The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-09-24
Are We MurdererS?
A HOMICIDAL SOCIETY

makes every man the industrial en-
envy of every other man; every cor
poration and every nation the indus
trial enemies of every other corpora
ton and nation. 1t is organized on
the plan that says every man for
himself, and the devil take the hind
most 1t is called the survival of
the fittest" 1t is called "competi-
ton" 1t is called "individualism. "
The latter is defined in the Standard
dictionary as "Theoretic anarchism
Opposed to Socialism"
In economics, as truly as in mathe-
MATES, to start out with faulty prem
Uses lead to multiplied error. If the
individuals are industrial enemies,
which leads to small conflicts, the col
lective bodies must lead to great con-
flcts Individuals settle" their con-
flcts by an appeal to law, or fistic
combat. Nations settle their differ
ences by diplomacy" or by war. Di-
plomacy is the attaining of advantage
by shredwness or craftiness. Where
deception fails, war-wholesale muir
der-is the only resort,
Is the object of society-of govern
ment to promote life, to help people
live or is it 10 destroy life?
The principal function of govern
ment seems to be to kill, or murder.
We are building magnificent ships.
What for? To promote life? No, to
promote death. We are building har-
Tors and forts To help people live?
No, to slaughter. We are building
submarine boats. Are these to i'm
prove earth conditions? No, they are
made for death. We are building air
ships. Are these made that we may
enjoy the heavens as well as the
earth? No, they are made for muir
der. We are making powder and bull
| lets and guns Are these to help peo-
pie live? No, they are made to de
stroy the living. We are making
clothes. Are these to clothe peace
loving people? No, they are made to
clothe murderers.
Who are these murderers? Are
they useful, high-minded, free citizens
No. they are government slaves, and
/ if they refuse to cut their brothers
throats they are treated as all slaves
are treated who refuse to do the bid
ing of their masters. They are in
carcerated or they are shot, And
they make this contract to pillage and
to slaughter for a paltry half-dollar a
day. There never was people en-
shaved who knew they we're slaves.
whether they were ensIaVed to pro
duce wealth or to slaughter and coerce
the workers.
We are told that the soldier is ne
cessary to protect our civilization.
And this is true A "ciViization'
that takes from the worker and gives
a hundred millions a year to Rookie
Teller, could not last for year, not
for week, unless supported by guns
in the hands of slaves who do not
know that all wealth is produced by
labor.
When we offer for consideration a
system that does not begin in 'indi-
vidualism" in "Theoretic anarchism
and end in wholesale butchery; we
are met with the wisdom that it is
"impractical' that lit won't work,
The chattel slave master told us that
free labor" would fail. Never was
there a class who lived on the toll and
deprivation of others, who did not see
disaster in the surrender of privilege.
The world over, as the desire and de
mand for liberty grows stronger, those
VINO profit by unearned increment
have ever warned" the world OF
danger" and improved their ma
chinery of death. In our own coun
try, as in every other country, every
scheme that limits graft is fought by
those who toll not, neither do they
spin"
Since the earliest times probably
more of human effort has been ex
pended in murder, and in preparing
for murder, and in building temples
and pyramids and monuments to muir
derers. than has been expended tC
promote life. There are those who
think a system practical where one
half of the life of the individual is
spent to promote life and the Other
half to destroy it.