第 25 节
作者:爱之冰点      更新:2021-02-19 17:04      字数:9318
  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; 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
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  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
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  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
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  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 knowledge
  led him to intemperate acts and unwise rebellion。 But today; and for the
  first time;   because both society and he   have evolved;   he is beginning   to
  see    a  possible     way    out。  His    ears   are  opening     to   the   propaganda      of
  Socialism;      the   passionate     gospel    of  the   dispossessed。      But   it  does   not
  inculcate a turning back。 The way through is the way out; he understands;
  and with this in mind he draws up the programme。
  It   is  quite   simple;    this   programme。       Everything      is  moving      in  his
  direction;   toward   the