The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1914-01-01
CAPTURE THE SCHOOLS
By John McSlarrow

After fourteen years active partlcl-
patton in the Socialist-Labor move
ment, l can say without hesitation,
that the most important propaganda
we can conduct is that of properly ed
ucating the rising generation.
There is no other kind of agitation
that will get near the results that
this will. l have always been an agi-
tator, lin quiet way) and l can point
with pardonable pride to many good,
strong, clear-headed Socialists who
were first started on the road to free
dom through my efforts.
But l can say with positive certain
ty that where l have succeeded in
converting one adult, I have at least
nodded the minds of five children.
l am NOT a great lover of the So
ciety of children. Their noise and
their bosterous ways annoy me ex-
ceedingly. But l have always consid-
cred it duty to answer a child's in
uuiries with patience, and with truth.
And that is the whole secret of sue
cess.
Children are born with absolutely
no prejudice whatever. The prejudice
they show in later years is a result of
education and example. 1t is never
INHERITED, as many pretend to be-
lieve. All in the world that is neces-
sary to make revolutionist out of
child is to just simply tell him the
straightforward truth, in kind and
courteous manner, and the pressure OF
economic necessity will do the rest.
For many years I was fireman in
different small shingle mills in this
state, and it is one of the require
ments of a fireman that he work on
Sunday to keep steam in the dry kiln
to do necessary repairs. Now, 1t is
notorious fact that Tin small country
places especially there is no place
as fascinating to a child as mill,
and they love to congregate there on
Sunday.
This would be my golden opportun-
ity. I would engage them in CONVEX
sation concerning their studies, l
would ask them questions about their
school, and their Sunday school, and
I would encourage them to ask me
questions. 1t often occurred in those
DAYS that the teacher, or the preacher,
or the parents, or some other would
be defender of the present regime;
would try to stuff the minds of the
children with an antipathy toward the
Socialist movement. Knowing me to
be of a friendly disposition, and know
ing me to be a Socialist, the children
would, of course, come to me with
those cock and bull stories about So
cialism and ask my version OF the
matter. They certainly always got the
straight dope, and went away primed
for an argument with those misrepre
senators of fact. Needless to say,
the child always got the best Of the
argument, for there is no one who
can successfully answer the argument
of a well grounded Socialist, Finding
that by using my arguments they were
able to put it all over the teachers,
preachers and parents, naturally gave
them increased confidence in my wis
dom.
In one neighborhood where lived
for several years, the vote at the cleo
tons generally stood Republican 49,
Socialist 26, Democrat II, Prohibition
from 10 8. But several straw ballots
we're taken from time to time in the
public school, and they never showed
less than rs per cent Socialist. And
4 remember one such ballot which
stood los Socialist and one opposition,
and afterwards the little girl who