The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-09-01
About the Eclipse

On Wednesday, at ABA pm. New
York time) a total eclipse Of the sun
took place, Many millions of unem-
ployed and part-tirne factory workers
in the eclipse territory must have
watched the moons shadow spread
over the face of the sun. Aside from
the beauty of the event, and the
scientific lessons of the event which
were studied by 81 astronomical ex-
petitions, there are social lessons to
be drawn by the neutrality-suspicious..
The prediction of eclipses repre-
sents a great scientific triumph.
Scientists by means of mathematical
measurements accurately forecast the
time when the moon would first
make contact" with the sun ANY
error in the prediction is due to
faults in the scientific instruments
and measurements.
The accuracy of eclipse predictions
illustrates the nature and function of
science. Scientists describe and pre-
dict natural happenings, and this
leads to the control and exploitation
of nature by man.
Science Conquers Superstition.
The explanation of natural and
social phenomena, by science, does
away with the necessity of religion.
Priests and religion once attempted
to present picture of the universe
to man Their inaccurate and fan
tastic accounts have been made use
less by the advance of science.
Religion is one of the forms of
spiritual oppression which every
where weigh upon the masses, who
are crushed by continuous toll for
others, by poverty and deprivation.
The helplessness of all the exploited
in their struggle against the exploit
ers inevitably generates a belief in
better life after death, even as the
helplessness of the savage in his
struggle with nature gives rise to a
belief in gods, devils, miracles, etc. =
Lenin on Religion.
Religion is still fostered and main
tanned by the capitalist class as a
means of keeping the truths of
science from the workers and keeping
them enslaved.
Capitalism Steps Back.
This attitude of the capitalist class
toward religion is indicative Of the
decay of the bourgeoisie When they
were young and rising class they
employed science as an instrument
against the church and the feudal
nobility. Bourgeois thinkers demon
strated that the sun and not god
was the center of the solar system.
After the bourgeoisie came into
power, however, they no longer used
science in a search for knowledge
and truth. Profits were made the
basis of scientific value and more
profits and war the goal of scientific
research. Science has made tremen-
dous development, but the nature OF
capitalism is glaringly revealed by
the fact that this advance has only
resulted in making labor greater
curse and added untold misery and
poverty for the masses
The advance of science has now
become an obstacle to the rule and
profits of the bourgeois class. The
capitalists have started great cam
paign against science and the ma
chine. And even when it does en-
ploy new scientific method, capi-
talism does SO only at the expense
of the workers in the way of speed
ups and unemployment.
MARKHAM Science Frees Workers.
The revolutionary working class, on
the other hand, does not, however.
attack science or the machine, Tt
fights the capitalist exploitation of
science and machinery. In the So
Wet Union the workers are using
science to build socialism.
In conclusion the lessons Of the
eclipse for the workers are:
1. That science, as used by the
workers CMarxian SCIENCE, and not
religion, furnishes an adequate ex-
PLANTATION of nature and society.
| 2. That under capitalism science Is
used to exploit the working class and
to increase the horrors of imperialist
war.
8. That under socialism science IS
free from its capitalist chains, is it
self given unlimited opportunities for
advance and, in the hands Of a free
working class, is one of the principle
means for building socialism.
BY taking over the industries, the
means of production, through the
overthrow of capitalism and the for
nation of Workers and Farmers
government, the powerful American
proletariat, under the leadership of
the Communist Party, will use
science to destroy all slavery and
build UP a new and free society, -,
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