o and Arizona (August, 1910),
the National Executive Committee took up the question of taxation and
recommended graduated income and inheritance taxes, but nothing was said
about the State taking the future rise in rents. This is not a reaction
when compared to the present world status of non-Socialist land reform,
for the taxation of unearned increment has not yet been extended to
agricultural land in use, but it is decidedly a reaction when compared
with the Socialists' own position in the past.

In a semiagricultural country like the United States it is natural that
"State Socialism" should influence the Socialist Party in its treatment
of the land question more than in any other direction, and this
influence is, perhaps, the gravest danger that threatens the party at
the present writing.

By far the most important popular organ of Socialism in this
country is the _Appeal to Reason_ of Girard, Kansas, which now
circulates nearly half a million copies weekly--a large part of
which go into rural communities. The _Appeal_ endeavors, with some
success, to reflect the views of the average party member, without
supporting any faction. As Mr. Debs is one of its editors, it may
be understood that it stands fundamentally against the compromise
of any essential Socialist principle. And yet the exigencies of a
successful propaganda among small landowners or tenants who either
want to become landowners or to secure a lease that would amount to
almost the same thing, is such as to drive the _Appeal_ into a
position, not only as to the land question, but also to other
questions, that has in it many elements of "State Socialism."

A special propaganda edition (January 27, 1902) is typical. Along
with many revolutionary declarations, such as that Socialism aims
not only at the socialization of the means of production, but also
at the socialization of _power_, we find others that would be
accepted by any capitalist "State Socialist." Government activities
as to schools and roads are mentioned as examples of socialization,
while that part of the land still in the hands of our present
capitalist government is referred to as being socialized. The use
of vacant and unused lands (with "a fair return" for this use) by
city, township, and county officials in order to raise and sell
products and furnish employment, as w