Labor and Freedom: The Voice and Pen of Eugene V. DebsDebs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
History
Labor and Freedom: The Voice and Pen of Eugene V. Debs
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
Labor -- United States; Socialism -- United States; Socialist Party (U.S.); Working class -- United States
It will mean the beginning of a new era of civilization; the dawn of a
happier day for the children of men. It will mean that this earth is for
those who inhabit it and wealth for those who produce it. If will mean
society organized upon a co-operative basis, collectively owning the
sources of wealth and the means of production, and producing wealth to
satisfy human wants and not to gorge a privileged few. It will mean that
there shall be work for the workers and that all shall be workers, and
it will also mean that there shall be leisure for the workers and that
all shall enjoy it. It will mean that women shall be the comrades and
equals of men, sharing with them on equal terms the opportunities as
well as the responsibilities, the benefits as well as the burdens of
civilized life.
The Socialist party, the first and only international party, is rising
grandly to power all around the world. In every land beneath the sun it
is the party of the dispossessed, the impoverished and the heavy-laden.
It is the twentieth century party of human emancipation.
It stands for a world-wide democracy, for the freedom of every man,
woman and child, and for the civilization of all mankind.
The Socialist party buys no votes. It scorns to traffic in ignorance. It
realizes that education, knowledge and the powers these confer are the
only means of achieving a decided and permanent victory for the people.
_A Clean Campaign._
The campaign of the Socialist party is a clean campaign; it is
essentially educational; an appeal to intelligence, to manliness, to
womanliness, and to all things of good report.
The workers are opening their eyes at last. They are beginning to see
the light. They are taking heart of hope because they are becoming
conscious of their power.
They are rallying to the standard of the Socialist party because they
know that this is their party and that here they are master, and here
they sit at their own political hearthstone and fireside.
No longer can the workers be pitted against each other in capitalist
parties by designing politicians to their mutual undoing. They have made
the discovery that they have brains as well as hands, that they can
think as well as work, and that they do not need politicians to advise
them how to vote, nor masters to rob them of the fruits of their labor.
Slowly but surely there is being established the economic and political
unity and solidarity of the workers of the world. The Socialist party is
the political expression of that unity and solidarity.
_Unity the Keynote._
I appeal to the workers assembled here today in the name of the
Socialist party. I appeal to you as one of you to unite and make common
cause in this great struggle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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