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and the man of the gutter drew very close to me。 I saw the picture of the
Social Pit as vividly as though it were a concrete thing； and at the bottom
of the Pit I saw them； myself above them； not far； and hanging on to the
slippery wall by main strength and sweat。 And I confess a terror seized me。
What when my strength failed？ when I should be unable to work shoulder
to shoulder with the strong men who were as yet babes unborn？ And there
and then I swore a great oath。 It ran something like this： ALL MY DAYS I
HAVE WORKED HARD WITH MY BODY； AND ACCORDING TO
THE NUMBER OF DAYS I HAVE WORKED； BY JUST THAT MUCH
AM I NEARER THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT。 I SHALL CLIMB OUT OF
THE PIT； BUT NOT BY THE MUSCLES OF MY BODY SHALL I
CLIMB OUT。 I SHALL DO NO MORE HARD WORK； AND MAY
GOD STRIKE ME DEAD IF I DO ANOTHER DAY'S HARD WORK
WITH MY BODY MORE THAN I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO。 And I
have been busy ever since running away from hard work。
Incidentally； while tramping some ten thousand miles through the
United States and Canada； I strayed into Niagara Falls； was nabbed by a
fee…hunting constable； denied the right to plead guilty or not guilty；
sentenced out of hand to thirty days' imprisonment for having no fixed
abode and no visible means of support； handcuffed and chained to a bunch
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of men similarly circumstanced； carted down country to Buffalo；
registered at the Erie County Penitentiary； had my head clipped and my
budding mustache shaved； was dressed in convict stripes； compulsorily
vaccinated by a medical student who practised on such as we； made to
march the lock…step； and put to work under the eyes of guards armed with
Winchester riflesall for adventuring in BLOND…BEASTLY fashion。
Concerning further details deponent sayeth not； though he may hint that
some of his plethoric national patriotism simmered down and leaked out
of the bottom of his soul somewhereat least； since that experience he
finds that he cares more for men and women and little children than for
imaginary geographical lines。
To return to my conversion。 I think it is apparent that my rampant
individualism was pretty effectively hammered out of me； and something
else as effectively hammered in。 But； just as I had been an individualist
without knowing it； I was now a Socialist without knowing it； withal； an
unscientific one。 I had been reborn； but not renamed； and I was running
around to find out what manner of thing I 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
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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
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plague of the tenements and the especial plague of the garment industry；
carried o