The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1915-02-25
THE WAGE WORKER AND
FARMER

The trustlfied methods of produc-
ton are the best in existence. but the
distribution of the benefits derived
| therefrom is the cause of all our
worries, our misery, our crimes. and
In short, the cause of all poverty and
It's attendant evils. The benefits eo
to the few owners, who take not the
slightest part in production of wealth.
but merely draw their dividends. How
did they become the owners? BY con.
fiscating day by day all that the work
ers produced, and returning to them
In wages enough to give them strength
to come back next day and repeat the
operation, and reproduce more wage
slaves to take their places when they
are worn out"
why do the workers do it? Be
cause the capitalists own everything
the workers must use in order to live,
and the latter must use that machin-
cry on the terms that the former die
| ''"NN' i'Oit cfti tity nave IOIIlIlcu
themselves by making their own
laws, making the process of exploita-
ton legal, and by drafting from and
training the slave class for the army
the navy, police force, Boy Scouts
militia, law courts, public schools
, public press, etc; all of which are
directly used to either forcibly, if nee
essary, defend their position as rob
bers of our class, or, what is better
still, teach them that the robbery does
not take place"
Social Ownership the Remedy.
"The only logical remedy, then, is
for the workers to take possession of
all the necessary means of production
and produce for use, not for profit
for then there would be no one to
make profits out of. Instead of re-
ceivng in wages one-fifth of what they
, produced, they would get their entire
:. product, or its social equivalent"
q with the workers in possession oil
q the wealth producing machinery ant
:, natural resources exploitation would
. necessarily cease automatically-no
because any one was so good as not t.
j, wish to exploit others, but because thu
power to do so had vanished. AL
= having the opportunity to produce fol
themselves and retain the full produc
y of their toll none would be so foolisl
as to work for another and surrende
- ployer"
- where do you belong, Frient
il Farmer? With the workers or tn,
shirkers?'
How Shall We Obtain Possession?
= First: By informing the rest o
. our class that they can expect no re
- dress from the enemy, the capitals
), class. BY educating them to con
- ception of their true position in so
= ciety, that they may understand how
.. they are kept in poverty, misery ant
= slavery"
Secondly: By organizing for thu
+ capture of the political power Once
% this power is in our hands we will have
IT captured the weapon upon which thu
m capitalist class depend to enforce oul
submission to this system of slavery.
This is the mission of the world
wide Socialist movement. We nov
have voting strength in all countries
q of nearly ten millions, all aiming TO
d the same goal, and all understanding
* that the salvation of the workers mus
be accomplished by the workers them
selves"
Y "No political trading" is our watch
word"
"The world for the workers, and al
n the fruits thereof-nothing more
nothing less"
id "Study-think- act"
tt The above is from pamphle
c. entitled, "The Wage Worker ant
y Farmer" by ]. Pilkington, a farm
~ er. 1t emphasizes the identity of in
~ terests of these two sections of thu
lie producing class, and deals with tn
" problems of the farmer. 1t is on sail
by The Washington Socialist for 4
e. cents copy, post paid