The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-03-29

OPEN FORUM
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .i..r.
MORE WORK FOR BILL
II W. Watts,

H. W. Watts,
Editor Northwest Worker.
Comradc: I'm an article, published
in the Worker two weeks ago, !
made the statement that every class
struggle has been a political strug
gle. ! believe that statement is cor
rect At any rate, have as my
authority all Socialist writer's of
note, Marx, Engels, PlechanoT, Sim
ons, La Monte, and many others.
Now comes Proletaria Bill, that
well known advocate Of barricadc
science, saying:
Owe note that our old friend Way
nick unwinds with some eclat and
delivers himself of the long exploded
dogma that every class struggle has
been a political struggle"
| cannot accept Bill's simple dec
laration that | have repeated an ex-
plOded dogma. | want him to say
by whom the dogma was exploded,
not only for my information but
for the benefit of others. | admire
Bill's language because of it's
rhetorical beauty, but ! ask him to be
definite. 1t is my opinion that his
declaration has no basis, and | think
he should find one or tell me where to
find it.
1t is not my disposition to be cock
sure on any subject. However, by
reading history in connection with
my study Of Socialism, can get
sufficient knowledge on which to base
a conclusion, which is not readily
brushed away by Bill's unsupported
assertion.
All that ! have read of history OF
Socialism points conclusively to the
fact that the failure of every class
revolt has been due to the neglect of
the revolving class to first seize upon
political power; also every successful
revolt was due to the fact that the
revolving class possessed political
power.
Only the other day l read where
The car was going to dismiss the
Russian duma, but it so happened
that the duma missed the car. It
IS said that the duma had behind it
the available military forces at Petro
grad and Moscow, but military and
police powers are nothing more than
parts of a political state, subjective
or minor parts at that, an important
fact that should be understood by
all working people.
| know only too well that the class
Using to power in Russia is what
may properly be called the capital
st class, composed of merchants,
manufacturers, landlords and their
'etalners, as opposed to the nobility
and clelics. The working class of
Russia is getting merely a change
IT masters. Prefer to this subject
only for the purpose of showing the
lass character of the Russian revolt.
and how its success depended on the
Use Of political power. Very likely
he result will be a Russian republic
sor the nicely Washed and we'll fed
capitalist class, to whom Carlyle re-
'ers as "the aristocracy of the money
bags"
Recently as last Friday l read how
President Wilson and his cabinet
we're tailoring" to persuade a num-
Der Of labor officials to change their
ninds-and the thought came to me;
t these labor officials and their class
we're sufficiently represented in con-
sress they could compel the president
and his cabinet to change their own
minds.
Proletaria Bill thinks l am elm
tickled" because the editor
Of the Worker has Preceded far
enough to please Waynick." Another
indefinite remark, which l shall for
give, OF course. l thought it proper
to encourage Watts for his editorials,
especially one with the title "To the
Slaughter" which was in complete
accord with historical facts. 1t is
precisely what any well posted editor
OF Socialist paper would write, in
the same circumstances, provided he
is not afraid of giving offense to a
few violent utopians. Watts has mere
~ receded from the views of utop-
Ians and has taken his stand with
Socialists. Nothing else has hap
pened. Bill seems to understand that
and he doesn't like it.
W. H. WAYNICK,
Bellingham.
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