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* si. 616. eg Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Jan. 28, 1911. subscription mm'«| tim ran T*ua „••-■• 1 UNPLEASANT TRUTH. Conditions in East Force Recognition From Press A few years ago the theory, chiefly due to metaphysical teachers and the slave concepts taught by them, that poverty was a condition handed out by an almighty boss as a punishment for encroachments upon Divine law and therefore to be borne patiently, obtained. This conception is aptly expressed by an eminent church prelate, no less a personage than the most Reverend Dlomede Falconio, apostolic delegate, ln a speech delivered before the Federation of Catholic Societies at New Orleans a short time ago, in tbe following words: "Human Society has its origin from God. and is constituted of two classes of pdople, namely of tbe rich and the poor. . . .The normal relations between these two classes should be of a mutual confidence and harmony. To obtain this happy end, each class should faithfully comply with its respective duties, and either should re- > spect the rights of the other." etc. This conception of Ood and his alleged creation of classes is old. It is beginning to be moss-grown and has a decidedly "chestnut" flavor. It Is of the greatest Interest to note that this, as well as many more slave concepts, are receiving less and less attention and support, even among those whose only visible business apears to be that of bolstering up capitalism. Very often of late these fellows have made bad breaks. They have stumbled upon truths, either by accident or design. Whether they are doing so from a conviction that all is not well with present day society or whether on the same principle as that which is supposed to actuate rats in deserting a sinking ship, is an open question. However, the fact remains that much truth is being told, whether consciously or not, by the press of today. One of the most reactionary anti-labor pepers in Eastern Canada the "Dally Telegraph" of St. John, N. B. (1:2:11) published an editorial utterance a great deal of which would almost have done credit to the Western Clarion. Under the caption "Poverty and Housing" the following.ls said: "A newsboy In a mission meeting joined in the Lord's Prayer until he came to the petition 'give us this day our daily bread,' and then broke in with the irreyerent gloss, 'and butter on it'. Very few of us would think of that addition, even in mirth for we take our dainties as a matter of course. But the fact that Impresses ttself upon people, perhaps more strongly at this season than at other times, ls the amount of suffering and poverty on every hand in our large cities. Very sensitive people try to forget that there Is suffering. Their pity makes them cruel. They cannot bear the Bight of suffering. If he ls a Dives, such a man must flrst of all insist that the police shall prevent people like Lazarus, covered with sores, from lying in plain sight at the gate. They treat pain as, in these days of plumbing, we treat 111th. We get the plumber and carpenter to hide It so well that even our civilized nostrils shall not be offended. "But an English statistician says that 'the suffering of the indigent class in our towns is greater than ever before; the condition of that class has been aptly described as far worse than Hottentots.' Against this is the testimony of Lord Munnibagge, a great authority in economic matters. He 'had never heard of a baby starving. There was no such widespread distress as was represented. People were always making exaggerated statements about the poor. He did not credit them! But he may have turned the' wrong end of the telescope to his eye. '. Few people starve to death outright; but in every hard winter, physicians and charity workers in large cities report suicides and deaths from starvation diseases. Men try to break into prison to escape cold and hunger. Prison fare does not con; tain many delicacies, but it is sure." This utterance is a surprising departure from tbe usual and ls a practical admission on tbe part of a Orit paper that poverty, dire poverty and misery, does exist all around us. Of course later on the editor switches off onto the cause (?) of this state of affairs and here he loses hlnyelf. Either he had not the necessary amount of intelligence to perceive the real cause or his masters had warned him. Anyhow he says "Easily among the chief causes of poverty is the hard condition of the human lot as by nature established. The prime reason why bread must be so dear and flesh and blood so cheap is that the ratio of exchange between the two has been Axed or largely fixed in the constitution of the earth, much to the disadvantage of the latter." All of which is merely a learned way of displaying ignorance or of shunting the minds of people who read the paper off the real issue. Any person who knows anything of present industrial development knows that today the race can produce enough food, clothing and shelter for all. The problem of producing the necessities, of life was solved long ago when chattel slavery, and hence the state and government, originated. And almost daily since the origin of slavery men have been adding to the productivity of their labor. Constantly machinery has undergone improvements until today one man with the aid of even ordinary implements can raise enough wheat to feed thousands; one man can produce as much working socially with his fellows as cpuld hundreds in the old days. Wherefore then all this poverty and suffering among the workers? Tho answer is not to be found in the housing problem, as the editor of the Telegraph implies. It ls not to be found in the fact that the workers live In dirty houses and communities. Enquire as you will of the reformer, the sky-pilot, the would-be saviours of society, for the cause. You will always find their answers lacking. Enquire as you will for the remedy— they who know not the cause certain ly know naught of the remedy. Yet the remedy is so simple that he who runs may read. My "Lord Munnibagge" owns we of the working class through his ownership of our means of life. We are just as much his property as though he still chained us to the leg of our bench. Tbe bonds are attached to our stomachs, yet they are none the less real. Let us strike at his ownership, his power to exploit us. Let us deprive him of that power. We of the working class have the power to do so once we become Intelligent enough to strike him. The modern state is the weapon that he uses to hold us in subjection. We possess the power to take that state from him and abolish it, thus abolishing his power over our lives. Will we do it? The answer of that question may be slow ln coming, but it will come none the less surely. ROSCOE A. FILLMORE. wealth by the workers for the owners. The Socialist damns this hard work, mostly, I think, because It could very easily be almost entirely done away with (granted the overthrow Of tin boss class) and the capitalist deifies the idea in order that tho worters may be Induced to keep on producing goods for his enjoyment. There's the whole thing "in a nut shell". Put it up to the "dlg.iity of labor" and "nobility of work" apostle at the earliest opportunity. Don't let them side track you on "healthy exercise" or anything like that. "Work" to the boss, and his mental parasites, means hard labor—"producing" live dollars worth of wealth and getting one dollar for doing It. This Is a f lave idea, fit only for slave minds inhabiting—-If it can be put that, way—the upper part of slave bodies. Surely you don't come under this heading. DESMOND 1 GET WISEI "No, I can't buy one mate. I've given up that since I've been out here. I used to be a bit of a sport when 1 waB 'ome in the Old Country bpt bllm'e I can't do it 'ere." This is the answer that I got while trying to sell a ticket for our show here in Brandon. "You don't know .what tt is,"' he went on to say, "I've got a wife and, kids 'ome to look after, and I tell you mate, lt ain't all beer and skittles." Of course I told him that he was lazy and extravagant, and that any. man with any push at all could prosper ln this country. But I could, pot convince him that this was so. Then I started on another tack and told him that he was a slave. I felt perfectly safe ln telling him tbat, for I was bigger than he was. 1 told him that although he had been working right along producing wealth, he did not own any. And that while one class owned the means of wealth produe- "No," he said, "I ain't a slave, I've got a good bOBB, and if he don't treat me right I can quit him any time." By the way, his boss is a reader of the Claricn. No doubt he would be sympathetic toward his poor slave. Another worthy British "object" said that he would not buy one. He was not going to help us fellows out "Why," he said, "I heard one of your fellows talking on 8th street last summer. He had a dark beard (who's guilty) he said something about the workers not being patriotic. Tbe militia should have been called out to Btop him. It was coming to him." He agreed with me that the worker did not get all that he produced. But be was patriotic because he had something to be patriotic about. When will you fellows here get wise to the fact that you have nothing to be patriotic about? The Salvation Army had a pot out on the street here all Christmas week, collecting money for the poor and starving in Brandon. "Keep the pot a boiling, keep the pot a boiling", and ail this in the most prosperous year during the history of Brandon. What are you going to do when the next panic comes? Are you going to wait until you are up against it before you begin to think? . Do not wait until your stomach is. empty, you can't work on an empty, stomach, Neither can you think. "Do it Now." Go to the Socialists' meeting's and get in touch with the .Socialists, where ever you may be,, and get.wise now. The Socialists In Brandon are local- ed at room 10, Nation block. The room is open all the time, there are books and papers to read, and you are welcome. A T. H. MORE ABOUT WORK The hobble-skirt is not now fashionable in the "upper set." There is as yet, however, no sign that blue overalls have lost their popularity with the working class, although the artistic tion, and he had to go to them for a land tasteful yellow ones are also job, he never would own anything to largely worn—at knees and seat, more write home about. I especially. SOCIALISM. MUDDLED MINDS. Wierd Conceptions of Socialism Among Untutored. Socialism, to me, seems im- measureable. It ls a subject that one can travel over for years, and only then touch on the surface. When, however, one mixes with one's fellow- workers, one finds ont they know, or think they know, all about it For Instance, tbe Other day, I was informed that the flag which happens to be acknowledged by Socialists, Is black, red, and yellow. I was not aware that Socialists were so fastidious In their choice of colors. I was under the impression that simple red suited their taste. However, what do you suppose was the interpretation put upon the colors? I will tell you. ' Black stood for murder; red for blood; and yellow for gold. I could scarcely believe It. When I have looked around at the faces bf the Brandon bunch, I have hardly associated them with murder or blood. I shall not say anything regarding gold. Another individual, who, by the way, is patriotism personified, gave to me tbe intelligence that if capitalists were to withdraw their capital, the don't - you forget it. They care as little about you, as does the cannibal about the missionary. The capitalist uses you and your energy to his financial advantage, and when you become less of an advantage than a younger slave throws you on the scrap heap. The cannibal, on the other hand, usee the missionary for the glorification of his "Little Mary." You might ask me, how you can improve matters. There ls only one way, and that is, change the system under which you are allowed to exist. The workers must own collectively all means of production. To do that, you must get possession of the means of government, by voting for Socialist candidates. But, you might .ask, will: the masters give up their property, without a, struggle? Possibly not. However, if you have the forces that be under your command, I don't think the master class will kick .ipuch. It tbey do, why, then apply tbe, medicine that has been served up to you on the. many occasions you have become a trifle obstreperous, viz. a few bullets (By Wilfrid Gribble.) As there is a great deal of talk about' While the word Socialism is often Says Omar, the old Persian artist in words and philosopher of "have a good time and do it now:" Myself when young did eagerly frequent. Doctor and Saint, and heard great, argument About It and about, yet evermore Came out by the same door wherein I went. Which means that he heard much "rag chewing," to use the expressive lingo of the West, about something and acquired little or no knowledge thereon. This often happens nowadays. One of the writer's favorite subjects—for theoretic discussion—is work. This work is a great thing. The capitalists deify it—to their employees—and let lt severely alone themselves. The word "work" has a certain definite meaning. It ls by no means synonymous with "exercise." "muscular exertion" or "mental effort." When the Socialist reviles work he ls not attacking games or pastimes. Football is not work—except for professionals. When the capitalist preaches the doctrine of work to his slaves, he does not mean, take exercise, develop your muscles, swim, dance, row, climb mountains etc., not on your life! The work the Socialist damns, and the plute deifies, is hard labor in the process of production which results ln the production of Socialism at the present time and as there is a great deal of mystification as to whai Socialism is and means, it may interest the readers of The News Telegram to hear a little about the subject from one who is supposed, at least, to know something about lt, being an authorized exponent. Socialism may be, and is, variously defined. Devllle, a great French writer, defines lt as "The theoretical expression of the contemporaneous phase of the economic evolution of society." While this is correct, it ls rather too long a definition; there are too many big and unusual words used for the average reader, so I will try to give another and more understandable definition. Socialism is an explanation of the changes in society. While this is not complete, it ls, I believe quite understandable at flrst reading, and now, hoping to have enlisted the readers' attention, I will proceed to enlarge upon that definition by a short exposition of Socialism as a whole. When one hears the same person saying within a few minutes: "Eocialism is all nonsense," and "Socialism will never come," it indicates what a vague idea of Socialism such a one has, in the first remark dealing with Socialism as something already ln existence, though denouncing it as an absurdity, and then speaking of it as not yet come Into existence, and predicting that it never will; the confused state of such a person's mind is obvious. I may state right here that Socialism strictly speaking, has nothing to do with the future. Socialism, like other sciences, deals with what is, and the future never is. While Socialism may venture to predict in general what system of society will replace the present, no one worthy the name of Socialist, that is a more or less well-informed and earnest student of the science of Socialism, will presume to go Into details of the future state of society, yet. Socialism is a science and science is infinite in detail. used, loosely and popularly, to Indicate the future social order, in the words "nnder Socialism," it is not strictly corect to do so. Socialism is the means, not the end, Socialists are working not for Socialism, but by Socialism. To study Socialism is to study Bociety, and there Is a good reason for studying society. Every one of us is a part of, a unit In society. Whatever affects society affects us, and in order to conserve or assert and maintain our interests, we must understand the society of which we are a part. Socialism, then. Is a science dealing with the development of society, explaining its changes and enabling Its students to become conscious and intelligent instruments of natural laws economically expressed, for It must be distinctly" understood that though It Is not within tbe scope of this article to go very deeply into the matter, what is known as "social evolution" Is but a continuation and part of the natural evolutionary process which has, according to the evidence of science, always been In existence. But while deep students of Socialism find it necessary, eventually, to study other sciences, and it may be incidentally mentioned, in doing so in many cases also find it necessary to give up many beliefs and ideas once dear to them, Socialism In itself is a study of associated man, explaining why he first associated and why he changed his form of society from time to time. The name given to the basic principle of Socialism is "The materialist interpretation 'of history," which simply means that the real history of mankind is the history of how mankind got its living; that to rightly understand the changes in society one must study the ever changing tool and method of production; that as the tools of production Improved, bo society changed its forms, and as the instruments o. production are still developing, so society is changing right now and must continue to change till lt eventually takes on an entirely new form. Understood ln this way, history throes of starvation. Suppose It were possible to withdraw capital (Socialists know it is not) how does the idea of starvation strike you, the workers? Starvation in the midst of plenty. I know how it strikes me. 1 have an idea, that I shall be around some one's pantry. No, boys! if you want to know about what Socialism is, you must read about it. The instances tbat I have quoted, are from men, who, evidently, have not read one book on Socialism. They have received their "knowledge" from the capitalist class, through their minions, the press. They are not alone, however. Thousands of others are equally as ignorant. The master class are alive to the fact that it pays them to keep you, their slaves, in ignorance, and you, poor deluded people, think they are studying your Interests. If it were not pathetic, it would be comical. If they are studying your interests, why did a bunch of you strike in Winnipeg? Why did a bunch of mining slaves strike in Wales (and draw down on themselves military and police?) Why did a bunch of railway slaves strike in France, all within recent date? You know that directly you want a benefit the master class opposes you at every point. Study you, of course they study you. You have had an instance of their solicitude for you recently, in the mine disaster, West. In the mine in Lancashire, England you had another instance of their solicitude. Hundreds of poor slaves being smothered, leaving widows and orphans to the tender mercies of the world. And what for? To allow people to have coal? Not a bit of it. If there were no profits, the people could get their coal from the bunkers of hell, for all it concerned the master class. It's profits, profits, profits all the time our worthy masterB are after, and working class would soon be In the 'served with cold steel. I, personally. have never had to take that kind of physic, but I hiar or. good authority that it has a very quieting effect. Yoa must have the change, that is inevitable. With the wealth' getting Into fewer hands; with the Increased productiveness of machinery; with unemployment forever increasing; with the standard of living decreasing, among the workers, the time must come when you musi embrace Socialism. No more panics; no more mine disasters, through carelessness; no more humans thrown upon the scrap heap. Human life is too valuable to be sacrificed to the god Profit. It should be a good thing to live, instead of, as at present, nothing but poverty and want staring you in the face. Think about it. Read about it and see which gives you the greater advantage—Capitalism or Socialism. Yours in Reyolt W. LAURENCE THE 8HODDY AGE. ceases to be a bold narrative of wars intrigues and murders; the doings of this king, that baron, or tho other knight, to say nothing of tbe "ladye fayre," and one understands that such were and are but tbe bubbles on the surface of the broad, deep stream beneath—the useful workers. To conclude this brief, all too brief, article, Socialism is a study of this and past societies. Tbe object of Socialists is to hasten the next social order, tbe collective order of society, which they feel assured will replace the present system, and as Socialists aro invariably optimists, hope, and believe will come soon. What then? That's not our problem. We wlll leave that to those who have It to deal with. Our work and problem is now, and our hands are full, but as a matter of personal belief I have the fullest confidence that with the disappearance of the present system, with Its national and class strife, mankind will progress at a rate undreamt of now and eventually become "A race of peace-robed conquerors and kings, Achieving evermore diviner things.'' —News Telegram (Calgary). A member of the local the other night said: "This is an hypocritical age," and he proved this statement from his own observation, not from books. He said: "The Grecians built for beauty, the Romans for utility and. strength. In these days they build for profit; consequently we have 'jerry- building', fake, sham, weakness, no solidity, walls honey-combed with rottenness, hollow! hollow! hollow!" Tbe Grecian cut the marble like snow, ln Ibe days of individual production, ln the days of Adam Uede, the craftsman loved to linger over his handicraft, ln these days of socialized production and machine hands, work is mechanical and monotonous, Competition drives the capitalist, the capitalist drives the wage-slave. Profits must be made. The capitalist becomes u ferocious cannibal. The wage-slave commits suicide by degrees. Capitalist exploitation ends in wage-slave annihilation. The wage-slave Is no longer a man, be ls a commodity. He has sold his birthright fpr a mess of pottage. He grows by what he feeds upon. Peed me with food convenient for me—adulterated pottage. In these days of over production a pious wage-slave fixes his gaste upon the hills from whence cometh his help, and starves lu the midst of plenty. A wage-slave said to me the other day: I work fourteen hours a day, and three on Sunday and'' with a Bmile of satisfaction, "I get paid full time for Sunday." "Well," I said, "My friend, I'm afraid you're a very grejedy feller." He grinned with delight and poked me ln the ribs. "It's a bit of orlrlght, ain't It?" he bawled In my ear. Yes", I said, "It reminds me of what a yankee said." -What's that?" 'Dream delivers us to dream and there is no end to delusion." "Come on, blast yer," he smiled, chock that lumber out." Aad so at last we got down to realities, which was most refreshing. CLIFFORD BUTLER. THE WESTERN CLARION. VANCOUv Eh. BRlTlSh COLUMBIA SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1911 THE WESTERN CLARION Published every Saturday hy the Socialist Party of Canada, at the Offloe et the Western Clarion, Flack Block •Basement, 166 Hastings Street, Vancouver. B. C. MM OFFICE ADD8ES8, BOX 1688. amrVad trna ra 8UBSCBIPT.ION: gM Tn Tear, SO cent* for Six Months, tfl orata for Thraa Montha. Strictly In Advance. Bundles of & or more coplea, for a wted ot not leas tl.-un throe montha, at • rate of one cent per copy per issue. Advertising rates on application. If you receive this paper, it Is paid ln making remittance by cheque, exchange must be added. Address all eWMmunicatiens and make all money payable to TBB WISTIU OLAMJOW. max isss 617 Watch the label on your paper. It this number is on it your subscription expires the next issue. whole plot, bombs and all bas been manufactured by the powers that be in Japan for the speci&c purpose of committing a "judicial murder," a crime which our masters pretend to find so reprehensible. That In fact the charge of assassination may be laid at I the doors of tbe upholders of law and order. And why not? The Japanese are extolled the world over as apt pupils, and surely they have had lessons enough. To leave aside Russia, one can cite most modern examples ln "God's own country," the United States, and even that paragon "British Justice" has shown what can be done in India, and has moreover been injudicious enough to let lt be discovered and published broadcast ln good capitalist papers. But Japan will find, aB others are finding, that in repression ts no remedy, nor in aught else. The roots of the revolutionary movement are In the very fibers of capitalism. In Japan, as elsewhere, Capitalism is breeding its own grave-diggers. Where there is exploitation, is unrest, and without exploitation there can be no capital and no capitalism. The effects of oppression cannot be obliterated by repression, but only by abating the op- SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1*911 CLARION, 1910. Bound volumes of this paper for 1910 are now being prepared. All those de- tiring a copy should order at once. Price $2.50. ARRIVED The sentencing to death of Kotoku and his "fellow conspirators" brings Clearly Into light the fact that Japan has attained to the very pinnacle of modern civilization. Not so much from having condemned these revolutionists to death, even barbaric nations indulge ln that cheerful pastime, bnt ln the fact ot having revolutionists ot this type to condemn. As the capitalist system develops so within tt develops the spirit of revolt, and when this spirit has advanced so far as to appear sufficiently menacing to call tor harsh repressive measures, the omen is infallible of capitalism's maturity. Of the Revolutionary movement in Japan we know little but can infer enough. Some six years ago, Japanese Socialist papers, flrst one, then another, used to arrive intermittently through the malls between periods of suppression. Finally they ceased to appear altogether. The lid was on, and Socialism could be neither preached nor printed. These papers had informed us of a mass of seething discontent, of strikes, of riots, of mine disasters, of poverty and of an intense exploitation of which our masters' press, with all Its leased wires, appeared perfectly oblivious, and not at all In keeping with the sunny, cherry- blossomed Japan which they portrayed to us, but resembling, with local variations, any other civilized country one might name. Given these conditions, that lt should not have a Socialist movement would have been most astonishing! The aim and object of such a movement could, of course. In Japan, he ao other than here or anywhere, the breaking of the rule of capital. The method must necessarily have been different to coincide with the form assumed by the rule of capital in Japan. That form being nothing less than an autocracy in the hands of the "Elder Statesmen", though thinly veiled tor ■how purposes by a pretence of a parliamentary government adapted from the English, naturally, no option ls left a revolutionary movement but physical torce aB a means to achieving a political revolution. And, on. the other hand, tor the repression of this movement, physical force alone will serve. Hence Kotoku and his comrades must die. What other course is open to the Japanese Government? These are the enemies of the existing social order, a menace to this, the best of all possible societies, in the eyes of Its beneficiaries. The tide of revolution must be stemmed and only by making an example of these individuals can lt be hoped to strike terror to the hearts ot others similarly inclined. Of the merits of the case little can be known, the Japanese government discreetly allowing only Its own version of the story to be published, displaying in this respect very much more astuteness than the "white" governments from which lt has learnt ItB lessons. Its story will, of course, pass well enough ln bourgeois circles and to It, after all that is all that matters for it hns understanding sufficient to know that to the opinion of the workers little value need be attached and less notice taken of their protests. However, lt does, on the face of It, seem somewhat improbable, to say the least of it, that the intelligent Kotoku, the translator of the Marx into Japanese, should expect to achieve anything whatever by compassing the assassination of a puppet Emperor, or oven of the most powerful individuals fn the land, especially with a. population, In the vast majority, utterly unready for intelligent action. Which leaves r« -o alternative but that the presslon, which can by no means be abated. Pressed onward by forces over which it has no control, capital is marching to Its doom. It must have profits and more profits. To obtain profits lt must employ workers to create wealth. To realize the profits it must market this wealth. To market lt, It must create It more and more cheaply. It must exploit the workers more and more intensely. It must create greater and greater poverty, fiercer discontent, more dangerous unrest. It must repress the unrest it creates, and must continue to create and intensify the unrest it must suppress. Is the end not writ large? schemes mentioned in the article we are considering. These sops are manifestly promulgated for the purpose, of distracting the slaves' attention from i..e fact that lt ls possible for them to operate industry purely in their own interests, thus enjoying all the wealth their labor creates. Corporation readiness to submit to government control is only proof that centralized capital ls now powerful enough to proceed about Ub business legally and ln the open. They can now repudiate the doctrine that "might is right," because by their might they have established their right. By denouncing that principle they will try to delude the workers from ln turn overthrowing the right of capital with the might of numoers. Squirm as they will, however, the capitalists' days are numbered. Even as they devise plans to render their position more secure, the proletariat becomes more and more conscious of Its position in society. Every day makes plainer to the workingman that from his labor springs the wealth of society and that by owning industry that wealth would be his to enjoy. May that idea Boon generally prevail— to the discomfort of all who live by the toil of others. It TRU8T8 AND LABOR. Geo. W. Perkins, late of J. P. Morgan & Co., writes lengthily in the New York Times on "The coming relations between Capital and Labor." He lays particular stress upon the fact that the giant corporation Is a result of the application of power-driven machinery to wealth production, with the minute subdivision of labor necessary thereto, and Ib consequently here to stay, being a far more efficient method of managing and controlling industry than any which has preceded lt. The tremendous power Invested ln large combinations of capital should not, Mr. Perkins thinks, be abused by mere profit, seeking, but should be exerted In the Interests of the "whole people." On this point he remarks: 'It ls because the managers of corporations have ln many instances failed to appreciate that they are Indeed trustees, and Instead have often acted as they would had they been partners in a firm, that we are today confronted with the corporation problem as lt is generally viewed. That is why we flnd the corporation regarded In ill-favor in quarters where it should be regarded with the greatest approval. It ls gratifying to flnd In the history of the past few years a growing appreciation od the paft of corporation managers of their trusteeship. The giant corporation stands today for public cooperation and each of the elements of Which the corporation is made up owes its duty to each of the others. The duty of the corporation to its stockholders is no more sacred than its duty to its employes and to neither is its duty greater than to the public at large. "The inevitable conclusion from this view of the position which the corporations occupy is that they are rightfully subjected to Government supervision. It Is proper and In every way desirable that the State should see to lt that such corporations are managed as they should be and that the rights of all, of the public, of tbe shareholder, and of the employes are efficiently safeguarded. For my part I am strongly of the belief that the great corporations should be under Federal regulation, and that publicity should be the malnstem ln the system of Governmental supervision. Enforce rigid publicity and the evils of corporation management will disappear, for it known they cannot persist ln the face of public sentiment. "The great corporation stands for organization, and effective organization means Inevitably co-operation. Let the old motto of "Might is Right" be recast. Let us set up tn its place "Right Is Might" and let competition be replaced by co-operation as the moving force In business endeavor. Ruthless competition Is as much out of place today as ls ruthless struggle between capital and labor. It should not be struggle but co-operation between these two and as between rival business concerns emulation should serve the purpose that heretofore has been regarded as best served by com petition." It Is plain that the gentlemen con nected with "high finance" are .veil In touch with the trend of events. They fully realize that it is necessary for them to adopt some plan of conciliation toward their employees that wlll tend to subdue unrest among the latter, and induce them to remain faithful to the corporations. Profit-sharing and old age pensions are two of the ADVANCE OF CIVILIZATION It Is said that Almighty Capital ls about to breathe upon Vancouver the breath which causeth expansion. Whispers are abroad, also much tall and haughty type, that where now the stately stump and Imploring real- estate sign engage the gaze, many great factories with all the smoky insignia of industrial prominence, are soon to arise. The word "millions" recurs with dazzling frequency in the columns of local newspapers and already the Indigenous Imagination sees here a city pouring from myriad stacks carbonic tribute to the clouds, peopling the endless seas with her commerce—great among the greatest. Deducting much for the fond anticipations of the vendors of area, there is still some of this with which it is possible to agree. For even now the symptoms of advancing civilization are manifesting themselves. Here are to be seen those crowds of mournful creatures,, dismal accompaniment Of centralized population, who wander about the streets seeking for some one to buy them, praying only for a chance to work that they might know food and shelter. They are the unemployed—the problem of progress, but they do not care, they want to eat and be sheltered; on jobs their hopes are centered. Already the jails are inadequate to accommodate the numbers clamoring (and otherwise) for admittance. This is a sure sign of healthy growth. Civilized man ls known by his prisons. Here also bloom those charitable in- sc.tutions which thrive so lustily upon the attenuation of others. Altogether, Vancouver is assuredly prosperous and will grow. Measuring her greatness by her miseries, the most reliable method, she is in a fair way to rank with the mightiest of cities. VANCOUVER ECONOMIC CLASS (Capital continued.) While, therefore, with reference to use-value, the labor contained in a commodity counts only qualitatively with reference to value lt counts only quantitatively, and must flrst be reduced to human labor pure and simple. In the former case, it is a question of how and what, in the latter of how much? How long a time? Since the magnitude of the value of a commodity represents only the quantity of labor embodied ln It, It follows that all commodities, when taken ln certain proportions, must be equal ln value. If the productive power of all the different sorts of useful labor required for the production of a coat remains unchanged, the sum of the value of the coats produced Increases with their number. If one coat represents X days' labor, two represents 2X days' labor, and so on. But assume that the duration of the labor necessary for the production of a coat becomes doubled or halved. In the flrst case, one coat is worth as much as two coats were before; ln the second case, two coats are only worth as much as one was before, although ln both cases one coat renders the same service as before, and the useful labor embodied ln It remains of the same quality. But the quantity of labor spent on Its production has altered. An Increase in the quantity of use- values Is an Increase of material wealth. With two coats two men can be clothed, with one coat only one man. Nevertheless, an Increased quantity of material wealth may correspond to a simultaneous fall ln the magnitude of Its value. This antagonistic movement has its origin in the two-fold character of labor. Productive power has reference, of course, only to labor of some useful concrete form; the efficacy of any special productive activity during a given time being dependent on its productiveness. Useful labor becomes, therefore, a more or less abundant source of prod ucts, in proportion to the rise or fall of Its productiveness. On the other hand, no change in this productiveness affects the labcr represented by value. ! Since productive power ls an attribute of the concrete useful forms of labor, of course it can no longer have any bearing on that labor, so soon as we make abstraction from those concrete useful forms. However, then productive power may vary, the same labor, exercised during equal periods of time, always yields equal amounts of value. But lt will yield, during equal periods of time, different quantities of values in use; more, if the productive power rise, fewer, If it fall. The same change ln productive power, which increases the fruitfulness of labor, and, in consequence, the quantity of use-values produced by that labor, will diminish the total value of this increased quantity of use-values, provided such change shorten the total labor time necessary for their production; and vice versa. On the one hand all labor Is, speaking physiologically, an expenditure of human labor power, and in its character of identical abstract human labor, it creates and forms the values of commodities. On the other hand, all labor ls the expenditure of human labor power in a special form and with a definite aim, and in this, its character of concrete use labor it produces use-values. (Continued next week.) « • » Examination of excerpt from "Capital" Clarion, 21st Jan., 1911. When we examined the nature of a commodity we found lt to be a use- value, its utility being realized by its consumer. We saw also, that a commodity ls an exchange value, it exchanges with other commodities. Our examination has shown us, further, that the use-value, or utility of a commodity depends upon its natural qualities, and that exchange value is a quantity, the proportion ot which ls found in the exchange of commodities. Now, a commodity is a product of labor. Labor exercised with a definite aim, as the labor of a tailor or weaver, is useful labor, the results of which are the use-values, coat and linen. The use-values of a commodity is the relationship lt bears as an article of utility to its consumer. ' Exchange value ls, as we have seen, a quantity, a quantity of necessary labor embodied in commodities, the proportion of which ls found when they exchange for each other. Use- value drops out of sight ln the exchange of commodities, consequently, definite and particular kinds of labor drop out of sight. Thus it is that the value of a commodity represents simple abstract human labor. . Wealth production is a social process; from the complex organism, society, no one can separate himself. Today a commodity represents to us the sum of the experiences and activities of brain, nerve, and muscle throughout uncounted ages. Skilled labor Is simple labor Intensified or concentrated, so that a given quantity of skilled labor equates itself with a greater quantity of simple labor. Because of this, Marx intends throughout the book, to consider all labor as simple labor, so that we are saved the trouble of constantly reducing labor from its concentrated to its simple form. H_ Commodities are each the result of combinations of special kinds of labor, as cloth and yarn,—tailoring and weaving. But consider them as values and tbey are congelations of human activity, or labor simply. *M~~ It one commodity exchanges for twice as much as another, we assume that ln it Is contained twice as much labor. EWEN MACLEOD, Sec. Press Committee. Class meets each Sunday at 2237 Westminster Avenue, 3:30 p. m. Mathematics class, 2 p. m. Socialist Directory Every local of the Socialist Party of Canada should run a card under this head. |1.00 per month. Secretaries please note. DOMINION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Socialist Party of Canada. Meets every alternate Monday. D. G. McKenzie, Secretary, Box 1688, Vancouver, B. C. BEITISH COLUMBIA. PBOVINCIAL Executive Committee, Socialist Party of Canada, Meets every alternate Monday. D. G. McKenzie, Secretary, Box 1688 Vancouver, B. C. QUEER QUATRAINS "Life ls a tragedy, a tale of woe For us." U is Indeed, I know! I know I And bo, I guess, it will be Just as long As the boss class stage-manage this darn show. "Earth's joys are naught, the 'higher things' are best Naught matters lt we pass old Peter's test." Thus spake the slave with eyes upraised to heaven, Then dug his muck-stick In with added zest. We saw him stand, puff out bis chest and bawl: "I am the IT—on me things rest or fall." I asked my pard, "What alls that silly ass?" He said: "He has delusions—that ls all." But yesterday, in accents deep and grand He said: "This ls my own, my native land— A patriot I." Lo! on the street today, He "hit me up" for price of "coffee and."- HUM BOB ALBERTA PBOVINCIAL EXECUTIVE Committee, Socialist Party of Canada. Meets every alternate Monday in Labor Hall, Eighth Ave. East, opposite postofflce. Secretary will be pleased to answer any communications regarding: tile movement ln the province. F. Danby, Sec, Box 647 Calgary, Alta. LOCAL VANCOUVEB, B. O., BO. 45 Finnish. Meets every second and fourth Thursdays ln the month at 2237 •W.-hiininstcr Avn.ut\ Secretary, Wm. Mynttl. LOOAL VEBNON B. 0., BO. 38, 8. P. of O. Meets every Tuesday, 8 p. m. sharp, at L,. O. L. Hall, Tronson St. Chas. Clianey, Secretary. LOCAL VICTOBXA, BO. 3, .8. T. 0*f O. Headquarters and Reading Hoom, 623 Johnston St. Opposite Queens Hotel. Business meeting every Tuesday evening, 8 p.m. Propaganda meetings every Sunday at Grand Theatre. T. Gray. Secretary. MANITOBA PBOVINCIAL EXECUTIVE Committee: Notioe—This card ls Inserted for the purpose of getting "YOU" Interested ln the Socialist movement. SOCIALISTS are always members of the Party; so if you are desirous of becoming a member, or wish to get any Information, write the secretary, W. H. Stebblngs. Address, 316 Good street, Winnipeg. LOOAL PBBBXB, S. P. Of C. HOLDS educational meetings in the Miners' Union Hall, Victoria Ave., Fernie, every Sunday evening at 7:46. Business meeting first Sunday in each month, same place at 2:30 p. m. David Paton, Secy., Box 101. LOOAL GREENWOOD, B. 0., BO. 9, S. P. of C, meets every Sunday evening at Miners' Union Hall, Greenwood. Visiting comrades invited to call. C. G. Johnson, Secretary, LOCAL TMXB, B. C, WO. 31, B. P. Of O. —Meeta every third Saturday in month, at 7:30 p. m. E. Anderson, Secretary; W. B. Mclsaae. Treasurer. Unattaohed Comrades in the distiict are earnestly requested to get ln touch with Secretary, who will answer all enquiries. LOOAL OALOABT, ALTA., Bo. 4, S. T. ot C. Meetings every Sunday at 8 p.m. in the Labor Hall, Barber Block, Eighth Ave. E. (near pestofnee). Club and Reading Room. Labor Hah, T, Machln, Secretary. Box 647, A. Mao- donald, Organizer, Box 647. LOCAI EDMONTON, ALTA., BO. 1, 8. P. of C. Hearquarters 622 First St., Business and propaganda meetings every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. sharp. Our Reading Room ls open to the public free, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. dally. F. Blake, 649 Athabasca Ave., Secretary. Treasurer, T. Bissett, 323 Fourth St., Organizer. LOCAL LBTBBBIDOB,, ALTA., BO. 13, i. P. of C.—Meets 1st and 3rd Sunday in the month, at 4 p.m. ln Miners' Hall. Secretary, Chas. Peacock, Box 1983. looal ladysmith: bo. 10, a. p. oi C. Business meetings every Saturday 7 p.m.' ln headquarters on First Ave J. H. Burrough, Box 31, Ladysmith, B. c. LOOAL MICHEL, B. O, MO. IS, B. P. OP C, meets every Sunday ln Graham's Hail at 10:30 a. m, , Spcialist speakers are invited to call. V. Frodsham, Secretary. ■ LOCAL KABA, B. O, BO. 34, B. T. ot tt, Meets flrst Sunday ih every month ln Socialist Hail, Mara* 2:30 p.m. Cyril Roscman, Recording Secretary. LOOAL MOTXB, B. tt, BO. 30 MINTS second Sunday 7:30 p.m. ln McGregor Hall (Miners'' HaU). Thoa. Roberta, Secretary. LOOAL NANAIMO, BO. 8, S. T. Ot O. meets every alternate Sunday evening ln Foresters Hall. Business meeting at 7:00 o'clock sharp. Propaganda meeting commences at 8:00 o'clock, A. Jordan, Secy. Sox 410. LOCAL NELSON, 8. P. of tt, MEETS every Friday evening at 8 p. m., In Miners' Hall, Nelson. B. C. I. A. Austin, Secy. LOOAL PBINCB BUPBBT, B. tt, Bo. 53, S. P. of C.—Meets every Sunday ln hall In Empress Theater Block at 2:00 p. m. L. H. Gorham, Secretary. LOOAL BEVBLSTOXZ, B. tt, BO. 7, S. P. of C Business meetings at Socialist headquarters fourth Thursdays of each month. T. S. Cassidy, Organizer; B. F. Gayman, Secretary. LOCAL BOB8LABB, BO. SS, 8. P. Of tt, meets ln Miners' Hall every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. E. Campbell, Secy., P. O Box 674. Rossland Finnish Branch meets ln Flnlanders' Hall, Sundays at 7:30 p.m. A. Sebble, Secy., P. O. Box 54 Rossland. LOOAL VANCOWTBB, B. O, BO. 1.— Canada. Business meetings every Tuesday evening at headquarters, 2237 Westminster Ave. . F. Perry, Secretary, Box 1688. LOOAL BBOXBA BO. 8, SASKATCKB- WAN.—Meets every Sunday, 3 p.m.. Trades Hall, Scarth St. Secretary, Alex. Watchman, General Delivery. Socialist speakers will be greatly appreciated. Ben Simmons, P. O. Box 1046. LOOAL WINNIPEO, MAN., BO. 1, 8. V. of C. Headquarters, 628 1-2 Main Street, Room No. 2, next Dreamland Theatre. Business meeting every alternate Monday evening at 8 p.m.; propaganda meeting every Wednesday at 8 p.m.: economic class every Sunday afternoon, 3 p.m. Organizer, Hugh Laldlow, Room 2, 628 1-2 Main Street Secretary, J. W. Hillings, 270 Young Street. LOOAL BO. 94, TOBOBTO. OBT Headquarters, 10 and 12 Alice St. (near Yonge). Business meetings every 2nd and 4th Wednesday; propaganda meetings every Sunday Bt J and 8 p. m. By arrangement with Toronto University popular scientlflc lectures every Monday at 8 p.m. during the winter. Address all communications to Secretary, No. 10 and 11 Alice St. LOCAL BBABTPOBD, Bo. 18, 8. T. ot O. Meets at headquarters, 13 George St., every Thursday and Sunday nights. Business and Speakers' Class on Thursdays; Economic Class' on Sundays. Wage workers Invited. A. W. Baker, Secretary, 9 George St. W. Davenport, Organizer, 141 Nelson St. LOOAL OfTAVA, BO. 8, 8. P. of tt Business meeting 1st Sunday In month, and propaganda meetings following Sundays at 8 p.m. ln Robert- Allan hall, 78 Rldeau St. John Lyons, Secretary. 43 Centre St. MARITIME PBOVINCIAL EXECUTIVE Committee, Socialist Party of Canada, meets every second and fourth Sunday in the Cape Breton offlce of the Party, Commercial Street, Glace Bay, N. S. Dan Cochrane, Secretary, Box 491, Glace Bay, N. S. LOOAL OLACE BAT BO. 1, OP B. 8— Business and Propaganda meeting every Thursday at 8 p.m. ln Maodon- ald's hall, Union Street. All are welcome. Alfred Nash, Corresponding Secretary, Glace Bay; Wm. Sutherland, Organizer, New Aberdeen; H. G. Ross, Financial Secretary, office ln D. N. Brodie Printing Co. building, Union Street. To Canadian Socialists On account of Increased postal rates we are obliged to make ths subscription price of the International Socialist Review ln Canada 11.20 a year Instead of 11.00. We can, however, make the following special offers: For $3.00 we will mall three copies of the Review to one Canadian address for one year. For 70 cents we will moll tea copies of any one Issue. For 13.00 we will mall the Review one year and the Chicago Dally Socialist for one year. CBABLEB X. XBBB ft COMPANY 184 West Klnzie St., Chicago. *fflW WBSTMINSTEB LAND OXSTXICT. District of New Westminster. TAKE notice that David Stewart Ryan of Vancouver, occupation miner, Intends to apply for permission to lease the following described land:— Commencing at a post planted near an unnamed Island about two miles from the south end of Texada island on the east side, thence west 40 chains, thence south 60 chains, thence east 40 chains more or less to the foreshore, thence ln a northwesterly direction to point of commencement, containing 240 acres, more or less. DAVID STEWART RYAN. Dated November 2nd, 1910. i)!£Loit THE CAFETERIA 305 Cambie Street The best of everything properly cooked. Chas. Melcahey, Prop. 654 F. PERRY TAILOR 834 PENDER GREAT BOOKS BY GREAT MEN Riddle of the Universe, by Haeckel 25c The Rights of Man, Paine... ISc The Story of Creation, Clodd 21c Lifeof Jesus, Ronan 25c Age of Reason, Paine ISc Merrie England He Ingersoll's Lectures, 1st, 2nd and 3rd series each ISc Postage prepaid on books The People's Book Store 152 Cordova St. W. DENTIST W. J. CURRY Room 501 Dominion Trust Bldg. Price List of Literature Issued by the Dominion Executive Committee "Slave of The Farm," or "Proletarian in Politics," to locals subscribing to the publishing fund, $1.00 per 100, to others 26c per doz. "Socialism and Unionism" to be published. "Value, Price and Profit," to subribers to publishing fund $2 per 100, to others 30c per doz. ' 'Socialism, Revolution and Internationalism" to subscribers to publishing fund $6 per 100, to others 75c per do z •®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®m®®®®m USI in B.C.' Cl<*^ViS" SATURDAY, JANUARY 28,1911 THE WESTERN CLARION. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. Tfcre* I THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF CANADA i Tb- Page Is Devoted to Reports of Executive Committees, Locals and General Party Matters—Address All Communications to D. G. McKenzie, Sec, Box 1688, Vancouver, B. C. HALF YEARLY AUDIT Dominion Executive balance on hand July 1 '10..$ 765.95 Btecelpts tor half year ending January 3, '11 &17.05 Total $1683.00 Expenditures {1151.60 Balance on hand $531.40 B. C. Provincial Executive on hand July 1, '10 $ 685.90 leceipts" for halt year ending ] January 3, '11 420.65 NEL80N, B. C. i Total xpendttures $1106.55 .$ 612.25 Comrade: — Please flnd enclosed $3.00 for card. Also quarterly report. Nelson local never was so disinterested as they seem to be at the present time. Why, I don't know, the necessity for activity was never greater, but the working plug sure passeth all understanding. Many are called but verily there be but tew enter the Socialist hall. John Harrington spoke to the slaves at the last Friday evening meeting. He gave a good address. We are looking forward to Comrade Gribble's trip and hoping for good results. Yours in revolt, I. A. AUSTIN, Sec'y. [Balance on hand $ 494.30 Audited and found correct. P. W. PARSONS W. H. TWYNAM Auditors WANTED LEAFLET8. BRANDON MAN Comrade Editor:— At a business meeting of Brandon Local, held January 9, 1911, It was decided to suspend Comrade Dean. The authority and reason for the action will be found in the constitution, article 2, section 8. When a member Ignores the constitution, he ceases to function as a member. Brandon Local regards with con- Jear Comrade: I Do you not think that it is time that Ie Party published a series of propa- Lnda leaflets? There are many men Fat can only be reached by the print-|(empti people whQ are ^.^ ^ nQr word. If a regular distribution of | cold ™m^tmmtmmn^,Mnmmni. I Stable leaflets were made, many men uld be reached that would not be lached any other way. Local Brandon is mapping out a sys- m of regular leaflet distribution for rery Sunday morning. We shall want •om 500 to 1,000 leaflets every week, must, of course, be different very week, as we intend to cover the [strict regularly every Sunday. If a erles of leaflets ls not published by _he' party, we, not having the price to |ay for printing our own, will have to i purchase American or English leaflets. This we do not want to do, as hey advertise their own party or their pwn papers and we want to advertise he S. P. of C. and the Western Clar- bn. Such leaflets could be printed very I'heaply it in sufficient quantities. They should have the address of West- trn Clarion and the Dominion Secre- ary. They should also have a blank pace for any local information. Our tarty, if it ls to hold its own, must >e more Aggressive. We must make it lossible for locals to do propaganda ill the time and to do it as cheap as ts possible. A good article for a leaf- et would be "Jones' Boy" ln the Clar- on a few weeks ago. Yours in the scrap, ED. FULCHER. • • • !(In connection with the foregoing iit might not be out of place to remark that, while there can be no question as to .the desirability of publishing pamphlets, leaflets and eventually books of our own, yet the funds for that pur- ose do not seem to be readily forthcoming. Only a small number of Locals have responded to the Executive Committee's circular on the question, which we take the occasion to reprint herewith.—Ed Clarion.) Comrades: I The necessity for a publishing department to the Socialist Party of Canada has for long been apparent; lack of funds has hitherto hampered our efforts in this as ln other directions. However, a plan whereby this object may be attained has been submitted to the Dominion Executive Committee, and the Committee, approving lt has decided to obtain the opinion of the locals before moving in the matter. It ls proposed to publish; as a com- [mencement, a series of five cent pam- fphlets Betting forth, as simply and I clearly as possible, the conditions of tbe various sections of the working class under capitalism, the manner and reason of the exploitation, and the remedy. These can, by first printing them in the Clarion, be published at a price that will make it possible i to sell them, postpaid, for $1.00 per 1100. Locals wishing to obtain them at this price can do so by contributing $10.00 to the Publishing Fund. It a sufficient number ot Locals contributed $10.00 each for this purpose the publication of the pamphlets could be proceeded with. Once established upon a sound basis, the field of usefulness of this fund could be extended to Include the publication of leaflets for distribution, and perhaps of more ev- pensive literature. It is further proposed, in order that the always slender resources ot the Locals may not be unduly strained, that, at any time after six months, any Local may withdraw its contribution, in cash. Locals are therefore requested to kindly inform the Executive, as Boon as possible, whether they approve of this project and whether they are prepared to contribute to the Fund. If a sufficient number of Locals signify their Intention of contributing, the contributions will be called in and publication commenced. Party discipline must, an'1 will be maintained. CLIFFORD BUTLER Corresponding Secretary W. F. M. Dear Comrades. Enclosed please find cheque for the sum of $84.00 for subs to Clarion from Dist. No. 6. I contracted a cold while in attendance at the Diet. Convention in Nelson and have not been able to get down to the offlce since my return here. Will send you the names and addresses of the Local Secretaries and the number of subs allotted to each Local as soon as the Doctor wlll allow me to go down town. Yours ln Revolt, A. SHILLAND. NOTICE. All members of Local Vancouver No. 1 should make particular arrangements to attend the business meeting of Tuesday, January 81st, to discuss a special order of business viz., organization ot Vancouver District. A LADY'8 VIEW Denr Comrade Mc:— There hay been so much ln the Clarion of late about religion one would almost think that the Socialist party had turned into a camp meeting, Instead of being a political party as it should be. If men and women are to be free, they should be free :o practise any religion they see flt. Furthermore, l consider that the clergy renderB a service and If the people want that service, being willing to pay for it, they should have the right to get it. As there ls nothing ln tbe Socialist platform or program to prevent anyone from being religious if they want to, I , for one, think that those who have written on the subject lately are only misrepresenting the aim and object of the Socialist party. In Karl Marx' writings I have never seen where he referred to religion, and in all his writings and speeches, Debs has never spoken about religion. I would advise those writers to the Clarion to go and do likewise.- Mrs. W. D. point in Herbert Spencer's "Principles of Psychology," there was Tommy Legge, with an open "Riddle of the Universe" before him, explaining to a stranger what was meant by materialist Monism; in yet another corner, Comrade France was explaining to a believer in a medieval religion that it was the "inventions and not the intentions of man that decided his mode of life and of course his religion too." I strolled from one group to another and finally seated myself near to Tommy. Just at that moment the stranger asked why we were not allowed to talk on the street. The conversation turned to this subject, and while it was in progress, the door opened and in walked an "immediate demander." These freaks are scarce in Brandon but what few there are, feeling somewhat lonely, occasionally stroll up to our headquarters. This one seated himself near us, just as Tommy was saying that the authorities had the power and they would not let us talk so there you are. Friend "immediate demander" butted in with "well what are you going to do, wait for the Revolution?" "No," retorted Tommy with a sarcastic curl of his lip, "we will pasB a resolution about it.". Friend "immediate demander" suddenly took an interest ln the game of bridge. The stranger then said: "Though not a Socialist I guess you can class me as a sympathizer." "Cut it out," said Tommy, "we don't want any sympathizers, we are doing this tor ourselves not for your sake, nor for Christ's sake, just for our own sakes, so what is there to sympathize about?" As time went on conversation became more general and at last Comrade Bert Bastable (the old puritan) said "It's twelve o'clock boys one more year of capitalism gone, another milestone nearer the social revolution." The boys couldn't resist a hearty shout, the noise attracted some passers by, who shouted up to the window "Happy New Year mates!" Back we shouted ln chorus "same to you, and lots of work! 1" When the laughter had subsided someone said, "Come on you quartette lets have the World for the Workers." Immediately the crowd was ser- lou while we heard. You tollers of the world, arise! To bravely speed the day; When all your forces organize King Capital to slay, And from the master class you'll wrest The powers of the State, Which wielded in your interest. Your class emancipate. The "World for the Workers" ls eas- lly the favorite with the boys though they like to yell out the Red Flag at fimes. Some one suggested the Red Flag, we yelled It out with sufficient energy to raise the dead, then grabbed our wraps, raced pell mell down the stairs, and, with enthusiasm for Socialism that will be hard to keep in check, we wended our way homeward filled with the joy that only a rebel knows. PERICLES FILLMORE'S TURN The other day No. 612 came to hand and "Barltz' Defence" caught my eye. As be has seen flt to accuse me of untruthfulness, and also by Implication of being responsible for the alleged confusion ln the maritime movement, I deem lt only fair that I should be allowed to reply. Lacking the mod- They are part of the stock in trade of the very metaphysicians whom Barltz claims to hold ln such disdain. They belong to the vocabulary of those who prate learnedly of "free will" and tell us that "God gave us free wlll but knows ln advance how we are going to use that will," etc. Can it be possible that the learned, scientific reasoner of the S. P. G. B. has fallen so low that he is compelled to make use of such terms. Such phrases are not contained in the vocabulary of the scientific reasoner. But let us get on—In a letter written I believe ln October last, Baritz informs me that he ls or was at that time a member of the S. P. of C. Now as a member of the S. P. of G. B. he says "Any individual who supported any kind of fake party ls Immediately expelled." Yet he comes to Canada and applies for membership in and even takes the platform as an official organizer of a party which has to "condone all political dodgers like" etc. Presumably such a party is a "take party" and Com. Barltz has sadly erred in departing from the principles of tbe immaculate S. P. G. B. by joining such an aggregation of "political dodgers" and fakers. Consistency, thou art assuredly a Jewel! The pamphlet Baritz quotes so lengthily says—"there Is therefore no need for a specifically antl-religlous test." That very test is what Barltz has been clamoring for ever since he struck Canadian sod. From his own reports sent the D. E. C. and published in several issues of the Clarion, it ls readily seen that he almost entirely lost sight of capitalism ln his furious and thoroughly unscientific onslaught upon religion. In other words he attacked the effect and lost sight of the cause. However, it is scarcely seemly that the Clarion should be filled always with bickerings. I will therefore desist after I have said a few words more—this in defense of the Maritime Executive Committee. For the information of Com. Baritz I will say that there are at least two members of the M. E. C. who are far deeper students of Socialism and of the Marxian analysis of Capitalist Production than he (Barltz). We have not yet seen any Socialists as the result of the labors of Barltz. But the Comrades of the M. E. C. can point to scores of elsss conscious workers as a result of their patient work among the workers of Cape Breton. These are the things that count. Results, Results! not big noise. We need men who are satisfied to do their little all whether they get their names In the papers or not. Those are the fellows who are doing and wlll do things for the movement. Anybody Can make a bell of a noise upon occasion and its only necessary to break a 6x8 pane of glass or Imbibe too freely of the cup that cheers to get your name in the papers. But these big noises that are made from time to time by would-be "leaders" of the dear peepul" don't hasten the coming of economic freedom for the toilers. Barltz can make a big noise apparently but let him show us where he has made a "real red" and we'll think more of him than we do since he has so far done nothing but make a bid for notoriety. FILLMORE. reading the letter Gribble sent here to be read at Local Toronto's meeting, and now on its way to the Clarion -for publication, they will see what exists in "revolutionary" Edmonton. In that domicile of O'Brien just now, the Comrades are on the average a little better than were the reformers who were expelled from Toronto Local. What a merry bunch then! The condition ot that local, necessarily proteges of O'Brien, ls certainly too funny to contemplate. I am certain from what I know that on the main line going from here to Vancouver a good percentage of the members of the P. ot C. are simply sentimentalists. Faulkner says if we have to wait until we attained the S. P. G. B. standard before admitting members, we would bave to wait a considerable length of time. Agreed! Is it not better to have a solid membership who know exactly what they want and bow to get it, rather than the elements who make up the S. P. of C. today. A clear Socialist party connot exist without at the same time the members are clear. Faulkner himself is misty when he gets on the Asiatic question. He says if the Asiatics were excluded it would lighten the burden today and stop tbe standard of living going lower. How is the exclusion of Asiatics going to stop that? In every civilized country the standard of living is getting lower and yet there is no Asiatic "problem" ln them. Suppose there was? It ts tbe capitalist class who bring them ln and try to exploit them. The lowering of the standard of living is directly due to the Increase in the cost of living which is caused by the lessening of the purchasing capacity of the workers' wages, which is reckoned ln money, the standard being gold. This latter commodity is, however. Just as subject to the laws' of production as other commodities. Any decrease in its cost of production, makes it worth less. As, however, commodities exchange on the ground of the average and social necessary labor to produce them, and gold lr. its production costs less, lt will therefore get In return less of those commodities where the labor cost has not un dergone change. where commodities have not decreased in the cost ot production to the same extent as gold more ot the latter Is required to buy them. As wages cannot purchase those commodities it means the lowering of the standard of living. Asiatics or no Asiatics, the comfort of the working class wlll go worse whether we have Pettipiece or the B. C. M, against them The charge of the nomination ot candidates being permitted by organisations outside the Socialist party is proven by an examination of issue No. 467 of the Clarion and issue 518 where O'Brien was nominated by the miners. So the heading says. It ls not the endorsing of the candidates which ls complained of, it is the fact that these outside organizations have delegates present, and seated with votes to nominate. It has shown that the miners dominate the locals ln many parts, what ln the name of goodness have members and delegates of the U. M. W., W. F. ot M„ I. W. W. or I. A. M. got to do with business of a Socialist party? As to the commodity struggle of O'Brien it is so much twaddle. A review of the proceedings at Victoria will show "reforms are ot doubtful value." The notion that the better tbe standard of living the more intelligent the workers become and "readier to take an Interest in their condition as slaves in society" ls another fallacy. It such ls the case why are not all tbe flunkeys of the capitalist class and retainers of the aristocrats, Socialists Also how is lt that the universities and colleges haven't produced revolutionaries? Faulkner Ib as faulty as Kautsky, who took up the opposite position of misery producing revolutionaries The only method to produce Socialists is by educating the working class to their position. Faulkner further is opposed to R. P. Pettipiece heading deputations In a political capacity saying: "No Socialist should go begging for anything to a capitalist minister." If so, why tben support reform measures in Parliament? As for myself, I am prepared to go on fighting until I flnd it impossible to see a straight party in the S. P. ot C. after that I will quit and oppose all other political parties. That is my position. MOSES BARITZ (It appears to us that this will be about enough of the Toronto affair. Numbers of correspondents seem in a hurry to take a fall out of Local Toronto and the members of Local Toronto want to answer every one ln detail and ad Infinitum, so far, not one local has expressed Itself ln agreement with Local Toronto, and we know of but one Local at all likely to do so. This will, of course,- denote the utter Idiocy of the party to Local P's shrieking j Toronto, but to us lt points the advisability ot calling a halt and reverting The utter cant an* hypocrisy of J to the Clarion's proper function as an exponent of Socialism.—Editor Clarion.) THE LA8T WORD Dear Comrade Editor:— What was undoubtedly your function has been undertaken by Comrade esty for which Comrade Baritz is so Faulkner. He, not being quite so astute A LOCAL AT PLAY It was the Saturday before New Year's day, and the place, headquarters Brandon Local. When I strolled In, the hall presented a little more lively scene than was usual. In one corner four hlgh-browed, Intellectual looking Comrades were playing that scientific "society" game, bridge. In an opposite corner a jolly four were playing pedro and the bidding was fast and furious. Various groups were gathered together in different parts of the hall; here was a bunch listening to Butler explaining a knotty OVER 68 YEARS' EXPERIENCE Trade MUnita Designs .... CopvmoHTS Ac. Anyone sending R nliet rti mid description may qntoklr aeoerMiln onr opinion free whether en Intention le probably -inlentablo. Coronnintfin. thine atrial lreoiilldoiiltiil. HANDBOOK on Patenta ■out free. Oldeet eseney foraeourutsprntentt. Patents taken turoueli Munn A Co. receive special notice, without obnrire. In the Sckuntic America... A handsomely lllnttratnd weekly. Lenreft otr- atilaMon of any ai-lentiSo Journal. Term* tor Canada, lil.1l a year, poaUtfu nn-natd. Sold by ,1 WBreadwan Justly famous I may say that I reply for my own sake, not in behalf of the Maritime Executive which ls quite capable of defending Itself. Somebody has Bald that the boundary between the sublime and the ridiculous is so flimsy that 'tis hard to distinguish one from the other. The saying loses none of Its truth and force- fulness when we consider the work and actions of this same Baritz since he landed ln Canada. The day he landed he met a Comrade who even though he be not orthodox has done good work ln tbe maritime and la a slave ln thorough revolt, even though he be somewhat erratic. Barltz had never met this Comrade before but he nevertheless hailed him ln a half-Insolent, half-condescending manner—"well, I suppose you are one of these half way Socialists!" This ls but one of the many times that he has tried to patronize the S. P. of C. and its membership. I am one that will stand for no patronizing from any person be he Socialist or otherwise. "Taere is no God but Allah," consequently there ls no authority upon tbe Socialist philosophy and movement but the S. P. of G. B. and Moses Barltz its great mogul. In fact, the S. P. of G. B. has even Marx licked to a frazzle. However Mc. has ln bis usual philosophic style dealt with the S. P. of G. B. and the claims of Local 24, Toronto and I cannot hope to add anything to that which he has said. I merely wish to point out some of the many things that go to show that Barltz, while claiming to be thoroughly scientific, etc., is sadly lacking In thoBe things of which he claims to know so much. First note that phrase—"More to be pitied than blamed" or "Fillmore Is not so much to blame." "Pity," "Blame!"—Surely they are familiar terms. And where do we hear thera as yourself, has ventured where "angels fear to tread." "The Barltz bomb," you choose to call lt, containing very destructible ingredients has been sufficient to waken up the sleepy bones and baggage in the ranks of the S. P. of C. today. I am beginning to feel that our manifesto will cause some of the wiseacres to either drop out or hew to the line. To deal now with Faulkner. He says he agrees with your twist on religion. Let me state that if he bas read my letter in Issue 612 he would have seen the utter absurdity he harbors. I want to say that Socialism cannot be explained without one understands the materialistic conception of history and that proves the futility of the double barreled belief in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and other nonsense. To point out that on cannot be scientific and have notions of Virgin births, salvation by baptism or transubstantiating or any other of the central doctrines of the numerous mental diseases, ls the only method a Socialist can adopt. I challenge the Editor to make any assertion worthy of a Socialist to show that man can be consistent and support any kind of "Divine" power, or belief ln the "supernatural" and yet remain scientific. As to making of locals and the state of affairs ln the Dominion, all I can say Is that I have visited locals that hadn't the flrst notion of what Socialism was and in most cases those locals were formed by Gribble. I think Comrade Wayman wlll admit that Montreal ls not flt for a charter even ln the milk and water S. P. of C. Then Ottawa, Steelton, St. John are certainly not up to the mark hy a long way. In fact wherever Gribble hns been East, there are trails of reform left behind. If the membership of the S. P. of C. have the opportunity of men, who say "Workers of the Woi Id unite, except Asiatics," must be obvious to any clear headed Socialist. That is Just what is uttered by our so- called Socialists in Vancouver. The back numbers of the Clarion show sufficient evidence of hew freaks have come Into Canada. What about the Chicago, New York speakers brought Into Toronto? What about the speakers from Seattle to Van-, couver and permission granted to two B. C. Locals? What about that skate, Rev." Stltt Wilson, and Ben Wilson? Ontario has been the special dumping ground for these Free Lances. Walter Thomas Mills has been permitted to do so. Why this is easy proven isn't it? Good things do come out of Kerrs If Faulkner and Editor of the Clarion would read some of it, it would be much better, perhaps they'd get rid of that religious bug. Cotton's Weekly is nothing else but a reform rag. The Editor of It hasn't sufficient ability to run a tripe shop, much less a "Socialist" paper, lt may be said of him as Brlnsley Sheridan said of a certain M. P. about 1780: "Much of what my friend says Is original; much is good; but what Is good is not original, and what is original is not good." That fits Cotton to u T. He Is merely looking for a place, an office seeker. His methods are unscrupulous. He knowB no more about Socialism than a torn cat knows of charity That he should have been tolerated seems an enigma to me. I warnad both Gribble and Fillmore 18 months before about that Individual Cotton. He seems as bad as Gribble ln one respect advocating physical force or else crying for votes. The Maritime Provinces can be of little use when they have such an Executive. I believe that what was meant by unorganized locals, were those locals where there existed no Provincial Executive Committee. The Toronto local has members wbo subscribe for the Clarion and as a local think the present policy enunciated in it is antagonistic to the Intellectual welfare of the working class. Besides the Editor has not displayed that Impartiality necessary to a Socialist official. In regard to Asiatic exclusion, if every Oriental here were to fade into the Eastern horizon, the Strangulation Army, slave importers extraordinary would soon bring in enough white brethren to make the Chinese standard of living look rich and gouty to the anglo-saxon unfortunate. The only way to settle the matter ls to blow the dust of superstition from all slave minds with the breath of economic knowledge. The following are doing lt. When will you start? W. F. M 84 F. Machin, Calgary 16 C. M. O'Brien 7 Desmond 4 L. R. Mclnnls, Greenwood, B. C. .. 3 A. Hessman, Windsor, Ont 3 M. Stafford, South Wellington ,B. C. 2 W. D. Brantford, Ont 2 D. Galloway, Vancouver 2 Singles D. Watson, Prince Rupert, B. C; John Ford, Vernon, B. O; Thor Hansen, Hastings, Coulee Alta; H. Elmer, Lincoln, 111.; T. M. Brown, White Bluffs, Wash.; Ernest Wiltshire, Vernon, B. C; W. Watts, Winnipeg, Man; M. W. Stechishln, Garland, Man; W. Mackay, Onoway, Alta; W. McQuold, Edmonton, Alta; Andrew Leit, Nanalmo, B. C; Bert Bell, Fort William, Ont.; A. Stewart, Moosejaw, Sask.; F Llebscher, Sllverton, B. C.i F. Gessler, Phoenix, B. 0.1 Mrs. W. Davidson, New Denver, B. C.i Andrew Manson, Nelson, B. C; J. H. B„ Victoria, B. C; J. Hough, Nanaimo, B. C; F. Reynolds, Beaver Point, B. C; T. H. Dunne, Arrowhead, B. C.i G. F. Jamleson, A. Kreekls; A. C. Webb, Vancouver. Bundles, etc. Thos. Gllmore, Kemah Sask $2.60 Local Greenwood, B. C 1.00 Local Grand Forks 4.00 ATEINTS w"e itallcf- tne mian-iT-*.-. ,-- buUU.„ , Rnffiaerru an4 -alk-era wha realise Ihe advisabil- ity of ha viae their Patent ImaineM Iraniucted by l'.x-vit.**. Preliminary advice free. Char-^ea mocintu-. Onr Inv-mtar'a Aavlaer sent ■upor* r*** mtpst. Mr Hon tk. Marion, New York Life Bld| •doutifal I nd Wiish.n-iton. U.C, U.S.A- dg. Propaganda Meeting Empress Theatre Sunday, Jan. 29 W. W. LEFEAUX Be-V-JT THE JVESTEflN CLARION. VANCOUVER. BRFHSH COLUMBIA. THE SCIENCE OF SOCIALISM We have in our analysis discovered the source and standard of the value of commodities. We must now consider commodities In the process of exchange. In modern society, when we want to satisfy any individual need, we do not exchange commodities directly. Thee two commodities functioning in an active exchange may not be on the same continent; their owners may never have seen them. There ls a uiversal exchange medium known as money which acts as the agent of exchange. This money has at different times appeared in different forms, but to-day gold and silver assume that function. Gold, then, being the recognized universal commodity for which all other commodities can be most readily exchanged, is the measure of value. The standard of this measurement is the duration of simple average labor time 1. e„ socially necessary labor. As gold measures all values exchanged It necessarily follows that equivalents must be exchanged. Two pennyweights of gold, a bum straw hat, and a very bum pair of shoes, will exchange in the open market for something like two dollars. The two pennyweights of gold requires six hours of social labor time to extract it from the earth. The bum straw hat is placed alongside the gold In a similar length of time; and the very bum pair of shoes are ready to protect tne feet of a wage plug in exactly half a dozen hours. Six hours social labor time is the value of each of these commodities. We have observed, however, that in modern society commodities may exchange through the medium of a common commodity, which, owing to certain physical properties inherent in it, lends itself readily to acting as a medium of exchange. AH commodities in the process of exchange, therefore, flrst reflect their values ln this common measure of value. This measure of value is called the money form. To expand our agument. A, possessing the straw hat, is approached by B, possessing the two pennyweight of gold. The straw hat has attached to it a mysterious symbol engraved upon a card and is conspicuously displayed in a show case. The symbol reads: "Two dollars." B looks at the hat suspiciously and mentally calculates that such a bum article never cost two dollars to produce, but he says not a word, hands over his poke, which just tips the scale at two pennyweight troy, and takes the hat. B handed over the two pennyweight of gold for a commodity, the hat. This is called bartering commodity for commodity. A, however, finding two pennyweight of gold dust a great inconvenience, takes it over to the mint where he receives in exchange two crisp dollar bills. On nis way home he sees a pair of shoes in C's store marked with the self same marking tbat his hat had displayed and remembers that he needs a pair of shoes. He enters, and hands over bis crisp dollar bills in exchange for tbe shoes. The boots look good to him, though C is rather grumpy over the transaction, in fact Intimates that he has lost on the deal, swears that the snoe business is going to the dogs, and predicts ruin if be continues to sell at that price. Here* we have the price form. Now, if A, B and C had exchanged with each other two pennyweights of gold, none of them would have cause to grumble, each would know that he had exchanged equal quantities. But in our example, B. is dissatisfied with his purchase but has to put up with it because he needs the hat and cannot get one elsewhere for less; C is dissatisfied with his sale but has no resource except to sell because he knows A can get a pair of bum shoes at two dollars across the street. This brings us to the law of supply and demand—If a commodity exists in quantities exceeding the demand, its price falls and vice versa. However, when the price falls below value, the supply will diminish because it will not pay to produce. Therefore, while price may rise above, or fall below value, the rise and fall compensate each other over periods of time, and price constantly tends to hover around value. Price is, therefore ,the expression In gold of a commodity's value. A certain definite weight of gold is given a certain name, 1 e., an ounce troy of gold is called twenty dollars (it is actually a fraction more). A pennyweight of gold, then, must be called a dollar, and no matter how the value of gold may rise and fall a dollar will always stand in the same proportion to twenty dollars, it will always be the twentieth part. Gold Is, therefore, the standard of price. It Is now no longer necessary to have the value of a commodity expressed in labor time, or even in the weight of gold, but in terms given to certain fractions of weight ln gold, as one dollar or one shilling. We have seen six hours social labor time transformed Into two pennyweight of gold, and two pennyweight of gold become, In terms of money or price, two dollars, and we have seen these dollars ln action as a medium of exchange. Our observation has led us to the conclusion that equivalents are exchanged. While A is the only one satisfied in our example lt was merely suspicion that caused the others to growl. All three commodities cost the same six hours. One thing, however, is evident, that after the exchange there is neither increase or decrease in value. Nothing is added to the articles exchanged. If A bad bought the shoes for one dollar, C would have been tbe loser to the extent of one dollar. What one gains the other must lose. Nevertheless, we are aware that ln trade or commerce, that ls, in the general process of exchange a certain class can and does acquire enormous plies of wealth from the process. By buying and selling they become possessed of this wealth. Obviously, there must be at least one commodity which will realize more in the sale than in the purchase. Such a commodity does exist. It requires no great scrutiny to discover tbat people who are possessed of great wealth own, in some form or other, the means of wealth production, land and machinery, and these people always hire others to operate their property. Such property, owned by those who do not use it and used by those who do not own it, the owners extracting profit from the users, is called capital. As the wealth of modern society is produced by such machinery and land, we call our wealth producing methods the capitalist system of production. Other systems of wealth production were those known as the Feudal and chattel slave systems. Under the chattel slave system the owner of the means of production bought human beings outright and forced them to produce, giving them in return sufficient to keep them in health and strength. Under the feudal system the owners extracted tribute from those who used their property, either in direct labor, or in the fruits of labor. These systems were, plainly, robber systems. No mystery needs' exploring there, for it Ib self-evident that the slaves and serfs produced something which was taken from them and no equivalent returned. Under modern society, however, we are not owned by the machine-or-Iand owner, nor do we pay tribute to them. Whence, then, comes their wealth? From the purchase and sale of tbe commodity hinted at above. Any person living under the capitalist system of production must have something for sale. The propertyless worker, finding machinery and land ln the bands of people who cannot use them, sells to tbem or their agents the ability possessed by him of using this land and machinery—his life force, bis mental and physical energy. This ls called by the seller, "getting a job," and by the buyer, "hiring a hand." Here we have the aale of a commodity, a commodity, however, different from any other commodity ln many respects. A commodity that is inseparable from its owner, which has absolutely no utility to Its owner (we are considering the propertyless worker) aand which must be sold to ensure its owner of life. Bul these Important differences from the general run of commodities do not, in any respect, change the basis of sale. Tbe cost of production in social labor time governs the sale of labor power in precisely the same manner as it does the sale of gold. Considerable confusion arises on this question which leads many minds to reason in a circle. A number of Socialist who accept Marx as a political guide, fail, when discussing this point, to get beyond the insoluble riddle of the Rlcardian school. Engels has, to my mind, cleared this up in the preface to the second volume of Capital. Curiously enough, 1 have read the passage to people of undoubted intelligence, and the point has still evaded their comprehension. Grant labor to be the measure of value, they say, and grant further that the price paid for labor is its cost of production, then, if it costs two dollars per day to maintain a laborer, tbat two dollars, added to the other factors of cost, must represent tbe total cost of the commodity and the manufacturer the capitalist, must add something for profit. The fact that wages, representing the value of labor power, are always less than the value of the commodities produced by that labor-power, appears to contradict the law of value. But lt no more invalidates this economic law than does a hot-air balloon Invalidate the physical law of gravitation. Let us try to grasp the law as formulated by Marx. Two pennyweignt of gold requires six hours ot social labor time to produce it. One pound of potatoes, one pound of sow-belly, half a pound of beans, on ounce of coffee, an ounce of sugar, a pound of bread and a pinch of salt are produced in a similar six hours. These delicious viands will supply a healthy wage-worker wiin sufficient energy to swing on the end of a long- handled mud stick for an entire day of, say twelve hours. Now, we nave a capitalist who wants bands. Several wage-workers appear, only three are required. Competition arises. The above- mentioned cates are essential to the Innards of the worker, so be cannot take less than what will procure them, he cannot get more because the jobs won't go around. He therefore agrees to work for the grub before stated. But he does not get lt ln that form. He receives two dollars for his twelve hours' toil. Two dollars is the price-form of, respectively, two pennyweight of gold, the enormous quantity of grub above-mentioned, and the amount of physical energy capable of being expended in a day i. e., a day's labor-power. The value-form of these various commodities is six hours labor. When the capitalist comes to sell the produce of this day's labor, he does not sell upon the basis of how much spuds, sow-belly, etc., bas disappeared in the process, but upon how many hours social labor time the production thereof entailed. The actual exchange made ls not so much grub for so much energy, nor is the 'cost of production represented by the money paid or the grub consumed. The actual exchange made ls six hours labor-time for twelve hours' labor-time and the cost of production ls six hours labor-time. It costs tbe capitalist six hours' labor-time to obtain twelve. In estimating the cost of production, however, we must not lose sight of factors other than labor time. But any other factor which enters into the production, such as raw material, machinery, etc., merely adds Its own value to the product, and does not add any new value. Labor- time is tbe value creating factor. All other values are merely transformed. When we view tho problem ln its proper light the contradiction disappears. Labor-time is the substance of value. Commodities exchange on a basis of a certain amount of labor-time being embodied in them. They exchange through the medium of the universal commodity—gold. Labor-power being a commodity, exchanges for the cost of its production in labor- time. But while the wherewithal to produce a day's labor-power can be produced ln half a day, the owner of this commodity must surrender his entire labor time for the equivalent of a portion of its value-reating properties. He must sell it because he cannot use it. The labor-tini? expended over and above what ts required by the laborer is called surplus labor- time. Value resulting therefrom is called surplus- value, and surplus-value is unpaid labor. It is here that the genius of Marx manifests Itself. It is here that political economy becomes a power in arousing the modern slave to a realization of his true position. So long as he remains a subject to the owners of wealth producing machinery, through their ownership of bis means of retaining a hold upon life, he must sell himself for what will give him security for only one day. As the insecurity of life becomes impressed upon him, the hopelessness of any betterment while the present system lasts becomes an Incontrovertible ami obvious fact, the primitive Instinct, dominant in all life, for self-preservation will force him to seek means whereby his life and the lives of those he most regards may be placed upon a higher basis of security. And the animal who is conquered, in his frantic effort to secure life and avoid pain, the power and terrible forces of contending natural elements which he cannot injure or destroy, shall not be found wanting when he realizes that his fellow animal stands between him and life. Accumulated experience systematized was the power which conquered Nature, and to that same power must we appeal to overthrow slavery. The race ls still to the swift and the battle to the strong, but to-day, steam and electrical energy augment the natural powers of mun. and the machine gun adds to his stature. Knowledge is the power with which we shall obtain ownership over all. Know ye the facts of science and yo shall be free. Eschew the thin potations of sentimental sighing over what ought to be and address yourselves to the task of securing your hold upon life. H. SHADOWS AND SUBSTANCES The Editor Western Clarion: — At propaganda meetings which I have attended, there bas been some I. W. W. man who bobs up serenely and fires at the speaker some such question as follows: If government and the political state are merely a reflex of the prevailing methods of production, why bother to change them Instead of devoting our energies to changing conditions on the Industrial field? Now this question goes to the root of Socialism. It is one thing to study and explain historical events in the light of this law, and quite another thing to fathom the workings of this law in the present and forecast them in the future; though we may form broad general Ideas on the subject. This I. W. W. question seems reasonable on the face of It. If politics ls merely the reflex or shadow let us address our efforts to changing the substance, the real thing, economic conditions; we are merely lighting shadows or putting the cart before the horse by engaging in political strife! And undoubtedly this plausibility of reasoning often carries weight, but I think nevertheless Unit It is superficial and misses the root of the matter. One thing we have to remember ls that economic determinism concerns human affairs' and that human beings are the material In which it works, also the agents through which lt works; and another thing, thut causes are followed by their effects. All readers of the "Clarion," interested in understanding this question, Bhould carefully read A, Budden's very illuminating article In the "Clarion" of December 81, on "Socialism and Evolution." He there illustrates the working of this law from ancient times down to the present and makes clear the Inevitable process through which we are passing, the changes w'.iereln the political state or reflex must adapt, und is adapting Itself to the great changes that have already taken place in the methods of produc tion, from individual to social. Now the point is this, that this change in tbe political reflex must take place and just so far as men are intelligently taking part in and promoting that change, just so far will Its action be a healthy process conserving the social welfare. The economic evolution of society has been to man collectively, a more or less unconscious process. The political evolution has been a more or less conscious struggle. Natural laws govern all life, but allots to man a certain function ln modifying bis conditions under those laws, the institutions of society, political and otherwise. Thus these Institutions are a reflex of economic conditions, based on material needB. Shall man discharge thlB function Intelligently, as Socialists seek to do, to bring about the change In the political state into harmony with that which has preceded it in the economic stale, or shall he Ignore nnd neglect A KING OUT OF A JOB. Ex-King Manue" of Portugal Is reported to be renting, for his own use, an elegant mansion with several acres of beautiful grounds at Richmond, near London, England. The ordinary worker who gets fired does not as a rule rent an expensive dwelling in the West End or even eat dinner at the Rainier Cafe. First of all he endeavors u> scare up a new job In order to be able to hang onto his dollar a week room and his occasional blow-out of doughnuts and coffee. Not so Manuel. He does not appear to have looked up any possible vacancies. for kings or emperors. We did not notice his ad. in the "Wanted" column for a job aB monarch, by an energetic and pushing young ruler. In fact, apparently, he has cut out work altogether and will retire on his means. ThlB ls all the more surprising when we note that the new regime In Portugal has confiscated his estates this function—ns some of our I. W. W. jand property there. So that we might friends advise—with the likely result;expect to find him near broke and per- of chaos and anarchy for a period In human affairs, nnd perhaps n period of reaction? Workers, your time has come! Society depends on you as never before, on your brains as well as your brawn. The machine, owned, organized and controlled by you is all that Is now economically necessary to society and, for the rest, Individual freedom such as has never been known, freedom for a full, human life In harmony with natural laws and not as now, more or less antagonistic to them! Will you Intelligently sleze the powers of the state to bring about your emancipation or will you drift into it through a welter of chales and anarchy, or perhaps a prolonged period of slavery even more degrading than you endure now? R. G. GREY Aa long as the producers specialize in work there is not much fear of them contracting any other "bad habits." haps taking a steerage passage for Canada, our happy home, and ending up at a railroad construction camp in company with other Portugese and Dagos. Not so, not at all. Apparently be is well fixed and the reason for this I discovered recently. In common with all other European monarchs, Manuel lias for several years been Investing large sums of money in gilt- edge securities in other countries. Thus lie will now be able to live, and to live well, on the Interest coming to him on these Investments. While he was working he saved his money, Invested it wisely, and now see the result. Labor produces all wealth and of course the workers pay the interest on these gilt-edge securities. So that now Manuel can no longer live off the Portuguese workers, he can live ln l luxury from the toil of the workers of other countries, notably Great Britain, where most of his savings are invested. It must not be supposed tbat the workers of Portugal will be better off because one of the parasites has lost his hold.' He haa been shaken off by the capitalist class of Portugal, who alone wlll benefit by the new state of affairs there. Nor will the workers of England be any worse off because King Manuel chose to invest his capital ln that country. For the workers must pay Interest on all Invested capital, and the personality or place of residence of their bond-holders is of no importance to them. They are slaves and all that is coming to them is a slaves' portion—a living. So these royalties are not such fools after all. Seeing that they may possibly lose their jobs, and tbat the chance of getting another would be slim, they invest their capital ln securities in other countries. Thus ln the event of their own subjects refusing to longer support them, the working class of other nationalities must do so. Great rig, good heads. If they cannot function aB kings they can at least enjoy life as capitalists. For these and all other mercies, oh, Lord, make us truly thankful. But when the workers get wise and they refuse to longer support the capitalist class. When all the kings and emperors are fired, when all their securities are worth as much as the paper they are printed on. When a king's own subjects refuse to support him and the workers of other nations beg to be excused. What a very unpleasant predicament for the kings, Emperors, Plutocrats and Parasites great and small. They will be strictly up against tt. As I sit by the stove In my log-cabin back on the bush-ranch and meditate on what the future holds in store for these gentlemen, I em mucb amused, I am considerably tickled. Not that I would wish them any evil, oh, dear no. We have frequently ben Informed by our rulers that work is an excellent thing, a useful exercise, a pleasant pastime and they will tben have an opportunity of experiencing these delightful vocations and earning their 8ATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1911 PLATFORM Socialist Party of Canada We, tbe Socialist Party of Canada, in convention assembled, affirm our allegiance to and support of the principles and programme of the revolutionary working claBS. Lauor produces all wealth, and to the producers lt should belong. The present economic system Is based upon capitalist ownership of tbe means of production, consequently all the products of labor belong to the capitalist class. The cspltallst is therefore master; the worker a slave. So long as tbe capitalist class remains In possession of the reins of government all the powers of tbe State will be used to protect and defend tbeir property rights in the means of wealth production and their control of the product of labor. The capitalist system gives to tbe capitalist an ever-swelling stream of profits, and to the worker an ever-Increasing measure of misery and degredation. The Interest of the working class lies in the direction of setting Itself free from capitalist exploitation by the abolition of the wage system, under which is cloaked the robbery of the working class at the point of production. To accomplish this necessitates the transformation of capitalist property ln tbe means of wealth production into collective or working-class property. The irrepressible conflict of Interests between the capitalist and the worker is rapidly culminating in a struggle for possession of the reins of government—the capitalist to hold, the worker to secure lt by political action. This Is tbe class struggle. Therefore, we call upon all workers to organize under the banner of the Socialist Party of Canada with the object of conquering tbe public powers for tbe purpose ot setting up and enforcing the economic programme of the working class, as follows: 1. The transformation, as rapidly as possible, of capitalist property in tbe means of wealth production (natural resources, factories, mills, railroads, etc.) into the collective property of the working class. 2. The democratic organization and management of industry by the workers. 3. The establishment, as speedily as possible, of production for use instead of production for profit. The Socialist Party wben in office shall always and everywhere until the present system Is abolished, make the answer to this question its guiding rule of conduct: Will this legislation advance the interests of tbe working class and aid the workers ln their class struggle against capitalism? If it will, tbe Socialist Party is for it; If it will not, the Socialist Party Is absolutely opposed to it In accordance with this principle the Socialist Party pledges itself to conduct all the public affairs placed in Its hands In such a manner as to promote the interests of the working class alone. own living. If they want crowns and thrones they can make them themselves. God save the King, and all the people said Amen. A. J. FROM A SPECTATOR To the Editor Western Clarion:— As you see by the enclosed program, Toronto Local No. 24 have made arrangements with some University professors to hand out to the said Local a series of scientific lectures (15 in all) on various subjects ranging from "A Critical Examination of Karl Marx Economic Theory" to The Roman Occupation of Britain." Well, the first lecture came off January 9th. I went down expecting to see either the Professor or Karl Marx floored. But the show was a fizzle Karl Marx's theory of value was too hazy for the Professor to hit. But the hitting, such as it was, dazed the Comrades. The Professor won,. As an exhibition of the poverty of the knowledge of Marx's Economic theory tbe thing was a success to the Professor. Here ls a few sample shots that downed the Comrades: 1. In exchange the use-value of Commodities cannot be, and are not, disregarded. 2. Labor time is not the only measureable "Common Thing" In Commodities. 3. As values ,all commodities are not "only definite amounts of congealed labor time." 4. Scarce things (land, oak trees, gold nuggets, etc.) have value but are not reducable or measureable in average social labor time. 5. Capitalists profits are not in proportion to workmen employed. These shots should be as rubber dolls to the novice in economic theory, but the Comrades of No. 24 batted wild, muffled balls, and played like stags. I think if Socialists would drop this "Socialism aud Religion" rot and go and cut ice in the field of economic theory, they would make a better showing when a second-rate college professor undertakes to criticize the scientific basis of Socialism. MAC PORTLAND. OREGON Editor Clarion, Sir: — I clip enclosed from the "Oregot ian" just to let you see what the think of the working man here. Ther are thousands of men out of wor here. The streets and saloons are ful ull the time, and they are begging fo a flop in the cellar for five cents. Today I was In the lodging hous when two men came to ask lor fW men, one to help sink a well, the other for shoveling. It was raining torrent and all they were offered was twent cents an hour; men were trampini over each other to get the jobs at that That is just a sample. JOHN HAIGH To allow human attributes to, mere wealth producing machine is] absurd. Therefore, in the study of po] lltical economy we must at all time refuse *o consider the wage worker! as "human" in any way. The fact thai the wage worker machine eats, makefl It no more necessary to consider hin or her a human, than the fact tbat J machine requires oil to keep it ill working condition makes It necessarjj to consider said machine as human. | NOTICE Comrades in the, Okanagan who wan organizing- or propaganda work done get in touch with H. Glldemeester Mara, at once. Send particulars o your district. This also applies to thi Simllkameen country, Hedley, Olalll and Keremeos take notice. Contribu tlons to organization fund are wanted; anything from a nickel up goes. Send 'em in. Bring your dull razors to SMITH'S BARBER SHOP Clarendon Pool Room, opposite car barm Weitrointter Avenue Vancouver, B.C. TO HOUSEKEEPERS (J If you would like to spend less time in your kitchen and woodshed, and have much more time for outdoor life, recreation and pleasure, look into the question of doing your cooking with a Gas Range. Telephone yonr address to onr office and we will send a man to measure yonr premises and give yon an estimate oi cost of installing the gac pipes, Vancouver Gas Company, Limited.
Titled The Western Clarion from June 18, 1904 to June 1, 1907; titled Western Clarion thereafter.
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Western Clarion
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