ns, and tell them that they must become atheists
before they can become Socialists? That would be nonsense. We must
first get these men convinced of the rationality of our economic
and political program, and then after we have made Socialists of
them and members of the Socialist Party, we can talk to them inside
of our ranks, talk of the higher philosophy and of the logical
consequences of our explanation of society and nature.... We should
not go out in our propaganda among people that are as yet
unconvinced and are still groping in ignorance and obscurity, and
tell them that they first must become materialists before they can
become members of the Socialist Party. No. This declaration that
religion is a private matter does not mean that it is not a social
matter or class matter at the same time. It merely means that we
shall bide our good time and wait till the individual is ready,
through his own individual evolution, to accept our philosophy. It
means that we shall give him plenty of time to grow gradually to
the things that are necessary to him, and those material things
that affect his material welfare, the economic and political
question of Socialism. After he has grown into them, it will be so
much easier to approach him with the full consequences of the
Socialist philosophy. Therefore I ask you to retain this plank in
our platform."

Delegate Stirton gave the following reason for his opposition to the
adoption of any religious plank in the party platform:

"If this statement is true that religion is no concern of our
movement, as stated in the amendment, or in the original
recommendation that it is a private matter--if that is a true
statement, then we don't need it. If it is a lie, then we don't
want it."

It will be remembered that Delegate Lewis at an earlier session of the
convention had said: "Let us either tell the truth or have the good
grace and the common sense and stamina and the manhood to keep our
mouths shut about it" (i.e., religion from the viewpoint of Socialist
philosophy).

To show the insincerity of Lewis, we shall now quote parts of a second
speech made by him in the evening of the same day on which he had spoken
so eloquently in behalf of asserting the truth and not telling a lie:

"I have gone into conference," he says, "between the afternoon
ses