The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-01-04

used by Abraham Lincoln before the
Civil War. Therefore it follows ms n
logical sequence, no country can long
exist as political Democracy which
has within it's borders, powerful in
dustrial Autocracy. One is bound to
absorb the other eventually. Either
the people must use their political
powers to establish democratic man
agement of industry, or see every
vestige of their political rights sur
rendered to greedy, powerful, I'M
scrupulous industrial Autocracy. Any
person who votes either of the old
party tickets, votes directly in the in
terests of our financial and industrial
masters. Both the Republican and
Democratic parties stand on the side
of the big corporations and trusts
for the industrial Autocrats. Does
any sane working man doubt this
statement? If there is any doubt, let
us examine a few happenings Of re-
cent date, and see whether the indus
trial Autocrats or the American peop-
lie have their way in choosing the
kind of legislation they desire to see
enacted into law. In the first place
who is in favor of increasing, year
after year, the appropriation for the
army and navy-for war purposes
Who wants big armies and navies,
the people? Does the working class
which fights the battles in every war
and does all the suffering and dying
and afterward leave all the cost of
war to be q burden forever on the
shoulders of their children, do they
want large military establishments
No, big business men, our financial
rulers want these things, and they
get what they want, because their in
terests are conserved and upheld by
both the " old line parties" who are
in power by and with the consent of
the working class vote. They get what
they want, because the Republican
and Democratic parties have surrend-
cred bag and baggage to the profit
managers and the money-changers of
this country. The majority of the
people do not want military prepar-
edness or war, but they invariably get
what they don't want, while the big
business men do want these things
and they always get what they want,
because the working people in their
blind stupidity, have never failed, so
far, to vote against their own interest
However, it will not always be this
way. The people of every country in
the world, are fast finding out that
every bayonet on the end of soldiers
gun, is a dagger aimed at the work
ing mans heart.
In all our history as nation no
one has ever dreamed of establishing
compulsory military training in our
public schools - until the last few
years. Where then did this idea orig
mate Did it originate on the farms
among the farmers, in the factory or
the mines, on the railroads or among
the working class any where in Amer
lea? No, not at all The idea orig
mated in the cunning brain of our fin
ancial and industrial group, who are
wise enough to know the time to mold
and shape the adolescent youth in the
thing you want him to be in after life,
is during school days-during the
formation period. GAS the twig is
bent, so is the tree inclined" So the
school is the place to train the youth
of the land to become in after life the
murderer of their fellowmen. The
fathers and mothers of this country
desire their children to be trained in
the ways of peace. Our industrial
Autocrats want them to be trained in
the ways of war, and the latter have
their way because the common people
Of this country put their political faith
and trust into the cunning and leprous
hands of the industrial over-lords.
Again you can see the head of the
beast, in the recent Draft-Law passed
by Congress and signed by President
Wilson. Draft-Law! Compulsion. Let
these two words sink into every nook
and corner of your brain. They are
pregnant with terrible consequences
to the working people of this country.
Compulsion! was there ever a man
lived on earth who desired to be COM
PEELED against his will, to do anything,
what is the need of compulsion? The
industrial Autocrats, and they alone,
want compulsion. Not compulsion for
themselves understand, but compul-
sion for you Mr.. Common Man. They
are wise enough to know, the next
great war for commercial supremacy
may not be popular with the people,
so they will organize large profess
sional fighting force, a body of men
trained to obey orders without ques-
tioning the reason why, and by means
Of the Draft-Law, will compel you to
go out and fight any so-called enemy
they may desire to crush for CONNER
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