WHAT'S SO AND WHAT ISNT
Copyrighted by JOHN M. WORK
[ ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
No, things have not always been this way and they will not
always be this way. .
Things have always changed continually.
The man who can’t see this must be blind, indeed.
We have aways had street cars, for example, haven't we?
We always have had steam railways and we always will
have them? Itis all a dream that people used to ride in stage
coaches! And there is no prospect of electricity ever taking
the place of steam!
Certain muddle heads have tried to make us believe that
the lights which appeared in the belfry on the night when Paul
Revere watched for the signal and then made his memorable
midnight ride from Boston to Lexington were made with tallow
¢andles.. But everybody knows that the colonial heroes merely
turned on the electric lights! We have electric lights now,
and, as things always have been this way, it follows that they
had them in colonial days!
The historians have tried to delude the people by telling
them that the negroes of the South were once chattel slaves and
that two million soldiers went down there and freed them from
chattel slavery! But that is all a hoax! The negroes of the
South are now working for wages, and, as things always have
been this way, it follows that they always have been wage
slaves and never were chattel slaves at all!
‘What nonsense!
Things were not this way ten thousand years ago, nor five
thousand years ago, nor one thousand years ago, nor five hun-
dred years ago, nor one hundred years ago, nor fifty years
ago, nor even ten years ago.
Before civilization began, society was not divided into
classes. There was no master class. The tribes lived in a
state of communism—not Socialism, but communism—and men
made no attempt whatever to outdo or overreach one another
financially.
For several centuries after civilization began, the people
were divided into masters and chattel slaves.
ent wage system, or capitalist system, began.
Up to the middle of the nineteenth century, in this very
United States, wealth was quite equitably distributed, and the
people had approximately equal opportunities.
A quarter of a century later, the concentration of wealth
into the hands of a few had not progressed very far.
Ever twenty-five years ago, it had by no means reached
its present stage. .
Even ten years ago, the centralization of the industries
into trusts and combines had not reached anything like its pres-
ent stage of completion.
Labor saving machinery in all industries has developed
and changed like a kaleidoscope before our very eyes.
Decidedly, things have not always been this way.
Still more decidedly, things will not always be this way.
This is a world of change, not of stagnation.
COMRADESHIP. couraged by the District Attor-
» : ney as likely to embarrass the
; 2 Administration rather than aid
The Farmers’ convention
lately held in Madison, Wis- oh 08 ‘brvecuiion of the
consin, to name a state ticket, E
adopted a platform of eighteen
planks, urging a more elastic
constitution, referendum and
recall, equal suffrage, eight-
hour day except for farmers,
co-operative business legisla-
tion, government ownership of
railroads and telegraph and
national prohibition. Loyalty
to the government was pledged,
universal military training op-
posed.
One hundred thousand
working men and women
marched through the streets
©f Moscow, Russia, in the May
Day celebration of this year,
‘bearing gigantic red banners
“Nothing has given more
satisfaction and moral encour-
agement to thinking Russians
than President Wilson’s mes-
sage to the Soviet,” writes a
London newspaper correspon-
dent from Petrograd.
In a report which he has
just made to the American In-
stitute of Social Service, which
sent him to Russia last year to
study conditions there, Prof. E.
A. Ross says, among other
things, that there is no power
in Russia, which in the absence
of foreign aid, has the least
chance of overthrowing the
Soviet ' or Bolshevik govern-
and proclaiming internationa. ment ;that the notorious Cos-
‘Socialism, and passed in re sacks have ceased to exist in
view before the members of the |Russia ; that the bourgeoisie are
central government, impotent to do anything for
: oth ¢ | themselves, and that if the Bol-
August 1 a con gronge Ol! sheviki Chiefs are agents of
State Secretaries, the National Prussia, as charged by opposi-
Executive Conmnifioe; ¢ tion newspapers, the 250 gen-
other national officers of the uine Russians composing the
Socialist Party will meet tc delegate Lody 16 which they
. consider a restatement of war are responsible for everything
aims and formulate a program. they do, Yiave Deon ahabl in
for Socialist candidates in the perceive the fact.
congressional campaign.
Federal District Attorney
Humes has lately issued a state-
ment from his headquarters in
Pittsburgh condemning the mob
violence which has been finding
expression in the form of tar
Eugene V. Debs is again on
a speaking tour of the country
after being obliged to abandon
his work along that line some
time ago on account of impair-
ed health. He is scheduled to
fill a series of dates this month
parties throughout Western and next in the states nearby
Pennsylvania to an alarming | pjg home in Indiana, and after
extent. Unlawful actions on|ihe hot months of July and
the part of individuals. which | August
very often inflicts punishment| ..qume
are over he expects to
his regular tours and
fill
THE MEYERSDALE
And, after the feudal system had run its eourse, the pres-:
comm
OF
PLAIN
Eber K. Cockley &
Herman QG. Lepley
For Representatives in the
General Assembly.
A. Lindstrom
For Nate Senator.
Hon. L. S. Mellinger
For Representative in Congress,
2ord Pennsylvania District.
“REPRESENTING THE
PEOPLE
» . . . BE fT Bs BT ST Te SE BP BE BA BE ST SE A PL FL
: elf Eee ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ = a
VIEWPOINT
EVERYWHERE.”
EES tedes sss Eftddd .
—— EES LEs &8 Zz
CIVILIZATION.
Two hundred and thirteen
members were lately arrested
in Seattle, Washington, when
50 patrolmen raided headquar-
ters of the Industrial Workers
of the World.
Editor Lang, of the Musca-
tine County Socialist, was re-
cently sentenced to imprison-
ment for two years and fined
$5,000 for violation of the Es-
pionage Act. Judge Wade,
who pronounced sentence, bit-
terly denounced the alleged
evils of Socialism—*‘in peace
and in war.”
In Washington, D. C., the
Federal Government has as-
sumed control of the situatio1
in which profiteering in rents,
due to increased demands for
housing room caused by 5
great influx of war workers,
had developed to an alarming
extent. Cases where as high
as $300 per month was charged
as rent for several furnished
rooms were recently disclosed
in a federal investigation.
ing things in engagement rings.
Many a chap who is sneer-
ing at Socialism now will’ an-
nounce,
comes, that he was for it all
an guiltless fellow citizens in| gagements wherever his
times like the present, are dis-| s may be required. I
i
| t
after the great change!
Representatives in Meyers-
dale of the Pennsylvania So-
ciety for the Prevention of Tu-
berculosis, will be urged to in-
fluence prominent men of our
city in behalf of the Owen-
Dyer bill, which provides for
the equalization of the rank of
Army officers with that of Na-
vy officers. The measure al-
ready has been introduced in-
to Congress,
The proposed legislation not
only has the support of Presi-
dent Wlison but also the Sur-
geons General of both branches
of the Nation’s organizations
for defense. The Pennsylva-
nia Society at the request of
the Government, thoroughly in-
vestigated the merits of the
bill, and has given to it unqual-
ified . endorsement, on the
ground that its passage will
help to improve the quality of
medical and sanitary service in
the Army, and thereby help
win the war.
R. Barclay Spicer, executive
secretary for the Pennsylvania
Society, says, in his message to
representatives of that organi-
zation throughout the State:
“We believe the passage of
this bill will tend to promote ef-
ficiency in the control of dis-
ease, the treatment of wounds
and the general sanitation of
| camps, by giving the medical
| officers of the Army a rank suf-|
Lady fingers are the prevail-|
| can not be overruled
| officers
ficient so that their authority
by line
of equal or inferior
grade. It therefore, is our in-
tention to urge as many influ-
ential persons
as possible to
impress upon their representa-
| tiv es in Congress, the nec essity
| for the success of the measure.’
|
CO-OPERATION
“For the Common Good ”
Co-operation is defined in political economy as, “The asso-
‘lation of a number of persons for their, common benefit.” Co-
operation among the common people is essential to preserve
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
In America, as in Germany, the plain people must come
together in associations for their common benefit, or suffer the
consequences resulting from a lack of such organizations. That
person who opposes co-operation by the common people, claim-
ing to be their representative and spokesman, whether his
title be kaiser, king or just plain mister, is not the representa-
tive of the common people, but a traitor to the plain people
everywhere.
Any person, anywhere, who is not at heart a traitor to
the plain people everywhere, is eligible to become a member
of the Commercial Co-operative Council and a conditional
part owner of The Meyersdale Commercial.
Join the Commercial Co-operative Council today and ar-
gue the question tomorrow—or the next day you meet a Com-
mercial reader who is not a member,
Her—*“Dearest, will you love Unless a man looks silly
me always?” when he tells a girl he loves
Him—“Sweetest, I have|her, he doesn’t mean it.
loved you all the ways I know.” Other papers all remind us
Free speech is tc a great) We can make our own sub-
people what winds are to lime,
oceans and malarial regions,| If our fellow readers send us
which waft away the elements | Contributions all the time.
of health; and where free | Here a little, there a little,
speech is stopped miasma is| Story, news note, song or jest,
bred, and death comes fagt.—| If you want a good live paper
| Henry Ward Be echer. Each of you must do his best,
A
: Local ¢
BOBBIE a080RCH
Mrs. Cly
Thursday in
Mrs. Jamie
Thursday in
Clayton V
tives in Fros
i Mrs. Benj
pre Mange, spen
Mrsi-Davi
. burgh, is visi
Miss Carri
ited friends
day.
Mrs. Pete:
business call
Friday.
i Mrs. Che
© spending sev
berland.
Mrs. John
urday for a
Baltimore.
Mrs. Eliza
visiting Mrs.
of Boswell.
Mrs. Jame
ing, Pa., is
John Maul.
D. P. Rur
was in Meyer
Wednesday.
Misses Ros
Stella McQu
in Confluenc
Mrs. Frank
Colorado, is
Mrs. George
Mrs. J. T,
burgh, is vi
Miss Ella Mc
i Miss Daisy
Sand Patch M
days’ visit he:
r. and M
a little
relatives in
day,
John Boucl
Pa., visited
and Mrs. M.
day.
Johnson Cc
the summer w
DeForrest Lu
bugh. :
Mr. and M
lor, who were
here, have ret
Ohio.
Mrs. C. E.
ed from Pitts]
spent the we
tives.
Mrs. John
berland, visit
W. H. Habel,
week.
Mr. and Mr
iel visited rels
burg, W.. Va.
Sunday.
Mrs. Simon
three children
in St. Paul th
the week.
J. E. Barnh:
visited at the |