Debs calls on workers to embrace the class war, saying there can be no peace under capitalism as he scores scores the ‘Industrial Peace Conference’ involving church, government, capital, and labor.

‘Shall We Have Peace?’ by Eugene V. Debs from Social Democratic Herald. Vol. 4 No. 31. February 1, 1902.

There is nothing specially startling about the proceedings or results of the late “Industrial Peace Conference” in New York. The captains of industry are now in practical control of their organized vassals. This has been the tendency during the past five years. The pow-wow at New York was simply the climax of “keep out of politics” trades) unionism, and while things may run smoothly for a while, when the break comes the organized workers will find that they have their necks in the noose and that the hand of “arbitration” has a good grip at the other end. They are now committed to arbitration, and they’ll de damned if they don’t; they’ll be skinned if they do, and they’ll be both anyway.

Grover Cleveland is the keystone in the arch of peace. He has the final word. Ex-officio he is now president of the American Federation of Labor, and Brother Gompers has simply to look wise, occasionally knit his brow, and draw his salary.

The Republican papers now apotheosize Cleveland, and in a steady stream their eulogy pours upon his massive majesty in his new role of “dove of peace.

Cleveland! Gods! Look upon his puffed and purple jowl, his bulging veins, his blood-shot eyes, his flabby neck, his side-show girth of vulgar fat. In every feature nature has marked him as the coarsest cormorant that ever defiled the executive seat of the nation. Look at him, you workers, and then take off your hats and bow in the dust at his feet. All hail the great arbiter of labor. The black slave lifting his eyes to Lincoln may now dissolve from view. Great Grover is the mighty Moses of all the mighty races.

In 1894 he traced his love for labor in crimson characters-he commanded the United States regulars to shoot the working class into submission to their pirate masters. This was his glory. He entered the white house poor and emerged a millionaire. This was his civic crown. Well qualified, indeed, is he to sit in supreme judgment between the sleek coyote of capital and the bleating lamb of labor.

Archbishop Ireland is another “neutral” gentleman–a priest to match the politician, and they constitute a charming pair. When an exceptional job of labor fleecing is to be done, there always looms a priest, who, sad, meek and pious, rolls his eyes heavenward-and the job is done.

Archbishop Ireland is also a millionaire. His flock have all their treasures in heaven. “Verily, I am your shepherd and ye are my mutton.”

The archbishop is cheek by jowl with “Jim” Hill of the Great Northern. They collaborate and fix things in the Northwest. Ireland, making good use of his license as priest, is the smoothest of politicians, and Hill is not slow to catch on. Then Hill liberally “endows” as Ireland suggests, and, between the two, nothing gets away.

Compare Ireland to Christ! Jesus Christ!!

Bishop Potter is still another commanding figure in the neutral element of the peace commission of the Civic federation, the final tribunal of exploited workingmen. Who is he? The spiritual adviser of John Pierpont Morgan. Every great tyrant, every colossal robber in history had his spiritual adviser–his man of God to sanctify his crimes. The saintly bishop draws a princely salary. He rides in Morgan’s palatial private car. He touches elbows with the upper capitalists and their salaried professional lackeys, and with no others. Every now and then he drops a “radical” utterance. This is promptly snatched and spread by the capitalist press. The people are amazed–they hold their breath, applaud–and they are fixed for another season. On every vital issue Bishop Potter is with the capitalist class. Their interests are secure in his custody.

Rather Morgan, Hanna and Schwab straight than Cleveland, Ireland and Potter by arbitration.

In the entire “neutral” element there is not a single member whose material interests are not identified with and controlled by the capitalist class.

A mighty class struggle is convulsing society. No living man is, or can be, “neutral” or “disinterested.” He is on one side or the other–if not for freedom, he is for slavery of the working class. They are deadly opposites.

A chemical law forbids fire and water to mingle; even at the bidding of a peace conference. By the same analogy, an economic law forbids peace between workers and capitalists. It is the law of development and could it be suspended the spinal cord of humanity would be severed and progress would be paralyzed.

I have had some experience with the Civic federation, and want to say to workingmen and women that if they would have homes built of gold bricks the “civic” federation of the capitalist class will take the contract to house them all.

As for the American labor movement it is being practically emasculated, proportionate to its increasing impotency is its growth in numbers. In its present form it is encouraged, not resisted by the masters.

The brotherhoods of railway employes have the complete sanction and support of the corporations, and their chief officers are dined by President Roosevelt.

By the way, en passant, the President is announcing the appointment of representatives of the United States government for the coming coronation of King Edward–also for posts of honor at the launching of Emperor Wilhelm’s private yacht.

Now get ready your Sunday clothes, you sovereign sons of toil, for in these stately social functions, labor, the maker of all kings and presidents, will surely sparkle in the grand parade and carve the ‘possum at the banquet.

But as to the labor movement. The local unions have their political heelers and steerers. They sound the alarm when “politics” ventures in the ante-room. At the very mention of Socialism the heeler issues the warning note

“The goblins I’ll git ye if ye don’t watch out.”

The national officers, as a rule, are in close touch with the captains of industry and guarantees are given that the trades union movement will stick to its time-honored policy of letting politics alone.

How Hanna and Ireland, Morgan and Schwab (fresh convert to union labor) must dig into each other’s ribs and snort when they retire from the footlights.

Every labor union in the land ought to denounce and repudiate the New York scheme of peace at the price of slavery; and the whole labor movement must be rescued and readjusted to grapple with the conditions of today, or it is doomed to disintegration.

Pence, peace, there is no peace! There is no land in which capitalist masters and working slaves can abide in peace. The war is on and the conflict will wax fiercer until the crash comes and wage slavery is wiped from the earth.

Not until the last inch held by slavery is conquered by freedom can peace prevail. Then only, will the multiplied millions who have subdued the earth and produced its wealth come to their own. Onward, comrades; onward to the goal!

EUGENE V. DEBS

The Social Democratic Herald began as the Social Democrat. The Social Democrat was the paper of Eugene Debs’ pioneering industrial union, the American Railway Union. Begun in 1894 as the Railway Times, in July of 1897 it was renamed The Social Democrat and served as the paper of the Chicago based Social Democratic Party. First published in Terre Haute and then Chicago, the paper was produced weekly. After a split with Utopians who retained the paper, Debs’ published The Social Democratic Herald. When they joined with the Springfield, Massachusetts based Social Democratic Party in 1901, the Socialist Party was born. Victor Berger took over the paper in 1901 and moved it Milwaukee where it ran until 1913.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/social-democratic-herald-us/020201-socdemherald-v04n31w183.pdf