The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-03-22
MEASURES VERSUS MEN
March II, 1917.

MEASURES VERSUS MEN
Proletaria Bill is sure some fatal
list If we were to take seriously to
his suggestions we would certainly
be a joke as political party. So
ciety has only advanced when it
strove to attain those things which
necessity forced upon it. But society
had to make the move, if it had not
it would have persisted. And so it
is with the Socialist party. Every
thing is grist that comes to our mill.
We can function in one field or in a
dozen. Just as we see fit. Our ideas
can become narrow or broad. We
want them to be broad. We want to
take an active part in every organiza-
ton functionng under capitalism. If
we would educate the working class,
we must.
Elsewhere we print the figures on
last years election returns. They
show how Measures were voted on
in comparison with men. They show
that far more interest was taken in
regard to measures than to candi-
dates. They show the spirit of the
voters in the state and it proves con-
clusively that if the Socialist Party
will work more in harmony with
the Labor Unions and farmers grang-
es that we can become the dominant
party and function better in our
educational programs.
AS for it taking money to adver-
tise our program, we will state that
the labor unions in Seattle alone
raised 81 900 to fight the referendum
measures and that the Washington
State Federation of Labor has asses
sed itself $4,000 to take a hand in
the next campaign. If we become
an active factor in the 1918 cleo
lions that money will be used to ad
vertise the fact The farmers have
also pledged themselves to raise the
same amount as organized labor.
But after all it does not take
great deal of money to carry on the
campaigns. Let us take the attitude
of the capitalist press and republican
and democratic candidates on the
referendum measures. Almost every
paper in the state was for the meas
ures. Almost every candidate of the
old parties were for the measures.
All the publicity against the measures
was made by the Socialist Party, the
trade unions and the oranges. And
who won?
The organized workers won and
they beat the capitalist publicity SO
bad that the state legislature has not
dared to put across very much raw
legislation. 1t has all been softsoap-
ed.
In spite of all the publicity for the
referendum measures more than 1885,
900 people voted against them and
the Socialist party went on record as
being against all the measures and
yet only received $4,000 votes That
shows that the organized farmers and
unions can attract more attention
than the Socialists and the reason is
plain.
We did not get enough publicity.
We did not fight against the meas
ures, we only went on record. We
did not fight for any legislation fav-
ored by the organized farmers and
unions, we fought mostly against it.
And we still claim that those tao
tics were wrong. We have got to
get in and make ourselves felt and
heard. We have got to take the side
of the exploited against the exploit
ers even though it means catering to
the whim1 of the exploited. If we
take a hand in helping the workers
to control its labor power" by gain
ing control of the powers of gov
eminent we will be taking a long
stride toward the ultimate abolishing
of wage labor.