New-York tribune., 1920-05-13
SociaIism's Degradation


The delegates to the Socialist Ma
tional Convention have spent the
week spreading the cult of hate. The
spectacle is disillusioning to Social
lists of the older and better sort and
shocking to that large number of
persons who have been attracted by
Its former ethical ideals.
A perfected human brotherhood is
mankind's dream. The vision of the
kingdom has enthralled the poets,
the philosophers and the great re-
ligious leaders. There have been
glimpsings Of the way it was to come
namely, by a growth Of the coop
crative spirit. by the elimination of
rivalry and by universal recog
milton of the blessings of mutual
helpfulness. Socialism long pre-
tended it sought these ends. Its ad-
herents salutcd other men as COM
rades.
But for more than a decade organ
lied socialism has undergone a rapid
downward change. The radicals,
who now largely control its activi-
ties, no longer speak much of brother
hood. They preach not harmony,
but discord. They are anti-demo-
cratic, for, except where prudence
calls for assembling silence, they ad-
vocate autocracy. They are anti
mora, and anti-reIigious, for they
deny the existence of morality and
denounce religion as the spawn of
priestcraft They have turned away
from Francis Of Assist and turned
toward Lenine. They are anti-so-
cial, for, by urging men to distrust
one another, they war against the
confidence without which cooperation
cannot exist.
The new socialism, it will be OBJ
served, has adopted every essential
dogma of Prussianism. 1t was
made in Germany, and German it is.
Not by accident is it pro-German in
all its immediate proposals. "Yel-
low calls to yellow" as Colonel
Roosevelt remarked The radical
Socialist is Hohenzollern in his
thought. He would have might
rule; he would have a ruling class
decide what is best for the many
he would enthrone the grossest of
materialisms and cntomb spiritual
beliefs and aspirations.
Critics of socialism have com
monty dwelt ON its practicability
have asserted men are not yet suf-
ficiently developed to permit the
abandonment of the competitive
selfishness which stimulates the in
creased production which is neces
sary if society is to advance. The
objection is still valid, but against
the new socialism graver indict
ment must be brought. If the ole
threatened the stomachs of men, the
new threatens their souls. The syn
dicalist, or revolutionary socialist, is
apostate to the faith of his sect. He
has released from their caves the
monsters of the old myths and woule
undo the work of the tabled saints.
At the same time, as the expert
ence Of Russia amply attests, the
revolutionary socialist would reduce
the masses to abject bodily misery
An Oriental despot once laid dowr
the rule that if an autocrat would
rule IN quiet he must keep his sub
lects on the verge of starvation
that thus they would be SO busy try
ing to survive as to cause no trouble
The radical Socialist does not We
openly advocate this doctrine, bu
the practices of the Russian josse.
suggest they have it in mind.
The Socialist organization unde,
the present leadership rapidly drift;
toward complete intellectual an,
moral bankruptcy. 1t is bitter
hard and loveless. Its idea is to plac,
power within the fist of arrogan
ignorance. Not all Socialists are o.
the revolutionary kind, but the bet
ter element has been largely driver
out of the organization, and thos,
who remain are cowed and nerve
Jess. No wonder every man of gen
erosity and liberality resists being
tied to such body of death.