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ENGLISH RACE。〃 It would seem that England； fronted by the hostile
Continental Union and flanked by the great American scab； has nothing
left but to join with the scab and play the historic labor role of armed
Pinkerton。 Granting the words of Cecil Rhodes； the United States would
be enabled to scab without let or hindrance on Europe； while England； as
professional strike…breaker and policeman； destroyed the unions and kept
order。
All this may appear fantastic and erroneous； but there is in it a soul of
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War of the Classes
truth vastly more significant than it may seem。 Civilization may be
expressed today in terms of trade…unionism。 Individual struggles have
largely passed away； but group…struggles increase prodigiously。 And the
things for which the groups struggle are the same as of old。 Shorn of all
subtleties and complexities； the chief struggle of men； and of groups of
men； is for food and shelter。 And； as of old they struggled with tooth and
nail； so today they struggle with teeth and nails elongated into armies and
navies； machines； and economic advantages。
Under the definition that a scab is ONE WHO GIVES MORE VALUE
FOR THE SAME PRICE THAN ANOTHER； it would seem that society
can be generally divided into the two classes of the scabs and the non…
scabs。 But on closer investigation； however； it will be seen that the non…
scab is a vanishing quantity。 In the social jungle； everybody is preying
upon everybody else。 As in the case of Mr。 Rockefeller； he who was a scab
yesterday is a non…scab today； and tomorrow may be a scab again。
The woman stenographer or book…keeper who receives forty dollars
per month where a man was receiving seventy…five is a scab。 So is the
woman who does a man's work at a weaving…machine； and the child who
goes into the mill or factory。 And the father； who is scabbed out of work
by the wives and children of other men； sends his own wife and children
to scab in order to save himself。
When a publisher offers an author better royalties than other publishers
have been paying him； he is scabbing on those other publishers。 The
reporter on a newspaper； who feels he should be receiving a larger salary
for his work； says so； and is shown the door； is replaced by a reporter who
is a scab； whereupon； when the belly…need presses； the displaced reporter
goes to another paper and scabs himself。 The minister who hardens his
heart to a call； and waits for a certain congregation to offer him say 500 a
year more； often finds himself scabbed upon by another and more
impecunious minister； and the next time it is HIS turn to scab while a
brother minister is hardening his heart to a call。 The scab is everywhere。
The professional strike…breakers； who as a class receive large wages； will
scab on one another； while scab unions are even formed to prevent
scabbing upon scabs。
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War of the Classes
There are non…scabs； but they are usually born so； and are protected by
the whole might of society in the possession of their food and shelter。 King
Edward is such a type； as are all individuals who receive hereditary food…
and…shelter privileges；such as the present Duke of Bedford； for instance；
who yearly receives 75；000 from the good people of London because
some former king gave some former ancestor of his the market privileges
of Covent Garden。 The irresponsible rich are likewise non…scabs；and by
them is meant that coupon…clipping class which hires its managers and
brains to invest the money usually left it by its ancestors。
Outside these lucky creatures； all the rest； at one time or another in
their lives； are scabs； at one time or another are engaged in giving more for
a certain price than any one else。 The meek professor in some endowed
institution； by his meek suppression of his convictions； is giving more for
his salary than gave the other and more outspoken professor whose chair
he occupies。 And when a political party dangles a full dinner…pail in the
eyes of the toiling masses； it is offering more for a vote than the dubious
dollar of the opposing party。 Even a money…lender is not above taking a
slightly lower rate of interest and saying nothing about it。
Such is the tangle of conflicting interests in a tooth…and…nail society
that people cannot avoid being scabs； are often made so against their
desires； and are often unconsciously made so。 When several trades in a
certain locality demand and receive an advance in wages； they are
unwittingly making scabs of their fellow…laborers in that district who have
received no advance in wages。 In San Francisco the barbers； laundry…
workers； and milk…wagon drivers received such an advance in wages。
Their employers promptly added the amount of this advance to the selling
price of their wares。 The price of shaves； of washing； and of milk went up。
This reduced the purchasing power of the unorganized laborers； and； in
point of fact； reduced their wages and made them greater scabs。
Because the British laborer is disinclined to scab；that is； because he
restricts his output in order to give less for the wage he receives；it is to a
certain extent made possible for the American capitalist； who receives a
less restricted output from his laborers； to play the scab on the English
capitalist。 As a result of this； （of course combined with other causes）； the
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War of the Classes
American capitalist and the American laborer are striking at the food and
shelter of the English capitalist and laborer。
The English laborer is starving today because； among other things； he
is not a scab。 He practises the policy of 〃ca' canny；〃 which may be defined
as 〃go easy。〃 In order to get most for least； in many trades he performs but
from one…fourth to one…sixth of the labor he is well able to perform。 An
instance of this is found in the building of the Westinghouse Electric
Works at Manchester。 The British limit per man was 400 bricks per day。
The Westinghouse Company imported a 〃driving〃 American contractor；
aided by half a dozen 〃driving〃 American foremen； and the British
bricklayer swiftly attained an average of 1800 bricks per day； with a
maximum of 2500 bricks for the plainest work。
But； the British laborer's policy of 〃ca' canny；〃 which is the very
honorable one of giving least for most； and which is likewise the policy of
the English capitalist； is nevertheless frowned upon by the English
capitalist； whose business existence is threatened by the great American
scab。 From the rise of the factory system； the English capitalist gladly
embraced the opportunity； wherever he found it； of giving least for most。
He did it all over the world whenever he enjoyed a market monopoly； and
he did it at home with the laborers employed in his mills； destroying them
like flies till prevented； within limits； by the passage of the Factory Acts。
Some of the proudest fortunes of England today may trace their origin to
the giving of least for most to the miserable slaves of the factory towns。
But at the present time the English capitalist is outraged because his
laborers are employing against him precisely the same policy he employed
against them； and which he would employ again did the chance present
itself。
Yet 〃ca' canny〃 is a disastrous thing to the British laborer。 It has driven
ship…building from England to Scotland； bottle…making from Scotland to
Belgium； flint…glass…making from England to Germany； and today is
steadily driving industry after industry to other countries。 A correspondent
from Northampton wrote not long ago： 〃Factories are working half and
third time。 。 。 。