第 3 节
作者:爱之冰点      更新:2021-02-19 17:04      字数:9322
  themselves deft theoreticians; are not to be convinced by mere theoretics。
  So   it   remains   to   demonstrate   the   existence   of   the   class   struggle   by   a
  marshalling of the facts。
  When nearly two millions of men; finding themselves knit together by
  certain     interests    peculiarly      their   own;     band    together     in   a   strong
  organization for the aggressive pursuit of those interests; it is evident that
  society  has   within   it   a   hostile   and   warring   class。   But   when   the   interests
  which this class aggressively pursues conflict sharply and vitally with the
  interests of another class; class antagonism arises and a class struggle is
  the    inevitable     result。   One    great    organization      of   labor   alone    has    a
  membership        of   1;700;000     in  the   United    States。   This   is  the   American
  Federation of Labor; and outside of it are many other large organizations。
  All these men are banded together for the frank purpose of bettering their
  condition; regardless of the  harm worked thereby  upon all other  classes。
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  They are in open antagonism with the capitalist class; while the manifestos
  of their leaders state that the struggle is one which can never end until the
  capitalist class is exterminated。
  Their leaders will largely deny this last statement; but an examination
  of their utterances; their actions; and the situation will forestall such denial。
  In the first place; the conflict between labor and capital is over the division
  of the join product。 Capital and labor apply themselves to raw material and
  make it into a finished product。 The difference between the value of the
  raw material and the value of the finished product is the value they have
  added to it by their joint effort。 This added value is; therefore; their joint
  product; and it is over the division of this joint product that the struggle
  between   labor   and   capital   takes   place。   Labor   takes   its   share   in   wages;
  capital takes its share in profits。 It is patent; if capital took in profits the
  whole joint   product;  that   labor  would perish。 And   it   is   equally  patent;  if
  labor took in wages the whole joint product; that capital would perish。 Yet
  this   last   is   the   very   thing   labor   aspires   to   do;   and   that   it   will   never   be
  content with anything less than the whole joint product is evidenced by the
  words of its leaders。
  Mr。 Samuel Gompers; president of the American Federation of Labor;
  has   said:   〃The   workers   want   more   wages;   more   of   the   comforts   of   life;
  more leisure; more chance for self…improvement as men; as trade…unionists;
  as citizens。 THESE WERE THE WANTS OF YESTERDAY; THEY ARE
  THE      WANTS        OF    TODAY;        THEY      WILL      BE    THE      WANTS        OF
  TOMORROW; AND   OF TOMORROW'S MORROW。 The   struggle   may
  assume new forms; but the issue is the immemorial one;an effort of the
  producers to obtain an increasing measure of the wealth that flows from
  their production。〃
  Mr。    Henry     White;    secretary    of   the  United     Garment      Workers     of
  America and a member of the Industrial Committee of the National Civic
  Federation;      speaking     of  the  National     Civic   Federation     soon    after  its
  inception;   said:   〃To   fall   into   one   another's   arms;   to   avow   friendship;   to
  express regret at the injury which has been done; would not alter the facts
  of the situation。 Workingmen will continue to demand more pay; and the
  employer   will   naturally   oppose   them。   The   readiness   and   ability   of   the
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  workmen   to   fight   will;   as   usual;   largely   determine   the   amount   of   their
  wages or their share in the product。 。 。 But when it comes to dividing the
  proceeds; there   is   the   rub。 We   can   also agree   that   the   larger   the   product
  through the employment of labor…saving methods the better; as there will
  be   more   to   be   divided;   but   again   the   question   of   the   division。   。   。   。   A
  Conciliation   Committee;   having   the   confidence   of   the   community;   and
  composed of men possessing practical knowledge of industrial affairs; can
  therefore      aid   in  mitigating      this  antagonism;       in  preventing      avoidable
  conflicts;   in   bringing     about   a   TRUCE;   I   use   the   word      'truce'   because
  understandings can only be temporary。〃
  Here is a man who might have owned cattle on a thousand hills; been a
  lumber baron or a railroad king; had he been born a few years sooner。 As it
  is; he remains in his class; is secretary of the United Garment Workers of
  America;   and   is   so   thoroughly   saturated   with   the   class   struggle   that   he
  speaks of the dispute between capital and labor in terms of war;workmen
  FIGHT   with   employers;   it   is   possible   to   avoid   some   CONFLICTS;   in
  certain cases TRUCES may be; for the time being; effected。
  Man being man and a great deal short of the angels; the quarrel over
  the division of the joint product is irreconcilable。 For the last twenty years
  in the United States; there has been an average of over a thousand strikes
  per   year;   and   year   by   year   these   strikes   increase   in   magnitude;   and   the
  front of the labor army grows more imposing。 And it is a class struggle;
  pure and simple。 Labor as a class is fighting with capital as a class。
  Workingmen   will   continue   to   demand   more   pay;   and   employers   will
  continue   to   oppose   them。   This   is   the   key…note   to   LAISSEZ   FAIRE;
  everybody for himself and devil take the hindmost。 It is upon this that the
  rampant individualist bases his individualism。 It is the let…alone policy; the
  struggle   for   existence;   which   strengthens   the   strong;   destroys   the   weak;
  and makes a finer and more capable breed of men。 But the individual has
  passed away and the group has come; for better or worse; and the struggle
  has   become;   not   a   struggle   between   individuals;   but   a   struggle   between
  groups。 So the query rises: Has the individualist never speculated upon the
  labor group becoming strong enough to destroy the capitalist group; and
  take to itself and run for itself the machinery of industry? And; further; has
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  the    individualist     never    speculated     upon    this   being   still  a  triumphant
  expression of individualism;of group individualism;if the confusion of
  terms may be permitted?
  But the facts of the class struggle are deeper and more significant than
  have so far been presented。 A million or so of workmen may organize for
  the pursuit of interests which engender class antagonism and strife; and at
  the same time be unconscious of what is engendered。 But when a million
  or   so   of   workmen   show   unmistakable   signs   of   being   conscious   of   their
  class;of being; in short; class conscious;then the situation grows serious。
  The uncompromising and terrible hatred of the trade…unionist for a scab is
  the hatred of a class for a traitor to that class;while the hatred of a trade…
  unionist for the militia is the hatred of a class for a weapon wielded by the
  class with which it is fighting。 No workman can be true to his class and at
  the same time be a member of the militia: this is the dictum of the labor
  leaders。
  In the town of the writer; the good citizens; when they get up a Fourth
  of July parade and invite the labor unions to participate; are informed by
  the unions that   they will not march   in the   parade if the militia   marches。
  Article   8   of   the   constitution   of   the   Painters'   and   Decorators'   Union   of
  Schenectady  provides   that   a   member   must   not   be   a   〃militiaman;   special
  police     officer;   or   deputy    marshal     in   the   employ     of   corporations      or
  individuals   during   strikes;   lockouts;   or   other   labor   difficulties;   and   any
  member       occupying      any   of  the   above    positions    will   be  debarred     from
  membership。〃        Mr。    William   Potter     was   a  member      of   this  union    and   a
  member of the National Guard。 As a result; because he obeyed the order of
  the Governor when his company was ordered out to suppress rioting; he
  was   expelled   from   his   union。   Also   his   union   demanded   his   employers;
  Shafer & Barry; to d