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National Economic League will render its services in an impartial
educational movement TO OPPOSE SOCIALISM AND CLASS
HATRED。〃 Among its class…conscious members； men who recognize that
the opening guns of the class struggle have been fired； may be instanced
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War of the Classes
the following names： Hon。 Lyman J。 Gage； Ex…Secretary U。 S。 Treasury；
Hon。 Thomas Jefferson Coolidge； Ex…Minister to France； Rev。 Henry C。
Potter； Bishop New York Diocese； Hon。 John D。 Long； Ex…Secretary U。 S。
Navy； Hon。 Levi P。 Morton； Ex…Vice President United States； Henry
Clews； John F。 Dryden； President Prudential Life Insurance Co。； John A。
McCall； President New York Life Insurance Co。； J。 L。 Greatsinger；
President Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co。； the shipbuilding firm of William
Cramp & Sons； the Southern Railway system； and the Atchison； Topeka；
& Santa Fe Railway Company。
Instances of the troubled editorial voice have not been rare during the
last several years。 There were many cries from the press during the last
days of the anthracite coal strike that the mine owners； by their
stubbornness； were sowing the regrettable seeds of socialism。 The World's
Work for December； 1902； said： 〃The next significant fact is the
recommendation by the Illinois State Federation of Labor that all members
of labor unions who are also members of the state militia shall resign from
the militia。 This proposition has been favorably regarded by some other
labor organizations。 It has done more than any other single recent
declaration or action to cause a public distrust of such unions as favor it。
IT HINTS OF A CLASS SEPARATION THAT IN TURN HINTS OF
ANARCHY。〃
The OUTLOOK； February 14； 1903； in reference to the rioting at
Waterbury； remarks； 〃That all this disorder should have occurred in a city
of the character and intelligence of Waterbury indicates that the industrial
war spirit is by no means confined to the immigrant or ignorant working
classes。〃
That President Roosevelt has smelt the smoke from the firing line of
the class struggle is evidenced by his words； 〃Above all we need to
remember that any kind of CLASS ANIMOSITY IN THE POLITICAL
WORLD is； if possible； even more destructive to national welfare than
sectional； race； or religious animosity。〃 The chief thing to be noted here is
President Roosevelt's tacit recognition of class animosity in the industrial
world； and his fear； which language cannot portray stronger； that this class
animosity may spread to the political world。 Yet this is the very policy
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War of the Classes
which the socialists have announced in their declaration of war against
present…day societyto capture the political machinery of society and by
that machinery destroy present…day society。
The New York Independent for February 12； 1903； recognized without
qualification the class struggle。 〃It is impossible fairly to pass upon the
methods of labor unions； or to devise plans for remedying their abuses；
until it is recognized； to begin with； that unions are based upon class
antagonism and that their policies are dictated by the necessities of social
warfare。 A strike is a rebellion against the owners of property。 The rights
of property are protected by government。 And a strike； under certain
provocation； may extend as far as did the general strike in Belgium a few
years since； when practically the entire wage…earning population stopped
work in order to force political concessions from the property…owning
classes。 This is an extreme case； but it brings out vividly the real nature of
labor organization as a species of warfare whose object is the coercion of
one class by another class。〃
It has been shown； theoretically and actually； that there is a class
struggle in the United States。 The quarrel over the division of the joint
product is irreconcilable。 The working class is no longer losing its
strongest and most capable members。 These men； denied room for their
ambition in the capitalist ranks； remain to be the leaders of the workers； to
spur them to discontent； to make them conscious of their class； to lead
them to revolt。
This revolt； appearing spontaneously all over the industrial field in the
form of demands for an increased share of the joint product； is being
carefully and shrewdly shaped for a political assault upon society。 The
leaders； with the carelessness of fatalists； do not hesitate for an instant to
publish their intentions to the world。 They intend to direct the labor revolt
to the capture of the political machinery of society。 With the political
machinery once in their hands； which will also give them the control of the
police； the army； the navy； and the courts； they will confiscate； with or
without remuneration； all the possessions of the capitalist class which are
used in the production and distribution of the necessaries and luxuries of
life。 By this； they mean to apply the law of eminent domain to the land；
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War of the Classes
and to extend the law of eminent domain till it embraces the mines； the
factories； the railroads； and the ocean carriers。 In short； they intend to
destroy present…day society； which they contend is run in the interest of
another class； and from the materials to construct a new society； which
will be run in their interest。
On the other hand； the capitalist class is beginning to grow conscious
of itself and of the struggle which is being waged。 It is already forming
offensive and defensive leagues； while some of the most prominent figures
in the nation are preparing to lead it in the attack upon socialism。
The question to be solved is not one of Malthusianism； 〃projected
efficiency；〃 nor ethics。 It is a question of might。 Whichever class is to win；
will win by virtue of superior strength； for the workers are beginning to
say； as they said to Mr。 Cunniff； 〃Malthus be damned。〃 In their own minds
they find no sanction for continuing the individual struggle for the survival
of the fittest。 As Mr。 Gompers has said； they want more； and more； and
more。 The ethical import of Mr。 Kidd's plan of the present generation
putting up with less in order that race efficiency may be projected into a
remote future； has no bearing upon their actions。 They refuse to be the
〃glad perishers〃 so glowingly described by Nietzsche。
It remains to be seen how promptly the capitalist class will respond to
the call to arms。 Upon its promptness rests its existence； for if it sits idly
by； soothfully proclaiming that what ought not to be cannot be； it will find
the roof beams crashing about its head。 The capitalist class is in the
numerical minority； and bids fair to be outvoted if it does not put a stop to
the vast propaganda being waged by its enemy。 It is no longer a question
of whether or not there is a class struggle。 The question now is； what will
be the outcome of the class struggle？
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THE TRAMP
Mr。 Francis O'Neil； General Superintendent of Police； Chicago；
speaking of the tramp； says： 〃Despite the most stringent police regulations；
a great city will have a certain number of homeless vagrants to shelter
through the winter。〃 〃Despite；〃mark the word； a confession of organized
helplessness as against unorganized necessity。 If police regulations are
stringent and yet fail； then that which makes them fail； namely； the tramp；
must have still more stringent reasons for succeeding。 This being so