The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1914-01-22
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
FoRERUNNER OF
SOCIALISM
~ ERNEsT UNTENNNNN

BY ERNEST UNTERNANN
The victory of tho democratic party
win be assured In the next national
campaign. the more this party learns
f to play the Bun Moose game and TO
/ fool the voters into the belief that 10
can handle the trust problem better
than any Bull Moosor This It's too
evident to be overlooked by such
shrewd politicians as Tammauy Han
and Bourbonism can boast Of The
enormous possibilities for party pow
/ er smmbering in the naturalization
Iof trust properties must appeal to ev-
/ cry Tammany boss, every ward heel
/ err. every lame duck And federal pat
ronage has ever been one of the
strongest cogs in the wheel of party
/ bossism. The state and municipal
elections of 1912 have also revealed a
tendency of the voters to transfer
/ their allegiance from the Bull Moosers
to the democrats, for the very reason
that the democratic victory has nurs-
ed new hopes in the breasts of the
unsophisticated old party radicals.
The Socialists alone have increased
their vote. What else can the demo
cratic politicians read in these signs
than an urgent request to play the
Bull Moose game and rule? When
large masses of voters change their
party allegiance almost from month
to month, surely the democratic chiefs
must Guido all the tricks of their slick
ancestors.
An Era of "Reform" Policies.
Wilson's seven trust bills are just
the thing under these circumstances.
The creation of a federal bureau of
public utilities, the amalgamation of
the interstate commerce commission
with this federal bureau, the invest
ment of the interstate commerce
court with more powers in order to
strip the Taft majority in the United
States supreme court of some of it's
prerogatives, the impeachment and re-
moval of republican judges from the
commerce court, and, if possible, the
amendment of the national constitu
ton in such a way as to remove even
the Taft majority of supreme court
judges, are all popular reforms" that
can be carried through under the dis
guise of bold radicalism and defense
of the peoples" interests. The demo-
cratic party just cannot help taking
up this line of reforms" especially
it republicans or Bull Moose politi-
clans threaten to gain following
through similar reforms" directed
against the democrats.
OF course, all these and similar ere
FORMS" not to mention that dear old
standby, tariff REFORM" will be
cleverly devised to maintain business
rule in general and the privileged posi-
ton of some particular business con-
Germs The surface radicalism will
have no other aim but that of keeping
the voting majority in condition of
foolish credulity.
First Steps Already Taken.
1t will be all the more imperative |
for the democrats to play this game
because other steps in the same direc- |
ton have already been made and will |
demand further consideration in the
future. The Inauguration of the par |
GELS post, at present largely fake, is |
the beginning of an attack on the eX-
press companies which cannot fail to
lead to the naturalization of the eX-
press and railroad business The pos
tai savings banks, for the present |
trust, point to a development which |
aims a the complete naturalization |
of the financial business. A nation
alization of railroads will inevitably |
imply a naturalization of the mining, |
steel, telegraph and telephone bust
ness. These steps will make the great !
mail order houses stronger than ever
and prepare them for speedy ma
tionalization. And so one step will en-
force another, until either the demo-
cratic or the Bull Moose party, or the |
republican elephant with a Bull Moose
system, will be hopelessly embarked |
upon the high seas of government ,
ownership
Along this line all future national |
campaigns will have to be fought out
and the attitude of the democratic |
party toward these issues will deter
mine whether it shall continue in
power, or whether the republican
branch of the old party establishment
shall act as the pacemaker for So
cialism.
Government Ownership Here and in
Europe.
There cannot be the least doubt that |
government ownefship of trust in
dustries in the United States will lead |
for ,,,pra no pid1yr To Socialism than !