The Socialist Appeal to the Working Class!
Schwartz, Alex
The Socialist Appeal to the Working Class! Principles, N o t Personalities, Offered By Alex Schwartz % Signed articles of contributors do mm necessarily mean that they repreE i /...
...The "union," as we know it, no matter how powerful, cannot bring them freedom...
...The same holds true with the subject of reform...
...And self-interest can very readily be the cornerstone of our appeal...
...Because they would know that nothing else could "establish peace and bannlnees on earth...
...It is therefore difficult to blame the maases who refuae to desert the two old parties (both of them more experienced in office than the Socialist Party), especially since the conservative parties usually give the people the reforms which they as well as we promise...
...In this age of specialization our Party should teach Socialism...
...and a number of European nations, for instance England and Germany...
...One can hardly blame the many other millions who consider voting a waste of effort...
...The principle of honesty In public office has been •vindicated," and the righteous citizenry of the City of New York can now lean back and resume the even tenor of their ways...
...Almost any voter would say concerning grafting that he would do the same thing if he had the chance...
...Too often however, do our political campaigns sink to the level of bourgeois reform movements of mere bids for office for outstanding Intellectuals ia our party...
...But In any case, many of those voters who came to us partly because of magnetic personalities, eventually leave us for a new love in some other party...
...In the minds of miners that work has not been directly associated with the S. P. If that had been the case, undoubtedly the entire group consisting of approximately 15,000 miners and their families would have come Into the party in a group...
...Nor should we confine ourselves solely to discourses on the general welfare...
...esty, ethics, etc., is taken care of by most writers, preachers, teachers, magazines, newspapers, etc., outside the Socialist Party...
...The task of teaching personal hon...
...The American voter may be politically illiterate, but even he vaguely senses that' our members are the same flesh and blood as our Republican and Democratic opponents...
...Ia western Pennsylvania where the Party has assumed that leadership miners are now joining the party...
...But industrial autocracy, want, disease, illiteracy, squalor, insecurity and war still remain as long as private profit and capitalism remain...
...I g H E R I F F FARLEY of New York t j was honorably discharged from office In February...
...The more needy and perhaps more sophisticated person is appealed to by them with the lure of self-interest, in the form of a few dollars given to him directly, perhaps some food or coal, or a job for himself or others...
...honest, and militant leadptt aa Frank Keeney, although naJislng the necessity for SocialMil but through honest lnten^ • b t U l flirts with the idea of der to win temporary advantages through friendly sheriffs and judges...
...Political action and industrial action In those areas must go hand in hand...
...But, political action, would be futile without a strong militant fighting union to assure the countiner at the votes to enforce the victories won at the ballot box...
...Especially at this time In America we are unable to compete with, nor should we divert our too limited energies to music, painting, ' athletics, bourgeois personal morals, reform movements, etc...
...Many a naive voter is temporarily drugged on the eve of election with that line by unscrupulous politicians...
...But note that masses of Englishmen continued voting for Socialism nevertheless, because Irrespective of defection by Party leaders, and despite conservative slogans and falsehoods, many of them had been made classconscious and had been taught that it was important to abolish capitalIsm and substitute International Socialism as a system of life...
...Some of our good Socialists are telling their friends and fellowcitizens that if they had voted for a Socialist sheriff, he would not have disgraced the City and outraged the sense of decency of publicspirited citizens...
...Marx himself, or the advent In the Conservative parties or In the Socialist party of a new Moses or a new Christ with promises of aa Immediate Messianic era, would have little or no effect on an intelligent, class-conscious proletariat4* They would still demand the abolition of capitalism and the Intro* ductlon of International Socialism Nothing else would satisfy them...
...Giving legalized benediction to "profit" and "interest" does not change their essential characteristic of getting 'as much as possible and giving nothing in return or as little as possible in return...
...We are striving to revolutionize the system of society...
...I mean that considering our...
...Unfortunately from the viewpoint of the Party the relief work and the organizational work among the miners was not carried on In the name of the party and under the direction of the party...
...The most casual analysis of "graft," "larceny," "profit" and • "Interest" shows that all have a • common denominator: unearned income and exploitation...
...Pound At Fundamentals We should Incessantly pound at fundamentals, at systems, in as colorful and as varied a way as we can, but at the same time not being diverted from our purpose...
...Rank and file workers everywhere are disgusted with such socalled leaders as John M. Lewis, and in our fear to prevent our Interference In union affairs or the reawakening of DeLeoftlam In our ranks we must not lose sight of the fact that workers are awaiting new leadership and that revolutionary movements' will start among those naturally rebellious elements of the American proletariat who "have nothing to lose but their chains...
...or follow the personality to his new fancy...
...They did not introduce Socialism...
...And this can only be achieved by the seizing of political power • § the workers...
...When the United Mine Workers in West Virginia years ago were led by Socialist Party members both the union and the party were strong...
...We can tell the voter that in a Democracy, the goal is the greatest good to the greatest number...
...Sometime...
...After being grounded In scientific International Socialism, even the desertion of a Debs or of Karl...
...Their statement of principles makes it clear that they are unalterably opposed to the two old capitalist parties and in favor of a complete program of Socialism...
...Is Graft Immoral...
...The old parties, especially which ever one happens to be out of office, can easily match us in promises of reform...
...In a bankrupt industry, with a vast reserve of a quarter of a million of unemployed miners, It is impossible to win strikes...
...Whereas If each voter speculates on what Is good for the community, he will probably be de-: luded or mistaken in a field as vast as that, and we cannot ever really count noses and receive a mandate as to what Is for the god of the great majority...
...That thereby we can ascertain what is really for the greatest good of the greatest number...
...To 'try to arouse his indignation at something he admits he would do himself is futile...
...They have also agreed upon "harmonious" action with the Socialist Party in the state and there will probably be a mutual endorsement of candidates with some of the Socialist Party candidates running on their ticket...
...But most of them would nevertheles vote against us because they fear Socialism...
...We Socialists are in the fortunate position of being able to combine in our appeal both "general welfare" and "self interest...
...I do not refer here to our private, personal, social and cultural activities...
...To show in what respect the masses, who have nothing, would gain by the elimination of private profit and the abolition of the exploitation of man by his fellowman, is not a difficult task for most Socialists...
...It must also be borne constantly In mind that unless we act, leadership will be taken by the Communists or the fake labor leaders that may finally result in causing the workers to lose all faith in either unionism or in pohtlcal action...
...these magnetic personalities leave us for other causes or movements...
...Participation and management of such affairs by Socialist amateurs, through Socialist Party effort, would not render them Socialistic, would not render them Socialistic...
...But the splendid work of the L. I. D. Emergency Committee, the Brookwood Labor College and the Socialist Party in relief and organizational work has built up a friendship and trust among the miners...
...There is no guaranty of that, but it is probably true that a candidate of our selection might have proved more honest than the average run of Tammany picked office holders...
...How futile these discourses on "honesty" of public officials really are, will be apparent if we can visualize an honest administration with no need for reform...
...Even Socialist officials in England, probably all of them strictly honest personally, failed to change these conditions, because they failed to strike at fundamentals, Including "private profit...
...The Power of a Pblloaophy Sometimea the magnetic personality leaves us because of death, as for Instance In the cases of Eugene V. Debs, Victor Berger and Meyer London, (though Debs, Berger and London did their bent to prevent the party from extolling them as Individuals...
...Even such courajjjl*° ue...
...Complete Socialism or at least nationalization of the coal Industry Is the only thing that |ean bring them freedom and plenty...
...Some voters, becoming disillusioned and disgusted, see In the Socialist Party no vital difference In personnel or principle from those of the Republican or Democratic parties, and withdraw from further political activity altogether...
...This paved the way for the educational work carried on by the L. I. D, Chautauqua, the Brookwood group, and later by Murray Baron and myself for the Socialist Party, and I might add an increasing understanding of the need of working class political action...
...Because as a matter of fact,' under a capitalist code, Sheriff Farley and the host of other so-called dishonest officials are doing nothing immoral...
...I But this they have yet to learn...
...It Is not our province, commendable though reform and music may be...
...John Spargo, Ramsay MacDonald, and even Scott Nearing, are examples of Intellectual leaders wno< have left us and drew with them multitudes who had been drawn to the Party partly by the "magnetic personality...
...Tears of the A. F. of L. policy of "rewarding your friends and pun»lshing your enemies" in politics HJM left its mark...
...and will only serve to confuse the vast majority as to "What Is Socialism...
...That if each voter is intellectually honest with himself, and votes strictly for his own selfish Interests, it Is a very proper functioning of Democracy...
...Many American cities have it, including Milwaukee...
...As for those voters who have been lured to us partly by magn e t i c personalities...
...It ia therefore, a comparatively simple matter to translate that class consciousness into a comprehension of the only pray out—Socialism...
...We know that with the introduction of Socialism, it will automatically follow, because of changed environmental factors, that it will be just as impossible for human beings to be otherwise than honest, as It is impossible to survive and be strictly honest in a Socialistic sense under Capitalism today...
...If in connection with our perennial Socialist propaganda, we apply a principle pointed out by mental scientists, taken a d v a n t a g e of by advertisers, preachers, politicians, base - ball players, artisans, artists, etc., namely, the value of constant repetition, we will make quicker headway than hitherto...
...That is recognized today as "good business" principle, and ethical...
...Some voters do not believe we are any more honest personally...
...present condition, it ia not essential that on the political field we give an inferior musical recital, ballet, art exhibit, lecture course, on sex neuroses, etc., especially when such matters are being handled by specialists through private enterprise much better than Socialist novices could do them...
...Principles, N o t Personalities, Offered By Alex Schwartz % Signed articles of contributors do mm necessarily mean that they repreE i / the declared policies of the Socialist party and of The New Leader...
...Challenge and An Opportunity for Socialists ed their ranks...
...The philosophy underlying larceny and graft is identical...
...Sheriff Farley and many other grafting public officials are simply practising the capitalist code which is universally acknowledged and praised in all other business activities...
...Furthermore, we are not aiming to effectuate reforms, even through the use of "Socialistic moral codes," wielded by good, outstanding, honest Socialists...
...The Entrance Into Politics The West Virginia Mine Workers Union haa taken what will probably prove to be the historical step of organizing the Independent Labor Party of West Virginia to function in the five counties of the Kanawha valley...
...Their acts are merely illegal, (and so is jay-walking in many communities...
...We who understand Socialism, know that their fears are groundleas, and also know that if the rest of humanity understood Socialism, they too would eagerly ["Welcome its advent Therefore our immediate task is unquestionably an educational one...
...Self Interest and Democracy It should therefore be our task with the electorate to replace the philosophy of private profit with that of the "community of Interest" which all working people really have...
...To stress honesty In public office serves only to confuse the masses...
...They have not been taught by us that there ia anything worth while to support...
...We must teach humanity what Socialism is...
Vol. 13 • April 1932 • No. 14
