agely, as things white-hot and new from the forge
of human wisdom. Their feeble vapourings show no more than a schoolboy's
comprehension of the nature of the revolution. Parasites themselves on
the capitalist class, serving the capitalist class by moulding public
opinion, they, too, cluster drunkenly about the honey vats.

Of course, this is true only of the large majority of American editors.
To say that it is true of all of them would be to cast too great obloquy
upon the human race. Also, it would be untrue, for here and there an
occasional editor does see clearly--and in his case, ruled by
stomach-incentive, is usually afraid to say what he thinks about it. So
far as the science and the sociology of the revolution are concerned, the
average editor is a generation or so behind the facts. He is
intellectually slothful, accepts no facts until they are accepted by the
majority, and prides himself upon his conservatism. He is an instinctive
optimist, prone to believe that what ought to be, is. The revolutionist
gave this up long ago, and believes not that what ought to be, is, but
what is, is, and that it may not be what it ought to be at all.

Now and then, rubbing his eyes, vigorously, an editor catches a sudden
glimpse of the revolution and breaks out in naive volubility, as, for
instance, the one who wrote the following in the _Chicago Chronicle_:
"American socialists are revolutionists. They know that they are
revolutionists. It is high time that other people should appreciate the
fact." A white-hot, brand-new discovery, and he proceeded to shout it
out from the housetops that we, forsooth, were revolutionists. Why, it
is just what we have been doing all these years--shouting it out from the
housetops that we are revolutionists, and stop us who can.

The time should be past for the mental attitude: "Revolution is
atrocious. Sir, there is no revolution." Likewise should the time be
past for that other familiar attitude: "Socialism is slavery. Sir, it
will never be." It is no longer a question of dialectics, theories, and
dreams. There is no question about it. The revolution is a fact. It is
here now. Seven million revolutionists, organized, working day and
night, are preaching the revolution--that passionate gospel, the
Brotherhood of Man. Not only is it a cold-blooded economic propaganda,
but it is in essence a religious propaganda with a fervour in it of Paul
and Christ. The capitalist class h