The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-07-15
BEING A SOCIALIST,


to find passage to the midas, he
struck out into the unknown terrors
of the Atlantic confident of success,
He stood upon the scientific princi-
pie that the earth was round, and
hence he knew beyond all doubt that
land must be reached westward.
Oceans ragged, storms ravaged, days
expanded into weeks, the crew grum-
bled and mutined, but Columbus never
faltered. He proceeded onward still,
as he knew land must eventually be
reached, for the fact remained still
that the earth was round. Columbus,
undaunted, among the raging seas
and his faltering men, is probably the
finest figure in all history for the
revolutionists to emulate. We stand
today among raging seas social forces,
surrounded by the ignorance OF our
own class; but, still undaunted, still
sure Of victory. for we stand upon
scientific fact that assures victory.
But the recruit who enlists in the
revolutionary army, with intention to
stay there to the finish must realize
the magnitude of the struggle or his
intentions will soon wavor. Social
ism is not a beauteous idea that only
REQUIRES to be demonstrated to take
hold of the human mind and conquer
a waiting world. The Socialist with
that idea may as well step out of the
matter of time until he will lie down
discouraged Socialism means the
complete overthrow of social institu-
lions grated upon the human mind
and the social body for centuries upon
centuries 1t does not mean the
change only of some essential insti-
tuition of capitalism. 1t means the
complete overthrow of the economic,
political and social institutions that
have governed the human race since
the very beginning of the historic per-
iod. Not until this is fully realized
does the Socialist realize the magni-
tude of his aims.
The first human society was based
upon kinship. Political society be-
came a necessity only in class So
ciety. political society based on
territory and property was one OF
humanity's great inventions. 1t took
the human race several centuries to
work it out. The early histories of
Greece and Rome are but recital
of the struggles it took to establish
political society. The Roman contri-
button to civilization consisted in
working out the great principles OF
political organization and centralized
government From that time on ad-
vanced human society has been pol
itical. The history of the advanced
nations has been the history of the
workings of political government OF
various kinds and orders until today,
under American capitalism, it pre-
sents almost perfection. 1t is neces-
sary for us to recognize the bitterness
of this long struggle, the mental en-
ergy it has cost, the physical contests
it has engendered, and the blood that
has flowed in its cause. Then only
can we fully realize the hold these
institutions must have upon the hui
principle of society that Socialism. is
arrayed against 1t is the worlds
second fundamental revolution we are
facing. There have been revolutions
in history, but they have been reyo-
lutions of class against class and have
constituted only change of masters.
There was the change from ancient
mastery and chattel slavery to feud-
alism and serfdom, from feudalism
and serfdom to capitalism and wage
slavery But under each system the
essential institutions of political So
ciety, private property in the means
of life and the mastery of one class
over another have remained intact. 1t
is these fundamentals that Socialism
aims to overthrow. 1t is accordingly
arrayed against all the passions, pref
udices, customs, ideas and institutions
that have governed the human race
since the very time that written his
tory commenced. When the revolu-
zionist fully recognizes this fact, then
he must know that it is a Hercules
labor, not a sporting game that he
is engaged in. But the magnitude
of an undertaking only spurs the en-
ergies of the sincere, earnest laborer.