The Washington herald., 1922-07-20
Mr.. Debs Grows Bitter.

= - idDorfng men TO vote together, strike to-
Fether and fight together" In other words. he
comes dangerously advocating armed revolu-
fion against the government OF the United States.
Many will say: 81 told you So" Many will
advocate sending the sick old man back to the
.penitentiary.
sThe famous Socialist leader knew that such
agitation would result when he stated his views on
the present strike situation from his sick bed. His
sboldness in speaking his mind under such circum-
stances adds dramatic quality to his words which
alone make them dangerous If there were no
prospects of jail sentence his views on govern
ment and economics would be simple nonsense.
Alr. Debs suffers from delusion obvious that
il mus, be apparent to everybody-even to the
violent labor leaders the reactionary male
factors OF great wealth.
y The old man. who in many respects is an
admirable character. has become obsessed with the
queer idea that the average American citizen is a
lsborer whose social and economic position de-
ponds entirely his weeks pay. He thinks, doubt
less honestly that if the strikers win in the present
coal and railroad disturbances. it will be
plete victory for the people Of the United States
against heartless vested interests whose only con-
germ is to make the poor poorer by subtract
ing from his pay envelope.
As Mr.. Debs grows older he grows more bitter
in his class consciousness and concerned with
opposed to the welfare OF the mass. He arrives
at his conclusions without studying statistics. He
fais to understand that the majority OF the people
OF the United States concerned primarily
with pay envelopes He fails to take into account
the farmers, for example, who will pay large
share the bills, both for the coal and railroad
strikes. in the long He fails to take into
account the so-called white collar" workers. who
must meet the increased prices out of their meager
pay envelopes He fails to consider that in case
of an armed revolution. these folks would be able
10 ten times the number of fighting men
could be brought to the colors OF militant labor.
Debs speaks of the laboring men, poor devils.
sho conscripted and then wounded and killed
On French battlefields at the call of government
which announced that it fighting for the per-
oetuation OF democracy the earth. Now, he says.
his government has gone back its own words by
falling help the strikers He thinks that com,
pletc control OF government by labor would con-
stitute democracy and that every other kind OF
:rol is autocracy, kaiserism, etc.
Does Mr.. Debs stop to consider that a few
million engaged in the world war were not rail-
road shopmen coal miners-representatves rather
of the classes he ignores in his conception of
democracy: Why doesn't he give members of the
professions chance' Why doesn't he give farm
chance Why doesn't he give the muttudes
with savings invested in railroad and mine securi-
ties chance? His would be rather undemocratic
democracy, fear.
We all concerned that the American stand
ard OF living shall be kept high, But few are con-
'-erned that il shall be raised for one class and
lowered for all the others There is good deal of
.onblic sympathy for both the miners and railroad
.;hopmen which, in many respects, is justified. But
Z is not the same sort OF sympathy which Mr.. Debs
.;sels for them. We escape the idea tina,
he old firebrand of Socialism is not so much con-
':rrned that workmen shall be able to eat better
,ood, live in better houses better clothes and
,iriye better automobiles that they shall dominate
all the other classes. He would as soon see the
White House turned into tumbedown shack so
qng as a representative of the working classes was
Pesident. II this situation brought about he
would be unable to understand the wave of counter
Evolution which wot:ld sweep the country.
Mr.. Debs makes bid for martyrdom Men of
MS type have died for ideals since the world began
He doubtless would go back to prison. or to the
yanows to the stake with smile on his face,
happy in the thought that from his suffering the
IDEAS for which he fought would gain greater i'm
oetus. The thing the United States govern
Ien can least afford to do is to grant the old man
Ms boon OF martyrdom. If allowed to talk un-
checked Ec is silly, to intelligent people Of
ms own convictions. But it would require only
ouch OF the pen to turn him isto an Apostle
si.osc blood would sweep. like an eternal river
Trough the minds of and women
-. Industrial conditions in the United States sell
lorn have been worse than present. But we are
convinced the issues only temporary-that the
'trikers themselves do not involve any great prn-
Ipes n their present efforts. We are convinced
hat they well enough satisfied with the govern
nent of the United Ststes-although some Of them
nay speak thoughtlessly and rashly at times
- In their own minds they are only workmen
fOr AZ fhev
wage scale.