New-York tribune., 1918-03-31
The Three Socialists
NUIDO BRUNO has come back to
II his own and is publishing a mag

ms own and is publishing mag
azine called "Bruno's Bohemia" !"
1t is styled "a magazine Of life, love and
letters" From the April issue is mag
netized the following adventure in prac-
tical socialism:
"Once upon time three men were living
in n big city, all workingmen and very ar
dent Socialists. The first one was employed
in machine factory. He was good and
clever mechanic and earned quite bit
of money. Each payday he received his
seventy or eighty dollars which averaged
every month about a hundred and fifty. He
was single and had nobody else to take care
of but himself. Therefore, he was we'll
to do.
"The second was an honest and good man;
but no matter how hard he worked he
never received more than forty-fve dollars
his payday. That made ninety dollars
each month and he had to support his wife
and two children. He had to figure very
closely in order to supply his own and his
family's daily needs. While they did not
suffer actual hunger, they didn't know much
of the good things of life.
"But the third of the friends was poor,
worn-out day laborer. He had never earned
more than ten or twelve dollars q week.
On a miserable fifty dollars, he had to look
after his always sickly wife and his five
small children. Such is often the luck of
the poor. Five hungry children ask for
lot of bread. But the poor father could
hardly satisfy the hunger of his children,
and that was harder than his own priva-
tions, and they were hard enough.
"Once the Socialists were sitting together
and discussing the sad fate of the working
classes. The mechanic, who had mastered
- of <o11r L
had mastered his trade, cursed capitalists
and chose who had gained the riches of
the world. The second workingman was
busy seconding his comrade, and only the
poor day laborer, burdened by his misery,
kept silent.
FINALLY he, too, spoke: why did we
affiliate ourselves with this great move
ment that proposes to create for us livable
conditions? Above all, that we may know
how to help ourseves That we may be-
come. cojointly responsible. And because the
fulflment of our wishes lies in the far
future, as all of US know. we should help
ourselves in the meanwhile, and do among
Us, one for the other, what later on the
government is supposed to do for US. Come
on. let US be practical for once; and all of
us will profit. You,' he spoke to the first
one, are earning every year $500; added
to this he spoke to the second, your wages
will make $2,760. And if I count the few
cents I am earning into it we have $500.
That is q nice amount of money
"'What are you driving at?' asked both
friends curiously.
"'What I am driving at is,' continued the
day laborer, let us take our wages and
start community housekeeping. There will
be twelve mouths to feed. But do be-
lieve that we could swing it very nicely on
our joint earnings. There would be no more
privatons for our children, and we could
educate them to be good people. And, of
course, we, too, ourselves would be very
much better off,
"The poor day laborer ceased talking and
looked half embarrassed and half happy
at his comrades.
"The second day laborer calculated for a
while, and then he said: 1T is good idea
and l would be very glad to consider it,
provided eny wife does not object
"But the mechanic who had been the most
ardent expounder of socialism among them
rose and grumbled:
eco to h -, confounded beggarsl'
"And he left abruptly"