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inefficient are housed in hospitals and asylums。 The strength of
the viciously strong； when inimical to society； is tempered by penal
institutions and by the gallows。 The short…sighted are provided
with spectacles； and the sickly （when they can pay for it） with
sanitariums。 Pestilential marshes are drained； plagues are checked；
and disasters averted。 Yet； for all that； the strong and the
progeny of the strong survive； and the weak are crushed out。 The
men strong of brain are masters as of yore。 They dominate society
and gather to themselves the wealth of society。 With this wealth
they maintain themselves and equip their progeny for the struggle。
They build their homes in healthful places； purchase the best
fruits； meats； and vegetables the market affords； and buy themselves
the ministrations of the most brilliant and learned of the
professional classes。 The weak man； as of yore； is the servant； the
doer of things at the master's call。 The weaker and less efficient
he is； the poorer is his reward。 The weakest work for a living
wage； （when they can get work）； live in unsanitary slums； on vile
and insufficient food； at the lowest depths of human degradation。
Their grasp on life is indeed precarious； their mortality excessive；
their infant death…rate appalling。
That some should be born to preferment and others to ignominy in
order that the race may progress； is cruel and sad； but none the
less they are so born。 The weeding out of human souls； some for
fatness and smiles； some for leanness and tears； is surely a
heartless selective processas heartless as it is natural。 And the
human family； for all its wonderful record of adventure and
achievement； has not yet succeeded in avoiding this process。 That
it is incapable of doing this is not to be hazarded。 Not only is it
capable； but the whole trend of society is in that direction。 All
the social forces are driving man on to a time when the old
selective law will be annulled。 There is no escaping it； save by
the intervention of catastrophes and cataclysms quite unthinkable。
It is inexorable。 It is inexorable because the common man demands
it。 The twentieth century； the common man says； is his day； the
common man's day； or； rather； the dawning of the common man's day。
Nor can it be denied。 The evidence is with him。 The previous
centuries； and more notably the nineteenth； have marked the rise of
the common man。 From chattel slavery to serfdom； and from serfdom
to what he bitterly terms 〃wage slavery；〃 he has risen。 Never was
he so strong as he is today； and never so menacing。 He does the
work of the world； and he is beginning to know it。 The world cannot
get along without him； and this also he is beginning to know。 All
the human knowledge of the past； all the scientific discovery；
governmental experiment； and invention of machinery； have tended to
his advancement。 His standard of living is higher。 His common
school education would shame princes ten centuries past。 His civil
and religious liberty makes him a free man； and his ballot the peer
of his betters。 And all this has tended to make him conscious；
conscious of himself； conscious of his class。 He looks about him
and questions that ancient law of development。 It is cruel and
wrong； he is beginning to declare。 It is an anachronism。 Let it be
abolished。 Why should there be one empty belly in all the world；
when the work of ten men can feed a hundred？ What if my brother be
not so strong as I？ He has not sinned。 Wherefore should he hunger…
…he and his sinless little ones？ Away with the old law。 There is
food and shelter for all； therefore let all receive food and
shelter。
As fast as labor has become conscious it has organized。 The
ambition of these class…conscious men is that the movement shall
become general； that all labor shall become conscious of itself and
its class interests。 And the day that witnesses the solidarity of
labor； they triumphantly affirm； will be a day when labor dominates
the world。 This growing consciousness has led to the organization
of two movements； both separate and distinct； but both converging
toward a common goalone； the labor movement； known as Trade
Unionism； the other； the political movement； known as Socialism。
Both are grim and silent forces； unheralded and virtually unknown to
the general public save in moments of stress。 The sleeping labor
giant receives little notice from the capitalistic press； and when
he stirs uneasily； a column of surprise； indignation； and horror
suffices。
It is only now and then； after long periods of silence； that the
labor movement puts in its claim for notice。 All is quiet。 The
kind old world spins on； and the bourgeois masters clip their
coupons in smug complacency。 But the grim and silent forces are at
work。
Suddenly； like a clap of thunder from a clear sky； comes a
disruption of industry。 From ocean to ocean the wheels of a great
chain of railroads cease to run。 A quarter of a million miners
throw down pick and shovel and outrage the sun with their pale；
bleached faces。 The street railways of a swarming metropolis stand
idle； or the rumble of machinery in vast manufactories dies away to
silence。 There is alarm and panic。 Arson and homicide stalk forth。
There is a cry in the night； and quick anger and sudden death。
Peaceful cities are affrighted by the crack of rifles and the snarl
of machine…guns； and the hearts of the shuddering are shaken by the
roar of dynamite。 There is hurrying and skurrying。 The wires are
kept hot between the centre of government and the seat of trouble。
The chiefs of state ponder gravely and advise； and governors of
states implore。 There is assembling of militia and massing of
troops； and the streets resound to the tramp of armed men。 There
are separate and joint conferences between the captains of industry
and the captains of labor。 And then； finally； all is quiet again；
and the memory of it is like the memory of a bad dream。
But these strikes become olympiads； things to date from； and common
on the lips of men become such phrases as 〃The Great Dock Strike；〃
〃The Great Coal Strike；〃 〃The Great Railroad Strike。〃 Never before
did labor do these things。 After the Great Plague in England；
labor； finding itself in demand and innocently obeying the economic
law； asked higher wages。 But the masters set a maximum wage；
restrained workingmen from moving about from place to place； refused
to tolerate idlers； and by most barbarous legal methods punished
those who disobeyed。 But labor is accorded greater respect today。
Such a policy； put into effect in this the first decade of the
twentieth century； would sweep the masters from their seats in one
mighty crash。 And the masters know it and are respectful。
A fair instance of the growing solidarity of labor is afforded by an
unimportant recent strike in San Francisco。 The restaurant cooks
and waiters were completely unorganized； working at any and all
hours for whatever wages they could get。 A representative of the
American Federation of Labor went among them and organized them。
Within a few weeks nearly two thousand men were enrolled； and they
had five thousand dollars on deposit。 Then they put in their demand
for increased wages and shorter hours。 Forthwith their employers
organized。 The demand was denied； and the Cooks' and Waiters' Union
walked out。
All organized employers stood back of the restaurant owners； in
sympathy with them and willing to aid them if they dared。 And at
the back of the Cooks' and Waiters' Union stood the organized labor
of the city； 40；000 strong。 If a business man was caught
patronizing an 〃unfair〃 restaurant； he was boycotted； if a union man
was caught； he was fined heavily by his union or expelled。 The
oyster companies and the slaughter houses made an attempt to refuse
to sell oysters and meat to union restaurants。 The Butchers and
Meat Cutters； and the Teamsters； in retaliation； refused to work for
or to deliver to non…union restaurants。 Upon this the oyster
companies and slaughter houses acknowledged themselves beaten and
peace reigned。 But the Restaurant Bakers in non…union places were
ordered out； and the Bakery Wagon Drivers declined to deliver to
unfair houses。
Every American Federation of Labor union in the city was prepared to
strike； and waited only the word。 And behind all； a handful of men；
known as the Labor Council； directed the fight。 One by one； blow
upon blow； they were able if they deemed it necessary to call out
the unionsthe Laundry Workers； who do the washing； the Hackmen；
who haul men to and from restaurants； the Butchers； Meat Cutters；
and Teamsters； and the Milkers； Milk Drivers； and Chicken Pickers；
and after that； in pure sympathy； the Retail Clerks； the Horse
Shoers； the Gas and Electrical Fixture Hangers； the Metal Roofers；
the Blacksmiths； the Blacks