The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-08-12

| wish to call attention again to n
dangerous current In our movement,
because TO be forewarned Is to be fore.
armed ! say "again" because some
years ago | pointed out this current to
! call readers in my articles on "The
New Duehring," dealing with VIM,
English Walling's attempt to "prag-
matize' Socialism. Consciously, or
unconsciously, this current comes to
the surface now and then, and now
! 1t has revealed itself in the letters TO
! The Call in the recent Lester Ward
controversy
The characteristic element of this
current or tendency, despite its varie-
/ ty of forms and attractiveness (some-
times) of appearance Is readily recog'
ni2able. 1t always consists in the at
tempt to revise, recast, modernize, RE
Interpret in modern terms" adapt to
ject the MARKHAM theories. because,
I forsooth, these theories are antiquated,
inadequate, outgrown, outworn, I'M
sound. dogmatc, metaphysical, half
truths, "survivals of the middle ages"
speculations of a past generation" etc.
etc, ad nauseam.
Thus, for instance, In addition to the
aforementioned attempt at "pragma-
tized" Socialism, recall "Reconsid-
Grafton of MARKHAM Theory in the
Light of Bergsonian Philosophy" pub
lished in the Weekly People some
time ago. Then there were the at
tempts to reconsider Socialism in the
light of Christianity, Judaism. the Bi.
BILE, and what not. Recently, in a
Motion to Substitute" (see New Re-
view, July y, the class struggle and
class-consciousness are nominated for
the dump-heap in the light of house
hold hygiene and common sense"
those theories being considered "un-
attractive, unsound, and unnecessary.
Now comes Comrade Liebel in let
ter to The Call and seconds the mo-
ton" And close upon his heels fol-
lows Comrade Floyd Melvin with a
scholarly brief for this tendency.
Comrade Melvin sums up his letter
thus: Let us continue to value Marx
for his heroic example of self-sacrifc-
ing intellectual labor for the cause,
but let us seek the theoretical basis
of our movement in more modern
Interpretation of sociological science"
He considers the work of Marx of
more or less accidental and therefore
of uneven value" and that 'some of
it has been positively misleading and
mischievious to the Socialist move
ment." And he exhorts Socialist stu
dents to complete and appraise the
MARKHAM doctrines by familiarizing
themselves with current sociological
science" The writings Of Lester
Ward, he asserts, without the slight
est doubt" form "a more satisfactory
and logical basis for Socialism than do
those of Marx"
Well, there is some doubt-at least,
in some minds. l yield to none in ap-
probation of modern science, includ-
ing sociology. But not even sociology
gives an adequate scientific explana-
ton of social phenomena without the
MARKHAM analysis of the capitalist eco
nomic system and the MARKHAM expo
sition of the process of social evolu-
ton. In short, sociology uninspired
by the scientific Socialist method and
concept is a mere mass of inspired
generalities.
Let our would-be "revisers" show
clearly, unequivocally and conclusive
ly. We live in New York, but we come
from Missouri. Is the MARKHAM anal.
ysis of the capitalist mode of produc-
ton, exploitation and development cor