Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-25
SOME FORCES THAT
 MAKE FOR SOCIALISM.
Address Given in Pythian Hall by Miss
 Florence WattIes.


 Some Forces That Make Tor Socialism at a meeting held under the auspices of the Norwich local of the socialist party Thursday evening in Pytnian hall.
 Fred Holdsworth was chairman and in opening the meeting mentioned the weeks suffrage campaign recently concluded in this city and said that the campaign had been welcomed by the socialists. who felt the real need Of votes for women. He told of two trips which he made to Hartford to speak before the committee having in hand the 54-hour blll. and said he was greatly surprised at the little attention given the speakers. The members Of the committee, he said. had apparently made up their minds before the hear ing to do as the lawyers representing the manufacturers and mercantile men desired, and the committee will prob ably report o5-hour bill for manu- factories and q 5S-hour bill for mer- cantile establishments. The present legislature is the most reactionary, said MT. Holdsworth. of any legisia- ture Connecticut ever had. and l don't believe the people will get what they want until they get a few socialists there.
 Tremendous Forces at Work.
 He then presented Miss Wattles, who spoke in part as follows:
 All of you are aware of the tre- mendous forces at work in the political and economic life of America. Unrest and dissatisfaction are universal, and we are rapidly sweeping along tow ards the time of great change. There are destructive and constructive forces at work. and not the least of the latter is socialism. This is a nation born of intense individualsm, inspired by po- liticaI and religious freedom. Only the strong and the brave came to these shores in the early days They hoped to found land of opportunity where every man could live the high est and finest life, and there was something magnificent in the individ- ualism which inspired the early set tiers. America was a wonderful land of opportunity and abundance for all This spirit of individualism was des- tined to find it's highest plane in the fight for wealth. There were no great political and economic problems in those early days. If a man was un- that beyond the Alleghanies lay a land of promise and opportunity where there was an abundance for all The struggle for wealth rapidly de- ble for the dollar. We hold up the successful business man as the idol of the nation, the model for all, and set ourselves to the task of doing the other fellow. We set out to win and if we couldn't win legitimately-weH, would win anyway. The gambling spirit crept in and the first rule of gambling is that few win and many
 
 game. The most reckless gamblers won; grabbed natural resources of the country. impoverishing the little gam blers. Mir. Roosevelt has voiced the cry of the little man against the trust and stands today for a chance for the little man. who realizes that he is the prize for which the big men play. Thus business is centralized in the control of a half dozen men who have won in the big game. Here Is a problem which vitally affects the lives of 93 millions of people. Every one in the country has a real interest in it. The necessities of life are in the hands of a few men. and how we solve this problem of bread in America is of vital interest to all.
 Five Attitudes at Washington.
 There are five attitudes at Washing ton. There are those like Uncle Joe Cannon, who believe in letting the trusts alone; those like Taft, who be- lieve in enforcing the sherman anti trust law as long as we have it; Will son and the democrats. who would progress backward and would destroy the trusts and start the business com petition over again; the progressives, who favor regulation of the trusts by 8 commissions; finally, the socialists, who would not destroy that which has been so well built, but who favor col Iective ownership of the trusts. The solution of the trust problem is of vital interest to all who call them selves American citizens. Perhaps some of you don't know how it feels to realize that you must work to live and that if you lose the job your very life is lost.
 Little Manufacturers Losing.
 The little manufacturers are losing out day after day. and the process of centralization is going towards the climax where one man will control the business of the world. The busi- l ness of this, country is now between two groups, the Morgan and Rockefel- | Ter According to the results of the investigation of the money trust by 1 the Washington commission three men | control the money of the world. If three men control all the money then | who is not interested in this problem? l A financial panic is predicted for the | next year and how many little busi- | ness men and manufacturers do you | think will live through it? The great 1 American individualism has produced 1 a handful of winners, but you are not 1 in that handful you're on the great 1 outside. The children are taught that | this is the land of the free. the land | of opportunity, where work and perse- l verance win success. but they do not | go out into the great world for long | portunity is closed to them. The | young man is told that he. too. can wiring success from the world, but he | gets so far and bumps against the |
  chance has he got?
 A Constructive Force.
 Socialism is the only constructive force in the country today; all others would check or destroy We propose to use our political power to secure the ownership of these corporations. Even now cities are seethfng in revolution and we socialists have 8 job before us. Let us work, as never before, for the socialist party is the hope of Ameri "a today. When we are in power we can take over the oil business of Rockefeller, and the 75 millions of dol ars profit each year will go to the people We would not strip these men n their old age. We appreciate their wonderful organizations and feel that hey have done us a real service. This s our salvation.
 Miss Watt1es concluded by answer ng questions for those present She S to speak at Jewett City tonight and