The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-06-26

truth, You Editor Marsh, and YOU, Mrs.
Lizzie Jonoa2 No I forgot you can
not see You cannot even see that the
little injury that you may be able to
do me will fertilize a great cause.
And, Mrs. Lizzie Jones, have you
gone from school to school in your
domain of Snohomish county comply
ing with the law that you love so
suddenly and so we'll? Have you
taught the truth about the Pullman
strike? Have you taught the truth
about the capitalist plot in Lawrence,
wherein your model capitalist school
director. Mr.. John J. Breen, was hired
by a model capitalist, Mr.. William
Wood, to plant dynamite in the homes
Of the striking textile workers and
then send the police there to arrest
the terrible I. W. w strikers? Say,
have you taught the truth about
that? Have you told about the brutal
treatment of the rubber tire workers
in Akron? Have you told the story
of the Paterson strike, where $4,000
silk workers refused to be fooled by
the flag play that you are working in
Arlington as a shield for some other
game that you may be playing in the
shade? Have you told how last fall
when Ettor and Giovannitti were to be
tried for murder that they did not COM
init and would not have committed,
the capitalists at the instigation of the
Mr.. Wood, who paid over two thousand
dollars out to make the above dyna-
mite plot work, get up a great flag
day to cover up their attempt at the
judicial murder of innocent men?
Have you complied with the school law
and taught this body of essential truth
in the classes in history and current
events?
l am condemned for calling the flag
that these capitalists have seized and
used in their own interests a capt.
talist flag. Possession is the power to
hold. The capitalists have seized and
hold not only the flag, but the govern
ment for which it stands. Not only
have they these, but they have also
the rocks and rills, the mountains, the
mines, and the farms under nearly
complete ownership. These, with the
means of communication and manufac-
ture constitute about all of OUR
COUNTRY that is worth bothering
school children about-and they are no
longer OURS. Over so per cent of us
own nothing. A mere handful owns
or controls nearly three-quarters of the
wealth of what you please to call our
country. You can not deny these
facts. Then this comes mighty nearly
being a capitalist country, with a
capitalist government, and a capitalist
flag. Figure it out yourself.
We Socialists are trying in peace
able way to make that flag and the
government OURS ONCE MORE. We
are going to make it ours. Until that
time comes we are not going to call
piece of property that belongs to the
capitalist class OURS.
To the third charge, that of being
secretary of the Socialist Educational
Bureau, most cheerfully plead guilty.
After all this is the real charge and
the only charge: l have made this
bureau by the help of Socialists all
over America a success. The teach
ers' agencies who are wont to share
their extortionate commissions with
superintendent are not to be blamed
for not loving a bureau that charges
no commission at all for it's services.
1t is a regular scab affair in their
holy eyes. Nor are the superin-
tendents to be blamed for this unholy
venture into their special privileges.
AS supervising principal l have re-
peatedly received notices from these
agencies offering me S. for every
teacher that l could find a place for
from their agency. In other cases they
do not need to use money Influence
DeCOmeS all asset VIII Iueu anu Lu6y
help those who help them. A. S. Bur
rows was not nominated state super
intendent of public instruction on the
republican ticket last time, largely be-
cause he would not bow the knee to
a teachers agency.
l shall only be too pleased to meet
with the people of Arlington to discuss
any phase of this school question. l
shall insist, however, on Editor Marsh
and Mrs. Lizzie Jones being present
and making their charges face to face
with me.
We Socialists have no feeling against
the flag The capitalist class would
give great thanks were we to display
the slightest feeling in this respect.
It is an asset of theirs and they are
using it for all it is worth. They have
seized its sillen folds in their hands,
yet wet with the blood of child slaves
and have tried to blind you with its
silken splendor to the blood stains
they have left on its spotless white.
Don't let them fool you. The flag is