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was。 I ran back to California and opened the books。 I do not
remember which ones I opened first。 It is an unimportant detail
anyway。 I was already It； whatever It was； and by aid of the books
I discovered that It was a Socialist。 Since that day I have opened
many books； but no economic argument； no lucid demonstration of the
logic and inevitableness of Socialism affects me as profoundly and
convincingly as I was affected on the day when I first saw the walls
of the Social Pit rise around me and felt myself slipping down；
down； into the shambles at the bottom。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ 〃From 43 to 52 per cent of all applicants need work rather than
relief。〃Report of the Charity Organization Society of New York
City。
｛2｝ Mr。 Leiter； who owns a coal mine at the town of Zeigler；
Illinois； in an interview printed in the Chicago Record…Herald of
December 6； 1904； said： 〃When I go into the market to purchase
labor； I propose to retain just as much freedom as does a purchaser
in any other kind of a market。 。 。 。 There is no difficulty whatever
in obtaining labor； FOR THE COUNTRY IS FULL OF UNEMPLOYED MEN。〃
｛3｝ 〃Despondent and weary with vain attempts to struggle against an
unsympathetic world； two old men were brought before Police Judge
McHugh this afternoon to see whether some means could not be
provided for their support； at least until springtime。
〃George Westlake was the first one to receive the consideration of
the court。 Westlake is seventy…two years old。 A charge of habitual
drunkenness was placed against him； and he was sentenced to a term
in the county jail； though it is more than probable that he was
never under the influence of intoxicating liquor in his life。 The
act on the part of the authorities was one of kindness for him； as
in the county jail he will be provided with a good place to sleep
and plenty to eat。
〃Joe Coat； aged sixty…nine years； will serve ninety days in the
county jail for much the same reason as Westlake。 He states that；
if given a chance to do so； he will go out to a wood…camp and cut
timber during the winter； but the police authorities realize that he
could not long survive such a task。〃From the Butte （Montana）
Miner； December 7th； 1904。
〃'I end my life because I have reached the age limit； and there is
no place for me in this world。 Please notify my wife； No。 222 West
129th Street； New York。' Having summed up the cause of his
despondency in this final message； James Hollander； fifty…six years
old； shot himself through the left temple； in his room at the
Stafford Hotel today。〃New York Herald。
｛4｝ In the San Francisco Examiner of November 16； 1904； there is an
account of the use of fire…hose to drive away three hundred men who
wanted work at unloading a vessel in the harbor。 So anxious were
the men to get the two or three hours' job that they made a
veritable mob and had to be driven off。
｛5｝ 〃It was no uncommon thing in these sweatshops for men to sit
bent over a sewing…machine continuously from eleven to fifteen hours
a day in July weather； operating a sewing…machine by foot…power； and
often so driven that they could not stop for lunch。 The seasonal
character of the work meant demoralizing toil for a few months in
the year； and a not less demoralizing idleness for the remainder of
the time。 Consumption； the plague of the tenements and the especial
plague of the garment industry； carried off many of these workers；
poor nutrition and exhaustion； many more。〃From McClure's Magazine。
｛6｝ The Social Unrest。 Macmillan Company。
｛7｝ 〃Our Benevolent Feudalism。〃 By W。 J。 Ghent。 The Macmillan
Company。
｛8｝ 〃The Social Unrest。〃 By John Graham Brooks。 The Macmillan
Company。
｛9｝ From figures presented by Miss Nellie Mason Auten in the
American Journal of Sociology； and copied extensively by the trade…
union and Socialist press。
｛10｝ 〃The Bitter Cry of Outcast London。〃
｛11｝ An item from the Social Democratic Herald。 Hundreds of these
items； culled from current happenings； are published weekly in the
papers of the workers。
｛12｝ Karl Marx； the great Socialist； worked out the trust
development forty years ago； for which he was laughed at by the
orthodox economists。
End