The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-04-22
COMRADE BOSTROM WRITES
INFORMING ANSWERS To
SOME PERTINENT CUES
TONS OF A HIGH SCHOOL
TEACHER.
Everett, Wash, April 10. 1914.

Dear Sir-Replying to your letter o
the 18th inst, in which you reques
my opinion on certain questions,
wish first to call your attention to tn,
fact that I am a Socialist. As sucf
/ base all opinions in conformity will
the fundamental principles upon which
the philosophy Of Socialism is built
namely, what we call economic deter
minism and the existence of a class
struggle.
I. Would the recall be abused
Cases If possible.
Answer: Where judges are elected
as candidates of parties, i.e, where
they are not elected as non-partisan
it often happens that they are elected
by plurality and not majority vote
1t therefore follows that the majority
could at once recall them before they
had been guilty Of any act whatsoever
know of no such case, and common
sense and common fairness will prob
ably prevent it from happening.
2. Would the recall prevent a good
man from accepting office?
Answer: There is no such thing as
a good man. Whether a person is
good" or not depends upon the point
of view. He may be good to you and
bad to me. He most likely is good to
one class and bad to another. He may
be more or less able. Able lawyers
are mostly employed by the corpora.
tions and after years of such service
have become used to look at things
from the point of view of the good of
corporations. Few men can tear them
selves away from habitual ways of
thinking. In fact, like the gold nugget
found on the bedrock of a. creek,
which is fashioned by and carries on
its surface the imprint of the sur
rounding gavel, so every human being
is formed by it's environment. The
will of man is but the desire created
by outside pressure. The all pervading
desire of this age is to make money.
The person who cannot be bought with
riches is for sale for a crust of bread.
In fact, we are all potential cannibals.
Sufficient pressure will bring us to any
level. In non-partisan elections the
majority would elect and it would be
easy for the judge to satisfy that ma
jority. He has no business to thwart
the majority, of which he is after all
only representative.
8. What, in your opinion, might be
done to make the present system bet
ter?
Answer: The introduction of the co.
operative commonwealth However, l
suppose you mean the judicial system
Nothing can improve it appreciably; it
is part of the capitalist system and as
good as any other part of that system
4. Cases of courts usurping Ieyisa-
tive powers?
Answer: Too numerous to mention.
Instance, the veto power of the SUI
preme court of the U. S. in congress
sional decisions. The veto of state
courts by declaring law unconstitu-
tional However, l know of a specific
case in this city, where the courts is
sued a mandamus commanding the
city council to take certain action.
5. Would the fear of recall prevent
an honest man from making an impair
tial decision?
Answer: The question is paradox
cal. If fear of recall prevented him
from making an impartial decision he
could not be honest However, do not
deceive yourself. All men are honest
or all men are dishonest. You may
consider it either way you like. Men
adjust their ideas of morality to their
own position in the world. The thief
has no trouble in finding justification
for his acts nor any other ill-doer. We
are all drawing a line very close be-
hind our hind-foot and those who are
not abreast of us are bad and dishon-
est. Strictly speaking, if there is such
a thing as honesty every man is hon
est who satisfies his own (shall we
call itO conscience. Only a stupid
Weakling could be scared into deciding
against his better understanding.
6. Would the recall of decisions Of
fer better solution for the evils of
the present?
Answer: AS stated above their is
only one solution-Socialism. Patch
ing up the system is poor business.
The daily press rules the public opin-
ion. The daily press is a common
prostitute for sale at all times and for
all kinds of prices. No one could there
fore be recalled unless the corporations
were in favor of such a move. No
scoundrel could be recalled unless the
decided that he had gone
so far that it would be dangerous to
sustain him. No decisions could be