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NORTHWEST WORKER
«jg£s»»l ' , DEVOTED TO THE IMDUBTRIAL, POLITICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE WORKING-CLASS
iS^""" ______^^_____^____ _______^____ „ .. .
5c per oopy, $1.00 per year.
U . For Commissioner of Public Works For Commissioner of Finance For Commissioner of Public Health and Safety
J. M. Salter, socialist 1501 Katherine H. Hodgins, socialist 1063 G. W. Can, socialist 1006
the StOrY D- D- Merri"- non-partisan 11 76 J. M. Gibbs, non-partisan 1 133 T. J. Kelly, non-partisan 1595
* A. B. Cutter, non-partisan 824 W. H. Clay, non-partisan 3228 C. E. Spurgeon, non-partisan 1025
Commissioner Salter Has Made
Good on Everett's City Council
DESERVES SUPPORT OF WORKERS
Citizens Have Made No Complaint — Platform
Pledges Have Been Carried Out
ARTICLE HI.
Laboring under false conceptions j
of what Socialists were like, many |
were agreeably surprised to find that In
their dealings with Commissioner Sal
ter, In an official way, he proved to
be more "fair and reasonable" than
any one who had occupied that posi
tion in recent years.
This led others to ask: "Can a man
be a good commissioner of public ,
works and a good Socialist at the
same time?"
The editor of this paper has pre- j
viously answered the question in the j
following words:
"Yes. as long as Socialism's oppon
ents do not attempt to put something
over that Is detrimental to the Inter
ests of the working class.
"Much of the work of a city coun
cil consists in passing ordinances and
resolutions and settling questions re
lating to property rights.
"On all such questions Commission- i
er Salter has acted with fairness and
sound judgment.
"But on questions involving the I
rights of labor he has ably voiced and ;
defended the interests of the work
ers."
Space will not permit our giving a
complete account of Salter's acts as
a member of the city council. One
of the first things he did was to
substitute an eight-hour day for a J
twelve-hour day in the case of the I
city bridge. This was done at no
extra expense to the taxpayer, as the
street superintendent, whose salary
was $1,800 per year, was dropped from
the pay roll, and the duties of that
office assumed by Commissioner Sal
ter.
A few weeks later Commissioners
Clay and Kelly showed their hand by i
putting the care of the bridge on a i
contract plan, over Salter's protest.
And yet Clay, at least, pretends to,
favor a union scale of hours and \
wages!
Knowing that labor had a real rep-!
resentative on the city council, the ■
bartender's union asked that the spe- ;
clal license imposed upon bartenders
|M repealed. Salter's activity in their '
behalf resulted In the ordinance be
ing repealed, an ordinance which pro
REGISTER!
Books dose at 9 P. M
Friday.
Hustle up your friends.
Phone headquarters for
automobile.
GRAND RALLY NOV. 14
There will be a grand rally Sunday
erening, Nov. 14, either at the Peo
ples' Theatre or at The Forum, 1612
California street. Commissioner Sal
ter will give an address, and editor |
Shipley will show 40 to 50 Btereopti
con views illustrating problems raised
by the Manly Report of the Indus
trial Relations Committee. Admission
will be free.
LATER
It Is generally conceded that Can
andidate Merril's strength was about
shown in the primary, and that Sal
ter's vote will be considerably increas
ed on Nov. 16. Even anti-Socialists
admit that Saiter's re-election is now
a certainty.
The ma»ter« deny the existence of
the class struggle in order to prevent
the worker* from abolishing classes.
vidod that bartenders pay to the city
a license of $10 before being allowed
to engage In their line of work.
Salter believes in the utmost free
dom of speech, and proposed to re
move all restrictions to street speak
ing. Mr. Kelly wat for the greatest
re«trlctlon; finally, Salter supported
a compromise ordinance proposed by
Mr. Clay, that removed «omo of the
restrictions.
When a local censor board for mov
ing picture shows was proposed, Sai
ler came out squarely against It at
once. Clay and Kelly wavered awhile
but finally decided not to push the
idea against Salter's opposition.
The success of the day-labor plan
of city Improvements was demonstrat
ed under Mr. Salter's charge.
SHINGLE WEAVERS' STRIKE
During the shingle weavers' strike
the advantage of working-class politi
ical action was driven home to the
i strikers.
Salter stood with the men from
start to finish. He advocated the use
■of the police power to drive from the
| city gun-men and thugs, who made
all the trouble during the strike, and
opposed the hiring of special police
men, at city expense, to protect the
imported violators of the law.
Last fall when suffering among the
[unemployed threatened to become a
I menace to the city, It was Salter who
jfirst urged the council to take notice
of the evil and provide measures of
relief.
The measures he advocated did not
provide for a $1.50 per day starvation
wage, neither.
This concludes a series of three ar
ticles which, If carefully read, must
have convinced the most prejudiced
and skeptical that, from any angle,
the department of public works may
be viewed, the present incumbent, J.
M. Salter, has handled that depart
ment, and acted on the council, in
such a highly commendable manner
that any one who has the Interest of
Everett's working-class at heart, or
who is solicitous for the future wel
fare of Kverett as a growing manu
facturing city, must vote to retain
Salter in the position he now holds,
Commissioner of Public Works.
STARTLING EFFECTS
TO BE PRODUCED
AT BIG DANCE
Stage Employees and Electrical
Workers to Give Wonder
Dance Thanksgiving
Having united their talents and
equipment for the purpose of show
ing Everett people what they can do
in the way of producing a novel and
startlingly beautiful electrical dis
play, these organizations have set the
date for the big dance, during which
the exhibit will be on. Thanksgiving
eve, Nov. 24, is the date announced,
and Fraternal Hall the place chosen
for this the bi gevent of the year.
The sensation of the entertainment
will be some wonderful electrical ef
fects to be produced during the
"Storm Dance," which will be a sur
prise for both dancers and onlookers.
Nothing like the features to be pre
sented Thanksgiving eve have ever
been seen west of Chicago. Secure
your tickets early, as the floor space
is quite limited compared with the
number of persons to be provided for.
"WHEN THE SPIRIT OF LIB
ERTY HAS FLED AND TRUTH
AND JUSTICE ARE DISREGARDED,
PRIVATE RIGHTS MAY EASILY
BE SACRIFICED UNDER THE
FORMS OF LAW."
Patronize YOUR advertiser!!
EVERETT , WASHINGTON, TIIUUKPAY, NOV. 4, 1915.
Salter Leads Race
for Public Works
Clay Elected By Majority of 1085;
Inclement Weather and Apathy
Keep 2506 at Home
Tho three present city commission
ers of Everett wore renomlnatod and
Commissioner of Financo W. 11. Clay
was re-elw;ted by a majority of 1066
In the primaries Tuesday.
In the finals, two weeks from Tues
day, November 16, C. E. Spurgeon
will contest T. J. Kelly's office of
commissioner of public safety, and
Dennis D. Merrill will run against
present Commissioner J. M. Salter.
The vote was 22 greater than the
total cast at the water bond issue
election on August 24. Though the
registration was 1,709 greater.
Inclement weather and lack of in
terest kept 2506 voters at home.
The total vote was 5441, for com
missioner of finance, out of 7,947 reg
istered votes.
Geo. Lunn, Socialist
Wins in Schenectady
Comrade George Lunn, formerly
mayor of Schenectady, was returned
to that office by a good plurality last
Tuesday. Two years ago the old
party forces combined in order to de
feat the Socialist mayor for re-elec
tion, and succeeded. But the past two
years have been devoted to strenuous
educational work on the part of the
Reds of that big city, and the vote
Tuesday is the "proof of the pudding."
Back of the educational work of the
Schenectady comrades was a well-dis
ciplined organization, and this It was
which made the educational work
possible. Organization! In this mag
ic word lies the key to lasting pro
gress for the working class, Industri
ally and politically.
In 1880 only 14.7 per cent of the
females ten years of age and over
were engaged In gainful occupations;
whereas In 1910, 23.4 per cent, were
so occupied. The increase of males
ten years of age and over engaged in
gainful occupations during this period
was only 2.6 per cent.
"War, What For?" Is for sale by
The Northwest Worker at 25c, post
paid, or 5 copies for $1.
The Worker Sells His Labor Power in a Competitive Market, and Buys His
Supplies from Monopolists. Socialists Approve of Monopolies If
Owned and Controlled by the Common People.
THE
HUNDREDS TURNED AWAY
AT SOCIALIST RALLY
MONDAY EVENING
Everett Theatre Filled to Over-
flowing By 8:10
ORATOR MILLS ABLY EXPOUNDS
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIALISM
Hundred*! of disappointed men and
women were turned away from the
Kverett Theatre lost Monday evening
because overy foot of available space
was filled with people eager to see
and hear the three Socialist nomi
nees for commlflsionorshlps,
About 1,200 people wore seated in
the theatre— It* full capacity.
And Walter Thomaß MHIb was there
-with the goods!
No one can surpass Mills as a
campaign orator —at least no one that
wo have heard. Ho knows Just what
to say and how to say It. He's just
the right man for "beginners." We
can teach them the class struggle af
terwards.
It was a rousing meeting! Every
body wanted to get in. But not every
body that wanted to could. But for
the rain wo would have held an out
door overflow meeting.
None of the other organizations or
individual candidates have been able
to get out a hundred people, at one
time, during the whole campaign. But
the Socialists! Well, let's wait 'till
the votes are counted in the final elec
tion.
But come what may, the splendid
educational work rfi^.t has been carried
on here in Everett, especially during
the past five weeks, can never be
undone, any more than one can un
scramble eggs. And, after all, it is
education, more than mere votes, that
counts. We'll be very happy, though,
when we can have both at once.
TO BE REGRETED
It is much to be regreted that so
many of the wage earners of Everett
saw fit to vote against their own
vital interests last Tuesday, whilo
many hundreds did not even have In
tel ligence enough to vote at all. As
against the latter, we prefer even
those who voted against the Socialist
candidates. But, as the ancient
Greeks used to lament, "Against stu
pidity the gods themselves contend
in vain." After all, the workers are
not to blame: It's the hellish system
that keeps them cowed and Ignorant
that we Socialists are after. And
we're getting It, little by little. Truly
"The mills of the gods grind slowly."
But they grind, inexorably! The
workers must soon learn, or perish.
A Mother's Plea
By Bert Ullad
Is it for this beneath my heart
I felt his quickened being start;
Is it for this my woman's breast
Knew all the raptures of unrest;
Is it Tor this with bated breath
I challenge agony and death?—
For this: that on a battle plain
His blood should leave Its crimson
stain;
That tattered flesh and staring eye
In hideous carnage there should He;
That bones should bleach and vul
tures feast—
For this: that like a slaughtered beast
Ho should He there unmurmuring,
A sightless, crushed and mangled
thing?
Is It for this through weary years
Of unrolentless toll and tears,
Of labor's grind, privation's ban
I saw him grow from child to man—
For this: to be the sport of money
kings,
The pawn of all their barterings;
For this: that he should groan and
bleed
To satiate the monster's greed,
To give another port or town
To one who wears a puppet crown,
To add another empty brag
Unto the fetich of a flag—
For this: my treasure turned to chaff,
That men might rule or that kings
might laugh?
COMPARATIVE VOTE
ON SOCIALISTS
The vote for the Socialist candi
dates was as follows: J. M. Salter,
1449; Katherine H. Hodgins, 1030;
G. W. Carr, 980. Salter's vote In
creased 480 over last year's primary
election. Katherine H. Hodgins poll
ed 11 votes more than were cast for
Bostrom last year.
The small vote cast, 2506 less than
those registered, can be accounted
for very easily, ignorance. It remains
for the organized Socialists of Ever
ett to work with renewed enthusiasm
for the victory which Is certain to
be theirs in the long run —sooner, per
haps, than most of us expect it.
CAUSES FOR EASTERN STRKE
WORCESTER, Mass.—Long hours,
small pay, and a reduction In wages
during slack periods were given as
causes for the strike at the Whitcomb
Blaisdell plant by some of the em
ployes at a public hearing conducted
by the state board of conciliation and
arbitration.
CIRCULATION
7,148
BOOST FOR 10,000
What About Your Boy?
KATHERINE H. HODGINS
In case the United States should
become involved in war, how would it
affect your boy?
This is a question that should be
seriously considered by every mother
in the land with relation to her vote,
whether municipal, state or national.
Generally speaking, mothers are
divided into two classes: those who
think that in case of war it will be
the other mothers' boys, and not theirs,
who will do the bleeding and suffer
ing; and those who think there will
be no war.
I would call to the attention of
mothers of the first class the Dick
Military Law, printed elsewhere In
this issue. This will convince you
that your boy will go to war IF WALL
STREET WANTS HIM, no matter
how much you would like to have it
otherwise.
To those who think there will be
no war, I may reply by inquiring
briefly into the CAUSE OF WAR.
Wars are caused by an unmarket
able surplus of commodities —never
fop the reasons officially given.
One might well ask why these ac
cumulated wares are not purchased
by the workers themselves who need
them so badly.
I take my answer to this logical
question from government reports,
which show that the worker receives,
on an average, wages which repre
sent but 17 per cent, of the value of
his product. It follows that no mat
ter how much the producer suffers
from a lack of these stored up goods,
he cannot purchase more than 17 per
cent, of them. The consuming or
purchasing power, of those who are
paid for producing the raw material
is also proportionately limited. So
there remain hundreds of dollars of
wealth produced each year by each
wage worker which he can not buy.
The non-producing class, being
small in numbers, cannot waste or
use the surplus product. Only a cer
tain portion can be sold in foreign
markets.
And so it is up to the owners of these
goods to secure some outside mar
ket.
But what if the markets thus cov
eted, and that are necessary to the
well-being of this country, are already
within the control of some other na
tion which also has a surplus of
commodities to dispose of?
In such a case the country in ques
tion will do one of two things: either
it will for a time suffer commercial
stagnation, resulting in wide-spread
suffering and bankruptcy, or it will
go to war for markets. In any case,
war is the only ultimate means for
commercial expansion.
This Is why the United States has
become, at last, an advocate of im
perialism, or "benevolent assimila
tion."
This is perfectly logical.
For as long as things are produced
FOR PROFIT ONLY, there will bo
an unmarketable surplus. And as
long as there is this surplus, there
will be war. It is inevitable.
Now, this is where your boy will
be useful.
The owners of this piled-up surplus
product will need him. They will
send hired agents to say sweet, se
ductive things to him —honeyed un
truths about our country's honor,
"war of defense only," etc. They will
not resort to the Dick Military Law
as long as they can snare him with
delusive phrases.
In either case you are terrified at
the thought of your boy being exposed
to the horrors of war. You have loved
and cared for him so carefully, often
depriving yourself of things sorely
needed, that he might be provided for.
So much the better. Had you not
done that he might not now be suffi
ciently strong to stand up under the
strain of murdering other boys, boya
who never did him any harm.
And he is handsome and tall.
That is well, for, being tall, ha
might stop a bullet that would other
j wise be wasted.
Was it not the groat (?) N&polttou
who said that a boy could stop a bul
let as well as a man?
You My all thla Is highly improb
able.
So thought millions of mother* la
twelve countries of Europe less
than two years ago.
But ask these mothers of helpless,
useless, hideously mutilated cripple*
if they have any illusions about the
matter NOW!
This country has been for years In
a state of constant industrial depres
sion.
We call it "hard times."
Millions of men and women are out
of employment.
The rapid evolution of the machine,
together with the lack of purchasing
power of the poorly paid workers
and the unemployed, is rapidly creat
ing a mighty surplus of unsalable
products.
So it was in Europe.
The majority there did not want
war.
But the big business interests HAD
TO HAVE WAR or go out of business.
It mattered not that there were mil
lions of willing but jobless workers
who needed this surplus, being hun
gry, cold and houseless.
These necessities must be sold AT
A PROFIT.
Can you imagine anything more in
sane than the private ownership of
the things necessary to human wel
fare, produced and held that a few
only may reap the profits?
The same conditions face us here
For again I say, that under the
present system of industry, war is
inevitable.
Mothers of Everett, will you will
ingly vote for the battlefield, made
hideous with the groans and shrieks
of YOUR boys as well as of other
mothers' boys? Will you vote for a
condition so horrible that a military
band must play all night long, in or
der to drown those shrieks? For the
killing must go on uninterrupted.
Will you vote to continue a system
that will necessitate your boy's going
into a bayonet charge, plunging, mur
dering, stabbing, made purpose
ly drunk, no doubt, for the occasion,
by order of a superior?
I promise you that no boy will lie
all night on a bloody battlefield call
ing for water, because of my vote OR
MY INDIFFERENCE.
None of the blood and agony and
tears, the inevitable result of a sys
tem based upon the exploitation of
the helpless, is upon my hands.
This is a good thought with which
to go to sleep each night.
This municipal election Is an Im
portant one. You have a chance to
choose between those in favor of the
present unjust system, or for the So
cialists, who would make a step to
ward substituting a JUST system.
If, sometime in the future, as a re
sult of your vote this year, and tho
next year and the next, your boy is
brought home to you, mutilated, with
scarcely a semblance of the boy of
whom you were once so proud, you
will have only YOURSELF TO
BLAME.
Until the Socialists hold at least
the balance of power, there will be
nothing to stand between you and the
result of your own actions or indif
ference.
The Socialists will vote to save your
boy.
WILL YOU VOTE WITH THEM,
OR AGAINST THEM?
Tell us not of banks and tariffs
cease your paltry cries—
Shall the good state sink her honor
that your gambling stock may
rise?
Would ye barter man for cotton?—
that your gains may sum up
higher,
Must we kiss the feet of Moloch, pass
our children through the fire?
Is the dollar only real? —God and
truth and right a dream?
Weighed againat your lying ledgers
must our manhood kick the beam?
—John U. Whittlar.
No. 252
