The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1915-04-24
WHAT IS OpPORTUNISM? :.
(By Frans Bostrom)


Nothing can better Illustrate the
difference between revolutionary
Socialism and that remnant of Popul.
ism known in the party as opportun-
ISM than the style OF argument pursu-
cd by Comrade Barzee In his letter In
the Washington Socialist of April 9Th.
1t was not and Is not my intention
to be personal, but tho opportunity m
too tempting TO refuse Comrado Bar.
zee begins his letter with tho state
ment that In my letter (of March 2B),
denied that food. shelter, raiment,
culture and the enjoyment OF life are
common requirements of society.
My statement was that society is
not homogeneous, the interests Of It's
individual members are not. have
never been and can never be iden-
teal"
II common needs make for common
interests, then our interests IRE to
some extent identical with the wild
beasts, who also need food and shelter.
Another instance: He quotes me as
saying that Correct relations between
the units Of society is NOT tho aim of
the Socialist party" where said that
the RE-ESTA5LisHMENT Of correct
relations, etc. In order to get some.
thing to say, he left out the word upon
which placed the greatest stress. and
which meant simply that we did not
intend to RE-EsTABLlsH anything,
but were progressive In nature.
There are other instances in Com
rade Barzees letter OF similar kind.
This style is what is called opportun-
ism, which is a polite name for hum
bug. am after all not personal In
saying this. since 1t Ia a common
characteristic Of all opportunists.
have yet to meet the first one who will
put up straight argument, unembel-
lished with doges. ] must decline to
follow Comrade BARGE into all the
little traps he sets for me. not be-
cause they could catch me, but 1t
would be useless fooling.
That Industrial Department Bill
Comrade Barzee says that the
Oregon party tried to get passed a bill
to employ all the unemployed. and
asks If this immediate demand would
not have been a benefit, even more so
than the eight hour bill. We here in
Washington have now what is called
the lazy husbands law" under which
all family men get employment pro-
viding they get their wives to COM
plain over lack of support. This is
what relief for unemployed can ever
be expected while capitalism lasts.
But even should compulsory en-
ployment lie within the limits of pro-
liability, Socialists should consistent
ly oppose it, since If the worker is
deprived of his fear Of tomorrow, he
is also deprived of his strongest, and,
in most cases. only incentive to revolt.
Immediate Demands
The purpose of immediate demands
is solely to catch votes. With few ex.
ceptions they would do the working
class no good, in most cases they
would do positive harm, If 1t were pos
sible to carry them into effect. They
would prolong the struggle, perpetuate
the middle class or emasculate the
working class. The middle class
would probably have taken them up as
suitable planks in some Bull Moose
party land in fact have done so
lately) but they are branded Socialism
which render them more or less use
less as bait for middle class votes.
Any one therefore, who earnestly de-
sires to see them carried out, should
insist upon it that the Socialist party
drop them, so that some more re-
spectacle party could pick them up.