The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-03

ers and hard-worlling geniuses perfected the many
machines wrought cut of crude iron by practical
ntcllects, and better products produced at
less cost and with a minimum requisite of labor.
The machine know it today, is direct
and complete product of the workingclass. But in
stead Of emancipating the wage-slave, it has tight
encd his letters Since it reduced the amount Of la
Dor required the laborer should benefit by greater
leisure Instead he finds his opportunities to earn
a living reduced in direct proportion to the reduc
ton in labor made possible by the introduction of
the efficient machine.
Comes a reaction. Machine makers become, in
philosophic desire at least, machine wreckers. The
master class, growing rich beyond dreams through
the exploitation of the machine and its slave, is
confronted with problem.
Who is at fault when the creator turns upon his
creation? Certainly not the capitalist the exploter
of the machine Mr. Gilbert Seldes attempts to prove
in the outstanding organ of bourgeois pseudo-in-
tellectualism, The Saturday Evening Post. Capt.
tasm, with its open moneybags for those who will
ride the bandwagon, has more apologies than
st. Francis had fleas; yet none has ever made out
such poor case as Mr.. Seldes.
The philosophic trend of some disillusioned work
from machine makers to machine wreekers is
summarized by the capitalist apologst in series of
items of news which begin by illustrating the effect
of the introduction of machinery civilization.
A wave of materalism, depored by the dope-ped
dlers of religion, sets it.
When the slave finds that he can learn to operate
most machines in 3 few days, he utizes this know
edge by changing masters at will The capitalists
as Mr. Sedes exutingly tells u.s. at first alarmed
by the labor turnover, keep their employees in the
factory by moving them from one automatic
chine which one group of muscles to another
where new activities called into play" and thus
try to keep the slave in his old set of chains.
That this is not altogether successful, is
recorded with sorrow he eminent "Satevepost"
writer recounts without the slightest expression of
sympathy the plight of "the craftsman m the work
shops of the Adam brothers, who created, in per-
hap unhappy working conditions an endless sue
of sublimely beautiful table legs land who)
could never dare to change his occupation, because
he would have to undergo years &C apprenticeship
in one" This is situation in which the CAPT
tasts would like to keep the workers of the world.
But, with the advent of the machine, there comes
change-not of much benefit to the worker but
problem, at least to the capitalist. In the words
of Mr.. Seldes "it may end by making him (the
worker) slave, but he will have what no other
slave has had before the chance to change his
master"
But is this so-ealled freedom of any value to the
enslaved worker? Suppose they change the
workers will flock to those industries that enjoy
the best conditions and the highest pay, then there
will be workers than jobs; with the knowledge
Of this condition. employers in those industries will
lower the wages, since they need not fear strike,
and again the worker is caught in the midst Of
deadly circle.
Mr. Seldes sascribes the existence of machine
wreckng philosophy to the lack of cultuy4 that is
prevalent IN the countries which are the HoSt indus
trlahZed. deny this; but granting it for the mo-
ment, I ask, is it the fault of the worker? Has he
ever had sufficient leisure and sufficient opportun-
ity to improve his mental condition? The lack of
culture admit, for it is indictment of the SUPER
Rabbits who control and exploit modern industry;
but there other causes, to which Mr. Seldes
must have closed his eyes, he would have at first
An examination of the histor yof mechanics and
the blame for the philosophy Of Misunderstanding
The leisure which Mr. Seldes so guilelessy be-
heves is enjoyed by the workingcass, is used by it
in "a mass migration of the tin-can tourists" Here
his own sources of information give him the lie for
the Chambers of Commerce of almost all the wes-
tern cities have complained of the migration of
families with no means of support who, after trav
cling futiley to the wes in search Of jobs forced
to throw themselves OIL the charity of the western
municipalities in the face of starvation All of us
are familiar with the Chamber of Commerce cir
culars and publicity items disillusioning the
'tn-can tourist" of his belief that there are jobs
at the end of the rainbow