The Milwaukee Leader

What Our Readers Think
The opinions expressed in this column are those of our readers, and The Leader assumes no responsibility for them.

REMARKS ON SOCIALISM.

To the Editor of The Leader:

In these days of the black bottom and insipid movies, the word Socialism, conjures up before the minds of the majority of the people, the following picture—a geezer with long whiskers, a knife between his teeth, brandishing a gun in one hand and a bomb in the other, cavorting around like the devil himself.

They do not think of Socialism as a thing contained within the fabric of human life. Many attempts have been made by man to socialize or bring into co-operation, part of humanity. But these attempts can be understood only through a scientific and evolutionary perspective of history.

What is Socialism? It has been defined as a group of individuals united by some common interest and having some organization. Why should we socialize or co-operate? Just for devilment and fun? No! But for the subjugation of and dominion over nature. That is our big purpose in life, as God in the Bible says: Multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it and have dominion.

Therein can we understand that this life is a battlefield, between the good and the evil, and that evil in its most fundamental form is death, that is, not individually, but of humanity as an expression of life.

Humanity is fighting and bleeding and suffering for the dominion and control over the blind forces of nature that tend to destroy it.

All the created things we see around us, such as bridges, the enormous skyscrapers and beautiful works of art, are caused by the creative instinct within man. So we can see that all the great reorganizations, the partial conquests and control of nature have been caused by the undying spirit within the heart of mankind, that is like a ray of light which is ever broadening into a beam of moral and intellectual understanding of life. Psychologically, Socialism can only be understood as the co-ordination of all the parts of life into a single supreme purpose and direction: the harmonious and progressive control of the natural laws of material and ethical realities. We cannot solve the problem of life by only a partial application of the scientific method. We can only understand the progress of life in terms of the fight, of the battle against the evil that tends to exterminate that undying fire within the heart of man.

All the great religious teachers, like Jesus for instance, were Socialists in the broad sense of the word, in that they wanted a greater and better social order. I do not mean to say that the gospel of love that they preached was the finished product, but at least it was the germinating seed of mutual understanding, of love of one's fellow-men. Due to the very personality of Jesus, the intensity and concentration of his spirit, that is latent in all men to a more or less degree.

He created a tremendous, emotional response in the hearts of man, a yearning and striving toward understanding and perfection.

But that was not enough.

Man is the cause of all the systems he creates. He is a biological animal, not a mechanical one. He is the product of thousands of years of evolution from the cell-like amoeba fighting his way through the whole animal kingdom, and within his being lies the fierce animal passions of hatred, jealousy, lust and avarice that tend to destroy him. But man is also a moral being, not in the mythological and dogmatic sense, but essentially.

The moral instinct in man is that groping and striving up the perilous mountain of truth that man is slowly ascending toward God and perfection. We cannot interpret history completely from an economic point of view, nor can we completely interpret history from a biological or religious point of view. But the co-ordination of these factors give us a complete scientific interpretation of history.

Due to the very fact that our material progress has been greater than our moral and intellectual has caused a disintegrative action.

What is the solution? The progressive unification of human affairs into a common direction.

How? On the basis of the scientific method of thought, which is the universal measuring rod of all things. Economic freedom in itself, without the co-ordination of the biological and moral factors, would simply mean the crystallization of man into an animal of mechanical routine. Proud thoughts, noble and creative ambitions would be taboo.

There can be no universal economic independence without universal co-operation of the moral and biologic factors on a scientific base.

When we have done that, we will have Socialism, with a broad and progressive outlook.

JOHN JOULAN.
Milwaukee.