Publication date
3/1/08
Volume
29
Number
5
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1908/5/1908-5-1.html
 
 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
"PA. 
It 
is 
awful 
to 
go 
When 
the 
world 
is 
asleep, 
And 
stand 
'neath 
the 
glow 
Of 
the 
star-studded 
deep, 
And 
gaze 
at 
that 
tower 
With 
its 
secret 
unknown,­ 
For 
great 
is 
the 
power 
Of 
the 
Witness 
of 
Stone 
I 
They 
have 
scoffed 
at 
the 
Truth 
Which 
is 
written 
in 
ink, 
They 
have 
deemed 
it 
uncouth 
For 
the 
brain 
which 
can 
think; 
But 
they 
will 
awake 
When 
they 
see 
it 
defined 
In 
figures 
which 
make 
An 
appeal 
to 
the 
mind 
I 
The 
Book 
of 
the 
soul, 
The 
Book 
of 
the 
heart­ 
There 
is 
naught 
on 
that 
scroll 
For 
the 
shrewd 
or 
the 
smart 
I 
And 
so 
there 
must 
be 
A 
witness 
for 
such, 
A 
thing 
they 
can 
see 
And 
a 
thing 
they 
can 
touch. 
'Tis 
a 
book 
for 
the 
wise, 
If 
the 
meek 
and 
the 
just; 
'Tis 
a 
chart 
for 
the 
eyes 
Long 
blinded 
by 
dust. 
'Tis 
a 
proof 
for 
the 
sage 
Whose 
god 
is 
the 
known­ 
There 
is 
truth 
for 
the 
age 
In 
the 
Witness 
of 
Stone. 
-Grace 
P. 
Bronaugh. 
VOL. 
XXIX 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
MARCH 
1, 
1908 
No.5 
SOCIALISM 
SPREADING 
IN 
GREAT 
BRITAIN 
That 
Socialism 
is 
growing 
rapidly 
in 
Great 
Britain 
is 
at­ 
tested 
by 
the 
fact 
that 
at 
a 
recent 
convention 
of 
the 
British 
Labor 
Party 
at 
Hull, 
England, 
a 
split 
occurred 
over 
a 
socialistic 
resolution-more 
than 
half 
representatively 
voting 
for 
the 
resolution, 
which 
read 
as 
follows:- 
"Resolved, 
That 
in 
the 
opinion 
of 
this 
conference 
the 
time 
has 
arrived 
when 
the 
Labor 
Party 
should 
have 
as 
a 
definite 
object 
the 
socialization 
of 
the 
means 
of 
production, 
distribution 
and 
exchange, 
to 
be 
controlled 
by 
a 
democratic 
state 
in 
the 
interest 
of 
the 
entire 
community, 
and 
the 
com· 
plete 
emancipation 
of 
Labor 
from 
the 
domination 
of 
Capital­ 
ism 
and 
Landlordism, 
with 
the 
establishment 
of 
social 
and 
economic 
equality 
between 
the 
sexes." 
The 
reporter 
adds: 
"Each 
delegate 
voted 
for 
the 
whole 
number 
of 
union 
men 
he 
represented, 
and 
the 
final 
vote 
on 
the 
resolution 
stood: 
For 
Socialism, 
514,000 
votes; 
against 
Socialism, 
469,000 
votes. 
The 
result 
was 
hailed 
as 
a 
great 
victory 
by 
the 
Socialists, 
who 
put 
the 
convention 
in 
an 
uproar 
by 
their 
frantic 
cheering." 
* 
* 
* 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
British 
workingmen, 
forming 
the 
Labor 
Party, 
hoisted 
the 
flag 
of 
Socialism. 
"The 
English 
public 
is 
still 
so 
dazed 
over 
the 
suddenness 
of 
the 
avowal 
that 
only 
a 
few 
newspapers 
seem 
to 
grasp 
the 
real 
significance 
of 
the 
new 
situation. 
Persons 
who 
expressed 
astonishment 
and 
fear 
when 
the 
lonesome 
figure 
of 
John 
Burns 
-since 
raised 
to 
a 
seat 
in 
the 
cabinet-en{ered 
Parliament 
as 
a 
representative 
of 
a 
labor 
constituency 
many 
years 
ago 
have 
now 
a 
real 
reason 
to 
f('ar 
for 
the 
traditional 
conservative 
trend 
of 
British 
legislative 
institutions. 
"Among 
other 
things, 
the 
latest 
move 
of 
the 
Labor 
Party 
really 
means 
that 
the 
cry 
of 
Socialism 
will 
not 
only 
be 
raised 
with 
a 
strong 
voice 
in 
the 
House 
of 
Commons 
but 
that 
the 
present 
Labor 
members 
of 
Parliament, 
who 
have 
so 
suddenly 
changed 
their 
political 
complexion, 
will 
be 
backed 
in 
pushing 
the 
socialistic 
propaganda 
by 
the 
strong 
organization 
and 
wealthy 
treasury 
of 
the 
Labor 
party, 
though 
it 
is 
true 
that 
since 
the 
Hull 
meeting 
some 
non-Socialist 
members 
of 
the 
party 
have 
condemned 
its 
action 
and 
threatened 
to 
break 
away. 
"Impartial 
observers 
in 
some 
quarters 
declare 
the 
middle 
and 
upper 
classes 
of 
England, 
who 
have 
su('h 
good 
ground 
Of 
course 
these 
leaders 
may 
not 
on 
either 
side 
fully 
reflect 
to 
fear 
the 
present 
socialistic 
movement, 
have 
only 
themselves 
the 
sentiment 
of 
all 
whom 
they 
represented 
as 
delegates; 
but 
to 
blame 
for 
the 
Labor 
party's 
sudden 
change 
of 
front. 
In 
the 
proportions 
are 
probably 
nearly 
correct. 
At 
all 
events 
this 
other 
words, 
laboring 
men 
seem 
to 
be 
practil'ally 
driven 
to 
shows 
the 
rapid 
growth 
of 
Socialism 
in 
quarters 
where 
it 
had 
take 
their 
latest 
radical 
step 
from 
sheer 
desperation 
at 
their 
almost 
no 
influence 
ten 
years 
ago. 
The 
importance 
of 
this 
deplorable 
plight, 
the 
growing 
rarity 
of 
employment 
and 
the 
item 
is 
seen 
when 
it 
is 
remembered 
that 
the 
British 
Labor 
rise 
in 
the 
cost 
of 
living. 
The 
percentage 
of 
hungry 
men, 
Party 
is 
represented 
by 
more 
than 
forty 
members 
in 
the 
women 
and 
children 
begging 
bread 
throughout 
England 
this 
present 
Parliament. 
winter 
is 
greater 
than 
for 
twenty 
years, 
and 
the 
deSOlation 
That 
statesmen 
are 
quick 
to 
measure 
the 
influence 
of 
this 
in 
many 
towns 
and 
villages, 
to 
say 
nothing 
of 
the 
larger 
growth 
of 
Socialism 
is 
shown 
by 
the 
comments 
on 
it 
by 
the 
cities, 
is 
appalling. 
Hon. 
Arthur 
Balfour, 
ex-prime 
minister 
and 
now 
leader 
of 
"Labor 
leaders, 
while 
acknowledging 
the 
splendid 
efforts 
the 
Conservative 
party 
of 
Great 
Britain. 
He 
sees 
in 
Socialism 
made 
to 
relieve 
suffering, 
point 
to 
the 
utter 
impossibility 
of 
the 
foe 
of 
present 
institutions 
and 
fears, 
just 
as 
the 
Scriptures 
preventing 
starvation 
and 
the 
utter 
indifference 
of 
the 
great 
foretold, 
"Men's 
hearts 
failing 
them 
for 
fear 
and 
for 
look· 
mass 
of 
people 
to 
the 
condition 
of 
the 
poor. 
A 
typical 
illus­ 
ing 
forward 
to 
the 
things 
coming 
upon 
the 
earth." 
He 
tration 
of 
their 
ground 
for 
resentment 
against 
the 
more 
fortu. 
prophpsies 
the 
reformation 
of 
all 
parties 
along 
that 
line 
-for 
nate 
portion 
of 
the 
community 
was 
shown 
this 
week, 
when 
the 
Socialism 
or 
against 
it. 
He 
is 
reported 
thus:- 
county 
council 
voted 
a 
liberal 
sum 
of 
money 
to 
purchase 
flag- 
"Mr. 
Balfour, 
on 
learning 
of 
the 
vote 
of 
the 
Labor 
Party, 
staffs 
to 
be 
set 
up 
on 
the 
public 
schools 
rather 
than 
vote 
at 
once 
declared 
that 
henceforth 
in 
England 
the 
political 
fight· 
money 
to 
feed 
those 
thousands 
of 
London 
school 
children 
who 
ing 
would 
be 
between 
Conservatives 
and 
Socialists; 
and 
that 
average 
less 
than 
one 
meal 
a 
day 
and 
always 
go 
to 
school 
the 
old-time 
Liberals 
and 
Radicals 
would 
disappear, 
as 
they 
hungry. 
are 
already 
rapidly 
disappearing 
in 
France 
and 
Germany." 
"Labor 
leaders 
have 
wisely 
taken 
into 
consideration 
the 
The 
reporter 
continued:- 
economic 
conditions 
of 
the 
country 
in 
framing 
their 
accusa. 
"Since 
then 
nearly 
all 
the 
British 
papers 
have 
thrown 
their 
tions, 
and 
by 
so 
doing 
they 
strengthen 
the 
charge 
of 
criminal 
('olumns 
open 
to 
the 
discussion 
of 
Socialism. 
As 
yet 
the 
callousness 
against 
the 
prosperous 
sections, 
that 
are 
always 
laboring 
men 
are 
a 
good 
deal 
divided, 
while 
several 
secessions 
willing 
to 
open 
their 
checkbooks 
to 
aid 
sentimental 
measures­ 
from 
the 
Labor 
Party 
are 
noted. 
It 
is 
said 
that 
the 
name 
of 
monument 
funds, 
funds 
to 
preserve 
old 
buildings, 
etc.-but 
the 
Labor 
Party 
will 
not 
be 
changed, 
and 
that 
the 
extreme 
who 
refuse 
to 
interest 
themselves 
in 
the 
demands 
of 
charity." 
Socialists 
will 
still 
keep 
a 
separate 
organization. 
England 
KING'S 
PARK 
FOR 
FARMS 
is 
the 
last 
country 
in 
Europe 
where 
Socialism 
has 
secured 
a 
Surrounding 
Windsor 
Castle 
is 
a 
large 
park, 
which 
a 
lot 
of 
foothold. 
As 
yet 
but 
one 
man 
has 
ever 
been 
led 
to 
Parlia- 
idle 
men 
at 
Manchester, 
Eng., 
think 
would 
be 
more 
useful 
ment 
on 
a 
straight 
Socialist 
platform. 
Whether 
the 
Labor 
to 
them 
if 
cut 
up 
so 
that 
a 
section 
of 
it 
might 
furnish 
them 
Party 
will 
gain 
or 
lose 
by 
its 
connection 
with 
Socialism 
the 
with 
small 
truck 
and 
garden 
farms. 
They 
have 
no 
objection 
next 
general 
election 
will 
show." 
to 
being 
close 
neighbors 
to 
their 
ruler. 
It 
is 
proposed 
that 
a 
A 
dispatch 
from 
London 
to 
the 
Chicago 
Tribune 
on 
the 
small 
army 
of 
the 
unemployed 
shall 
besiege 
and 
bes('ech 
their 
same 
subject 
says;- 
king 
on 
this 
subject, 
and 
a 
cablegram 
says, 
"That 
the 
move- 
, 
'In 
all 
the 
political 
movements 
of 
England 
possibly 
no 
ment 
is 
most 
serious 
is 
certain." 
such 
sudden 
and 
remarkable 
swing 
of 
the 
pendulum 
of 
public 
SOCIALISM 
AT 
HOME 
ALSO 
opinion 
has 
ever 
been 
witnessed 
as 
that 
recorded 
this 
week, 
The 
following 
extract 
from 
a 
letter 
to 
the 
Editor 
speaks 
for 
when 
in 
a 
conference 
at 
Hull 
representatives 
of 
millions 
of 
itself:- 
[4143] 
(76-68) ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA. It is awful to go The Book of the soul, When the world is asleep, The Book of the heart— And stand ’neath the glow There is naught on that scroll Of the star-studded deep, For the shrewd or the smart! And gaze at that tower And so there must be With its secret unknown,— A witness for such, For great is the power A thing they can see Of the Witness of Stone! And a thing they can touch. They have scoffed at the Truth ’Tis a book for the wise, Which is written in ink, If the meek and the just; They have deemed it uncouth ’Tis a chart for the eyes For the brain which can think; Long blinded by dust. But they will awake ’Tis a proof for the sage When they see it defined Whose god is the known— In figures which make There is truth for the age An appeal to the mind! In the Witness of Stone. —Grace P. Bronaugh. Vou. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., MARCH 1, 1908 No. 5 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER SOCIALISM SPREADING IN GREAT BRITAIN That Socialism is growing rapidly in Great Britain is attested by the fact that at a recent convention of the British Labor Party at Hull, England, a split oceurred over a socialistic resolution—more than half representatively voting for the resolution, which read as follows:— ‘Resolved, That in the opinion of this conference the time has arrived when the Labor Party should have as a definite object the socialization of the means of production, distribution and exchange, to be controlled by a democratic state in the interest of the entire community, and the complete emancipation of Labor from the domination of Capitalism and Landlordism, with the establishment of social and economic equality between the sexes.’’ The reporter adds: **Each delegate voted for the whole number of union men he represented, and the final vote on the resolution stood: For Socialism, 514,000 votes; against Socialism, 469,000 votes. The result was hailed as a great victory by the Socialists, who put the convention in an uproar by their frantic cheering.’’ * * 6 Of course these leaders may not on either side fully reflect the sentiment of all whom they represented as delegates; but the proportions are probably nearly correct. At all events this shows the rapid growth of Socialism in quarters where it had almost no influence ten years ago. The importance of this item is seen when it is remembered that the British Labor Party is represented by more than forty members in the present Parliament. That statesmen are quick to measure the influence of this growth of Socialism is shown by the comments on it by the Hon. Arthur Balfour, ex-prime minister and now leader of the Conservative party of Great Britain. He sees in Socialism the foe of present institutions and fears, just as the Scriptures foretold, ‘‘Men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking forward to the things coming upon the earth.’’ He prophesies the reformation of all parties along that line—for Socialism or against it. He is reported thus:— “‘Mr. Balfour, on learning of the vote of the Labor Party, at once declared that henceforth in England the political fighting would be between Conservatives and Socialists; and that the old-time Liberals and Radicals would disappear, as they are already rapidly disappearing in France and Germany.”’ The reporter continued :— ‘Since then nearly all the British papers have thrown their columns open to the discussion of Socialism. As yet the laboring men are a good deal divided, while several secessions from the Labor Party are noted. It is said that the name of the Labor Party will not be changed, and that the extreme Socialists will still keep a separate organization. England is the last country in Europe where Socialism has secured a foothold. As yet but one man has ever been led to Parliament on a straight Socialist platform. Whether the Labor Party will gain or lose by its connection with Socialism the next general election will show.’’ A dispatch from London to the Chicago Tribune on the same subject says:— ‘‘In all the political movements of England possibly no such sudden and remarkable swing of the pendulum of public opinion has ever been witnessed as that recorded this week, when in a conference at Hull representatives of millions of British workingmen, forming the Labor Party, hoisted the flag of Socialism. ‘*The English public is still so dazed over the suddenness of the avowal that only a few newspapers seem to grasp the real significance of the new situation. Persons who expressed astonishment and fear when the lonesome figure of John Burns —since raised to a seat in the cabinet—entered Parliament as a representative of a labor constituency many years ago have now a real reason to fear for the traditional conservative trend of British legislative institutions. ‘“Among other things, the latest move of the Labor Party really means that the cry of Socialism will not only be raised with a strong voice in the House of Commons but that the present Labor members of Parliament, who have so suddenly changed their political complexion, will be backed in pushing the socialistic propaganda by the strong organization and wealthy treasury of the Labor party, though it is true that since the Hull meeting some non-Socialist members of the party have condemned its action and threatened to break away. Impartial observers in some quarters declare the middle and upper classes of England, who have such good ground to fear the present socialistic movement, have only themselves to blame for the Labor party’s sudden change of front. In other words, laboring men seem to be practically driven to take their latest radical step from sheer desperation at their deplorable plight, the growing rarity of employment and the rise in the cost of living. The percentage of hungry men, women and children begging bread throughout England this winter is greater than for twenty years, and the desolation in many towns and villages, to say nothing of the larger cities, is appalling. ‘‘Labor leaders, while acknowledging the splendid efforts made to relieve suffering, point to the utter impossibility of preventing starvation and the utter indifference of the great mass of people to the condition of the poor. A typical illustration of their ground for resentment against the more fortunate portion of the community was shown this week, when the county council voted a liberal sum of money to purchase flagstaffs to be set up on the public schools rather than vote money to feed those thousands of London school children who average less than one meal a day and always go to school hungry. ““Labor leaders have wisely taken into consideration the economic conditions of the country in framing their accusations, and by so doing they strengthen the charge of criminal callousness against the prosperous sections, that are always willing to open their checkbooks to aid sentimental measures— monument funds, funds to preserve old buildings, ete——but who refuse to interest themselves in the demands of charity.’’ KING'S PARK FOR FARMS Surrounding Windsor Castle is a large park, which a lot of idle men at Manchester, Eng., think would be more useful to them if cut up so that a section of it might furnish them with small truck and garden farms. They have no objection to being close neighbors to their ruler. It is proposed that a small army of the unemployed shall besiege and bescech their king on this subject, and a cablegram says, ‘‘That the movement is most serious is certain.’’ SOCIALISM AT HOME ALSO ae following extract from a letter to the Editor speaks for itself :— [4143]

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