Newspaper Page Text
Pngo Four
Qliu> (llomuuumtraltli
Entered iv ■•cond-cIAM mnttrr March i). 1911, nt the po*offic«
at Kv.T.ti Washington, under the act of March 3. 1879
IN P. IMtOXK 478Z __,
Publiahed every Tliursdav by the Washington Socialist Publish
iug Co.; 1612 California S;i.vl, Kvcivtt. Washington. ___
Maynard Shipl.-y Miter ami Manager
Advertising Manager; bYG. Crosby. .
Mailing Force- Tilli.- !>'«'<■■ 1.-, Martha Met onni.-K. (..-rln.il>' ( ort.
Yearly subscription - --- $1 ~j
Six months or
Three months - ~" r j
Single eopiei —
HERE WE ARE AGAIN!
\\ r eoinradea the? tried to slip one ovei or us last week, ami
we lost an Jane, l»-siilos sufferiug the demoralisation due to linying
our nropertf ami letters sewed, and being placed in the hands of a
receiver A< matters stand, we cannot hope to get out a very satis
factory paper thia week, but well do our very host to make the next
number measure up to all reasonable demands.
We start out this week without the burden or debt which lias
hung over us like a pall for a year or more; some debts, indeed, having
been incurred by our predecessors over two years ago.
Ml we need now to put us on our feet is the purchase of sub
scription cards by our friends, to be disposed of by them as oppor
tunity arises. Having lost a whole month's advertising, besides other
moneys, it is necessary that we be given enough immediate assistance
to tide us over the first and second months.
We have every reason to believe that our friends will not sec us
put out Of business just at the time when we are beginning to be moat
feared and hated by our political opponents. This is but certain evi
dence that we are doing good work for the cause of Socialism.
So we are rather encouraged than discouraged by our experience
of the last week, though it set us back financially for the time being,
and we shall have to exert every effort to weather the squall.
So far from going down to defeat, we have just begun to fight in
real earnest. We are just getting warmed up to our work.
This incident reminds one of Walt Whitman's story of an old sea
fight, part of which runs as follows:
""We had receiv'd some eighteen pound shots under the water.
On our lower-gun-deck two large pieces had burst at the first fire,
Killing all around and blowing up overhead.
#••♦••*•***
"Our frigate takes fire.
The other asks if we demand quarter?
If our colors are struck and the fighting done.'
Now | laugh content for 1 hear the voice of my little captain,
We have nol struck, he opoaedly cries, we have j-ist begun our part
of the fighting."
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH IT 17
Thai it takes time and expense to develop editors and managers
and workers in journalism, and thai these should be men and women
■who have grown up with and given their lives to the movement in its
earlier and less popular stages of development, does nol seem to dawn
upon the intelligence of some comrades. Later on, when Socialists be
come more numerous, and Socialisi papers are able to pay editors good
salaries, many capitalist editors will desert their masters and flock to
the "support" I .' ■ of^ourown papers. Then, more than now, will the
movement need its old guard, editors >vho have borne up through the
financial storm and stress period, who have learned by years of ex
perience how to steer clear of the rocks and shoals in the uncharted
political sen utretching: oni before üb. Much mischief will even then be
done by undisciplined, raw journalistic recruits, who have nol yet
had the class struggle seared into their flesh, who are snil in the re
form or iif'>!>i;m stages, and backed by a big following of opportunists
;ind half-baked "revolutionists" like themselves Then will come the
crucial period in our movement. It will lie the epoch of the reac
tionary, "1' trade-union Socialism, "Christian Socialism," " Prohibition
Socialists," "direct actionist-Socialists," "Stars-and-St ripes-Pati iotic
Socialists-of- America," and—and God knows what other hybrids and
monsters! Gel ready for that day of confusion of tongues, comrades.
And we know of no better way, not to say no other way, than by
'jettintr your own straight, Marxian press so well established, bo wide
ly ramified in its appeal, so strongly supported, that no upstari per
sonal organs or capitalist-controlled and owned "Socialist" i .' i paper
can gel a start. Without a widely-read, clear-cui Marxian organ, the
Socialisi party of Washington is predestined to flaccidity, dry-rot,
Anaemia, neurasthenia and premature death!
Comrades .those of you who mean business, a greal deal of price
less time and energy have already been squandered, floundering
around in a weal: and purposeless confusion of sound and fury, signi
fying nothing. Let's drop all petty jealousiea, mean envies and fac
tional bigotry, and start in this day to build up one great, biir. power
ful Socialist organ, adequately financed, fully manned, and held
straight in its Legitimate course inwards capture of the political and
ecnomic powers of the slate by a united, class-conscious, working
class. This is our goal, our "manifesi destiny," to become the masters
and owners of this state and all the public property within it, to the
end thai all the things now needed and used in common shall be then
owned in common and democratically controlled. This is our busi
ness. Never mind about religion, prohibition, atheism, free love, or
any of the other institutions of present-day capitalist society. We
\vant the city, county, state and national governments for cur very
own. to be used and controlled exclusively in the interesi of the work \
inir class. The measure of oui progress toward this goal is the
strength and influence of our party owned press.
The Commonwealth, or The Washington Socialist as it will soon
be known, stands ready ai your hands to be developed into the kind
of weapon needed by the workers of Washington iii their all-conquer
ing struggle with tin- master class.
what will you do with it.'
HOW NON-SOCIALISTS KEEP UP THE HOME.
The San Francisco Chronicle in 'jiving advice to girls of the
'' bet ter class. " says :
"American girls who marry titled Frenchmen oughi to acquaint
themselves with the laws of France. Thej appear to confer extra
ordinary privileges upon the husband, who evidently lias the righi to
use his wife's credit for the purpose of procuring Btrings of pearls and
like articles lor the purpose of bestowing them on his inintreEß or
mist reuses
We thought it was the "pornographic" Socialists who did such
things'
BOURGEOIS LOGIC
"With only Rye per cent of the world's population." remarks
with pnde the editor of a capitalist paper, "we equal industrially one
half of the balance of mankind. No wonder Americans arc die
We ha\e a righi t" be
Think of that, now I Hoe we behold five per reni of the world*
working class, capable of producing fifty per c nt of the world's
ihmtrial wealth, and willing lo do it just for their board and keep.
What a spectacle for the gods! "Chesty." proud of being wage
iJaveS, mere senseless, automat h- wealth producers, wound up by ■
bow." Better lie ashamed, rather than "chesty "
Is This Not What You Want?
TIIK IIKAIvT OF SOCIALISM.
I>d\ mi believe 111,' i I i In- worker should ■•outrol his work and on joy
his product 1 li you d<> you arc a Socialist
Nini ma} ti• ■ i be able to explain how iiirplui value is taket from
the worker It you could, you uould do roui li liotter work for Social
ism. Hut you can be a Bociali t without knowing this theory.
You may nol know thai you are wa •• ii lan itruggle, and
therefore you ma} work against the verj thini you desire. If so, then
your Socialism ia still unconscious and nol vt*r,\ effective.
Hut the heart of Socialism the central id»*ii which lies at its base,
is that iln' worker shall control hia wort and p»«jo>y hia product.
Do you believe in that?
Can you prove that it la not right and tocmllj desirable 1
Can \i»u show any waj by which the worker i nn control hia work
and get ins produci while someone else owns H" things the mills,
mines, factories and tools with winch the work ia ilonei
Can you suggest an} way in which ALL the workers-- mental
and manual can own these Him ■ individually 1
II" (hey cannot own Ihcin individually, must lln \ not own them
collectively, it' the} am to control then- own u.ni :vud have then
own product J
N OU agree to all this, do you'/
Then will you please explain any heller way of --, uing this col
leetive ownership and giving the workers power to control their work
and enjoy their product than tor the laborers to use their ballotsf
If you agree with the conclusion, then you aw a Socialist, who
should be in the Socialist party. That is all you need !<i believe. That
is the whole of the creed.
No one will ask you about religion. You may be Jew or Gentile,
Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Spiritualist, TheoaophlHi, Dowcito
or Atheist.
If you want the workers to manage their own work and enjoy
their own product, no questions will ho asked as to your religion.
If you have a religion that maintains that some one who toils not
should control labor and product, then your religion will interfere with
Socialism. Not otherwise.
This is the heart of Socialism. Yet this is the tiling that its
enemies never discuss.
There is much more to Socialism. Giving the laborer the control
of his labor and his products will revolutionise every social institution.
All those institutions that depend upon social PARASITISM will dis
appear.
That is why the most powerful forces in present society fight
Socialism and lie about it.
That, is why all its enemies seek to draw attention from this
central thought of Socialism.
They are opposed to just this basic principle.
They do not want labor to. rule production and keep the- product.
They want parasites to boss the workers and take the lion's share
of the product.
But they do not dare to say this
Therefore they lie about. Socialism and say that it means all sorts
of things that never were advocated by any Socialist organization on
earth.
! CALIFORNIA COMRADES SUB
MIT A MINIMUM WAGE
LAW.
The following initiative measure
providing tor a minimum wage below
which the wages of no workers can be
reduced has been approved by the
membership of the Socialist party of
California on a referendum vote, and
petitions will soon i>e. circulated for
signatures to put thf- proposed law on
the ballot to be voted on b> the peo
ple iir the next, cli 'Minn.
An Act ro amend the penal code by
adding ;i new section thereto to be
numbered 893& providing a mini
iijiim wage, and conditions of em
ployment tor employes and provid
ing a penalty for violation of this
act.
Thr people of the state o£ California
do enact as follows:
No employer shall employ, or re
quire, or permit any .superintendent,
Foreman, or other agent to employ,
any person for le»O than a subsistence
wage.
For the purpose of this ace the fol-
Your Easter Suit
Buy it of
Edw. Wahl
Full line of Gent's Furnishings
and Hats
1907 Hewitt Avenue
THE COMMONWEALTH
lowing la determined as a subsistence
wage:
For all persons between the ages of j
18 and CO years, nor. less than, two
dollars and fifty cents per diem.
For all minors under the age of 181
years, not less than one dollar and!
fifty cents per diem.
The employer may pay part of the|
wages In board and lodging, but must;
contract for both or none thereof, and
no more than seventy cents per diem
shall be deducted therefor.
Any person, co-partnership or cor
poration violating any of the provis- i
ions of this act is guilty of a misdo
imeanor, and shall be punished by a
fine of not less than $50 nor more
than $500, or imprisonment in the
county jail for not less than one nor
more than six months, or both such
fine and Imprisonment.
___ ________ i __„___..
Socialism requires that the process
of production and distribution should I
be regulated not by competition, with i
self-interest for Its moving principle,!
but by society as a whole, for the good ;
of society.—Dictionary of. Political
Economy.
STRONG PI.EA FOR A UNITED
I'AKTY
Divided Party Pleaiei Enemy.
.Ipoknni . Wi ii . Mart h 28, i'>i i
\i" wt bl| ■ nougn and nacnanl
' i enough to dll ri mid tin' Irivlnll
nuatlon •ml the ml
si i in tloni thai have sprung up among
M mi.' the • i i \ i ion in the party?
I would ruin bellere thai the funda
in' ntal idi'iils i>f Socialism are ai di at
- i to all the > omradea •bo hare
in iii |iim oked lulu ci i thai
ii;n c i ■• •• ii belittling.
Mni are we mob mean Fellowi thai
«c can do) make ■ noble effort to ;ii
i mi ■ reconciliation T
To attempt ■•< reconciliation between
fOOll would : uii'ly lie folly, lint, lie
Iwi'i'ii Sin i.ili i . ii should be c;isy imd
viiv probable,
The humiliating condition of a di
vided pnrty on the eve of a great
election must afford our common cap- '
iiniisi enemies the greatest glee. A
largo Socialist vote, even although it
may bo largely a sympathetic vote, us
ii frequently is, throws the capitalist
parties into a state of consternation
and they fly Into one another's arms
for comfort and support, and there Is
a very distinct modification of the leg-
Islatlve program to suit the rising tide
of democracy. Hut it will bo in this
Hindi and In every other state, as
It has been In Germany. The more
ameliorative legislation we get the
more wo will want, and the more we
will force, and the more formidable
wo will grow, until we control the leg
islative program and make it what we
want.
Therefore, we must go into the
primaries a united party. No comrade
should bo so base as to hinder such
an undertaking.
Division Cannot Continue.
The division can not continue, there
fore let it. cease with the utmost speed,
land the time for it to cease is NOW.
j Every comrade wants unity. It is dis
; heartening to approach the enemy's
i line with a broken front.
I
The state secretary, around whose
personality the division largely cen
tered, has immolated himself for the
sake of the party, and there is surely
enough evidence of sincerity to make
it easy to move on to common ground
and marshal ourselves like Tennyson's
"warriors, perfect men * * * Shatter
in:l: all evil customs everywhere."
Whatever nobility dwells in the
breasts of the comrades of both fac
tions should be generously exerted to
wards a speedy reunion. The cause of
Socialism Is so .great that we should
not longer hinder it by recrimination.
Let the dead past be burled and let
us prove ourselves men of a higher
type. Our little differences will seem
so Insignificant and paltry in the
great Issues and certain victories to
lie ■won in the West.
A united party in the state of Wash
ington, and the state of Washington
the strongest and most valiant So
cialist state in the Union, should be
the rallying cry of the reunion.
It can be done if we only will do it.
Comrades, let us do it.
L.et us at this critical moment prove
ourselves great.
I .MICa GRANT,
W. 'JOII Sharp Vve., Spokane, Wash!
Patronize Commonwealth Advertisers
and Tell Them About It
We iicni your iv-r r> NOW! Bnt we <ln ttoi mi for donations.
BUY HUBSCRIPTION CARDS, and sell them v fast aa you can. 1 hxm
you'll help us and help the cauae .-ii the nine time.
I; BACHELDER® CORNEIL
|i: Better Clothes
:: for Men and Boys
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I The New Canyon Wood Co. |
< > And Keithly Fuel Co. Under One Management ! '■
! 3 ', Can now supply you with anything you want in either ', ',
| I coal or wood. ;
1 ! A Trial Order Solicited d r
j i Both Phones 37 If I
! Both Phones 37 /A
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Let Us at 11 Your Attention to /
■aa^am^Baa_________——_______________J______> •»
Chi-Namel
BBBBKBKfIS—iBHH-EBBflHSß—_Hs_Sßß__fl9RE3HßSnE_l_ni
The most wonderful finisher of wood yet discovered. You can
pound it with a hammer and not injure It In the least. Hot water
has no effect on it. A child can apply it. Let us show you.
Curraiv Hardware Co., live.
Corner Broadway and Hewitt Everett, Wash
I PASTIME
Amusement Parlors
I FOR GOOD TIMES
Wetmore and Hewitt
j Driesslein & Becker
ROSE THEATRE
"EVERETT'S LIVE WIRE"
ALWAYS THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN
♦<Js}*s\s<s><£<sNS" • •••«.« •(•*
• COMING— DIRECT FROM THE EMPRESS IN SEATTLE '$
|> ° Wednesday, April 12—One Day Only J?
*' Cardinal Richelieu's Ward I
; Cardinal Richelieu's Ward
A master production in four parts by the famous Thanhouaer. I
'I Company. This is one of the big features of the year and you should £
I not let the opportunity to see it escape. It is being shown in other <•'
* cities for advanced prices, but we offer it, with a Keystone comedy, for <!>
',?, the usual prices of ten and five cents. x\
I PRINCESS THEATRE j
<♦) We show the exclusive Mutual program, and nothing but the best/-' 4"
' Our programs always consist of five reels and our prices are always '%
% the tame adults 10c, children sc. j
+ +
-nwn_ M «iLu..»y I 1 I, Tir-TfflTl»lll ' BIIUJ-—-—,
When in Rome Do [
As the Romans Do l
Likewise, When in Everett
Visit the GRAND
GRAND THEATRE
"THE HOUSE Of FEATURES'
Thnnwlay, April ''. I'tU
