New-York tribune., 1921-11-06
American Socialism"
Its Bid for a Permanent Place in
United States Politics

CAAsSA A%e0k~o VhtI~%
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In an editorial appealing to the
Socialists Of the eth Assembly District
you have greatly weakened your case
by asking irrelevant questions.
One of these questions IL this: "non't
the young men and women Of the dis
trict wish to certify that In good faith
they have become Americans and arc
through with revolutionary nonsense 2"
This question implies that person
cannot DO both q Socialist and an
American at tho same time. This Is
true only when Judged by your own
definition of Ameticanism.
And what is your definition OF Ameri-
canism? Seemingly that everything in
America is as it should be except the
increasing strength of socialism. To
my mind, any definition of American
ism is not representative of tho best
American traditions if that definition
excludes all Socialists from the ranks
OF true Americans. Indeed, to use
loosely the term Americanism as you
do is mean way Of bolstering q weak
argument with an emotional appeal.
Besides, tho issue between the old par
ties and the Socialists Is not Amcrs-
canism opposed to anti-Amcricanism
but the preservation Of the present
order opposed to a constitutional
change of that order according to the
principles Of American socialism.
justify my use Of the term Ameri-
can socialism by citing the fact that
the Socialist party in the United States
is organized according to our Federal
and state laws. This fact Is evidenced
by terms Socialists have served in
Congress ard in city and state legis-
iatures. My argument is not vitfated
by the fact that Socialists have served
terms IN other places besides legisls-
lures. The official reputation of the
Third international by the American
Socialists in Russia. American Social
lists Of the United States intend to he
Americans. For this reason it is un-
just to attack American socialism or
to explain it by reciting the acts OF
Socialists in Russia. American social
lists need not, and are not inclined tn.
look to Russia for guidance and in
spiration.
Therefore it is irrelevant for The
Tribune to ask this question in the
editorial mentioned above, Don't they
tSociaiists Of the 9th Assembly Dis
trlct) think it (the American systcml
better for them than the Russian svs-
TEN r. The Russian Interpretation of
socialism has no recognition in the
program of American Socialists.
Your weakest question is this: care
Americans so poor & sort that any
mere should prefer to be aliens at
heart and to follow political philos-
ophy imported from Europe and of
little applicability to America ?" This
Is weak because it supposes that our
political philosophy is entirely Of
American origin, because it denies the
patent fact thata many of our institu
tions are simply adaptations Of Euro
pesn institutions.
AN example of this is American COM
mon law, which is practically English
common law as formulated since 1866,
the year of the invasion of the Con-
queror. And If we can protitably "im-
port" English common law, there is no
fundamental reason why we cannot
profitably import socialism, which is of
European origin, but not the product
of Russia, as The Tribune likes to make
us believe.
After all. If you separate Europe
from America, European influences
from, America, you have the America
of the Indians, not the great country
we have to-day. In the last ANALYSIS.
only the Indians can reasonably and
justly shout "Foreigners!" to men and
IDEAS originating in Europe. Remen-
~ seS