The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-05-14

professor Bertrand Russell of Cambridge Unvcr-
sty England is of the two or three most ee-
lebrated philosophers in the world to-day tie IS 4
Fellow OF Trinity College, Cambridge, where nc
teaches mathematics and mathematicai logic MS OUT
spoken opposition to the war caused his removal from
,bis nosition and his imprisonment for SIX months
nnder the Defensc of the Realm Act But the univer
sitv has recently been compelled by an organized
demand from soldier students returning from tne
war to renstate him and expunge from the UnlVer
o;tv record tie minutes Of his dismissal
To many who nave thought of Bertrand Russell
aside FORM his scientific achievements as merely
liberal pacfst by temperament this arucle WIN CUM
rs surprise His conclusions IN regard 70 tne tact's
which communists must pursue in order to be Vletor
IONS mns, command their approval, tho we cannot
agree that even in England the revolution VIII DE
accomplished without the accompanying historic strse
Bourgeois liberalism is here shown to be an utterly
ftile weapon for workingclass emancipation Thruout
this splendid article Professor Russo vigorously ap
holds the Communist position.
Before discussing my nominal subject, l propose
to make brief survey of the world from the pomt
of view of the possibilities of freedom The ultimate
possibilities OF freedom greater than ever before
but the dangers also are great and the immediate
future is very difficult.
The war mas afforded test as to what was
st,ono and what was weak in The nominal belief OF
men Much that was traditional would probably have
stood good deal longer, but for the harsh realities
which the war forced upon peoples notice Much also
was swept away that belonged to what may be called
,rbanity much that depended upon not getting down
10 bedrock or stirring up the primitive passions The
world since the war is stark, less easy'going
more brutal The division of old and young is greater
than in normal times for the old succeeded in dealia
ng the war and in order to do so were compelled TO
depart even further than usual from reality whereas
bad
never before The result of this is that politics is no
longer 60 amiable as formerly and that although
leading politicians may indulge in the old humbug, it
Sas lost its grip, and the motives for which men
vote very realistic.
Not only the Liberal Party, but Liberal ideals
also have suffered eclipse the result of the war.
Their failure was made manifest by President Will
sons collapse. Liberal ideals in so far as they were
genuine depended upon certain degree OF for'
bearancc as between man and man. certain unwilling
ness to push things to extremes Religious toeration,
democracy free speech free press and free trade,
we're all of them ideals implying that the differences
between different groups were not irreconciabe am
one of those Who result of the war, have passed
ever from Liberalism to Socialism, not because I
nave ceased to admire many of the Liberal ideals,
but because see little scope for them except after
complete transformation of the economic structure
Of society.
The war has resulted in conformation of plu-
iocracy and labor capitalism and socialism. Socialism
has appeared at last as q force roughly equal in
strength to capitalism In Russia, it is in power, and
elsewhere there possibility Of its acquiring power
What have these two opposing creeds to offer'
Capitalism, so long it fought against feudalism
was associated with certain Liberal ideas: freedom
democracy and peace. IT was associated also with
increased production. The lingering remnants of
feudaism have been swept away by the war: the
three Emperors who dominated Eastern Europe are
gone In the remaining monarchies, in Mton's words,
'tthe kings sit still with awefu eye' But every step
in the victory of capitalism the past has made
it more hostile to the future, and less liberal. In
America, I am told, there is now prison at the
foot of the Statue of Liberty
The greater part of the civilized world remains
subject to q reign of terror. The Bolshcvk reign of
terror has of course been used to make our flesh
creep but it differs from the others solely in its
purpose. I do not allude merely to the White Terror
in places like Hungary, where the Bolshevik regime
has been crushed; similar methods in less drastic
form have become all but universal. In France by
the acquitta of the murderer of Jaures the courts
nave gwen III 10 De understood that the ASSASSINATION
of Socialist is not illegal In America any pro.
Tossing Socialist opinions is liable to imprisonment
deportation, and Socialists duly elected are not
permitted to sit in the New York Legislature. In
Ireland any person who believes in the rights of
small nations, in self'determination, or in any other
Of the objects for which the fought is
liable to imprisonment without trial. Of India it
is not necessary to speak, since the facts have he
come too notorious Throughout the world we arc
faced by clash Of naked force Socialism, in alliance
with oppressed Natioualism is opposed ruhlessly by
Capitalism, strengthened by victorious Nationalism.
Under these circumstances, freedom throughout
the capitalist world is not to be thought Of But how
about democracy Democracy was supposed to be one
of the inspiring ideas for which fought in the
war. We are nJw told by the Bolsheviks that dem