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100；000；000。 In France； one…eighth of the whole working class is
unionized。 In Belgium the unions are very rich and powerful； and so
able to defy the masters that many of the smaller manufacturers；
unable to resist； 〃are removing their works to other countries where
the workmen's organizations are not so potential。〃 And in all other
countries； according to the stage of their economic and political
development； like figures obtain。 And Europe； today； confesses that
her greatest social problem is the labor problem； and that it is the
one most closely engrossing the attention of her statesmen。
The organization of labor is one of the chief acknowledged factors
in the retrogression of British trade。 The workers have become
class conscious as never before。 The wrong of one is the wrong of
all。 They have come to realize； in a short…sighted way； that their
masters' interests are not their interests。 The harder they work；
they believe； the more wealth they create for their masters。
Further； the more work they do in one day； the fewer men will be
needed to do the work。 So the unions place a day's stint upon their
members； beyond which they are not permitted to go。 In 〃A Study of
Trade Unionism；〃 by Benjamin Taylor in the 〃Nineteenth Century〃 of
April； 1898； are furnished some interesting corroborations。 The
facts here set forth were collected by the Executive Board of the
Employers' Federation； the documentary proofs of which are in the
hands of the secretaries。 In a certain firm the union workmen made
eight ammunition boxes a day。 Nor could they be persuaded into
making more。 A young Swiss； who could not speak English； was set to
work； and in the first day he made fifty boxes。 In the same firm
the skilled union hands filed up the outside handles of one machine…
gun a day。 That was their stint。 No one was known ever to do more。
A non…union filer came into the shop and did twelve a day。 A
Manchester firm found that to plane a large bed…casting took union
workmen one hundred and ninety hours； and non…union workmen one
hundred and thirty…five hours。 In another instance a man； resigning
from his union； day by day did double the amount of work he had done
formerly。 And to cap it all； an English gentleman； going out to
look at a wall being put up for him by union bricklayers； found one
of their number with his right arm strapped to his body； doing all
the work with his left arm …forsooth； because he was such an
energetic fellow that otherwise he would involuntarily lay more
bricks than his union permitted。
All England resounds to the cry； 〃Wake up； England！〃 But the sulky
giant is not stirred。 〃Let England's trade go to pot；〃 he says；
〃what have I to lose？〃 And England is powerless。 The capacity of
her workmen is represented by 1； in comparison with the 2。25
capacity of the American workman。 And because of the solidarity of
labor and the destructiveness of strikes； British capitalists dare
not even strive to emulate the enterprise of American capitalists。
So England watches trade slipping through her fingers and wails
unavailingly。 As a correspondent writes： 〃The enormous power of
the trade unions hangs； a sullen cloud； over the whole industrial
world here； affecting men and masters alike。〃
The political movement known as Socialism is； perhaps； even less
realized by the general public。 The great strides it has taken and
the portentous front it today exhibits are not comprehended； and；
fastened though it is in every land； it is given little space by the
capitalistic press。 For all its plea and passion and warmth； it
wells upward like a great； cold tidal wave； irresistible；
inexorable； ingulfing present…day society level by level。 By its
own preachment it is inexorable。 Just as societies have sprung into
existence； fulfilled their function； and passed away； it claims；
just as surely is present society hastening on to its dissolution。
This is a transition periodand destined to be a very short one。
Barely a century old； capitalism is ripening so rapidly that it can
never live to see a second birthday。 There is no hope for it； the
Socialists say。 It is doomed。
The cardinal tenet of Socialism is that forbidding doctrine； the
materialistic conception of history。 Men are not the masters of
their souls。 They are the puppets of great； blind forces。 The
lives they live and the deaths they die are compulsory。 All social
codes are but the reflexes of existing economic conditions； plus
certain survivals of past economic conditions。 The institutions men
build they are compelled to build。 Economic laws determine at any
given time what these institutions shall be； how long they shall
operate； and by what they shall be replaced。 And so； through the
economic process； the Socialist preaches the ripening of the
capitalistic society and the coming of the new cooperative society。
The second great tenet of Socialism； itself a phase of the
materialistic conception of history； is the class struggle。 In the
social struggle for existence； men are forced into classes。 〃The
history of all society thus far is the history of class strife。〃 In
existing society the capitalist class exploits the working class；
the proletariat。 The interests of the exploiter are not the
interests of the exploited。 〃Profits are legitimate；〃 says the one。
〃Profits are unpaid wages；〃 replies the other； when he has become
conscious of his class； 〃therefore profits are robbery。〃 The
capitalist enforces his profits because he is the legal owner of all
the means of production。 He is the legal owner because he controls
the political machinery of society。 The Socialist sets to work to
capture the political machinery； so that he may make illegal the
capitalist's ownership of the means of production； and make legal
his own ownership of the means of production。 And it is this
struggle； between these two classes； upon which the world has at
last entered。
Scientific Socialism is very young。 Only yesterday it was in
swaddling clothes。 But today it is a vigorous young giant； well
braced to battle for what it wants； and knowing precisely what it
wants。 It holds its international conventions； where world…policies
are formulated by the representatives of millions of Socialists。 In
little Belgium there are three…quarters of a million of men who work
for the cause； in Germany； 3；000；000； Austria； between 1895 and
1897； raised her socialist vote from 90；000 to 750；000。 France in
1871 had a whole generation of Socialists wiped out； yet in 1885
there were 30；000； and in 1898； 1；000；000。
Ere the last Spaniard had evacuated Cuba； Socialist groups were
forming。 And from far Japan； in these first days of the twentieth
century； writes one Tomoyoshi Murai： 〃The interest of our people on
Socialism has been greatly awakened these days； especially among our
laboring people on one hand and young students' circle on the other；
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