The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1914-01-29
REAL SOCIALISTS JOIN THE
PARTY ORGANIZATION.
ESCAPE FROM BOOKS TO LIFE"
BY PROFESSOR VIDA D. SCUDDER
wellesley ColIege)

wellesley College)
While the academic theorists have
been cautiously coming to their con-
victions, the Socialist movement, pro
letarian, passionate, political, has been
growing straight out of life. Between
the theorists and the fighters, a gap
yawns wide. 1t should be crossed,
and life is so much more than theory,
that it is the part of the theorists to
cross the gap, to join the party.
One cannot decide for other peo-
pie, and many clever and good men
and women are conceivably serving
the Socialist cause better outside the
party than they could within it. 1t is
well to confront the situation honest
ly By staying out one avoids a lot
of misconception; by coming in one
forfeits a lot of influence. By stay
ing out one keeps clear of corporate
responsibility for many things, tangi-
BILE and intangible of which he may
disapprove; by coming in one may
meet distressing moments, when he
has apparently to endorse what he
may really abhor. For instance, if
one stays out he can cast his vote in
an opportunist fashion, as he may
judge best at particular moment; if
he is within, he has become part of
an organization demanding fidelity to
it's decisions, decisions to be sure
which he has his share in reaching
through the party vote, but from which
he may in the end dissent. To an ap-
preciable degree, one does in joining
the Socialist party sacrifice his lib
erty. By staying out one can remain
in pure atmosphere, remote from the
agonizing process toward freedom, in
a God-like aloofness contemplating an
inspiring ideal. If one comes in, the
dust of battle hides the vision, and in
the turnings of the way one questions
if the goal be lost.
Real Men and Women Are in the
Struggle.
Yes!' Staying out is more comfort
able. One feels more clean, more free
There is only one trouble. No real
gods ever are aloof. To think them
so was an old theological blunder.
All the real gods are within the strug
gle, and the very process itself is their
expression of themselves If we want
to be God-like, we too must get into
that struggle and that process. 1t is
the human instinct to stay out; to get
within, is the divine method.
To stay outside the Socialist party,
when one has become convinced that
Socialism is true, is an unsocial per-
formance. One does not judge other
people. Every last one of us, Social
lists not in the least excepted, is an
individualist, and even an anarchist,
in spots; and nobody gets socialized
through and through by simply adher-
ing to the Socialist creed But that
creed like all others is worthless un-
less it gets into experience and re-
creates life, and just in proportion
as it does so, liberty, status, influ-
ence, responsibility toward the
wrongs and blunders of others, all
cherished assets to be kept by remain
ing outside the party, fade and lose
their value before the spiritual Wis
ion, while one thing shines out-the
chance to bear ones little witness, the
privilege of enlisting in the great army
definitely pledged to fight for what
one believes in.
Each Worker for Good Needs Dis
ciplne.
Here, moreover, is one way of get
ting drill in associated life and effort
That kind of drill has many unpleas-
ant possibilities. To belong to the
Socialist party is often as disconcert
ing as to belong to the Christian
church, and lays one equally open TO
Misrepresentation But the race has
got to have an immense amount of this
kind of anti-individualistic discipline
in the common life, if a Socialist world
is to be possible. And where should
a Socialist spirit secure such discip-
line in democratic and corporate actiy-
ity, more naturally than within the
political organization pledged to work
for his ideals?
Many convinced Socialists stay out
side the party because they do not
like our ayowed use Of the class strug-
gle as an instrument Now as we are
always saying the party does not
create that struggle by recognizing IL.
and IL the Lord has allowed Il 70 de
velop as an historic phenomenon. he
probably intends us to make some use
Of it, But if people do not like il, they
have the power to soften its asperities
and modify its character, by the very
simple act OF joining the proletarian
movement. which IL sufficient mum
bers join. would be a proletarian move