The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-12
FINDS SOCIALISM
NOT REAL REMEDY
Vincent Astor Rejects as I'm
practicable Program Offered
by Upton Sinclair.
WAY TO CORRECT EVILS
Objects to Overturning Basis
Upon Which Social Fabric
Is Founded.
Especial to The Tlmcs-Dlspatch. ]

New York, January lin an open
letter printed last week. Upton Sinclair.
pointing out tho social tendencies and
misery Of the day. urged Vincent AS
tor, with his vast fortune. to aid the
cause OF socialism and correct the nl-
legged inaccuracies current concerning
it.
Mr.. Aston issued the following open
letter to-day in reply:
Dear Sir.-Your open letter of Dc
| cember go received, which have read
with interest. This ls the first oppor-
tunity 1 have had to reply.
You call my attention to COM
pilation of social and Industrial evils,
and invite me TO mako study Of so
cialism, with view to my lending aid
to the Socialist party, through which
| you hope these evil conditions may BIO
| renedied.
"Replying, I write to cay that l am.
| fortunately. associated with various
| organizations which arc Interested in
the study OF sociological questions. In
one OF these are many OF the leading
officers of the American Federation OF
Labor and the chiefs of the railway
brotherhoods. whose lives and ener
gics arc devoted TO the study and to
the solution of the social and indus
trial problems 10 which your letter
refers.
Rejected as Imprncticnhle.
| J.
perience, and believe myself some
what familiar with their views and
| their general policies. II is not over
| stating the matter TO say that not one
| of those members OF the labor orSani-
cations whom have met accepts your
! philosophy as cure FOR the evils
! which We all recognize and deplorc.
on the contrary, they reject as sala-
| cious and impracticable the program
of the Socialist party In whose inter
est you speak.
This program, boiled down, as I
gather 1t from tho Socialist papers.
! magazines and books that l have had
| opportunity to read. is contained In Il
nutshell in a statement OF recog-
nizcd leader OF the Socialist party.
Mr.. Morris Hillquit. to-wit:
Stated in moro concrete terms the
Socialist program requires the public
or collective ownership and operation
OF the principal Instruments and agen-
cics for the production and dtstribu-
ton OF wealth. the LANDS. mines, rail-
roads, steamboats,, telegraph and tele-
phone lines, mills, factories and mod
ern machinery.
" This Ia the main program and tho
ultimate aim OF the whole sociallsic
movement II Is the unfalling test OF
Socialist adherence. and admits OF nc
Limitation. extension or variation. Who
ever accepts this program Is Social
4
las the result OF my association with
the representative labor men referred
TO, am fully convinced that the seri-
GUS evils which have attended our In
dustriai development can be. and Will
be, In time eradicatcd without over
turning the fundamental basis upon
which our government and social fabric
Is founded.
Many Evils Exist.
I'm saving this, am not unmlndtul
o! the fact that far too many evil con-
ditions exist. that there are great
wrongs TO be righted. and that 1t is
the duty of every man who has the
interest OF his country 1t heart TO do
what he properly can to establish and
maintain industrial and social right
eousness
while from my necessarily limited
experience do not have the fullest IN
formation. and. therefore. dc not pre-
tend to speak with authority. | am
obliged to dissent from many of your
conclusions. especially that the condi-
lions of the working people are worse
now Than they have been In the past
ION the contrary, am convinced
not alone from study of Official In
vnstigations and the views OF cxpe-
rienced social workers, but from the
testimony OF the representatives OF
labor 10 whom ] have referred--mer
whom the great mass OF the working
people of our country have authorized
TO sneak for them-that the condition
Of tile laboring people has greatly i'm
rroved during the last few generations
"Confirmatory oft his, from the
standpoint Of organized labor are
statements made In the American Fed
erationist, the official organ Of The
American Federation of Labor for Sep