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é) Published j
| © in 1904
y Standards
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“sustaining fund drive open-
Tae week the following
a by Eugene V. Debs,
jee US. working class

ay about the value of the

press, is very pertin-
Be Xe Although written many

AUREO this article still ex-
S in clear strong terms
the working class today
Support. their own

Why

_ The following article was

n the Metal Work-
, and outlines the
for a labor paper
€ -Pacifie Tribune
fulfill,

yi EUGENE V. DEBS

€ labor movement is the
Slavery — the off-
of Oppression — in
8ainst the misery and|
8 that gave it birth.

Which th

Th

Vel of our time, the fore-

om, the hope)

abor }
dic Speen stumbled

ta and bruised itself,
by th Sen again; been seized

bes into insensibility:
joi ibility; en-
tia By Courts, assaulted by'|
de arged by the militia,
bea? Wn by regulars, trad-|

b

yori we the press, frowned
ceivéa'"y Public opinion, de-
ned by’ Y Politicians, threat-
Snes aes repudiated by
sfc. Breyed . upon. by

8, infested by spies,

ere by cowards, betray-
s, Pwpodities bled by leech-
hice out by leaders,
ea Withstanding all ‘this
ona it ‘is today the
Wer this st potential
nown, a Pp enet? has’ ‘ever
iba; ben ee oo mis-
“s cipatin
orkers of ‘the aa is wie

z

ley 7 |
hig Be Vital thing about!
educa nd’ movement is its
capacity propaganda—its
Mane and power to shed

M the brain of the
ue SS, arouse them
: “ir torpor, develop
*aculties for thinking,
ito their economic
Solidarit rests, effect their
y; and imbue them
Volition et of the social

Deir

Teath of ne aganda the life-
ess, is movement, the
they Paramount to all
and epneie and influences,
S a Stre pots of the press,
Index of the progress

of the movement.
Unfortunately, the workers
lack intelligent appreciation
of the importance of the
press; they also lack -judg-
ment and discrimination in
dealing with the subject, and
utterly neglect some good
papers, and permit them to
perish, while others that are
anything but helpful or bene-
ficial to the cause they are
supposed to represent are
liberally patronized and
flourish in the ignorance and
stupidity which support them.

The material prosperity of
a labor paper today is no
guarantee of its moral or in-
tellectual value. Indeed,
some of the most worthless
labor publications have the
finest mechanical appearance,
and are supported by the
largest circulations .. .
How thoroughly alive the
capitalists are to the power
of the press! And how assidu-
ously they develop and sup-
port it that it may in turn
buttress their class interests!
The press is one of their
most valuuable assets, and
as an investment, pays the
highest dividends. ;
When there is trouble be-
tween capital.and labor the
press volleys and thunders
against labor and its unions
and leaders and all other
things that dare to» breathe
against the sacred rights of
capital. In such a~ contest

labor is dumb, speechless; it)|:

has no press that reaches the
public, and. must. submit to
the vilest calumny, the most
outrageous misrepresenta-
tions. = ig

The lesson has been taught,
in all the languages. of labor
and written in the blood of
its countless martyred vic-
tiniss. 2 | :

Labor must have a press as
formidable as the great move-
ment of the working class rel
quires, to “worthily: represent|

its dignity and fearlessly and |

uncompromisingly advocate,
its principles.

Every member of a. trade
union should feel himself}
obligated to do his full share’
in the important work of
building up the press of the!
labor movement; he should|
at least support the paper of
his union, and one or more
of the papers of his party,
and, above all, he should

read them and school him-
self in the art of intelligent
criticism, and let the editor

$18,000 needed by May 1
@ To ensure continued publication we must raise that |
amount in two months. ;
@ There.is no time to lose. Half the quota should b
in ‘by the end of March. Won't you help?
—. ati
_.. JHERES WHAT YOU CAN-DO;
4}. Send.in-yourdonationnow
2. ‘Decide to-become a press builder
Greater Vancouver — - ‘Dewdney
CLUB QUOTA : Han os 7 ane
AMIBanCO ng: athe’ tite 375.00 ine ret Midge Sere ak
Bayadew- apes ceses 275.00 ROTAR fo —
Broadway _-------_---__ eI eae potas pci ite eeaetgee ses some $ 425.00
Bro thensyets tebe ta 150.00
Cedar Cottage _.--_----__ 200.00 Vancouver Island
Dry.Bdchy 26 2-163 500.00 Albermis. se
Hast, Kind. se BS 275.00 Campbell River _____ 150.06
Frank Rogers ~-------~-- 350.00 Otintberiand 524 2s ss 200.00
HE GeOnria. satsee nee os 150.00 Bewithie; co: ei 300.09
WeGrandview: <<: ce. ss 500.00 Wanaine: 2 5 = Sse" 400.00
Hastings TES! uae Go aaron 3 600.00 Ravksvable 2265 G25 6 ee 75.00
Kensington. __--=-------- 450.00 Viciora: <2 400.60
arta ee pay wi Le gis all 250.00
13 Pleasants22: Pose. -2 * : aOR os
Niilo Makela __________- 150.00 TOE Meee =-~-=$ 2,275.00
Nomuay = 400.00 : a
Olgiw’ 273 cess te 200.00 Okanagan Region
Ppt Grey ee 250.00 Ronge en 100.00
Stuathconasn: a2} eo 350.00: Nich tnt 150.06
Victory Square __-_-__---_ 400:00 elnino gS
West: Bnd a 175.00 OTANI btiwees s $ 450.00
Now Eyppehy i ee eS 550.09 seat ered
Sout THR DYsobk e 350.00 ..
Edmonds .Burnaby, ____- — 250.00 Province General
North Shore _____--_____ 750.00 Michel-Fernie ___________ 125.00
City Miscellaneous _____ deh ac ROR. 50.00
Unpledged __--__---_-_- _ 1,075.00 New Westminster ._._____ 250.00
City. Total =. 3 os oe TE $11,500.00 Powell River 2... 2 SaDbO
Prince: Rupert = OO
Delta Sointula = oss" 100.00
Fort Lanvléy. =2 os ob - 250.00 Trail-Rossland __-_._ 350.00
Ladner * oe 12500. ~ Corresvondence «= 53.5.5 2. 225.08
N.Wi industrial 2.2. - 300.00. _Tom.McEwen’s Column.___ . 100.09
PeStevestan: ies ao et 150.00 Province Unpledged ______ 600.00
| North Surrey: 2522 --2b 275.00 Province Total _ = 222! __ 6,500.00
South “Surrey _.-----_-_- 100.00 City Rotel eee ss 555 iz. - 11,500.60
HWhallevn 23 AS ee - 200.00 BOTAD 25) So iS :1,500.00. +
TOTAL __------------ $1,400.00 GRAND TOTAL ~... $18,000.00

hear from him when he as a
criticism to offer or a sugges-
tion to make.

The expense of supporting
‘the labor press is but a trifle
to the individual member —
| less than the daily outlay fox
other trifles that are of no
benefit, and can easily be
dispensed with.

The editor of a labor paper
is of far more importance to
the union and the movement
than the president or any
other officer of the union. He
ought to be chosen with
special reference to his
knowledge upon the labor
question and his fitness to
advocate and defend the
economic interests of the
class he represents.

The vast amount of capital.

ist advertising some labor
publications carry certifies
unerringly to the worthless-
ness of their literary con-
tents. Capitalists do not, as
a rule, advertise in labor
papers that are loyal to
working class interests. It is
only on condition that the
advertising colors and con-
trols the editorial that the
capitalist generously allows
his’ patronage to go to the
labor paper.

The workingman who
wants to read a labor paper
with the true ring, one that
ably, honestly and fearless-
ly speaks for the working
class, will find it safe to steer
clear of those that are load-
ed with capitalist advertis-
ing and make his selection

Nhy Gene_Debs urged labor
© support its own press

‘With the Pacific Tribune

from those that are nearly
or quite boycotted by the
class that live and thrive
upon the slavery and degrad-
ation of the working class.

The labor press of today is
not ideal, but it is improving
steadily, and the time will
come when the ideal labor
press will be realized; when
the labor movement will com-
mand editors, writers, journ-

alists, artists of the first
class; when hundreds of
papers, including dailies in

the large cities, will gather
the news and discuss it from
the labor standpoint; when

illustrated magazines and.

periodicals will illuminate
the literature of labor and all
will combine to realize our
ideal labor press and blaze
the way to*victory.

Ct en = 00- =:

i ss

March 2, 1962—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 1!

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