New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
Striking at the
Morale Of Labor

Nearing summary Slruch AT tne NV
rale of American labor when he wrote
in Bulletin Of the Peoples Council:
"Thc American people arc begin
ming to open their eyes. They arc
slow and good -naturcd, but they are
gradually learning the facts. They
know that constitutional liberties
have been swept aside Theu knoaO
that the forces Of reaction haze
st,uch; body bloao at the labor
Increment IN this country"
On June he was present and
did not object when, at a meeting
in Newark, Adolph Corner, national
secretary of the pro-Cerman American
Socialist party, declared that the use
of the word liberty" in connection
with the loan was an insult. The work
crs, Germer further declared, had no
interest in the war and were being
forced to buy bonds to prevent them
from repudiating all responsibility for
the conflict and to "legitimatizc" the
war.
When the National Army was mobi-
lizcd Nearing wrote in the Bulletin Of
the Peoples Council:
"For the profteers, the militarists,
and the mpcrialists, N. A. may mean
only National Army But for us
the workers, the paciists and the in
ternationalsts-N. A. must mean,
first of all, Never Again."
Another side of Nearing's un-Ameri-
canism is his attitude toward "patriot-
ism" He raises the cry that "Amcrican
plutocracy" dominates our schools,
teaching blind patriotism for mcrcen-
ary ends. In Germs of War; he
writes:
"a thorough going war spirit can
be extracted from life only after
years of sleeping and simmerinc.
. Children are taught to hate. In their
games they slaughter their foes--by
name. The school books teach them
TO hate by distorting the facts of
history and by misrcprescnting their
enemies. Their military drill and
patriotic appeals teach them TO hate
by making them believe that their
country is the greatest. strongest
country on earth, and their enemies
country is the weakest and mean
" Thus STEPPED and schoolcd in hate
enthusiastic, patriotic and ignorant
they go out to wage war against on
preston i'll the name of liberty"
Some Special Views
On Education
Another example Of Nearing's view
OF the American school system. which
accordlng to Nearing, is practically
subsldlzed by predatory interests in
the interests Of war, follows:
he fact is that our school eve
tenn is d propaganda organization for
Of
der. 1t is not impartial 1t is not
honest. 1t is not truth seeking. II
Is order-maintaining. What is tho
primary thing in the schools? II is
discipline. They do not saw. .Do
what is right They say. 30 wbat
you arc told Mind; obcv,' lrn;nl
telligent, unthinking, unouestioninc
obedience that is the big maior
premise OF American education. You
wlll hnd 1T from the college RIGHT
through to the kindergarten"
What Nearing thinks of patriotism
II 1t IS opposed by German brute force
is evidenced by what he then goes On
10 9uote IRON poem by w. N. Ewar.
belttling the valor, patriotism and
mahhood or French and British citi
n zeno WHO 'ook up arms against the
frusslan invasion Of France and Ro1-
GUM:
l worked in Lyons at my weaver.s ,oo,,
When suddenly the Prussian despot hnrlad
Ills felong blow at France and at the
world: CIV '"e
Then went forth to Belgium and my doom
! gave my life for freedom this know
foF mose "h' oddo nc tight had told
worked in great shipyard by the Clyde;
There came sudden word of wars de-
clared. w"
OF Belgium; peaceful, helpless, unprepared.
Asking aid. | joined the ranks, and died.
gave ms life for freedom--this know
for those 'rho bade nc fight had told
II thus poem is not enough to show
the spirit of Scott Nearing, crusader
against wrong, a dispatch to "The New
York World" on March 10. quoting
Nearing in an address at Philadelphia
before the Socialist Literary So~iety.
should be sufficient. According 10
"The World" Nearing said:
- fox