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Socialism has been greatly awakened these days； especially among our
laboring people on one hand and young students' circle on the other；
as much as we can draw an earnest and enthusiastic audience and fill
our hall； which holds two thousand。 。 。 。 It is gratifying to say
that we have a number of fine and well…trained public orators among
our leaders of Socialism in Japan。 The first speaker tonight is Mr。
Kiyoshi Kawakami； editor of one of our city （Tokyo） dailies； a
strong； independent； and decidedly socialistic paper； circulated far
and wide。 Mr。 Kawakami is a scholar as well as a popular writer。
He is going to speak tonight on the subject； 'The Essence of
Socialismthe Fundamental Principles。' The next speaker is
Professor Iso Abe； president of our association； whose subject of
address is； 'Socialism and the Existing Social System。' The third
speaker is Mr。 Naoe Kinosita； the editor of another strong journal
of the city。 He speaks on the subject； 'How to Realize the
Socialist Ideals and Plans。' Next is Mr。 Shigeyoshi Sugiyama； a
graduate of Hartford Theological Seminary and an advocate of Social
Christianity； who is to speak on 'Socialism and Municipal Problems。'
And the last speaker is the editor of the 'Labor World；' the
foremost leader of the labor…union movement in our country； Mr。 Sen
Katayama； who speaks on the subject； 'The Outlook of Socialism in
Europe and America。' These addresses are going to be published in
book form and to be distributed among our people to enlighten their
minds on the subject。〃
And in the struggle for the political machinery of society；
Socialism is no longer confined to mere propaganda。 Italy； Austria；
Belgium； England； have Socialist members in their national bodies。
Out of the one hundred and thirty…two members of the London County
Council； ninety…one are denounced by the conservative element as
Socialists。 The Emperor of Germany grows anxious and angry at the
increasing numbers which are returned to the Reichstag。 In France；
many of the large cities； such as Marseilles； are in the hands of
the Socialists。 A large body of them is in the Chamber of Deputies；
and Millerand； Socialist； sits in the cabinet。 Of him M。 Leroy…
Beaulieu says with horror： 〃M。 Millerand is the open enemy of
private property； private capital； the resolute advocate of the
socialization of production 。 。 。 a constant incitement to violence
。 。 。 a collectivist； avowed and militant； taking part in the
government； dominating the departments of commerce and industry；
preparing all the laws and presiding at the passage of all measures
which should be submitted to merchants and tradesmen。〃
In the United States there are already Socialist mayors of towns and
members of State legislatures； a vast literature； and single
Socialist papers with subscription lists running up into the
hundreds of thousands。 In 1896； 36；000 votes were cast for the
Socialist candidate for President； in 1900； nearly 200；000； in 1904；
450；000。 And the United States； young as it is； is ripening
rapidly； and the Socialists claim； according to the materialistic
conception of history； that the United States will be the first
country in the world wherein the toilers will capture the political
machinery and expropriate the bourgeoisie。
But the Socialist and labor movements have recently entered upon a
new phase。 There has been a remarkable change in attitude on both
sides。 For a long time the labor unions refrained from going in for
political action。 On the other hand； the Socialists claimed that
without political action labor was powerless。 And because of this
there was much ill feeling between them； even open hostilities； and
no concerted action。 But now the Socialists grant that the labor
movement has held up wages and decreased the hours of labor； and the
labor unions find that political action is necessary。 Today both
parties have drawn closely together in the common fight。 In the
United States this friendly feeling grows。 The Socialist papers
espouse the cause of labor； and the unions have opened their ears
once more to the wiles of the Socialists。 They are all leavened
with Socialist workmen； 〃boring from within；〃 and many of their
leaders have already succumbed。 In England； where class
consciousness is more developed； the name 〃Unionism〃 has been
replaced by 〃The New Unionism；〃 the main object of which is 〃to
capture existing social structures in the interests of the wage…
earners。〃 There the Socialist； the trade…union； and other working…
class organizations are beginning to cooperate in securing the
return of representatives to the House of Commons。 And in France；
where the city councils and mayors of Marseilles and Monteaules…
Mines are Socialistic； thousands of francs of municipal money were
voted for the aid of the unions in the recent great strikes。
For centuries the world has been preparing for the coming of the
common man。 And the period of preparation virtually past； labor；
conscious of itself and its desires； has begun a definite movement
toward solidarity。 It believes the time is not far distant when the
historian will speak not only of the dark ages of feudalism； but of
the dark ages of capitalism。 And labor sincerely believes itself
justified in this by the terrible indictment it brings against
capitalistic society。 In the face of its enormous wealth；
capitalistic society forfeits its right to existence when it permits
widespread； bestial poverty。 The philosophy of the survival of the
fittest does not soothe the class…conscious worker when he learns
through his class literature that among the Italian pants…finishers
of Chicago ｛9｝ the average weekly wage is 1。31； and the average
number of weeks employed in the year is 27。85。 Likewise when he
reads：｛10｝ 〃Every room in these reeking tenements houses a family or
two。 In one room a missionary found a man ill with small…pox； his
wife just recovering from her confinement； and the children running
about half naked and covered with dirt。 Here are seven people
living in one underground kitchen； and a little dead child lying in
the same room。 Here live a widow and her six children； two of whom
are ill with scarlet fever。 In another； nine brothers and sisters；
from twenty…nine years of age downward； live； eat； and sleep
together。〃 And likewise； when he reads：｛11｝ 〃When one man； fifty
years old； who has worked all his life； is compelled to beg a little
money to bury his dead baby； and another man； fifty years old； can
give ten million dollars to enable his daughter to live in luxury
and bolster up a decaying foreign aristocracy； do you see nothing
amiss？〃
And on the other hand； the class…conscious worker reads the
statistics of the wealthy classes； knows what their incomes are； and
how they get them。 True； down all the past he has known his own
material misery and the material comfort of the dominant classes；
and often has this