The Alaska socialist., 1913-09-29
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE WORKERS OF ALASKA
 AND aDyOcAIIsG POLITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Suicide Or Fight?

An epidemic of suicide" says the daily press commenting upon the alat- ming number of persous whp nave cii- osen the short route out of an indus trial hell during the past few wee ks throughout Western Canada.
 But after all, it is not more strange hr certain than an epidemic of fever where no sewerage system obtains or the first principles Of sanitation not adhered to as in railway construction camps.
 As matter of fact there are thou sands Of unfortunate Ineil and .wQnet, seeking iobs, penniless and /, iii many cases III 2 strange land and bel ';g without money are, needless to say, witflou. friends
 After being turned out ty the landio- rd cr hoer,iing house mistress, and ha- ying uicde 2 day-aite--6.ay Giligent scar ch for q chance to sell themselves to q boss on tie iI.s-all.ae13t plan, the putIOCk DeCClneS %ioOnrt
 An attack of the 'hlues, sometimes referred to bv juries as temporary in- sanity" fo,lews, and tlle victims men tally ask themselves: Whats the use?
 To the men 1t ufttiries resolves itse If into 9 choice of sudde.i death or S. low process of starvation with all that that implies.
 10 the woman 1t may suea1 q ct- oice between becoming play thing for rich young bloods is . house prov ided by society for the selling of their bodies, Or death.
 Who can know the mental agony suf- fered by the s,sieide previous to the u- hle when they resolve to end it alp
 How many of us would be tco cowa- rdly to face such a situation?
 In world dominated by human lly= enas and grasping corporations, seeking only to enslave men, women and child ren, is 1t any wonder there are suicides? On the contrary, Is 1t not a seventh wonder tEere are not more of them?
 + 1t were not the bulldog tenacity of the race perpetuation instinct within our kind, especially among the working class, fewer persons would stay with the bitter struggle fof existence,
 Capitalism breeds all sorts of meth ptls of securing a living, as every police court and social institution on earth an ply testifies.
 Almost every married wage-worker in eFesy industrial center nowadays is compelled te resort to all manner of 1ll- cans to make ends meet, from taking in the proyerbial ''rosrer" 10 washing dirty linen.
 And wliat the single men and woaeis do to earn living is we'll known to ev- D. tenant of modern boarding house H apartment,
 A society that IS fairly rotten to the core, a social system that breaks up the l,ou1e and destroys the best intentions and strongest desires to live like hum an beings can beget nothing but the everyday stories Of Ese daily press.
 The fount from which it all springs Is the labor market, and so long as men and womes, consent to make comlno- slity out of their very life force~-ability to work, labor power the sad story will be continued one,
 Tke organized labor movement is tife one butress against the grisfstirsg forces of capitalism, and upon its growth and education depends good deal of what the future has in store for mankind.
 None can save the working class but the working class.
 If ever there was g time for unionists to take fresh grip and detertninedly fulfil tkeir age long mission that trne < SOW.
 Be live one.
 Refuse to suicidci