The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1914-01-29
JOIN THE PARTY.

iBy CHARLES EDWARD RUSSELIL
At the close of the lecture some one
comes from the audience, shakes me
warmly by the hand, and says:
That's right! I'm with you! That's
what | believed! I'm Socialist"
Taught by long experience, l say:
Member of the party?"
"No-Im not member of the party,
but believe in Socialism; Pm a So
cialist."
And then | am obliged to say:
Pardon me- brother; If you're not
a member of the Socialist party you
are not a Socialist. Only those that
are willing to stand up and be count
ed are really Socialists. You know,
sympathy is fine thing, but it doesn't
get very far in this fight. If you be-
lieve with us, why don't you join?"
And then follows in every instance
one of the following formulas of
excuse:
l. 81 don't like to tie myself to- one
organization"
2. 81 don't like to pledge myself
not to vote any other ticket Some
good man might be nominated by an
other party and | might want to vote
for him.
8. 81 like to be free and independ-
ent to do as | think best"
4. "The party management doesn't
suit me-"
l ought to have lot of patience
with this sort of fol-de-rol, for the
plain truth is that / marked time my
self for about ten years under the
same sort of dull delusion. I knew
well enough that my duty was to join
the party and take my place with the
men and women that were fighting
the battle, and | stood off and on, pos
sessed with the idea that I wanted to
be Independent and vote for good
man." l never found the good man to
vote for, but l was always under the
belief that he would turn up some day
and if l couldn't vote for him should
lose something precious.
The fact is, there is nothing in all
these objections but kind of intel
lectual cowardice or kind of intel
lectual snobbery, or both.
If man has the slightest idea of
the sacrifices that are being made in
this cause, he ought to think it shame
to stand aloof and let some one else
fight for him. Take these women OF
the party. Not one of them that is
not ready to work until she drops, to
endure social ostracism, to give up
comfort and leisure for purely I'M
selfish inspiration. A man must be
strangely made if he can stand by and
be inert while they endure. To tell
the truth, | never see them at their
work without inwardly sinking pretty
small when | reflect on the time when
| played the lummax and let such as
they pay my dues and bear my share
in the conflict If man really cares
anything about the cause or any part
of it, he will save himself uncomfort-
able sensations hereafter if he will
waste no more time, but come in and
take up his place in the ranks. He
may not be able to do much; none of
us do what we ought; but at least he
will save his soul from the reproach
of Sinking, and with more knowledge
and information as he gets older he
viii find that sore.
And there is nothing at all in this
idea of preserving an individual free
dom by remaining outside of the party.
/ ought to know; | tried it. There is
no good man" good enough to vote
for if he is not candidate of the So
cialist party Let him be as pure as
snow, and as lofty of spirit as an an
gel, and he will accomplish nothing
except through Socialism. Under the
lcaptalistic organization, the best man
that ever lived is, in office, just like
the worst have seen and watched
about as many different reform move
ment5 as there are hairs on dog, and
/ never yet could detect any differ
ence, no matter how good the reform
ers might be-
And il the good man that you are
dreaming OF really represents any
good cause, IL is embraced in Social
ism and can be much more advanced
by voting the Socialist ticket Every
Socialist vote is clothed with a pot