Labor Herald Library
No. 5
AMALGAMATION
By Jay Fox
CHAPTER I.
The Growing Power of Capitalism
IN a civilized society there would be no conflicting economic interests. There would be nether master nor slave, employer nor employee, rich nor poor. Where these distinctions exist civilization is merely a name, for there is bitter conflict between the rich employers and the wealthless workers; and this conflict increases in intensity in exact ratio to the concentration of wealth and power on the one hand and the corresponding increase of poverty and knowledge on the other. This conflict Of interests in society has come to be known as the class struggle.
This war of the classes has raged throughout the ages. It is not a spectacular war, not always have the participants even been conscious of their parts in it. It is nevertheless universal and bitter, and all play their parts in it. It is the teal perpetual World War out of which all other wars have sprung. The class war will not end by one party defeating the other. Labor defeated will rise again. Capital licked will make terms and resume the exploitation of Labor. The class struggle end when the causes that give rise to it are removed. The economic structure of society must be remodeled before the basis for a real civilization can be laid. That is the work of Labor organized in its unions and equipped with the necessary knowledge. Armed with knowledge and power, Labor will change the economic basis of our common life and establish justice and equality where exploitation and misery now reign supreme.
