nothing can be accomplished
by passing laws or electing representa-
tives, according to the directs, let them
| step into the election booths on cleo
ton day and try out the program oil
the politicals. For a direct actionist
to vote does not involve a discardins
of direct action. Prove to the politi
cal, if you can, that laws will do him
no good by helping to pass said laws
and thus demonstrate to him theil
inefficiency. You will never convince
him by argument, although you might
do so by demonstration.
Above all things, in the name of the
poor and oppressed of all lands, let us
stop fighting each other Don't throw
the direct actionist out of your party
as long as he will vote and don't stoI
voting and spend fifty hours a veal
telling workingmen that voting for {
few minutes a year, is foolish because
it dissipates his efforts and will &C
complish him nothing. This article i!
not written with the idea of advancing
either the politicals or the directs, bu
is submitted with the idea of proposing
compromise which will enable the
workers, both political and direct, t.
hold together for the short time thai
is still necessary to bring about the
destruction of capitalist society.